Page 57 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

got it and told me, "I had orders from Head Office and the Zonal Office
to accommodate and post this guy as in-charge of Foreign Exchange
Department only at this branch. This guy is a son of a Chairman of another
Public Sector Bank. I understand your disappointment on losing this
opportunity to him but sometimes we can't help. You should take it in
stride. You would have my full support whenever any other good
opportunity is presented." I was very upset with this episode on losing a
well-deserved opportunity to the son of a big wig.

Somehow, I reconciled to fate. After 6 months, the guy got selected as a
Manager in Exim Bank of India and submitted his resignation and joined
Exim Bank office in his home town. Now the Chief Manager called me
and offered me to take over the Foreign Exchange Department. I was very
hurt with the last episode. I thought that any time some other influential
officer would come and I would be asked to shift to some other
department. And I made a mistake of refusing this opportunity. He had
no moral ground to force me to accept the offer. He kept quiet. Later, I
realized that due to refusing this second opportunity coming my way so
fast, for my desired exposure, I had put the chances of my overseas
posting away by 5 years at least.

After a couple of days, the Zonal Manager called me for an informal
meeting and indicated that he needed officers to head branches and
officers like me who had attained adequate experience by now. He gave
me an indication that there was a vacancy in a branch near my home
town. If I was interested he could agree to request transfer of the existing
incumbent and post me there. According to him, the branch had very
good potential and only needed to be headed by a capable person.

I thought of my aging parents and felt inclined to be with them during
their last days. I agreed for the position offered. I moved to the branch
in a short while to shoulder my new responsibility. As the luck would have
it, both my parents left for their heavenly abode one after the other while
I was posted near my home town. I had a great satisfaction of taking care

54 | A Banker down the Rabbit Hole