15

"Papaji, what is it? Why did you ask me to stay back and why did you send Arnav ji home?" she asked. 

"Because I wanted to talk to you alone!" he said. 

"Papaji, here? In the hospital?" she asked looking at him suspiciously. "Has he lost his mind?" she thought. "No, puttar, I have not lost my mind. I want to talk to you today itself!" he said reading her mind. She gaped at him doltishly. "Shut your mouth Khushi!" he said touching her chin. She looked at him angrily.

“No need to talk now.. You take rest!” she said adjusting his blanket. 

"No Khushi. Listen to me carefully. And do not interrupt!" he ordered her. She nodded. He had switched on his mobile recorder.

"This is about taking up the responsibilities. I am not talking about the profits, or returns from this. Those will follow. But right now you all should understand your roles!" he said gravely.
"But why are you telling me alone. Let all four be present!" she said.

"Khushi, I asked you not to interrupt!" he was annoyed. "Sorry!" she said.

"The other three have a very sound business background! You are the one who does not have any! I want you to play a significant role." He said looking at her. She opened her mouth again but looking at papaji closed it shut!

"I want you to be a part of every strategic decision the other three take. They cannot go ahead without your signature. I want you to be firm on your decision. Sign on go ahead only if you are convinced. I want you to be strong enough not to allow anybody influence you. 
Understand?" he asked her. She thought for a while and nodded. 

"Keep intact your individuality!" he said.

"Khushi, everyone has some strong points. Shondeep is technically very sound. But he is not tough enough. Sometimes people will take him for a ride. Like you do every time!" he made it little lighter. She grinned. 

"Arnav is a task master, but may not handle people well, he sounds ruthless when it comes to getting what he wants. There might be problems in getting wholehearted support from people for implementation!"

"Raj is very good at finance but least bothered about other things! But he is a good manager. He falls in between these two extremes"

"So I am dividing according to their strengths and giving them autonomy in taking their own decisions. All my units will be run by all four of you together!" 

"No strategic decisions shall be taken without you!" he said. "I have made the list! I am defining your role very clearly to avoid ambiguity!" Khushi did not understand the reason behind it. But she nodded.

"No new venture shall be started without your signature. NO amalgamation, joint venture, acquisition, merger, consolidation, closure, lockout, mass layoffs, capital restructuring shall be done without your signature!" he said.  Khushi gaped.  She didn’t understand any of the term.  She only had heard those terms…

"That does not give you power to interfere. So do not go poking your nose in their field. Understand?" she nodded.

"You may take up any one position, apart from this, of your interest in any one of the units!" He said. He was virtually giving her all the powers to control all the units. She did not understand the importance of her role at all. She just gaped at her papaji.

"And lastly, it is your responsibility to keep all of them together in every endeavor! Bind them, crease out their differences, and prevent them from breaking apart! Understand?" he asked her. She kept staring at the floor. He waited for her to assimilate.

"Papaji... I mean... Raj Bhayya is there to look after everything. Elsa Bhabi can take it up. She already runs a business with him. why did you split this?" she asked. 

"Khushi, this is my decision and no one questions my decision!" he was stern, a little irritated. She kept quiet. After a while, 

"Papaji.." she started off. "I am no good in business! I did not understand what strategies you talked about. I am better off as I am. Why are you giving me this so called strategic responsibility? I do not know anything about it. I am not educated enough!" she asked him in a small, weak voice. It was overwhelming for her. 

"Khushi, this is my wish! Call it my eccentricity or anything. But promise me you will keep in mind general well being of everyone associated and affected!" he held out his hand. She promised him.

"Will you promise me in turn that you will never ever neglect your health?" she asked him. He nodded and hugged her.

Papaji was satisfied with Khushi's acceptance. Khushi had suddenly become quiet. Papaji thought "three to go!" he smiled and switched off the recording. 

"Now tell me, what you are up to?" he asked her thumping on her back. "What?" she came out of the trance with a thud. 

"You tell me!" he asked her. "What are you going to do about your Shondeep Sir?" he asked directly.

She grinned. "You know! And I am happy that you are helping me!" she said giggling.
"No! I am not helping anybody!" he said 

"Oh yeah? Really? Not helping?" She mimicked him. "shondeep, you drop Anjali while going to the Airport!" sniggering. He grinned back. 

"Ms Kashyap, beautiful young lady!" she picked up his fake words and giggled. Papaji looked at her fondly and kept his hand on her head. He knew, Khushi will never let him down. He had taken a right decision. He did not know that soon the time will come to put her to test!

"Khushi don't let anyone come between you and your husband! Promise me!" he looked at her.
"And why will I do that?" she asked angrily. 

"Because you will ruin yourself while settling someone else's life" he said seriously.
"No papaji, I will not allow anything to come in between us!" she said.

"And another good news, I am getting discharged soon and Elsa is coming next week!" he declared.

*****  ***
"Arnav Puttar, listen to me carefully. And please do not interrupt!" Papaji opened up the topic when he asked Arnav to stay with him that night. Arnav was puzzled but he nodded.
"Here is my succession plan. I am putting you in charge, Purchase and Marketing of the entire group. I know this is duel responsibility. But you are capable of handling it! I know this is generally not done. But my experience tells me that if you know what you purchase, you will know what you produce. I know you are a task master and will keep tight control on the time lines. Shondeep is ...." Arnav gaped at him. Papaji played the same record of what he told Khushi about other three boys. 

"I have prepared the list of your responsibilities and you will handle it with full freedom" he said.

"Papaji.. I mean... Why? Raj can handle this. I can always help him. But why make me a part, when you have a successor?" asked Arnav.

"Puttar, it is my wish that you be a significant part of the group. I would like you to keep the AR group as a separate entity but I request you to take up this responsibility. I am sure you will handle this too!" said papaji. Arnav nodded.

"But papaji, why me? You have Raj, Shondeep, Khushi.... I mean .." Arnav's mind started calculating.

"I mean... does it not mean more than 50% control will be with me and Khushi?' he gave papaji the dangerous calculation. "Papaji.. this is almost transferring control! Why do you want to do it?" Arnav was puzzled.

"Arnav Puttar, tell me... do you think you will be able to influence her decisions?" Arnav thought for a while. .. and said "No! she will handle on her own in her own way!"

"And do you think she will influence your decisions?" asked papaji. "NO!" came the instant answer.

Papaji smiled. Arnav realized.

"Now the important disclosure! Any of you will not take any strategic decision without Khushi! You cannot go ahead without her signature" he gave him the list. Arnav's mouth fell open. Virtually Khushi had all the powers of the President. He was surprised at Papaji's decision. "It is ok, she is like his daughter, but she has no business knowledge. She doesn't even understand what is a strategy or a business policy! Then why is he giving her this power?" he was astonished and bemused. But he nodded.

"Promise me, you will look after BTR group the same way as you look after AR Group! The same way Tej would have looked after had he been alive!" said papaji. Arnav looked into papaji's eyes and said "I promise!"

"Papaji, you promise me that you will take good care of your health as you do with your BTR group!" Arnav asked him the promise. Papaji smiled.

"Arnav puttar, I have a reason to do all this. I know your potential and your integrity. I am sure the group will reach new heights with the able leadership of you four! You are a significant part of my group, my life!" papaji gave him a typical business talk for a long time about his vision, his philosophy, his ideas, his expansion plans and his retirement plans. Arnav listened to him carefully analyzing the scope of his responsibility. 

"Two to go!" thought Papaji switching off the recording and closing his eyes. Arnav could see the ocean of opportunities for BTR group. This would be challenge for him. He was excited to plunge into it.

****** ********* *******

Papaji was discharged next week and turning down everybody's request he went back to Kolkata with his wife. Elsa was there to take care of him. He had lot of things to catch up with. 

****** ****** **********
Arnav was about to leave for the office and the bailiff came with the summons for Anjali and Khushi to be present in the court. The attempt to kidnapping and murder had come up for hearing. Anjali and Khushi signed the paper with shaky hands. 

"This person Sham Manohar Zaa has been released on bail on a personal guarantee!" said the bailiff in a tone of giving the secret information.

"When?" Arnav was shocked. His lawyer had not given any information about this. 

"Yesterday!" came the answer. "But he has to report to the station everyday!" said the bailiff.
Arnav dialed his lawyer's number inserting a note in the bailiff's hand for his "Chai pani!". 

He could not reach his lawyer. He dialed the commissioner's number. The commissioner talked to him for a long time. As the time passed, Arnav looked relaxed and he actually smiled at the end of the conversation. Khushi gaped at him.

"Don't worry! Everything is under control!" he said. "Di, don't worry!" he held his Di's hand. She looked devastated at the thought of going to the court. 

Arnav and Aakash went to the office. Khushi sat with Anjali holding her hand not knowing what to do. Anjali was shattered. Khushi had gained self control but Anjali could not take it anymore. Khushi took her to Nani's room. Anjali could find some solace in her company. 

Khushi came back to her room and opened her laptop. She downloaded her to do list for the day and started working on the same. She looked into papaji's diary and noted down his schedules. He was not going to the office yet but had started his work from home. Raj was to visit him next week. Khushi dialed Shondeep's number. 

"Shondeep Sir. I saw the task list. Are you leaving for Mumbai tonight?" she asked. 

"Khushi, we need a thorough analysis of the losses we incurred in that blast. It would run into a couple of hundred crores. There were traces of other inflammable material in the warehouse of the Cotton Bales. This would put our insurance claim in jeopardy. I have to go there and supervise myself. You go through the documents and damage reports and find out the discrepancies. Give the list to me by evening so that I can carry it with me!" he ordered her.
"Ok Sir, I will do it!" she said. "Anything else?" she asked. 

"Nothing, but you will have to handle sir's meetings tomorrow. He has called the meeting of all the unit heads tomorrow. It will be a day long meeting. Please be there remotely and let me know later!" he said.

"Ok!" she said. "Khushi, is everything ok? Are you all well?' he asked her in a concerned voice.
"We are all ok, sir, but Anja..!" she started off cutting her sentence in between.

"What happened? Is she ok?" he asked her hastily. She grinned and said.

"What should I say? I mean we got a notice from the court to be present in the court " she said.
"Oh! Ok. I mean.. this must be very painful for her!" he said in a bear whisper.

"Is there anything I can do Khushi? Should I call her?" he asked simply. Khushi tried to control her snigger. And keeping her tone serious said "What can I say, Sir? May be she may feel better if you call her!" 

"Anyway, you decide what you want to do!" she said and disconnected. She controlled her urge to go to Nani's room and wait there for Anjali to get Shondeep's call. She started working on her task list.

********* **********

"Hello, Anjali, Good Morning! This is Shondeep!" called a voice on Anjali's cell. A faint smile appeared on Anjali's face. After the summons, first time she felt little better. Inadvertently, she got up and went out of the room to talk to Shondeep.

"Hello!" she said in a faint voice.

"Are you ok? Is everything alright?" he asked her in a soft voice.

"Ye...Yes! Got a summons to appear in the Court!" she said in a grave tone.
"It's ok, Anjali, nothing to worry. Its only your presence will be required. You need not do anything. Just go there, stand before the Court and come back! Nothing to worry!" he consoled her. She kept listening to his soothing voice.

"Anjali? Are you alright?" he asked her.

"Ye.. yes, I am fine! Feel better now!" she said actually smiling. Shondeep felt better too!

"Call me ...I mean if you ... I mean if there is anything I can do!" he told her hesitantly.

"Yes, Shondeep ji. Thank you!" she said genuinely. Shondeep disconnected the phone with a dimpled smile on his face.