‘His aura was infectious and left an indelible mark on me,’ writes Samir Ahluwalia, Founder, Content Advisory Group & Managing Editor, Safari India about Bhaskar Das
The year was 2012. An office communication at Zee Media, where I worked then, announced the appointment of Dr. Bhaskar Das as Group CEO. He was to join from Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd, from where I had started off as well, but had never met him.
In his first town hall at Zee Media, I got an opportunity to meet him.
Saif Ali Khan Health Update
His aura was infectious and left an indelible mark on me. Little did I know than that this was the beginning of an affair that would last forever.
Dr. Bhaskar Das, BD or The Boss as we would call him, always said that he is just a Das (servant). And this was reflected in everything that he did. He could have tea at a local chai shop, hop into an auto to save time and never used the office machinery to even carry his luggage on his trips to the Delhi office.
His working style was different, almost unreal, as he would almost never call you to his room, preferring to walk into yours instead, duly asking if he can enter. He was participative, yet clear in his vision and what he wanted from you. He was a tough task master, yet gentle in his approach.
I have never met someone who did not love Boss. Such was his appeal and magnetism. In every meeting, he
would say things which became part of the BD folklore and were referred to as BDisms. One example was what he used to tell a sales resource, falling short of his target. “Ether you shit or you leave the potty.”
The Boss introduced me to the world of native advertising. And to pink jeans, yellow sneakers, large spectacle
frames, hair bands and psychedelic colored ties. He was 72 in body age, but 27 at heart. Both in his appearance and his adaptability to the rapidly changing business environment. He knew terms like millennials and GenZ and their behavioral understanding way before we had even heard of them.
The Boss and I always stayed in touch even after we both went our different ways professionally, but on the same path as far as our approach to life and work mattered. My love for him kept growing and I made it a point to meet him almost each time I went to Mumbai for work.
Then he got unwell. Maybe it was his body was telling him that he is tired. But to borrow a quote, he was neither tired, nor retired. He left the final decision to Lord Krishna, who was his light and guide in his journey called life. His spirit was intact, even as the visits to the hospital kept increasing. Even from his hospital bed, he was always there for a strategy call and mentoring my company as President, a role which he graciously agreed to take on a few years ago. My love, respect and awe of him kept growing and I was in regular touch with him after every session, every scan and every intravenous injection in the last few weeks.
I was devastated when I heard The Boss has left us. But I know he is with Lord Krishna. To be his das. Travel well
Boss. Till we meet again!
Content courtesy: Exchange4media
