Page 16 - GEIMS Chronicle 22nd Edition-July 2022

Contribution from the Industry

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF A GOOD MARINE CHANCE ENCOUNTER….. WITH FOUNDER, GESCO
ENGINEER - Cawsi P Lilauwala LATE MR JAGJIWAN MULJI - Samuel Ponnaiya

1. Thou shall keep thy engine clean and in adjustment that I joined Great Eastern
thy life in this company shall be long and that the Shipping Co as the 5th
Owners shall increase thy pay. Engineer in 1976 onboard
2. Know thine Engine and all its parts & functions, else Jag Kisan. Later promoted
thou shall be in some unholy spot. to 4th and 3rd Engineer. It
was a fantastic learning
3. Be not wise in thine own conceit. Remember the factory
experience, the best one
instructions and keep them holy, least repairs be thine
for starting a glorious
undoing.
career.
4. Be not loose in the jaw hinges for no man knoweth all
about Diesels. The truly wise absorbeth much The London Office was run
knowledge and excudeth little and he who doeth so by Mr Jagjiwan Mulji Sir
shall gain repute amongst his fellows and favours and Ms Brenda. They Late Mr Jagjiwan Mulji
amongst his superiors. handled the chartering Founder GESCO
and arranging of cargo
5. For all things in this life that thou desirth, thou shall also
and we often got orders directly from either of them. They
pay plenty and for the wisdom of experience, no less.
would send coded messages by Morse, like – 'jaldi aao'
Advice from the multitudes costeth nothing and is
meaning come at full speed, cargo waiting. Various
usually worth just that.
messages were in Hindi and often caused confusion with
6. In the books thou mayest read what to do and when, but some Radio Officers who could not understand Hindi.
only the voice of experience may tell thee why and how, Instructions from London Office were then always more
else thy reading of what and when shall plague thee important than the Bombay Office “TO BE FOLLOWED”.
with smoke.
I was privileged to have met Mr Jagjiwan Mulji Sir on two
7. God maketh the earth to rotate endlessely without occasions. The 1st time that I met him was in 1977 in Bristol,
bearings or oil, but not so thy Diesel.
UK, on-board Jag Dhir. He would visit ships unannounced,
8. Curse not thy Engine when it turneth not, curse rather communication was poor too. One such time at night, I was
thine own stupidity. 5/E on duty, and this suited, booted Indian gentleman
9. Steam engines and gas engines may long turn over looking more British than a British, 3- piece suit, overcoat,
through sloppy, a Diesel not so with gauges and neck scarf, etc., was looking around the engine room. I
spanners be thou ever busy. politely asked him to leave since I did not know him and
10. The external eye watcheth universal operations, but unauthorized personnel was not allowed in the engine
thou shall not rely upon it for thy Diesel. Thine own room. If he wanted I would take him to meet the CE. He
vigilance is the price thou payest for thy job. silently heard me and replied 'That is okay, I am the owner
and want to meet the Chief Engineer anyway. For this, I was
Cawsi P Lilauwala badly roasted by CE and 2E. What a faux pas!
DMET 1975
Maritime Advisior The 2nd time I met him was also in the UK, he just said with a
smile 'You are the person who threw me out of the engine
room' Needless to say I looked at him very sheepishly and
said 'Sorry Sir'. These meetings left a long-lasting
impression on me.

Samuel Ponnaiya
DMET 1976
Roll no. 1839
Maritime Professional

MV JAG DHIR
16 GEIMS CHRONICLE Twenty Second Edition July 2022

INDEX