THE CHURNING OF THE OCEAN OF MY LIFE – CHAPTER 15 

 

THE FIRST FIGHT WITH AN EXECUTIVE- LIFE WAS DERAILED-REVENGE OVERTOOK JUSTICE.

 

The day the Regional Manager and I had an argument, a duel between David and Goliath, I fell from grace and that was the Ides of March for me.

 

 

But I was so self-confident and a believer of Karma theory, I never had the habit of consulting anyone about my personal or professional issues. As I mentioned in my earlier chapters, I did not heed the advice of a gentleman astrologer, who said I would be doomed, as I fixed in my brain, I was invincible and no one else but me can fight my Karma. Many people used to consult me with their intimate personal issues, but it never struck me I should have an advisor. Even today, I face my issues myself and do not consult my wife and my grown-up children. One reason might be that since childhood, I never felt some extraneous persons or factors were responsible for my troubles and tribulations and that I was responsible for my actions and I should search for solutions within myself. In a world, driven by superstition and people thronging all kinds of fair and fake Gurus, till today I never accepted the teachings of any one Guru, except myself. I have a voracious habit of reading all kinds of books, I swallow the essence and use the necessary part of the advice given by the author-philosopher. Shakespeare, Dickens, Wodehouse, Dale Carnegie , among others were my philosophical guides.  At the lowest level of calculation, I must have read at least 20000 books, out of which I would have read some two, three or even ten times to assimilate the essence. So, I had a tiff with the then Regional Manager, it was not a tiff, but a word-wrestling between two people a David and a Goliath. I was already on the edge, what with the Management considering to ease me out. This is an added issue.

 

 

I knew the Regional Manager had not only a hungry look but he had an angry look. I wonder, even today, after suffering the worst humiliation in the Bank service, I still do not regret the way I confronted him that day. I feel justified in confronting him with truth that I was and am not timid person.

I never winked about my courageous confrontation. I thought it was below my dignity not to fight injustice, an injustice perpetrated simply because I was from some other region and a Director from my me. place interviewed.

 

 

Yes. All the people who developed antagonism against me from the beginning and all those who backstabbed me in the later part of my service due to envy of my bravery, unhired growth , my popularity with all sections of staff and officers irrespective of their cadre and union affiliation were all honorable men. Yes! Those whose very birth was a dishonor to their parenthood are honourable in their actions, as nature made them like that.

 

 

Manager’s advice

 

After the RM left the Branch in the evening, the manager and I were left alone in the branch. He called me inside. He was practically shivering . He was too old and fragile and neglected in his career despite his immense knowledge and hard working nature.

 

He talked in Kannada. Esssence of what he said was

 

“Dear Chandramohan, why did you pick a quarrel with him? He is considered a demon among the executives. He has caste and regional feelings ingrained in his brain. Because of him, many outsiders were dismissed, because he is cunning like a fox and attacks like a wolf. You forgot you are not alone and you have a family. He told me that he will see that I would be out of the Bank before the next date of interview. I will keep an eye on his every action and word and I will see his end. Who does he think himself to be to talk to me like that?”

 

I was unmoved. I told him about the story of my recruitment and thee insults I faced from executives earlier. I told him that the day I entered the Bank I only had my right leg inside and my left leg was hesitating whether to come in or not.  As for my life and family I told him that I faced many challenges from 1974 after my father’s death. I am still facing the challenges. But till now no problem could diminish my courage. I told him I relied on my brain and brawn and until one of them leaves me I will not be cowed. Let him do whatever he wanted to do, I am not going to him and apologize.

 

The manager was stunned beyond belief. He told mee to be cautious in my work and what I talk about the episode with others. It was never in my habit to discuss my issues with others including family members. So, the issue getting into the know of others were nil. After few days I forgot the episode totally as the work load and the recurring issues in the branch and on the family front kept me too busy to think about any other issue.

 

With all the three trouble makers in my control and officers resigning to their fate to take orders from me and customers getting closer to me life was going on smoothly during initial two months of the new year. With calendars and diaries , not my property I won over one, with my soft dealing, giving respect to his age and experience and with a loan to his friend , Shivayogappa became a  thich friend to me and my word became Gita to him. Once, Shivayogappa and Maheswarappa and Joshi being cool with me, my work in the Branch became easier. But I was working at least twelve hours a day, some days eighteen and even twenty-four hours a day.  My wife gave me enormous support unlike the -wives of other officers.

 

Around March 1980, if I remember well, one Mr. T.R.Bhat, who was our faculty member during our oral training in 1977, took over as a General Secretary of the Corporation Bank Officers’ Union. This was a watershed moment in the Bank for officers like me. Mr. Bhat was a Soutth Canara Brahmin, an intellectual, a laurate and whenever he issued a circular, it was sending cockroaches in the stomachs of the pusillanimous and obliging executives. They used to be sharp, laced with the most piercing words exposing the Bank functioning and encouraging the hitherto submissive officers to think loud. But majority of the officers were subservient to the executives. So, it was a rough road.

 

I do not what grasped my mind. After the second circular, I drafted a very convincing letter with language that competed with Mr. Bhat, got it typed and sent five copies each to each Branch in Hubli Region. As my name was well known in many branches, I received tremendous positive response from many officers. I received calls, people came to me personally and sent letters of support.  RM got wind and commented about my daredevilry despite his warnings and sent an indirect message to me through one of his pets that my days were numbered and I need not take strain too revive the defunct union. One copy of the letter went to Bhat also. He gave a pleasantly surprising reply. He thanked me, advised me to be on guard as the RM was known for his antipathy for the union and the most pleasant surprise was he advised me to list out the expenses like typing, postage and any other expenses and advised me to continuously bombard officers in the Region with letters. And by the end of March about ninety percent of officers in Hubli Region gave admission forms to the union. It goes to the magnanimity Of Mr. Bhat to acknowledge that without my active work to revive the union, it would have been well neigh impossible to enroll so many officers, especially with Mallya being the RM. He encouraged me to visit branches on Sundays giving advance information to the officers. However, most of the bank officers were working on Sundays in those days. I took a month to visit all branches for which expenses were paid by the union and in the entire bank Hubli Region topped in union activity.  Mr. Bhat maintained constant contact with me. Though it was an eyesore to seniors, I became the face of the union in the Region.

 

 

Then the ladder came by a miracle. In April 1980, two months before the day the RM said he would dismiss me, six banks were nationalized and ours was one among them. After Nationalization Mr. Bhat took the initiative to conduct region-wise meetings. He wanted to make me the Regional Committee Secretary, called Regional Secretary, an ex-officio Executive Committee member. But my position as a trainee came in the way. The RM cleverly pitched one Mr. Sudhakar Bhat ,  his confident and spy in the competition and as there was no other contender, he was made Regional Secretary for two years. Mr. T.R.  Bhat cautioned me to be careful not only with Mallya but with Sudhakar Bat too. 

 

In June 1980, I was again called for interview. The RM was depressed because the rules of the game changed after nationalization. If he dismissed me and I went to court, he would have faced awkward questions. In nationalized banks the confirmation of trainees and probationary officers was automatic without any interview. He asked few irrelevant questions and I received confirmation orders on 20^th January 1980. Without losing time I applied for a personal loan of Rs.3000/- and wrote a personal letter to Mallya explaining my personal financial troubles due to extension of training and passionately requesting him to recommend sanction of the loan. Within fifteen my loan was sanctioned and I wrote again thanking the RM.

 

After that, during his visits to our branch he was acting very cordially with me. But one officer in Hubballi cautioned me about his hidden anger on me and advised to be circumspect. 

 

Many events in Danvangere were memorable. My first daughter was born on 16^th June 1978.  On 16^th June 1979, when I was still a trainee , the entire staff proposed to celebrate her birthday in thee branch as my rented portion was in the same building. They  decorated the branch, bought aa costly frock to her, arranged snacks and each member of staff took a photo carrying her on their shoulders. Gifts were given jointly and Shivayogappa, Maheswarappa, the two attendants and pigmy collectors brought special gifts. Manager gave permission to celebrate the event during office hours. A trainee officer sent to the branch as a goat to bee slaughtered turned into a lion using his brain. I became a topic of conversation in the household of managers that they were congratulating my wife and wanted to know the tricks oof the trade. My wife was knowing nothing and she was surprised at such an honor bestowed on her. She felt very proud of herself for choosing a genius.

 

Days went by pleasantly as the customers of the branch were all middle-class employees, small businessmen and one big Mall owner, group. Our land owner was a customer too but only his accountant was dealing with the branch and I never met my landlord.

 

During 1981, as the branch was growing, our management requested the land owner to construct a hall in the first floor with provision for cup boards to keep old records. This was adjoining my quarters.  After construction, the issue of shifting the records from the branch to the first floor came. The manager asked to arrange for coolies. Even now, I can’t believe this happened. Shivayogappa, Maheswarappa accompanied by few other clerks approached me with a proposal. They would come on Sunday by 10 am, shift all records and arrange them in order on first floor and leave home only after the entire work was finished. What they wanted was lunch, snacks and dinner. I said we could not pay over time. I remembered the day in LIC of India when I did similar work on a Sunday. They said they did not over time and they are repaying me the debt they took from me. The debt was peace in the branch; the respect I gave them and the respect they received from other managers and officers. On Sunday, they came wearing Lungies, carried the old records to the first floor, sat on the floor and arranged the records neatly in order. Pigmy collectors and attendants were part of the crowd and officers had no choice. Our frail manager was visiting now and then to see what was happening and he patted me on my back and tears flew from his eyes. The work went on and on and we closed the branch at 3.00 am next day. And all  those present on Sunday were present at the right time next morning. This was one of the greatest feats in my life in the Bank. What senior officers and managerss could not achieve I could achieve within two years of my service with a hostile RM thirsting for my blood.

 

My family life too passed off peacefully , with another girl child , the prettiest, most humble and most intelligent girl born in Davangere in March 1981.  We had only one problem with her health. On a Sunday she was infected with Diarrhea and as I never went to a local doctor, no staff member within reach, me working in the branch my wife thought it was a common ailment. When I came back at 9 pm thsat night she was totally weak. There was a Muslim doctor within reach. We took her to him. It seemed he gave a sedative and our daughter fainted with motions increasing in numbers.  There was one Marwari businessman who was our customer in the next portion. I woke him up and sought his help. Without uttering a word he arranged an auto, took us to Chigetary Hospitaal far from our house , paid money himself as advance, stayed the night there and left in the morning.  Daivam Manush Rupena. Sometimes, God comes in the form a human being. Or else, how could I explain his charity that night?   In two days my daughter recovered and we brought her home. She was so pretty looking that I used to forget all my anxieties looking into her face. My elder daughter was commanding in nature. My son was and is still humble and very intelligent. Thus life was going on.

 

My mother -in -law was at home when my wife was in nursing home for delivery of the third child. My elder daughter, who was always active one day looking for her mother. My mother-in-law never cared about her children or my children. My daughter was walking on the road shouting “Mom, Mom”. My mother-in-law did not even bother to see if her granddaughter was home or not. Luckily, one boy working in the shop of our customer saw and recognized her as my daughter. He brought her back to my Branch and explained what happened. That was a life for my daughter and me. Daivam Manusha Rupena.

 

As my wife felt it difficult to look after the three children, we decided to send my elder daughter to my mother-in-law’s place. She went there and in the bus she told me as I was crying “Do not cry nanna. I will be nice to grandma. I will not trouble her. I can live anywhere in the world” I cried more. She retains her composure even today.

 

Once after my daughter left, my wife was taking bath when my son and daughter were sleeping . My son woke up, not finding his mother cried and closed the door of bathroom. It was in the second floor. Luckily my wife stood on a reversed bucket, found some ladies and informed them what happened. They came rushing, informed the accountant of our landlord who lost no time to break the main door open and saved my daughter weaking up and falling down. The landlord repaired the door with his funds. Such was the respect I was commanding.

 

Days passed off without any more events there. In 1982, my brother informed me that he was selected in a bank as officer and posted outside Hyderabad and asked me who would take care of my mother and younger sister. The same day I applied for a transfer to Hyderabad without consulting my wife. I got orders immediately and when I informed her she was furious. I convinced her saying that our elder daughter should be admitted in school and I did not want her to study Kannada. She never opposed my decisions and we got ready for the next assignment in Hyderabad main branch.

 

More about it in Chapter 16

 CHURNING OF THE OCEAN OF MY LIFE PART 14

 

                 LIFE IN DAVANGERE CONTINUED.

 

 

The lightens falls right on my head. With my usual audacity and not surrendering before the Management I survived but I was hurt severely, the wounds remained to consume me later.

 

Revenge and justice are rivals. In the Bank revenge won and justice died a miserable death, with Devil’s Advocates ruling roost. Read.

 

 

Before I go into the details of my life in Davangere, I have to mention one important aspect in my life. Introspection of retrospective events involving the attitude of kith and kin after all I did to them post the tragedy of my father's death, gives me ripples in my heart and butterflies in my stomach. Soon after my marriage in the Registrar office in June 1977 and 2^nd September 1977 traditionally, on my mother’s wish , I attended a written test on 11^th September 1977 for an officer trainee post in Corporation Bank Limited. As was my habit, I never prepared for these competitive tests.  I passed with flying colourscolors On November 15^th, I was interviewed. It was a strange and tragic coincidence that I was interviewed in LIC and Corporation Bank Limited on November 15^th only and in both the institutions, I did not complete my total service.

 

I was selected and my mother, brother and sisters vociferously objected to my leaving Hyderabad. “Who will feed us? How can Chinnabbai (my younger brother) alone maintain the family? Who will get the elder sister married? Who will bear the educational expenses of the younger one?  There were so many questions that I had no answers to. Why did they not ask these same questions when I was bearing the burden of the whole family alone, with the support of Rs.135/- from my brother, who was an intern in the Telecom Department?  Why didn't they ask themthe elder brothers for three helping hands? It was not to be. As my elder brother warned, it was a heavy load on my shoulders. There was no way out. In the meantime, my wife was pressuring me forto start a new life in a new, uncharted place as the wife of an officer of the Bank. She never saw beyond her place and Hyderabad. It was a difficult decision. Finally, they took an oath from me that I would send Rs.200/- pm , out of the rupees seven hundred rupees, I was about to earn with a wife and child in the making. They knew very well that I would never fail in my duty. This additional burden of about 30% of my earnings and my outstanding debts in Hyderabad, because of the burden of a big family, acted on my psyche and though, Though I was very courageous, I was slipping into depression whenever I was short of enough finances. I never broached this issue with my wife, who was too young and bereft of a father’s love since childhood.  Her nature was such that she was always in high spirits. She was not a quarrelling type; she never complained about our poor living conditions. In Bellary, I owned a kerosene stove, a few utensils, two water glasses, one mud pot for water, bathroom essentials, a mat, two pillows and a bed sheet to cover both of us. First In the first month, there was no fan. Then I bought a table fan. When we shifted to Davangere, we carried all our belongings in the bus, as coolies carry their household items on their shoulders. The greatness of my wife was that she always considered the brain she earned in her life. She never asked me to buy a saree. When I bought her two nighties after two years of leaving Hyderabad, I still remember the glow inon her face. 

 

Thus started my life in Karnataka.

 

                                       ********************************

 

Life was thorny and bumpy in Danvangere. My finances have been in the doldrums. With the commitment to send Rupees two hundred to Hyderabad, rent of rupees two hundred, and two kids who required protein food added to my misery. The only relief was that my wife was not demanding. She learned from childhood with what was available. One way I came out of the misery was by skipping rent payments. The landlord was also the landlord of the bank premises, the manager’s quarters, a shopping complex on the ground floor and other tenements. So, knowing well that my rent was not being credited to his account every month, he asked his accountant to ignore the issue because of the name and fame I earned in the banking circles. I skipped many payments. Besides, I was raising hand loans wherever possible. I could not repay a few loans, but the lenders ignored it. The borrower cum friend of Shivayogappa started defaulting on his loan payments. Shivayogappa tried his best, but as the borrower incurred losses, he could not press for payment. As my quarters were above the bank premises, the staff knew I lacked basic furniture and other household items. So, Shivayogappa suggested that the borrower would manufacture two steel cots for my residence, and I could repay his instalments to cover the cost of beds. This added to my financial burden. But,I needed cots as my wife, my daughter and me were sleeping on the floor. 

 

The Life of a typical middle class man

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, as my wife was carrying a second time and her services were required to attend to the delivery of a child by my elder sister, she went to Hyderabad. I had to eat out many times since I did not have enough time to cook with work at the bank consuming my whole time. At this time, Mr. Joshi was hosting lunch for me every Saturday and Sunday in his room. He was a great cook. This cemented my relations with other staff members who used to gather at his room for lunch. Mr. Karvey was transferred after a tenure of three years in the Branch was over.  Dinesh Kamath was posted in his place. This guy was a specimen. He was drinking regularly and was a chain smoker. He was a bachelor. From what I understood with his continuous chatter, his drinking and his smoking were that he failed in love because of his parents, and he used to stay in a state of depression.  I do not know what magnetic power I had, but every staff member and officer tried to be close to me. Most of them used to discuss their personal, family and official problems with me and seek advice. Dinesh Kamath, fifteen days into his posting, made a peculiar request. Since I was staying alone, he asked me to allow him to stay in my quarters. He did not vacate his room as he said it was for a fortnight. But he stayed put until I received a communication from my wife that she was arriving. During his stay, he was drinking daily, smoking heavily and talking restlessly. I was not in a position to follow what he was telling, but I knew he had a lot of issues back home. When my wife returned home, the front room was filled with bottles, cigarettes, beedis and ash. Initially, she thought I was drinking and smoking but when I brought Dinesh home, he clarified.

 

One more incident that shook me and remained in my memory demon house. When my wife was coming back with my first child of a month and twenty days age, she confirmed she was travelling by Amaravathi Express on a particular day. As the express halts at Hospet, a four-hour journey from Davangere. I applied leave for a day the maximum allowed per month, stayed in a lodge overnight and went to the station to receive them. The train came. There was no sign of my wife, child and my wife’s sister. I verified the passenger list on the coach number they provided. There, they were. But they did not get down. If you just imagine the way a man, already under family and official stress reacts in such circumstances. I was totally out of my mind. What happened to them? I do not know what any other person would have done. Mostly, a timid person would have filed a missing complaint and left for Davangere. There were no phones these days to contact them.  I sat in the station for an hour or two lamenting about what transpired. It struck me that I should leave for Davangere or go to Guntur in search of them. Then, I got an idea that very few would have gotten. I thought, if some unforeseen event took place before they started, one of them would certainly contact our Branch by telegram. So, I called our manager and he revealed that I got a telegram and he did not open it. I told him what happened and requested him to read the telegram, which read “Missed the train. Will start tomorrow” . It was great relief.  I waited in the lodge for another day and went to station next day. I had no coach number. Finally, they got down from an ordinary coach, that I would never have imagined my wife and kid to travel. I asked foor the reason. It is stunning to observe how simply the other people take the whole issue. My wife said, “We thought thee train was the next day. When we verified the ticket the next day, the train already left. Is it a big issue?”  I was furious. How can I make her understand the agony I passed through the whole night, not sleeping and while asleep having nightmares. My only thought was how they would travel in a cramped ordinary coach with a child who is not even two months old. That was the first time I lost my temper on my wife and shouted. She, instead of feeling sorry, shouted back.  For a week thereafter, I could not recuperate from depression. How can I manage life with so reckless and easy-going girl. She or her sister did not have an iota of repentance. Already I had a hell of experience with my written test in LIC of India. Now, this. This will be a lifelong issue and it remained so.

 

She missed the train

 

 

With two children my wife was totally engrossed in the household work throughout. I was engrossed in Bank work the whole day, some days stretching to late in the night. I was yet to be confirmed in the job. It was always on my mind. With my experience with various executives who firmly believed that I do not deserve to continue in service as they were under the impression that a Telugu-speaking Director recommended me against the advice of a South Canara based Director (such an insult to the deemed owners of the Bank?) , I was fearing that the present Regional Manager, who was envious of my fast growth and my efficiency and who too had the confidential information about my supposed recommendation by Dr. C. Narasimham, I was spending sleepless nights thinking that the RM would show some excuse to  dismiss me, as rules permit such dismissals. An interview was held in Regional Office by the RM. Only the RM interviewed me. I expected him to question me about my routine work in the two branches. Instead he concentrated on RBI policies, IDBI refinance, Bank Guarantees, Letters of Credit, Management policies etc. I could not answer a single question. He asked me bluntly “What are you learning for two years?” I answered meekly that none of the subjects on which he asked questions fell in the purview of my work in the branches. Then he disposed me ooff with an assumed vexed feeling.

 

And on the 18^th December 1979, I received a letter from Head Office in a closed cover in my name. I opened it with shivering hands.  The axe fell. My training period was extended by six months.  That day, after going home I wept copiously. The hard work I did in the Bank was dumped in the garbage bin. A five-minute interview decided my fate. My problems were multifarious. By extending my training period the RM still retained his power over me to dismiss me after six months, getting the maximum work from me these six months. My financial position was so bad at that time that spending another six months with a meagre income of Rupees Eight Hundred with wife and two children to feed, not being eligible to raise any personal loans from the bank to reduce my burden of loans outside, my falling back by six months in seniority when compared to my colleagues and many other minor and major issues depressed be for a week by which time I regained my earlier aplomb.

 

Employee’s shattered dreams.

 

 

Then it happened. After a week the Regional Manager visited our Branch as part of his regular visits. Seeing me, he smiled as is his practice. The Branch was not yet open and only our manager was in the Branch, as both of us used to be in the Branch by 9.00 a daily. I do not know what demon entered my brain. The RM was sitting in the manager’s cabin. I went inside. After the usual pleasantries, I told him I wanted to talk to him. The first sentence I uttered was “Sirr! You might be knowing about the extension of my training period”

 

I will reproduce the conversation that took place.

 

“Yes! I only recommended the extension”

 

“Sir! What prompted you to recommend the extension? Did you get reports that I was inefficient, not a fast learner or an escapist ? I heard that you were taking my name in all the branches that I was the most efficient officer you had ever seen in your service. Manageers and officers were coming to me to get advice in difficult situations. I remained very obedient to my superiors, Sir!  Then, what was it that you found lacking in me that prompted you to take such drastic step in my case, Sir?”

 

Color in his face changed. Apparently, he was furious that his judgment was questioned by a trainee, whose fate is in his hands. The manager, timid by nature, was moving in his chair uncomfortably.

 

“You failed in the interview. You know well that you did not answer a single question I asked”

 

“I know that I did not answer a single question, Sir. It was because the questions you asked me were not in the realm of my work. You mostly asked about corporate policies. You knew I was efficient, honest, hardworking with managerial capacity. You observed me working for two years. But I am sorry you decided I was useless in fifteen minutes of interview. I am really surprised what the policy of the Management is in this regard”

 

He became furious.

 

“Do you know with whom you are talking?” he shouted.

 

“I know Sir. I am talking with Mr. K.R.Mallya, the Regional Manager who can dismiss me here , this minute without blinking. But, my name is Chandramohana Rao, a sincere and hard-working officer. I am ready to be dismissed this minute, if you feel I am unfit for the job, Sir. “I said cooly.

 

He shouted at the Manager. “Is this the way you are managing the Branch? Send him out immediately or I do not know what I will do”

 

I said good-bye to him but not without a parting shot. “That is your strength and my weakness, Sir. But my heart is very strong. From the day I joined the Bank , the only words I heard were that I would not continue in the bank for long. Hence, I am prepared for the worst and I am confident of living with my head high. Sir! Good Bye!”

 

In the midst, he said I should read all circulars emanating from all the higher offices. I asked him how many officers are able to read circulars. We are working twelve hours a day with unionism rampant in the Bank. I said that in the coming interview too, I would not be able to answer the type of questions he asked this time. This was directed at his prestige, he understood. Then you will meet your fate, he said. I replied “be it so”.

 

And I came out. I waited the next week for dismissal orders. They did not come. Reason may be, because he already extended my probation, he has no reason left to dismiss me. The only way he could do it was by showing my incompetence, an opportunity he missed. The lightning fell right on my head but , I defied it and survived at least for the next six months.

 

Justice and Revenge.

 

 

After a week, I recollected all my energies and tried another method to target the Management and Regional Manager.