Fond Memories about SBT on its Foundation Day
SBT
FOUNDATION DAY - 12TH SEPTEMBER
Today is the foundation
day for State Bank of Travancore, an associate of State Bank of India, merged
with the parent on 31st March 2017. As Covid threat is no longer looming
large, the foundation day of SBT (came into existence 12th
September 1945), is sure to be celebrated today, all over Kerala, with love
and fond memories by all ex-SBTians. People ask me, “What is so great to
celebrate the foundation day of an institution, which no longer exists". Yes, we
have special reasons to celebrate and the main factor is the human connect that binds us, till we breathe our last. I share a few personal instances, which describe the character of the
bank and the attitude of the staff’
No
mincing of words, please: When I joined the bank in 1985 as
a Probationary Officer, I joined State Bank of Travancore Officers’ Association
(SBTOA), which was a minority association and a sister wing of SBT Employees’
Union, the major employees’ union in SBT at that time. After a few years, the
officers association could not sustain due to its minority character and I left
SBTOA somewhere in 1993. Associate Banks Officers Association (ABOA) Unit SBT,
affiliated to AIBOC, the majority officers’ association in SBT called for
election of office bearers and committee members in 1994, for the period 1994-97. I got a call from the
then organising secretary Shri Krishnan Kutty Nair that Shri N.S.Muralidharan
Nair (popularly known as NSM or Murali) would like me to contest for the
committee member position relating to its members working outside Kerala and Kanyakumari
Distrrict (KK District) Tamil Nadu. I accepted the request and contested. One
of my very close friends (even now), Shri X met me personally and said “I will
not vote for you. Your opponent is with
the officers' association for a long time and will contribute better for the welfare of
the members”. Though startled by the outburst, I managed to smile. When the
results were declared, I won the election by a decent margin and Shri X was the
first to congratulate me! (As luck would have it, my then opponent for the above position, also became a EC member subsequently, consequent to forming of Chennai Zone to cover branches outside Kerala). Shri X is only an example of a SBTian expressing opinion and
upholding conviction, irrespective of personal closeness.
Difference
exists, but camaraderie continues: I accompanied our secretary
NSM for a visit of KK District branches and association meetings. One officer from Kerala, who was posted to
one of the interior branches in the district, had a heated discussion with the
secretary, as he felt injustice was done to him in the transfer exercise. The exchange of words between
the secretary and the officer was so harsh that I felt the same might get
reflected in the meeting of officers to be held later in the day in the town. To my surprise, after such an episode, NSM put his hands over the shoulders
of the agitated officer and took him out for a tea, outside the branch. In the
evening meeting, the officer concerned and NSM were sharing a few jokes, as if nothing
happened in the morning. The secretary taught a practical lesson that day, as
to how difference of opinion should never come in the way of camaraderie.
Integrity
Respected and results followed: Shri K.R.Srikantan was the first Zonal Head of Chennai Zone, formed in 1995, covering all branches of SBT outside Kerala. (He went on to become the Managing Director of SBBJ in 2003). I was working in zonal office, Chennai and I was also the Assistant Secretary, Chennai Zone, ABOA Unit: SBT. During that period, ‘Cheque
accommodation’ for a set of clients was entertained by two branches, A & B,
by discounting cheques drawn mutually. After some time, one set of cheques discounted by A
branch, aggregating to app. Rs.50 lacs, was returned by B branch, as the accommodation
could no longer be sustained. Normally, in such situations, suspension of
officers concerned before resorting to disciplinary action could not be ruled
out. Hence I met the Zonal Manager, in
my capacity as assistant secretary of the association, assured him that all
efforts for recovery will continue and requested him to avoid any extreme
action that might be contemplated. He talked to the officers concerned and made
them know that, while prima facie no malafide was suspected on their part, their
future in the bank very much depended on the recovery of the amount involved. There
was no knee jerk reaction like suspension, transferring to innocuous positions
outside the state, etc. This had a salutary effect. Encouraged by the faith imposed, the officers
concerned recovered the entire money within 15 days from the offenders, which
also enabled them to prove their innocence. Though disciplinary action was initiated
against the officers for the alleged lapses without any let down in procedures,
the officers concerned could establish their integrity and non-involvement, by
recovering the entire money with full interest due thereon in record time. The
Zonal Manager Shri Srikantan demonstrated as to how to handle such situations, where officers
appeared to have been duped, with focus on recovery from external offenders
before much time is lost.
Personal
Touch Remained: My wife completed six years in Chennai
Zone in 1996 and was due for transfer to other zones. I talked to our association secretary NSM and requested
him to permit me to apply for a transfer to go along with her. (My term as
Assistant Secretary in Chennai Zone was up to 1997). NSM told me “Once a
position is accepted in the association, it cannot be abandoned mid-way for
self- interest”. I appreciated his stand and told my wife to apply for Tridvandrum
Zone and told her that I will join her in 1997. I requested the personnel
officer, Chennai Zone to surrender her name to Trivandrum Zone, which he
obliged. One week after the inter-zone transfer for scale I and scale II
officers were finalised, I was summoned by the Zonal Manager Shri K.R.Srikantan
to his cabin. He told me “Viswanathan, how can you decide on the transfer of a
branch manager (my wife was working as a branch manager in a city branch)
working under me. For administrative reasons, we have decided to retain her in
that branch for one more year”. He did not elaborate and allowed me to go. I
called my secretary and advised him the developments. He laughed it off and
kept down the phone. Only when I met the
personnel officer, I could realise that the secretary NSM made a personal
request over phone to the Zonal Manager for retaining my wife for one more year
in Chennai, which he readily agreed. I was overwhelmed by the affection shown
towards me by both NSM and the Zonal Manager, Shri K.R.Srikantan. When I
thanked NSM, he told me “Viswan, it is important that you follow and comply
with the rules, but please remember to permit deviations, when allowed by the set up, to help people, who are
in genuine need. (The next year, me and my wife moved over to Trivandrum).
Decision
Respected, even if opinion differs: Shri Sasidharan Nair
(popularly known as Sasi in Trivandrum) worked with me in Trivandrum Zonal Office from
1997-2000. He was the EC member and I was the Assistant Secretary of Trivandrum
Zone. I, along with the other EC members
of Trivandrum Zone, was preparing the list of scale I and II officers, which contained transfer
requests from officers as well as those who completed their term in the current
assignment, for submitting it to the management for its consideration. In
respect of one officer, there was a difference of opinion between me and Sasi,
on the place of posting suggested. He became emotional on the issue and left
the meeting in a huff. It upset me and other EC members, since Sasi played a
major role in revamping the co-operative credit society for officers and was
held in high esteem by all of us. However, we continued the meeting and
completed our suggestions to be submitted to the management on transfers. When
the meeting was about to end, Sasi came back, participated in the discussions
and helped us in completing the job. He was sorry about the incident and said
that he will be part of the decisions taken in the meeting, though his opinion
on the transfer posting of a particular officer was based out of genuine facts.
Sasi showed the real sprit of SBT – “air your opinions without fear or favour, but once a decision is taken abide by it and help in implementing it, though
the decision might be counter to your original views”
There are many more
such instances to elaborate from my side.
And so will be the case in respect of others also. We love SBT for so
many reasons but the inter-personal relationships established appear to top the list.
Regards
V.Viswanathan
12th
September 2022
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