Rs 112/-.....

I can still almost feel and live that morning in 1998. Six months into being an entrepreneur I drove my dad’s Premier Padmini (we all used to call it ‘Fiat’ you know) to the busy market street in Vile Parle and parked it right in front of United Western Bank. I was on my way to market for some sundry work and needed to withdraw Rs 2000/- from my current account on the way. As I waited to pick up my money after handing over the cheque the clerk said – “You don’t have an OD facility but I can give you the money right now” “What do you mean by Overdraft? I just need 2000...whats my balance?” I asked incredulously.”Rs 112/-“ he replied quietly....I just walked back holding the cheque. After studying cash flow and other stuff in MBA, obviously I was stupid with my handling that part. Well... it is not about the cash flow though...I still was fresh from my “salaried” mindset and sense of security and self worth still revolved around the bank account.....

I can still feel that cheque in my hand and the sweat flowing down my face as I sat back in the car feeling low.... what have I done? With a one year old daughter and wife working on her Research, was it really wise to throw away my job and get into something like this? It felt so stupid to be worthy of Rs 112/- .... suddenly also realised the car was also dad’s...actually!

I came home and called Pallavi. When I called up at an odd time of 10.30 in the morning at her Lab she sensed the problem..”What happened?” She asked. “I just went to the bank... we just have Rs 112/-“ .... though I don’t believe in chauvinism, thank god that we were on phone and would have hated her to see my eyes welling up. “So what?” I almost felt stupid at that remark as if it was routine for me to blow up everything and show her an blank bank account.. she continued sweetly ..I guess cautious not to be sympathetic though .. “don’t dramatise the situation... we are not worried about when the next meals will come from and how do we pay for our stay... money will come” . “ Yes but I feel guilty to even go to restaurant and use my credit card”...”So we will not go to one till you feel OK about it..just don’t worry”. Life continued and as I went slogging as usual, money came in ..... one got used the fluctuations also ... no longer money matters were scary .... just kabhie khushi kabhi gum!

Down the line towards the end of the year another incident happened. It was my dear nephew’s thread ceremony (which actually is quite a big function... almost a mini marriage albeit with celibacy J ). As the morning part got over, I just came back to make a few important calls in the afternoon only to realize that my Dubai based customer will not be paying me Rs. 1,00,000/- of my well-deserved consulting fees!!! For a 28 year old middle class boy way back in 1998 – losing a clean 1 lac was quite a news! Well I had to go back for the evening part of the function where the maternal uncle – yours truly – was supposed to be the host! So there I was standing at the function smiling at my guest. Something strange happened – as I was delivering my Oscar-worthy performance... I really started enjoying sometime later.

Apart from financial gains and losses my entrepreneurial stint gifted me with some rare insights into the life. It taught me to size up the risks ..... they are really as small or big as you make them to be.

So whenever I land up in some trouble today... the risk you know... I think of Rs 112/- .... wipe the sweat and move on with a smile!!!!