Mr Vijay Sood, Head of Packaging, Nestle India
Back in the mid Eighties, he would visit us in Printing Development Services, Metal Box, Deonar with artworks of Lactogen and Cerelac cans. With friendly smiles, easy banter and pats on the shoulders of all levels of staff, he would meticulously and firmly, layout the expected quality parameters.
Mr Sood – the Packaging Legend
He conceived and developed a unique, first-of-its–kind, specialized placement service for packaging industry professionals. With his towering credentials as a Bhisham Pitamah of the industry, he was a magnet to young (and even old, like me) packaging professionals, to whom he dispensed guidance freely.
Sood Saab – Chairman, IIP
It is remarkable that he is perhaps the only packaging professional from the brand owner side to be appointed Chairman, IIP, and to have led IIP through its critical periods, such as the first IndPack in Delhi, the Union Crisis, and the construction of the Delhi office building. At all such times, he could successfully steer IIP with a smile and by taking everyone along with a ‘let’s do it’ attitude.
Vijay – The Packaging Consortium
He held many of us together in TPC, through grueling timelines and projects. At many times, he generously opened his home (and dining table) as the adda from where the work happened. During this period, I can recall the times Chidambar and I would have heated disagreements, and at all times Vijay would diplomatically smooth things over.
Vijay – the thorough professional
Though several years my senior, I always marveled at how disciplined he was in his daily life. During long hours of travel and early morning flights, he was always ready a few minutes before time.
He never dozed off in car journeys or during boring presentations. (Yes, many times he nudged me awake.)
He could always be depended on to work out complex calculations faster than we could on a calculator. He had an admirable memory for names and faces, and since he knew so many people, that was quite a feat.
He was process–driven and methodical with his work, such that he could be depended on to find old notes and files, effortlessly.
This was the Vijay I knew. He truly lived up to his name of being Vijay, the victorious. He was an inspiration to many of us, and we will miss his avuncular and comforting presence dearly.
I wish he could still be just a phone call away, whenever I need some friendly advice, or experienced insight, or just some company to visit a packaging exhibition.
Farewell, my dear friend, Vijay.
