Ramesh Thadani... The Man

Personalities
Ramesh Thadani
Mr. Thadani
RT
Bapu... Baap
Old man
Ramesh

Favourite Possessions
Smile
Little blue black bag
Black framed spectacles
Blue shirts and grey trousers... more blue shirts and grey trousers
Contessa
Classic Regular

Some Rameshisms
“Put more people on the job.”
“You do one thing.”
“Not now. If you need to discuss anything, meet me after 6.30.”
“Listen. Baba, tum mera baat suno.”
“Let’s draft a reply. ...I dictate you write including the colons, full stops...”
“I can’t sanction anything just like that. First show me your business plan and then we will decide.”
“Let’s have one more iteration.”
“If you need to check anything with me, send me a fax. Route it via Helen and she will then forward it to me.”
“I want 80% discount.”
“You are there in office? I will pop by around 7.00.”
“No, no. You don’t understand!”
“Chalo, let’s order some dinner. How about Aloo Jeera, Black Dal, some chicken?”
“You remember, we had prepared a note in 1995? Why don’t you dig out a copy.”
“Has everything been documented?”
“Let’s have a review on Saturday afternoon.”
“Let’s put our thinking caps on.”
“Shabaash!”
“Take care.”

Hemant Mehta
TAM – Mumbai

Ma Salaama (Farewell)

As part of IMRB’s international expansion plans, Ramesh asked me to ‘land on the shores of Dubai’ about a year back. Three of us were deputized and told by him to ‘hit the ground running’!

In his frequent visits to Dubai, Ramesh would meet with me the day he landed and amidst faxes and phone calls, set up the meetings for the next couple of days. By the time we were through planning these, what I ended up with was at least eight meetings in a day – and he would still find time and energy to meet the staff and keep the evenings fully packed!

What clearly shone through in all these was his incredible vision,sincerity of purpose and his ability to strike a chord with all those whom he met.

Yes, Ramesh, we will try our utmost to bring your dreams to fruition.

H.S. Gireesh
Dubai

Ramesh – The Difference He Made

1983: IMRB splits – a bulk of the team start a new agency. Mr. Ghosal and Mike Khanna talk to me. They ask me to stay back. I ask Mr. Ghosal, “Tell me, what difference would this new boss make to us?” He looked out of the window, then turned his head and said, “Trust me, I will ask you to answer this, a few years later.”

The new Boss arrives. He is someone called Ramesh Thadani. Supposed to be a cat with IT and the Analysis Techniques. I am called in to meet him. There is Thomas and a plump squat man. Thomas as usual is tongue-tied and the new Boss seems to be more ill at ease than I! Gosh, what was I worried about? The guy is totally harmless! A shy smile broadens into a grin. Thomas says “Ramesh, this is Katy”. A paw sticks out and I hear myself say, “Welcome to IMRB, Ramesh”. Relief is writ all over his face. And I knew it was the right decision to have stayed back.

He put us on a roller-coaster. With each dip, the heights and the goals became steeper. There was no stopping him. You either get off or put on the seat belts and zoom along. You try talking to him but he is a man in a hurry.

Ramesh was a visionary. His canvas was not restricted to an individual or an office unit. There was always the vision of the collective welfare – of the Group, or Association, or the Industry. So, it was very important to him that people put aside individual interests on larger issues and work together.

At the party to celebrate IMRB’s Silver Jubilee, Mr. Ghosal asked me, “Did it make a difference? Are you glad you stayed back?” A reply was not necessary…

Katy Merchant
Media & Panel – Mumbai