Few first generation Indians have achieved so much in a short span of time. Fewer still could flutter the Indian flag high in the global arena. M R Chhabria did what most Indians didn't dare. When India was still in the license Permit Raj' and integrating globally was relatively unknown, MRC took off to Dubai to set up what is known as the JUMBO Group. Today the Jumbo flag is fluttering in 50 countries around the world through 28 enterprises, with an asset base of 1.5 billion dollars, providing employment to over 29,000 people.

What made all this possible?
A spokesman of McKinsey & Company described him as a true visionary with impeccable entrepreneurial skills, He would take bold steps and move with great speed — a rare quality found among entrepreneurs.

In an interview with a Dubai journalist Just a few months back, he had stated "My inspiration was Akio Morita. He was a visionary. He created an Institution with Sony. I was closely associated with him, learnt valuable lessons from him and admired him a great deal".

True. His icon was Morita. In late sixties, Manu as a young lad had a passion, but no financial backing. He dreamt of a global conglomerate when most of his Harvard educated colleagues settled for comfortable jobs. From an electronics shop in Lamington Road to a global empire, which he operated from Dubai, is a success story which few Indians have achieved in their lifetime.

He was a perfectionist to the core - whether it was the quality of his products or services, or delivery systems, he aimed at the best. It is said that the perfectionist mania transcended in his personal life too. The zeal with which he pursued perfection was also responsible for the success of the JUMBO Group.

Little was known of him when he shifted to Dubai and started Jumbo Electronics with a capital base of 50,000 dirhams. The success story began when he signed a deal with Sony Corporation in 1975 and became its distributor in the Gulf. Jumbo Electronics, the firm he founded, has become Sony's biggest distributor world-wide.

Having built a base, his ambitions grew. He dreamt of an empire throughtakeover mechanisms. The metamorphosis began. It was like a conqueror and his conquests. In 1985, he took over Shaw Wallace, one of the liquor majors in India. Overnight, he became a Corporate Hero.

Indian corporates were shocked. It also sent shivers to entrepreneurs who were operating their empires through in-absentia landlordism and with their equity bases. Wisdom dawned and business houses began to think of evolving corporate maturity in management.

Having tasted success in his first major takeover, MRC never looked back. In 1984, he acquired UK-based Dunlop Rim and Wheel Ltd's stake in Dunlop India at Calcutta, which was then the country's bissest tyre maker.

Soon thereafter, he acquired Gordon Woodroffe, Hindustan Dorr Oliver, Mather and Platt (India) and Falcon Tyres. The bitter strussle in Shaw Wallace was over in 1986 and he was firmly in the saddle.

Several of the companies when taken over were sick and turned over under his leadership. Pampasar Distillery, Doburg Laser Brewery, Haryana Breweries, Central Distillery and Brewery, Falcon Tyres are some such examples. Thoush
one of his acquired Companies - Dunlop - is closed and is awaiting revival, the other Companies in the Group are faring well. Dunlop was his concern and he was making gallant efforts to put it on its rails, when his end came.

He was pursuing growth plans for all group companies with great vigour. Brands like Royal Challenge, Haywards and Director's Special have been built assiduously. His vision was to make Shaw Wallace as the number one alcoholic beverages company, triple the beer production in the next three years, and have distilleries and breweries in each State of the country.

Under his vision, Shaw Wallace embarked on a course to make the company a dominant player in the global market. Last year, it entered into a strategic global alliance with the UK-based Kyndal International, the Scotch whisky company, for its spirits business.

He wanted to see Falcon Tyres as a Rs 500 crores company in the near
future. A long term technical collaboration with Seghers of Belgium for Hindustan Dorr Oliver was recently concluded. Mather and Platt had been restructured into separate businesses to provide more focus on each of the businesses. He wanted to go global. Towards this, he had only recently constituted a Corporate Governance Board.

MRC had an enviable record as a tough taskmaster and but a warm and
kind human being. He had time for all his colleagues, however humble they may be.

His major restructuring drive and his plans were in place, on the basis of McKinsey's recommendations. Though MRC is no more, his vision of a great enterprise is deep rooted in the minds of his successor, his wife Ms. Vidya
Chhabria, his three daughters and the professional managers who are at the helm of affairs.

In a recent interview to a leading Journalist, he had indicated that he will take a
backseat soon, and enjoy the fruits of his hard labour. And MRC said that the "Show must go on". Yes, it will, given the deep involvement, renewed energy and a passion to excel, which feelings have transcended in the minds of all
JUMBOITES.