CICADA on the Firing Line

By R.S. Pillai

Banking is always considered as one of the most stressful jobs in the world. But working in a branch dealing directly with the customers with different attitudes is a challenging task and little, little experience every day gives the most professional satisfaction. The dedicated Branch Head is always considered as a friend, philosopher and guide to most of the people who could achieve the dream. People who have succeeded in life would never forget the branch or the Branch head. This is an unique experience which is captured in a simple language in this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.S. Pillai
• Release date: Jul 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301516193

R.S. Pillai

I was an Executive of a Public Sector Bank and was deputed to Central Bureau of Investigation on secondment basis as Advisor (Banking) with protocol rank Superintendent of Police and retired on superannuation after serving 5 years and 4 months and involved in more than 176 cases in all stages of investigation to prosecution. One of the few bank executives with wide experience in Bank Fraud Internal Investigation (12 cases), Police Fraud Investigation (170 cases), Trainer (6 years), Author (7 books 5 ebooks and 2 printed versions), Researcher (11 Ex-Post valuation Studies)and now conducting one to 1 1/2 days Preventive Vigilance Workshops on Major Fraud Prone Areas for Bank Officials and Auditors.

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Published by R.S. Pillai at Smashword

Copy Right R.S. Pillai

JULY 2013

Smashwords Edition License Notes:

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The author R.S.Pillai is a Post graduate in Agriculture and took up the Banking profession with great interest and dedication after working 3 years in an International Organization. He has put in a total of 37 years of service in various capacities and your comments and feedback are most welcome mailto:[e-mail]. This Autobiography is some of the experiences he gained as a Banker.

The other books of the author published in smashwords.com and distributed through their retailers’ world wide are:

1. Honey Dews for Soul Nourishment – True stories from everyday life

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/343647

2. Major Bank Frauds – A Critical review – Based on 50 Case Studies.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/451788

3. என்தோட்டத்து மலர்கள் Flowers of My Garden – 65 Tamil Poem

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/463948

4. Stress and Tension – The Spices of life

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/471194

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER: 1 BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY

Cicada paved the way to become a Banker

Post-graduation and second birth

You can’t enter without a special pass

You are too young and there is no free lunch

CHAPTER: 2 LIFE AS A BANKER

First lesson as a Banker

Sir you permit or marry her

I am sorry we have to dismiss you all

Are you not ashamed to call you as bank officer?

I know but I was instructed not to reveal

Life as a Branch head

I have handed over the branch in a platter

CHAPTER: 3 HOUSE KEEPING

I will not go home unless I post the control return

We have to watch everything closely

Shortage of cash and kiss of death

Key is in the front drawer

Sir I have lost safe room keys

Sir Bank Keys are Here

Secrets behind safe deposit lockers

CHATPER: 4 INTERACTIONS WITH CUSTOMERS

Yellow Bag Manager

Art of saving

You have to sign in front of me

You are my friend. Read my will

Close all the deposits

Sir I want to own a house

Beauty of Customer Service

CHAPTER: 5 ART OF RECOVERING OLD DUES

Art of recovery

Do you know swimming or undress?

Who is fox Gounder?

Leave this place or I will shout you tried to rape me!

CHAPTER: 6 FACE TO FACE WITH FRAUDSTERS

My mother is an applicant

We are entrepreneurs

Let us get him arrested

CHAPTER: 7 TUG OF WAR

Jeep blessing or bane

Dealing with people

You know I am your boss now

Sit down no argument you have to accept the budget

Living with 3 wives in the same house

He is a bad guy

You need not wear any clothes

We have taught him a lesson for life.

You should kill Me

Firing of the gun

Sir, I have to close the window

Top official vanished with his child

Former or survivors do not die together

CHAPTER: 8 ENCOUNTERS WITH LAW

He is my brother-in-law

The only witness

My husband had cash of Rs. 25000 with him

Face to face with police officials

Please come and receive our officer

CHAPTER: 1 BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY

Cicada paved the way to become A Banker

Beneath the huge rock of Yanamalai (the hillock is a solid block of gneiss almost three kilometers in length and about 90 meters in height. It derived its name from its resemblance to a massive figure of a reclining elephant. It was also declared as a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, near Othakadai Village at Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India), it was so hot and yet some one sounded an alarm at the college hostel below the rock that it was just 5 minutes for the afternoon class to commence and when the reality that the particular professor was so strict that he would never allow anyone late struck me, I jumped from the hot oven (Steel cot). I rushed to the college at full speed through the soccer ground. On that afternoon in April anyhow one could not think of walking and so with the heat wave following I rushed and just managed to enter the class in time before the arrival of the professor. But my favorite seat below the fan was already occupied and so I had no other way than to sit in the midst of few mischievous friends. I never thought that day my fate would be sealed and my life would change its course. The class was going on as usual and the professor in Mechanical Engineering who had lot of difficulties in pronouncing words like ‘Animal power’ was going on with full force and he was comparing the advantage of mechanical power over animal power. Whenever he pronounced Animal power (eenimal power) many would laugh. But I was very attentive as I had determined to get the Gold Medal in that year. For the first time on that morning I received the news that I was recipient of a special merit scholarship of Rs. 250 (May be USD4 today) based on second year marks. With fellow students disturbing the class quite often I focused my attention holding my lips by left hand and was taking notes, when the sound of the insect Cicada (It is called 17 year Cicada as it takes 17 years to emerge out from the pupae and makes a shrilling sound during night / rainy days) pierced the class for a brief second. I was shocked for a second because it sounded so near, yet I was not sure. Again after a minute or so it came and this time for a full one minute. The lecture was stopped and everyone was giggling. The professor without any clue from where the sound came turned back to the blackboard when the piercing sound came once again. This time I was very sure that it was the work of the so called Mischievous Gang. The professor now asked everyone from the gang to quit the class and finally I was also asked to stand and was instructed to meet him after the class. I was confused because I had not done anything wrong but I was also holding my lips and when I looked my eyes met the eyes of the professor for a brief second. I never thought I was identified as the culprit, who whistled, The Cicada with the owner made a quick exit but I was asked to stand during the whole class. I was speechless when the professor after the class called me and said, I also know when to whistle! And without waiting for any explanation he left the class.

After a month or so our exams started and I had done the theory paper exceptionally well and was confident that I would get the first rank and practical exams would commence after 10 days. Yet my practical record book was retained by the professor and just before one day of the practical exam I went to collect my record book and without a word our professor gave my record book. I just turned and was shocked to see that page after page of my record book and every diagram was struck with the