On a late evening in Mumbai, Sir Gulam Noon, India?s famous resident in the Queen?s land with his ethnic frozen food and meals, is in his suite at Taj Mahal Hotel, back from a hectic trip to Bhawani Mandi, Rajasthan, where he has built a 100-bed hospital. ??I am amazed at how senior citizens in and around Bhawani Mandi don?t even get their eyes checked up. They brush off not being able to see as ?ab budha ho gaya hun? (I have grown old now).??
Even years after he has left the country, Noon says it is appalling that many Indians are still denied basic needs ?clean water, electricity and education. ??Politicians are to be blamed.?? He adds, ??Politicians are the same everywhere in the world. Corruption is galore. However, over here it has crossed limits in all departments and the volumes have gone up.??
Noon feels the situation can be changed if the younger generation steps in, provided the older generation gives way to them. ??We must have a younger generation in Parliament. To improve the life of citizens, the country must have a leader with a vision. It?s necessary.??
Noon, a Mumbaiker who refers to the city as ?my Mumbai?, chose to open a hospital in Rajasthan because the land nurtured his forefathers and him. ??My grandfather and my father lived there,?? he says nostalgically. ??My father built and donated two hospitals in Rajasthan way back in 1928. I chose to build one there. This is my way of giving back to the small town I grew up in.??
He is proud of India, the country of his birth. Mincing no words, he says, ??The credit for the `success? of India should go to its entrepreneurs. Indians are very good businessmen and fantastic at their jobs. India is today full of entrepreneurs, no thanks to politicians. Even terrorists can?t hold us back. Everyone is back at work the next day, no matter how severe the terrorist attacks.??
Known as the ?Curry King? in Britain, his is a success story. He is chairman of $200-million Noon Products, which sells 1.5 million readymade Indian meals a week through the supermarkets, turning over $100 million yearly.
How would Noon describe his success story? He says, ??I would not use the word lucky to describe my success. Gary Sobers (the cricketer) once said, ?Every time I practised, my luck changed?. I tell people, if you choose to live by luck, remember God has billions to look after. I believe in working hard, with integrity and honesty. One must have a vision.??
Noon says opportunities are always passing by. ??Grab them.?? And then explains how success became his constant companion. ??I went to the UK and saw an opportunity and the result was Royal Sweets. There are 40 branches there now and three factories. Besides, we are into aviation catering and have a sauces business. I started Noon Products in 1988 when I saw the badly packaged ready made ethnic meals being sold in the supermarket, which also tasted insipid. I decided to give a taste of Indian curries to the market whose success then gave me mega bucks and prestige.??
The MBE was conferred in 1994, and the knighthood in 2003. That country recognises your worth, he says. ??When the Queen knighted me, I said ?Please call me Noon?. Her reply was ?No, you have a knighthood, you are Sir Gulam. When we give titles, we must use it? and that shut me up.??
Noon has let his heart beat for two countries ?the country of his birth, India, and the land where he became famous. It was in Mumbai that he learnt the basics of business. Noon worked in the family business, Royal Sweets, after his father died when he was 10 years old. The business did well and yet Noon decided to uproot himself and go to UK. ??I have never been afraid of taking risks,?? he says by way of explanation. Noon left India in the 70s to go to London to set up a confectionary business ?Bombay Halwa ? in Southall, West London and later became known as the Curry King with the success of his frozen food venture, Noon Products.
He sold Noon Products first to WT Foods and then bought it back. He later resold it to Kerry Foods. He says, ?? I don?t understand it myself why I did it,?? gesturing with his hands. Then he says philosophically, ??Nothing is with you forever. I have two daughters and I thought they may not be able to handle the business. In my lifetime, I can control the business. So I did just that and sold it and created so many other businesses with the capital,?? he explains.
The Midas touch of Noon and his expertise was recognised by Kerry Foods, which asked him to continue at the helm as chairman. He says, ??Kerry Foods in its wisdom felt if I remained there I can add value to it. I do it pretty good.?? With so many years at the job, does it get repetitive and monotonous? ??I have never done anything I don?t enjoy.?? At 73, Noon is in office by 9.30 am and says even 10 elephants can?t keep him there after 8.30 pm. He even goes to work on Saturdays sometimes to check his email.
The annual visits to India continue. He comes to meet his extended family? brother and sisters who live in Mumbai. ??This is my city,?? he says, of Mumbai. ??I loved the Mumbai of the 60s. I could walk the streets then, but now it is crowded and the traffic is a nightmare.??
Noon confesses to be an India lover but it?s only if India is not pitted against UK and Noon is not asked about his loyalties. ??If there is an India-England match, I will support England. I live there and the country has given me so much,?? he says by way of an explanation. Cricket is his love, besides work. Noon has a vast collection of autographed cricket bats. ??I have 110 bats right from 1926 when Australia played in Trentbridge in Nottingham on June24, 1926. I go to charity auctions and buy them.??
Noon?s other passion is cooking. His weekends are spent in the kitchen. ??Every Saturday and Sunday is cooking time for me. I make one or two dishes I love. When there is a party, I always cook two dishes. I make good roasts?chicken, leg of lamb, and good biryani. I cook in the Indian way ? lots of coriander, ginger-garlic and masalas.??
He adds, ??I love cooking the turkey, which is very difficult as it is a big bird. But I enjoy making it. My first love in food is Indian food. I like sweets, particularly rasmalai and jalebi. At the end of the day, no matter what I eat, I need to have Indian food.??
Since he loves all good things Indian, can films be far behind? Mention Indian films and Noon says immediately, ??I don?t like the present day films, which I find very boring and artificial. Give me the old films ?Mother India, Awara, Aag any day. I liked Dilip Kumar in Devdas and I still cry like a child when I watch it. Recently, I liked Parineeta. It was very clean and a realistic film. Chak De was nice and Lagaan of course, because its subject was cricket.??
He is a family man. He has two daughters, Zarmin and Zeenat, from his first marriage (?I had a sad marriage?) and a granddaughter Natania. Noon is now married to Mohini. ??Wealthy children have a number of temptations and can succumb to them. Parents can prevent it by talking to their children and spending time with them. What is the use of working and making money when you can?t pay attention to your children? Discipline, culture, courtesy and values matter a lot.??
He adds, ??I am happy that my granddaughter Natania has made it on her own in life. She found a job for herself in a prestigious firm. I look back on my life with a great deal of satisfaction and see it as a big achievement. I have not become a big businessman like many others. I have had many challenges, but never gave up. There is a certain amount of resilience. Tough times do that to tough people. I have always taken risks.??
Noon?s success is a story that everyone wants to hear. He does not shy from talking about it in lectures in classrooms where he is often invited, besides other platforms. Noon says that he feels what worked for him was that he went by his gut instinct. ??I am not an anthropologist, but have enough sense to size up a person. I value people and would never humiliate anyone.?? Many of his employees and original team have stuck with Noon since his ventures began, bearing testimony to this statement.
When a businessman becomes wealthy, it is time for him/her to do their bit for the society they live in, says Noon. ??My wealth is useless if I am unable to help others. I can?t help millions but I have done what I can. I have a charity foundation in India and the UK. Luxury has no limits. If you have earned it, enjoy it but there must be some portion that must be ploughed back into society and that is the greatest use of wealth. My obituary must read: ?He was a good man. He involved himself in the education of others?.??
For anyone wanting to emulate Noon, he has a few practical tips to offer. ??To become successful, do your homework. Manufacturing must be about quality and sell on that aspect alone. Marketing is very important. Fail with honour than succeed by cheating.? Noon says one aspect which is very important in any business is to develop people.