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Mr B.M. Khaitan personifies the saying, “the greater the personality the greater his charisma, simplicity and even greater his magnanimity”.
A pioneer and a towering personality, he brought Indian Tea firmly on the international map by his progressive thinking, genius, creativity and perfection.
As Chairman of the Company for the past fifty years, he has played a major role in bringing the Company to the present heights, yet what everyone who
meets him notices are his humility, personal touch and human concern. Throughout his tenure as Chairman, he has been concerned about the welfare of
the people, especially those upcountry, and done his utmost to look after their needs: medical, social, spiritual and educational.
I personally have been deeply touched on occasions when he himself hands over the plates to all his executives from the estates during the ‘working
lunch’ at Head Office. This is his way of honouring planters. Some years ago, I remember his address to all planters, when he enquired about
everyone’s wellbeing and said, “We are here because you are there”; an example of his personal touch and kindness.
Another memorable expression, by a retired employee of the Company, “I am in this Company for more than forty years as I have seen God in our
Burra Saheb”. This speaks volumes about Mr Khaitan’s personality. He always values the people who worked for him.
“The heights reached and maintained by great men are not attained by sudden flight, but, while their companions slept, they toiled into the night.”
These lines aptly describe Mr Khaitan’s genius, his diligent, visionary and philanthropic personality. He is a gentleman par excellence. He rose to
great heights by sheer hard work and an iron will. A lover of painting, culture, music and education, Mr Khaitan has amply encouraged and
supported these fields. “Simple living, high thinking” – this has been his motto in life. I earnestly wish we could imbibe some of his qualities and
traverse the pathway to success.
On behalf of all of us, I take this opportunity to express gratitude, heartfelt admiration and respect for our Chairman on this momentous occasion.
A. Pandit
Visiting Agent
“In 2005, when leaders like Tata Tea and Hindustan Uniliver exited production to concentrate on entirely a large suit of beverages, tea industry
doyen B.M.Khaitan surprised everyone by picking up gardens in a bear market,” states one of the top business magazines in India in its
corporate news segment. How correct that decision was!! Today his Company is the largest black tea producer in the world. Little did the
business world know that there would be more surprises to follow!
The amazing story of a businessman who became owner of world’s largest tea company is no longer a secret to the world.
In 1869 two business families namely, Magor and Williamson in the United Kingdom, formed a company to manage tea estates in Assam. They
named it Williamson Magor & Company Ltd. The Company operated from modest offices at 3 Mangoe Lane, in Kolkata, and a century later
expanded to manage forty prime tea estates in Assam producing 14 million kg quality tea. Soon Williamson Magor ranked amongst the top three
tea managing firms in India. After Independence, this blue chip outfit became the target of Indian companies for acquisition. By the late 1950s
only eighteen estates out of forty remained with the Company.
Realising the vulnerability and to eventually safeguard Williamson Magor’s future, Richard Magor and Pat Williamson reorganized the holding
pattern of the Company and seriously considered having an Indian partner capable of confronting these threats and save the Company’s
Indian operations. They chose Mr. B.M.Khaitan; the rest is history.
To the employees of the Company “Burra Sahib”, as he is fondly addressed, is a father figure and guide. We congratulate Mr B.M.Khaitan
wholeheartedly, on completion of fifty years as Chairman of the Company.
P.S. Dowerah
Assistant Visiting Agent
Purva Tirupati sri Balaji Mandir
- Sri Venkatesha Prapatti
I take refuge at the feet of Sri Venkatesha