We are possibly the only country on the planet that has prayers dedicated exclusively for weapons, tools, vehicles, etc. Yes, every year during Dussera, most Hindu’s do a “Shastra Puja” where weapons and tools, and even computers and other machines, are cleaned, decorated, and worshipped. This ritual honours the instruments used in one’s profession or for self-defense, seeking blessings for better performance, prosperity and success.

This age old practice of “Shastra Puja” is also meant to promote the principal of “work is worship” and connect the worker with his tools and encourage hard work, skill and dedication. The “Shastra Puja” that pushes people to perform is very prevalent in our armed forces and a few years back, soon after the Rafael fighters were inducted into the Indian Air Force, our defense minister also did a puja with them. “Shastra Puja” is also done in many large factories and small roadside workshops, etc, too, particularly in South India. Given this, one would presume that most Indians value their tools and try and excel at their work. But sadly, the reality is very different.

Yes, the bitter truth is that most Indian workers don’t pursue excellence anymore. Many only have basic skills and their sole aim is to make money and that too in the shortest time possible, and with the least effort. The craft, the skill, and excellence are now reserved only for a few rare artisans, for whom work is still worship. However, for the majority of our workers – work is only a means to make money – easy and effortless money.

And this reality really pains me. Because we were once a nation of some of the world’s best artists and craftsmen whose creations, were not just admired and adored, but they also struck awe in the hearts and minds of all those fortunate enough to witness such manmade wonders. A good example is the 15^th Century Ranakpur Temple in Rajasthan. Even today at this marvel in marble, you can see the genius of the artisans who with their exquisite and unmatched skills, and magic touch of their chisels, succeeded in giving the carvings artistic elegance, as well as life and movement. These stones speak to you – of the unimaginable great legacy of our arts, and the skill and dedication of our craftsmen or workers.

All these magnificent manmade wonders were created with simple and basic tools, at a time when you didn’t even have electricity, leave alone powered tools or modern means of cutting, molding, measuring, and finishing. Now, most of our electrician’s, carpenters, etc, cannot even drill a series of symmetrical and neat holes! How the mighty have fallen. As for excellence and pride in work, please don’t even mention it, leave alone expect it. Because if like me you do, you are bound to be disappointed. Very disappointed.

Let me give you some examples, automotive examples. As many of you know, I have been testing and reviewing cars for almost 40 years now and over the years have driven numerous vehicles. Recently I got an expensive high end luxury vehicle for a road test. And the first thing I noticed was that the license plate was not fitted correctly. It was lopsided! If you look closely, you will see many cars on our streets with number plates that are not aligned perfectly. The fitters are of course doing a shoddy job, what is worse is that nobody notices or complains. And try sending the car back to the workshop to fix this. The reply will be “But there is nothing wrong”.

I can give hundreds of more examples. Rarely do I get a car for a test with correct tyre pressures. Or with all valve caps. In our driving conditions valve caps are essential as they keep dust, water and moisture out of the valve. And you can bet there will be several stones stuck in the grooves of the tyres, because nobody ever bothers removing them. Even if they make noise announcing they are imbedded in the tyre and can cause a cut at any time. Who cares. They are just chattering stones. Let them chatter. Only a madman like me is bothered by these chattering stones and I have nobody else to blame but myself, that on most test cars I spend time pushing them out with pliers.

Just a few weeks back, I got a car from a well-known manufacturer with the windscreen washer bottle completely empty. And we all know how useful the windshield washer is for cleaning dirty windscreens, especially in the kind of heavy monsoon we have been having. When I tried putting in some washer fluid I purchased from a neighbourhood fuel station, I discovered that the windscreen washer container was leaking!

Where had the vehicle come from – the authorized workshop. Who owns the vehicle – the company that manufactures it. Who was it going to – a seasoned and demanding professional road tester known for being stupid enough to expect everything to be in perfect condition. Despite all this, the vehicle cleared the quality checks at the authorized service center and a company representative delivered it to me. And as I am a fussy creature, I made it a point to ask if the vehicle had been properly checked and serviced as I would be going for a long drive in it. He confirmed it had undergone a complete check and service. Despite this, it came without any windscreen washer, and even worse, a leaking washer container.

If this is what happens with me, I wonder what actual customers have to go through. I also tend to check the engine oil in most cars I get for a test. And please note, normally these are all almost brand new cars having done a few thousand kilometers only. But in almost one third of the cars, there is less engine oil. I have always wondered if this happens at the factory or if the dealership that is supposed to do the PDI (pre delivery inspection) is failing to detect and correct this.  And let’s not even talk about things like dirty engine bays, oily and sticky steering wheels, windscreens with hand and thumbprints all over the inside, untidily ripped out plastic seat covers,  loose stuff rattling in the boot, and so on and so forth.

I have even been delivered a car with a flat spare tyre, with a nail stuck in it if you please. It too came after the so called service and check from the authorized workshop. Not long ago, I was also delivered a SUV with a disturbing gearbox whine, which I detected the moment I started driving it. I called the company driver who dropped it and he made me speak to the technician at the authorized workshop, where it had been serviced before being sent to me. When I told the technician about the whine, he said it was nothing to worry about. I even asked if they had checked the gearbox oil level, he replied I was worrying unnecessarily. I was not surprised, I get told this all the time- “Sir, don’t worry- Kuch Nahi Hoga, or nothing will go wrong”.

After driving that vehicle for a few days and doing one short out of town trip in it, I felt the whine from the gearbox had increased. So I called the company driver and asked him to take the vehicle back, as I did not want it to pack up on me. And you know what; an hour after the driver had taken it, he called and said, “Sir I am having difficulty in shifting the gears. I am taking it to the workshop!” I had noticed the gearbox problem the moment I got the car. But in our country there is nothing like preventive maintenance.  And why fix it, if it ain’t broken. “Sab Chalta Hai” or everything works. In my view, this is now the motto of our country, and as long as we have this “Chalta Hai” attitude, I am afraid we will struggle to excel.

All these countless experiences have completely convinced me that very few people service cars well anymore. I cannot even recall when was the last time I saw the owner’s manual of a car, with details of the tyre rotation that is meant to be done around every 5,000 kms.  Does anyone even rotate tyres anymore, I wonder?

But there are those that talk of the adaptability of our workers and their ability to make do with less. Or our “Jugaad” or knack to solve problems and fix things in an innovative way with limited resources.  Yes I agree we do this very well. But I also believe it should be an exception in unavoidable circumstances, and not a way of life like it appears to have become with us. We are no longer a poor backward nation with limited resources. India is developing fast and now we need to excel. We must start doing things in a stand out manner that surpasses everyone else. And for that, we not only require the most modern and suitable tools, but also the training and commitment to use them properly. Only hard work and the desire to be the best can help achieve excellence. Instead most of us are just focusing on getting the job done. Not how well it’s done.

And this applies not just to the automotive field, but all walks of life. Just look at any of our electricians, carpenters, construction workers, masons, plumbers, painters, welders, and what have you. Not one has the right tools and nobody wears or uses any safety gear. As for uniforms or a work dress, forget about it. In other countries everyone will change into overalls or other suitable dress before starting work. They will have proper shoes, hand gloves, helmets, face and eye protection and safety harnesses where required, etc. Our chaps proudly flaunt their chappals and hardly anybody even carries a proper toolkit.

I have this electrician who is employed by my building society and he does not even carry insulation tape! He was surprised that I had some and on seeing my extensive and organized home toolkit, he nearly had a seizure. Then to justify his shoddy ways he burst out, “You must be an engineer or something, that’s why you have all these tools”. Unfortunately, there was no remorse about the fact that he was not equipped to do his job, which is his livelyhood.

And this is the big difference between us and many other countries, especially the advanced ones. There people have work stations and tools at home and are used to a DIY (do it yourself) culture and lifestyle. They are very handy with things like screwdrivers and drill machines and electric cutters and grinders. Right from school, they are taught skills and how to use their hands and tools. But in India, we only impart bookish education, most of which is of no use in the real world.

And until all this changes, I don’t see ourselves becoming an advanced nation or the “Viksit Bharat” we are aspiring for.  We can buy, import and assemble all the best machines and equipment in the world. But at the end, it’s the person behind the machine that matters. Just visit your nearest government hospital and see how many x-ray and ultra sound machines are not working. Many are not even able to maintain and operate their ECG machines properly. Leave alone more advanced stuff like CT, MRI and PET scanners, ventilators, and so on. You will see quite a few just rotting and lying around unused. I even read about a case in an interior area where computers for diagnostics had not been installed as nobody knew how to use an adapter to convert the standard American (110-120 V) into the (220-240 V) voltage we use in India!

Before concluding, I would like to leave you with an example of automotive excellence that I have seen firsthand. The kind of stuff you cannot even dream of today. I was once took my Fiat (Premier Padmini) to the legendary Adarbad Setna’s Apex Garage in Bombay for a tune up. He used to charge Rs 750 when the rate at other well-known garages at that time (sometime in the 1980s) was Rs 150. When I asked why, he said, “Dikra (son) my tune up starts with cleaning and lubricating the fuel cap and lid, and ends with washing the ignition key in isopropyl alcohol and cleaning its grooves! And in between all such things happens the tune up”. That was the level of that man’s dedication and perfection. And after he had touched any car, it ran better than new.

Must give you another example, of the kind of people they don’t make anymore. Every Sunday in the 1980’s, I used to visit a fuel pump at Churchgate to get the air pressure checked in my car’s tyres. And I regularly came across this Parsi (I simply love them) gentleman who would not get the air checked, but replaced. Yes, he would ask the attendant to first remove all the air from the tyres. And then refill them to the right pressure with the new “Fresh Air”. Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Log (wonder where those people went)?