Gulea Cooperative is a big name among the transporters in the valley. Gulea Cooperative has never been to school. He started his career as a ‘hamal’ (porter) at KPCS (Kashmir Peoples’ Cooperative Store, Magarmal Bagh. Truckloads of goods used to pour into the store directly from manufacturers and wholesale dealers. Likewise truckloads of supplies used to pour out for different Marketing societies. Gulea Cooperative was one of the porters to load and unload the trucks.
One day an idea struck to Gulea Cooperative. He suggested to his other coolie colleagues for registration of a Transport Cooperative Society. Each member pooled for the purchase of a truck. Each one contributed 10%. Soon Gulea became one of the masters of a fleet of trucks attached to KPCS.
Gulea Cooperative got familiar with the documentation, registration and other aliened jobs pertaining to the RTO’s office. His behaviour earned him friends from peon to the RTO in the office of the RTO. Gulea Cooperative spread his tentacles beyond KPCS and Goods load carrier trucks. He entered into public transport business. Those days supply of chassis was short of demand. Thus each state had a quota for supply of Bus chassis. After booking, one had to be in a queue and wait for more than a year for his turn.
By now Gulea had developed relations with different RTOs of different States besides different Banks to finance the chassis. Communication with other States was not as fast as it is today, but Gulea Cooperative was an exception. He had almost managed an unofficial hotline connection by obliging Telephone operators. He used to supplement the Kashmir quota from the quota of other States. He would manage to get an NOC ( No objection certificate) from RTO Punjab or any other State for its delivery in Srinagar. Strangely he would get an imprint of the chassis and engine number of the chassis for its finance when the chassis was still at the Punjab Showroom.
The Bank Manager used to honour his demand for finance written with pencil even on the flap of a cigarette pack. Body of the chassis was built at Jeewan Singh Body Builders at Jallundher, Punjab.
1975, Gulea Cooperative approached me and offered sale of a second hand bus for school. I pleaded that I did not have ready cash of Rs.26,000 for the deal. He took my signatures on judicial papers and relevant forms, transferred the bus No: 8745 JKA in the name of M Dass Public School and told me to pay at my convenience in easy installments. I salute his magnanimity, his humbleness that is directly proportional to his wealth.
One day, I visited him at his residence at Jawahar Nagar or Chanpora, I don’t remember. His drawing room was overcrowded with guests. Three persons in neat and clean white dress with samawars and basketful of ‘lavasas’ served the guests with numkeen tea (nunea chaie) and lavasea. All were heard and all were served to the best of their satisfaction.
Later on Gulea Cooperative diversified his business. He has a shopping complex at Kamarwari and probably petrol pump too.
Height of it is that he is neither MBA, nor CA. He is neither from IIT nor from IIM and still proved a success. His highest degree is his human behaviour, his commitment, his honesty and sincerity.
I salute him for his virtues.
One day an idea struck to Gulea Cooperative. He suggested to his other coolie colleagues for registration of a Transport Cooperative Society. Each member pooled for the purchase of a truck. Each one contributed 10%. Soon Gulea became one of the masters of a fleet of trucks attached to KPCS.
Gulea Cooperative got familiar with the documentation, registration and other aliened jobs pertaining to the RTO’s office. His behaviour earned him friends from peon to the RTO in the office of the RTO. Gulea Cooperative spread his tentacles beyond KPCS and Goods load carrier trucks. He entered into public transport business. Those days supply of chassis was short of demand. Thus each state had a quota for supply of Bus chassis. After booking, one had to be in a queue and wait for more than a year for his turn.
By now Gulea had developed relations with different RTOs of different States besides different Banks to finance the chassis. Communication with other States was not as fast as it is today, but Gulea Cooperative was an exception. He had almost managed an unofficial hotline connection by obliging Telephone operators. He used to supplement the Kashmir quota from the quota of other States. He would manage to get an NOC ( No objection certificate) from RTO Punjab or any other State for its delivery in Srinagar. Strangely he would get an imprint of the chassis and engine number of the chassis for its finance when the chassis was still at the Punjab Showroom.
The Bank Manager used to honour his demand for finance written with pencil even on the flap of a cigarette pack. Body of the chassis was built at Jeewan Singh Body Builders at Jallundher, Punjab.
1975, Gulea Cooperative approached me and offered sale of a second hand bus for school. I pleaded that I did not have ready cash of Rs.26,000 for the deal. He took my signatures on judicial papers and relevant forms, transferred the bus No: 8745 JKA in the name of M Dass Public School and told me to pay at my convenience in easy installments. I salute his magnanimity, his humbleness that is directly proportional to his wealth.
One day, I visited him at his residence at Jawahar Nagar or Chanpora, I don’t remember. His drawing room was overcrowded with guests. Three persons in neat and clean white dress with samawars and basketful of ‘lavasas’ served the guests with numkeen tea (nunea chaie) and lavasea. All were heard and all were served to the best of their satisfaction.
Later on Gulea Cooperative diversified his business. He has a shopping complex at Kamarwari and probably petrol pump too.
Height of it is that he is neither MBA, nor CA. He is neither from IIT nor from IIM and still proved a success. His highest degree is his human behaviour, his commitment, his honesty and sincerity.
I salute him for his virtues.
(I am sorry to name him with his familiar name. I don't know whether he is Ghulam Mohammad or Ghulam Ahmmad as I would otherwise name him)
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