THE D-DAY

I do not know how to name it ..i mean the day of retirement.Whther it is proper to coin it as D day? My son will offer his comments for sure on that !!
Any way that is the topic for this post.Viz -31/10/2011, day of my retirement:)

About 150 mails each in my Office email id and in my personal email id, to the extent of the server warning me on quota being exceeded had come in my inbox. The messages contained, emotions of various degrees, respects, regards, love, affection, friendship ,suggestions, anxities and tears too.

The OFFICE phone including hot lines did over time with well wishers calling from far off places like Seoul, Singapore, and Hongkong, while the residential phone took the load since early morning with one of my well wishers and a former GM calling exactly at 6 am with good wishes for my retired life.I lost count of the calls , but i registered in my mind that there are not one, but many well wishers all over the globe , and the satisfaction derived is immense.The day ended with the last call from another former GM from Ernakulam and the beauty is that the first caller and the last caller were those who were responsible for my induction into my personal effectiveness programmes at STAFF COLLEGE, cHENNAI which enabled me to have new insights into my own self.

There was a fare well party at pent house and i was really surprised at the compliments showered on me right from CMD to EDs to GMs.It is certainly a routine to speak good words about retirees on this day and hence the retiree should discount atleast some of these if not all.But when speaker after speaker traces the contributions made by an individual for a decade to the organisation and when one is able to really sence that those words are coming from heart and not from lips, yes, you are moved beyond description.

CMD was straight forward to invite to be in touch and even told GM personnel about the areas that may require my services in future too Viz Faculty, credit audit, specail assignments etc to mention afew.I am not sure at this moment as to whether any of these will fructify or will be evaporating into thin air. But then there was a special feel about the whole thing and when i was asked to speak on the occasion i made it clear that i am a free bird and will be available if the institution require my services at any time as my present existence, status and the friend circle are all gifts of this great institution/

There are quite a few General Managers present, with whom i have been directly associated with ,during my service at Kolkatta, Staff college Chennai,overseas branch at Hongkong and in central office.All of them have been extremely kind to me and tolerated me despite my strightforwardness!! and i made it a point to acknowledge the same.I also drew reference to the select audience present who in their own individual styles are capable of producing a very strong bank provided there is a clear and concise direction from top.

What followed was an internal send off at the Deaprtment level and here despite my conscious efforts not to become emotional, the speech from some of my collegues alamost made me emotional,but i certainly did not loose control.There were collegues who described me as a role model, those who considered me as one among them, those calling me a Guru, those who wondered as to what is in store for them the next day in my absence,those(Including the GM OF THE DEPARTMENT) who considered me as harsh and rough(at times ) but all of them were ready to agree that THEY UNDERSTOOD THE REASONS BEHIND the same.That is enough for me.When it became my turn i informed that if i had been harsh i am not going ask for any excuse for the same .Rather i was consciusly harsh with some at some times to drive home certain points, which otherwise would have been brushed aside. With some i was harsh to bring a change in them for the better in their own interests and in the broader interest of the department/institution.

Conceding that all most every one in the department have been brought in to the department ,with my efforts in one way or other,it became an additional responsibility for me to ensure that they rise to the levelof expectations.At the end of it all it was an whole some feeling , having done proud to my earlier colegues who gave the reins to me a decade back.

The fact that one of the auditor friends made it a point to keep company to me at lunch,and another auditor friend made it a point to vist my home and wish me and my wife better days ahead are facts which will certianly do a lot of good.My former collegue Reddy made it a point to take half a day leave to be present along with me till i reached home and no words can describe the comfort level that such acts created for me. Score of office friends, despite my suggesting atht they need not strain themselves made it a point to accompany me up to the residence and spend atleast an hour or so with me.THE FEELING OF BEING WANTED, BEING CARED FOR came out of all thse acts and no words would be enough to thank all thse friends and collegues.

Instead of thanking them i will pray the almighty to bestow them with ease of work with out tension(which i have been going thru for the past decade, a possible reason for my diabetic too)great mental and physical health, prosperity in their walks of life and recognition/promotion when they are due.

A fitting end to a long innings of 32 yers and seven months with this institution.