Stories of reward- II

/ Vrikshamandir 
By Dr Mukund Naware
Dr Naware shares three instances of “intangible” rewards that he received in early years of NDDB. Intangible rewards that are constant ever lasting source of “psychic income”.

Dr. Chothani told me that Marathi playwright Vijay Tendulkar was waiting to meet us the three team leaders one on one.

“You go when your turn comes and share with him your experiences as a spearhead team leade, he is writing a story for a feature film you know” Dr. Chothani, said.


That was indeed a big surprise for me ! Vijay Tendulkar by then had become immensely popular in Marathi literature and his drama ‘ Shantata Court Chalu Aahe’ had appeared in many other languages as well. Drama ‘Sakharam Binder ‘ and ‘ Ghashiram Kotwal ‘ were his other hits.

I was now looking forward to meet this legendary figure. I was anxious to see him and went to the adjacent room and waited there. Dr. Mittal’s meeting was over and Dr. Madhavan was with Shri Vijai Tendulkar. Soon it was my turn and I entered the cabin where Shri Vijay Tendulkar was seated.


He welcomed me and immediately switched on his tape recorder to record our conversation. He asked me whether I am related to Sha Na Naware.( A famous figure in Marathi literature like him ).

This was not a new question for me. This has always been the first question Marathi people would ask me when they hear my surname. I replied to him in the negative.


” How long you have bern working in this organization, ” he said, ” Nowhere I have seen the kind of work that you people are doing, by anybody. It is simply amazing ! ”


I told him the number of years that I have been with NDDB. He then asked me to name the places where I had worked. I told him about Anand, Rohtak, Manipal and now Jalgaon in Mahasrashtra.


” Have you seen my film ‘ Samana ‘ ? he asked me. I said yes.

( The theme of movie “Samana” is built around politics in the area of operations of a Cooperative Sugar Factory; powerful barons, exploitation of labour, power game and rivalry resulting into murder sans investigation against the powerful .. all such incidents are shown. With Shriram Lagu and Neelu Phule, placed in opposite roles, this film is considered a landmark in Marathi Cinema.)


“Then I feel the kind of politics you have seen in villages in Jalgaon would not be different than what we have shown in ‘ Samana” Shri Vijay Tendulkar said. I agreed with him.


Our meeting went on for almost one hour. I narrated him the life of NDDB team in villages lacking in basic facilities of toilet, washing etc that we experienced in Rohtak . I mentioned the casteism I had seen in Jalgaon and also how a lone Dairy Cooperative Society was organized by a Harijans long back and it had gone dormant; but they were now resisting to open the doors of membership to milk producers of higher caste. He found it interesting. I went on sharing my experiences and noticed that he was giving a patient hearing and recording everything that I said.

Later when the film Manthan was made I thought perhaps some of the experiences narrated by me may have helped Shri Vijay Tendulkar while writing the screen play of ” Manthan “.

In retrospect that was a reward indeed meeting Shri Vijay Tendulkar and contributing directly or indirectly to the theme of film Manthan !

It was another reward for me that a creative mind like Vijay Tendulkar heard my story.

Contributed by Dr Mukund Naware NDDB 1972 – 1986. He spent five years in field and was in RO Bangalore, for more than eight years. He was also Manager (Procurement) for F& V Project, Mother Dairy, Delhi during 1985-1986.

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