This refers to Sharmila Kantha's review "Holding the family business together" of Kavil Ramachandran's book "The 10 Commandments Of Family Business" (May 6). Some families act with wisdom, like a Swedish forestry magnate who distributed the family holdings among his sons, and moved out of a 20-bedroom castle when he and his wife were in their early seventies, so that their elder son could enjoy it while he was young. Another outstanding global Indian family with multi-billion holdings across the world operates on principles encapsulated in a credit card-sized metal tablet. With over 40 male members and a meeting every six months, now well into their third generation, one dictum they uphold is for elders to respect the youth, and carry them on key decisions.
Family privacy often inhibits narration of detail, but each successful family demonstrates wisdom, even rare understanding of the human psyche.
Kishan S Rana New Delhi
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