Book Review: A Wasted Death

A Wasted Death - the rise and fall of Rajan Pillai
by J Rajmohan Pillai with K Govindan Kutty


* * * * */ 5


Humiliation and Defeat of a successful, flamboyant businessman

This is a sad story of government and administrative apathy and perversion of judicial process. It is also a sad account of best friends turning into bitter foes. Rajan Pillai was destined to be a big businessman. Coming from a business family, he ventured beyond the family trade in cashew products. Rajan Pillai was smart, intelligent, savvy and ambitious. A small rural hometown would never have sufficed to quench his quest for greatness and fame. This story about his life comes from a close family member and protégé - his younger brother Rajmohan Pillai writing in collaboration with journalist Govindan Kutty.

The story starts from the very beginning. The humble origins of Rajan Pillai's grandfather, the established cashew trade business of his father and the birth of the eldest son - Rajan Pillai. The story starts with the memories of younger brother Rajmohan, of all the praises his mother mentioned for Rajan, the anecdotes from school and growing up years. Praise and admiration from friends, family, teachers, everyone. He is a prodigal son. He has big ideas and plans. He goes forth. Fails at a few intial business ventures. Then Rajan's father guides his son toward expanding the family business. Political and legal options suggest Rajan to be based outside India for making international operations of the family business a success. Rajan finally selects and sets forth for Singapore. At the time Singapore was growing, establishing itself in the international community of commerce and industry - but they were not quite there. Strict laws and harsh punishments were a must at that time in Singapore to make itself a small powerhouse in international trade.

But things finally went well financially for Rajan Pillai. His business in Singapore grew. His ambitions grew higher still. He wanted more. He wished the best and the wishes were granted. He indulged in the best of luxuries and comforts money can buy. He was successful and well known. Rajan Pillai had arrived!

So begins the rise and rise of Rajan Pillai. From Singapore he expands West to South American industry and USA for business collaborations. To Australia for a grand scheme of many hectares of cashew farms. His ambitions are as grand as his generosity. Ask and ye shall receive with best regards from Rajan Pillai.

Many were possibly envious. But such extravagant and flamboyant display of wealth often draws negative attention from people in its company. Owning the best homes and residences, setting up the first Taj hotel in Goa, a private space in Wimbledon during season - all points to a successful man enjoying the liberties his income offers.

Yet things went wrong... horribly wrong. His friendship with RJR Nabisco head Ross Johnson for one was a big turning point. From being best of friends and investing partners, the American stabbed at Rajan Pillai when Rajan was down and stabbed him hard. There were other signals. At his height of success, Rajan Pillai had bought ownership of Brittania Biscuit Company - a first time an Indian was owning this old Indian company. A very prestigious deal and fame and media praise was instant. But the Board at Brittania alleged misuse of company money. That Rajan was spending too much and too frivolously.

At home, Rajan's father advised his son to go slow. To take smaller steps. To be more careful with the business deals and ambitions and the expenses. But Rajan was on a roll. He had made big money in a small time and had the capacity to go on for a lot bigger catch. He aimed at dominating not just the Indian market as the "Biscuit King" but to venture and capture the South Asian food and beverage market. He went ahead and brought back Coca Cola to India (Coca Cola was thrown out by communist parties earlier in Indian political history). This was a big coup. He was praised not just in media but by peers and superiors in business and industry.

He was for all his faults a gem of a guy - at least in the words of his younger brother and author of this book - Rajmohan Pillai.

What and why and how would anyone wish to harm such a generous and successful man. The man who helped Rajan negotiate Indian legal system to bring back Coca Cola stabbed him in the back and told Coca Cola to venture into India alone. And Rajan was left holding hefty bills on his personal venture's personal investment - unrecovered from Coca Cola. Then Britannia Board made him pay all his pending personal expenses made during official trips. Then his best friend Ross Johnson demanded return on his investment in Rajan's company. In Singapore court of law, Ross alleged misappropriation of funds, fraud, cheating, etc and this led to the Singapore government enacting its arcane barbaric laws to prosecute Rajan Pillai. They seized the businessman's passport and threatened him with 14 years harsh imprisonment. The bail during court procedure itself was a ridiculous USD 4 million. Rajan Pillai hired the best lawyer in the world of course, he always got the best - he hired the Queen's counsel from Britain. The British lawyer was appalled at the ridiculous nature of allegations and how the Singapore court admitted such charges. Ross Johnson and Rajan Pillai settled the matter out of court. Rajan had to sell his stake in Britannia to his French partner and lost the prized company. But he paid his debt to his friend Ross Johnson who was anything but understanding nor grateful.

The Singapore court continued the prosecution of Rajan Pillai even though Ross Johnson had settled his claim outside court legally. They wanted to make an example of Rajan Pillai. Among such crisis, the British famed lawyer suggested to Pillai that his presence would only help the crazy Singapore lawmakers prove the validity of the court proceedings. Ross Johnson had not appeared for a cross-examination yet the Singapore court accepted his allegations. This was humiliation, torture and senseless misuse of judicial process. They had already taken Rajan's passport. And a day before the expected negative ruling Rajan was left with no choice but to flee Singapore. He landed in Mumbai.

The chaos only gets worse. Rajan Pillai held a press conference in Mumbai after he landed to explain the ridiculous nature of the legal proceedings against him in Singapore. But the media focussed now only on his past expensive lifestyle, his court hearings, the allegations, the business failures, the escape from law. They wanted to know how he fled from the law rather than the more critical, important question of why he had to flee from the law.

A few months of such mental stress would break anyone. But Rajan Pillai was still planning ahead, planning future business endeavours. He even sent his younger brother Rajmohan Pillai to establish their food business in Thailand. Courts in India refused anticipatory bail. There was no warrant but Singapore was preparing extradition proceeding papers.  All the hype later, just when Rajan Pillai agreed to surrender in Delhi, he was arrested by the CBI, denying him the honour of presenting himself before the Indian judiciary. Here on, the story is heartbreaking.

The associations with the best friends in business, politics, law, the Godman Chandraswami - all narrowed down to one thing - loneliness in his struggle for justice. How CBI and the criminally-idiot Judge M L Mehta denied a visibly and documented sick person immediate medical care is horrifying. If you thought Singapore has bad laws, consider the worst law-keepers that India and India's judicial system nurtures. The denial of serious medical care, the refusal admit verifiable evidence, the insults to injury - it only proves that people can go to any extremes to prosecute a person who is seeking justice from his homeland.

The last 3 chapters are very sad indeed, very depressing, especially the chapter titled "A Wasted Death" which is also the title of the book. It was a wasted death of an inspiring man indeed.

This is a good fast read and very important book in the business history of resurgent India. Do take time to read this book and question the system that questions you.

Book Review: Diary Of A Wimpy Kid

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 
by Jeff Kinney

* * * * * / 5 

Certainly not Wimpy

This is a unique piece of literature. It's not a traditional novel. It's not a graphic novel. It certainly isn't a comic book. The front cover description "a novel in cartoons" is fitting though. This is an engaging journal of a middle school kid. New to his environment, he doesn't hesitate in attempting to make things go his way.

Neither the book nor this kid Greg is "Wimpy" - the word defined by my dictionary as "weak and ineffectual". The book is funny and witty and clever. It links all the characters and back stories very well. The narration is brisk and I flipped through it twice to appreciate the cartoons along with the storyline. Greg ain't wimpy. If anything, he seems almost as bad as his elder brother Rodrick. Of course, Greg has good intentions for all his misdeeds (unlike Rodrick).

This is a good gift for child or adult and I am 32 years old as I read and write this review. The "novel" started as author Jeff's gift to funbrain.com website, a children's site that educates in math and science and other subjects. You can read the original "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" at that website and is worth re-reading because the original is slightly different at parts with some cartoons and scenes not appearing in the published book you find in bookstores. That can be found here: http://www.funbrain.com/journal/Journal.html?ThisJournalDay=1&ThisPage=2 so enjoy that as a bonus from author Jeff. He certainly is talented and makes you wonder of his adventures as a child in school.

My favourite part of the book is of course Greg's friendship with his best friend Rowley and the ups and downs in it. Greg certainly ain't mature though all his intentions seem noble and beyond his age. His schemes and plans always backfire and the irony of these situations are visually delivered in simple and attractive cartoons.

All the various characters of the novel standout well and are definitely attractive parts of Wimpy Kid's World. I would recommend this book to anyone who has read graphic novels and kids above 10 years of age will appreciate the humour the most. Pick it up at any bookstore, all of them have it showcased prominently, flip through a few days of Greg's adventures and I am sure you will be tempted to buy it. 

Wilbur Smith in Mumbai

I was privileged to meet legendary historical adventure author Wilbur Smith on his book tour in India. He visited Landmark Bookstore at Infiniti Mall, Mumbai on 03-Dec-2011. He is 78 years young and has fans from multiple generations. A rich career and life that everyone should take inspiration from. He arrived to a standing welcome from the crowd gathered to meet and listen to him just past 7pm. Many eager faces were awaiting him, young and old, a true mix of age-groups which his fiction has conquered.

Wilbur Smith mentioned that he was supposed to read from his latest novel "Those In Peril", but he would rather just talk with the gathered audience. Everyone listened with rapt attention as Wilbur Smith recounted many anecdotes from past book signings he had attended in various countries. He also mentioned that he has been to India quite a few times before as well but that this was the first time he was here for promoting his novels.

His website: http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/

So Mr. Smith recalled his very first book signing and how no one showed up to buy and get his novel signed. Another author on the floor was without any fans but busy signing books so Mr. Smith walked over to him and asked for whom the books are being signed. "Sign them, once signed the bookstore cannot return it to the publisher and we get our royalty" was the answer he got. He also narrated how once a lady in an Australian bookstore mentioned that she had travelled far from the Northern territories to get a book signed by him as a birthday gift to her husband. To Mr. Smith's surprise the book was a Jeffrey Archer novel and he mentioned that he was not Mr. Archer. The lady demanded that he sign the book - so taking this in stride, Mr. Smith wrote on the book: "In the absence of Lord Archer, signed by Wilbur Smith". LOL. Once Wilbur Smith was visiting England and found that no one was buying his books. This was his initial years as an author. While at the airport to take a flight back home to Africa, he saw a lady reading his novel. He was delighted and intrigued and tried to see if the lady had any emotional expression while reading his book. He also went around behind her pretending to go to the washroom so that he could see which page she was on. Finally he couldn't resist and interrupted her - "Madam, that is my book you are reading." The lady looked surprised and answered handing over the novel to him, "Sorry, I just found it lying around and started to read it." LOL!

Many other funny anecdotes were narrated and the crowd lapped it up with laughter and applause. He also recounted the incidents of die hard fans. One lady sent him a letter saying that her husband loved Smith's novels and wished to be buried with them; there was an accompanying photograph showing her husband in a coffin with all of Wilbur Smith's novels arranged with the dead body in the coffin. That Smith mentioned was a great compliment. Another such fan was a man who appeared in a hotel lobby requesting the staff to please allow him to meet Wilbur Smith. As luck would have it, Mr. Smith was passing by and introduced himself. The man had an amputated leg and mentioned that he fell off from the top of a train onto the tracks when he was travelling with friends. He said that he had given up all hope in life and the only thing he could do was read Wilbur Smith's novels and one character in one of Smith's novels had an amputated leg - and that fictional character went on despite his disabilities to achieve great success. So the young amputee thanked Wilbur Smith saying that his fiction gave him new hope to live and succeed in life. These he said were moments that he cherished about his fans.

He mentioned that though he is on a book tour in India, he is desperately trying to arrange to visit Jim Corbett National Park and glimpse the famous tiger conservation there.

Soon it was time to take questions from the audience and every one of the persons who asked him anything started by thanking him for taking them to the rich land of Africa through the descriptive words of his novels. I asked him a question too. I said: "Your website has a biography of you which mentions how your mother encouraged you while reading fiction as a child and that you had an encouraging teacher in school who liked Smith's writings and said it is admirable to be a bookworm - so what advice would you give to a struggling author?" He said that this was a very serious question which he cannot take lightly. He recalled how an editor friend of his thought writing a novel was easy and that he could write it in a 6 month break from work. "After one month, he was back in office" said Smith. LOL. Smith added, "It takes much effort and discipline and like all good things you have to continue with determination against odds to be a writer or succeed in any other profession as well."

He also answered a question regarding future of Africa, when a person from the audience asked that after Asia, is Africa the big boom economic centre. Mr. Smith said that Asia was very different and far more developed. That Africa is still in infancy in terms of growth and stabilization. He mentioned that India will grow further because he observed that Indians are intelligent and hard-working and hence like other countries in Asia, is growing fast. He also said that the leaders in India had done well to keep Indian states together after the British rule ended, otherwise the olden times when Maharajas fought each other and lived without unity would have kept India just as Africa is today - divided and lacking direction. He also said that Lincoln had done a great job when he allowed war to keep the 50 states of America together and that is the reason why USA is a great global leader it is today.

So a great evening wrapped up with the hostess announcing that Mr. Wilbur Smith would sign books. A very well organised event by Landmark Bookstore, culminating with an organised linup by fans to get their books signed. Very entertaining and enlightening evening indeed.

Catch Wilbur Smith on tour in India in various cities at Landmark Bookstores near you. I got 7 of his novels signed by him in person. :-)

Below are some photos from my mobile phone camera.

Best Wishes,
Ujjwal Dey (Editor)