Publisher's Synopsis
SYNOPSIS 1936 After winning the contract, for three new cement plants, to be built in India from Tata group, worth 650,000 pounds, a huge sum those days, Larsen returned to Denmark and found Nazis rule it and Hitler needs them. Academic people are frightened and are leaving or have left it.1938 Larsen is in Bombay again. The idea of setting up L&T came during exile. "Look at the watch, John." Larsen often commented. "Time is limited." John did not reply, when he left, assured himself. "I am ahead of that watch in my performance."During this time of war and uncertainty, Larsen and Toubro conceived a dream and believed, "better times will come." They told same thing to William Bendictson and John A Gonsalves to have faith and hold on. "With sincere determination anything is possible." Preface"What was it like, during the early days of L&T?" An article was titled and printed in Powai pageant in early seventies and it continued." None is better qualified to answer this question than a draftsman in Architectural dept." John A Gonsalves was the first drawing office staff member recruited by L&T partnership, a joint decision of William Bendictson, H.H. Larsen and S.K.Toubro in1942. He had not only the opportunity to work with the founders of L&T but also the chance to rub shoulders with them. Initially L& T rented one room with one table space only, when professionals just peeped into it and left, John took the risk, joined this small firm which was struggling to survive, for he recognized their potential and had faith in them. "In service lies success." This story of L&T, is a unique Start Up experience, how two technically educated persons take refuge in Bombay and make a new beginning in life. How John came in contact with L&T and the tipping point that changed their life. It is based on true life experience of John with L&T, reveals other side of the coin, never told before, as related by him to his son Raymond. What compelled H.H.Larsen and S.K. Toubro to give up their native Denmark ?Take refuge in Bombay and make a new beginning here? To answer this question, it is necessary to read the history of Europe between 1930 to 1945.1930 Depression in USA, affected Europe also, with high inflation and vast unemployment, the situation became worse in countries like Germany, Denmark, it gave chance for a lair and cruel person like Hitler, came to power, to fulfil his ambition of conquering the whole of Europe, he compelled many Germans and Danish persons, sent them to fight on many fronts. So, they escaped, to take refuge elsewhere, some went to West, others came to Bombay and thought and hoped, the war will end soon, when the situation in Europe will improve, and they will be able return home.But that was not case, this war compelled many people to stay back in Bombay, as it was safe and far from actual fighting. It was during (Larsen&Toubro's) exile in Bombay, an idea of setting up a new company came to their mind. On 1 May1938 with very limited means, they rented one room that had space to fit one table only, to start as consultants, specialized in setting up a complete new modern cement plant.It's war time and business men are afraid and not interested in setting up any new business. Consultants get no business in their line of specialization. Next it started import of dairy products and machinery and supplied it to British army. 1941/42 German U boats sink Allied merchant ships and air force pounds London, Britain is isolated and imports of dairy products and machinery stops. Without space for design room, fabrication and finishing workshop, L&T thinks of import substitutions, it put an advertisement for a draftsman, thirty men responded and stood in line for it, only one John A Gonsalves a supervisor of Royal navy ship repair workshop is selected. John drafts at naval dock, L&T made dairy machine locally supplied to British army quality accepted
