THE MOULDING MACHINES AT BPL

BPL  had an inhouse Moulding Factory in Whitefeild more precisely few kilometers before Hope-Farm which made TV cabinets.There were two large moulding machines that used to work round-the-clock using granules of PolyButyl Terrra Pthalate. Some of these moulding tools were imported from Taiwan.The TV cabinets were later painted in the painting shop.

The DGM at this plant used to be Mr.Valsakumar who worked at BEL earlier. BPL had three key BEL people join them ,Mr.Mathew, Mr.Ramasubbu who used to handle purchase  and Mr. Valsakumar.Mr. Mathew was later GM of BPL. BPL was in many ways an extraordinary institution and had competent people of various  skills.

Technology has changed so fast that the DOME technology TV does not exist any longer with FST technology taking over.

TRIP TO WHITEFIELD AS A KID

 

As a kid in middle school the authorities of the school had the ingenuity to take our class for an excursion to Whitefield, which we kids were all very excited about. This must be in the sixth standard  as Mrs. Grace accompanied us.The plan was to take the morning train at 9:00AM and return by the evening train at 4:00PM.

 

We visited three places , the Alembic glass factory, the Blind school and the Joy ice-cream factory.It would be worthy to point out that Bangalore in the 1970,s were full of mini plants largely making steel and a power intensive sector where many worked in various capacities. Kamani steel, Kap steel, Andhra Steel, Shivamoni steel to name some on the K R Puram Railway station to Hope farm road. Whitefield had become a very important residential hamlet by the early 1900's with many Victorian style houses.

 

What struck me most as a kid was the Alembic Glass Factory. Kamlesh Mehtha the son of the owner was a student at our school for some time.We tiny-tots were treated with courtesy by the factory staff. Alembic glass factory existed close to the Whitefeild Railway Station. We were amused to see glass manufacturing. Alembic glass company made glass bottles for the Medical industry. Large furnaces and procedures that made glass bottles were seen.

 

In retrospect I think children could be introduced to Industrial Manufacturing so that at a very formative age they get to appreciate such things and imbibe them which will shape what they do in the future.

 

 

MOHAMMED ALI AND ISMAIL AT LOWRY MEMORIAL SCHOOL

 There were two students at the Lowry Memorial School from the village Hoodi by name Mohammed Ali and Ismail in the 1970's.Few students came to the school from Whitefeild side ...Kamlesh Mehta( i think was a relative of the owners of Alembic glass company in Whitefeild) was a student at the school though for a brief while..another Swatantra Kumar son of a Cinema Hall owner in Whitefeild to name some..then there was Parminder Singh and his brother. I happenned to remember Muhammad Ali and Ismail...Ismail used to be an exceptional 1500 meters runner winning almost all competitions at many levels.He used to start out slowly and maintain a steady pace through the race.

Hoodi and Whitefeild look so different now...Hoodi was a sleepy village which has now become centre stage of the city and so is the entire stretch to Whitefeild and yonder.