Desi News Corp - Index

Desi News Corp - Desi News - April 2009 - Index

room WITH A POINT OF VIEW
Becoming an entrepreneur
is a dream many of
us have. But how does
one go about it?
Do this! Don’t do that! This
is a mistake! This is how you can
hit the jackpot! These are among
the many points endlessly debated,
discussed and dissected.
However, the story is always
different when you hear it
straight from the entrepreneur
who was probably the regular
guy or girl next door until making
it in the world of business.
Such is the story of Jay
Sarkar, chairman, president
and CEO of Sartrex, a high-tech
instrumentation company.
Sitting in his posh office on
a cold winter morning, he
shared his commitment and
vision for his company.
“I think the bottom line of
every business is the people
who are associated with it –
employer, employees, shareholders,
consumers, etc. What
I have learned in my day-to-day
interaction with people is that
life is very simple. You have to
be honest and straight-forward
in your dealings. If you are true
to yourself and do not look at
14 Desi News April 2009
Balancing life and work
people only from a business
point of view, the rest simply
falls into place.
“Every day, I’m in my office
before 9 am and make sure I
am aware of everything on the
day’s agenda. There are around
65 people inclusive of fulltimers,
consultants and agents,
and we all know each other
well. I have an excellent team
and we function as a tight-knit
group. That, I think, makes the
difference.”
Sarkar came to Canada in
the 1970s, in search of a better
life after obtaining his degree
in engineering from Ranchi
University in India.
Getting his first job in the
quality assurance department
of an engineering company
was easy. Hard work and determination
over the next 12
years saw him rise to the position
of a senior vice president
of the company.
But Sarkar harboured a
dream of making it on his own.
He recalls the turning point.
While sitting at a board meeting,
he dreamt of heading his
own company. A year-and-ahalf
later, in 2001, Sarkar estab-
lished Sartrex Power Control
Systems.
Sartrex develops, designs and
qualifies very specialized instruments
for the nuclear power
industry.
“Ours is a highly successful
control systems company, custom
manufacturing high-tech scientific
instrumentation for power plants
(industrial and commercial),
research centres and governments
in Canada and overseas. Our systems
are designed with worker and
public safety in mind and are
developed and manufactured
here, with instruction manuals,
qualification and installation
approved by the inspector and
customers. Sometimes we are paid
more on documentation than
the product itself.”
Though his business has global
reach, Ontario Power Generation
is their main client. With
over 30 years of Canadian experience,
Sarkar is known as ‘Mr.
Nuclear’ in his business circle.
He has been busy for the past
three years with an automation
project for Health Canada,
whose successful commissioning
will lead to continuous business
for the next 20 years, he says enthusias-
NARI MAVALWALLA /DESI NEWS
tically. They have also been
working for the Department of
National Defence in Halifax
and Vancouver. “When a vessel
is docked in Vancouver, it is
monitored for radiation leaks in
the environment. We are working
towards monitoring possible
leaks through remote control.”
Sarkar is politically active as
well and represented the NDP in
October 2007 in Scarborough
South West. He is willing to give
it one more shot.
“I don’t mind one more run
to see how I fare. I was once an
immigrant in this wonderful
country. Today, there’s a need for
someone of strong conviction
and determination to work for
the betterment of the people.”
He is the president of Prabasi
Bengali Cultural Association
(PBCA), and a member of
the Canadian Adult and
Community Education Alliance,
which advocates for lifelong
learning and works to
focus on senior education. He
is in demand as a speaker and
participates in a wide range of
cultural events.
“Work is my life, but I do
recognise that I need to find
time for myself,” says Sarkar. “I
am at my plant from 9 am to 7
pm, and have social and cultural
commitments after that. Some
evenings, I g o to Wegz –
Canada’s only stadium bar,
where I get to meet my friends
and spend some time over a
drink. On other days, I am back
home with my wife and family.”
Speaking about his wife
Chitra, he adds, “She is the
anchor in my life and the one
who holds the family together.
Sarkar has these word of
advice for newcomers to Canada:
“Every human being has his or
her strengths and weaknesses. Do
not brood over your weaknesses;
focus on your strengths instead.
If you have the commitment,
passion and perseverance, you can
achieve what you desire, so never,
ever give up. If I could do it, you
can do it too!”
– S HIPRA CHAUDHURY