“Shri Sadanand Shetty was a staunch nationalist
who wanted to make India, a nation of Indians”

It is with a heavy heart and a sense of personal bereavement that I offer my tribute to the late Shri Sadanand Shetty, who was a close friend and like an elder brother to me. A few days before his death, when I went to see him at Dr. K.R.Shetty’s Cumballa Hill Hospital, little did I know that this was going to be my last meeting with him. His health was deteriorating but I still thought he would get well soon and some day actually come to see me at Raj Bhavan, with that trademark smile and gleaming yet mischievous eyes. But that was not going to be; he passed away peacefully on February 23, leaving behind a host of friends and admirers. It is difficult for me to believe that this unassuming friend of mine, who always brimmed with enthusiasm and who epitomised humility and transparency is never going to return.

I had known Shri Sadanand Shetty for more than three decades. Some time in 1972-77, during my tenure as Industries Minister of Karnataka, he had first met me in connection with the starting of his company, Fouress Group in Bangalore. In our very first meeting, we became best friends.

Shri Shetty had that remarkable ability to make friends instantly, largely because of his sincere approach and genuine urge to help others. You will be surprised to know that during the last two years in Maharashtra since becoming the Governor of the State, he never met me for any of his own work. He often came to me to seek redress for grievances of others.

Like many of the Bunts in Mumbai, Shri Sadanand Shetty had come to Mumbai under trying circumstances. Enrolling himself at a night school in Fort, he became a matriculate. In spite of adversities in the initial life, he completed his graduation in Arts and Law and finally obtained his MBA from USA. Perhaps difficulties in life had hardened his resolve to succeed in whatever he did. That is why, the company he started with just 1000 rupees became a Corporate worth over Rs. 220 crore, employing more than 1700 people from across the country.
Shri Sadanand Shetty was a noble hearted person with special feeling for the weaker sections of society. The amount of charities he made for various social organisations was very large. Till the end, he remained associated with the Bombay Bunts Sangha, Bunts Nyaya Mandali, the Shanmukhanand Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, the National Association for the Blind and such other organisations.

By far the greatest virtue of Shri Sadanand Shetty was his intense patriotism and love for the motherland. He wanted to see India become a super power. However unlike many of us who also think similarly, he was actually prepared to do anything he could for the country. As educated citizens, it is our responsibility to undertake the task of nation building and ensure that this great country of over one billion people with 5000 years of civilisation, the land of Buddha, Vivekanand and Gandhi will have an important place in tomorrow’s world, he used to say.

He founded the One India One People Foundation in 1997 with the purpose of uniting the people of India, to make India a great and strong nation. In order to achieve this lofty goal, he started the magazine with the same name. Through this magazine he tried to inculcate in the students and the youth the ideals of love for the nation and service to society. I have seen and read many issues of the One India One People magazine that he used to send me regularly. Let me tell you One India One People is a complete magazine. It is a must read for every citizen, young and old and deserves to be subscribed by every school and college in the country. Although, Shri Sadanand Shetty is no more, I would like the One India One People Foundation to continue publishing the magazine as it was very dear to his heart.

The last page of One India One People invariably carries a beautiful pledge captioned, ‘Who Am I?’. It read like this: “Am I a Hindu first or an Indian first? Am I a Muslim first or an Indian first? Am I Christian first or an Indian first?” and so on. The final line of this pledge contains a reminder and an appeal: “In all cases, you are Indian First, Last and Always. Be a proud Indian. Make this country Great, Strong and United.” That was his patriotism. I personally feel that this pledge should be part of the curriculum of every school and college in the country.

This pledge reminds me of a Parliamentary debate I was witness to way back in 1968. I was representing Mandya in 1968 and belonged to the then Prajya Socialist Party. In February 1968, the leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya had died in mysterious circumstances at the age of 52. Eloquent references were made to Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya by members of Parliament. Paying his tribute to Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya on the occasion, the leader of the Praja Socialist Party, Barrister Nath Pai, who was my leader, made an unforgettable speech which I remember to this date. He said, “I know how many Chinese there are in the world, how many Pakistanis there are in the world but I do not know how many Indians there are in the world. I know how many Bengalis, Marathis and Tamils there are; I know how many Reddies and Brahmins there are, but I do not know how many Indians there are in this country. Therefore, the completion of this task of making this a nation of Indians is the greatest of our revolutions.” Shri Sadanand Shetty was a staunch nationalist who wanted to make India, a nation of Indians. He was truly an Indian first, Indian last and Indian always.

As I look back, I think it is our misfortune that we didn’t recognise the real worth of this noble soul who breathed and walked amidst us. While his family members will take care of his business empire, I would like all the organisations to which he was associated, to perpetuate his memory by carrying forward his legacy of service to the nation into the future.

The Bunts community of Mumbai which is known all over the country and even outside for its industry, hard work and philanthropy has lost one of its most prominent and beloved leaders and I join members of the community in offering my respectful prayers for Annavaru Shri Sadanand Shetty.

– S. M. Krishna
Governor of Maharashtra

The joint meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Managing Committee of the Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeet Sabha held on Saturday, February 24, 2007 expressed its grief at the sad and sudden demise of Shri Sadanand Shetty. Mr. Shetty was a Life Member of the Sabha, a member of the Managing Committee and the Vice-President of the Sabha.

He was a man whose success was defined by his principles. To the disillusioned, India is too large and, therefore, unmanageable and chaotic. Mr. Shetty was a diehard Indian who visualised a beautiful order even out of the chaotic diversity. He was a born optimist who believed in action and commitment. He started One India One People magazine only to inspire Indians to recognise their strengths and take the nation to its rightful place amongst the comity of nations.

The meeting recalled with gratitude the selfless service rendered by Mr. Shetty to the cause of Fine Arts. He will ever remain in the hearts and minds of the members of this institution for his philanthropy and leadership qualities that he exhibited.

– V. Shankar, President, Sri Shanmukhananda
Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai

It is with a heavy heart we are paying tribute to a great soul, one of the distinguished industrialists in the Bunt Community in Mumbai. I do not want to use the word ‘mourn’ because here is a man whose life has been a living example of strong ethical values, disciplined hard work, diligence, sincerity and straight thinking. One would wonder how a man from humble origin, frugal means could make it so big not only academically but also in the field of industry. There could probably be many in the field of industry with lot of mercenary gains and assets but what distinguishes Mr. Sadanand Shetty from others is his vision and philosophy of life.

– Dr. Sharadha Rai Shetty, member of Bunt Community

I came to know Mr. Sadanand Shetty only a couple of years ago but in those two years I developed a very high regard and admiration for him. He was generous to a fault, principled, straightforward with a transparent honesty that made him, in my view, a rare breed, a very fine human being, the likes of whom we rarely come across these days. I will always cherish his warm fellowship and genuine friendship.

– Shyam Benegal, filmmaker, Mumbai

I hold him in high regard, for he was a man of vision with a mission. The positive attitude with which he went about his work has enlightened the lives of many. His disciplined life led to the fulfillment of his vision in the industrial circle. His heart, mind and efforts for the nation have seen the light in the form of his monthly magazine One India One People with its themes inspiring national issues.
–Vikas Kharage IAS, District Collector, Aurangabad.

I knew Sadanand since more than two decades and what I admired about him was his extremely sharp mind, his humble nature, his everlasting smile and that he wished well for everybody. His magazine One India One People which has been doing yeoman service to the community at large, has earned a lot of respect for him.

– Shishir Bajaj, Bajaj Hindustan Ltd., Mumbai

Shri Sadanand Shetty was not only a very successful industrialist and writer but was also a great human being. His life was an example for many of us who have cherished ambitions of being successful professionals.

– N. Vinaya Hegde, President, Nitte Education Trust, Mangalore

We are sorry to hear about the sad demise of Mr. Sadanand A Shetty. We pray to God to give his family the strength to bear the loss. The entire management, staff and students of the school join me in sending our heartfelt condolence to his family.

– Mrs. Kusum Midha, Principal, Bunts Sangha’s
S.M. Shetty High School & Junior College, Mumbai

I have had the privilege of meeting him on a couple of occasions in recent years and on each such occasion I felt I was meeting an outstanding individual.

–S. V. Raju, Editor, Freedom First, Mumbai

I can only say that not only the family but the entire society has lost a great human being who was embedded with high values and lofty ideals. His fond memory would definitely inspire some of us to “walk the talk” like him. May his soul rest in peace!

–Ramchandra Hegde, friend from Singapore

I have always admired him for his ideology, his philosophy, his principles and also as a person who cared for moral values. His patriotism, concern for the environment, people and his vision for India was evident from the editorial columns of his magazine One India One People.

–M A. Ravikumar, Infinite Shades, Bangalore

A self-made man continually striving for excellence, he loved what he did and he did it continually and whole heartedly with a passion very few of us can emulate. His motivation and his energy were boundless. His caring and thoughtfulness encompassed many. His vision and idealism touched many lives. His aspirations and hopes were of the highest order. We will miss his presence very much. May his soul rest in everlasting peace.

–Sarita Hegde, USA

As a young engineer in Fouress Engineering Pvt. Ltd. decades ago, I had the opportunity to learn a great deal under his tutelage and guidance. His discipline, meticulousness and courage of conviction were but a few of the many good qualities he possessed, which as a youngster I desired and hoped to emulate. As the head of the organisation, he was a great leader, highly respected and admired by people within the organisation as well as outsiders who had an opportunity to interact with him.

One India One People is a testimony of Sadanand’s vision and dream of a unified and prosperous country, which I sincerely feel is both noble and unique. His editorials were full of wisdom and highly motivating and inspiring. With his passing away, I feel not only we, who are related to him but also thousands of others have become poorer.

– Navinchandra R. Shetty, Mumbai

He was one of the finest and most dynamic persons our community has ever produced. He will be remembered by all of us, as the one who demonstrated that a common man can rise to dizzy heights by dreaming big and achieve it through sheer hard work, discipline and dedication. His concern was not limited to his business enterprises or this mega city alone, it was for the entire country, wherein he crusaded to create an awareness of oneness in the people of this land by pursuing his belief that ‘Pen is mightier than the sword’, through his popular magazine One India One People.

– B. Shivaram Naik, Hon. Gen. Secretary,
JAVAB (Juhu Andheri Versova Vile-Parle Association of Bunts), Mumbai

The Managing Committee of our Samaj at its meeting held on Saturday, February 24, 2007 recalled with gratitude his support to our Temple Complex right from its construction stage. His noble thoughts and deeds will ever remain in the hearts of many individuals and institutions. He lived with great dignity and humility. The void created by his sudden passing away is hard to fill.

– P.S. Subramaniyan, Hon. Secretary, Sri Subramania Samaj, Mumbai

(Space constraints do not permit us to print all tributes/condolence messages received on the passing away of our Founder Editor, Mr. Sadanand A. Shetty. We however thank all our well-wishers for the concern and support shown.)

“He was larger than life”

Sunday afternoon; the Rummy group was together again. Shuffling of cards, moments of silence while cards were being examined, occasional sound of ice clinking against the glass, the fizz of soda being poured, broken by loud voices of the winner of that hand, and somewhat faked moans of several losers in this very friendly low stakes game; but, every now and then, above all of this, a loud infectious laugh. I would walk by the table and catch his always alert bright twinkling eye as he smiled at me, always so affectionately. He was Uncle Sadanand (or Sad for short); I was not yet in my teens. He was a family man, caring, giving, successful, driven, a workaholic, and above all, larger than life; you could not help but notice him, hear him, feel his presence.

Then the years rolled along, I left India; after which I saw him occasionally and continued to know him and know of him. Then in 1990, I married his niece, Radhika; and suddenly he was in my life again, more so than ever before. I had always admired him, respected him, and liked him; so this was a very welcome outcome
As I grew to know and love him, we formed a special bond. No matter what the occasion was, we would always find time to talk together privately; and shared many secrets, and sometimes feelings, in the usual male noncommittal way. I saw him on every trip I made to India. If we could not meet for lunch or dinner, I would call him and arrange to go over to his office for a cup of coffee. In some sense I actually enjoyed our coffee more than other events; we could just talk.

Under his leadership, his company Fouress Engineering had expanded; new ventures were started (including a patriotic magazine). Work was a big part of his life; so much so that he used to say that, until his last day, he wanted to be on his feet, working. He put tremendous energy into his work; but at the same time he put an equal amount of energy (if not more), mixed with love, into his family and extended family and his friends. He was instrumental in ensuring the entire family was/is very close. With his vision, drive, and efforts to continue to grow his business ventures nationwide, you would think he would not have time for much else. Yet he was the one who called and arranged family get-togethers all the time. He would not take “No” for an answer and so there we would be, sometimes having to change other plans or drive quite far, but, in the end, always very happy to have attended his get-together; which, besides always being a lot of fun, had a warmth about them that only he could command so well.

Towards the end of January, one day at the hospital, I had sat right next to him; he held my hand, as firmly as ever, and said: “Can you believe this?” (He had never wanted to be in a hospital and wanted to go home) Then, after I returned from my trip a week later, I visited him at his home. He appeared much stronger, almost back to his usual self; I told him I would be back in two months and we would go for walks together; he smiled and clasped my hand tightly and vigorously nodded his head.

We were away on vacation and did not have access to a phone for a few days. When we did gain access, I called my mother to see how she was, and she said: “You must have heard. Sadanand Shetty …” I stopped listening, a chill went down my spine, my mind went numb as I pinched myself to wake up; but the nightmare did not end and became a reality. I walked over to Radhika and told her; but it did not register with her immediately as she looked disbelievingly at me, then the tears welled up. As I hung up the phone, the cloud that had suddenly appeared above us began to quickly descend and envelope us; I could hear James Taylor through my haze, voicing what I felt:

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end
But I always thought that I’d see you again
We will miss you; I will miss you; miss your smile, the twinkle in your eyes, your laughter, your hugs, your arm around, your hand clasping mine, your phone call: “Muku…When did you come? … What are you doing today? Are you free for dinner?”

Each time I am in Bombay, I am going to be staring at the phone, waiting for it to ring again; as it continues to do so in my mind.

– Mukund Thapa is the CEO of Optical Fusion, Inc,
USA and a Consulting Professor at Stanford University.

“To dream the impossible dream”

Of my four-year tenure with the One India One People magazine, first as senior assistant editor and then as associate editor, there are two enduring images that I can easily recall. One was the impossible task of making a commercial success out of what was basically an against-the-grain kind of magazine. The second, the man for whom the word ‘impossible’ did not seem to exist, the editor Sadanand A Shetty. I can only say that it’s impossible to believe that the man with the ‘never say die’ spirit is no more.

After successive stints with different ‘alternative’ magazines, the refreshing change about OIOP was the extreme professionalism with which it was run. This was largely instilled by Mr. Shetty who clearly envisaged running the magazine with as much expertise as the various enterprises headed by him under the flagship Fouress Group of Companies. This was despite the fact that unlike with most of his other units which ran on the profit-principle, the magazine’s raison d’etre was entirely different. It was a mission and it was a passion for Sadanand Shetty.
Mr. Shetty’s basic assumption was to aim to reach one per cent of India’s population which was literate and patriotic - which also meant that the readership of the magazine could be targetted at one crore! And he simply did not see why anyone who’d spent Rs. 100 or more for a movie ticket could not spend Rs. 50 for a value based magazine.

While many an editorial meeting would go in working out cost cutting and revenue generating measures, one thing Mr. Shetty was uncompromising about was the quality of the magazine. He wanted the best paper, the best writers, the best illustrations for the magazine and he truly believed that OIOP was the best magazine around too.

Mr. Shetty could be a formidable task-master if he sensed that anyone from the OIOP was shirking or slacking in pace. But he would be equally generous with praise and appreciation with the smallest extra effort put in by anyone.

When the magazine was launched in 1997, there were many skeptics and critics and doomsday prophets who could foresee it only as a drain on Mr. Shetty’s own resources. These could not deter him and he carried on with single-minded zeal to make it a success. I have no idea how he took on his previous ventures, but it was obvious to everyone that he embraced his latest venture not just as a mission, but with a great sense of adventure as well.

Come this August and OIOP magazine will have completed a decade, thanks to the dream of Sadanand Shetty. It’s indeed tragic the dreamer is no more.
These words from “to dream the impossible dream” can be dedicated to Sadanand Shetty:

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest

I am certain though that Mr. Shetty’s dream will live on.

– Susan Abraham
former associate editor, OIOP

A soldier’s tribute to a true Indian

The unexpected and untimely demise of a true patriot and a true Indian came as a great shock to all those of us who have been contributing fairly regularly to his brainchild, the monthly magazine One India One People, and especially to this old soldier who has been nurtured on the culture that all are Indians. As a soldier, I want to pay my tribute to one who, over the years, has come to be admired as a strong advocate of oneness among all Indians irrespective of caste, colour or creed.
It was after my retirement that I came across the first associate Editor of One India One People and was attracted to the concept of the magazine spelt out so tellingly in every issue under the heading - WHO AM I which is followed by fourteen questions and has the classic conclusion by Mr. Sadanand A Shetty:“ In all cases you are an Indian First, Last and Al ways. Be A Proud Indian. Make this country Great, Strong and United”. How very true indeed! Mr. Shetty lived up to these ideals as is evident from the subjects covered in each issue of the magazine and the wide spectrum of contributors, including some foreign ones. All we can hope for is that OIOP continues in the same vein. An old soldier salutes this great patriot.

– Major General (Retd) E D’Souza, PVSM

I am heart broken. The last thing that I expected was Sadanand’s passing away. I had received intimation of a meeting of the Board of Advisers of One India One People (OIOP) and hoped to attend it because I had not been able to attend earlier meetings ever since I left Mumbai for Manipal/Udupi which was home to me. I had left Mumbai on December 18, 2005, but before leaving I had a long chat with him. And he had attended a couple of farewell parties given to me. I was looking forward once again to have a long chat with him because we had so many things in common. And now that is not to be.

It seems only the other day that I was taking a class at the Bombay Free Night School in Fort, Mumbai, with Sadanand as a student. He was a bright student, I was then a reporter of the Free Press Journal but after teaching for some three years I had to give up teaching because my job did not give me free evenings. Sadanand went through his high school examination successfully and later graduated equally successfully. We went our respective ways, then he went to the United States for higher studies and for a long time we were out of touch with each other. Then he returned – and that itself is a story. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Roosevelt was addressing Sadanand’s class and learnt of his talent and told him that if he decided to stay on in the States she could find him a suitable job. Sadanand thanked her for her graciousness but told her that he had decided to return to his homeland but even then, Mrs. Roosevelt willingly gave him a recommendatory letter to a U.S firm in Mumbai. If I remember right, he took the offer - but only for a brief while. He wanted to be on his own. And his long journey into the world of private industry began. It was at this point that I chanced to meet him again. He had not forgotten me. To him I was ‘Masterji’ – the young teacher who had taught him and I continued to remain Masterji as Sadanand went on from success to success. At any party he would give – and he gave many – he always introduced me to his friends not as editor of The Illustrated Weekly of India or even a retired editor, but as Masterji. It was his way of showing his respect for me as one who taught him at school.

Always he was generous to a fault. If he knew that I needed something, he would get it for me without any fuss. He put me on the Board of Advisers of One India One People, producing which, year after year, cost him a fortune. I would ask him why he was spending his hard-earned money like this but to him bringing out this monthly was a mission. Having a vision for his country was important. Sadanand wanted to see India and its people as one entity and he was willing to spend any amount to fulfil his dream. He was a friend. When I was hospitalised with a heart ailment in Mangalore he came all the way from Mumbai to see me, to cheer me. He even offered to pay for my expenses. It was done with finesse and a lot of love in order not to give me offence. And, when, I declined his kind offer he did not take it amiss. He was only showing his love, regard and affection for me. He took his own ups and downs with philosophic detachment. Like Dhirubhai Ambani he began in a small way, and credit goes to his wife Soumyalatha, who was his strength and inspiration, through good times and bad. From a small beginning, Fouress Business Corporation became a vast empire, employing over 2000 people but Sadanand to the last remained the Sadanand I knew way back in the early forties, simple, affectionate, helpful and considerate. He never showed off. Idealist to the core, his one concern was India and the editorials he wrote for One India One People testifies to that fact. He was above everything: caste, creed, ethnic or linguistic identity, whatever. To him there was only one India, and there were only one people. And his intention was to make India strong and make Indians prosperous.

He wanted to see me. He must have called me at least half a dozen times after I left Mumbai to invite me to Mumbai and offering to buy me return air tickets even when I would gently tell him that I could afford to come on my own. He would inquire about my health and physical fitness. He was a concerned person. He was even willing to hold meeting of the One India One People Board of Advisers in Manipal to suit my convenience. His concern was for my welfare.
Month after month on the back cover page of One India One People he made readers think over who each was. Under the title ‘Who Am I?’ he raised several questions. “Am I a Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Brahmin, Dalit first or an Indian first? Am I a South Indian, North Indian, a white/blue collar worker first or an Indian first? Am I a youth/senior citizen first or an Indian first? Am I the Prime Minister of India first or an Indian first?” and so on. And he provided the answer: “In all cases you are an Indian First, Last and Always. Be a Proud Indian, Make this country Great, Strong and United.” That summed up his entire philosophy of life. Lawlessness in India pained him. He showed his anguish in the February issue of One India One People when in his editorial he wrote: “We are a nation of indifferent and selfish people who raise a hue and cry and demand justice only when our kith and kin are a victim of crime. The poor and the under-privileged hardly find any support from the urban class.” He was one editor who constantly stood up for the poor and under-privileged. His passing away has taken away one of the truly staunch advocates for the needy and suffering.

Sadanand was a patriot to the last drop of his blood. His untimely death has robbed India of a great soul who translated his faith into practice. He stood for justice without delay, promotion of communal harmony, separation of religion from state, equality before law, promotion of scientific temper etc. He showed that concern by supporting the publication of One India One People. He was God’s gift to India and I miss him terribly. Peace be on him.

–– M.V. Kamath
Veteran journalist and member
– Advisory Board, OIOP