{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/gm81j98m62/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Sarma, N. V. R."]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/252/original/HPL_ArchiveBannerCDM2.jpg?1738348845","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["Foundation for Indian Studies"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en\"\u003eCopyright Not Evaluated \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Foundation for India Studies, Houston, Texas.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Source"]},"value":{"en":["Houston Public Library Special Collections"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Sarma, N. V. R. (interviewee)","Mutyala, Sita (interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2014-11-21 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["eng (primary)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["N. V. R. Sarma interviewed about culture, family, and educational background, as well as migration, contributions to the community, and work experiences."]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["digital recording, sound"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Houston (Tex.) (geographic term)","Oral histories (topical term)","Immigrants (topical term)","Community development (topical term)","Family life (topical term)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["indoamerican"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Moving Image"]}}],"summary":{"en":["N. V. R. Sarma interviewed about culture, family, and educational background, as well as migration, contributions to the community, and work experiences."]},"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://rightsstatements.org/page/CNE/1.0/?language=en\"\u003eCopyright Not Evaluated \u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003ePermission to publish or reproduce must be obtained from the Foundation for India Studies, Houston, Texas.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Houston Public Library"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Houston Public Library"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/252/original/HPL_ArchiveBannerCDM2.jpg?1738348845","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/352/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-sh3p5g_1698432929.jpg?1698418529","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - FIS-OH0029.mp4"]},"duration":2921.49333,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/210/352/small/open-uri20231027-1243258-sh3p5g_1698432929.jpg?1698418529","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-houstonlibrary.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/210/352/original/FIS-OH0029.mp4?1698418524","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":2921.49333,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Garu and the Indo-American Oral Project and India Foundation for asking me to join for this interview.\nI was born in Andhra Pradesh in Kakinada and then -- I was born in my grandmother’s place and later on I moved to Vizag, which is our hometown where my father was a public prosecutor and a government pleader and also a Major afterwards, a trial lawyer, and he moved me to Vizag. All my education was in Visakhapatnam up to intermediate college.\n\nI passed SSLC in 1951, 1952-53 I finished -- 1955 I finished my intermediate college at A.V.N. College. After that when I was 17 years old I went to Calcutta. Despite getting in many local engineering colleges including Andhra University Marine Engineering College, I didn’t take it there even though it's home town, I took it in Calcutta in Marine Engineering College, in 1955 August 1, I joined and 1959, after four years, on 31 July I passed in first class, and then in a campus interview by Eastern Shipping Corporation of India I was selected as a junior engineer, we call them Fifth Engineers, and I was put on staff.\n\nTo tell you very interesting, somehow the Eastern Shipping Corporation, Technical Director, he moved me to Bombay, now it is known as Mumbai. On 16th November I went to Mumbai, for the first time, and I was sitting in the Fleet Director Engineering Head, a man by name B.N. Rabadi who is a Parsi gentleman, supposed to be one of the most brilliant marine engineers in the country at that time, he was supposed to interview me. I was sitting outside his office from 2 o’clock. I think most of you know, if you are able to Mumbai, those days there is a college known as K.C. Chellaram College, behind that college was the SCI office (Shipping Corporation of India office).\nI sat there, 3 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 5 o’clock, I was not called inside. Then I asked that -- you know -- in India you have some peons who come up and down, they said, why are you not, “Saab busy hai”, you can't come, wait!\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=75.0,290.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":") \n\nLater on I was taken inside. At 5:30. Mr. Rabadi looked at me, Mr. Sarma, we are arranging a car for you please go and join State of Bombay, a passenger ship tonight and the car will drop you at the docks, you enter, get on to duty.\nSM: Vow!\nNS: So, I for all that purposes, even though my salary started on 17th November 1959, on 16th I worked free and entered, that’s how I started.\nSo I have commenced work in 1959 in Bombay on a passenger ship which used to run to West Africa where the people used to go from Bombay to East Africa, and then they were students and boys from -- who used to study in Bombay, used to go and study there. And then on the way sometimes we used to go to a port known Seashells. Seashells is a French colony, a very nice beach place, it used to be there. Then that is how I started working. Then I worked for the Shipping Corporation and rose to the rank of Chief Engineer when I finished all my licenses, I became a Chief Engineer in 1964.\nSo in all my sea career I had eight years and on ’67 I – March 23rd or so, I was sitting on a passenger ship as I was telling you earlier, and the Technical Director said to my wife, she was sitting next to me, he said, sun and moon are shaking hands for your husband to get into a shore establishment and tomorrow morning he is going to join guarding new shipbuilders and engineers of Calcutta.\nI was so happy I studied in Calcutta, I mean from 17th year I know Calcutta well, I was very happy, I am getting a shore job. And next morning I went and met the Director, he is the Managing Director, he was Mr. Srinivasan Soundararajan for older timers who know V.K.K. Krishna Menon who is very famous what you call Defense Minister of India, he was his Joint Secretary. And he was one of the persons who has written his speech for the General Assembly when he spoke for many hours here in New York, and he was our Chairman.\nSM: Oh!\n\nNS: He looked at me and he said, well, I have nothing to ask you, because Mr. Wadia who is your technical head who likes you like his own son, I take you in the job and I started Garden Reach.\nThen afterwards, 1967 to 1978, 11 years I worked in Garden Reach. But, in 1969, in May, I went to Italy and in Rome I was attached to an institute known as IRI, which is known as Industrial Reconstruction Institute for Foreigners. And because I have already got a background of engineering and my request to them was to give me an accommodation to work on diesel engine technology that is, manufacture, assembly and testing of marine diesel engines and for that they said, fine, and I was -- first I had to learn Italian because all conversations they were saying that you have nothing else except you have to do everything, and after that I finished and I was moved to the Istrian, the Adriatic Coast. And in that I was attached to a company known as Sant'Andrea Fabbrica Macchine, which is now known as Grandi Motori.\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=290.0,605.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nThey make all types of diesel engines on their license. See that, you may ask me why I chose that because Garden Reach Shipbuilders \u0026 Engineers have started a diesel engine project by the Government of India, Department of Defense Production in Ranchi, Bihar. So they wanted to move me there and they requested I should go into this specialization, but I did not stop with the diesel engine specialization. I worked with a person who is with the IRI, Prof. Saracino, who is supposed to be one of the world-renowned economist, very good economist; I was with him and he taught us some financial management for non-financial executives, I mean, see they felt that I would be one day an executive and they wanted that and then what happened is it didn’t stop with that.\nI toured Europe around that time when I was here. I was going to -- those days Yugoslavia, then I was going to France, everywhere nearby in the holiday times. I studied one year, I just got a big award from them for the manufacturing of engines, testing of engines. While awarding they offered me a job in Grandi Motori, Sant'Andrea Fabbrica has a testbed engineer. Oh, very interesting. So I was very happy and I just told my family, my wife and all, I think we may have to move to Italy. She said, what you are talking? No, no, no, we are not going anywhere.\n\nI said, we maybe, but then I wrote to Garden Reach Workshops. They said, Mr. Sarma you have signed a bond that you will work when you will come back for five years for granted, and I came back of course. I came back on 3rd August, 1970, I remember very well, and I wanted to go on vacation with the family because I have not seen my family for one year, I was moved on 4th immediately from Mumbai to Ranchi.\n\nSM: Immediately.\n\nNS: But I was -- that time an Assistant Manager, Marine Engineer for the large bore engines, I went into the plant and I saw the whole plant, the plant is under construction, I was shocked. They told me that I am supposed to be on the testbed, working on testing the engines and I don’t find anything, the plant is coming out. So I met the General Manager, his name is Kamlesh Kumar Garg, I really don’t know much about people.\nKamlesh Kumar Garg was actually the son-in-law of Hansraj Gupta, Jana Sangh Leader I believe is the son-in-law of Mayor of Delhi, Mr. Hansraj Gupta. So he has a lot of political leaning, so that’s why he is General Manager and I am -- come new so they looked at me and I am new to Bihar. He said, well, you are supposed to work on large bore diesel engines, you are a specialized man, you must be knowing, you go ahead.\n\nSo as you know in India the political situation in plants and in businesses and in offices a lot of politics goes. They branded me that I am nephew or you can say cousin of the Managing Director Mr. Soundararajan, but Soundararajan is a Tamilian Iyengar and I am an Andhra Brahmin, it was different.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=605.0,905.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nSM: Yeah. \n\nNS: I just -- I didn’t bother, then to ease me out they thought of making me a Staff Union President that means I will be repressing the staff problems to the Chairman. So the day when they did this, I went into the room of the General Manager one-on-one, closed the door, and I told him, Mr. Garg, I just came here to work on making engines, I didn’t come here for politics. I don’t represent union, I am not a man to go anywhere, and let me be clear to you, sir, there is no relationship between the Chairman and me, and I hope you get it.\n\nLet’s work together, let’s make the engines for which Government of India collaborated with machine and fabric in Augsburg, Germany in 1960 and we are in 1970 we haven’t done, made anything even the plant is not ready. He got the message from me but they are all their own construction going on.\nThe basics what is required for the engine manufacture was not done. So every two weeks Mr. Soundararajan will come and give us all -- a bit of his mind and goes. One fine morning, around 11 o’clock I was with -- working in a plant, in a different plant trying to get work done for my plant, the diesel engine plant, I got a letter. You are hereby taking over as Project Manager; Marine Diesel Engine Project, Ranchi and Mr. Kamlesh Kumar Garg is summarily dismissed from services, and did his","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=905.0,1040.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"production, so I came.\n\nI was shocked and I was young, I just said, I took it and I had to manage five people who are drawing the same salary as mine and I am supposed to be the Project Manager and controlling these five people. So my office used to be a political nest at times but I had to live with it, but my purpose was to make engines.\nI said there are two types; one is medium-speed, one is large bore. So I moved to small-speed engines, first let us make them, prove it to the country that we can make ourselves. So I started making medium-speed engines. I was putting my heart into it and then I had very good connections with Germany, I used to go to Germany every three months, I was in Frankfurt Airport, and so everybody knew in Augsburg; Augsburg is the place where Rudolf Diesel was born and Rudolf Diesel -- that’s why diesel engine name has come. So MAN, Augsburg, he was born there, he was there and he – that factory license was given to defense production. So at that time the Defense Minister of India was Mr. Jagjivan Ram. I need a lot of time to tell you about work in Bihar, it’s not easy.\nSM: Yeah, I remember we have to cover the other important things as well in 55 minutes.\n\nNS: Anyway, coming back very quickly. \n\nSM: Okay.\n\nNS: In 1972, within 2 years I made the four medium-speed engines. So then I was called and asked, when are you making the large bore diesel engine? I said, I will try. The first large bore diesel engine two-stroke was actually my -- I feel one of my greatest achievements is, the first time in India for an Indian ship 10,600 horsepower engine MAN license was made.\n\nSM: Wow! That was in ’72?\n\nNS: ’74. \n\nSM: ’74. \n\nNS: And Jagjivan Ram also came and inaugurated.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=1040.0,1200.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nSM: Very good.\n\nNS: But I can tell you my name used to be in paper by the unions. There are 10 or 11 different unions, only one recognized, and every union member will say Mr. Sarma is giving promotion to people who give vegetables to him. Yes, I am telling you, you won’t believe that, and my name used to be in ‘Ranchi Herald’ on the front page, and second thing is promoting people who are serving milk to his house for his children.\n\nSM: Politics.\n\nNS: All sorts but one thing. Then one thing they made relay hunger strike on me, but I still continued the plant and you know, you all must be knowing when emergency was declared and Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of India for a short while, I was gheraoed in a room for 24 hours. I couldn’t go anywhere in a 12×12 room, my office.\n\nSM: How interesting!\n\nNS: And they won’t allow me to go outside. Central Industrial Security Force wanted to remove me, take me home, they cut my phones, my wife didn’t have the phone, I was in the office. They burnt my effigy in the office, outside, in the plant, then I told them that it is illegal, you can’t do that to a public property.\n\nSM: Is that when you decided to come to United States?\n\nNS: No, I never decided to move to United States, that I will tell you how it happened.\n\nSM: All right, we want to hear that.\n\nNS: Oh yeah, you will definitely hear.\n\nSM: What motivated you to come to America and was it your interest or your parents’ interest, when did you come to the United States? Okay, I will let you continue.\n\nNS: I came to Untied States, there are two ways. Professionally by working on ships I came in 1964.\n\nSM: Okay, first time.\n\nNS: First time. Yeah, I came on a ship as one of the senior engineers and in 1965 seven days after my marriage, 1965 February exactly 8 days after, 27th I sailed to come to -- with my wife on a honeymoon to America.\n\nSM: To United States. Honeymoon? Okay.\n\nNS: No, but I was on a ship, working.\n\nSM: Yeah, working. Okay.\n\nNS: And that is the first time I saw the World Fair also in New York.\n\nSM: All right. And you went back, you were just visiting?\n\nNS: I was just coming on ships and going, but then afterwards I got as I was coming -- I became a chief engineer but I was taken out from passenger ships. I was taken to passenger ships instead of --\n\nSM: Oh!\n\nNS: -- yes, from commercial to passenger ships. So I worked on passenger ships two of them, State of Madras which goes from Madras to Singapore, Ports Vietnam and other places on the eastern side and then I worked in Andaman \u0026 Nicobar, two passenger ships which are Home Ministry one because they were establishing in Nicobar Islands and Andaman Islands some sort of rapport for the government. So I used to -- I was chief engineer.\nWhen I was working -- and in ’67 when I was coming out, that was the chief engineer when I first told you my full story about how I went to Garden Reach Workshop. So coming back on to this when I actually came to America in 1978 March, I was -- when I resigned from Garden Reach Workshops --\n\nSM: You did.\n\nNS: -- for personal reasons.\nSM: Okay.\n\nNS: The personal reason is very simple. My Chairman was Mr. Admiral Krishna Dev, he left the company and he wanted me to join him as a Technical Advisor to SCI, when he became a Deputy Managing Director and I said, no, I am not coming. So I resigned and I was staying, then they said Seven Seas Corporation, one of the ships is held up in New Orleans, you must go as a Chief Engineer to go on that ship. It is because of two things, because I have technical knowledge followed by financial discipline and India in ’70s was very tough with foreign exchange. So when a ship is being repaired or worked in America you have to spend foreign exchange, dollars.\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=1200.0,1493.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nSo at that time there is a control of the exchange. What happened, I was sent as Chief Engineer, unfortunately the ship ran at ground and I was supervising the repairs from March to six-seven months and it was a multimillion dollar --\nSM: In New Orleans.\n\nNS: In New Orleans, in Avondale Shipyard. So Avondale Shipyard saw me working and it was also interesting, we can talk later, there is a lot. What happened is that they -- I finished the job. I approved the vessel, it was all made ready, she was going to Russia, then I was hooked, I went back to India.\nSM: India, okay.\n\nNS: Then Avondale Shipyard offered me a job to come to America. I didn’t take up the job right then.\n\nSM: You did not take, okay.\n\nNS: I did not ask them for –\n\nSM: Right, but they did offer.\n\nNS: They offered me. Then they said we will -- I didn’t know anything about immigration endorsement. I said I am not going to go through immigration, I am not going to submit anybody any paper, if you want my data I just give you my data. I will give you, you take care of the immigration.\nThey took care of it and on a very -- I will never forget the date, 1979, 18th September, my son’s birthday. Who is five years old at that time, we arrived in New York and from New York to -- I was, you won’t believe me I got the green cards in my hand that day, all five of us.\n\nSM: All five of you.\n\nNS: In New York Airport and from there we moved to New Orleans and I started working at Avondale.\n\nSM: So what brought you to Houston, when did you come to Houston?\n\nNS: Oh yes, that’s more interesting. I worked in Avondale since September –\n\nSM: ’79.\n\nNS: ’79 to ’80 October 20th. Okay, here what happened. I really do not know anybody else. Everybody was wondering, the Indian Telugu Community was surprised, why this man is not taking any help from anybody, he is conducting himself, he doesn’t ask for anybody?\nSM: The time when you were in New Orleans?\n\nNS: Yes. Some of them used to because I became friendly to others and do you want, do you need this, do you need that, I said, fine, I am okay, don’t worry. Shipyard is looking after me. Then two Harvard scholars who do not know anything about ships, they have a company in Houston known as Marine Maintenance Industries. Somehow they got to know my name, they came to New Orleans and asked me whether I am interested to work with them?\n\nSM: In Houston.\n\nNS: I said sorry, it’s not possible. They said, why? I said, how can I. Avondale Shipyard has brought me here, paid all the tickets for me, I have been only one year with them, it’s not fair and I will not do this. No, no, no, you know, this is a country of opportunities. I said, look, you are seeking me, I didn’t seek you. So I know what is the opportunity. My loyalty is to Avondale Shipyard, I cannot, gentlemen. No, no, you know one thing; if you want we can talk to them. I said, no, you are not going to talk about me because I do not want them to know that I am trying for a job I am not interested. No, no, no we want and one after the other they came to my house, I was in a smaller what you call townhouse in New Orleans and I didn’t have even a -- I was sitting on my steps of my house, on upstairs steps, where they had to sit on two chairs because we didn’t have much inside that house. So they were wondering what is this type of man, but anyway, I told them clearly. Then I said, you go and ask -- because I thought I was afraid, these people might go and ask them, so I went and asked the Vice President of Ship Repair, because I was Dry-Dock Machinery Manager for Avondale Shipyard. I said, his name is Marvin McCain. I said, Marvin, do you have any problem, this is what happened?\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=1493.0,1804.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nNo! They called me Chief, because they all remembered me as Chief from the time that I came in ’78 for repair work, you know? Chief, you want to prosper. I said it’s not about prospering; I have to be honest to you because you brought me. He said we have no objection if you want to. And finally the technical guy came to New Orleans to interview me in my house. He just, oh I believe you know. Said, well, I don’t have to know much of your core subject. So I moved. But before that moving I did not know, they wanted to check my compatibility with three of their – you won’t believe – three of their partners, these two Harvard scholars and the technical guy, then they said you will go for a psychological examination. So I got – I am sorry, I really got upset. I said, look, I am not going to go for interviews and anything. I told you, you came to me, you are going to make me technical – Chief of Technical Services Marine Maintenance, I accepted the offer, I didn’t argue with you for my salary or my benefits, whatever you gave I said fine. I am not going to do all this. \n\nNo, no, no this is to know the compatibility. So they took me to a psychologist whom you call shrinks here, and I was put in a small cubical, you will be surprised. And then in the morning at 8 o’clock I went and he gave me questions and I am answering. Then he gave math, I was answering, then at 12 o’clock he brought me hamburger. He said, hamburger. I said, I don’t eat, I am a vegetarian, I can’t eat this. So what do you want to eat? I said, well, it doesn’t matter. So I just took a glass of water, and I said","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=1804.0,1930.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"He has given 300 questions. You want to know one interesting question I will tell you? Do you like to dance with Marilyn Monroe? He gave a question like that. I remember that, and I said – I said what, anyway I kept quiet. I wrote all the questions what are right or wrong. Then afterwards, at 4:30 in the evening, after so many hours he comes back and interviews me. I said, sir, I want to tell you something. You want to talk to me about shipping. You know, I was running in maintenance, I was running in production of production companies, I was in repair. All aspects of the work I have done. Please, I have Labor Management I attended in India, classes, I have done non-financial Executive Management for financial of this thing, so please, I do not want. No, we are checking how much you will interact with the owners. I said, fine, whatever it is, and I went away; they immediately came and brought me back to Houston, that is how I came to Houston. It is not by myself wanted to come. \nWell after I came to Houston, I liked Houston and I am here in Houston and I am not going to go anywhere I guess. Many people talk about retirement when I was here, I said I am not going anywhere.\n\nSM: All right!\nNS: So this is about the coming back to Houston –\n\nSM: Your moving to Houston.\n\nNS: -- and America.\n\nSM: Excellent! Very good! Oh even though it’s a sensitive subject, I like to ask, have you experienced, witnessed or noticed any discrimination, personally or distantly in Houston or other place you lived, which is New Orleans?\n\nNS: One thing I want to tell you, to be very frank with you, I was never discriminated anywhere at least outwardly, I have never seen anybody discriminating me, because I respected people, they respected me. And even today there is no language barrier with everybody because the people are quite comfortable and happy and I am just working for an American owner for all these years. I have been working with this American owner from 1982 and the other two owners are also Americans. And you will be surprised; myself and my wife went when the owner, the present owner’s father was the owner, Mr. Hughes, when he died.--\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=1930.0,2105.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nI was a pallbearer for him. I was in his will for a pallbearer. And my wife and me we attended for his funeral. I mean you know -- and everybody looking -- the Christians there, looking at me, he said, who is this Indian guy; it is surprising taking a pallbearer. So then his wife told -- she said, he is in the will. So I never experienced.\n\nSM: Coming -- I mean you touched about your current work, you are working with Ship Channel in Houston for a long time?\n\nNS: Yes.\n\nSM: Very coincidental that it celebrated 150 years, recently this year. Please tell us about what you do there and what kind of changes it went through over the years?\n\nNS: One thing when we first came here I was with the Union Company and knowing that ship repair activities across the countries like Europe, Far East and Norway areas, I feel it is a little difficult to manage ship repair work in American area because of the cost. American labor is very costly.\n\nSo when we had this marine maintenance as a union labor one and-a-half years I put up with them, but when I came to a higher rank from Chief Technical this thing to I became Assistant General Manager. That time I convinced the management that we have to somehow deal with the union in such a way we should part with them. Even there is an American General Manager, he agreed with me and we sat with it and discussed with them but they never were cooperative.\n\nSo we gave them a small ultimatum and they also accepted us, then we said, fine, we don't want to take any pay-cuts and we don't want to do that. And you want to do it, you do it but we don't mind if you go non-union. And so we went non-union. That’s what I did. Then that is one we found.\n\nSecond thing I find is in the present day, in the last 10-12 years very difficult to get good skilled people for our work, because mostly people want to do, sit in front of the computer and then do data processing or go to IT, but IT is different. But even in the normal circumstances hourly employees are really difficult to get skilled persons. It is I think most of the engineering companies are facing, but in our industry we deal with foreigners besides the American. And American shipping is not much; mostly American areas are only for the navy ships and other things but it depends which we don't do. But the commercial shipping for India, this American is very less. It is all foreign, and foreign companies are very tight for money, very tight. They don't pay you. They are very, very, very strict and control their finances and that’s what a ship manager is.\n\nBut the ports we will always tell you, Hilton Port we will tell you, ports are meant for cargo movement not for ship repair, but we say sometimes emergencies come so we have to.\n\nSM: Very good. Okay. What do you think and how Houston contributed to your professional and personal growth, can you elaborate on how Houston influenced in your life?\n\nNS: Professionally, I haven’t been very much benefited in Houston, but I used my own skills and my own knowledge, plus my association with many, many people even before I came to this country, because of the position I held in India and plus, due to my extensive travel when I was in India to foreign countries, I was able to establish the work here much better.\n\n(","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=2105.0,2400.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":")\nTo tell very honestly nothing much I had to go through here except get adjusted to the system, get adjusted to the environment and get adjusted to the people, but one thing very advantageous here is to hire people and to remove people from work is much easier and very easier than in India what I had, it is very difficult to hire and if you hire even if he is capable, not good enough to remove him is impossible. \n\nSM: Okay, I like to talk about your family, please tell us about your family, children, grandchildren, where they are and what fields they are in? \n\nNS: First and foremost I have – by God’s grace I have got a great companion in my life, God has given that is my wife and she stood by me through all thick and thin, she really helped me in my life because I was mostly traveling when I was in India and when I came here I am still working so she took care of the family, the children. And when I was at sea she was also helping me. Now, we have three children; two daughters and one son and very fortunate that all three of them have got a boy and a girl and they are all well settled in life; two of them in California and one of them in New York Area, so we are in the middle; 1500 miles to north-east and to west. \n\nSM: Very good! What do you think about the future generations of Indian background in Houston, will they maintain their identity as Indians for a long time or will they be mixed in the melting pot soon? \n\nNS: First and foremost, the future generations must – they should work hard, they should be motivated, self-motivated, self motivation will bring you 100% results. Third thing is that they have to be honest, and there are so many attractions in this country which might sometimes get into their future pools but they have to choose what is right and wrong and at the same time country being a melting pot they have to still get into the mainstream but don’t ever give up your identity at under any circumstances, but at the same time you respect others and get into their system, don’t be to your own community or anything like that, you just get into the other communities and then understand them and then you interact with them. Life is after all interdependence, you are dependent. Say for instance I am dependent on my wife, she is dependent on me, we have to come together; that’s what it is, like same like a family.\n\nSM: Right! \n\nNS: And you have to give and take policy. \n\nSM: Right! \n\nNS: You can’t always take no to the","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=2400.0,2630.0"},{"id":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352/transcript/60426/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"SM: I like to ask you, are you instrumentally involved in any associations or organizations in Houston, what has been your involvement in social, cultural and religious organizations in Houston? \n\nNS: Okay, very, very simply I was a founding member for Samunder Club, it is Indian Marine Association. People who are from Indian origin who joined the Marine Engineering or Marine Captains, or Radio Officers, on the Deck Officers; I was the founding member with seven people. We started in our own houses and I was the first couple of years the President of that Club, first and second years, I myself have started and I was one of the founding members and today the seven member club is now a 160-170 people. Well placed people in the industry here and their families, it is initially started with a technical background that is every year four lectures will be there, technical lectures in our field, even sometimes Financial Management and in the social side, the families also have joined. Every year we have a Foundation Dinner in the month of November or December. They are there with the families, children and then they have been 31 which I have started with them, it is really flourishing. \n\nSecond thing is that I am Senior Member of Society of Naval Architectures and Marine Engineers of United States and I became a member in ’90 and today I am a senior member. Before that I am a Member of the Institute of Marine Engineers London and I am Chartered Engineer. then I am a Member of the Propeller Club of Houston as well as the Propeller Club of United States. Then I have been honorably taken as Society of Port Engineers for New York, I was an honorary member, they honored me out there.\n\nThen regarding the cultural activities, I myself do not participate, means I only join and enjoy myself, but of course except once I had a American Telegu Association people wanted me to be a cultural in-charge and I did it, that’s all, one year, rest of the time I was helping somebody; that’s what I did. \n\nSM: I also would like to auk you this, any regrets for coming to America, are you concerned about the future of your children and grandchildren growing up in American culture and the erosion of Indian cultural and religious values. \n\nNS: As far as I am concerned, I am not worried at all about my children, they have the ethics and morals of the Indian system and at the same time they also are quite capable of integrating into the present society, keeping their identities 100% within themselves. There is no problem I don’t see for them and my children are also bringing up their own children, like my grandchildren in every nice manner, because my wife has imbibed into them the Indian values and culture, and we both ourselves maintain that, so we do expect them and they do maintain that, but at the same time they really integrate with the present community as well.\n\nSM: Thank you so much Shri Sarma Garu, we really appreciate your coming and joining us in this interview and we thank Foundation for India Studies and Houston Public Library and Houston Community. Thank you so much and namaste. \n\nNS: I thank very much India Foundation Studies giving me this opportunity to speak about myself and my family and my views, whatever views are, these are my views, not necessarily others, but I thank Sita Garu for your candid questions and namaste.\nSM: Namaste!\n\nTotal Duration: 49 Minutes","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://houstonlibrary.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2436/collection_resources/108907/file/210352#t=2630.0,2921.49333"}]}]}]}