Vijay P Moogi: Honesty, Integrity and Commitment Skyrockets Career Graph

Vijay P Moogi is a Belagavi-based consulting Engineer with a penchant for designing churches, clergy houses, convents, schools, colleges, presbyteries, chapels and hostel buildings since the early eighties. A son of the late District Health Surgeon, he has been designing them in Belagavi and neighbourhood towns and states including Goa. Like many of you, me too was wondering whether he is a Christian going by the innumerable church-related works he has been handling all along and proved myself wrong.

A fatherly personality: He has nothing to do with Christianity. If so, how come he has almost turned out to be a fatherly figure to the missionary community? Strange it may appear and that too in the given circumstances and on goings wherein people of the same faith are finding faults with one another. Honesty, Integrity and Commitment were the only characteristics which can be termed as solely responsible for the skyrocketing of his career graph to unimaginable heights.

Alumnus of BVB College: Vijay P Moogi is an alumnus of the renowned BVB College of Engineering in Hubballi. He has literally and gradually grown over a period of time with absolutely nothing on hand or any sound financial backing from the family. Thanks to his persistent efforts he has mastered expertise in a variety of construction-related areas like Civil, Structural, Rain Water Harvesting, Apartments, Industrial, Geo-technical, Aquaculture, Servicing, Renovation, Land Development, Environmental, Reconstruction, etc. In a prolonged discussion for more than a couple of hours, Vijay P Moogi became nostalgic to recall his journey so far, right from the unemployment days. Excerpts from the interaction:

Q: How would you like to trace your career so far after coming out from college?

Vijay P Moogi: The subject that we learnt in college is totally different in the field. So the moment you pass out of the college the things that you had learnt become theoretical and not applicable on the ground or site. The theory you learned and the reality you face is both paradoxical. You can enlist any number of instances to substantiate the same. For example, when we design a beam there are different types of loads and fixed ends related to the beam. We are supposed to design on these parameters and then get the depth which in other words means theoretical depth.

Q: Do you mean to say that the theoretical depth cannot be implemented?

Vijay P Moogi: The theoretical depth cannot be implemented on the site for a simple reason, once you adopt a 13-inch beam instead of the 12-inch beam it will not fit in the practical part. Why? Why it should be 12 inches and multiples of three inches like 12, 15, 18, 21, 24…like that. The simple reason for all these calculations is; that when a mason builds a wall, the brick will be three inches in height, i.e. 9”x4.5”x3” and if you give him a design of 13”, he will have to break one inch which is a waste of time and material, apart from the labor charges. So, some of the things are like that.

Q: Do you mean to say things are not like what they appear on the ground?

Vijay P Moogi: Many things for example, when you go to a site you just have a reconance survey by having a glance and come to a conclusion. You can also find types of soil like Black Cotton Soil, Water logged areas, peatish surfaces, hard rock and likewise. But, in reality, it is not the same as it may appear.

Q: How did you start your career to begin with?

Vijay P Moogi: I started my office in the year 1986 in Samadevi Galli on 15th August. Before that, I was working as a Structural Engineer under RD Shanbag, a leading Architect then. I worked for two years with him. Initially, for the first three months, I was just wondering what I was doing there? You really do not understand anything as what you would have learnt earlier in theory has literally no relevance at all in practice.

Q: What did RD Shanbag say when you felt of not understanding the things on the ground?

Vijay P Moogi: RD Shanbag had also specifically alerted me in this regard by saying; “Anyway you are not going to understand anything to start with, but just don’t worry and concentrate on the files for the first month”. But, my predicament was what I will ever understand unless someone briefs you. However, the second month he told me to go to the site with a file.

Q: How was the initial experience of working on the ground?

Vijay P Moogi: On the site, the Mestris (Supervisors) and Masons are more intelligent than us. When we are passed out, we will be just blank not knowing much about the way things keep happening on the ground. The Supervisors used to explain the nuances by saying, this is called a column, this is termed a beam, span, slab, dual thickening slab, one-way slab. But when I tried to have a glance at what was being told at the college it sounded that there was hardly any connection between theory and practice.

Q: For how many years, you happened to be associated with RD Shanbag?

Vijay P Moogi: I worked for two years. Initially, three months passed and luckily for me, in the third month, I just started to understand something. I was able to make out the correct positions of beams, slabs and things like that. After the fourth month, RD Shanbag started paying me a stipend of Rs 450/- and it was in the year 1984. I passed out in December 1983 and did nothing for two months. As I got bored sitting at home doing nothing I just thought of doing something and went there, where I was entrusted with the work of a RCC structure. I worked under RD Shanbag for two years, from 1984 to 1986.

What did you enjoy doing while working with RD Shanbag?

Vijay P Moogi: Thanks to the Rs 450/- monthly stipend, every month I used to buy three Russian Engineering books which were available at Rs 60/- and 80/-. Russian engineering books are more practical than Indian books. Their content is used to deal with the practices on the field. I read books on air-conditioning, electrification, lighting for multistoried buildings, buildings in a hot climate, low-cost housing, and pre-cast concrete structures among many a other. I developed a regular habit of reading Russian books and visits to the sites in the evenings aroused an interest within me.

Q: Why did you quit RD Shanbag’s firm when you were doing well there?

Vijay P Moogi: All along, I was very keen that I should be on my own by working to accomplish my desire of becoming self-sustaining. Somehow, I had developed a tendency much before that I should paddle my own canoe. In fact, I had eloped from my house after completing the 10th standard. I had developed an illusion of supporting on my own! But how can a 10th pass boy do an earning? I had a senior friend in my school. He belonged to a wealthy from Koppal. They owned an Ambassador car and his father was a big man locally. Then I thought, maybe I can start earning by becoming a driver of their car. This development reached one SD Patil, who was my father’s friend. He took me back to my father’s fold and I continued my studies, doing PUC and Engineering.

Q: Were you able to save money from the monthly stipend while working under RD Shanbag?

Vijay P Moogi: Yes, of course, I had saved money and in that money only I purchased an M50 Moped vehicle of Gangadhar Shanbag’s doctor daughter by paying Rs 4,500/-. Gangadhar Shanbag was the elder brother of RD Shanbag. Later I invited RD Shanbag to inaugurate my office. He was awe-struck and glared at me learning the sudden new development. He obliged and inaugurated my first office attended by about 50 people. Our father’s elder brother SP Moogi, a retired SP had also graced the occasion. There was only one table and two chairs shared by RD Shanbag and SP Moogi. One old dining table was also brought from our house and I had placed a drawing board on the same.

Q: How was your stint once you set up your own office after leaving RD Shanbag’s office?

Vijay P Moogi: In fact, I had assignments for designing 3-4 houses at Mahanteshnagar while being in RD Shanbag’s office only. One could build a first-class house in a 40’ x 60’ site with Rs 1, 80, 000/- and at Rs 1, 30, 000/- for a house in a 30’ x 40’ plot. Those days, only a few of them used to build houses and only those who had plenty of money could afford to do so. There was no system of Banks or financial institutions advancing money for building houses.

Q: Perhaps, you were more than happy with the initial projects on hand?

Vijay P Moogi: No, it wasn’t that way. Some people came from the Bellad Bagewadi Co-operative Society and got a design done for their proposed four-acre residential layout. I also did another layout on seven acres adjoining Dombarkoppa IB. Amarsing Patil, the then Belagavi MP felicitated me in a function for the latter project. I had given them a comprehensive plan enlisting the total expenditure involved, cost of land per square feet to the bonafide members and other technical details. The next day, one person arrived with a cheque of Rs 25,000/- in my name and returned with the same claiming to return the next day with the amount. But, the next day the gentleman returned to pay only Rs 10,000/- keeping the remaining 15,000/- with himself! …

…Chairman dupes: One NR Patil, chairman of the society came back after a few days and claimed to set up a brick factory in partnership as houses will keep coming up in the proposed layouts soon. He also took back the remaining Rs 10,000/- while I became an Income Tax payer without getting even a rupee as all those with an annual income of more than Rs 18, 000/- came under the purview of Income Tax. Since 1989 I have been remitting Income Tax. Later I learnt after eight months that the person who had cheated me met with a fatal accident on a river bridge…

…Duping keeps continuing: Likewise, another similar incident took place. The chairman of a cooperative society and younger brother of the late Vishwanath Katti came and camped in Sheetal Hotel for five days. He literally sat on my back and got the designs done. Those days, you never had any computers or software to draw them and had to do it manually, get it typed outside and take printouts for the same, a tiresome and strenuous job. I did my job and never bothered about the honorarium due to me as I only believed in working sincerely as money would keep following me anyway. Even now, I continue to adhere to the same principle as that has been my nature for a long…

…No reply from the society: My uncle Paranna Moogi, himself into the co-operative movement who had introduced him came to my office to inquire whether I received any payment for the work done. He also suggested me to send them a letter asking them to the professional fees. I wrote a letter on my letterhead requesting them to pay my Rs 11,000/- professional fees. There was no reply from the society. My uncle again came back after a couple of months and inquired whether I got the payment. I informed him that they had called to inform me that they had no money to pay me. On hearing it, he himself drafted a letter and suggested I send it by registered post with acknowledgement…

…Refused to accept: After a week later, the letter was returned with a note saying-Refused. This development upset me very badly. I was not particular about the money and was even prepared to the society work for free; but the attitude to refuse unnerved me and made me take the issue very seriously. I took the cover to one AC Desai, a lawyer by profession, for whom I had designed an apartment building. He sought details of the case and sent a notice to the society.

Q: What happened later; did you get back your professional fees later?

Vijay P Moogi: Once they received the notice, the Secretary of the society came running. I told him plainly that he had been dealing with a professional. Had he come and informed I would have done his work for free, but refusing to receive the letter has hurt me. Some people of the society tried to dissuade me by claiming that I was too young but could be compensated with a much better work letter. Such loose talks further disturbed me as I was never in the habit of taking any money from the contractors. This practice has been there since the beginning and till date…

…Honesty is the Best Policy: See, in a business, honesty is the best policy. If you are honest, people come searching for you. I need not have an office or an air-conditioned room. Even if I sit under the tree, I will have a business because people come to us by recommendation. It’s not like a grocery shop wherein assuming 1,000 people visit; 800 will be doing business. However, it is not the same way in a profession.

Q: What happened to the court case, later?

Vijay P Moogi: The case went on for ten years. In the meantime, there were also conciliatory talks about an out-of-the-court settlement with some payment for which I retorted. I told them to their face that I would throw the money awarded by the court to them as money was not an issue for me but insulting a professional was a larger issue than the money. Even my lawyer tried to tempt me with a compromise formula on which I felt taken aback. Maybe I was too young as the Judge himself summoned me into the court hall and advised me-“You are too young but don’t worry as there is no point in believing the society people. Better take some money and close the case”. This way the Judge ordered the society for a payment of Rs 5,000/- to me out of which I paid Rs 3,000/- to the pleader.

Q: What about the Catholic connection?

Vijay P Moogi: Once, I shifted to the camp area many Catholics started coming to me. Thanks to my initial training under RD Shanbag, who was a strict disciplinarian helped me a lot. I had kept a notebook to measure the construction work, which was a laborious work and tedious job. Eventually, the rigid and correct calculations helped a lot in getting a loyal clientele as most of them were happy with the way the financial dealings were addressed. The spread of words by mouth I am honest reaped rich dividends to me professionally…

…Parking in 600 square feet house: In fact, the first project I took up in the camp area was the renovation of one Sampat Swamy who had an old Black tiled building in an area of 600 square feet. About 38 years back, I redid the house with two floors, two bedrooms on the top, a balcony and space for car parking as well. This design was very well appreciated and he was surprised at the car parking for he only had a Luna two-wheeler then and car parking was not being thought of. Of course, now he is parking his high-end vehicle in the same parking lot. However, the Camp’s commanding officer cancelled my practising license for a period of three years on the issue of violating norms in that 600-square-foot house. I fought the case vehemently and became popular in the camp area for taking the official head-on, which could not be even thought of those days.

Q: What happened to the case?

Vijay P Moogi: It went on for years and nothing tangible was found to prove on record that the building had violated any rules. The officials have a tendency to file cases which don’t stand before any court of law.

Q: But what about the practice of building churches and convent schools…?

Vijay P Moogi: One Father introduced me to Ms Anita Rodigrues. Her friends from Italy used to visit Belagavi every year and stay back for three months. They wanted their own blocks to be built here and had bought about 12 guntas land or so. The Father assigned me the job of designing which I did in a typical Western way. The Archbishop came to inaugurate the same, which was spread in a vast compound, lawns and tinted glass windows and the former was very much impressed. He also felicitated me on the occasion with a shawl and inquired about my background evincing keen interest in my works…

…Hospital work in Nirmalnagar: After some days, a Sister came to me with a proposal to build the first floor of a missionary hospital in Nirmalnagar. I gave my plan, but she suggested meeting the Archbishop who had earlier served as a Superintendent of Father Muller Hospital in Mangaluru. Father Muller Hospital was huge in terms of space, faculties and beds. So, I used to submit plans and make alterations in accordance with the specifications of the Archbishop. He was impressed and we became close but never assigned any other work later although, we maintained very good contact…

…First Church in Khanapur: Later, the Archbishop called me to design a Church at Harsanwadi near Khanapur. I drew a plan detailing the different services, Priest’s residence with a car park. The Archbishop wondered about the need for a car park, as the car was felt to be a luxury then. But, these days all Priests have high-end cars, which is a different issue. This way started the Church journey. They also got the master plan done by me for the Divine Mercy project in a two-acre area at Belagavi, with separate blocks for school, boys' and girls’ hostels, and working women’s hostels.

Q: What made the Archbishop become close to you over a period of time?

Vijay P Moogi: They have a St Antony School, opposite the Fish market in the Camp area run by the Sisters. They had allotted a turnkey project at a cost of Rs 1.10 crores but after the completion, the contractor submitted a bill of Rs 1.42 crores. The Archbishop sent me a confidential note to verify the expenditure and give a report. When verified with the 23 bills submitted, it was found that there were several discrepancies in the assessments made and the actual calculation came to Rs 1.24 crores. The Archbishop was convinced by the manipulation done by the contractor. To my pleasant surprise, the Archbishop curtailed all other projects earlier entrusted to him and handed over all of them to me…

…Sister’s bill comes under the hammer: Likewise, in another instance, a Sister from Mumbai and an Interior Engineer were allotted a project. But her expenditure bills were beyond what was agreed upon. She became furious and went crying when it was pointed before the Archbishop, who had made me a Technical Consultant by then. This way, the bonding and trust level between me and the Archbishop grew to greater heights. There was no day when I didn’t get a call nor did I meet him over some work.

Q: How many Churches, Chapels, Clergy houses and Convents, you might have designed so far?

Vijay P Moogi: I haven’t kept a count of them. Maybe, so far I might have designed not less than 21-22 Churches, Seven Chapels, 6-7 Kindergarten schools, 20-22 High schools, PUC Colleges, BBA and BCA colleges, both in Belagavi and Karwar Diocese region comprising of Belagavi, Gadag, Hubballi-Dharwad, Haveri, Bagalkot, Haliyal, Karwar and Chandagarh in Maharashtra and many other places.

-Manohar Yadavatti