State Bank of Travancore Foundation Day

 SBT Foundation Day

12th September 2026

Certain things cannot be restored in life. During such  situations, the counsel says "Accept reality; reconcile yourself". I accepted my retirement, sitting at home without work and all that; but yet to reconcile to the fact that my mother Bank SBT ceased to exist.  I joined SBT, when the work was carried out manually. Then I worked in a partially computerised set up followed by a fully computerised core banking environment as well. I mostly I worked in branches, till I entered administrative offices at higher levels. Month after month, on all salary days, I used to see, interact, and offer a 'cup of chai' to my senior retirees, who used to throng the branch for withdrawing money and updating their passbooks. The situation did not change, even when the ATM cards were introduced, passbook printing machines were kept alongside the online ATM machines.  Most of the retirees preferred cash withdrawal from the counters, (select some withdrew from the ATM and come inside for small changes). Almost all of them demanded manual updating of their passbooks. Branches wore a festive look on such days, with the retirees reliving the cherished old memories and exchanging friendly fights also.

Things have changed so drastically, since then. I no longer visit a branch. True; availability of UPI, GPay, YONO, ATM DEBIT CARDS, CREDIT CARDS, easily accessible passbook printers no longer compel you to visit a branch. But I still feel I would have visited a branch month regularly, had SBT existed. If you ask me "Is SBI, not kind in treating SBT staff?", my emphatic answer is "no". SBI and SBIans (includes SBTians as SBIans now) do give personal attention and respect me as an ex-staff and a valuable customer. They attend to my needs, quite fast. Still, I feel that there exists a respectful 'barrier' that separates from being very close. The bond is different from a direct relationship within the family to the 'uncle, aunty, cousin' kind of relationship. (In Tamil we say ஒன்றுவிட்ட வழி உறவுகள்). I still remember the incident when Comrade NSM Nair (General Secretary, ABOA: Unit SBT) went for a 'chai and kadi' with a colleague, who took him to task for an unfavorable transfer in the association meeting, immediately after the meeting was over. என்ன இருந்தாலும் தொப்புள் கொடி உறவு என்பது தனி தானே. Whatever you say, SBT was a motherly relationship. If you ask me to speak the truth, only when someone reminds me that July 1 is celebrated as SBI Bank day, I remember it. 12th September is only etched in my memory as Bank day.

SBTians Meet is quite popular across Kerala. I believe, persons attending the meet are coming there to relive those SBTian days filled with fights, disappointments, happiness, cherished memories and what not. 

If you believe in Karma theory that "you get back, whatever you do to others", you will get solace from the following . Travancore Bank Ltd., which became SBT merged with itself nine banks that went into moratorium including Travancore Forward Bank Ltd, The Kottayam Oriental Bank Ltd, Cochin Nayar Bank and Bank of New India Ltd.  Whether the employees of the above banks would have felt the same like us after their banks became invisible and immersed into SBT? Possibly, yes. But they had at least some 'carrots' that were not available to them prior to merger with SBT  like jumping from a 'sinking ship' into a 'sailing' one, job security, becoming a government servant and a strong union to protect. We had these 'carrots' and were positively ahead, even prior to merger. 

I also console myself looking at or imagining the feelings of those  PSBians, who were unfortunate to see their parent banks merging with other major PSBs in the recent past. The merged entities had their origins in different geographies, there existed differences in work culture, life styles, career opportunities. Difficult to comprehend indeed.

Growing big in an inorganic way makes the economy stronger, made the already largest bank in India to become globally more visible and stronger. But in such merger exercises, human beings viz. the staff and customers of the merged entities have to start afresh and adapt themselves into the new set up. Nine years passed by. And one sees the adoption is admirable and complete. Kudos.

Happy SBT Foundation Day.

Regards 

V. VISWANATHAN 

CGM Retd e-SBT

12th September 2026