Sunday, December 9, 2012

"Flame" by Nelofar Curimbhoy : Biography of Shahnaz Husain

I compiled information and used to deliver my lectures on Entrepreneurs of India to my students with examples.  There are enough number of successful entrepreneurs in different fields over the decades in both the genders.  In particular women entrepreneurs have achieved laudable success against all odds.  One of them, in fact, a leading and most popular woman entrepreneur is Shahnaz Husain with her herbal products as a beautician.  Only after reading this book by her own daughter Nelofar, I came to know so many facts about this wonderful lady who shot to fame as World's Best Entrepreneur from India.  More interesting fact is that she belonged to the conservative muslim family from Hyderabad and went to Luck on her marriage at the age of sixteen years.

She became a mother at seventeen and a grand mother in her thirties too.  She had to discontinue her studies but her father was keen on her continuing studies including, if possible, in Cambridge.  One interesting feature I read in the book is all the strong support she received from three men in her life - father, husband and son.  After a few years of married life, she shifted to Delhi where she started her ventures to earn extra income and a profession of her own.  Next move to Tehran seem to have given her family a different opportunity to expand her business internationally.    Besides the three men, she also had the support from her daughter Nelofar who continues to standby her even today.  

Friday, December 7, 2012

Chowdari and Patnaik / Sistakaranam?

I belong to Sistakaranam / Patnaik community (caste) from Kotabommali in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh but lived in Hyderabad / Bangalore / Mumbai and now Manipal. I don't have the title in my name / records. Strangely, the surname Chowdari seem to be misleading many of my colleagues and friends with a different community identity. You know, I can't help it. I like to network with as many friends and young Patnaik members as possible for strengthening our community. I have been sending friendship requests in Face Book to many 'Patnaiks' and others too.  Friendship is my passion and networking is my profession.  I love to be in touch with as many friends as possible and share pleasantries with all my well-wishers.

I have now friends from my school, college, work places like Andhra Bank, SBI, Vysya Bank, Wonder Granites, Alliance Business School and TAPMI.  Now that I spent about a decade in TAPMI (of course with a three years break between 2006 and 2009), I have both friends in my colleagues and alumni besides current students.  I registered for my PhD work with AIMA New Delhi but could not move forward for some personal reasons. But I got a few friends from this group too.  Only recently I also started extending my hand of friendship with some relatives in Patnaik community, not because of any ambition of contesting an election but to stretch love and affection and exchange pleasantries.  Today, I have 1,622 friends in my FB page.  

Otherwise, professionally I have a page in www.scribd.com where I have uploaded 60 plus articles and power point presentations which were seen by over 2 lac visitors.  Each of these files or papers have been seen / read or downloaded by a significant number of individuals, which I am proud of.  I am also in linkedin, orkut, google+, and many virtual platforms including uploading some clippings in youtube.  All this is possible on account of intense passion to extend friendship and leverage on the technology available.  Only last month, in a recent  Hyderabad trip I could meet two of my childhood school mates of 1959 to recall those young and innocent days.

Monday, December 3, 2012

ATMs in India cross 1 lac

ATMs in India cross 1 lac

It is very interesting and exciting to know that the number of ATMs in India have crossed the six digit mark in October 2012, with over 60% share by branches of State Bank Group.  This is a special achievement during the 25th year of ATMs (1987-2012) in India.  I still have the passionate feeling to write an exhaustive article on this topic.  Let me see...........

Thursday, November 8, 2012

The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian

About four years back, I laid my hand on a book titled "If God was a Banker" by Ravi Subramanian in the Visakhapatnam Railway Station to engage myself in reading while travelling back to Bangalore.  Usually, I am not interested in Fiction books but prefer to read either biographies or motivational books.  Being an ex-banker, this book attracted my attention by chance and I enjoyed.  Ravi is an alumnus of IIM-B and worked in a Foreign Bank.  The book brought out several live issues in a banker's career and compared two management graduates in their movement up the ladder in banking career.  Lots of learning, of course on the practices in multinational banks and the cut-throat competition among peers.

Having become a fan of Ravi, I picked the next three books viz., Devil in Pinstripes, Incredible Banker and I bought a Monk's Ferari in the following years and read them all with keen interest.  Each of the book gave me some live experiences of a banker or a professional in a non-banking finance company.  In the process, I somehow also became a pen-friend of Ravi thanks to Face Book.  The latest of his books is "The Bankster" released on Oct 19, 2012 (coinciding with my sixty years of life) and I got it delivered through Flipkart. I have started reading enthusiastically and reminiscing the typical branch banking, cards, financial services like insurance and so on.  More after I complete the book.  But, last week I picked two more books in Bangalore (The Scam) and Mumbai (Flame) waiting for me to take up one by one.  New habit is keeping me engaged to compensate my living alone in Manipal away from my family in Bangalore. 

Flame, The Story of My Mother, Shahnaz Husain. - A book by Nelofar Curri...


It was a chance stopping at the book stall in Mumbai Airport on Nov 07, 2012 for window shopping and I ended up buying this book on the life of Shahnaz Hussain, the woman entrepreneur par excellence from India.  On a quick reading of cover page and epilogue, I came to know that she has her roots in Hyderabad, belongs to a traditional but aristocratic family.  So strange it is that she was engaged at 14, married at 16 and became a mother at 17. Rest is all her life story to hit global head lines.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Mangalore: 'Anveshana' Held at A J Institute of Management

Mangalore: 'Anveshana' Held at A J Institute of Management

Study Report on SBI 2010

Study Report on State Bank of India

Suddenly I laid my hands on a very interesting report on SBI today. Please click here to view / read: http://www.tcs.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Case%20Studies/BaNCS_Case-Study_SBI-Celent_120210.pdf

My sixty years of life and ...

I just completed sixty years of engaging life only yesterday.  I took a four day break from Oct 19 to be with my family members in Bangalore.  We decided it to be a low key affair, not to make a pomp or show to announce about my Shashtipoorthi, because the next big thing in my life is in store.  We performed Satyanarayana pooja at home, attended by a limited number of friends and relatives.  My photos on this occasion are loaded in the Face Book page : https://www.facebook.com/chowdarip1
My Sixty years and Face Book page...
I have been studying for the past six months all about ATMs in India, being in their 25th year. I remember that the first ATM was started by HSBC in Mumbai in 1987.  Banking industry has been expanding to serve the customers better and better by innovations and modernisations on an ongoing basis, despite being criticised by every one. This study might add some value to the information compiled / collected by me and loaded in my blog www.chowdarip.blogspot.com.  As an ex-banker, I feel extremely happy to find that contrary to the general feeling and criticism, our banks either public, private or foreign, are doing very well to meet the increasing challenges. It pains me when I read news about thefts and frauds taking place in ATMs now and then. Let us fervently hope that the industry grows and serves us all as per estimates in future. ATMs in India

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Base Rates in Indian Banking System



Interest Rates in India were regulated for long years by RBI up to 1993.  On introduction of Financial Sector Reforms, after recommendations of first Narasimham Committee recommendations, several initiatives were taken to streamline the banking system.  Deregulated interest rates is one of them.  Due to pressure and stress on the productivity and profitability on account of internal and external reasons of course, all types of banks in India but PSBs in particular, were blamed to be inefficient.  Their Balance Sheets were neither strong nor clean let alone transparent.  Definition of NPA in a phased manner brought in a good amount of profitability in their management of credit portfolio.  Cost of Funds were looked at scientifically after ALM was also introduced in 1998-99. 

Prime Lending Rate, Benchmark Prime Lending Rate and now Base Rate have got in to the system pushing the different types of banks to operate in a competitive environment.  The regulator was a silent spectator till early nineties when CRR was at highest ie., 15% and SLR at its peak ie., at 39.5% thus choking the funds management and banks were struggling with several compliances like Priority Sector Lending.  Even now, there is a complaint that SMEs and other businesses are not being financed by the banking system at concessional rates making their viability very difficult. SBI being the leader in so many ways plays the role of trend setter and it is obligatory on the part of RBI to listen to their views.

Monday, October 1, 2012



TAPMI organised Disha-2012, the fourth annual HR Conclave on Sept 8-9, 2012

My 60th Birthday (20th Oct) was celebrated in advance on Sept 30 at Lions Meet, Manipal




Monday, September 17, 2012

Postal Bank of India soon

Indian banking system has been continuously on growth and development path since independence.  All types of banks - public, private, foreign, cooperative or regional rural banks have been responding to the guidelines of GOI/RBI to take the banking to rural areas besides expanding all over the country on an on-going basis.  Almost all the poverty alleviation schemes and priority sector lending obligations have been carried out by these banks, in particular the public sector, including branch expansion extensively.  Only the figures will speak about the commitment with which these banks have been rendering the developmental finance and service over the years.  However, there have always been studies showing the deficiencies of public and private banks.  On the other side, all the commercial banks in India have been responding promptly to all the reforms measures as well as modernising to catch up with technological innovations.  Now, the recent news is about Postal department extending to rural and other areas by opening a new Postal Bank of India.  It is a welcome measure so that there will be a level playing field in banking.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Talking ATM in India

Talking ATM in India

What is a Talking ATM? A Talking ATM is a type of automated teller machine (ATM) that provides audible instructions so that persons who cannot read an ATM screen can independently use the machine. The world’s first talking ATM for the blind was an NCR machine unveiled by the Royal Bank ofCanada onOctober 22, 1997 at a bank branch on the corner of Bank Street and Queen Street in Ottawa, Ontario.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Talking ATMs in Passport Offices

I have been writing on a variety of ATMs in vogue these days in India and abroad.  There have been a host of types of ATMs like Biometric, Micro, Solar-based, White labelled or Brown Labelled ATMs in use.

Only yesterday, in Business Line columns I came across another interesting news item "NCR Corp to set up 50 'talking' ATMs in passport offices.  It is reported that Union Bank of India has initiated this move of setting up country's first talking ATM in Ahmedabad to help the visually challenged.  The bank seems to be aiming at 100 such ATMs.  We are experiencing the technological changes in every walk of life like this.

Sunday, August 26, 2012

SBI in News!

SBI Staff to work on Sundays

All said and done, SBI leadership is somewhat distinct.  Its Chairman is always in news for some good reasons or expressing views on the market, interest rates, new policies of RBI or Government or its own.  Two days back, SBI Chairman opined that CRR may have to be eased out.  Today, he comes out with a proposal that their staff will work on Sundays.  That does not mean they will not work on other days of the week.  My personal view is that Banks, Post Offices, Hospitals, Cinema Halls, Shopping Malls, Eateries, etc should be open on Sundays so that all busy working professionals and others will spend good time together with their families including completing many personal transactions.  Banks and others who are open on Sundays, can avail weekly off on Mondays so that their own staff can attend to other works in Government Offices etc conveniently.  This initiative of SBI is laudable in the larger public interest.

Friday, August 24, 2012

No blogs this month!

I did not post till date in August month.  May be because I was travelling to Bangalore, involved many activities at the Institute, and assumed my new additional responsibilities as Chairman-Admissions (second stint).  Of course, there have been several developments on the personal and professional front; events around like Conferences and Alumni meets, visit of CRISIL grading team and so on.  Banking scene has also been witnessing some interesting developments including a 2-day strike this week.  Next week, SBI Manipal is shifting in to a new premises and I have dinner meet fix up with the CGM Bangalore.  News in the family front about proposals for Sravanthi, new job taken up by Abhishek (Babla) in Bangalore, Ganga's elevation as Principal with a hike in pay, Dipthi travelling from USA, etc also have been engaging my time.  

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Chowdari Prasad in www.scribd.com pages

Foreign Banks in India - Branches and ATMs

Contrary to the general notion or belief, while almost all the domestic banks in India, be in public or private sector, barring of course Nainital Bank Ltd (an old Private Sector bank), do offer ATM services, only seven out of the thirty six Foreign Banks in India extend this facility! Surprising.  These 36 Foreign banks have a low number of 317 branches and 1,367 ATMs as on March 31, 2011 as per Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India of RBI.  Definitely the Public Sector Banks have gone far ahead by opening more and more branches and ATMs in every corner of the country to take banking services to the grass roots level, although Financial Inclusion experts keep blaming for the shortage of their presence in remote areas.  The game goes on and on............

Multi-functional ATMs, Personal Teller Machines and Video Banking!

Interesting to know more and more about ATMs in and abroad. Till now, I came across reading about On-site, Off-site, Biometric, Mobile, Cashless, Solar-powered, Stand alone, Networked, Deposit taking, White and Brown Labelled and Gold dispensing types of ATMs. And today, I read another article dealing with Multifunctional ATMs and Personal Teller Machines (PTMs). I wonder at the rapid changes and technological advancements in banking. I am keen to know about Video Banking too.  Two new websites I have come across recently are pertaining to Retail Banking Research, London and ATM Industry Association (ATMIA).  Let me probe further to go deep in this topic to learn and write more and more on ATMs soon.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Occupy Dalal Street

Taking cue from the international movement emanating from Occupy Wall Street two months ago in USA, it is now the turn of India.  This initiative has also become very relevant and useful for recovering NPAs.

Emotional Intelligence for Faculty?

Dr M G Saravanaraj of The Department of Management Studies of Muthyammal Engineering College, Rasipuram (near Salem in TN) is conducting a two weeks long, AICTE sponsored  Staff Development Program between 10th and 22nd May 2010 on EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE - A NEED FOR FACULTY MEMBERS.  I have been asked to handle the last session on 22nd May as also to be a Special Guest for Certificate Distribution at the Valedictory Session. I would be travelling from Bangalore to this program this week.

Chillaxing in Goa

Hey every one,  For three days I am off from work and Manipal to Goa along with my friends / family members of Lions Club Manipal to attend the 1st Muliple District Convention of 324D2 in Goa on 7-8-9th May 2010.  I am away from work and Manipal all alone but with Lions, Lionesses and Lion Cubs of Manipal.  Our Club is receiving Awards for the year 2008-09 and we are all on holiday, relaxing, chilling and chillaxing.

SBI - it's always different, of course

Last week I got a call from a Mumbaikar friend of mine.  He is great fan of mine, donno for what. Himself an accomplished Economist, Fellow in Management from IIM-A about three decades back, a finance wizard, worked in the corporate world at senior positions, a Consultant, a Director in few companies, and also a brilliant teacher at B-Schools too.  He referred a recently passed out TAPMIan to resolve his dilemma of quitting a lucrative job in Equity Research to take up a middle-management officer's job in SBI.  Next day, the candidate himself spoke to me and also wrote me a detailed email seeking my advice on his dilemma.

SBI CEO par Excellence

Times of India, Mumbai of today, in its Business Page (no.25) carried out an article titled "I am the least-paid Fortune 500 CEO" by Mr OP Bhatt, Chairman of State Bank of India.

Mr Bhatt's career with SBI is coming to an end in next March after nearly forty successful years from a junior level Probationary Officer to top most Chairman of the Bank.  Search is on for his successor from within the bank, while he is also on the look out for a further career in the financial services industry.  We need to wait and see where he fixes up after April 2011.  During last five years of his tenure as Chairman he proved par excellence performance and leadership of SBI in keeping the flag high and market share too.

He also introduced a highly motivating and exciting work life for all his bankmen with a scheme called "Parivartan" and currently pur

List of 41 Bharat Ratnas since 1954

Friday, June 8, 2012

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : NHB to launch mortgage guarantee firm

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : NHB to launch mortgage guarantee firm

My Second Stint and Three Years at TAPMI Manipal

I realised only today that in my second stint at TAPMI, Manipal, I have just completed three years on June 01.  I quit my services in Alliance Business School in Bangalore as Professor and Registrar on May 31 after less than 3 years stint over there with a host of experiences in academics and administration. It was a different feeling like Homecoming to revert to Manipal after that break for several reasons.  But, of course, I had to leave my family in Bangalore to proceed to Manipal.

When I joined in 2009, Dr Vasudev Rao was officiating as Director and Dr Saji had assumed charge in March but was away in New Zealand for teaching then.  Dr Simon entrustred me a new responsibility of coordinating the MESM program  to be launched by Manipal University on behalf of TAPMI  in addition to be the Area Chair for Finance & Economics Area as also handle the Branding & Promotion Committee. The year started and we had many colourful events and activities in academics and administrations.  One interesting task was attending series of meetings Dr Saji was holding on various matters.  There were issues of all kinds - B-School rankings, AICTE approvals, introduction of three new programs (BFSI, IB and Healthcare Management), AACSB accreditation, also some financial and so on.  

Only one of these materialised - HCM in 2010 while approval for PGDM with increased intakes from 120 to 180 to 240 to 360 plus 120 for second shift and 10% for PIOs (as also NRI quota) materialised in course of time, thanks to strenuous efforts by one and all.  Similarly, MESM first batch was started in August 2010 with a small batch of 11 students.  I vacated my own flat in Premier Park in Manipal and shifted to stay on campus for a new beginning in October 2010.  During the same month, Dr Saji took the initiative of designating me as Dean (Planning & Development). Inauguration of full campus by the President of India was a major event in December 2010. One important decision at TAPMI was to introduce GDPIs at six outstation centres during March/April in order to increase visibility and attract good candidates on campus.

I did my best to make TAPMI participate in as many B-School Ranking surveys during 2009-10-11-12 to increase its visibility and updating the website regularly as also releasing the annual UPDATE magazines in 2010, 2011 and 2012 with complete information.  One opportunity that came in my way was to join the Study Tour to Europe by MESM students during June 2011 visiting Germany, Nederlands, Belgium/Brussels and Luxemburg. Another activity stepped up was holding periodic Alumni meets besides introducing AoM and hosting two major meets for PGDM and EPGDM in Bangalore during 2011.  Launching of long pending TAPMI Newsletter (monthly) in January 2012 is yet another milestone.

With the exit of or reverting back to IIM-K of Dr Saji Gopinath in May 2011 caused a sudden vaccum again at TAPMI but Dr Rao was holding the fort till Jan 2012 when due to dramatic developments, Dr RC Natarajan was made the Director.  One surprise development immediately was that I was re-designated as Dean (Branding & Promotions).  AACSB accreditation is a new feather in our cap by April 2012. And beginning this academic year in July, I am back to to role of Chairman-Admissions in addition to Branding & Promotions.  For some strange reasons, my teaching of Banking and Financial Services is gone and am in to more and more administration.   Life goes on and on.......

XAT Aspirant Video.wmv

My vacation during April - May 2012 has been interesting with mixed activities in personal and professional (Official) fronts.  Having completed my annual review formalities, I started to visit Delhi on April 28 to attend and receive an award for TAPMI at the CSR event.  Again, I travelled to Delhi on May 03 to attend a two-day event on HR Outsourcing organised by NHRDN and TiE at India International Centre. Then on May 05, I proceeded to Bangalore to join my family for vacation to begin from May 07 (Monday).  But I was regularly visiting CEE in Koramangala and also communicating with Hareesh at Manipal and Nagaraj in Bangalore on some follow up works.  Me and Nagaraj attended CII program on May 11 and ISTD program on May 19.  We completed the Status Report on TAPMI's Industry-Institute-Interface report.  We also had discussions on an IBM proposal.  I completed two minor tasks of evaluating exam papers of MBA of a private University as also the eleven students' Project Reports for MESM second semester.  Typically, on the personal front I was visiting friends and relatives in Bangalore and also completed the work at my new Apartments in Nandi Woods in Bangalore.  Interestingly, I closed the vacation again with a visit to Mumbai to attend a HR Summit organised by IHRD of Bangalore in Hotel Westin, Goregaon East.  Coupled with the trip was meeting my old friends and SBI colleagues Mr KK Chatterjee, Mr Gokul Krishnan and my niece Ms Vatsala in Mumbai.  What a hectic vacation it was overall?  Enriching and fulfilling too.........

Management Aspirant Survey - Lucky Draw Event.flv

Friday, March 30, 2012

Boring Banking vs Exciting Banking!

Amar Bhide: Backstopped Banking Must Be Boring

Having written some time back on about "60 Prefixes to the term, Banking" I am now adding another new term 'Boring Banking' on which enough material is available in Google and Net.  Interesting!

And, as I move forward searching I come across another word called "Exciting Banking".  The list seems to be going endless.........................http://mostlyeconomics.wordpress.com/2009/11/27/boring-banking-vs-exciting-banking/

Amar Bhide: Backstopped Banking Must Be Boring

Amar Bhide: Backstopped Banking Must Be Boring

Having written some time back on about "60 Prefixes to the term, Banking" I am now adding another new term 'Boring Banking' on which enough material is available in Google and Net.  Interesting!

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : Survey ranks TMB best among old pvt sector banks

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : Survey ranks TMB best among old pvt sector banks

Saturday, February 25, 2012

IIM-A -Chaos 2011 - Jagjit Singh Concert

Cyber Crimes in Banking

Phishing, Vishing and SMiShing in Cyber Crimes

Embezzlement, Forgeries, Frauds have been there for long in the banking and financial services.  Scandals have taken place in large amounts and a new name 'Scam' has emerged to refer them.  After introduction of Technology in Banking and Financial Services, a few more new terms have surfaced.  We have heard of Identity Thefts and ATM frauds which by themselves are great puzzle when the industry is catching fast in modernisation.  Then we started hearing about Phishing, Pharming (believe me, there is no spelling mistake in these two words), Hacking, Skimming, Trozan, etc.  More the technological advancement more the counter-productive and perverted knowledge or research that has evolved.  And now, we are reading about Vishing and SMiShing.  Very interesting, na!  Please click on the heading or go to Google or Wikipedia to search.


kal chaudhivin ki raat thi-jagjit singh live in concert

Friday, February 24, 2012

Customer Grievances Redressal through Ombudsman

Banking Ombudsman Scheme

I have been reading and teaching on the topic of Customer Satisfaction, Service and Grievances Redressal, etc only half heartedly.  Rarely people across the counter have 'empathy' for the customer and volunteer to understand their needs, let alone solve the problems or offer suggestions politely.  Two major committees on Customer Service in Banks were headed by Chairman of State Bank of India - viz., Shri R K Talwar, the doyen of commercial banking in India and much later Shri MN Goiporia.  Several recommendations given by these two committees were accepted / implemented but there remains a standing complaint that Bankers do not understand and serve the customers.  It could be from depositors or borrowers besides the third category of service seekers like issue of a DD., sending / receiving of a remittance, issue of an LC or Guarantee, transfer of an account or funds, settlement of accounts of a deceased in favour of the legal heirs, etc.

All said and done, Ombudsman is a typically borrowed scheme or facility from British and earlier it was for insurance claims and later extended to bank accounts too.  A detailed reading of the annual report on Ombudsman 2011 by the RBI gives us a comprehensive picture of the changes that have been effected in the post reforms era as also with the introduction of technology.  Consumer Protection Act and Right to Information Act have certainly made a change in customer service.  Today, banking or any other system can not take its customer for granted.  A critical reading of the report explains the transformation in the banking system towards extending better customer service.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

25 Years of ATMs in India

Of late, I have been reading a lot of news on ATMs in India.  Be it the number of on-site and off-site ATMs set up by different types of banks from the RBI website or distribution in different population centres like Rural, Semi Urban, Urban and Metro Cities or comparison with number of branches vs. ATMs by banks.  It is very interesting to note that the first ATM in India was from HSBC Bank in 1987 which means the Indian banking industry got to celebrate Silver Jubilee year in 2012 (this year).  So much of advancement also took place in these long years with a wide variety of ATMs being introduced by our banks.

Cross Selling has been taking place through ATMs in a big way.  News items have been appearing about ATMs being stolen away by miscreants or innovative frauds being perpetrated by scamsters.  These are the counter-productive outcomes, of course.  But, it is heartening to note that as on March 31, 2011 as against 74,100 branches of all banks in the country, the number of ATMs have surpassed with a number at 74,500.  Great show indeed.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Business Line : Opinion : Europe's crisis can hurt India

SBI Global Factors Ltd???

Factoring Services at SBI

After about two decades of existence, it is a sad development to note that the factoring subsidiary "SBI Global Factors Ltd" has accumulated losses of Rs. 125 crores and hence it may be merged with the parent.  Factoring services originated in Europe centuries ago but were introduced in India only in 1991 after the Kalyanasundaram Committee recommended for the same.  Even though it was envisaged to introduce four Factoring companies - sponsored by SBI in the West, PNB in the North, Allahabad Bank in the East and Canara Bank in the South, only two companies took birth ie., SBI Factors and Canbank Factors Ltd.

These companies were operating all over India, by opening branches in all potential places, some times overlapping in areas served and serving the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs in several ways besides financing against Invoices.  The captioned development is a retrograde step and is discouraging for the world of SMEs in India. We have got to wait and watch for the decision of the country's largest bank now.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Game Changers : Entrepreneurship

It was on Monday the February 13, I read in the Business Line on page 14 (Biblio File) a book review with a caption "A Toast to IIT Kharagpur".  The name of the book is "The Game Changers" authored by three young men, two of whom are current final year students and the third is an alumnus of IIT-K, all working simultaneously for the Entrepreneurship Cell of the Institute.  Their names are Yuvnesh Modi, Rahul Kumar and Alok Kothari.  The book (262 pages) is published by Random House India and priced at Rs. 150 only. It covers 20 graduates of the Institute in different years who turned to be Entrepreneurs who are profiled.  The book has been written and released in connection with celebrating of 60 years of IIT-K this year.

With all my curiosity, I requested my friend Dr Manjunatha, Librarian at TAPMI to get a copy for me.  He ordered through flipkart, Bangalore on the same day.  To my utter surprise although they stated in the invoice 3-4 days as delivery period on COD basis, I got the parcel on Feb 14, the very next day, in Manipal.  More than the book and its contents, I was made to believe the swift service rendered the real Game Changer - M/s Flipkart.com! I am referring to page no. 65 of the latest issue of The Week magazine and the article Write Path, wherein the newborn Flipkart itself is referred to as a Game Changer, the desi version of Amazon! Hats Off!!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Committees on Banking in India

Various Committees on Banking in India

One of the earliest Committees on Banking in India was in 1929.  It was headed by Shri B N Mitra to study and recommend on 'Central Banking Functions and Agricultural Finance'.  RBI was set up in 1934 on the recommendations of Hilton Young Commission, by taking over the functions from the then Imperial Bank of India. In the pre-independence era, two more Committees were set up to study the Agricultural Finance and Cooperative Societies.  These were headed by 1. DR Gadgil and 2. RS Saria.  After independence, several Committees studied banking system whose recommendations led to establishing of RBI as a public body in 1948, setting up SBI in 1955 after nationalising IBI and so on.  Mostly the focus was on extending rural credit and increasing the banking services to the rural areas what is now referred as Financial Inclusion.  Between 1947 and 1969 as many as seven Committees were asked to go into various aspects of banking, primarily resulting in announcement of Lead Bank Scheme and Nationalisation of 14 Commercial Banks.

Again during the period between 1969 and 1990, several committees were set up, numbering to 33, mainly dealing with Customer Service (headed by RK Talwar and MN Goiporia, both were Chairman of SBI in seventies and nineties respectively), Financing to SSIs, setting up of RRBs, Simplication of Documents, establishment of NABARD, Money Market Operations, etc.  The landmark reference is always the Committee on Financial Sector Reforms in 1991 headed by Shri M Narasimham, former Governor of RBI who again headed another Committee in 1997-98. Interestingly, besides all the above Committees set up for various purposes, there were also about ten Committees, mostly headed by DGs, EDs and Senior Officials of RBI and other experts, dealing with mechanisation and computerisation in banks in India. In all, as many as 49 Committees were set up between 1991 and 2010.  Thus, the total number of Committees is at 92 between 1929 and 2010, all focussing on improvement of systems and procedures or introduction of new products and services in banking industry in India.


Entrepreneurship 101 2010/11 - The Pitch

Entrepreneurship 101 2010/11 - Marketing Communications

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : Postal savings scheme collections at Rs 2,74,720 cr in 2011

Business Line : Industry & Economy / Banking : Postal savings scheme collections at Rs 2,74,720 cr in 2011

I have always been referring about the four legs of The Indian Financial System, all of which are equally important. These are Development Financial Institutions (IFCI, SIDBI, NABARD, EXIM Bank, et al), Banks (Public, Private, Foreign, Cooperative, RegionalRural, and Local Area Banks), Non-Banking Financial Companies (Leasing, Hire Purchasing, Merchant Banking, Credit Rating, Credit Information, Asset Reconstruction Companies, Chit Funds, Nidhis, Micro Finance, etc), and National Savings - Postal Services. This information on Postal Savings Scheme collections at Rs. 2,74,720 crores is encouraging to know the significant role played by these outfits. After all, we are in a competitive world in the reforms era!

Indiawest: GITPRO Holds Forum on Entrepreneurship Opportunities

Indiawest: GITPRO Holds Forum on Entrepreneurship Opportunities

Earlier, I read about TiE spreading the concept of Entrepreneurs outside and in India with several chapters. I also knew about NEN and Angel Networks working on the propagation of spirit of entrepreneurship.  Here is another platform towards this direction.  More you delve deeper into this activity, more you get to know.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

B-Schools in India and International Accreditation

Amazing to know about the existence of 4,500 B-Schools in India (vide Business Standard).  Are they all under regulation of UGC or AICTE?  Not too sure.  It is interesting that IIMs and ISB are not under AICTE norms.  There are some more who keep hitting headlines and openly release advertisements and award diplomas or degrees without any approval or accreditation.  Management Education in India seems to be passing through many trials and tribulations with a host of B-Schools proliferating all over.  The steps initiated by AICTE in Admissions, Fee, Courses, etc are being resisted and challenged legally.

On the other side, Foreign Universities are being invited with open arms to give stiff challenge to the domestic system.  Superior quality Faculty members are in serious shortage in India and every where else.  Industry professionals wanting to teach the B-School students are necessarily to go through the route of PhD / academic or else be treated as 'undesirable' second rate citizens.  Only today I came across a new word "trilemma" which seems to be straight away applicable to Management Education in India.  God save B-Schools

IBN CNN Live - Shining B-schools of Inida

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Many facets of ATMs in India

In early seventies, Banks in India had a scheme of manual "Tellers".  These were special counters manned by senior employees, who were delegated powers to pay cheques (self) or withdrawals up to a designated amount from the savings or current accounts of customers.  These Tellers were paid a specified special allowance for the risk and responsibility undertaken in their services unlike clerks or cashiers over the counter.  Tellers were expected to be familiar with all the important customers of the branch and their signatures too besides of course having an idea of the balances maintained in the accounts.

ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) or also referred to as Any Time Money facility by some.  Thanks to evolution of technology, today we have on-site and off-site ATMs numbering over 75,000 all over India and equal in number of total branches of all banks.  These ATMs are located in a variety of off-site centres like Highways, near Petrol Bunks, Hotels, Hospitals, Tourist Centres, Forest routes, Waterways, Hill Stations, etc.  Interestingly, they are some times manned by Security Personnel and sometimes not.  Help line facility and Drop Boxes are available at a majority of ATMs.  We also have Bio-metric ATMs for illiterates.

Only recently, I have read in newspapers that ATMs were attempted to be misused by the candidates fighting elections in some States by carrying cash unauthorisedly so that no suspicion is raised.  I have also read that empty soft-drink bottles can be dropped in ATMs for getting refund of the amount!  Of course, I witnessed such a facility in a University cafetaria in Germany last year.  Unfortunately, I read another news item that by using a simple technology (crooked) of a putting a match stick in the slit, one fraudster has been resorting to draw amounts from ATMs, after the customer leaves the counter in disgust.

And today, in Hindu Business Line, I am reading another innovation for ATMs being run by solar power!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Great feeling indeed

It was a great feeling to be back with so many colleagues of SBI yesterday.  I had a pleasant invitation a few weeks back to be at the customers meet in Udupi when Mr Ashwin Mehra, CGM of Bangalore LHO visited the branches.  He was very informal and friendly with all the guests.  SBI hosted a musical evening with dinner to all its valued customers.  I took the opportunity to greet and appreciate the services of Manipal and Udupi branches. We found that me and CGM were already friends in the social website LinkedIn.

About ten days back, another invitation came from SBI stating that this time Shri Krishna Kumar, MD from CO would be visiting Mangalore/Udupi/Manipal during 26-27-28 Jan 2012.  Naturally, the CGM, GMs, DGMs, AGMs and a host of senior officials of SBI Bangalore/Mangalore were hosting an event to honour achievers at different branches of Karnataka.  I was asked to join them for a dinner on 26th and address a session on Leadership Development on 27th Jan after lunch at Summer Sands Resort, Ullal.  What a strange and wonderful opportunity to be at my alma mater for over 21 years?  I did spend the day on 27th Jan.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

SBI - India's Largest Bank

SBI Branches

One common factor between Sachin Tendulkar and State Bank of India is that both are headquartered in Mumbai with ever increasing numbers in their profiles. I was making an attempt to find out the number of branches of SBI from the internet but came to know an interesting feature.  Please visit the link above.

It has four types of branches by product / service variation : Core banking, Domestic Forex, Internet banking and Real Time Gross Settlement Branches.  And then, the bank boasts of 15 types branches too.  These are: Agricultural Business, Agricultural Development, Commercial, Corporate Accounts Group, Industrial Finance, Main, Mid-Corp Group, NRI, Other, Overseas, Personal Banking, Rehabilitation & Recovery, Service, SSI & SIB Branches, and Branches conducting PPF Business Branches.  I don't think any other bank in India has!

Puttanahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust

Smt Usha Rajagopalan : Another Amazing Indian Woman

Uasha is known to us since May 1999 as a Writer when we met her in Manipal when I joined TAPMI.  In the last three years she moved into social work in Bengaluru.  She appeared on TimesNow TV Channel today morning as another Amazing Indian Woman.   

Mann Deshi Mahila Bank in Satara, Maharashtra

Mann Deshi Mahila Bank, Satara in Maharashtra, India

Enough has been written about Entrepreneurs and Social Entrepreneurs, Rural development and Social Workers or Women Entrepreneurs in India.  Here is an amazing story of a woman banker, Ms Chetana Sinha who shifted from Mumbai to Satara and founded a bank for rural women.  She is really amazing!!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Health Tips

After a long easy life, I have recently been seriously considering to change my life style.  I have just started having juice of bitter gourd, garlic chutney and methi powder in my food.  Here is a link for tips on Bitter Gourd :http://www.juicing-for-health.com/bitter-gourd-benefits.html; Bitter pill advice, but can't help. 

Friday, January 6, 2012

Coffee with CEO-Mr.Suhas Gopinath-Part 1



Unbelievable achievers at age 14.  Ms Sindhuja Rajaraman of Hyderabad and Mr Suhas Gopinath of Bangalore have been named the world's youngest CEOs.  At a time when most of our youngsters even after crossing the age of 18 years and become eligible to exercise their franchise for electing their representatives to the legislative assemblies and parliaments and also to acquire properties in their names, it is surprising that these two individuals have attained the special status being called CEOs at 14 years.  Hats off!

Suhas Gopinath

Suhas Gopinath - World's Youngest CEO CBS News

14 year old Chennai girl becomes world's youngest CEO Video The Time...