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'Survival of the Fittest'
Charles Darwin's principle on the evolution of life applied quite early in his life. Some would call that bad fortune, but not Chandu... he knew how valuable that early exposure was. The streets of Mumbai were his religion, his way of life. He was rarely short of money... they were easy: the shirt tucked-in, gunny back touting middle aged men walking on the crowded train platforms. Those rush hours... he loved them.
Fate did turn for the better. Street children support groups caught up with the youngster and under the mentoring of one of the reformers, Chandu's life underwent drastic changes. The once thieving lad was now using his fingers to do math and puzzles. His talent did not go unnoticed. He was adopted.
He was adopted as Veeru Ambarish.
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It was an unusual day at the Raman household, the weirdo Raman was turning into a madman.. so thought Kalyani.
The incident with Air France 447 had got him thinking in as many different angles... how could it be? Was it a conincidence? Was he seeing things ? Was it another sign of bad luck ?
Then he noticed an advertisement ... an ad that joined together the dots needed for those 447 angles to take shape, like a shapeless amoeba, an amoeba in his head. It read ..
' Scorpus Ltd Initial Public Offering '
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Scorpsus International was established as a limited company in 2002. For 4 years, it manufactured induction motors and generators until it was served a notice to green up. The company already barely surviving, couldn't afford to replace its factories.
It was going to have to shut down.
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Veeru couldn't help overhear the conversation at the next table. He was a usual at the Nair tea stall, but today he wasn't enjoying his tea. The gentlemen nearby were talking about chemical processes and an invention, an invention that lined chimneys with a catalyst that absorbed and converted, sulphurous and nitrous gases to organic compounds .. an invention that could save Scorpsus and potentially change the world.
Veeru did not know that but something in his gut told him that there was a possibility.
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It was his winning lottery ticket, the sixer of the last ball, the lightning strike that missed him and instead charged the cellphone in his pocket.... he knew it .. he believed it... it had to be. God had shown him the way atlast.
He had to invest... he had to buy as much of the stock as possible. No one would understand, not even kalyani, but he had to.
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From: "Veeru Ambarish"
To: "The Chairman" Nandan.Ishwak@scorpsus.in
Sir,
I am glad you have been able to bring this company out of the many challenges it has faced. However these are different and exciting times. In our hands is technology that the world needs, a technology that would eliminate most forms of industrial and automobile pollution, a technology that would make this company a global force. I believe we should be focusing on this technology and continue to research and develop this further. The current green energy revolution cannot compete with the existing fossil fuel dependent nature of the world economy.
Moving to solar and wind energy research is not in our best interest.
As a major stock holder of the company, I request you consider this proposal with utmost importance. This will be one of my prerogatives in the board meeting coming up.
Sincerely,
Veeru Ambarish
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She and Raman were walking hand in hand. It was a nice breezy evening and marine drive was bustling with traffic. Kalyani was never more happier. All their wealth was now in paper but their happiness had returned. Raman had got that smile back on his face ... he was now working with a big bank bringing in that monthly pay check, taking with him that afternoon lunch, stealing those evening kisses ..
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The IPO was a success. Scorpus was now a public limited company.
It was 41% owned by a private equity firm called Kalyani Investments.
It was 43% owned by a private equity firm called Ambarish Holdings.
The remaining stock was held by a few others including the CEO.
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He wondered about that day 30 years back.... that July day in the glorious summer of 2009 .. what if he.. Veeru Ambarish hadn't taken control.... what if Scorpsus continued on its agenda of renewable energy development? Renewable energy was a joke .. it had gone nowhere and because he chose what he did, the people of earth were still breathing clean air...
He looked at the big solar system picture adorning his office wall ... Could it be possible that an alternative universe existed.. a universe with a world where there was no Scorpsus... a world of chaos and destruction... maybe he thought, maybe..
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Raman looked at the mirror, smiled at himself .. how foolish he had been. That dream of his seemed so real, the incidents around it so convincing .. yet 30 years later Scorpus Ltd was no more. Its stock wasn't high on Dalal Street, it wasn't even listed anymore. He had lost a lot of money, a lot of savings ... yet he wasn't poor, he was happy.
He remembered that day, July 14th 2009 .. he along with the then CEO of Scorpsus had combined their market share of the company to prevent a spirited take over by a virtual outsider ....he still remembered Veeru Ambarish.. the look on his face. With Ambarish aside, Scorpsus continued on a path of green tech R&D .. yet it couldn't compete and failed. The significance of his dream escaped him, puzzled him. Yet he was glad, his dream had given him hope. He went outside for a walk. The air smelt real good; Rays of the sun bounced off his neighbours solar panels and into his eyes.
His world had changed.
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