Label industry mourns Sardar Kartar Singh Dunglay

Kartar Singh Dunglay was extremely passionate about his work in the printing industry. He started his career in printing in 1955, at a time when print had yet to evolve and was still in the primitive phase of its life cycle.

For Kartar Singh Dunglay it all began with screen printing; but where he made the difference was through innovation. He was passionate about new inventions. He always endeavoured to think "ahead of the time". And so, even as other screen printers continued to print manually, Kartar Singh developed, launched and exhibited a semi-automatic screen printing machine at an exhibition in Delhi. It was a huge leap. And an effort which was ahead of its time. So passionate was Kartar Singh Dunglay and motivated to innovate that I am propelled to quote an incident in my own home.

One evening Dr M K Raina, at that time a senior leader in the management of Ballarpur Industries, later the CEO of Sinar Mas Paper, was at our home for dinner to meet my father Harbans Singh Sahni, the founder of brand “Weldon”. Dr Raina was so impressed with the personality of my father that he compared him with his own mentor, Lala Karam Chand Thapar, the founder of Ballarpur Industries Limited.

He said, “Sir, I can only say people like you who excelled, pioneered and achieved were extremely passionate and in love. They were in love with their work. In love as a boy is, with his new girlfriend. You live with her thoughts all the time, scribble her name on the notebook, write it on a stone, on a tree and she is on your mind all the time. Your work has really been your girlfriend! The passion delivered results.”

When I met Kartar Singh Dunglay and saw his passion, Dr Raina’s words were ringing in my ears. In a post on my blog titled, “Women who endeavored in the Indian Labels industry.” I wrote about his enterprising wife Kusum Dunglay who was mentored by him and had excelled in the self adhesive label business, I quote from that post,

“In the late eighties, I had the chance to meet a very talented screen printer Kartar Singh Dunglay of Good Work Company. which had started to print in 1955. He is one of the elders in our industry from an era and class of people who were in love with their work as the youngsters are with their girlfriends.”

Kartar Singh Dunglay had a smiling and pleasing personality, eager to learn more. In this way, he defied the process of ageing. A dedicated family man, who gave room and space to his son, Rouble Dunglay. In the words of his daughter Penny Bhandari, “He was the most beautiful and divine person. His blessings will always be on all of us!”

Kartar Singh has many innovations to his credit; metal labels, transfer labels, tattoos, fancy butterfly labels and the list can just go on. He was the first one to set up a joint venture with a European company in the labels industry. He partnered with leading European label printer Reynders to set Reydunn in Manesar, Gurgaon Haryana India.

Unfortunately, the partnership fell apart and the both constituents went their own way. Reynders set up a wholly owned unit at Chopanki in Rajasthan. Such was the awe of Kartar Singh’s personality that Marc Reynders, owner of Reynders came over to my home for a dinner last month and despite having parted ways with Dunglays, he said, “Mr Dunglay is not well, I have to go visit him tomorrow before I return home.”

Kusum Dunglay has been the pillar of strength for Kartar Singh. She was mentored by him to run the label business from the front. She took the business to new heights and engaged with leading FMCG brands who were key customers. Kartar Singh Dunglay has been a man for whom work was always been the reason for moving on.

Kusum Dunglay says, “Even when he was critically ill in the last few weeks, he insisted and managed to come to the factory!” He was a caring parent, an indulgent business man and a great friend. We will miss “Sardarji”, as he was fondly addressed. May his soul rest in peace.

Written by Harveer Sahni, Managing Director, Weldon Celloplast Limited