Re-Union of 1977 batch of TOs of SBI, Hyderabad Circle (only 14 present here - 6 absent and 3 expired prematurely) on 12 Dec 2013 at Taj Tristar, Secunderabad when Sreedhar from Canada dropped in..........recalling our nostalgic good old days and life events in past 36 years. Sitting L to R: BBRK Durga Prasad, DRGK Murthy, K Chamundeswara Rao, S Krishnan, R Narayanaswamy, Prof Chowdari Prasad K Nageswara Rao and Standing L to R: K Ananda Prasad, N Sreedhar, Prasad Bsr, MVR Sainatha Rao, K Ramamohana Rao, ChBV Sarma and P Lakshminarayana

India's Best Banks 2013 : BT Survey Results

Its an annual exercise, or I may say ritual.  Now a days, even RBI compiles the profiles of all commercial banks in public, private and foreign category with their respective business data, efficiency indicators in comparison to the industry averages. Around November every year, RBI also brings out a comprehensive book titled "Trend and Progress of Banking in India", in which the economy, banking and finance world scenario is presented.  'Profile of Banks in India' helps the reader, be a student, banker or a researcher to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a bank operating in India.  All said and done, unlike corporate companies, banks in India strictly follow or comply with the broad policies or guidelines or norms spelt out by the regulator.  There is freedom for the banks to fix their own rates of interest on deposits and lendings, while taking care of Risk Management, Asset Liability Management and Basel Committee obligations.

Each type of banks have their advantages and disadvantages in size, age, location, manpower, stage of automation, board and governance styles, presence abroad, etc.  The results announced by BT for large, medium and small banks on various parameters hardly matter or affect to the banks concerned.  Similarly, customers also go by their own preferences to deal with their bankers.  This survey results not only compute certain metrics and compare within the three groups as also rank the banks and show the outcomes in comparison to the previous year.  SBI, the largest bank in the country, interestingly is ranked at no. 10 (it was at no.7 last year) below its minor counter parts like Syndicate Bank (9), Corporation Bank (8), etc.

I am not too sure who would be using this data - customers - depositors or borrowers or investors.

GOI opening on Nov 19, 2013 (birth anniversary of late Smt Indira Gandhi, first and only woman Prime Minister of India) a women bank:http://t.co/R7NoqYytxw, But, are you aware of existing http://t.co/sQDcyKcjt7 and http://t.co/3TCfYt2N1z?  SEWA Bank in Gujarat and Mann Deshi Bank in Maharashtra are both in cooperative sector and primarily founded, managed by women social entrepreneurs successfully.  Only this new Public Sector Bank in / for / by women funded by govt is to perform now!

Bharatiya Mahila Bank - India'a First Women Bank.

Bharatiya Mahila Bank is India's first all women Bank created particularly to cater the needs of the women. Though it is named Bharatiya Mahila Bank, it will accept deposits both from Men and Women. The Bank will employ mostly women. The Bank will start it's operations from November 2013.

BHARTIYAMAHILABANK.COM

Social Media and Banking : IDRBT Site

Social Media and Banking : IDRBT site

Namak Haraam

http://www.youtube.com/v/TBt1f5XxOtw?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=PpVBGqK9ovmwUpc3RIVoOQ

Here is the full movie Namak Haraam! To watch it leisurely!!

Namak Haraam - Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna Super Hit Film

http://www.youtube.com/v/IvO1JrvF10s?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=n3Hz5iaYx8gi0YdzZMJFHw&showinfo=1

A super hit movie from Hrishikesh Da with Amitabh, Rajesh Khanna, AK Hangal, Rekha, Asrani, et al.  The central theme is on friendship but also covers romance, labour relations, trade unionism, etc with full of action and songs.  It was also the first film for Raza Muraad. This movie turned Amitabh in to a new super star overtaking Rajesh Khanna....

Two Weeks Three Countries Vacation 2013

Certainly it was a necessary break to have availed of a fortnight's vacation and trip to the three South East Asian countries viz., Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand with two of my family members (wife and daughter) during the Dussera vacation between Oct 12 and 23.  It was a good travel experience to me too to see the cities of Kuala Lumpur and Genting in Malaysia, Singapore and Pattaya / Bangkok in Thailand.  The civilisation and development in these places as also the Buddhist and Chinese Temples plus Entertainment Parks are worth experiencing.  I would love to upload some photographs in course of time.

New Gen Banks and their performance

The new era of economic and financial sector reforms in India has seen introduction of prudential norms for the banking system in March 1993.  Definition of NPAs was introduced then besides, CAR and later Asset Liability Management!  Later, NPA definition was changed 3 more times to bring down to 3 months or 90 days dues as the norm on par with global standards.  Almost all the banks took some time to re-adjust to all the developments and re-tune to Basel I and II standards.  Technology intervention and trend towards more of retail banking also put the banking system under severe stress with deregulation of interest rates.  One silver lining in the reforms was that SLR and CRR rates were brought down from the peak levels of about 39 and 15 percent, thus enabling the banking system to carry out competitive business to earn profits and become productive, simultaneous with increasing their reach and competing with new generation banks.

In all, 11 new banks were allowed on different dates the last such step being licencing of YES Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank in 2002-03.  The one interesting fact is that even among the new banks, four were forced to merge with other banks within a very short time of their functioning.  These are Bank of Punjab, Centurion Bank, Global Trust Bank and Times Bank.  One needs to focus on their working separately to study and conclude the effectiveness of new private banks in the Indian Financial System.  

Global Finance : World's Best Banks 2013

World's Best Banks 2013 : Annual Survey

May 2013 issue of Global Finance magazine carries the results of annual survey of World's best banks.  The contents furnish country-wise and continent-wise names of best banks for 2013.  Asia shows HSBC Bank while India has HDFC Bank as the best bank.  No physical data on business etc are given but only description from the Chiefs of respective banks. 

A Profile of Banks 2012-13 from RBI

A Profile of Banks : RBI

This is an annual exercise carried out by the regulator in India viz., RBI. This 100 page document was released by the central banker on Sept 30, 2013 containing some useful and standard data of all types of banks in India - SB Group (SBI and 5 associate), Nationalised Banks (20), Old and New Private Banks (13 + 7) and 43 Foreign Banks operating in India.  It is possible that some names of these foreign banks might have not been heard by most of us while those popular ones are operating only in metro cities.  The data is for past five years ie., 2008-09 to 2012-13 and gives a critical and comparative picture that could be analysed as to the growth, productivity, efficiency and profitability of all these types of banks.

The complete canvas of banking in India comprises of three more types of banks viz., Cooperative Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Local Area Banks.  The two former banks have their own role to play in rural development and financing.  The Financial Services Sector, of course, will be more comprehensive if we include Microfinance Institutions, Non-Banking Finance Companies, Mutual Benefit Companies, etc. But, we need to be contented with the limited but authentic information available to move on.

ATMs, WLAs, POS, CDMs, etc

ATMs in India have been in use for past 25 years and are in increasing trend now.  Their total number (1,34,000 approx) has certainly surpassed that of the total of bank branches.  About 25% of ATMs are stated to be in rural and semi-urban areas now.  Thanks to RBI policy of permitting White Label ATMs to be operated by NBFCs, offering of basic banking services are looking up through these ATMs.  And of late, we have been hearing about Point of Sales facility as also Cash Dispensing Machines. Though not directly or in full, the issues pertaining to Financial Inclusion are also being met simultaneously with the expansion of bank branches, ATMs and licencing of new banks in private sector.  Banking in India in the year 2020 may be entirely different from now, thanks to technology and conscious expansion policies of RBI and GOI.

Bank for and by Women in India

Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) will come into existence from Nov 01, 2013. Earnestly wish that it will be a unique bank for empowering women unlike the one in cooperative sector founded four decades ago and vanished: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratibha_Mahila_Sahakari_Bank. 
 
No doubt as on date, we have over a dozen top women bankers in India: http://www.deccanchronicle.com/...; and there are other successful outfits run by women like SEWA Bank (1972), and Mann Deshi Bank (1997), et al! They have performed wonderfully in rural areas. Will BMB be urban-oriented in public sector backed by Govt? How will it change the life of women customers?  Whether UPA is launching this new bank only with 2014 elections in view? What has been the take away from Microfinance, Self Help Groups and Financial Inclusion efforts all these years? Lets wait and see now!

Why Andhra Pradesh division is not justifiable..?

A very interesting and exhaustive interview with complete data...Mr DA Somayajulu of YSRCP

E-governance in India: Challenges and future

Overview: 2nd FT-YES Bank International Banking Summit 2012

Indian Banks and ATMs after 25 years

ATMs in India as on 31 March, 2013

25 years after introducing ATMs in the country, today we have 1,14,014 ATMs all over the country in rural / semi-urban /. urban / metro centres rendering 24x7 service to the country.  I had listed out the variety of ATMs in vogue in an earlier post in my blog.  Interestingly, these ATMs are attached to about 84,000 branches of 86 banks of all types (public / private - new and old / foreign) with a staff strength over ten lacs.

Private Equity funding in India

PE Financing to Agriculture in India

I have been closely following the developments in the topic of PE funding in India and also wrote a few articles, papers for conferences in the past six-seven years.  The more and more I am getting involved in this topic, at my own leisure, the topic has been appearing in the press quite often.  Every one is aware about the existence of Venture Capital funding and regulations, outfits and beneficiaries in India but no perceptible effort appear to have been made to document similar literature on Private Equity in India.  As the economic condition and capital markets activities are happening or changing to meet the pressing demands of the corporates - either listed or unlisted, in small, medium or large sector, or in SME or Agriculture, funds are being infused through PEs.  Only recently, GOI took some formal initiative of appointing a high level committee with experts to recommend Alternate Investment Funds including PE.  And recently, SEBI has began owning up this route of funding to the corporates and monitoring the activity.  Let us wait and see.

26 applicants with RBI for setting up new banks

26 new applicants for setting up banks in India

The Importance Of Being SBI

The Importance Of Being SBI

Performance by Professor Chowdari Prasad, Dean(Branding and Promotions),...

Manipal University Showcase

Recent Three Events in my life

1. I completed 60 years on Oct 19, 2012 and celebrated with my family members in Bangalore.



2. I visited Casablanca in Morocco, North Africa for a two-day AACSB Seminar on Feb 22, 2013.



3. I was honoured by two NGOs in Bangalore on April 18, 2013 with Life Time Achievement Award.

Life Time Achievement Award on April 18, 2013 in Bengaluru

4. I have been elected as President of Lions Club, Manipal for 2013-14 and was installed with my team of Office bearers in West Ind Country Club on June 22, 2013.
Lions Club, Manipal installation ceremony on June 22, 2013

SBI Annual Report 2013

SBI Annual Report for 2012-13 : https://www.sbi.co.in/user.htm?action=viewsection&lang=0&id=0,170,1022

SBI Business Levels March 2013

I was engrossed in the routine work for some time and today suddenly laid my hands on the SBI website.  Here is a ppt showing the status or business levels and related data of the bank, with 5 associate banks and 5 other subsidiaries (non-banking finance companies): SBI Balance Sheet March 2013.  I just cannot believe and imagine its size and strength today in the Indian banking scene.  I left the mighty organisation 20 years back.

Private Equity: Industry Review - Ed Mathias, The Carlyle Group

Private Equity: The Return of the Masters of the Universe

To know about PE, please do watch this clipping in youtube.com.

Rural Credit and NABARD's Report on Microfinance

Status of Microfinance in India 2012

Rural Credit through Self-Help Groups (SHG) and Joint Liability Groups (JLG) coupled with Microfinance by the banking system has been spearheaded by NABARD since 1992, taking a cue from the policies and guidelines for priority sector lending of RBI for all commercial banks.  What has started with All India Rural Credit Survey, formation of SBI (1955) and its associates (1957), nationalisation of fourteen plus six commercial banks on two occasions (1969 and 1980) and setting up of Regional Rural Banks (1975) is now culminating in to microfinance.  Inclusive growth,  Financial Inclusion, Financial Literacy, etc are the buzz words these days. Here is a report from NABARD site with some useful data. 

A research paper on Micro Finance in India

Micro Finance in India : A Research Paper

White Revolution and ATMs by HDFC Bank

This is an amazing development and news for banking community, farmers in dairy industry, technology partners and all related players in the market connected to milk and banking! : http://www.businessworld.in/en/storypage/-/bw/teller%E2%80%99s-tale/863148.16627/page/1

Once an SBIan, forever SBIan

I became nostalgic yesterday, of course like every other day when a group of senior functionaries of the bank (DGM/2 AGMs / 2 CMs) from SBI visited me in campus.  Interestingly, in the evening, I met another ex-SBI female colleague from Mumbai Central Office when I was there during 1984-1992. Having been a proud member of the SBI family for over two decades, got nurtured in the profession thoroughly by a variety of bosses and the system, it is just impossible for me to move away from SBI memories even in thoughts though I quit the bank two decades back.  So, the relationship is over four decades.  As a Pensioner, ex-Banker, now a Professor and active in several social net-working sites, I keep running in to many of my ex-colleagues in various capacities.  I am proud and lucky for this god-sent opportunity. Long Live SBIans.

SBI Chairman says not looking at group consolidation for now - Business Line

SBI Chairman says not looking at group consolidation for now - Business Line

Merging of the seven associate banks with the parent State Bank of India has been a live issue for over decades.  Some times, the managements and Officer staff were in favour but not the trade unions.  However, in last few years, SB Indore and SB Saurashtra were merged with SBI and now five more are in the waiting.  The Finance Ministers keep announcing about consolidation of public sector banks but it never happened except the above.  Government and RBI also should spell out their policy on these matters to give a proper direction instead of leaving to the respective managements.  Pros and Cons of such mergers be spelt out and announced by means of a white paper to the public, customers, trade unions, and other stake holders and a final time-bound program be drawn.  Only then, our PSBs can grow to the level of global standards like banks in China or Japan.

Cobrapost Expose 2: Banks, LIC face FinMin heat - Business Line

Cobrapost Expose 2: Banks, LIC face FinMin heat - Business Line

Banks are in the business of attracting deposits and sanctioning of loans besides other services.  Customer Service is at the top of their agenda.  Despite two decades of reforms and competition with Private Banks as also introduction of technology at the cost of displeasing the trade unions, there has always been a blame on their quality of service, productivity and profitability.  KYC norms are being meticulously observed by all types of banks for over a decade.  Asset Liability and Risk Management guidelines are complied with strictly.  With all these liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation measures in place, business growth is aimed at on an ongoing basis by all the banks.  And, in the process, they end up landing in these scandals. So sad and unfortunate!

Deals of 2012: Grant Thornton 8th Annual Edition of DealTraker

India's first all-women Public Sector Bank in Nov 2013

All Women PSB in India

Life Time Achievement Award given to me by IISER, Bangalore

The proposal was going on for about two three months.  International Institute for Social and Economic Reforms (IISER-Registered, Bangalore) led by Dr HS Siddappa working with Planning Commission of India, New Delhi and another NGO for Women's Development in Dharwad approached me to be a candidate / nominee for this APJ Abdul Kalam Life Time Achievement Award for 2013 in Teaching, Research and Administration. I agreed, may be because I have spent over four decades in seven organisations, the longest being in SBI for 22 years including in the area of Rural / Agricultural Finance and Development both at grass root level and Central Office, Mumbai.

Next profession after banking I chose was in to Academics in the year 1999 joining TAPMI, but focus was on Administration while learning the fundas of teaching.  I just crossed sixty years of age too in October 2012 and I would have retired from active service, if only I had continued in SBI, but God only knows at what level.  This bank gave me so many things in life including four merit promotions in fifteen years.  I mis-read my career opportunities and was over-confident when I quit the bank in 1993 to join private industry for about six years in three organisations.

I had to re-invent so many things in my personal front to fit into academics.  All said and done, my past experience in banking and administration has been haunting me.  Possibly that was the prime reason that I was not a perfect academic but settled down in this line reluctantly.  The award received by me on April 18 at the Ravindra Kala Kshetra in Bangalore was a peculiar experience.  I will upload a few photos soon.

Names of Streets in Hyderabad & Secunderabad

Not my own blog or comments but extracted from other's blog:-
http://raghavsubramanian.blogspot.in/2012/04/history-behind-street-names-of.html
Names of Streets in Hyderabad & Secunderabad

My 30th Wedding Anniversary Today

Today is my 30th wedding anniversary.  When I posted the info on my FB page, many friends greeted me instantaneously.  I was very happy.  After some time, I uploaded a youtube clipping from Baghbaan with a song 'mai yahan tum wahan..................' to express my feelings to have been away from my family living in Bangalore while I am working in Manipal.  Very rarely, our real life experiences coincide with reel stories.

Non Stop Bollywood Huge Songs Collection (1988-2008) - Part 1 of 3 (HQ) ...

Eleven hours of non-stop hindi film songs entertainment!

Non Stop Bollywood Huge Songs Collection (1988-2008) |Jukebox| - Part 3 ...

OMG Seven hours of non-stop music from youtube...

K K Pai National Award for Excellence in Banking 2012 -- 2013 Part#3/3

RBI Announced New Banks Licencing Policy 2013

Bank Licencing Policy 2013

India Post going to apply for opening a bank soon.

Good news: Meet India's 10-year-old CEO - NewsX

Alka Yagnik Duet Songs With Udit Narayan And Kumar Sanu (HQ)

5 hours 20 minutes of non-stop music

Casablanca - Morocco

All Anand Songs - Rajesh Khanna - Amitabh Bachchan - Lata Mangeshkar - M...

Forty Two years back, ie in 1971, I watched this movie on friendship with a group of new recruits of Andhra Bank, Hyderabad.  It is an eternal movie with powerful dialogues of Amitabh and Rajesh Khanna and Songs

The Streets of Casablanca, Morocco - 27th July, 2010

Two surprise developments this week

First, I received a letter from Krist Foundation of Dharwad, proposing to honour me with a Abdul Kalam Life Time Achievement Award in February in Bangalore.  I sent a consent letter with my profile, photos, etc. I searched in the net about past recipients and also wrote to their President, Dr H Shivappa, IES, Retd from Planning Commission of India, New Delhi and currently working as a Economist-Consultant.  I was told that three former or current Vice Chancellors of Universities like Tirupati, Pondicherry, Pune, Bijapur Women's University, etc either recieved earlier or going to be honoured.  Interesting, of course.  Let me see.

Next, yesterday during an informal dinner meeting, our Director Dr RC Natarajan proposed to me to visit Morocco in North Africa next month to attend an Assessment Conference of AACSB.  I need to find out more details and work on the formalities quickly after returning from my next three days visit to Shirdi with family for a Darshan during Sankranthi festival time.

All these happening amidst host of activities on campus like Leadership Lectures, Founder's Day celebrations, Atharva next week and of course hectic work of Admissions 2013 - GDPI related arrangements after application due dates.