Day -122

 My Employers-5

“The mediocre boss tells. The good boss explains . The superior boss demonstrates. The GREAT BOSS INSPIRES. "( W A Ward).

The next job engagement was with NIBSCOM—then called Northern India Banks’ Staff Training college,(NIBSTC), New Delhi. 

• Due to my desire to be in academics, I shifted job and re-located to New Delhi. 
• A totally new set up in every way. But the then Principal made the shift smooth in all sense of the term

Mr. A K Chatterjee, the then Principal is  a highly accomplished, extremely polished and a  very fine gentleman with exquisite manners and dealings. 

• He had worked with late R K Talwar in SBI, that impact could be seen from  his dealings with people around.

·         ( I am a great admirer of late R K Talwar for long and could play some role while organising  5  RKT memorial lectures when in IIBF.  But  I had not met him in person, though read  and heard much about him . 

·         But the working experience with Chatterjee sir,  helped me to get  an indirect glimpse of Talwarsaab's  greatness and  towering personality- adding to  the readings I made already on him. Hence  I consider the opportunity to work in Delhi  as a great blessing .)

 My 20 months there were extremely pleasant and one of  great learnings in many ways.

·       The greatest aspect was that one could reach the Principal at any time without any  fear or apprehension.

·        One can  ask him for answers or clarifications on any banking topics – freely. In case he is not sure, he will  make it a point to get the answer himself with out giving any sense of irritation or discomfort to the asking person.

·       THESE ARE VERY RARE QUALITIES SEEN AMONG LEADERS, ESPECILLY BOSSES. 

• For the first time ,probably in the country itself, NIBSTC organized a  highly successful seminar on Foreign Direct Investment(FDI), in association with Bajaj Finance, for which speakers came from then ICICI, Citibank etc. Late Mr. Ratnakar  (former Canara Bank Chairman) also spoke at the seminar. 
• I got a hang of organizing seminar of that dimension and importance in a  Five star hotel, under his dynamic leadership, which helped me immensely in my IIBF days.

I also got  interested in writing and publication after seeing the number of outstanding  books authored by Chatterjee sir on a variety of banking topics. I  was also inspired to  write a book on Foreign Exchange which I  published  in 1992 itself !  That was only due to the inspiration/motivation I derived/got from the Principal.

My wonderful and highly learning interactions with him are too numerous to list here. 

·         But I would like to cite just one instance- during the farewell given to me he stated-  "Bala is going to Mumbai due to some personal compulsions. However, in case he wants, our doors will be always open for him".

·          Those words touched my heart then and while recalling it  even now, after some 30 odd years, I get a pleasant tinge. 

·         What a person? How many will express such comforting thoughts openly to a person leaving the job… so soon after joining… 

·         I learnt the real meaning of HR while working with him… and many of them I have written and spoken up later in my career.

·         I salute Chatterjee sir for everything he has given/shown to me—in my teaching abilities, writing abilities, organizing abilities, leadership abilities and dealing abilities…. a big Bouquet of Thanks to you, Sir.

 Training participants from some 6 or seven North based private sector banks was a very enjoyable feat. Most of our trainings used to last a week  only. Hence there was a lot of turn over  of programmes and new topics being covered to new set of trainees.

I spent some 20 priceless months there in NIBSTC/NIBSCOM, which I consider as the Golden period in my entire career of 47 years! 

There is a saying Quantity is not important, but Quality is. That comes to my mind here. 

I spent barely 20 months of my  working life of 47  plus years (i.e. less than 4% of the time) in NIBSCOM ,which  became most memorable in my life !  Hence the  relevance of  WARD's earlier quote -The GREAT BOSS INSPIRES.

Be happy. Be safe.

ॐ

5.30AM