STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEENThe Highs and Lows of A Woman’s Journey in the Corporate World CARE: This is Chapter 29 of my book Stress, Success and Everything In-Between. These are individual anecdotes but to understand the professional journey in totality, I would recommend reading the book right from Chapter 01 onwards.
I was all set to open the first all-women branch of the Bank in the country. The premises were in place, all the forms and registers had been supplied by the Stationary Department of the Bank. The required staff was being identified.
A bank branch usually requires a workforce of five-- a Branch Manager, a Head Cashier (now called Cash Officer) to hold the joint custody of cash, a clerk, a cashier and a messenger. I had already been identified as the Branch Manager-Designate for the upcoming branch.
The quest for a Head Cashier encountered a hurdle as there were no female Head Cashiers in the entire Delhi Circle. Consequently, a senior female cashier from the New Delhi Main Branch was identified and appointed as an Officiating Head Cashier for the designated branch. Although she had worked as a payment cashier in a large set-up, she lacked familiarity with the duties and responsibilities associated with the role of a joint custodian of cash in a small branch.
According to the norms for the clerical staff, only the willing or the junior-most could be transferred from one branch to the other. Two junior female clerks from the nearby branches were identified and posted to complete the required quorum. A female messenger was also successfully identified.
Lo and behold! The mandatory headcount was complete, and the team was in place.
While I was busy organizing the nitty-gritty of launching the branch, the Regional Manager suddenly phoned and instructed me tersely not to waste time and open the branch immediately. When I suggested an inauguration, he snubbed me rudely,"There is no need for any inauguration. Just sit down and start functioning!”
All of us were disheartened, but we did not allow our spirits to dampen. Two girls immediately rushed to the Kaleva Sweets and brought a box of laddoos. We congratulated ourselves, fed each other laddoos and placed the box with remaining sweets on the counter for the customers, who were coming to enquire whether the branch had started functioning. We ourselves declared our all-women branch opened.
No inauguration,
no invitation to VIPs, no visit by the seniors, no fanfare, no marigold
decorations, no ribbon-cutting, no media coverage and the first all-women
branch in the history of the bank started functioning on 5th September 1975
most unceremoniously.
(The faces of the team members have been masked to conceal their identities.)
(To be continued....)
6 comments:
Well, when an important milestone is reached pertaining only to women, the missing fanfare would be absent. How can “they” not be glorified and pass on the glory to women??
It was a first step towards a greater learning- women stand alone- they do not need heralding.
When they arrive- that itself is a beginning, a celebration.
Who needs someone else to cut a ribbon and speak about himself taking all the credit?
You had a good start.
Well written
The author has beautifully captured the resourcefulness exhibited in establishing the first all-women branch of the bank.
The detailed account of overcoming challenges in assembling a dedicated team. This inspiring story recounts the resilient spirit of a team determined to open the first all-women branch of a bank.
Despite facing unexpected challenges and a lack of support, they embraced simplicity and inaugurated the branch with a heartwarming celebration, symbolized by sharing laddoos. A testament to author’s dedication and unity of staff with the narrative captures the essence of breaking barriers with grace and determination.
-(Gulshan Dhingra)
Wow ! So we were the pioneer in opening an All Women Bank Branch also. Very well narrated, Ma'am. RM's direction to open the branch without any inauguration indicates that he didn't subscribe to the Govt/Bank's decision. The CMC should have intervened to open the branch with a grand inauguration after extensive publicity. Nonetheless, the Five Fabulous Females' flamboyancy (confidence) to functionize the First Female Branch merit huge kudos. ..V Kalura
Great narration. 'Open the Branch 'strain by the then RM is typical Bank's thinking devoid of foresight. Such a historically significant inauguration and BAS KHOL DO attitude/ mentality do not gel. Anyway!. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Waiting for what happened thereafter and your own experiences in the Branch ( which you sometimes narrate) are being eagerly awaited. -- Vijay Gupta
Very well reproduced the special excellent experience. -- Shanta Vasan
Very much the typical RM… the Cussed one who lacks perspective and pride in the Bank. (Shashi Sharma)
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