The Hindu Business Line : A friend indeed

Deepak Parekh is a very special person. I constantly heard about him from various senior executives and met him occasionally during the 16 years that I was professionally connected with the HDFC group. I recall meeting him for the first time under v ery difficult circumstances at the crematorium where he was overseeing the last rites for H. T. Parekh. I had to get his approval for an advertisement that was to be released marking the passing away of H. T. Parekh and I was very uncomfortable. In the midst of his grief, he took a moment to warmly connect with me, said that he had heard of me, took a concentrated glance at the advertisement and handed it over to Pravinchandra Gandhi (of the Janmabhoomi group of publications), and Murli Deora (now the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas) who were with him for their views.

Somehow, that interaction was significant as it really sums up a lot of what this leader is all about: A warm human being. A person with the ability to take one look at something and instantly decide whether it was acceptable to him. Yet someone who would carry the people around him along with him at all times, taking their suggestions with humility.

Over the years I have watched Deepak Parekh, mostly from a distance, and have realised that one of his major strengths is his ability to connect with people and make them feel special. Whether it is on a flight, at a busy meeting or at his annual Christmas party Deepak will always find the time and the energy to reach out to a diverse range of people and make them feel they are the most important people at that moment.

It is well known that when the Prime Minister needs someone to advise him on infrastructure or if the government needs sage counsel on insurance sector reforms or matters pertaining to SEBI or a range of national policy matters, Deepak Parekh is the one common link you can be sure to find. Yet with all the awards he has won and all the accolades he keeps getting, Padma Bhushan Deepak Parekh is someone who can walk with his head in the clouds and his feet set firmly on terra firma. On Sunday afternoons his residence plays host to a bewildering array of acquaintances and friends who are all there to ask for some help, or advice or opinion from their “Deepak Bhai”. And nobody goes home disappointed.

It is this unique characteristic that stands out whenever I think of Deepak Parekh. His network of friends is truly awesome and their faith in him is legendary. He plays arbiter to everything from corporate stand-offs to personal problems. “I am a Libran”, he says, smiling. “And that accounts for a balanced view I can take.” When I met him he was thinking of how to celebrate 50 years of school-leaving with his old buddies with whom he spent happy times 45 years ago. That is quintessential Deepak Parekh for you. “I maintain friendships. I enjoy it,” he says in a matter-of-fact way. Most people agree that Deepak is a great friend to have.

Yet, he consciously makes time to meet people, specially the colleagues in the ever-growing HDFC organisation. After a five-hour bumpy drive to Nashik on his way back to Shirdi, he still ensured that he interacted with the HDFC team at Nashik. He recounts what a tiring drive it was to and from Nashik. I take the opportunity to delve into his simple lifestyle. “In this day and age when every little corporate chieftain sports a Mercedes or a BMW why are you still driving around in a Toyota Camry? You could easily have a corporate jet to make journeys easier for you” I ask. He refuses to rise to the bait. He smiles impishly and parries by saying “my Administration Department never got me a Mercedes or a jet”.

“So how do you manage your time?” I enquire. He smiles again and says, “At the cost of exercise, and reading. I just manage to read newspapers. After all the mails, meetings and social commitments there is no time for novels and books.” He manages stress by keeping cool, or trying to keep cool. The famous Deepak Parekh temper is sometimes difficult to bridle. Yet bridge is a great stress buster for him. He still manages to play bridge on Saturdays. A friend of mine who is a member of the elite weekend bridge club wistfully remembers the time Deepak would show up regularly at a mutual friend’s place on Saturday and Sunday to play bridge. Holidays are mainly short breaks and he prefers capital cities such as London and New York.

I raise the topic of how Mumbai city has degenerated, knowing his passion for the city he has lived in for so long. His tone is surcharged with emotion as he bemoans the terrible chaos that Mumbai has descended into. “The richest and most powerful people live here. Yet we have not spent time looking after our people. We are unable to see how over half the city’s population lives. We have neglected Mumbai. The money is all in the cities but the power of the politicians lies in the villages. We have to re-invent cities. They are the engines of growth. Unless we re-invest in them we will not be able to do much.” His commitment and love for the city is obvious when he talks about the need for the Metro, a sea link, the need to rebuild Dharavi and get our act together with respect to the vast Port Trust land that could be utilised for the benefit of the city.

“Why are HDFC’s many CSR activities conducted so quietly?” I ask him. “When you donate and spread wealth, you don’t want the world to know what you are doing” he says emphatically. His advice to tomorrow’s leaders is simple and straightforward. “Be accessible. Be modest. Do not live in an ivory tower. You must respond to every call, every letter or mail. Don’t forget the human touch. And reputation is all-important. It is like a sheet of glass. If it breaks, it can be mended, but the crack will remain.”

His honest nature rings true when he seeks to separate the inexorably entwined ‘Brand HDFC’ from ‘Brand Deepak Parekh’. “The life of the company is infinite,” he says with feeling. “We are merely passengers for a period of time.”

Yes, Deepak, and you are one of those who have epitomised the quality of the journey as more important than the destination.

(Ramesh Narayan is a communication consultant.)

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A friend indeed