Somanath V Sungalge

Chapter 1 – The Dust of Basavkalyan

In the narrow lanes of Mallikarjuna Street in Basavkalyan, Bidar district, where the mornings began with the ringing of temple bells and the evenings ended with the soft hum of distant trains, a young man named Somanath V. Sungalge carried dreams far bigger than the small town that raised him.

His house was simple, built with modest means but filled with discipline and determination. The people around him measured success by securing a stable job, building a family, and living without debt. Somanath respected those values, yet somewhere deep within, he believed he was meant to create something larger—something that would not only change his life but also provide dignity and employment to many others.

As a child, Somanath was fascinated by trains. Whenever he visited the railway station, he would watch the long coaches arrive covered with dust, carrying thousands of passengers from different parts of India. He noticed not only the movement of people but also the enormous effort required to keep the railway system functioning. Porters rushed across platforms, cleaners worked quietly in the background, pantry staff prepared meals, and maintenance workers disappeared into the shadows before the next train arrived.

Most passengers never looked at them.

Somanath did.

He often wondered why cleanliness in public spaces was treated as a secondary task when it affected the comfort and health of millions. Even as a teenager, he believed that cleaning was not a low profession; it was a profession that demanded organization, discipline, and pride.

Life, however, was not easy.

His family faced financial limitations, and every rupee mattered. There were days when he had to postpone personal needs so that household expenses could be met. Instead of complaining, he developed a habit of observing people who worked hard regardless of their circumstances. Farmers, mechanics, shopkeepers, and daily wage laborers became his silent teachers.

After completing his education, Somanath began searching for opportunities beyond Basavkalyan. The nearby town could offer only limited growth. His attention gradually shifted toward Nanded in Maharashtra, a busier commercial and railway center. The move was not dramatic; it was the kind of decision taken by thousands of ambitious young Indians who carry a small bag, a few contacts, and a great deal of uncertainty.

At H. No. 124, Maganpura, New Mondha, Nanded, he started building the foundation of what would eventually become a respected railway service organization. In the beginning, there was no large office, no fleet of machines, and no established reputation. There was only a willingness to work harder than others.

The early contracts were small and demanding. Cleaning work was often viewed as temporary labor rather than a professional service. Payments were delayed, manpower was difficult to manage, and clients expected results with minimal resources. Many people advised Somanath to leave the field and pursue a safer occupation.

He refused.

What others saw as an ordinary service, he saw as an industry waiting to be organized.

He began studying how railway cleaning operations were conducted. He observed pit line cleaning, coach maintenance schedules, waste disposal practices, and the coordination required between railway officials and service providers. He realized that success would not come from merely supplying workers; it would come from creating a system.

That word—system—became central to his thinking.

Somanath started maintaining notebooks filled with observations. He recorded the number of workers required for different types of coaches, the time taken for cleaning, the materials consumed, and the complaints received. Though the records were handwritten and simple, they represented the birth of a quality-oriented mindset.

Slowly, a small team gathered around him. Most of them came from ordinary backgrounds and had never worked in a structured organization. Instead of treating them as disposable labor, Somanath spoke to them about punctuality, hygiene, uniforms, and respectful behavior toward railway staff and passengers.

“Our work may begin with cleaning, but it ends with trust,” he would often say.

The team did not fully understand the importance of those words at first, but they remembered them.

As the months passed, the company earned a reputation for sincerity. The work was still difficult. Pit lines were dirty, schedules were tight, and night shifts were exhausting. Yet Somanath personally visited sites, checked the quality of work, and listened to complaints without anger. He believed that every complaint was a lesson that could improve the organization.

One monsoon evening, while standing near the railway yard in Nanded, he watched workers cleaning coaches under dim lights as rainwater flowed along the tracks. The scene was harsh, but to him it was also symbolic. Growth would not come through comfort; it would come through perseverance.

He did not know then that a few years later his company would enter a new phase through ISO 9001:2008 certification, bringing recognition, discipline, and expansion.

But on that rainy evening in Nanded, none of that was visible.

There was only a determined entrepreneur, a small team, and a dream taking shape in the dust, water, and steel of the Indian Railways.

#SomanathVSungalge

Chapter 2 – A Small Team, A Larger Vision

The first year in Nanded tested Somanath V. Sungalge more than any classroom or previous job ever had. The railway environment was unforgiving. Trains arrived at odd hours, pit lines had to be cleaned within strict time limits, and even a minor delay could affect the next operational schedule. For a young entrepreneur trying to establish himself, every day felt like an examination.

The office at Maganpura was modest—a rented space with a wooden table, two plastic chairs, a steel cupboard, and a calendar hanging on the wall. Yet Somanath treated it as the headquarters of a future enterprise. He arrived early, maintained files carefully, and insisted that every worker sign attendance registers. Some laughed at the formality.

“Why so much paperwork for cleaning work?” one worker asked.

Somanath smiled. “Because one day this will not remain just cleaning work.”

At that time, his team consisted of barely a dozen workers. They came from different villages and backgrounds. Some had experience in manual cleaning, while others had never worked in railway premises before. Managing them was not easy. Absenteeism was common, and many viewed the job as temporary.

Instead of replacing people repeatedly, Somanath focused on training.

He began conducting short morning meetings before shifts. He explained the sequence of coach cleaning, the importance of using proper tools, and the need to avoid arguments with railway staff. He demonstrated how windows should be wiped, how toilets should be disinfected, and how waste should be collected systematically.

These were simple practices, but they created a difference.

Railway supervisors started noticing that his team required less rework than others. Complaints did not disappear, but they became fewer. More importantly, the workers began developing a sense of identity.

Somanath introduced uniforms even when finances were tight. The first set was inexpensive, and many workers wondered why appearance mattered.

“Passengers may never know our names,” he told them, “but they will see whether we work with discipline.”

The statement stayed with them.

As operations expanded, the company received opportunities related to mechanized cleaning of railway coaches and pantry cars at pit line premises. Mechanization was still gaining acceptance in many locations. Traditional methods depended heavily on manual labor, and some contractors were hesitant to invest in machines.

Somanath thought differently.

He traveled to observe cleaning equipment used in other railway divisions. He studied vacuum systems, pressure washing techniques, scrubbing machines, and chemical usage. Purchasing equipment was a financial risk, but he believed that efficiency and consistency would become increasingly important in railway contracts.

To arrange funds, he reduced personal expenses, delayed improvements to his own lifestyle, and reinvested nearly every earning into the business. Family members worried about the pressure he was taking.

“Why don’t you save something for yourself?” his elder relative once asked.

Somanath replied quietly, “If the company grows, all of us will grow.”

The transition from a labor-based contractor to a process-oriented service provider was gradual. Machines alone did not solve problems. Workers had to be trained, maintenance had to be scheduled, and chemicals had to be used safely. Breakdowns occurred at inconvenient times, and spare parts were not always easily available.

There were nights when Somanath himself cleaned equipment after shifts because no technician was available.

The company also began exploring mechanized cleaning of railway stations and buildings. This work demanded a different approach. Platforms, waiting halls, staircases, offices, and public areas required continuous maintenance rather than one-time cleaning. Passenger movement never truly stopped.

Somanath introduced area-wise responsibility. Each worker was assigned a specific zone, and supervisors checked cleanliness at regular intervals. He created handwritten checklists for sweeping, mopping, waste collection, and toilet sanitation.

Though basic, these checklists marked an important evolution in the company’s culture: work would be measured, not merely performed.

Around this time, he faced one of his toughest challenges. A major inspection was scheduled, and expectations were high. On the previous night, heavy passenger traffic and operational delays created extraordinary pressure on the cleaning team. Several workers wanted to leave after completing their shift.

Somanath did not order them to stay.

Instead, he picked up a cleaning tool and joined the work himself.

Seeing the owner working alongside them changed the atmosphere. One by one, the workers returned to their stations. The inspection the next morning was not perfect, but it was successful enough to protect the company’s reputation.

That incident became a turning point.

The workers no longer saw Somanath merely as a contractor; they saw him as a leader who would stand with them during difficult hours.

By the end of the second year, the company was still small in financial terms, but its foundation had become stronger. It had a growing workforce, improving systems, basic documentation, and increasing confidence from railway officials.

Yet Somanath remained restless.

He had begun hearing more frequently about organizations obtaining ISO 9001 certification and using it to strengthen quality management, documentation, training, and customer confidence. Many people considered such certification suitable only for large companies.

Somanath was not convinced.

One evening, while reviewing attendance sheets and complaint records under the dim light of his office, he wrote a sentence in his notebook:

“If we want to grow beyond survival, we must build a company that works by quality, not by chance.”

That sentence would soon lead him toward a decision that would change the future of the organization.

#Entrepreneurship

Chapter 3 – The Decision That Changed Everything

By 2012, Somanath V. Sungalge had achieved what many small contractors never managed to achieve—he had survived the difficult early years. The company was operating at railway locations, handling mechanized cleaning activities, and slowly earning the confidence of officials and clients. Yet survival was no longer enough.

Every week brought new challenges. One supervisor demanded better documentation. Another asked for training records. A third wanted evidence of corrective action after a complaint. Somanath noticed a pattern: clients were no longer judging contractors only by manpower and price; they were increasingly judging them by consistency, accountability, and quality systems.

The realization disturbed him.

He knew his team worked hard, but he also knew that much of the company’s performance depended on his personal involvement. If he was present, problems were solved quickly. If he was away, delays and confusion increased. A business that depended entirely on one person could not grow sustainably.

One afternoon, after a long review meeting at a railway site, Somanath sat alone in his small office at Maganpura. On the table were attendance registers, complaint sheets, machine maintenance notes, and payment records. The documents were scattered, incomplete, and difficult to trace.

He looked at them for a long time.

“This is not a company,” he thought. “This is a collection of efforts.”

That evening he spoke with a friend who had experience in industrial operations. During the conversation, the friend asked a simple question:

“Do you want to remain a contractor, or do you want to build an organization?”

The question stayed with him for days.

Soon afterward, Somanath began learning about ISO 9001:2008, a quality management standard recognized across industries. At first, the terminology seemed complicated: quality policy, documented procedures, internal audits, corrective actions, preventive actions, management review, customer satisfaction, process control.

Some people discouraged him.

“ISO is for factories,” one businessman said.

“Railway cleaning companies do not need so much documentation,” another added.

“It will only increase expenses.”

But Somanath had already begun seeing the deeper value. To him, ISO was not merely a certificate to hang on the wall. It was a framework that could transform scattered efforts into a structured organization.

He decided to proceed.

The announcement surprised his team. Many workers did not understand what ISO meant. Even some supervisors were uncertain.

“Will our work change?” they asked.

“Yes,” Somanath replied, “and that is exactly why we are doing it.”

The preparation began with self-examination. Every activity had to be identified: pit line cleaning, coach cleaning, pantry car cleaning, station cleaning, waste handling, manpower deployment, training, machine maintenance, inspection, complaint handling, and reporting.

For the first time, the company started mapping its processes.

Somanath spent late nights writing procedures in simple language. He wanted documents that people could actually use, not files that would gather dust. He introduced standard formats for attendance, cleaning schedules, material issue records, machine checklists, and complaint registers.

The office changed visibly. Files were labeled. Records were organized. Dates were checked carefully. Missing entries were no longer ignored.

The biggest challenge, however, was not paperwork.

It was changing habits.

Some workers resisted uniforms. Others forgot to sign records. Supervisors delayed inspections. Machine operators skipped maintenance entries. Each small lapse revealed how difficult it was to build a culture of discipline.

Instead of reacting with anger, Somanath repeated the same message:

“Quality is not an extra task. Quality is the way we perform every task.”

Training sessions became more frequent. Workers learned about hygiene, safe chemical handling, proper use of mechanized equipment, and respectful interaction with railway staff. Supervisors learned how to verify work rather than assume it was completed.

For many employees, this was the first time they had received structured workplace training.

Gradually, something remarkable happened.

The workers began taking pride in the system. Checklists were filled more carefully. Machines were cleaned after use. Complaints were discussed openly. Repeat mistakes started decreasing.

Railway officials also noticed the difference. Reports were submitted on time. Information could be traced quickly. Site supervision improved. The company began appearing more professional, even though its resources were still limited.

As the external audit approached, tension increased. Somanath hardly slept during the final week. He reviewed files repeatedly, visited sites personally, and checked whether procedures were being followed in practice.

On the morning of the audit, the atmosphere in the office was unusually quiet.

The auditor examined documents, interviewed staff, and visited operational areas. Questions were asked about training, inspections, customer complaints, corrective actions, and management responsibility. At several moments, Somanath feared that the company might fall short.

But the audit revealed something important: the organization was not pretending to follow a system; it was genuinely trying to build one.

When the auditor concluded the assessment, he said, “For a growing service organization, this is a strong foundation. Continue improving.”

Those words brought visible relief to the entire team.

In 2013, the company received ISO 9001:2008 certification, with validity up to 2016. The certificate carried more than a standard number. For Somanath, it represented years of struggle, learning, discipline, and belief in professional quality.

He placed the certificate on the office wall, but before the celebration began, he gathered his team.

“This certificate is not the finish line,” he told them. “It is the beginning of a bigger responsibility.”

No one in that room fully understood how true those words would become.

The company had earned recognition.

Now it had to prove that it deserved it.

#RailwayServices

Chapter 4 – When Quality Became a Reputation

The ISO 9001:2008 certificate was framed carefully and placed on the wall of the Maganpura office, but Somanath V. Sungalge knew that its true value would not be measured by visitors who looked at the frame. It would be measured by what happened at the railway pit lines, inside the coaches, on the platforms, and in the daily behavior of his team.

For a few days after receiving the certification in 2013, the atmosphere was celebratory. Workers who had once questioned the need for documentation now proudly told others that they were part of an “ISO company.” Supervisors began carrying inspection sheets more seriously. Even the office looked different—organized, labeled, and purposeful.

Yet Somanath remained cautious.

He had seen organizations obtain certificates and then return to old habits. He was determined that this would not happen.

The first major change after certification was the introduction of regular internal reviews. Earlier, problems were discussed only when complaints became serious. Now, meetings were scheduled even when operations appeared to be running smoothly.

During one such meeting, Somanath drew three words on a board:

Prevention – Consistency – Improvement

“These three words,” he said, “will decide our future.”

The team began analyzing recurring issues. Why were some coaches receiving complaints more frequently? Why did certain shifts consume more cleaning material? Why were machine breakdowns occurring repeatedly? The discussions were new, sometimes uncomfortable, but they slowly changed the company’s thinking.

Instead of asking “Who made the mistake?” the team started asking “Why did the mistake occur?”

This shift had a powerful effect.

At the pit line premises, mechanized cleaning operations became more structured. Equipment was checked before deployment. Operators maintained maintenance records. Chemicals were issued in controlled quantities. Supervisors verified completion before signing reports.

Railway officials noticed that the company’s documentation was no longer reactive; it was becoming systematic.

The certification also increased confidence when dealing with new opportunities. Earlier, Somanath often felt that larger companies had an advantage because they appeared more professional. Now he could present not only experience but also a recognized quality management system.

One important opportunity involved expanding services related to mechanized cleaning of railway stations and buildings. Passenger expectations regarding cleanliness were rising, and railway administrations were paying greater attention to hygiene and public image.

Somanath approached the work with the mindset of a facility management professional rather than a traditional cleaning contractor.

Platform cleaning schedules were divided by time zones. Waiting halls received dedicated attention. Toilets were inspected at fixed intervals. Waste collection points were identified clearly. Reporting formats became more detailed.

The changes were not always easy to implement. Passenger movement was continuous, and maintaining cleanliness in crowded stations required constant effort. Workers often faced complaints from impatient travelers, unexpected operational changes, and heavy workloads during festivals.

Somanath responded by strengthening communication.

He introduced short shift handover discussions. Incoming teams were informed about pending issues, special instructions, and areas requiring extra attention. This reduced confusion and improved continuity.

Around this period, the company also began focusing more seriously on On Board House Keeping and Hygiene Services (OBHS). Cleaning a stationary coach was one challenge; maintaining hygiene while a train was in motion was another altogether.

OBHS staff had to interact directly with passengers, respond to complaints quickly, manage waste in confined spaces, and maintain professionalism under pressure.

Recognizing this, Somanath organized special training sessions. Workers practiced how to speak politely, how to respond to angry passengers, and how to handle hygiene-related requests without delay.

“Passengers may forget a clean floor,” he told them, “but they will remember respectful service.”

The impact was gradual but visible.

Complaints that once escalated quickly were increasingly resolved at the coach level. Railway officials began receiving more positive feedback about responsiveness and behavior.

Financially, the company was still growing carefully. Certification had improved credibility, but it had also increased responsibilities. Records had to be maintained, training had to continue, and systems had to be monitored. Somanath reinvested much of the additional income into manpower development, equipment upkeep, and operational control.

One evening, while reviewing monthly reports, he noticed a significant trend: repeat complaints had decreased, inspection scores had improved, and client communication had become smoother.

For the first time, he felt that the company was no longer growing only through hard work; it was growing through process strength.

The transformation also affected employee morale. Workers who had once considered themselves temporary laborers began identifying with the organization. Some had been with the company for several years and now trained new recruits themselves.

A senior supervisor told Somanath, “Earlier we waited for your instructions. Now we know what the system expects.”

Those words meant more to him than any certificate.

The reputation of the company slowly spread beyond individual sites. Railway officers transferred to other divisions carried their impressions with them. Vendors and support agencies began treating the organization with greater respect. What had started as a small operation from Basavkalyan and Nanded was beginning to be seen as a disciplined railway service provider.

Still, Somanath refused to become complacent.

During a late-night visit to a station site, he watched workers cleaning platforms after a rush of passengers. The work was physically demanding, repetitive, and often unnoticed by the public.

He turned to a young worker and asked, “Are you tired?”

The worker smiled and replied, “Yes, sir. But now we feel this work has value.”

Somanath looked across the platform, where the lights reflected on the freshly cleaned floor.

In that moment, he realized that the greatest change after ISO certification was not the paperwork, the audits, or the business opportunities.

It was the emergence of dignity in work.

And that dignity was becoming the foundation on which the next phase of the company’s growth would be built.

#RailwayCleaning

Chapter 5 – The Expansion Beyond Cleaning

The ISO 9001:2008 certification had done more than improve documentation; it had changed the way the company thought about itself. What had once been a small cleaning contractor was evolving into a broader railway support service organization.

With growth came new opportunities—and new risks.

Railway authorities were beginning to expect integrated service providers who could handle multiple operational responsibilities with discipline and accountability. Somanath understood that remaining dependent on a single type of work would limit the company’s future. He began exploring areas that were connected to railway infrastructure and passenger services.

One such area was the construction of covers over railway platforms and foot over bridges.

At first, the idea seemed ambitious. Construction work involved different skills, different planning methods, and different levels of responsibility compared with cleaning operations. Some members of his team questioned whether the company should enter a field that appeared so demanding.

Somanath did not make the decision quickly.

He spent weeks studying project requirements, speaking with engineers, observing ongoing works, and understanding safety expectations. The more he learned, the more he realized that the company’s growing strength in planning, supervision, documentation, and quality control could also support infrastructure-related activities.

“The work is different,” he told his supervisors, “but the principles are the same—planning, quality, safety, and accountability.”

The first platform-cover-related assignment was relatively small, yet it carried enormous importance. Success would demonstrate that the organization could manage not only cleaning operations but also structured project execution.

Preparation began with unusual seriousness.

Drawings were reviewed carefully. Material records were maintained. Site responsibilities were assigned clearly. Safety instructions were explained repeatedly to workers. Daily progress reporting became mandatory.

For many employees, this was their first exposure to a more formal construction environment. They were accustomed to shift-based cleaning operations, not milestone-based project work. Somanath personally guided the transition.

He emphasized one lesson above all:

“Whether we clean a coach or build a structure, the customer must receive confidence.”

The project faced several practical challenges. Material deliveries were delayed during heavy rains. Coordination with railway operations required constant communication. Work windows were limited because passenger movement could not be disrupted unnecessarily.

There were moments when progress slowed and tension increased.

During one particularly difficult week, a supplier informed the company that a key material would arrive later than expected. The delay threatened the schedule. Instead of blaming the supplier publicly, Somanath called an emergency planning meeting. The team reorganized the sequence of work, advanced activities that could be completed without the delayed material, and maintained momentum.

The experience taught the organization an important lesson: project management is not the absence of problems; it is the ability to continue despite problems.

As construction activities progressed, Somanath noticed another benefit of the ISO-driven culture. Documentation, inspection records, and communication practices that had been developed for cleaning operations were now helping in infrastructure work as well. The system was proving adaptable.

Meanwhile, the company continued strengthening its core services.

Mechanized cleaning of railway coaches and pantry cars became more efficient through better equipment utilization and preventive maintenance. Station cleaning operations were monitored through structured checklists and supervisory rounds. OBHS teams received refresher training focused on hygiene standards and passenger interaction.

Growth, however, brought pressure on manpower.

New workers joined regularly, and maintaining a consistent culture became challenging. Somanath feared that rapid expansion could dilute the discipline that had been built with great effort.

To address this, he introduced a simple but effective practice. Every new employee attended an orientation session in which the company’s journey—from Basavkalyan to Nanded, from manual operations to mechanized services, and from informal work to ISO-certified systems—was explained.

He wanted employees to understand that they were joining a story, not just a payroll.

One young recruit asked him, “Sir, why do you tell us all this history?”

Somanath replied, “Because when people know how something was built, they respect it more.”

Financial management also became increasingly important. Expansion required investment in tools, equipment, training, transportation, and supervision. Somanath remained careful with spending. He avoided unnecessary display, negotiated firmly with suppliers, and prioritized operational needs over personal comfort.

His lifestyle remained remarkably simple despite the company’s growth.

This simplicity earned respect among employees. They saw that the owner expected discipline from himself before demanding it from others.

By the end of 2014, the organization was handling a wider range of railway-related activities than ever before. The company had improved its operational systems, expanded service capability, entered infrastructure work, and strengthened its workforce culture.

Yet the most significant change was less visible.

Earlier, the company reacted to opportunities that came its way. Now it had begun preparing itself for larger opportunities before they arrived.

One evening, Somanath visited the Basavkalyan house where his journey had begun. Standing in the familiar lane of Mallikarjuna Street, he reflected on the years of uncertainty, the nights spent checking registers, the resistance to documentation, the pressure of audits, and the gradual emergence of a professional organization.

The distance between Basavkalyan and Nanded was not very great on a map.

But for Somanath, the distance traveled in vision, discipline, and confidence had been extraordinary.

And deep within him, a new thought was beginning to take shape:

The company had learned how to grow.

Now it would have to learn how to lead.

#ISO9001

Chapter 6 – Leadership in the Night Shift

Growth brought recognition, but recognition brought expectation. By 2015, Somanath V. Sungalge’s organization was operating with greater confidence across railway-related services, and people increasingly associated the company with discipline and quality. Yet Somanath understood a truth that many growing businesses discover too late: systems can be written in manuals, but culture is tested during difficult hours.

And in railway operations, the most difficult hours often begin after midnight.

One winter night in Nanded, a long-distance train arrived much later than scheduled. Another rake was expected shortly afterward, and the pit line team had very little time to complete mechanized cleaning, toilet sanitation, waste removal, and final inspection. The delay compressed several hours of work into less than one.

Supervisors began making hurried calculations. Workers were already tired from earlier duties. Some suggested that only essential cleaning be completed so the train could be released on time.

When the message reached Somanath, he immediately went to the site.

The yard was cold, noisy, and filled with pressure. Portable lights cast long shadows on the coaches, and machines echoed across the pit line. Somanath listened to the supervisors, reviewed the available manpower, and then asked a simple question:

“If this train carries our own families tomorrow morning, what level of cleaning would we accept?”

No one answered immediately.

He reorganized the teams instead of reducing the standard. Additional workers were moved from less critical areas, machine operators were assigned fixed coach groups, and supervisors were instructed to verify completion rather than merely report progress.

Then he did something that had become increasingly rare as the company grew—he entered the operational zone himself.

For the next several hours, he moved from coach to coach, checking floors, toilets, vestibules, and waste collection points. Workers who saw him in the yard straightened their pace without being told. The atmosphere changed from panic to determination.

The train was completed just in time.

As it rolled out of the pit line, a senior railway official who had been observing the operation quietly said, “Your team works differently under pressure.”

Somanath replied, “We are still learning.”

That night became a story repeated within the organization for years. Not because the work was perfect, but because employees saw that leadership did not disappear when conditions became difficult.

In the weeks that followed, Somanath began focusing more deeply on leadership development inside the company. He realized that the organization could not depend forever on his personal presence at every site. Supervisors had to become decision-makers, not message carriers.

He introduced monthly review sessions where supervisors discussed real operational problems: manpower shortages, passenger complaints, machine breakdowns, delayed train arrivals, and coordination issues with railway staff.

At first, many were hesitant to speak openly. They were accustomed to receiving instructions, not analyzing situations.

Somanath encouraged them patiently.

“Do not bring me only problems,” he said. “Bring me possible solutions.”

Slowly, confidence grew.

One supervisor proposed a color-coded inspection system for station areas. Another suggested preventive maintenance scheduling for mechanized equipment. A third recommended keeping a small emergency reserve of cleaning materials for delayed trains.

Somanath adopted several of these ideas, giving credit publicly to the employees who suggested them. This had a powerful effect: people began feeling that they were helping shape the organization.

The company’s OBHS operations also entered a more mature phase during this period. Passenger expectations were increasing, and railway authorities were paying closer attention to hygiene feedback. Somanath emphasized that OBHS staff represented the company directly in front of the public.

Training sessions included role-play exercises. Workers practiced responding to complaints about toilets, litter, water availability, and coach cleanliness. They were taught to remain calm even when passengers were angry.

“Never argue inside a coach,” Somanath instructed. “Resolve first, explain later.”

The company also strengthened its monitoring of customer complaints. Earlier, complaints were often treated as isolated incidents. Now they were categorized, reviewed, and discussed for corrective action. Repeat complaints received special attention.

This approach reflected the deeper influence of the ISO quality system: data was becoming a tool for improvement.

Meanwhile, platform-cover and foot-over-bridge-related activities continued to expand gradually. These projects demanded coordination with engineers, material suppliers, and railway authorities. Somanath spent considerable time understanding scheduling, measurement records, and safety requirements.

He noticed that the same principles applied across all services:

• Clear responsibility
• Proper documentation
• Regular inspection
• Timely corrective action
• Respect for the customer

Whether cleaning a pantry car or supervising structural work, these principles remained constant.

One evening, after a long day of site visits, Somanath returned to the office and found a new employee waiting nervously. The young man had made an error in a report and expected severe criticism.

Instead, Somanath reviewed the mistake and asked, “Did you understand why it happened?”

The employee nodded.

“Then the mistake has already started becoming useful,” Somanath said.

This attitude gradually shaped the company’s internal environment. Discipline remained strict, but learning was encouraged. Employees were expected to improve, not merely avoid punishment.

As 2015 progressed, the organization crossed an important psychological milestone. It was no longer fighting for survival. It was building continuity.

The office files had become thicker, the workforce larger, the equipment more numerous, and the responsibilities broader. Yet Somanath often reminded himself of the early days in Basavkalyan and the small rented room in Maganpura.

Late one night, after completing another inspection round, he stood on a quiet platform and watched a train disappear into the darkness.

Years earlier, he had watched trains with curiosity.

Now he watched them with responsibility.

And he understood that the true measure of leadership was not how many people followed him in good times, but how many continued to uphold quality when he was not standing beside them.

#QualityManagement

Chapter 7 – The Year of Proof

In early 2016, the framed ISO 9001:2008 certificate on the wall of the Maganpura office began attracting a different kind of attention. Visitors no longer asked, “What is ISO?” Instead, they asked, “How has it helped your company?”

Somanath V. Sungalge welcomed the question.

For three years, the organization had invested effort in documentation, training, inspections, corrective actions, and process control. Now came the real test: could the company demonstrate that quality management had produced measurable results?

Somanath decided that 2016 would not be treated as the final year of certificate validity. It would be treated as the year of proof.

He called a meeting of supervisors, site in-charges, and administrative staff. On the board, he wrote four targets:

• Reduce repeat complaints
• Improve inspection scores
• Strengthen manpower retention
• Increase customer confidence

“These targets are connected,” he explained. “If our people stay, quality improves. If quality improves, complaints reduce. If complaints reduce, customer confidence grows.”

The discussion marked a shift from operational thinking to performance thinking.

For the first time, the company began comparing monthly data across sites. Which station had the fewest complaints? Which pit line achieved the best inspection results? Which OBHS team responded fastest to passenger issues?

Healthy competition emerged.

Supervisors started sharing ideas instead of guarding them. One site improved waste segregation practices; another reduced chemical wastage; a third introduced mid-shift inspection rounds. Small improvements, when repeated across multiple locations, began producing significant overall results.

The company’s relationship with railway officials also evolved. Earlier, meetings were often defensive—focused on explaining problems. Now they increasingly included discussions about improvements, preventive measures, and service enhancement.

One railway officer remarked during a review, “Your reports are becoming more analytical.”

Somanath smiled. “We are trying to learn from our own work.”

That sentence captured the essence of the company’s transformation.

Meanwhile, the organization faced a challenge that threatened to disrupt progress: rapid expansion of manpower requirements. New contracts and extended service areas required additional workers, supervisors, and support staff. Recruiting people was easier than integrating them into the company’s culture.

Somanath worried that growth could weaken discipline.

To prevent this, he strengthened the induction process. Every new employee was introduced to the company’s history, quality policy, safety expectations, and customer-service principles. Experienced workers were paired with new recruits for practical guidance.

He also introduced a simple question during interactions with employees:

“What does quality mean in your work?”

The answers varied.

“A clean toilet.”

“A checked coach.”

“A passenger who does not complain.”

“A machine that works properly.”

Somanath appreciated these responses because they showed that quality was no longer an abstract concept. It had become connected to daily actions.

The company’s mechanized cleaning operations reached a new level of maturity during this period. Preventive maintenance schedules reduced equipment breakdowns, and operators became more skilled in using machines efficiently. Downtime decreased, and planning became more reliable.

In station-cleaning operations, supervisors began using structured inspection formats more consistently. Areas were checked at defined intervals, and deficiencies were corrected before they became major complaints.

OBHS teams, too, showed noticeable improvement. Passenger interactions became more professional, and response times improved. The company encouraged staff to resolve issues immediately rather than wait for escalation.

One memorable incident occurred on a crowded train during a festival season. A passenger complained angrily about a hygiene issue in a coach. The OBHS staff responded quickly, cleaned the area, and spoke respectfully despite the passenger’s frustration.

Later, the passenger approached the staff member and said, “I was upset, but you handled it well.”

When the report reached Somanath, he shared it during the next meeting.

“Technical work is important,” he told the team, “but respectful behavior protects reputation.”

The company’s infrastructure-related activities also continued steadily. Work involving platform covers and foot-over-bridge structures demanded careful coordination and record-keeping. The experience gained from earlier projects helped the organization manage planning and supervision more confidently.

Financially, 2016 was stronger than any previous year. Revenue had grown, but so had expenses related to manpower, equipment, training, compliance, and supervision. Somanath remained disciplined about reinvestment.

He often repeated a principle that had guided him from the beginning:

“Growth that weakens quality is not real growth.”

As the months passed, the organization prepared for the continuation of its quality journey beyond the initial certification period. Internal reviews became more detailed, and documentation was checked with renewed seriousness.

One evening, after a long management review meeting, a senior supervisor asked Somanath, “Sir, when we started, did you imagine all this?”

Somanath looked at the rows of files, the training records, the inspection reports, and the site photographs pinned on the board.

“I imagined growth,” he said slowly. “I did not imagine how much discipline growth would demand.”

The supervisor nodded in silence.

That night, after everyone had left, Somanath remained alone in the office for several minutes. His thoughts traveled back to Basavkalyan, to the early days when he had written observations in a notebook because there was no formal system. The company had changed enormously since then, but he realized that the original idea had remained the same: work should be done with dignity, order, and responsibility.

The ISO certificate had provided a framework.

The team had provided effort.

The customers had provided opportunity.

And together, they had built something that was beginning to outgrow the limits of a small local contractor.

As he switched off the office lights, Somanath understood that 2016 was not the end of a certification cycle.

#Leadership

Chapter 8 – Building a Culture That Could Last

The years following ISO 9001:2008 certification had taught Somanath V. Sungalge an important lesson: obtaining recognition was difficult, but maintaining the standards behind that recognition was even harder.

By 2016, the organization had developed stronger systems for railway coach cleaning, pantry car cleaning, station and building cleaning, and On Board House Keeping and Hygiene Services. Its involvement in construction-related work, including covers over railway platforms and foot over bridges, had also expanded its understanding of project management.

But Somanath knew that an organization could never depend entirely on past achievements.

The certificate had a validity period ending in 2016. The company therefore had to demonstrate that its quality practices were not temporary measures introduced only for an audit. They had to become part of everyday operations.

This became Somanath’s next mission.

He began spending less time giving direct instructions and more time asking questions.

When he visited a railway site, he would ask the supervisor, “What is the biggest problem here today?”

The supervisor might mention manpower, equipment, passenger complaints, material availability, or scheduling.

Somanath would then ask, “What have you done about it?”

That second question changed the way supervisors thought.

Previously, many employees believed their responsibility ended with reporting a problem. Now they understood that reporting was only the first step. They were expected to investigate, propose corrective action, and follow up.

This approach gradually created a stronger management layer within the organization.

The Human Side of Growth

As the workforce increased, Somanath realized that technical systems alone could not guarantee quality. The organization depended on thousands of small human decisions made every day.

A worker deciding to clean an area properly even when nobody was watching.

A supervisor checking a machine before use.

An OBHS employee responding politely to an impatient passenger.

An administrator ensuring that a document was completed correctly.

These decisions determined the real quality of the company.

Somanath therefore began emphasizing employee dignity.

Uniforms were kept clean and presentable. Training was taken more seriously. Workers were encouraged to raise operational concerns without fear. Supervisors were reminded that discipline did not mean disrespect.

“People who are treated with dignity,” Somanath often said, “will take greater pride in the work they perform.”

The principle was simple, but its impact was significant.

Employees began recommending friends and relatives for vacancies. Experienced workers stayed longer. New recruits were trained by people who understood the organization’s culture rather than simply being given instructions on their first day.

The company was slowly developing something more valuable than procedures.

It was developing institutional memory.

Learning From Complaints

One of the biggest changes after certification was the way the organization viewed customer complaints.

Earlier, a complaint could create anxiety because employees feared blame. Now complaints were treated as information.

If a passenger complained about a dirty washroom, the company examined the cleaning schedule.

If a railway official reported insufficient manpower, the deployment plan was reviewed.

If equipment repeatedly failed, maintenance records were examined.

If the same issue appeared at multiple locations, management looked for a common cause.

This approach turned individual problems into organizational lessons.

Somanath frequently reminded his team that a complaint was not necessarily evidence of failure. Ignoring a complaint was a much greater failure.

The Importance of Mechanization

The organization’s growing experience with mechanized cleaning also changed its operational philosophy.

Machines could improve productivity, but only when used correctly. Operators required training. Equipment needed preventive maintenance. Consumables had to be controlled. And supervisors had to understand when mechanized methods were appropriate and when manual attention was still necessary.

The company therefore treated mechanization as a combination of technology and human skill.

A machine could scrub a floor, but a trained worker had to recognize whether the floor actually required additional attention.

A vacuum could remove dirt, but a supervisor had to verify the result.

Technology could increase efficiency, but responsibility remained with people.

This understanding helped the company improve its railway cleaning operations without losing attention to detail.

Preparing for Larger Opportunities

As its reputation strengthened, Somanath began thinking beyond individual contracts.

He wanted the organization to be capable of handling larger assignments without losing control.

That required stronger administrative systems.

Finance teams needed better forecasting. Procurement had to become more systematic. Human-resource records needed to be maintained carefully. Equipment inventories had to be monitored. Site reports needed to reach management on time.

The organization was becoming more complex, and complexity required structure.

Somanath understood that the next stage of growth would depend on delegation.

He therefore began assigning greater responsibility to trusted managers and supervisors. At first, this was uncomfortable. He had spent years checking everything personally.

But he knew that if every decision required his approval, the company could never become truly scalable.

His role gradually changed from being the person who solved every problem to being the person who built people capable of solving problems.

That was perhaps his most important leadership transformation.

A New Confidence

One evening, Somanath was reviewing a collection of old documents. Among them was one of his earliest handwritten cleaning schedules from the company’s formative years.

The paper was faded.

The handwriting was hurried.

The information was basic.

He smiled.

Next to it was a much more detailed operational report prepared by the company’s management team.

The difference between the two documents represented years of growth.

But Somanath did not throw the old paper away.

He kept it.

It reminded him that organizations are not built overnight. They evolve through thousands of ordinary improvements.

From a small beginning in Basavkalyan and operations developed in Nanded, the organization had learned to work with greater discipline and confidence. ISO certification had provided a framework, but the people had transformed that framework into daily practice.

As the company prepared for its next chapter, Somanath understood that the future would bring new competition, new technologies, changing railway requirements, and greater customer expectations.

There would be difficult years.

There would be setbacks.

There would be opportunities that required courage.

But the organization now possessed something it had not possessed at the beginning of its journey:

the ability to learn, adapt, and improve as a team.

Somanath looked once more at the old handwritten schedule before placing it carefully back into the file.

The certificate had been the symbol of quality.

The people had become its foundation.

And the culture they had built would determine how far the organization could go.

#BusinessGrowth

Chapter 9 – The Railway Became More Than a Workplace

For Somanath V. Sungalge, the railway had gradually become more than a source of business. It had become a classroom, a testing ground, and a place where the company learned what responsibility truly meant.

Every railway station presented a different challenge. Every coach carried different passengers. Every pit line operated under different pressures. Yet the fundamental expectation remained the same: cleanliness, hygiene, punctuality, safety, and dependable service.

By this stage of the organization’s journey, Somanath had begun to understand that the company’s reputation was being built through thousands of small interactions.

A supervisor speaking respectfully to a railway official.

A worker arriving before the beginning of a shift.

A machine operator checking equipment before starting work.

An OBHS employee responding quickly to a passenger.

An office administrator maintaining an accurate record.

None of these actions appeared in a newspaper. None created immediate publicity. But together they created trust.

And trust, Somanath believed, was the most valuable asset a service company could possess.

The Pressure of Public Expectations

Railway passengers were not always patient.

During holiday seasons, festivals, and peak travel periods, stations became crowded. Coaches were filled beyond normal capacity, waste accumulated rapidly, and toilets required frequent attention. Workers often had to perform difficult tasks while passengers moved around them.

The company’s teams learned to work without expecting recognition.

One festival season provided a particularly demanding test.

A major railway station experienced unusually heavy passenger traffic. The cleaning team had been prepared for increased workload, but the volume exceeded expectations. Waste bins filled quickly, waiting areas became crowded, and sanitation teams were continuously called from one location to another.

The site supervisor contacted the office.

“We need additional support,” he reported.

Within hours, manpower was reorganized. Workers from nearby operations were temporarily redeployed, supplies were moved to the station, and supervisors extended their monitoring hours.

Somanath arrived later that evening.

He did not begin by asking how much work had been completed.

He asked, “Where is the pressure greatest?”

The supervisor pointed toward the main passenger area.

Somanath walked there and observed the situation for several minutes.

“Then this is where we start,” he said.

The team reorganized its priorities. Instead of distributing manpower evenly, they concentrated resources where passenger movement was highest.

By the following morning, the station was under control.

The experience strengthened an important principle: quality does not mean following a routine blindly; it means responding intelligently when circumstances change.

Growing Through OBHS

The company’s involvement in On Board House Keeping and Hygiene Services brought another dimension to its work.

A station cleaning team could leave an area after completing its scheduled task. An OBHS employee could not always do the same. The service continued while the train traveled from one destination to another.

Employees therefore needed patience, alertness, and strong communication skills.

Somanath emphasized that passengers should never feel that the cleaning staff were simply performing a contractual obligation.

“They are our guests inside that coach,” he explained.

Training began to focus increasingly on passenger experience.

Workers were taught to listen before responding. They were reminded not to argue with passengers, even when accusations were unfair. They learned that a small act of courtesy could prevent a minor complaint from becoming a major incident.

One employee later described the change simply:

“Earlier we cleaned the coach. Now we understand that we are also representing the company.”

Somanath considered that statement a sign of maturity.

The Company Behind the Worker

As the organization grew, another challenge became clear: the public often saw the worker but not the company behind the worker.

Somanath wanted employees to understand that every uniform carried the organization’s reputation.

This led to greater attention to appearance, identification, punctuality, conduct, and communication.

Supervisors were encouraged to appreciate good performance publicly. When workers performed exceptionally during difficult assignments, their efforts were recognized during meetings.

The objective was not merely motivation.

Somanath wanted employees to feel ownership.

He believed that a company could purchase machines, rent offices, and acquire equipment, but commitment could not be purchased. It had to be developed.

Infrastructure Work and New Responsibilities

At the same time, work connected with railway infrastructure continued to broaden the organization’s capabilities.

Projects involving covers over railway platforms and foot over bridges required careful coordination, particularly because railway environments were active public spaces.

Construction activities had to be planned around operational requirements. Material movement needed supervision. Workers had to understand site safety. Progress had to be documented.

The organization therefore applied lessons learned from its quality-management journey.

Before beginning work, responsibilities were defined.

During execution, progress was monitored.

After completion, quality was reviewed.

The process was becoming increasingly systematic.

Somanath noticed that this way of working created another advantage: it reduced dependence on individual personalities.

If one supervisor was transferred or one manager was unavailable, the system still functioned.

That was the real meaning of organizational maturity.

Looking Back

One afternoon, Somanath returned to Basavkalyan after a long period away.

The familiar streets looked almost unchanged.

Mallikarjuna Street still carried the rhythm of everyday life. Small shops opened in the morning. People greeted one another by name. Children moved through the lanes on their way home.

He stood outside the family home and remembered the young man who had once dreamed of creating something meaningful.

There had been no guarantee that the dream would succeed.

There had been no large investment waiting.

There had been no famous name behind him.

There had only been determination.

He realized that his greatest achievement was not the number of railway locations served or the number of contracts completed.

It was the fact that ordinary people had been given opportunities to build careers through the organization.

Workers who once searched for daily employment now supervised teams.

Young recruits had learned technical skills.

Experienced employees had become trainers.

The company had become a source of livelihood for families who depended upon its stability.

As evening approached, Somanath looked toward the road and thought about the future.

The ISO certificate had helped open doors.

Railway services had provided the platform.

But the company’s real journey had been about people.

And as long as those people continued to work with discipline, humility, and pride, Somanath believed the organization could face whatever the next chapter brought.

The railway had taught him that every journey begins with a departure.

#EmployeeEmpowerment

Chapter 10 – Beyond the Certificate

The year 2016 marked an important point in the story of Somanath V. Sungalge and his growing organization. The ISO 9001:2008 certification period had reached its stated validity, but the lessons created during those years were far from over.

For Somanath, the certificate had never been the destination.

It had been a doorway.

When the organization first pursued ISO certification, the objective was simple: create a more professional system, improve consistency, and gain greater confidence from clients. But the consequences had gone much deeper. Documentation had created accountability. Training had created confidence. Inspections had created discipline. Corrective actions had created learning. And regular reviews had created a habit of improvement.

The certificate might have a date printed on it.

The culture did not.

A Different Kind of Company

By this stage, the organization no longer operated like the small contractor Somanath had started years earlier.

There were supervisors who could manage sites independently. Workers understood their responsibilities. Administrative staff maintained records more systematically. Equipment was treated as an investment rather than an expense. Client feedback was reviewed instead of simply filed away.

Most importantly, Somanath no longer had to personally solve every operational problem.

That was one of the clearest signs of growth.

A company becomes mature when its systems continue functioning even when its founder is not present.

Somanath had learned this through experience.

In the early years, a telephone call from a railway site could immediately change his entire day. If a machine stopped working, he went personally. If manpower was short, he arranged replacements. If a railway official raised a complaint, he handled it himself.

Now, managers and supervisors had developed enough confidence to take responsibility.

Somanath still remained involved, but his role was changing.

He was becoming less of a firefighter and more of a strategist.

Protecting the Reputation

Growth created another responsibility: protecting the name the organization had built.

Somanath repeatedly reminded employees that a reputation could take years to create and only minutes to damage.

A single careless interaction with a railway official could affect confidence.

A poorly maintained machine could interrupt operations.

An untrained worker could create a passenger complaint.

A delayed report could raise doubts about the organization’s reliability.

Therefore, quality had to remain visible in everyday details.

The company continued emphasizing punctuality, cleanliness, proper uniforms, equipment maintenance, documentation, and respectful communication.

Somanath also insisted that no employee should feel that quality belonged only to management.

“Quality is everyone’s responsibility,” he said.

The statement had become almost familiar within the organization, but he continued repeating it because he knew that familiar principles were the ones most likely to be forgotten.

Investing in People

One of the company’s strongest areas of development was employee training.

The railway environment required workers to understand more than cleaning procedures. They needed awareness of safety, hygiene, equipment handling, passenger behavior, reporting, and teamwork.

Training therefore became an ongoing process.

Experienced employees demonstrated tasks to new recruits. Supervisors conducted practical briefings. Workers learned from actual incidents rather than theoretical instructions alone.

Somanath believed that people should not be trained merely to follow orders.

They should be trained to understand why the work mattered.

A worker who understood why a toilet required frequent sanitation would be more attentive than someone who simply followed a schedule.

A machine operator who understood preventive maintenance would be more likely to report an unusual sound before a breakdown.

An OBHS employee who understood the importance of passenger confidence would respond differently to a complaint.

Knowledge created responsibility.

The Next Generation of Leadership

As the organization became larger, Somanath also began thinking about succession—not necessarily in terms of a formal successor, but in terms of leadership capacity.

He wanted young supervisors to learn how to make decisions.

He encouraged them to visit different sites, understand different service models, and observe how experienced managers handled difficult situations.

One afternoon, a young supervisor asked him, “Sir, what is the most important quality for a manager?”

Somanath considered the question.

“Listen carefully,” he finally answered. “Then decide fairly. And after deciding, take responsibility.”

The supervisor wrote the sentence down.

It became one of the many informal lessons passed through the organization.

The Meaning of Growth

Financial growth was important. Larger contracts were important. More equipment and more employees were signs of progress.

But Somanath had developed a broader definition of success.

Success meant paying employees on time.

Success meant completing work responsibly.

Success meant earning the trust of clients.

Success meant giving workers opportunities to improve their lives.

Success meant being able to face an audit without fear.

Success meant receiving a complaint and having the courage to investigate it.

And success meant knowing that the organization could continue improving even after the founder left the site.

The ISO journey had helped him understand that true quality was not about perfection.

It was about consistency, correction, and continuous improvement.

The Road Ahead

One evening, Somanath stood in the office and looked at the framed ISO certificate.

The paper had begun to show small signs of age.

He remembered the day it had arrived. The excitement. The pride. The sense that the company had finally crossed an invisible boundary between a small contractor and a professionally managed organization.

But now he viewed the certificate differently.

It was no longer proof of what the company had achieved.

It was a reminder of what the company had promised.

A promise to maintain standards.

A promise to listen to customers.

A promise to train employees.

A promise to correct mistakes.

A promise to keep improving.

He removed the frame from the wall, cleaned the glass, and placed it back carefully.

Then he looked around the office.

The old wooden table had been replaced.

The files were more organized.

The workforce was larger.

The organization was more confident.

But the original spirit remained.

From Mallikarjuna Street, Basavkalyan, to the growing operations connected with Nanded, the journey had been built one difficult decision at a time.

The railway had provided the opportunity.

ISO had provided structure.

The employees had provided commitment.

And Somanath had provided the vision to connect them.

#ContinuousImprovement

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