What was the problem you were grappling with?
I used to work for a Kolkata-based non-banking financial company (NBFC) and had risen sharply through the ranks, being recognised for my work ethic, integrity and results. Suddenly in the 1980s, the then Finance Minister of West Bengal amended the NBFC Act, which almost overnight led to the closure of the business, rendering us jobless and penniless with little hope for the future.
Whom did you approach for advice and why?
I sought a meeting with the late B.K. Roy, the then MD of Peerless Finance, a financial pioneer in eastern India. He was like a mentor to me and I wanted his counsel and advice.
What was the advice you received?
He told me, “Subhasish, never get bound to your place. Explore the country, and find opportunities out of your comfort zone. Discover your mettle.” I was a little hesitant as I had never gone beyond Bhubaneswar, and I couldn’t speak proper English. He advised me to let go of the fear of the unknown. “Shed your inhibitions and grab opportunities. It will toughen you up, sharpen your focus, make you agile and pay great dividends in the long run,” he told me.
How effective was it in resolving the problem?
Thanks to him, I moved to Bengaluru, dabbled in a few things including the chemicals business, identified the problem of untimely parcel deliveries as well as tracking the shipments and having “proof of delivery”. In those days, the goods used to reach their destination even before the consignee could get the lorry receipt. I realised that customers were ready to assign huge value to it—thus DTDC was born and it has become one of India’s leading express logistics companies offering domestic and international delivery solutions, serving B2B, B2C and retail customers.
