Although Ramdas passed away three months ago, I learnt about it a week ago.

I sent a ping to Ramdas and got a ping from his daughter, Shwetha after a few weeks. She said, "I am the daughter of Mr Ramdas. Sorry for the late reply. Since I activated my father's number, just now." She added, "I think you got the information from TechNova that my father passed away due to multiple organ failure. We miss him a lot."

It was signed off with: Shwetha.

Ramdas was 52 years of age when he passed away. He has been with the TechNova Bengaluru regional team driving the ambitious CTP plates program that had its origin in the P5 factory in Taloja. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

 

Print's Man Friday

Ramdas was my Man Friday in Bengaluru. It all began when he called me at 11 pm one monsoon day and said, 'When is PrintWeek coming to Bengaluru?" I asked, why? He said, three reasons. I asked, "what are the three reasons?"

He rattled out, "41 brand-new thermal CTP units plus 11 violet CTP units which have been installed." Ramdas felt 15 more installations were expected. He clarified this could include refurbished units. Then he said, more than 35 printers with ISO Certification plus Crisil ratings; and finally next 12 months in 2010 to see a massive boost in investment and expansion.

That telephone conversation continued for another 90 minutes; as he gave me a detailed download.

I was on an airplane to Bengaluru the next day.

A year later, a similar call, "When is PrintWeek coming to Coimbatore?"

The reason was he wanted to escort me to Shree Maruthi Printers. A firm that was established in 2007 with a single colour machine; today they have 30 units which includes one ten-colour machine from Heidelberg and five four colour presses. And all they printed was "visiting cards".

Also he wanted me to visit Ace Data which he said, has "complete set-up of pre-press, press and post-press. This includes two thermal CTP systems, a Heidelberg CD-102 six colour, Heidelberg SM-74 four colour and a single colour machine and in post-press, they have a die-cutter, a folder-gluer, a lamination machine, semi-automatic case-making machine and two folding machines."

A year later, "Pack your bag and come to Karur." I asked, "what and where is Karur?"

Ramdas sent me a map.

He said, "You must meet Clarion Aditya Printers in Karur who are scorching the international market."

That summer I visited the print firm with him. Their greetings cards – printed with six-colour Pantone shades and elaborate pop ups – are being lapped up in Europe. Designs were sent from Belgium. Clarion sends samples to the clients. After procuring approvals, the job is printed, fabricated and shipped.

Ramdas continued to input me from Sivakasi to Kerala. And at times he shared information about my own backyard in Western India: Morbi.

 

Bye bye Ramdas

He had called in May; and said, "Come to Bengaluru. I have four great surprises for you. PrintWeek would not have seen these kind of print jobs, ever."

Now, it is too late.

Now, I will never know.

Bye bye friend. Till we meet again.

By which time you would have discovered a few more surprises in print, wherever you are.

Viva print.

Viva Ramdas.