‘I don’t seek absolute perfection anymore’

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: one to concentrate on other tasks,” he says. He denies that being a process person he is not focused on achieving results, an allegation against “process people”. “Processes may fail, but then one can fix them. It is easier to fix a problem when one can put a finger on it. Leaving things vague means spending extra time on first finding the problem and then finding the solution,” he says.

He gives SOS's value system as another reason for joining the organisation. “It matches my own. I believe that everyone should have equal opportunity for growth despite their background. The organisation provides for a level playing field by equipping these children with skills for their life. It's a fair thing to do,” he says. “Is that something that he applies in his office as well? “Sure, I believe in fairness and it is equally important to appear to be fair. Lack of integrity or doing anything against the interest of the organisation you work for is something I do not tolerate in people at all,” he says. He gives these reasons as also being responsible for him having stuck with the Eicher group for over 30 years. “The promoters also believed in the same values. I did get other offers but then one decides what is more important to one. The group met with my priority structure,” he says.

Sandilya joined the Eicher group in 1975 after stints with DCM and Union Carbide. He joined as a finance specialist but soon moved on to various positions in operations as well. “I was made to cut my teeth on projects of different nature. In 1979, I was made to run Generators India Limited, a unit making diesel generating sets. Then, I was then in Alwar looking after the diesel engines and tractors plants and was on the managing committee of a school that Eicher ran as well,” he says. So was he comfortable doing such varied projects. “One should be open to learning new things all the time. If one has this attitude, then one can do anything. My seniors believed in me and I was open to doing new things,” he says. But what if one fails? “One should be allowed to fail. You learn something new every time you do,” says Sandilya.