Last Saturday, I journeyed to Bangalore on a special invite from Capt. G.R. Gopinath, the man who made aviation history in our country by enabling even an Aam Aadmi to fly in an aeroplane — Air Deccan — for a few years. It has since been swallowed by the shark called, euphemistically, Kingfisher Airlines.

With such heady success in a short period, Capt. Gopinath was eulogised by the people who benefited. He suddenly blazed a trail as an entrepreneur of extraordinary virtuoso in the airline industry. Naturally, a success story must be written after the mission was accomplished for the posterity. Thus was born Capt. Gopinath's autobiographical book “Simply Fly - A Deccan Odyssey”.

It is a good book. Both in size and content. Highly readable for an Indian reader or for that matter, anyone in the world who wants to become an entrepreneur or who is already one by his own ingenuity and effort. They will find the challenges they themselves faced and opportunities that came their way more or less similar to that of Capt. Gopinath's, displaying qualities of grit, tenacity and patience in the face of difficulties — bureaucracy, corruption, cut-throat competition — leading to their success at the end. This is why a reader, like me for example, could quickly identify himself, in some way, with the dramatis personae of this book. Many of my friends who are entrepreneurs have told me that they too felt the same way while reading the book.

Recently, when I was in the US, I read two books and one was “Be My Guest” by Conrad Hilton — the man who pioneered 5 - star hotels all over the world. In the early days of his life in a Godforsaken border County of Socorro, New Mexico territory, he was his father's Man Friday and ventured into many adventures to earn a living. See where he ended up? Hilton hotel is still a big name even after him. And he became a legend.

In the case of Capt. Gopinath, however, the disappointment is that he tempted, nay, inveigled the Aam Aadmi to fly offering lowest fare and then dropped him like a hot potato when he found the managing of the ever - growing Air Deccan unmanageable, as he confesses in the book. Complaints from the passengers of delayed flights, missed flights, reservation mess up, etc. got worse compounded by other problems — software glitches and let down by the special software provider that started haunting him all the time. It was the time the Kingfisher of that playboy millionaire Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya had also launched his Kingfisher Airlines with mega-publicity, matching his showmanship. He was irked by the challenge to his share in the market from this little known Capt. Gopinath who seemed to take on the Goliath of a Vijay Mallya like the Biblical David! But at the end, the little David of India meekly surrendered to the Indian Goliath. It is all money, honey! Wonder if Capt. Gopinath could be considered a legend and a pioneer in the manner Conrad Hilton is considered today.

Our poor Aam Aadmi, R. K. Laxman's common man with so much common sense, is left stranded on the ground, dashing his dreams of flying at low cost. I wonder if the Kingfisher Red, the new owner, is maintaining the same low - cost fare.

I am reminded of a Chinese anecdote. A king conquered a neighbouring kingdom. The victorious king, very proud, marched with his Prime Minister to the defeated king's Palace. The Prime Minister beseeched the king to dismount his horse and meet the officials. The audacious king refused. The Prime Minister said, "You may conquer a country on a horse - back, but to rule the country, you have to get down from the horse." The message is, if you can't consolidate and administer the Kingdom you have conquered, you are going to lose the Kingdom. That's what had happened to the Air Deccan, poor man's hope and Capt. Gopinath's dream child. I wish Capt. Gopinath had taken head - on the challenge of the administrative problems of his fast - growing Air Deccan just as he had successfully warded off many challenges while establishing the Air Deccan.

In retrospect, it seems that he handled his most prestigious and successful Air Deccan venture like a Realtor — building and selling. I guess he missed the golden opportunity of becoming India's Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines. Let it be.

I am afraid I have flown too far away from the subject of Capt. Gopinath's invite. The invitation was to attend a book release function of his Kannada book Baanayaana, a translation of his original English book “Simply Fly”, which is selling like hot cakes. I was in two minds about attending. The function at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore, was at 10.30 am but the best time to meet friends, the author and the translator is over breakfast. So I got to be there by 9.30 am. That means, leave by 6 am. I said no.
Then the previous evening, 17th Friday, Capt. Gopinath called me and said, I must attend with my family. That was it. My decision - making was easy thereafter. That was how my wife Ralie and I made that journey to Bengaluru and it was indeed a satisfying experience. I could meet a number of old friends and make new ones.

Our former DC P. Manivannan was there with his glowing smile. A. H. Viswanath, MP, was there. Manu Baligar, that made – to - order officer, Director of Kannada and Culture Department, was there full of humility as usual. A retired Major General Moovera Nanjappa, a “batch – mate” of Capt. Gopinath in hospital (!) [Capt. Gopinath with broken bones and he with some pulmonary problem] was there, and many others.

The translator of the book Vishveshwara Bhat, who is today to Vijaya Karnataka what once Pothan Joseph was to Deccan Herald, arrived rather early to supervise the arrangements and I could spend some time with him. The Chief Minister, who was billed as the star VIP, unfortunately could not be present as he had to rush to Gadag to attend the funeral of Pandit Puttaraja Gavai, who walked like a God among his men till the Gods walked him into their heaven.

The presence of Capt. Gopinath's two daughters, who were recognised by the MC, was a good gesture, I thought. However, the divine presence of Dr. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala, more than made up for the CM's absence. And among all those who spoke, his was the best speech, to the point and quite profound. Next was that of the translator Vishveshwara Bhat. He started off well, but may be pardoned for being a bit too eloquent on sentiments and long to sustain interest and audience patience. Earlier, the MC had described the houseful audience as the “Gathering of Captains”, a play obviously on the rank of Capt. Gopinath, as he found the members in the audience leaders in their given fields of activity or profession. And having seen them, I agreed. It was like a gathering of “who is who”. And in a spirit of aplomb, he called “Capt. Vishveshwara Bhat to address”. Ah! What a feeling. I too was a Captain for a while!!

Some highlights of Vishveshwara Bhat's speech:
• There are Sadhakaru (achievers) and Samaya Sadhakaru (opportunists) among nation builders [big clap from the audience].
• Behind every achievement, there was always a struggle. Some with weak mind contemplate suicide but there was a case where such a person changed his mind after reading the book (Kshanahothu Aanimuthu) by Shadakshari of Ramanashree Group of Hotels, a daily contributor to Vijaya Karnataka.
• As you read Capt. Gopinath's book, the real Gopi disappears and a new hero emerges before the reader.
• At a time when less than one per cent of Indians travelled by air, Capt. Gopinath took the risk to launch his low - cost air travel. He saw 99 per cent people wanting to fly and there an opportunity.
This reminds me of a marketing lesson. A shoe manufacturer hired a marketing executive and sent him to a neighbouring densely populated village to study the sales prospects. He returned after a couple of days and reported: There is no scope to sell shoes in that village. No one is wearing footwear there.

The manufacturer dismissed him and recruited another marketing executive and sent him to the same village for the same purpose. After a couple of days, he returned and reported: Good news! There is great potential to sell shoes in this village as at present no one is wearing shoes.
The manufacturer hired this executive who saw an opportunity and did a roaring business.
• Capt. Gopinath should be complimented for making some of the 99 per cent of Indians realise their dream of flying. [But, sadly, as I said earlier, it was a short - lived dream].
• What the government could not do in the matter of air travel for the middle or poor class people, Capt. Gopinath has done. Again, has he sustained it? But, for sure, he is a role model for others who may want to start an Airlines.

The next speaker was Girish Karnad. The Kannada playwright who got Jnanpith award by default just as another intellectual Dr. U. R. Ananthamurthy (URA). Both these persons are no doubt academically highly qualified, intellectuals in their own right, are passionately in love with Kannada, their mother tongue, but many wonder if they have done enough work, volume - wise and produced literary works of the magnum opus kind to deserve that Indian 'Nobel Prize' for literature (Jnanpith).
Scholars are bound to compare their works with other Jnanpith award winners for their works in Kannada — Kuvempu, Da. Ra. Bendre, Shivaram Karanth, Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar and V. K. Gokak. Let it be.

To come to Girish Karnad's rambling, it was no pleasure listening to him as his Kannada was warbled with North Karnataka flavour, which is understandable. He was flummoxed while pronouncing the name “Cafe Coffee Day” for quite a while till someone prompted. However, the intellectual content of what he said was worth its weight in gold. This is where both Karnad and URA score over other scholars. They look at an event or happening from a totally different perspective. May be that is the very reason why people in general do not resonate with them. All the same, we must take note of what these two say on issues and benefit from it. Take for example what Karnad said:
• We talk of Kannada Samskrithi (culture) but it is stuck in the past centuries. Culture should be Kannada, no doubt, but it must be dynamic. Ask any one here, who is your hero, he will not say it is Capt. Gopinath. He will say Kittur Chennamma or some past hero. Not Gopi. In America you ask the same question, he will say Bill Gates. There are past heroes and new heroes. We must acknowledge and learn from both.
• Karnad seemed a man on short - fuse when he recalled how Capt. Gopinath was let - down by his software developer for Air Deccan and described the conduct of the dishonest person in Kannada as “Neechatana” [crooked nature].

• Speaking about Karnataka architecture, he wondered why we were stuck with only Hoysala, Chalukya or Kadamba architectures. What about new Karnataka architecture? Can't we improve upon these ancient Karnataka architecture to suit modern times which will also be uniquely of Karnataka?
• Vijaya Mallya has built UB City. “It is the most distorted (Virupa) and ugly (Kurupa) city I have seen. Cheap collection of different architecture. Nothing new in this architecturally - built city. With the kind of money he has, he could have created a new architecture inspired by Karnataka's old architecture. He seems to have translocated New York's Empire State Building”.
• We must admire entrepreneurs like Capt. Gopinath. There are others too whom we must recognise. Cafe Coffee Day for example. The man behind this too must write a book like Capt. Gopinath has done.
In between Bhargavi, Capt. Gopinath's wife, was felicitated by the Dharmadhikari.
Next to come to the podium was the star of the show, Capt. Gopinath. Not a good speaker as far as delivery goes. But he was, as could be expected, full of ideas and drive to make his point. Thus spake the role model of our would - be young entrepreneurs:
• Don't look at everything in Black (Kappu) and White (Bilupu). Don't have negative or critical mindset always. My book is the medicine for such cynicism.
• Naxalism has already arrived at the edge of my Estate (in Hassan).

• The answer to poverty, corruption and disgust (Nirase) in life is optimism (Ashavada). You must have "inextinguishable optimism."
• The truth is that lack of money in an enterprising person generates new energy (Hosa Chaitanya), determination (Hata). In a way it is all "intuition" (Prerane), all the rest just 'tuition' [Whatever he meant, I do not know. But he said this in English. He must have meant 'inspiration' as it translates to “Prerane” in Kannada].
• Intuition is the secret of success. The message of my book is not only to enthuse you to develop traits of determination (Hata), dedication (Shradhdhe), willingness (Olavu) and criticism (Teeke) but also to make you a creative person (Kriyasheelarannagi maduvudu).
• If you work hard, doors will open. It took three years for me to get the helicopter licence. No doubt a ship is safe in the harbour, but it is not meant to be in the harbour always.
• You have to dream your own dreams. You have to make your own destiny.
Agreeing with the earlier speaker Girish Karnad, Capt. Gopinath said he too felt that “Our cultural landscape was getting destroyed”.
And the last speaker, not that he was the least, by virtue of protocol as the Chairman of the function, was the Chief Trustee (Dharmadhikari) of Sri Manjunatheshwara Swamy Temple, Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, a pilgrim centre, Dr. Veerendra Heggade, attired in his trade - mark full - sleeved flowing white kurtha and white dhoti worn in traditional style. Looking cheerful as always with a gentle smile of a wise man playing on his visage. Some nuggets from his lips:
• I wonder who wrote his (Capt. Gopinath's) horoscope, whether it was an astrologer or he himself. Problems should be used as stepping stones to climb in the chosen pursuit. Don't depend on your horoscope. Looking at Capt. Gopinath's achievements, it seems he himself must have written his horoscope. Do believe in horoscope, but do not depend on it for your success. Work hard, be prepared and for opportunities, pray to God.

• Capt. Gopinath has glorified the life of a farmer. But don't be swayed by it. To a farmer, there are many enemies — from uncertain monsoons to bad seeds to spurious fertilizers to wild animals and insects and viruses. When harvest comes, he has three square meals a day, then as months pass by, he has two square meals and at the end, just one meal a day. That's the life of an average farmer.
He recalled a devotee of Lord Manjunatha sending every month by cash ` 5,000 or ` 3,000 or ` 1,000 with a prayer that he be blessed with a licence to setup an airline. It never happened. But Capt. Gopinath succeeded (because he pursued it the way it should be).
• Be ready to grab the opportunity when it comes. That is the secret of success.
• Remember God, always; but you should do your duty (Karma).
He then went on to explain his brainchild — the Rural Development and Self - Employment Training (RUDSET) Institute which has enabled self- employment to over 2.5 lakh people in the country.
• In our schools and colleges, we impart education for employment. But at RUDSET, we are giving education for self- employment.
• Life and success of Capt. Gopinath must be an ideal (aadarsha) for all the youth.

Now about the book Baanayaana. Big book to hold at 567 pages. I have not read it yet. I may not as I have read the original in English. Many photographs were grouped together in two parts. Most of them are redundant; they mean nothing, like for example of air hostesses and a few others unnecessarily adding to the avoirdupois and cost.

There is also a danger that by the time you finish reading, pages will come apart from the centre, as there are no stitches to hold the pages together. In books of such size, it is best the jacket is not so thick. Pliable, thinner kind of jacket paper is ideal. Thinner quality paper for the text would have helped the reader in handling the book while reading lying on the bed or while traveling or waiting… Paperback books of much bigger size in English produced in the West could have been a model for publishing this tome of a book.

I have read at random this Kannada book and undoubtedly the translation by Vishveshwara Bhat is good. I wonder if anyone else could have bettered it. Capt. Gopinath is lucky again — like Samuel Johnson got his James Boswell to write his biography, Capt. Gopinath got his Vishveshwara Bhat to translate his book into Kannada.

By K. B. Ganapathy
Courtesy: Star of Mysore