SBT’s SADHABHISHEGAM Tomorrow

SBT's Sadhabishegam on 12th Sep' 2025 

Whenever I think about SBI and its erstwhile associate banks, I could not help, but recollect the story of King Shantanu’s marriage with the River Ganges and their seven babies, born prior to Bhishma (their eighth son). Like the first seven babies thrown into the river and got merged with their mother River Ganges, the seven associate banks (AB) were merged into their parent SBI on 31st March 2017. The comparison ends there. A hesitant parent had to merge its seven unwilling ABs with itself, due to an arrangement fixed by SBI’s major shareholder viz. the Government of India. Unlike the seven babies, who were submerged in their mother river on day one, the seven ABs were allowed to grow for nearly 58 years before their merger with their parent. Again SBI was an adopted mother for the seven ABs, which were in existence, prior to them being sworn in as subsidiaries of SBI. So, when the merger took place, thousands of the stake holders of ABs viz. shareholders, employees and customers had to adopt SBI as the custodian of their interests. No doubt, it has enhanced the stakeholders’ interests and the vision of SBI, the largest commercial bank in India.

More than eight years have passed by, since the merger took place. Though, by and large,, SBI is taking care of the welfare of its grand children - the employees and pensioners, we, the retired ABians still feel the absence of our invisible beloved mother, though occassionally. At that time, the feeling is one of being orphaned, not knowing where to get consoled. For instance, I felt aggrieved, when the unlimited medical benefits scheme available upto the level of DMDs, was extended to SBI's CGMs, past and present in 2022, leaving out the CGMs, who retired in ABs prior to merger. For a moment, I thought, had the ABs been alive, the unlimited medical benefit would have been extended to the retired CGMs of ABs also. (When DMDs were included in the above scheme in 2015/16, DMDs promoted from ABs were included upfront). Barring the above, I am grateful to SBI for treating me on par with all other SBIans and the personal care and attention shown by the bank to all my needs, as its pensioner and customer.

Coming back to SBT, I had many lovely moments with the bank, some of which were unique in nature.

1. I was among the few, who were lucky to join the bank as a clerk and also got selected to serve it again, as a probationary officer.

2. I resigned from the bank to accept the posting as a PO, but did not lose my connection with the bank even for a day as I resigned on Sunday as a clerk (Besant Nagar branch, Chennai where  I served was a clerk had Sunday as a working day) and joined Thamarassery Branch, Kozhikode, the next day.

3. I was the Organising Secretary of SBTOA, an affiliate of SBTEU, the employees' union. After SBTOA ceased to exist, I got the opportunity to serve ABOA: Unit: SBT as its assistant secretary for two terms in different zones of the bank. My vision and knowledge widened, as I saw the bank from the other side; I got the opportunity to take promtion classes/conduct mock interviews for hundreds of career aspirants; I could extend my assistance as defence representative to those, who had to undergo the trial of charge sheets and domestic enquiry.

4. I was also among the few lucky ones (from the so many dedicated and deserving officers of SBT), to get an overseas assignment in SBI for four years. During my tenure spanning 37 years, I was privileged to serve three ABs including my parent bank SBT. It was again a destiny that I retired from the services of the bank on 31st March 2017, the last date prior to ABs' merger with SBI. (So I started and ended my career in SBT, that too on the last day of the bank as SBT)

I always cherish my memorable moments with my friends and colleagues in SBT, other ABs and SBI. What I am today is due to all of them.

God bless SBTians, ABians and SBIans and the bank SBI always.

Regards

V. Viswanathan

11th September 2025.