December 2010.
Ask any Production/Mechanical engineer to name some great contributors to the Manufacturing industry in the 20th century. Henry Ford would certainly top the list, not only for building the Ford legacy but also for introducing the Assembly Line technique for Mass Production of his cars.
1994:
My association with Ford (read it as the brand "Ford") evolved in 1994, when I noticed a key-chain of my school buddy Ranjay. This key-chain was oval shaped housing the signature Ford logo and I was simply awed by the Ford logo. I asked Ranjay what it meant, and he said it was one of the largest car manufacturers in the world and that his dad worked in Ford Muscat.
My association with Ford (read it as the brand "Ford") evolved in 1994, when I noticed a key-chain of my school buddy Ranjay. This key-chain was oval shaped housing the signature Ford logo and I was simply awed by the Ford logo. I asked Ranjay what it meant, and he said it was one of the largest car manufacturers in the world and that his dad worked in Ford Muscat.
It was about the same time that Ford had setup a huge manufacturing base in Chengalpattu about 40 kms south of Chennai. It became an important landmark for me every time I travel to my dad's village towards Gingee. From the road I could see hundreds of cars glistening brightly in the Ford campus. Ford was then manufacturing its Sedan - Ford Escort. It was a neat car for the time and every time a Ford escort passes by, my head would turn and I would stand in awe. Well this was India a few years post liberalization and terms like Hyundai, Ford, Coke and Pepsi were just registering in our minds. In my case, Ford registered deep inside too.
8 years later (in 2002):
I was a graduate trainee at a small sized software company and was in conversation with my company Vice President - Ms.Vandana. She asked me what my financial target was for the future. I thought for a few seconds and quoted whatever first struck me. It was "to own a Ford when I turn 30" She said fair enough, because it implicitly meant a lot of other things including Financial Stability, a genuine need for car etc, etc. I still had 8 years to go.
I was a graduate trainee at a small sized software company and was in conversation with my company Vice President - Ms.Vandana. She asked me what my financial target was for the future. I thought for a few seconds and quoted whatever first struck me. It was "to own a Ford when I turn 30" She said fair enough, because it implicitly meant a lot of other things including Financial Stability, a genuine need for car etc, etc. I still had 8 years to go.
4 years later, (2006):
I found myself in Bangalore. One of my colleagues Ganesh was shifting his base to the Silicon Valley (Santa Clara to be precise) and wanted to give away his Ford Ikon at a relatively cheaper price. He was keen on giving it to me, because in one of our earlier conversation I did mention that I wanted my first car to be a Ford. I was tempted to buy this car, but as a young chap, with no permanent base in Bangalore and travelling between Chennai and Bangalore every weekend in train/bus, a car with a Karnataka registration made very little sense, so skipped the thought of it.
I found myself in Bangalore. One of my colleagues Ganesh was shifting his base to the Silicon Valley (Santa Clara to be precise) and wanted to give away his Ford Ikon at a relatively cheaper price. He was keen on giving it to me, because in one of our earlier conversation I did mention that I wanted my first car to be a Ford. I was tempted to buy this car, but as a young chap, with no permanent base in Bangalore and travelling between Chennai and Bangalore every weekend in train/bus, a car with a Karnataka registration made very little sense, so skipped the thought of it.
2007:
A year later, I saw myself in Chennai in a posh room being Interviewed by the Testing Vertical head. I had cleared couple of earlier rounds. This round of interview was just to know something about my life outside of work. It was more like a rapid fire round, the interviewer reading out a bunch of questions from his list and I trying to answer each one within seconds (although it wasn't demanded of me). One of his questions read, "Name one personality whom you admire". My reply went this way, "Henry Ford, for his contribution to revolutionalizing the Manufacturing Industry". I still don't know why this popped out of my mind then.
A year later, I saw myself in Chennai in a posh room being Interviewed by the Testing Vertical head. I had cleared couple of earlier rounds. This round of interview was just to know something about my life outside of work. It was more like a rapid fire round, the interviewer reading out a bunch of questions from his list and I trying to answer each one within seconds (although it wasn't demanded of me). One of his questions read, "Name one personality whom you admire". My reply went this way, "Henry Ford, for his contribution to revolutionalizing the Manufacturing Industry". I still don't know why this popped out of my mind then.
1 year later (2008):
This time I genuinely needed a car for office commute. My work hours were extended and incessant Chennai rains weren't helping either. But this time logic overtook all emotions and I ended up buying a second hand Alto (manufactured by Maruti Suzuki). I didn't even consider other options and life went on. One of these days, I caught up with Ganesh and he asked me if I indeed bought a car. I told him about my second hand Alto, and he jokingly asked me about my Ford dream. I was instant in my reply quoting "My first NEW Car Will be a Ford", inserting the NEW into my earlier quote. We ended the chat with a smile.
This time I genuinely needed a car for office commute. My work hours were extended and incessant Chennai rains weren't helping either. But this time logic overtook all emotions and I ended up buying a second hand Alto (manufactured by Maruti Suzuki). I didn't even consider other options and life went on. One of these days, I caught up with Ganesh and he asked me if I indeed bought a car. I told him about my second hand Alto, and he jokingly asked me about my Ford dream. I was instant in my reply quoting "My first NEW Car Will be a Ford", inserting the NEW into my earlier quote. We ended the chat with a smile.
2 years later, (December 2010):
It was now time to upgrade my car. I had parking constraints, so restricted my search to hatchback variants. Thankfully (or not thankfully) this time around there were a gamut of options but luckily I had an extended budget too. As of this day, I had the following options to evaluate from - Maruti Suzuki Swift/Ritz, Fiat Punto, Volkswagen Polo, Chevy Spark/Beat/UVA, Hyundai Santro/i10/i20, Ford Figo and even Nissan Micra (which was yet to be launched). Being the more practical guy this time, I was keen on going for a Maruti-Suzuki Ritz, particularly for its looks and good reviews too. My sister Deepika though loathed the very looks of it. Hesitantly I entered the Ford showroom to learn more about their new hatchback variant - Ford Figo. As the salesman demonstrated every feature of this car, I was all the more sure that this would be my next car. After some payment formalities and a 5 day waiting period, I drove my Figo or rather my Ford home.
It was now time to upgrade my car. I had parking constraints, so restricted my search to hatchback variants. Thankfully (or not thankfully) this time around there were a gamut of options but luckily I had an extended budget too. As of this day, I had the following options to evaluate from - Maruti Suzuki Swift/Ritz, Fiat Punto, Volkswagen Polo, Chevy Spark/Beat/UVA, Hyundai Santro/i10/i20, Ford Figo and even Nissan Micra (which was yet to be launched). Being the more practical guy this time, I was keen on going for a Maruti-Suzuki Ritz, particularly for its looks and good reviews too. My sister Deepika though loathed the very looks of it. Hesitantly I entered the Ford showroom to learn more about their new hatchback variant - Ford Figo. As the salesman demonstrated every feature of this car, I was all the more sure that this would be my next car. After some payment formalities and a 5 day waiting period, I drove my Figo or rather my Ford home.
I have turned 30 now and as told to Vandana, bought a new car. Just as I told Ganesh, my first brand new car is indeed a Ford. And the best part is, I get to see the Ford logo everyday which once awed me as a kid. What was a casual classroom discussion 16 years ago, happens to be what I'm driving today.
Call it destiny or as Paulo Coelho quoted in Fifth Mountain - "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it" ; I managed to get my Ford at the right time and in the process connecting all dots !
