The man whose love for life spread beyond needs of business

Bharat Ram was born in the fabled old city of Delhi to Lala Shiram and Lady Shriram on October 15, 1914. Bred in a Spartan strict regimen under his world famous father, his education was in a Madrasa, in Modern School (Kashmere Gate) and St Stephen's College. A genuine all-rounder at Delhi University, he excelled in academics, represented Delhi University in Hockey and Tennis and captained St Stephen's at Cricket. He took these interests further with him when he started the DCM Hockey and the DCM Football tournaments both of which quickly developed an All India flavour and even went beyond with contenders from Iran and South Korea playing in these tournaments. He also started the first Indian professional golf tournament entitled the DCM Open.

Lala Bharat Ram was instrumental in the rescue of the Delhi Golf Club from being converted into a Government housing colony (which is what happened to the second 18-hole that comprised the golfing facilities built by the British - Kaka Nagar!). He played golf to a virtual scratch handicap, and his acutely competitive temperament at sports, led him to lose his otherwise amiable countenance when he lost. Sometimes, a poorly executed shot would render the offending club having to be retrieved from high up in the wilderness, to the amusement of the caddies. Nonetheless his love affair with golf and the Delhi Golf Club was unique in that it was selfless. As a founder member of the club, he supported the club financially in the early days and led it as captain and president several times. He invited Peter Thompson to visit India to re-design the course to meet with modern requirements; that course design, in its essential elements, is what we play on even today.

He apprenticed in DCM Ltd when it was on its way to becoming one of the foremost companies in India. Aside from business where, as a doyen of Indian Industry, he played a prominent role in nation shaping industry associations and linking up with similar bodies in other parts of the world which he subsequently chaired, he made immense contributions to the development of education, culture and sports in India.

In the grand home of his father at 18/22 Curzon Road, he interacted with an eclectic set of luminaries including industry leaders, powerful bureaucrats, writers, poets, politicians, statesmen, educationists and great names in the field of Indian classical music and dance, all of which had their subtle beneficial influence on him.

His love for life spread beyond the needs of business and the joys of sporting activities to the creation of beautiful gardens. He won huge praise for his role in developing the Rose Society of India and in creating the national rose garden in central Delhi. His keen gardening instinct caused his home and his farm to have the best gardens in Delhi.

He succeeded his father as chairman of DCM Limited and also the chairman of the family firm of Madan Mohan Lal Shriram Limited. In the latter, the Shriram family, which managed the businesses, was in a minority and, owing to family pressures, much valuable real estate was disposed at what would be called trifling prices today.

He carried forward the famous Shankar Shaad Mushaira started by his elder brother Murli Dhar and his uncle Shankar Lal, and made it famous through the region.

Indeed, it was said that if a poet was invited to participate in this Mushaira, his future was already made (and this is said by none other than Javed Akthar). When India and Pakistan were one, the DCM textile operations extended into Pakistan and excellent family relationships were formed with many families. Sadly, after partition, Murli Dhar, who was responsible for running those factories in Pakistan, expired in an air crash. Pretty soon, the relationship between the countries soured sufficiently for DCM to lose effective control of those entities. Nonetheless, because of his loving and poetical nature, he maintained his rishtaa with those families and friends in Pakistan, which survive till date.

Bharat Ram also had his weaknesses and none was greater than his love for cigarettes. He was never without a lit cigarette, which he smoked only half way. The onset of related cancer in the later stages of his life caused him to give up this cherished habit and one which he always regretted giving up. In addition to this, he enjoyed some gambling at the bridge tables; never a great player he was often a favourite with opponents because they could skin him for some easy bucks.

The rigours of business, the pleasures of philosophy and poetry, the exhilarating joys of sports, the closeness to nature through gardens, the vicissitudes of life, grew Bharat Ram into a warm, compassionate and trusting human being.

As the families of individual members grew, inevitable sibling rivalries cropped up. These became quite acrimonious and it was left to the next generation to really sort out these differences. Thus, in 1984/5 he ceded the chairmanship of the DCM Board to the next generation and indeed they were able to organize a systematic and friendly family separation. Throughout all of this, he kept a benign eye on the proceedings. The result is that while the family of Lala Shriram is separate in business, they are lovingly together at festivals and social occasions, and times of need.

Finally, he succumbed to illness following an unfortunate and clearly avoidable accident, but maintained his cheery good nature to the very end.

His funeral was just as his life had been; full of friends and family, industry leaders, diplomats and educationists, politicians of various hues, and always the people who gave him considerable joy, the gardeners of his estates, the caddies at his beloved Delhi Golf Club, and the workmen of DCM Ltd.

The author is the nephew of Bharat Ram