My Life Story Part 3

Post-College Life:

I started trying for jobs immediately after the final examination. I faced a frustrating few months. I used to go Madras for interviews and by the time I returned to Tiruchi, a regret card would be waiting for me. I almost got selected in Burma Shell. In the mean-time, I was preparing for my I.A.S. Examinations.After four months, I got a job as District Organiser in Bharat Sevak Samaj, which was sponsored by the Ministry of Social welfare. I had obtained a Diploma in Social Sciences while studying in the College. The posting for this job was at Tiruchi and the first salary Rs 150/ per month.In this job, I had to work as interpreter to an American Journalist writing a book on Indian slums.The journalist paid me Rs 15/ per day from his packet. This was a princely sum and we could buy our enire month!s requirement of oil with this money. When the journalist left, I was asked to teach in a Blind School and Old Age Home in the nights. These night schools were located in Tennur, near Ramakrishna Talkies. I used to walk from home to these places.

Early in 1961, my sister Vasantha got married. My father went from pillar to post to raise money for the marriage. No one helped us, including those who were in a position to help. Fortunately, two weeks before the marriage, we sold some agricultural lands at a lower price than the market price and the money came to our hands only ten days before the marriage. The marriage was held in the Medical Association Bldg and we spent nearly Rs 18,000/ on the marriage. My brother-in-law was a very tight-lipped and stiff-necked individual then, though we are close now.

After spending six months in my first job, I applied for the post of Apprentice Sub-Editor with the Indian Express, Madurai. I was called for interview, but there was no interview. The process of selection was through an essay to be written within a specified time on any given subject. After my written paper was examined, I was offered the job. Few of my friends were already working there. The salary was again Rs 150/ per month. We were given free accommodation (Six of us in one hall) and free transport to Pankajam Gardens, where the offices were located. I learnt a lot in this job. As I was also preparing for IAS examination, this experience helped me in a big way.Two experiences still remain in my memory.. There was a Meeting of the All India Congress Commitee held at Madurai, presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru. Along with four others and with "Press Badge", I covered the proceedings. Editor Frank Mores, father of Dom Mores, guided us. I was also asked to write reviews of Hindi/Tamils films. Among the films reviewed, the film "Pachai Vilakku" had a deep influence on me., A song from that film "Oli Mayamana Ethirkalam" inspired me and I felt very optimistic about the future. Who says films do not have any influence?

After one year as a journalist. I got a job in Reserve Bank of India as Field Investigator. This was a one year job. RBI was conducting All-India Rural Debt and Investment survey and as a Field Investigator, I had to compile data of rural indebtedness in three districts -Musiri, Kulithalai and a third one I do no remember now.- We were given specific questionnaire for eliciting response from agriculturists. While on tour in this job, I used to sleep on the wooden benches of the Panchayat Office. I also liked the early morning break-fast in rural areas. I changed the job, as journalism was a poorly paid profession then. (Not Now). RBI job gave me Rs 250/ per month- an increase of Rs 100 per month with a posting at Tiruchi. Financially, this posting helped my family .

The job came to an end on 31st January 1962. Immediately I took up a job as Upper Division Clerk with Bharat Heavy Electricals, Tiruchi, which had just then been set up. I was the the first clerk assigned to Mr Achuthan Niar, Chief engineer. He used to make me stand before him giving instructions. When he came to know that I had passed the written Examination for IAS selection, he not only offered me a seat, but also started calling me "Neenga". I lasted in this job for five months.

In May 1963, I took up a job as Sales Executive with Addison Company Ltd, Madras. This was a company manufacturing cutting tools and was located in Smiths Lane in Mount Road. This was an Officer!s post on a salary of Rs 275/. I was offered coffee on tray with biscuts . I used to stay with my Chittappa in Ice-house, Triplicane. I used to go to Office by walk. My chitti woulld give me packed lunch. Both Chittappa and Chithi were very very kind to me. It was at this time that I began to consider them as next to my parents. Even to-day, I keep my relationship with Chithi. Whenever I go to Madras, I invariably see my Chithi. When my Chittappa died in 2000, I flew from Mumbhai to see him for the last time. I became blank when I saw his body. I remained in this job till 30th March 1964 when I got a job as Probationary Officer in UCO Bank,Calcutta, on a higher salary. Besides, I preferred Banking as a Profession. I joined the bank on 1st April 1964. While proceeding to Calcutta from Madras, I met Ragupathi in the train. He became my mentor, friend and guru in future years.

Here, I must mention about my experiences in Competitive Examinations. I passed the written examination for IAS twice and was interviewed by UPSC Selection Committee in New Delhi. In the first attempt, I got poor marks in the Interview. I went for the interview in half-sleeve shirt and tie and when I saw all six candidates in UPSC Hall wearing suits, I was taken aback I did well in the first part of the interview. In the second attempt,(this time I went in a suit) I got good marks in the Interview, but poor marks in two advanced subjects. This rejection affected me. However, on the basis of my second attempt, I got a job as Class II Officer in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh Civil Service. I rejected this as many of my friends, who were lower to me in the University, were in IAS/IFS. I cleared IPS, but for want of just one inch in height, I was not considered for selection. My getting a job in UCO Bank on a higher salary had something to do with my rejecting UPSC Offer for Class II post.

I joined UCO Bank on 1st April 1964 at Calcutta as Probationary Officer. It was then a private sector bank (owned by G.D.Birla) and was called United Commercial Bank Ltd. The Bank would recruit 16 candidates every year as Probationary Officers. and after training in Calcutta for three months, would post them to different branches in India. The probation period was three years and there was a condition in the Appointment Letter that the Officer should pass CAIIB Examination within the probationary period. Those who failed to clear CAIIB got their probation extended.

The training at Calcutta lasted three months. It was a very good training. We were all treated like royals by the Bank. At the end of the training, I gave vote of thanks to the Management. All senior exevutives ,including the General Manager, Mr Ramanbhai Shah, were present. In my speech, I mentioned that all the trainees came like Sir Winston Churchill and at the end of the training we were like Ramanujam. I repeated Churchill's famous words "I am more afraid of a pageful of figures than a field full of soldiers". The speech was appreciated by Mr Shah who kindly enquired me about my background. We were all given two choices for posting. I gave Tiruchi and Coimbatore. As Tiruchi was my home-town, I was not given Tiruchi but posted to Coimbatore Branch located in Oppannakara street. We were told that we would be retained in our place for three years at the end of which we would be posted in the North. When I heard this, I asked my parents to shift to Coimbatore from Tiruchi. My mother and Periamma fixed up a house within a week and by the third week of June, my parents had shifted to Coimbatre. My brothers Chandru and Nandu were immediately admitted into a good school in the neighborhood. When I returned from Calcutta, I went directly to Coimbatore, instead of Tiruchi. Thus we began our life there. My father stopped borrowing, starting with our stay in Coimbatore. My take-home pay of Rs 420/ was enough to maintain the family and send money for my brother Ramani, who was studying engineering in Surathkal Regional Engineering College. He was admitted into this College, after his Pre-University, in the year 1961.

Mr Alladi Natesan was the Manager of Coimbatore Branch. He gave me every opportunity to improve my knowledge. In the first year, we were asked to do only clerical work. One Mr Bhaskaran, a Senior Clerk,taught me all the procedures, We became close friends. We went to a movie every Saturday.. We also went to Guruvayur in a group once in three months. In 1965, I appeared for CAIIB examination. Senior Officers at the Branch told me that no one had cleared Part I at the first attempt.They discouraged me. However, I not only passed the Part I and Part II in the first attempt, but got distinction in "Monetary Theory and Practice. I also won the Calcutta Banks Association prize for topping the list of successful candidates. My image at the branch improved substantially after the CAIIB results. At this time, I used to write lot of articles in the House Journal of the Bank.

In 1965, I befriended Mr T.R.Radhakrishnan at a bus stop. We used to go to office together No 11 bus. He was a clerk in State Bank of India. We became very close and would play Chess for long hours on Saturdays. At my insistence and coaching, he appeared for IAS and cleared the examinations. I gave him all my old notes. He retired in a top position in Indian Customs. To this day, we have retained friendship.
My friend Pasupathy, who had become an Income-tax Officer, also got a transfer to Coimbatore because I was there. He occupied a house in Saibaba Colony near our house. He stayed in Coimbatore for 18 months.
During the period we were in Saibaba Colony, my sister Vasantha was blessed with a daughter. As we had bought a USHA fan, the previous day, we named her USHA
In 1966, my brother Ramani passed his engineering exams with first class. He started sharing my burden in a big way once he settled into a good job. I was glad he was as responsible as I was. Later on when he got a good job in Blue Star in 1968 I thought of marriage after two years.We enjoyed our stay in Coimbatore. I stayed there from June 1964 to January 1967 and my parents till June 1967. They moved to Tiruchi in June 1967 and my brother Chandran joined a College for higher education.
In January, I was transferred to Thambu Chetty Branch in Madras for training in Foreign Exchange. I acquired knowledge in Foreign Exchange under the guidance of Mr N.V.Srinivasan, from whom I took charge when I was transferred to Singapore. In September 1967, I was transferred to Nagpur as Accountant of Itwari Branch - a Branch where the previous Manager, Accountant and Chief Cashier had been summarily dismissed.

I was received at Nagpur by my friend Parthasarathy Rao. He had married by then. I stayed with him for a day. I moved to Agrawal Lodge in Sitabaldi area the next day. I took a room on twin-sharing basis with one Mr R.V. Sastry, who was to remain my partner for the next two years. The room rent was Rs 40 per month shared by the two of us. The Lodge had good common bathroom facilities. I used to go to Andhra Club on Sundays along with Sastri to play RUMMY. After a few months, our next room was occupied by Bhaskaran and Srinivasan, both of whom had been transferred from Madras on promotion as Officers.

I reported for duty as Accountant. The Branch was located in a dilapidated building in Itwari, a business area. As I did not know Marathi, I was finding it difficult to manage for a few weeks as all the cheques and pay-in-slips were written in Marathi. There was a fraud perpetrated before I dad joined and I was advised to be cautious. The staff of this branch were very cordial, though the branch was in very bad shape, with books not having been balanced for previous two years. I worked very hard during the first year---almost 12 hours a day--and balanced the books. We also shifted the branch to a spacious and modern premises. There was a Balaji temple near the Branch and I visited this temple every Saturday and prayed.

I can never forget one incident that happened within six months of my posting at Itwari Branch. One Burman Medical Stores had their shop in front of the branch. The owner would issue cheques without providing funds into the account. When his cheques were received through clearing, someone from the branch would inform him and after this Mr Burman would provide funds into the account so that his cheques could be honoured. I wanted to discontinue this practice of a branch official informig him. I returned his cheques one day. As no one from the Branch had informed him, Mr Burman did not provide funds. When he came to know about his cheques being dishonoured, he came shouting into the Branch. He stood before me shouting and abusing me. He was a tall man with a permanent beard and big booming voice. No one in the Branch came to my rescue as they were all afraid of his reputation, size and stinging words. I told Mr Burman that "IZZAT" (word used by him) lay in his providing funds before issuing cheques.and that in future, he would not be informed. He left shouting till he reached the doors of the Branch.. Other customers present were bemused and shocked. Mr Burman wrote a letter to our Regional Office complaining about me. His exact words were "Your new Madrasi Accountant is an upstart in life and he pretends to be bigger than his size". There was an enquiry in which our Regional Office supported me. Mr Burman closed his account and went to Bank of Baroda. After six months, he came to me in a friendly manner and told me that his experience with the other bank was worse and that if I opened the account again, he would provide funds before issuing cheques. I agreed. Mr Burman kept his promise and in the next three years, there was not an occassion in which I returned his cheque. We became friends. I was surprised when he came to the Nagpur Railway Station to bid farewell to me when I was transferrred to Pune from Nagpur .