It was with a heavy heart that I read the article in the newspaper that the iconic HMT - known among the average Indian as the 'Time keepers of the nation' though they're into manufacturing machine tools, etc - is soon gonna shut down.
I was reminded of my first proud possession - an HMT Sona watch - that my dad had gifted me when I passed class XI from school and was also poised to join the National Defence Academy. The pristine white dial and the two golden hands within a shiny gold rim was strung on an elegant black leather strap. It hardly mattered, then, that there were other more expensive models. It was remarkably thin and I wore it with pride. A couple of my course mates at the Academy had also made it a point to wear my prized possession when they went out on 'liberty' to the then city of 'Poona'.
In fact, I can also proudly claim that my watch was a mute witness to a developing 'love story' between a course mate of mine and his future wife!
Years later, in the fall of '88, while on a visit to Jalandhar, my friends, the Banerjees had gifted me a steel rimmed, hexagonal shaped HMT Quartz strung on a steel strap. From then on, I'd the luxury of wearing the two alternately!
Not long after, Titan stormed the watch market with a vast array of models and was soon able to strike a favourable cord with the Indian customer. HMT, being a public sector undertaking, did not cater to the changing requirements of the customer. It mulishly went about its work and soon plummeted to being an unwieldy organisation, that was cash strapped.
And hence, the decision to shut down the once proud organisation that had its bustling offices and factory in Bangalore. Much of its sprawling land has been sold to the real estate guys where multi-storeyed dwelling units and offices have come about, dwarfing the beautiful tree lined avenues and the orderly residential plots within the campus.
How I wish time had not stood still there!
Tailpiece.
The HMT Sona was worn by my dad in his last years saying that he felt glad that he was wearing my watch, once gifted by him. A month before he passed away, he'd gifted it away after having it spruced up, to a farm hand who'd told him that he wanted to gift it to his child, for passing his class III with high marks. The HMT Quartz continues to be an alternate wear for me even today!
Strong sentiments! And it's a priceless possession from a special friend!!
I was reminded of my first proud possession - an HMT Sona watch - that my dad had gifted me when I passed class XI from school and was also poised to join the National Defence Academy. The pristine white dial and the two golden hands within a shiny gold rim was strung on an elegant black leather strap. It hardly mattered, then, that there were other more expensive models. It was remarkably thin and I wore it with pride. A couple of my course mates at the Academy had also made it a point to wear my prized possession when they went out on 'liberty' to the then city of 'Poona'.
In fact, I can also proudly claim that my watch was a mute witness to a developing 'love story' between a course mate of mine and his future wife!
Years later, in the fall of '88, while on a visit to Jalandhar, my friends, the Banerjees had gifted me a steel rimmed, hexagonal shaped HMT Quartz strung on a steel strap. From then on, I'd the luxury of wearing the two alternately!
Not long after, Titan stormed the watch market with a vast array of models and was soon able to strike a favourable cord with the Indian customer. HMT, being a public sector undertaking, did not cater to the changing requirements of the customer. It mulishly went about its work and soon plummeted to being an unwieldy organisation, that was cash strapped.
And hence, the decision to shut down the once proud organisation that had its bustling offices and factory in Bangalore. Much of its sprawling land has been sold to the real estate guys where multi-storeyed dwelling units and offices have come about, dwarfing the beautiful tree lined avenues and the orderly residential plots within the campus.
How I wish time had not stood still there!
Tailpiece.
The HMT Sona was worn by my dad in his last years saying that he felt glad that he was wearing my watch, once gifted by him. A month before he passed away, he'd gifted it away after having it spruced up, to a farm hand who'd told him that he wanted to gift it to his child, for passing his class III with high marks. The HMT Quartz continues to be an alternate wear for me even today!
Strong sentiments! And it's a priceless possession from a special friend!!
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