Page 22 - TSB ebook

Whatsapp and the technology helped with easy banter and every day meeting, albeit virtually.

Batchmates living and working around the world, met everyday and shared many things of

interest, had raging debates, agreed and disagreed on everything........the group was split down
the middle on politics, religion and what-have-you. But people by and large remained civil and

restrained themselves from making personal comments and had enough sense of humor and

enough common sense to let things be, if it looked like things may get out of hand.

It is this vibrant and vocal community that bonded over birthdays and anniversaries, over

postings and promotions,, over philosophical musings, over music, movies and art, over the

finality and overwhelming sadness of death - that decided to meet and celebrate the 1st of

December, the day we joined SBI.

For the last six months almost everything about the meeting - from the venue to the color of T

shirt, was put to vote and decisions were made on the basis of consensus. Hard work.
Sometimes it needed a lot of cajoling by the people who had taken on the onerous task of

running the show. But what patience they had! If at times they were frustrated, they did not

ever show it. Democracy certainly has its pain points. But who would trade it for anything else,

despite all the pain!

Madhusudhan Bhat probably has the data about each of the batchmates, that would be the

envy of any HR Department. Phani held the group together, responding to every query almost

immediately.........I do think that he must have typed out messages on WhatsApp while walking,
talking and doing multiple other things. Swaminathan as the man in charge, sent out messages

that were comprehensive and in good humor, and left nothing to chance. Gwalia was efficiency

personified. Money matters.

The D Day arrived. Everyone who landed at the Hyderabad airport was received by
Swaminathan’s team, as if he or she was a celebrity, nothing less. All the photos at the airport