Born in April 1955, Binod started business from an early age. He expanded his family business and opened a disco before launching a music album and making movies. Then came Wai-Wai, and in the years that followed, one of Nepal’s largest companies was born. With that, Binod became a force to be reckoned with.[break]
When the late King Birendra visited his home after a trip to the Wai-Wai factory, he had pulled Binod aside and said in a hushed whisper that Binod was on his way to becoming an icon everyone would soon be after.
Today, Binod is easily the most popular businessman in Nepal and has many, many accolades to his name. From President of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries to Member of the Constituent Assembly, the list of positions he has held is indeed long.
Photo: Chanda Shekhar Karki
But there is more of him than just titles. He is a charmer and a people’s person. His conduct and effervescent smile have won the confidence of his staffs and public alike. His easy way of instantly connecting with people has always made him an admired public figure.
As he continues to create ripples in the corporate world, there seems to be something else on his mind presently. Binod is excited about his soon-to-be-launched autobiography that has been published by Nepa-laya and penned by Sudip Shrestha.
The Week caught up with the business tycoon to talk about his upcoming book and everything else but business.
Why did you decide to tell your story?
Nepa-laya had been approaching me for quite a while but I kept putting it off. They said they would provide me with a journalist and everything would be taken care of. I had mixed feelings about it initially but I had a lot of respect for this publication house, looking at their past work, so I eventually gave in. I’ve always been a public figure and my life’s been an open book. There’s no dimension of my life that hasn’t been talked or written about. Coming up with a book was just taking it to the next level. I did think it was an unnecessary headache but I decided to go ahead with it.
How was the experience of having a writer as your shadow throughout your book writing journey?
Initially, I was skeptical when they assigned Sudip Shrestha. Generally, I have a very good relationship with the media but I didn’t know Sudip all that well. I didn’t know how my words would be interpreted. Also the fact that I didn’t have much control over what he would eventually write was worrisome. But we went on a ten-day trek to Annapurna and he gradually won my trust, and confiding in him then became easy. Our relationship evolved over the five years it took to write the book, and I think he got to know me inside out. I’m very happy with the way the book has turned out.
How did it feel telling your story?
Writing an autobiography is reliving your life to a certain extent. I had forgotten a lot of things that had happened in the past. During the process of writing, long forgotten situations and incidents resurfaced that compelled me to probe my memory further. I remembered friends and people I’ve lost touch with. To be living life once again after 57 years is nostalgic but immensely satisfying. The process of narrating my story was effortless for me because I had made up my mind that I was going to be ruthlessly candid. Also, when I developed confidence in Sudip and could trust him one hundred percent, it was all a breeze. I just had to be a storyteller and leave the narration bits to him.
Are you scared of the repercussions now that you’ve come out with a bare-it-all account of your life?
I have absolutely no regrets about anything that’s happened in my life. That’s why I decided to tell my story in the first place. But now, when I read bits and pieces of the book, I get goose bumps sometimes. While narrating my story, I did it without a thought. I’ve mentioned a lot of well-known names. It’s going to offend and annoy a lot of people. Many will be jealous. Many will interpret my words in their own ways and will try to read between the lines and scrutinize me. I wouldn’t say I’m nervous because I’m a fairly strong man; but yes, I’m a bit anxious and excited.
Is there any particular incident you wish you hadn’t mentioned?
My life’s been full of ups and downs and challenges, so there are many incidents that, now in hindsight, I wish I hadn’t disclosed. But if I had started filtering out incidents, then this book wouldn’t have been written. I also saw and felt no need to hide anything. All the experiences that I’ve had have shaped me into what I’m today, and I’m proud of who I’ve become, despite the odds being stacked against me. I’ve been one hundred percent honest and that was a conscious decision I made. So I don’t regret mentioning anything that’s in the book.
What are some of the instances you’ve shared in your book that aren’t public knowledge yet?
There are many instances that’ll take readers by surprise. When I was in Santiago, Chile, there was an earthquake of around 8 Richter scale. My wife and I woke up and saw the room spinning around us. Sarika was scared and started praying. She even suggested we make a run for it. But we were on the 12th floor of the hotel, so I convinced her to stay put and not get out of bed. After a while, the shaking stopped and we decided to head down. The funniest bit of this incident is that, as I was leaving the room, I saw a mineral water bottle sitting upright on the bathroom sink. Not a drop of water had been spilled. The earthquake experience changed my life. Had I died, there would be one news report and the world would move on and I would be forgotten. I learnt that if there’s anything one wants to do, there’s no better time than the present to do it.
In the course of your career, what’s the most difficult hardship you encountered, and how did you handle it?
I think turning CG (Chaudhary Group) into a multinational company was the biggest challenge in my life. For 20 years, I struggled to do so before finally being able to live my dream. The government didn’t support my initiative. For any Nepali to be an international entrepreneur, you had to be a non-resident Nepali. I wasn’t prepared to accept that. If Maggie can set up a factory in Nepal, then Wai-Wai should also be able to do so wherever it wants. The rules and policies were against it and I decided to fight it. At the cost of being crucified, I continued with that journey. Nepal’s fluid political environment and anti-business sentiments were the biggest hurdles I had to get over. I’ve talked all about it in my autobiography. I had to find innovative means to get where I wanted and I paved my own path.
What’s been your philosophy or mantra in life?
I’ve always been ambitions and have never given up on any goal I’ve set up for myself. I’ve always found a way to do things within the confines of my own limitations. Nothing has happened by fluke. I’ve been clear about what I want and everything’s been planned accordingly. The roadmap might’ve changed along the way but the destination has never fluctuated. I believe that there’s no monopoly on wisdom, so there’s no need for anyone to feel inferior and develop complexes. You might be geared up for a game of tennis but life throws you a cricket ball. You’ve to be prepared to face and stand up to those challenges. Basically, my mantra in life has been never to compromise. The most important mantra for success, I believe, is time management. Knowing and managing your priorities without mixing them up will get you places.
What’s your advice for people who want to be as successful as you?
What I’ve learnt from my life’s struggles is that even if your intentions are right, the process of achieving your goals can be tough. There’ll be people who’ll try to pull you down. But if you’re hell bent on achieving what you’ve set out to, you’ll find a way to do it. You shouldn’t make lame excuses and waste your time hounded by your own complaints. You’ve to devise your own solutions to problems. If there’s an artificial wall created to block you from reaching your goal, don’t be a fool to try and break the wall. Work your way around it and find a way to get there. Nothing’s impossible to attain as long as you’re clear and obsessed. You need to know your own strength and be clear about what you want from life. If you aren’t clear about what you want from life ten years down the line, chances are that it’ll never happen. Also, nothing’s going to be served on a silver platter; you shall have to work for it.
"I can write an entire book on every chapter that is in the book. I own 100% of what’s written in the book which is a simple, readable and direct account of my life so far."
Book Extracts
“Binod, I’ve decided to give the Apollo Steel shares to the Golchhas.”
Everybody in the room turned their heads to me. They were probably waiting for me to say, “Yes, Sarkar.”
“Sarkar, how can you do this?” I said instead.
Princess Prekshya and her aides raised their eyebrows in anger.
“Why can’t I do this?” she said in a harsh tone.
“Sarkar, I have 59% share in this industry. The 49% share that I handed over to Dhirendra Sarkar was because of our humble affiliation. How can you suddenly choose whoever you like?”
“What?” she said as she stood abruptly from her seat. “So you’re going to disobey my order?”
Everybody in the room raised themselves from their seats. We also followed suit.
“I won’t be able to follow your order even if I wanted to, Sarkar.”
“What do you mean?”
She lowered herself to her seat. Everyone followed her but we remained standing.
“Sarkar, I’ve taken loan from the bank for this industry. The bank has issued the loan in my name.”
“So what?” she said as her face turned red.
Father was already nervous by then. He tried to hold my hand and stop me. But I did not.
****
After the announcement of the Panchayat Referendum in 1979, the then Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa called us to his residence.
“Sarkar has announced for Panchayat referendum,” said the Prime Minister. “I have to organize the election and make the amended Panchayat system win anyhow.”
“How can we help, Prime Ministerjee?” asked my father.
“We need money to conduct elections and that’s how you can help us.”
Common businesspeople like us, who were unaware of the political schemes, couldn’t figure out the extent we were going to be used for the system’s transformation. We thought that perhaps working in close proximity with the government will open more possibilities for the business and industry sector. The Prime Minister had called other four or five businessmen and asked for the same favor. He collected around Rs 15 million which was used for the election campaign to reestablish the Panchayat system.
After the Panchayat system was chosen through the elections, I asked for three favors from the Prime Minister.
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