STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN
The Highs and Lows of A Woman’s Journey in the Corporate World
CARE: This is Chapter 69 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.
In my room, I heard a screaming female voice from the banking hall. Promptly, I came
out and found a frail petite woman shouting furiously at the top of her
voice at Deepak, the Fixed Deposits Assistant. The poor man looked highly
embarrassed. He was apologizing to her repeatedly, but she would not relent.
The Section Incharge also stood there, watching helplessly.
As the head of the branch, I approached her and tried to calm her down, but would she pay any heed to me. She was a local school teacher who had come to collect her Fixed Deposit Receipts. She enquired from the Fixed Deposits Assistant whether the receipts were ready. He smiled courteously and quipped informally, "Yes, of course, Ma'am. I am so scared of you. I wouldn't ever delay your work." This comment enraged her, and she exploded, "What do you mean you are scared of me? Am I a witch or a demon? How dare you say such things to a customer?"
With
great difficulty, I managed to cool her temper and sent her back.
I
recalled meeting Deepak, the Fixed Deposits Assistant, for the first time when
I had joined the branch. He was a tall young man with a polite demeanour. My
predecessor had introduced him as an asset to the branch, and I soon discovered
he was right. Deepak handled the Fixed Deposits desk efficiently, and his work
was always impeccable. He had a positive outlook, and his colleagues admired
his dedication and efficiency.
After the angry customer left, I asked Deepak to come to my room after public hours. I wanted to know what had actually enraged that customer so much as well as to understand the other side of the incident.
At 2pm
sharp, Deepak was in my room. He looked embarrassed and crestfallen. Recounting how
he was humiliated by that customer, Deepak became emotional and wiped tears
from his eyes. He told me he had not intended to be rude to her. He respected
her as an older person and a teacher.
I sensed genuineness in what he was saying. To ease his discomfort, I asked him about his background and how he came to work at the bank. He told me he had been a brilliant student and was keen to join the Indian Armed Forces, but his father had not allowed him to do so because he was their only child. Two of his classmates who had joined the Army had become Brigadiers, and he felt a sense of regret that he could not follow his dream. I asked him why he did not appear for promotion tests. I was surprised to hear that his father did not allow him because a promotion would entail a transfer and would take him, the only child, away from his parents.
His
father was the Principal of a prestigious school. They owned a sprawling
bungalow. Deepak was a member of the Doon Club and owned a big car. But there
was nothing to look forward to in his professional life. He missed personal growth and the related satisfaction.
I was
awestruck by the sacrifices the poor man had made for his family and how his
father controlled his life. It was apparent Deepak had great potential and
could have excelled in any career he would have chosen. But his father's fear
of losing his only child held him back from moving upwards in life.
As Deepak left my office, I wondered how complex the human mind is. Was it the love and attachment of a father for his son? Was it genuine concern for his son's safety and well-being? Or was it his selfishness to be near his son in one's old age without disturbing his own existence? And what did it say about our society where the parents felt they had the right to control their children's lives in this autocratic fashion, ignoring their personal growth and aspirations? Whatever be the reason, it was his own father who had clipped the wings of this brilliant young man.
11 comments:
Deepak's story highlights the struggles of prioritizing family obligations over personal aspirations. His language may not always be polished, but his intentions are genuine.
Rukkie Oberoi
Ranjana Bharij customer bechari ghar se lad ke aayi hogi.
Lakshmy Iyer
Sometimes, the customers come highly obsessed to the branch and take everything adversely.
Ashok Kumar Goyal
I understand Deepak's plight
very well. Every SBI Branch has a School Principal as a client. Pity Deepak had to deal with a Principal at home and at workplace also. He is managing well.
Shanta Vasan
Brilliant episode like the previous ones.
Human psychology and its analysis at its epitome.
Wrath and fury of a woman customer ( who was a teacher) in full flow!
An insecure and highly selfish father who stands in the way of social advancement of his son! I am not blaming this highly respected Principal of a prestigious school in Dehradun but human nature is such.
Poor Deepak as a sacrificial lamb vis a vis his father as well as intemperate female teacher/ our customer.
And above all, patience and prudence and extremely tactful handling of the situation( calling Deepak to her cabin after public business hours) by Ranjana Madam who very patiently listened to Deepak after satisfying a highly irate female customer!
Kudos to you, Ranjana ji! A very, very powerful episode brilliantly told. Proud of you and your pen.
Vijay Gupta
When parents treat their children as their property, it’s the children who live a life of drudgery. They kill their dreams and fulfil the desires of their parents which is unfair.
A story told brilliantly as usual
It makes the reader think.
Varsha Uke Nagpal
What more can one say after what Goyal, Vasan,Vijay and Varsha have already said ?
Will it be in place for me to recall the line of a poet whose poem I had read years ago in my school days :
Pen shall supersede the sword ?
(From the poem captioned, 'A Good Time is coming boys...'
As for the second part of the essay, I had acknowledged the comments of the other learned friends by saying that there was nothing better for me to add.
Prannath Pankaj
Sad. Sadly, it's a story of many homes.
Kanwal Bir Singh Bedi
A very graphic description indeed. A sharp memory certainly.
Dinesh Kumar Jain
This short story has brought out the damage to Deepak’s life caused by parenting————A story that plays out in countless families.
Shashi Sharma
Your story, painfully highlights the clash between personal aspirations and familial expectations, illustrating how well-meaning parental love can sometimes stifle individuality and growth.
The incident with the angry customer serves as a catalyst to explore Deepak’s deeper struggles, making the narrative both thought-provoking and empathetic.
It subtly examines critically the societal tendencies to prioritise control over nurturing independence, leaving us with a sense of melancholy for unfulfilled potential.
Gulshan Kumar Dhingra
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