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In for a shock !


I was working in Guntur for about 12 years when I was transferred to Eluru. I was assigned the district of West Godavari in Andhra Pradesh as my new territory. Two illustrious predecessors, Mr.Anantha Krishnan (my immediate predecessor) and before him, Mr.P.B.K.Syamala Rao had worked in the district of West Godavari with Eluru as head quarters. Both of them besides being very pleasant persons, were also competent, intelligent and endearing. They were, thus, most liked by the doctors in that district. 


Ciba as a company trained its employees in a meticulous manner and usually turned them into likeable persons who were adored by all. Since I also belonged to the rolls of the same company, I presume that I am no less liked by doctors in the territory I worked before moving to West Godavari district. I had successfully maintained best relationship with very senior consultants as well as junior Post Graduate doctors during my stint in Guntur.


When I moved to West Godavari district, during my first visit to doctors, many of them remembered and asked about my immediate predecessor, Mr. Anantha Krishnan. Almost every single doctor used to say that they were unhappy to lose a friendly medical representative like Anantha Krishnan. But I couldn't miss the feel of warmth of welcome to me in their eyes. The doctors all across the district were the same and I felt happy to receive such warmth from all of them. It is with this experience that I went to call on Dr.J.Prabhakara Rao in Tanuku. He was a young physician practicing in that town. As I introduced myself as a medical representative from Ciba-Geigy, he responded by asking what happened to Anantha Krishnan. I told him about his transfer to Hyderabad. He then said "he was a very good representative. He was a good friend too." I replied humbly "Doctor, I will ensure that you will say the same about me too after some time and my interactions with you." I am pretty sure that you would have given the same assurance to the doctor if you were in my place at that time. Will anyone think of a different response? 


Now, I was in for a shock when the doctor said "how dare you say that. You can't be either a good friend or a good representative ever." This happened in December, 1983. To this day I am unable to fathom out the reason for the doctor's reaction to my sincere assurance of best services to him. I don't know why my innocuous statement drew such response from him. Add to that, that was our first meeting when he didn't know anything about me. Unexpected things do happen in life. It is my good fortune that this was the only one such occasion in my career (my life as well !) 

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