Everything Will Be Perfect

A train arrives on the platform of Istanbul City Railway Station (formerly known as Constantinople) and screeches to a halt. There is a rush of people on the platform towards the train to board it. Those inside the train make way to get out of it. A family of five, a man, a woman, two sons and a daughter, arriving on the train from a village, get down and walk to the exit gate. As they move to the gate, the man tells his wife: "One day we will conquer this Golden City". 

The family moves into the city. Many things happen in their life thereafter in the next few years. The elder son grows up to be a strong man but gets into bad company. He gets arrested and jailed. The younger son grows up to be a very handsome man. He falls in love with a rich girl. He marries her and moves away to stay with the wife's family. Some bad developments in the daughter's life make her mentally disturbed. The old parents are now left with this daughter and find life difficult in the city. They decide to go back to their village and reach the same railway platform.

The train arrives on the platform and screeches to a halt. As the disappointed old parents move to the compartment holding their daughter, another family from the village coming on this train makes way to the gate. As the two families cross each other, the old parents hear the head of that family telling his wife:"One day we will conquer this Golden City". 

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The above is the story in brief of "Conquerers of the Golden City", a 1965 movie directed by Getin Gurtop. Constantinople or Istambul has been considered as the "Gateway to Europe" or "Gateway to Asia" depending on which side you are standing. Situate between Sea of Marmara and Black Sea, this 40 million populated city connects Europe with Asia. Its importance was even more during the days when travel between Asia and Europe was either through land or sea. Known as the Golden City, The 1965 movie referred above deals with the plight of migrant labour who move into large cities looking for work and a comfortable life. The crisis of migrant labour doing rounds in the time of COVID-19 has been there all the time, but its tremendous manifestation during the last three months has shook the conscience of those who have it. Coming with a lot expectations to the cities, realising harsh realities of city life the hard way, getting stuck in the slums without basic amenities, and often ending in the crime world are all appear too close for comfort.  

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Nagarame Nanni (or Nagarame Nandi) is a Malayalam Movie screened in 1967 and the plot is similar to the one of Conquerors of the Golden City. Written by M T Vasudevan Nair, directed by  A Vincent with Prem Nazir and Usha Nandini in the lead roles, this is considered as one of the best movies ever made in Malayalam. It the story of a family moving into the City of Madras (now Chennai) looking for better life in the city. The song "Nagaram Nagaram Mahasagaram" (meaning that the city is a big ocean) sung by K J Yesudas became a big hit along with other songs in the film. The film was also a success from the commercial angle.

K Balachander's 1977 Tamil Film "Pattina Pravesham" also has a similar theme. All these three movies refer to the life of migrants which turns sour in the city. High expectations denied in the end.

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Does it mean that all dreams of migrants lie shattered in the big cities with no chance of success? Are there no success stories of migrants in any of the films? A Kannada movie made in 1969 titled "Mayor Muthanna" gives the other side of the story. Muthanna, an illiterate village boy is thrown out of the area and forced to move into the city of Bangalore. He manages to move up by his hard work and ultimately rises to become Mayor of the city. The film with Dr Rajkumar as the hero, became a roaring success and is considered as a major milestone in the life of the actor as well. It was a commercial success too. The film gave two important personalities for the Kannada movie industry. It was the first movie directed by noted Director Siddalingaiah. It was also the first movie produced by Dwarakeesh who produced and directed many movies later on.

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Transfers of bank officers every two or three years is a part of their life. This is even more so for the Branch Managers and other senior executives. Every time there is a transfer, the person has to move into a new place and start all over again. More often than not, the moving is into an unknown place with starting from the scratch as far as personal life is concerned. No place is permanent and it is adventure all over again when the new transfer order is received. There are some lucky ones who manage to stay around a single place for several years, but the more common experience is otherwise. Each transfer brings with it new responsibilities as he becomes answerable to the happenings in the new branch.

All Branch Managers start their innings in the new place with the resolve that "Everything will be perfect" in the new branch. They promise themselves that they will not deviate from the rules set for functioning of the branch and ensure that everything they do in the branch will be just perfect. The promise made to oneself is the one of conquering the golden city. 

In the early 70s, the new Branch Manager would arrive at the branch before the old Branch Manager left the place. There would be a period of one week or ten days for handing over and taking over charge. The two would sit together, see and discuss branch related issues, visit important customers and personalities etc. There would be a document signed by the two, recording the date of handing over and taking over a branch with branch business figures and other relevant details. 

With large expansion of banking network and shortage of manpower, this charge change procedure became a luxury that bank's could not afford. The style of conducting business and styles of managing a bank branch also changed tremendously. This resulted in doing away with this formality of charge change system. Nowadays, a Manager leaves the old branch by handing over the charge temporarily to his second-in-command and proceeds to his new place of posting. He then takes charge at the new branch from the one holding temporary charge at that office. This process continues on and on.....

The role of a Branch Manager when he takes charge of a new branch is not one of an auditor. Branch Manager is basically a development man. Business Development is the basic purpose of the existence of a bank branch. He should remember that his predecessor also started at the branch with the goal of "Everything will be perfect". Despite his best efforts certain distortions might have crept in. Just as his predecessor, the present man is also starting with a promise that "Everything will be perfect". But there may be some distortions developing in due course for various reasons. 

The show goes on.......

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How would the dream of a new Branch Manager turn out to be when he leaves the branch a couple of years later? Would it be like the "Conquerors of the Golden City" or like "Mayor Muthanna"? Time will tell. 

The present generation of bankers managing bank branches are tech savvy and have their hands on the pulse of the market. They have abundant opportunities to learn the skills of managing branches efficiently. For every one problem story there are ten success stories. The industry is going through difficult phase now, but that is not new to banking industry. It has seen many ups and downs and emerged stronger from each crisis. Each problem will have a new answer. Task is always difficult but it is one industry that is growing year after year even in times of great adversity.

The hardworking and skilled young bankers will always succeed!

Coach, Teacher and Mentor

The word "Mentor" is often used in present day situations. The words "Coach" and "Teacher" are also used in similar contexts. Are they synonyms or is there any difference between these three words?

To understand the origin of the word "Mentor", we have to turn to Greek mythology. "Epics of Gilgamesh", "Iliad and Odyssey" and our own "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata" are reckoned among the oldest epics in the history of mankind. Homer's "Iliad and Odyssey" has the evergreen story of Helen and the Trojan War. Helen of Troy is considered as the most beautiful woman ever born in reality or fiction.  "Was this the face that launched a thousand ships? And burnt the topless towers of Ilium? Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a sweet kiss.....", says Christopher Marlowe in his poem titled "The face that launch'd a thousand ships". Odysseus, King of Ithaca was one of the men who wanted to marry this beautiful girl. When Helen's mother Queen Leda's husband (not father because Greek God Zeus is considered as her father)  and King of Sparta, Tyndareus decides that it is time for Helen to marry, Odysseus convinces him to make all the innumerable suitors to take a oath to accept the choice of Helen and support her husband when the need arises in future. Helen chose the prince of Mycenae, Menelaus. They lived happily for sometime and Menelaus even became King of Sparta. On the advice of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, Prince of Troy Paris comes to Sparta and sees Helen. On a day when Menelaus is away in Crete, Paris takes Helen to Troy. Some versions say she was kidnapped and some others say she was seduced by the charms of Paris and went willingly. When Menelaus returned and found that his wife was gone, he sought the assistance of the former suitors of Helen to wage a war on Troy, as per their previous agreement. Having been the one to suggest such an arrangement, Odysseus was in the forefront of those who went to Troy to bring back Helen.

When Odysseus left for the Trojan war, his son Telemachus was an infant.  Odysseus did not return for twenty years and Telemachus grew up into a young man in the meantime. Telemachus went in search of his father and met his father's friend by name "Mentor". It is said that Greek Goddess Athena took the appearance of Mentor and guided young Telemachus at different times to search his father. Father and son duo return to Ithaca and ensure the defeat of the many suitors who had camped in their house seeking the hand of Penelope, Odysseus's wife and Telemachus's mother. Since Mentor encouraged Telemachus to stand up to all the suitors of his mother and find his father, the word "Mentor" has come to stay to denote a "wise and trusted counselor who imparts wisdom and share knowledge to solve personal problems".

The origin of the word "Coach" is said to come from Hungary. Hungarian city of Kocs is credited with being the first place to make carriages which are used to carry people from one place to another. In those days coaches were drawn by horses and were used as one of the earliest means of transport. The word coach is used even today in railway and other transports. "Sleeper coach" and "Luxury coach" are examples of such usage. In air transport also "Coach Class" is used by many airlines to denote "Economy class". This aspect of carrying people from place to place was later used to identify a person who could carry a less able student to pass an examination or a course, and was called a "Coach". In our childhood, coaching classes were a popular name for according special training to students who have failed in an examination to appear and get through a supplementary examination later on. This term is now used extensively in the field of sports. The word now denotes anyone who acts as a person to guide the youngsters in his charge to achieve excellence in their chosen fields or disciplines. Nowadays there are even teams of coaches and assistants to attend to the various requirements of the activity called coaching.  As defined by Cummings and Worley, "Coaching is a development process whereby an individual meets his wards on a regular basis to clarify goals, deal with potential stumbling blocks and improve their performance".

The word "Teacher" has its origin in the word "Teach".  "Teach" takes its form from "Index finger" and indicates to "show or point out" or "give instruction". On-line dictionary defines a teacher as one who teaches or instructs, as a profession. A teacher usually teaches in a public place where a number of students come to learn. If the teaching is done privately or at home, a person imparting education thus is called as a "Tutor" (man) or "Governess" (woman). A teacher of a higher rank doing the same job in a place of advanced learning like a University is called a "Professor". He is a person who professes (lays a claim to) as an expert in a particular field.

In the background of the above, the three words can be said to have the following characteristics and differences:

• Coaching is an intervention that is highly personal and usually involves a one-to-one relationship between the coach and those coached. Teaching is a general activity of instructing or imparting education in a public place where a number of students enroll themselves. Teachers follow structured learning and process is based on a course curriculum. Mentoring is a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a lesser experienced or lesser knowledgeable person.

• The relationships are called Coach and Coachee or more commonly client, Teacher and Student and Mentor and Protege or Mentee respectively.

• A coach often has the freedom to choose his clients whereas a teacher instructs a class entrusted to him and does not enjoy this freedom. In mentoring, the relationship between mentor and mentee is more sensitive and is usually between two persons in the same organization or profession.

• Coaching and Teaching can be at elementary levels whereas Mentoring generally happens at a higher plane.

• Coaching and Teaching are formal processes whereas Mentoring is more of an informal process.

• Coaching and Teaching can be professional activities whereas Mentoring is more voluntary in nature. Coach and Teacher are paid a remuneration for their efforts whereas there may not be such payment in Mentoring.

• Coaches have technical expertise while teachers have professional qualifications. Mentors are chosen on the basis of their experience and skills and are paired with a less experienced colleague in the organization or profession. Peer mentoring is often an informal activity and revolves around hand-holding in crucial phases of development.

The above characteristics are general in nature and cover the broad contours of the three activities. There can be many instances wherein a coach or a teacher may emerge as a mentor for a few of their wards or students. One such example is of the famous combination of Ramakant Achrekar and Sachin Tendulkar. Achrekar has been a coach for many but Tendulkar considers him as more than a coach, a mentor.

In Mahabharata, Krishna was a mentor for Arjuna. Shakuni was Duryodhana's mentor. Results are there for all to see. Among the famous Mentors and Mentees are Chanakya and Chandragupta, Aristotle and Alexander the great, Bobby Charlton and David Beckham, and more recently Rahul Dravid and Ajinkya Rahane.

To be a Mentor is not a matter of pride; it is a rare privilege and distinction. It is far-removed from arrogance; humbleness is its hallmark. To act as a Mentor is a wonderful opportunity to repay a small part of the investment made by the society in one's own development over the years.