Samson Chowdhury: Icon of a non-Marxian capitalist

Samson Chowdhury lived an enviable life. He died an enviable death: a glorious one indeed, at the mature age of 86. He left behind his wife, children and grand-children besides thousands of friends and well-wishers to mourn his death. He was a venerable man, a half-legend in his lifetime, morphed into a full legend after his death. A favourite icon of his time he carried all before him by his presence, drive and elegance. It seems death has imparted additional lustre to his living self. Paying homage to him is a pleasure, we all enjoy it.
Reference to an industrialist -- a capitalist in popular perception -- conjures up an image of an exploiter of workers, farmers and consumers, dodger of income tax and receiver of undue favours. Being an industrialist Samson Chowdhury must have confronted difficult problems to prise his image out from this stereotype.
Samson Chowdhury was more of an entrepreneur than a capitalist, who shared the cake with everyone around. His innovative ideas would lead to new products or processes. He would then mobilise finance, men and material to produce the product and reach it to market, oftener than not, for mass consumption. The whole gamut of actions would yield him a return, profit as one will call it. He was not shy to enjoy the return. He did not profess himself to be an altruistic loser; at the same time he did not like to submit himself to pernicious greed. He aspired to be a good man, a lovable friend to his fellow beings, a prince among them. He succeeded, much too well.
I used to see Mr. Chowdhury from a distance since early nineties in high level meetings, seminars, conferences and workshops. He was a man you could not help noticing, wherever he was. We came closer when I was Secretary, Internal Resources Division (IRD) and Chairman, National Board of Revenue (NBR). He paid his tax regularly, but was not shy to take full advantage of tax rules, including VAT and custom rules, to reduce the amount of tax due from him. In discussions or debates I found him logical, sober and decent even when I differed with him. I feel that we developed a mutual respect for each other. After my departure from NBR we met, infrequently though, mostly in ceremonial events. Out feelings towards each other remained unaltered.
I now come back to my original point. In a country infested with bank default, stock market scam, syndicated machination, tax dodging, influence peddling, land grabbing, fund misappropriating, tender hijacking, shoddy deals and under-world transactions any big industrialist or an ultra-rich person is a suspect, to be held in low esteem. They fit in well with the Marxian stereotype. Samson Chowdhury is a rare exception. I have not met any person, not even an orthodox ideologue, who had a bad word for this hard working, soft spoken and well disposed great man.
One can say that it is difficult but not impossible to be entrepreneur, an industrialist and a capitalist and yet lead an admirable life without hurting any section of people including workers, if one has the determination and irreversible taste to lead a decent life. Such attributes perhaps catapulted Mr. Chowdhury to the unrivalled height he so eminently deserved. Samson Chowdhury will live for ever in our hopes and aspirations.

The writer is former Chairman, Public Service Commission.