One of the highlights of the National Rubber Conference (NRC 2017), held in Mumbai in the first week of August, was the felicitation of Mrs Pilloo Cyrus Aga, Director of the three Gold Seal group companies, whom the organisers, the All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to the Indian Rubber Industry. The award was a well-guarded secret revealed just minutes before the glittering ceremony took place, at the end of the proceedings of Day One of the NRC 2017. The ceremony was literally glittering, as the celebrity artist Sarvam Patel drew a portrait of Mrs Aga with the ‘Glue & Glitter’ technique, to a huge applause from the audience.
Mr. Vishnu Bhimrajka, Chief Convener of IRE 2019, who made the announcement, had the difficult job of introducing a person who needs no introduction in the rubber and automotive industries! But he did that with characteristic flair and not just for the benefit of the younger generation, who have now formed the Rubber Youth Association, but also for the newcomers to the industry.
She received the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Mr. Kamal Chaudhari, President, AIRIA, Mr. Vikram Makar, Sr. Vice-President, AIRIA and Mr Vinod Bansal, Chairman, WR/MC Member, AIRIA, in the presence of her family members, her husband Mr. Cyrus Aga and sons Urvaksh Aga and Darius Aga. An overwhelmed Ms. Aga was for once lost for words, but only for a few moments. “I never expected this, the richness and classiness of this Awards Ceremony, it is mind blowing. I am thankful to the AIRIA, the Managing Committee and all the members for this recognition of the 30 plus years I have been in this industry, which I entered as a novice and a non-technical person. I have worked hard all these years and the support everyone present here has given me, be it the raw materials suppliers, the capital equipment makers and the various service providers has been outstanding. They welcomed and nurtured me, respected me and I am truly honoured and inspired” she said.
Mrs. Aga, who has just completed 35 years in the industry, began her career as a management trainee under the stewardship of Mr. H E Aga, Founder of Gold Seal Group in 1980, and worked right from the grass roots level, learning the ropes of all the departments of the company, before rising right to the top of the management ladder.
Along with her husband Cyrus Aga, Chairman of the Gold Seal Group, she was instrumental in launching two joint ventures: Gold Seal-SAARGUMMI India Pvt Ltd and Gold Seal Avon Polymers Pvt Ltd. While the parent company Gold Seal Engineering Products Pvt Ltd specialises in Auto Door Seals and Window Channels of natural synthetic rubber and PVC/Nitrile. It also manufactures TPE extruded sealing profiles for non-auto applications. Gold Seal-SAARGUMMI manufactures technologically high quality EPDM Rubber body seals and profiles with a German JV supplying to VW, Ford and other global OEMs. Gold Seal Avon Polymers Pvt Ltd manufactures high quality, coolant and water conveying radiator hose systems for Ford in India and globally from its plant in Daman.
Empowering women has been a passion with Mrs Aga, which was first experienced in her own company, where the concept of equal pay for equal work was implemented by the founders right from the beginning without discrimination between genders. The Production Shop has lady workers and supervisors and the QAD on shop floor is headed by lady inspector, as is the Purchase Team headed by a lady executive who negotiates multi crore rupee purchases per month with raw material suppliers both from India and overseas with her team of women officers. Other important departments like OEM Marketing Team, the II-Tier Market & Replacement Aftermarket Sales Administration and the Export Business Development Department are also headed by women executives. All, demanding tasks with some necessitating extensive travels, but all handled efficiently and expertly, with the help of modern methods of communication as well as business administration. All these ladies have been trained and are continuously being trained for improvement in communication skills, ERP and Management Information System (MIS) amongst others leadership skills of motivation, self-development, performance appraisals, etc.
In fact Mrs. Aga says the most remarkable feature observed by her over the years is the evolution in the capacity and capability of people, youngsters in general, who have kept pace with the evolving technologies continuously updating their skill sets and making gigantic strides with IT and online technologies. Business and board meetings, which meant travelling and cost in terms of time, energy and money can now be done over various modes of communication like teleconferencing by punching a few keys. Global information is available, global price trends can be known to take more informed decisions.
Mrs Pilloo Aga has been active in various industry associations including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Auto Components Manufacturers’ Association (ACMA), the AIRIA and the Indian Merchants Chamber among others, in various executive positions. She has the distinction of being one of the longest serving members on the national Executive Committee of ACMA and was Chairperson of ACMA (Western Region) from 1995-2003. She has served in the Managing Committee of AIRIA for several years and has also been the Chairperson of the Western Region. Mrs Aga is also a Director on the Boards of several private limited companies and is engaged with various social service activities. She is the recipient of several awards including the College Award in 1976 from Mr Vijay Merchant (then IMC Chairman) and the Best Woman Entrepreneur Award from the IMC – SPJIMR – Mariwala Foundation in 2007. Her contribution to society through CSR and other philanthropic activities has also been well acknowledged.
In fact one of Mrs Aga’s noteworthy projects for the upliftment of women was the launch the partnership firm KhushRaho Auto Products with savings of women employees to promote this small manufacturing unit in the village of Bhimpore, Daman, to do job order work for various limited companies. The inspiration in this case was Mrs. Daulet H Aga, Founder of the Aga Group, whose PF fund after retirement formed the initial corpus of the Gold Seal Group. Every year the women partners have been rewarded with 100% returns on their investment, which has grown over the past 20 years and today all of them have shifted from small rented rooms to owning their own apartments. From running a teashop for the workers at the plant to providing catering services, she has always encouraged women from the less privileged sections of the society to become self-employed, also initiating various measures for the children of these women to aid and encourage their education.
Referring to her tenure as the Chairperson of the Western Region of AIRIA, Mrs Aga recalled all the seminars and conferences, the various plant visits that was a shared learning experience for all those who were part of it. She thanked her husband Cyrus Aga for his support and encouragement, and remembered the support she received from her father-in-law in the early years, and continues to receive from her children, two sons and a daughter, who are very much part of the family business.
“A lifetime award is given to say bye-bye, but I am not going to say bye-bye,” said Mrs Aga, tongue firmly in cheek. “I am not yet ready to say bye, and shall always be around to help, mentor and guide, in whatever capacity needed, also for AIRIA and its members when called for.” Mrs Aga concluded on a positive note with reference to all the progress made by the Rubber Industry in India and expressed her desire to see Made in India products bring greater glory to the country.
The AIRIA and the Rubber Industry is proud of you, Mrs Aga!