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Shri Pattabhi Raman, former GM, SBH attains Sadgati Shri Pattabhi Raman, (Pattabhi) former General Manager of State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) is no more. (His daughter messaged me yesterday). As late as 14th April 2024, we were in touch (He wished me on Tamil New Year Day and I responded). It is an irreparable personal loss to me. In my banking career, two persons were mainly responsible for moulding me as a person and in bringing out the best out of me in the positions I held. One was Shri Christopher Hickman, my chief manager in State Bank of Travancore, Mount Road (1990-93) and the other was Shri Pattabhi Raman. He came on deputation from SBH to SBT and was the deputy general manager (DGM) of the then Trivandrum Zone (1997-2000), where I worked as manager (planning).   The moment I remember him, I recollect the different facets exhibited. He was stylish (resembling actor Dharmendra), had an attractive walking posture (resembling actor Shivaji Ganesan) and earned respect, even...

  Regulatory Supervision: Is it part of a central bank’s autonomy? On 13th May 2024, Business Line published excerpts of its interview with Shri Duvvuri Subba Rao, Governor RBI: 2008-13, (Shri Rao) on his latest book "Just a Mercenary?". I am yet to read the book fully, though I had a cursory glance of the book, purchased through amazon yesterday. From the interview, it appears that the book dealt at length on (i) the need to demystify the union budget for a better understanding by the common man (ii) the author’s views on the CAG's decision to go into the question of "presumptive loss” that arose due to the 'first come first served' tender process followed and (iii) the importance of not compromising on the central bank’s (RBI's) autonomy. I read the author’s first book titled "Who moved by interest rate?", in which he narrated elaborately on the pressures faced from the central government in RBI's  monetary policy decisions, particularly o...