Goli No 1.....Vada Pav meets ... Tatas.....

Enterprising India…. Day One

Reluctant initially as any other summit or seminar, when Manak Singh of TiE invited me as a speaker…. I thought TiE summit also must be …… Thinking what could Goli Vada Pav do in a TiE Summit??

On Saturday i.e 19th of December at around 4.30pm… two days prior to the event, when I visited MMRDA grounds to organize Goli Vada Pav’s set up….. I saw barren ground, tents being erected,…. Looked as if the summit would miss its deadline….

I came to the summit wearing a Jeans, T-shirt & chappals with the thought of operationalsing Goli Vada Pav kiosk, attend the inaugural session & leave for Nanded….. Where 3 Goli Vada Pav stores where being simultaneously launched on the same day….

But what I saw there…. I froze… it was amazing… it had the quality of a international summit, the ground had transformed into a beautiful boulevard capturing the essence of Mumbai…. flanked by haji ali on one side & CST Station on the other with the Goli Vada Pav Kiosk’s at both ends….

Guys manning Goli kiosks wearing Gandhi caps….. It was an amazing sight.. The humble Vada Pav had got a platform amongst the head honcho’s of the corporate world…. As I saw CEO’s, CFO’s & Investment bankers in suits curiously gathered around Goli Kiosk….

I was given a speakers tag & was guided to the front row by volunteers…. As I entered the amphitheatre & saw the collosium kind of atmosphere, it was breathtaking…. Corporates, CEO’s, CFO’s, Investment bankers, New entrepreneurs & Tie Delegates from all over the world had gathered there…. And I could actually smell ‘Enterprising India’ – Changing the Nation leading the world……

Sitting in the front row reserved for speakers; Ms. Chanda Kochar came & sat two seats next to me…. I was thrilled to be seated next to her & I wished her ‘Good Morning”….

Suddenly somebody from the organizing committee saw me in jeans & t-shirt & didn’t see my speakers tag… requested me to take the next row…. And as I was struggling to get a seat in the next row ,the org commitee member saw my speakers tag , appologised & made me sit on the front row first seat……… Along with all the other speakers…

In no time Ratan Tata took the seat next to me & next to him sat Narayana Murthy…. Now the seat had become really hot!!!! I didn’t know what was happening to me?? I introduced myself to Ratan Tata & Narayana Murthy & exchanged cards with them….

They saw Goli Vada Pav & smiled….. I was thrilled with the thought…….

''vada pav meets tatas'' …….
possible only in india .........democracy at its peak ..........

I said to myself… “Manak Singh tussi great ho” … for giving the humble vada pav this opportunity…..

I also remembered the big sardarji sitting in Delhi, our respected Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh…. For his ‘desi jugaad’ – called economic liberalization….

If it was not for these two sardar’s “Vada Pav could not have met Ratan Tata…

As the session progressed, Shekhar Gupta from the dias wanted audience interaction… As the mike came to me… I introduced my self… “ I am Venky CEO of Goli Vada Pav… talked about our American technology, supply chain tie up till farm level…. Fully automatic HACCP certified plant… Vada’s prepared with hands free technology…. Every vada going through metal detector & x-ray machines…. Quality of the highest level…… our tie-up with milk booths for branding & retail space on a trial basis…. 350 to 500 Goli Vada Pav kiosks put up on the footpaths of Mumbai…. And my god, what a glorious story it could have been….. But, for p…. situations we had to pull out of Mumbai and expand in interior Maharashtra…..

I asked Mr. Ratan Tata after briefing my story: “And sir what has been your emotional experience as you withdraw from singur?” I could see the pain, anguish & disappointment in his eyes as he answered my question…..

He said, he wanted to do something good for west Bengal but…..