Mr. V. Jambhulkar

It is very difficult to narrate all the memorable experiences that four generations of Tata Power employees in my family have shared with each other. Nevertheless, I will try to do so as this nostalgic exercise gives me immense pleasure.

Long before our country got freedom, construction work on the Andhra Dam was taken up in the Sahyadri mountain ranges by Tata Power.

My great grandfather, Late Mr. Vithoba Jambhulkar from our village Takve in Taluka Maval, District Pune, was selected as a boatman. Technology was not as developed then as it is today. The boat had to be started by physically turning the boat's stone wheel to give the initial torque required.

Those times were difficult as the fight for freedom was raging on, but these determined people continued with their tasks and completed it successfully. In 1951, my grand grandfather retired from the company's services.

Mr. Y. Jambhulkar

My grandfather, Late Mr. Yedu Vithoba Jambhulkar joined Tata Power after my great grandfather retired. He contributed his might to the tunnel job started in 1962 at Bhivpuri Power House and thereafter worked on the construction of the hoist track from the power house to Point No.18 . After all these jobs were completed, he was transferred to the Valve House at Point No.18.

One major incident took place when he was on duty at Valve House at Point No.18. One of the penstock pipes ruptured and a huge amount of water started gushing out of the pipe but luckily without damaging the adjacent penstock pipes. My father closed the penstock valve single handedly and avoided the possibility of any further mishap. He was appreciated by everyone for his heroic efforts. This incident also prompted the company to start periodical measurements of the thickness of the pipes to preempt the thinning of pipes and to avoid such mishaps.

Mr. B. Y. Jambhulkar

While my grandfather was in service, my father joined Tata Power as a Helper in 1982 at Bhira and was later transferred to Bhivpuri. Since 1986, my father has grown with the company and now holds the post of a Chargehand in MMD at Bhivpuri. During the tenure, my father also experienced good and bad times with the company. But, faith in our company has given us the strength to tide over all problems successfully. One such guiding light was Late Mr. J. R. D. Tata who led the company on a path of progress. Truly, the banyan tree of Tata Power today is the creation of his efforts.

Mr. A. B. Jambhulkar

My father was involved in some of the more important initiatives at Bhivpuri, viz. the overhaul of old machines, erection of the new power house and the erection of the TRPH power house. My father has also participated in the implementation of ISO-9000, ISO-14001 and OHSAS-18001. My father looks forward to achieving our company's target of establishing 25000 MW generation capacity by 2017.

With the erection of the Trombay Unit #8 in 2007, our fourth generation (None other than me!) has started contributing to the company's progress. I have joined the company on project role. After the work on Unit #8, I have started working in the Operations Department of Unit 8. Although the number of years I have served in the company are very few, I have learnt a lot in such a short time. I vow to put in my best efforts for ensuring the prosperity of the company.

Driving my Scooter

Saturday, 6th January 1996, was meant to be an unforgettable day in my life. I had purchased a new car few months back and started my first long journey to Chiplun with my family on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. Barely five hours later, we met with a tragic car accident and suddenly everything changed forever.

I was thrown out of the car and was unable to get up due to severe back pain. My friend who stays in Khed rushed me to the hospital. According to C.T. scan report, it was a burst fracture at D12 causing 70 % spinal cord compression for which I had to undergo two major spine operations.

At that time I was working as an Operation Engineer. After the accident in 1996 I was almost bedridden for about a year. Slowly I recovered and was able to walk with the help of a walker. After two years (in 1998), I started meeting the Head of the department to consider me for a table job. Looking at my condition nobody was confident of my ability to work again.

My strong willpower and support from my colleagues made me write a letter to the then group chairman Shri Ratan Tata expressing my ardent desire to work for the Company in spite of my disability. To our pleasant surprise, I received a reply from him within a week assuring that he will look into the matter. After three years in 1999, I once again joined my duties. The warm welcome by my colleagues keeps lingering in my mind.

In my Office at Dharavi Chief
Transmission Office

The accident took a great toll on my health and physical movement. At present I walk with the help of a walker using plastic splints for the foot. My left knee is weak and there is no motor nerve recovery below the knee in both the legs. Also, I suffered from frequent urine infections. I was advised self-catheterization 4-5 times a day.

The first two years were really difficult as going to office independently, managing self and learning a new job took some time. I purchased a scooter with side wheels and started commuting. This gave me a lot of confidence to independently manage myself.

I was transferred to Dharavi R/S along with accommodation in our own colony adjacent to my work place. It was just few minutes scooter ride from my home. From then on, it felt like it was a smooth road ahead. But destiny had something else in store for me. On 8th June, 2010 I fell down and had to undergo an operation. I continued my office job from my bed and again resumed duty after five months and once again started managing my duties to the utmost satisfaction of my superiors.

As driving is my passion, I got my car modified with hand controls. We have obtained a driving license from the RTO after going through a very long and tedious process. Now I can drive my car with all hand controls.

I am very fond of travelling. We have travelled to places like Delhi-Agra, Bangalore-Mysore and Jaipur-Amritsar-Chandigarh.

Receiving the Innovation award in annual award
function from Executive Director in 2009

I never wanted to be a liability to anybody and was determined to prove that I am an asset to my Company. In spite of the disability and many other complications associated with spine injury, I have always given 100 % to the best of my ability to my Company. The accident severely injured my spine but not my will.

I also owe my gratitude to my wife for her constant encouragement and motivation. In spite of all this, my children excelled in their studies. My son passed his MBBS examination and is aspiring for a post-graduation in Medicine. My daughter is doing her graduation in Fine Arts.

I and my entire family would always remain extremely grateful to Tata Power Management for their kind support and help rendered to me in the most difficult time of my life

May the company progress with its core values on care and remain for many more centuries!

I was born in Tata Power family and my childhood days were spent at Khandala – Point 9 and Forebay of Khopoli Generating Station. My late father Mr. Madhavan M. Lynipully was an employee of Tata Power since 1947. Yes, Point 9 (Nau number) is where I spent my early childhood. I remember, when we were very young, not even school going, my mother had to attend to the household chores and also to take care of my elder brother, She used to take the big empty oil drum, stuff it with clothes and put me in the center in a standing position. She then kept the drum on the verandah where I would be safe and everybody who passed (we had maybe only six families in the Point 9 quarters) would talk to me. Mummy would release me from the drum only when her work was over.

The surroundings of the camp were all jungle and most nights mummy would sit with the lights on, guarding us while we were asleep since dangerous snakes and insects would creep into the house through the roof which was made of metal corrugated sheets.

When we started going to school (Bai Dhunmai Cawasji Girls High School), we had to walk the distance from Point 9 to the school. It was time consuming and tiring, especially since all the three seasons (winters, monsoons and summers) were too severe. At times we went by Bombay-Pune Road (under or above the Amrutanjan Bridge,) or through the railway tunnel. While taking the railway tunnel, we had to ensure that no train would be passing when we were in the tunnel or else we had to jump into the gutter parallel to the tracks or there was a small cave like structure in the middle of the tunnel where we could stand. When we would see a train coming from far, we use to keep stone on the tracks. First time we got scared that the train would derail, but nothing like that happened, the stone got crushed.

Our playground was the 6 penstocks – we would jump from one to another. On our way back from school in summer we would put our face on the pipe, it would be so cool. Daddy's every off day we would force him to take us for a walk into the jungle and explore new places. We would pluck and eat fruits from the jungle plants. The most common one was the 'Karvanda'. We would eat unlimited quantities and at times fall sick after eating the raw, sour ones.

There was no phone connection from the valve house to the quarters and hence when daddy was on duty and wanted one of us to come up he would switch off the lights two times as signal. One of us then would go to the valve house and check what he wants. During school holidays, we would take turns to sleep in the valve house when daddy had night shift. During winters, when we slept in the valve house, we had a heater and 'ghongadi' i.e. blanket to keep us warm.

At Point 9 Mr. Noak was the Line Inspector (not sure of the designation then) and stayed alone in a bungalow. During summer vacation his family use to visit Khandala and they had a camera! A photograph was taken by them – my brother & myself (with closed eyes) in school uniforms.

I remember once when my brother fainted in the school after he was punished and asked to stand in the sun because he did not complete his homework. The school had to contact Mr. Noak since he had a Company telephone at home to inform my father. His bungalow was at a higher level and when he was coming down the steps towards our quarters he fell down. After that he was sick and we felt very bad.

We were like a big family – each one was concerned about the well-being of the others. Dr. Patwardhan, who was the Medical Officer for Khopoli Division, once came for a visit at Point 9. My father had just come from the society stores at Khopoli and, as usual, he had purchased lots of biscuits & chocolates. When the doctor saw the items he called his driver and asked him to collect all the biscuits & chocolates and keep them in his vehicle and to return back to the stores. He advised my father not to spoil the health of the children by giving such things.

During the rainy season, we would rent a flat and shift residence to Khandala town's Zarapkar building since it was too difficult and unsafe to go to school from our quarters.

When my father was transferred to Forebay, we stayed in the camp. From the top we could see the whole of Khandala and the D. C. School too. My mother would stand at the fence and watch us all the way walking from school to home. Today, the entire landscape has changed.

Here too, wild animals were frequent visitors, especially at night. Our pet dog was snatched away by a tiger from our doorstep – what a dangerous life we led.

There are lots of memories of our life at Point 9 and Forebay – those Khandala days.