Brijesh Kumar Gaur is married with two children and comes from a middle-class family in Himachal Pradesh. He started working for Rahat Cargo in 1991, his first job following graduation from high school, and worked his way up to the position he holds today through sheer effort, commitment, indulgence, and tenacity. He has always been a conscientious worker who is passionate about every aspect of his job.
A career in the freight and transportation sector was not predetermined as such, says Brijesh Kumar Gaur. However, when seeking a job, I discovered Rahat Cargo, which needed workers for export-related duties. Fortunately, the management approved my hiring, and I have been working for the company ever since. Throughout the entirety of my employment with the company, managing the cargo functions piqued my curiosity about the industry. As a result, I succeeded on my first attempt and have been working for Rahat Cargo for the past 31 years.
Challenges
“It was quite challenging during my initial stint because I was a raw hand and there were plenty of functional aspects that needed to be carefully learned,” he exclaimed. However, with firm resolve, confidence, and the capable direction of my elders, I gradually but steadily began to master the functions that were critical in international cargo trading.” Since 1999, he has started interacting with airlines for bookings and status. In 2005, he was promoted to handle perishables, and he was promoted to Senior Executive in 2013. “The greatest challenge the industry faced during the pandemic was ensuring smooth movement of cargo, particularly perishables; however, despite the time and facility constraints then faced, the movement of perishables had to occur in a streamlined manner amid lockdown all over. And it was extremely rewarding for me and my company because all export activities proceeded smoothly throughout the pandemic,” Gaur recalls.
Act of valour
The sudden imposition of lockdown during the pandemic, which had brought normal operations to a standstill, is the time, in his memory, where he felt compelled to act for the industry’s betterment. At the time, office staff and operational personnel needed for clearance functions at the airport were stuck at their respective homes and unable to report for duty, while perishable shipments were already scheduled for uplift. Along with carrying out the system’s obligatory tasks, uploading the documents online, and filing them with the relevant agencies afterwards, he was expected to act alone to arrange for the e-passes of the important staff on a time-bound basis. “The task was enormous and appeared difficult, which nearly made me hesitant to move further. However, after gathering the courage and strength with the assistance of the management, I started the processes and finished all the tasks at hand. And it finally offered a huge sense of relaxation and satisfaction that our functions were carried out on the desired levels during the entire challenging time,” he continues.
Latest trends and technologies
“I have been doing my best to keep up with the latest developments, focusing on information via the Internet and consulting magazines and journals with a primary focus on cargo,” Gaur says. Training courses, from time to time, provided a wealth of resources for learning that aided in augmenting the additional working ideas and skills. Furthermore, my organisation has a philosophy of providing cutting-edge IT facilities, which has continually helped me keep updated in all aspects.
Over the preceding decades, the freight business saw a sea of change in all its functionally associated areas. The system generated documents have taken the place of handwritten AWBs and documentation. Since practically all essential tasks have been moved online, interactions with different carriers over the phone and in person have been drastically reduced, saving a great deal of time.
Similarly, airport clearance jobs have been expedited because of the data interface among participating working entities. The use of EDI has reduced the time required to file large shipping bills. Customs has also gone paperless, in addition to operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Such changes in functions were gradually learned by me with lots of care and caution, aside from understanding the complexities of the jobs from seniors and management from time to time,” he says. The transformation towards betterment has always been a call of the time, and it is being seized with zeal.”
The transformation towards betterment has always been a call of the time, and it is being seized with zeal
Work-life balance
As Gaur reflects, “Candidly speaking, the personal life may encounter barriers at times due to a continual involvement with the job, which occasionally gets stretched beyond the tolerance limit of the family members. But every time they do, I explain the problem to them and am successful in getting across the gravity of the task. Over time, the family has also developed a good grasp of these odds that cannot be avoided when doing a task that must be completed. I am therefore fortunate to have a supportive family and management, which gives me the motivation to continue with my work in a flawless manner.”
Key success factors
“I believe that everyone involved in the industry, especially those handling export functions, must move from one step to the next with the utmost caution, as any lapse or mistake at any crucial stage may prove detrimental to the goal.” Being aware of the norms and regulations and remaining diligent are crucial success mantras. Being overconfident can sometimes be disastrous, so it is necessary to seek advice and direction from superiors if there are any concerns. Gaur adds that “the consolidation of team spirits, in addition to instilling motivational attitudes among the juniors, plays a major role in achieving the goals, coupled with politeness and passion to perform.”
To the new professionals who have recently entered the industry, I would like to offer a few tips: work with fervour, excitement, drive, confidence, and eagerness to learn how to perform the necessary tasks to the satisfaction of the seniors. In the freight industry, where there is no room to put off chores until tomorrow, a disposition of lethargy or apathy towards the job at hand will not be useful. Decide today, act today, and see positive benefits right away, he suggests.
