If God Was A Banker Page 2

  'Hi. My name is Swaminathan. I am also joining NYB as an MT today,' said the man sitting on the bench. The tone was typically South Indian. Now Sundeep was sure that here was a southie.

  'This is my first time in Mumbai. I do not know anyone here. I had no idea how long it would take to reach this place. So I left the hotel at 6.30 a.m. Didn't want to be late on day one.'

  And they continued to chat.

  'IIM Ahmedabad. Passed out this year,' said Swaminathan.

  'IIM-B, same batch,' said Sundeep.

  'Where are you from?'

  'Delhi. And you?'

  'Chennai. Have lived my life there.'

  'I can see that.' Sundeep smiled.

  Swaminathan didn't mind and smiled back. He was used to people commenting on his appearance when they met him for the first time.

  Thus began a legendary partnership in NYB—the fast and aggressive Sundeep versus the mature and sensible Swami.

  6

  Swaminathan was a merit student at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad and was acknowledged as 'the brain' of the campus. Swami was also the eldest son in a family of modest means. He was barely two-years old when he lost his father. His father, a clerk in the rural development ministry, had struggled to feed a family of four with his measly salary. With no savings, the small pension was just not enough, and the retirement benefits went into paying off the mortgage on their one-bedroom house in Mylapore, a middle-income locality in Chennai.

  Bringing up Swami and his sister was not easy. Their mother struggled hard to put them through school. She would cook at various Brahmin households and marriages to raise money for their education. Both the children never made her feel that what they had was not enough. Swami was an intelligent and hard working student who always topped his class. When he reached college, he was lucky to get a scholarship. That was a big relief for his mother, because her earnings were just not enough to manage the expenses for both the children.

  Swami was quick to realise that his mother would not be able to manage the ever-increasing expenses, despite his scholarship. He got himself transferred to an evening college. This gave him an opportunity to work for a few hours during the day and supplement his family income.

  He started off by keeping accounts for Nalli's, a large chain of sari stores in Chennai. He would spend 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. everyday at the Chettiars' office and then would attend college from four to nine in the evening. The salary that he earned from Nalli's was just enough to ensure a normal life for the three of them.

  Graduation completed, Swami was faced with a dilemma. Should he continue his studies, or should he give it all up and take up a full-time job to provide for his family. His mother made the decision easier. She insisted that he should study further. She had somehow managed for 19 years, with occasional support from Swami. She didn't want to stumble at the final milestone. She knew that another two years and Swami would make it. She had great faith in Swami's commitment and intellect, and was hopeful of him getting a scholarship.

  True to her expectations, Swami got into the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, the best management institute in the country. At the end of his first term there, when the scholarship list was announced, Swami's name was right on top. He won a full waiver of his tuition fees. When he broke the news to his mother, she couldn't hold back her tears. She wept continuously that whole day; if only Swami's father were around, how he would have swelled with pride.

  Like Sundeep, NYB was Swami's first job too. He had made it by the whisker. When NYB came out with the first list of five hires from IIM-A, Swami's name was not there. He was sixth in the merit list at his institute and NYB was hiring only five. However, a batch mate of his, Sandeep Runwal, who was third on the merit list, decided to join his father's booming construction business, and opted out of campus placements. This piece of good luck made a huge difference to Swami's life. Swami, who was sixth on the merit list, made it as a reserve candidate. It meant a lot to him.

  Once he got out of the institute, Swami had no money. While at IIM-A, he survived on scholarship, and his family survived on the money he had saved earlier. His sister took tuitions and earned some money to supplement their mother's income. Life was not easy in those two years. But all along he knew that there was light at the end of the tunnel.

  'Once I finish my MBA, you Amma, and Ambujam, my dear sister, will live a life of luxury,' he had told his mother when he joined IIM. All that was about to come true. Their lives were going to change on joining NYB.

  There was a two-months gap between the time Swami finished his MBA at IIM-A and the day he was to join NYB. Swami had spent these two months doing odd jobs. He saved enough to buy himself a good set of clothes. After all, he was joining a foreign bank.

  Foreign banks in those days were a designer's paradise. Pinstripe suits, jackets and exotic ties were in vogue. The dress code prescribed in the appointment letter was 'business formals.' Business formals in banking parlance meant suits or jackets. He couldn't afford one. So he borrowed a jacket from a friend who was eighty pounds heavier than him. That explained the oversized jacket that Sundeep saw Swami wearing on the day they joined NYB.

  7

  Sundeep and Swami got up together and walked into the bank at 8.45 a.m. This time, the guard didn't stop them.

  Day one of the induction began with Aditya Rao addressing the gathering. Aditya had a reputation of being a tough boss. A banker with a reputation to protect. A person who was heavily focused on the task at hand, and for whom career was everything.

  New York International Bank had hired thirty-eight new recruits from the premier MBA campuses that year. They had actually hired forty new recruits, but two of them didn't join NYB on the appointed day. All of them were ushered into a conference room that could barely accommodate twenty-five people.

  'Good morning, everyone,' Aditya's voice rang in everyone's ears. 'New York International Bank welcomes you all to hell.' For a minute there was stunned silence in the classroom. As if Osama had walked into George Bush's meeting in the Oval Room at the White House. Aditya deliberately paused for a minute before he spoke his next line.

  'Yes gentlemen, all of you have entered hell,' he roared. 'For the next twelve months, as we set out on a journey to launch consumer banking in this country, life will be hell for us. We are going to start a war. And in war, there is no family and there are no friends. In war, there is only the enemy and the mission. We cannot rest until we win,' he roared.

  Swaminathan was sitting in the first row, listening intently. He was overawed by the tone and the energy in the message. Sundeep was his usual overconfident self, sitting the farthest from the firing line. While Aditya Rao continued elaborating his vision for the bank, Sundeep gently tapped the shoulder of the PYT (pretty young thing) sitting in a row ahead of him. She was Sundeep's batch mate from IIM, Bangalore. Kalpana was her name.

  'Kalpana, I think Aditya is kidding.'

  'What?'

  'With you around, how can this place be hell,' Sundeep whispered in her ears.

  'Very funny,' was all that Kalpana could say to this. Sundeep had always flirted with her through the two years at campus, but that was something he did with many women. She never took him seriously. But Sundeep was not the one to give up.

  'Thank you, gentlemen. Together we will build the best consumer bank in this country. Congratulations on joining me here. I hope each one of you handpicked guys has a wonderful career at New York International Bank.' Aditya walked off the podium. Swaminathan, sitting in the first row, clapped till his hands got tired and he realised that he was the only one still clapping.

  The session broke for tea. Tea and biscuits were being served in the lobby outside the conference room. Swaminathan was completely overawed by the occasion. Aditya Rao's words kept ringing in his mind: 'In war, there is only the enemy and the mission. We cannot rest until we win.' How true it was. Hadn't his life been a war all along? Survival was his mission, and he was close
to achieving it. His hand went inside his coat pocket and out came a handkerchief, which wiped a tear that had sneaked out from the corner of his eye.

  While Sundeep was having tea during the break, a khaki-clad peon came and handed him a small chit. He opened it and was taken aback. The chit read: 'SEE ME IN MY CABIN

  AFTER THE PROGRAMME—ADITYA.' Sundeep didn't know what this meant for him. Was it good? Did it spell disaster? He had no clue. His heart started pounding faster. First day in office and the unit head sends out a note to meet him. He had no choice but to wait, wondering what was in store for him.

  8

  New York

  Knock! Knock! Sundeep's journey back in time was abruptly disturbed by a knock on the cabin door.

  'Hi, Michelle.'

  Michelle was the Head of Human Resources at New York International Bank. She had shut down her flourishing HR consulting business to join the bank when Tedd Bridge took over as its CEO. She had a tremendous faith in his leadership and business building capabilities.

  Michelle was the one who had, in fact, recommended Sundeep's name, when Chetan Bindra moved out to take over as the Global Head of Retail Banking. It was not too difficult to swing the job for Sundeep as he had successfully delivered in roles across the globe.

  'How are you, Sundeep?'

  'Could be much better,' said Sundeep, in a nervous tone. 'Definitely much better.'

  'You should not have done it, Sundeep. Not when you are at this level. I can't protect you even if I want to.'

  'I am being framed. You know that,' said Sundeep, in a voice that belied his own confidence in what he was saying. 'Everyone hates my success. Why don't you understand someone is playing me? Anyway, a lot has been said on this. What's the verdict?'

  'It will have to wait, Sundeep. Tedd wants to meet you today. By the way, I came to tell you that Tedd can only make it at 3.45. The meeting at 10.30 will now be held at 3.45. Just came to check if that suits you.'

  Sundeep nodded his head, as if he knew what was in store for him. Michelle left, leaving him alone in his cabin—just he and his thoughts.

  'Coffee?' Louisa came in to drop some papers.

  'No, Louisa. Thanks. Please hold all calls till I tell you to put them through. I am not to be disturbed for the next two hours.'

  9

  When day one of the training programme for new recruits entered the last session, Sundeep's heart was hammering away. Kalpana, who was still sitting in front of Sundeep, could sense that something was wrong with him. He had not tried flirting with her in the past three hours. Though she would never accept it publicly, she quite liked Sundeep's attention. She turned around and looked at him a couple of times, but Sundeep didn't respond. He was lost in his own thoughts. Thoughts of what was in store for him in Aditya's room.

  The last few minutes of the day were spent in discussing logistics for the next day and the schedule for the next week. It was a month-long training programme, with a week of classroom training, and three weeks of 'on the job' training, in which the new recruits would spend time at the branches of New York International Bank and observe how work gets done. At the end of one month, they were to reassemble, assess what they have learnt, and list out their preferred areas of work. This would form the basis of their final assignments.

  'That's it for the day, guys. We will meet tomorrow morning at nine, in this very room. Our party tonight will begin at 8.30 p.m. at the ballroom of the Taj Mahal Hotel. Brian Close will address you. Please be on time. Formals please. Don't forget your jackets. See ya there.' The moment the speaker closed the evening, Sundeep dashed out of the room. He was extremely nervous and didn't want to stay back and speak to anyone. He headed for the den of the don Aditya Rao.

  On his way he saw a rest room and ducked into it. He washed his face and freshened up. He wanted to be sure that he was properly groomed before meeting Aditya for the first time.

  For the first time in his life Sundeep was nervous before a meeting. It was the fear of the unknown. Why had Aditya called him? This question was gnawing his brain. But he knew one thing for sure: at the end of day one, if Aditya remembered anyone's name from the list of new recruits, it was his. For good or bad, he didn't know, but he had to capitalise on this.

  'I am here to see Mr Rao. My name is Sundeep Srivastava.' Natasha, Aditya's secretary looked up when she heard this.

  'Oh yes, Sundeep. He is expecting you. Please wait for a second while I check with him,' said Natasha. She was an attractive young woman, surely not older than twenty-one, and looked like someone straight out of college. Natasha got up from her seat and walked into Aditya's room. Sundeep couldn't help noticing how attractive she was.

  Sundeep surveyed the secretary's workspace. She had a large cubicle. In other organisations, six to eight employees would be seated in the space that she occupied. There was a plush leather sofa, definitely an imported item. He tried guessing the place of origin of the sofa. UK, Germany, probably Greece! He couldn't make up his mind and eventually gave up. If the secretary had this kind of space, he could well imagine the size and furnishings of Aditya's office. Despite his nervousness, he couldn't help being distracted by these thoughts. 'One day, I will make this my own office.' He was already imagining the day when he would walk into this office and call it his own.

  'Aditya will see you in five minutes. Can I get you something?' Sundeep didn't seem to notice when Natasha returned from Aditya's room. 'Oh no. Thank you. I will just wait here.'

  Natasha looked at Sundeep from the corner of her eyes and was reminded of the conversation that Aditya had with her a few hours back. He had just walked back from the induction programme. 'Natasha. There is a guy in there called Sundeep. Please send a note to him and ask him to see me after the session ends for the day.' He had seemed pissed and had walked into his room in a foul mood. He had called her again within the next three minutes and crackled over the speakerphone: 'Before he comes in, can you please get me his CV from the records.'

  Secretarial work was new for Natasha, but she was a fast learner. She had been in the organisation for no more than thirty days and had already become indispensable for Aditya. Knowing Aditya, she was feeling a bit sorry for Sundeep. She was beginning to like him.

  10

  Swaminathan was looking around for Sundeep after the day's training got over. He was looking for familiar faces in an alien crowd. Being an introvert, it was a challenge for him to go and talk to people on his own. He was standing alone in the corner of the training hall, holding the study material that they had been given. It was 6.45 p.m. and the party was at 8.30. He had nowhere to go. 'Might as well go through the study material,' he thought. He walked back into the classroom and opened the spiral bound books. They were actually not books, but collations of the various presentations that the seniors from the organisation had made to the group. He was soon completely engrossed in his reading material.

  'Hi, scholar.' Swami was startled when he heard a voice from behind. He looked up through his thick glasses and found Kalpana staring down at him. 'You are Swaminathan, right? I saw your picture on the notice board for our batch.' Swami nodded his head. They hadn't spoken to each other despite being in a small group of thirty-eight people. Swami was too shy to initiate a conversation with anyone, and if it was a woman, Swami would stay a mile away. 'Kalpana,' she continued, pointing at herself. 'You have a whole life to read all this boring stuff. Let's go and get ourselves some fresh air.'

  The building that housed the office of New York International Bank was on Marine Drive, overlooking the sea. The Marine Drive promenade offered a breathtaking view of the whole of south Mumbai. For years, Queen's Necklace, as Marine Drive was otherwise called, was dear to the heart of every Mumbaikar. Pick up any magazine on Mumbai and you would find it on the cover. The place is particularly engaging at the cusp when day bids adieu and night takes over. Hordes of people gather to see the spectacle of the lights coming on one by one in a gigantic semi-circle—the glittering pearls on the Queen
's necklace of lights.

  Kalpana literally dragged Swami to Marine Drive, from the confines of the training room. At IIM-A, Swami was rarely seen in the company of women. While all his classmates would actively seek out female company, Swami would be happy in the world of books, spending all his free time in the library. This single-minded dedication had partly to do with his modest means that didn't allow him to spend money on girlfriends like most of his friends. He didn't want to be embarrassed, and so stayed away.

  Marine Drive was extremely windy. The waves were lashing against the rocky shore. Water was splashing all over the promenade. Kalpana and Swami were chatting and strolling on the path alongside the shore. Swami was a little worried about his borrowed jacket getting wet; he would have to wear it again tomorrow. But he was embarrassed to mention it. He quietly moved as far away from the water as he could without making it obvious to Kalpana.

  Kalpana, however, saw through his effort. 'How sweet!' She was impressed by his gentle mannerisms. 'What a nice guy!' she thought.

  'Swami, have you had bhelpuri here? There's a fundo shop on the other side. Let's go there.' She figured out a way to take Swami away from the water without embarrassing him.

  'Any place where I can get some kaapi?' asked Swami.

  'Independence Cafe. Let's go,' she responded spontaneously.

  'How do you know this place so well, Kalpana?' asked Swami.

  'I have lived half my life here, Swami. I have roamed these streets for years. I know every street, every nook and corner. Leave me in any galli, and I will find my way back home.'

  Kalpana was born to Rajasthani parents. Her parents moved to UK when she was very young. They spent a few years there, but finding it difficult to bring up a child in alien surroundings, they moved back to India and set up shop in Mumbai in the early seventies. They opened a small electronics goods store. Their business grew rapidly, and now they had a chain of twelve stores in Mumbai alone. Planning to make their chain a nationwide success, they were also talking to a number of foreign brands for collaboration. Kalpana was their only daughter.