43
of the customer, in their business sense of always giving priority to what the customer
wanted. Particularly in an industry like software where designing software systems had
to meet the specifications of the customer and a total understanding of the customer is
vital.Thanks to the Satyam scam, I wonder now whether Dewang had an uncanny sense
of what the future was going to be. It was very telling that out of the iconic companies of
the Indian software industry represented by SWITCH — Satyam, Wipro, Infosys, TCS,
Cognizant and HCL — it was Satyam which exposed that it was being subjected to a big
scam. Till Ramalinga Raju himself came out in the open in January 2009, nobody knew
what was happening.That a fraud of
R
7000
crores could take place under the very nose of
the Board which contained very eminent people, some of whom were teaching corporate
governance in prestigious universities abroad and some had been occupying the highest
posts of civil servants in the country is surprising and unbelievable but sadly true.
Dewang Mehta not only had this uncanny sense of understanding the nature of the
Indian business spirit but also realised that’s what marketing should be. After all, without
marketing, there is no business and he was the person who saw a link between the software
and fashion. He knew the names of models almost by rote, he was the person who took
the initiative to make each NASSCOM conference a memorable event by linking them
with fashion and entertainment. He was an excellent event manager. I still remember the
gala shows he organised in Bangalore Palace grounds and in Mumbai with the show at
Elephanta. The management guru Tom Peters used to write in those days, highlighting
how modern management was like fashion because changes were taking place so fast and
attention grabbing of the fickle customers was vital for survival.
He had tremendous chutzpah. He had told me how he had in his earlier career taken
the initiative to make some daring publications in
Surya
magazine then run by Menaka
Gandhi at the time of the Emergency. His father was the Drug Controller of India and he
described to me his humbling experience of meeting the redoubtable Morarjibhai trying
to get his help for admission to a medical college.The result was futile and the only thing
he got was a stern lecture from the dour leader who was dubbed Moralji by the
Blitz
magazine.
Dewang was extremely open and friendly and he was almost a human magnet. I do not
think that there is anybody who did not fall a victim to his charm and warmth.
Dewang was not only all fun and witticism. He knew what was significant and took
the initiative on behalf of NASSCOM to start the process of checking piracy that was
under his leadership, NASSCOM took the early steps to reduce piracy in the country and
educate the customer as well as the police about the need for using genuine software. He
was aware of all aspects of the industry, knew how to promote the industry and how to
take care of the weak spots and how to be always customer focused. In fact, his perspective
of the industry was indeed comprehensive or shall we say, divine.
Dewang was practically our family member. My wife Gita also admired him so much that
she wrote a piece about him in
The Economic Times
in 19th February 1992, wherein she
mentioned his remarkable career starting as a chartered accountant, drawn into computer
graphics, getting recommended by the BBC for an award to be received from the then
British Prime Minister John Major. There were people who doubted his credibility in
those days. Perhaps his remarkable success stirred jealousy in many hearts. After all, he was
divine, Dewang, in a real sense.
I add my humble tribute and salute him on his fiftieth birth anniversary!
N. Vittal
Former Secretary DoE, Govt. of India and Former Central Vigilance Commissioner
