My LIC days
V. NARAYANAN
___________P.G.
Gangadharan_________
I got the appointment to meet Shri MG Diwan, Chairman in his chamber in 'Yogakshema' at about 8 pm. I believe Shri NN Joshi was also there. This appointment paved the way for a long time relationship with both of them in later years.
Shri Diwan agreed that he would attend the meeting I had promised to arrange at CALICUT. The idea was that such a meeting should enable a platform for the management and the employees unions to express and air their views on the need for 'change' in LIC. Shri Diwan had promised to attend this important meeting. I was asked to approach his PS with details of the programme and obtain the date.
I reached Calicut and had detailed discussion with unions and the Insurance Institute of India under whose auspices the meeting was to be conducted. There was discussion with the SDM and the office bearers of the local Insurance Institute.
When Shri Narayanan, SDM met Shri Diwan in the All India Divisional Managers Conference held in Mumbai, he invited and Shri Diwan agreed to come to Calicut. An official programme to inaugurate the Branch No.2 of Kannur in the north Malabar was also decided. But the Chairman's PS told Shri Narayanan that Chairman would inaugurate the Branch Office only when he came to Calicut to attend the proposed meeting of LIC management and the employees unions.
Shri Narayanan did not have the imagination to realise that such an important and epoch- making meeting was possible. Suffice it to say that he could not rise to the occasion and lend a helping hand to the employees in the matter..... (details avoided).
Finally, when he approached the PS for the visit of Chairman only to inaugurate Kannur Branch No.2, the request was turned down. The meeting of the management and the employees' unions did not take place. And believe it or not, Kannur Br.2 of Kozhikode Division was never inaugurated !