Vol. 1, Issue No. 3

01 April, 2023

From the Desk of the Chief Editor Dear Friends, It gives me great pleasure to pen these few words for the third issue of our newsletter. Its release coincides with the start of a new financial year. Let me here wish our readers a good FY hence. I also hope that the year turns out to be a good one for the country’s economy and that we go well past the growth targets envisaged for the nation, for FY24, by our economic planners. Further, let this FY be one of the most prosperous ones for our Bank too. In a first for the newsletter, this issue carries an article by an offspring of a member: Dr Soumya Jagadeesaan, Professor& Consultant Dermatologist, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, and daughter of our member Shri T S Jagadeesan, writes on the subject of skin- care among elders. I hope our readers do find it useful. Also, thanks to Dr Soumya for the pains she took to prepare this piece so well. It could be said that this article is the result of some good feedbacks on the newsletter

that we received recently. We could learn from these that our readers preferred to see in the newsletter reliable writings on health-related topics. And this article materialized.Naturally, the editorial board now intends to carry in the newsletter a series of similar articles relevant to senior citizens, written by the medical experts we have in our own ‘Federal Community’. As in our two previous issues, we carry some very good pieces of writing this time too. In fact, we feel that we have been able to unearth some very good writing talents amongst us through these 3 issues of ours, and that gives us a sense of great satisfaction. Please go through the whole newsletter hence - and kindly favour us with your valuable feedbacks too, as we strive to make it better and better for you, the readers – the kings and queens of the Fedxbytz world. Warmest Regards Tom Thomas President, FBROF & Chief Editor, Fedxbytz

Contents

Page No

From the Desk of the Chief Editor Readers Write News & Events AIBPARC News FedNews Achievers’ Gallery Current Affairs • Union Budget and proposed changes in direct tax, by Krishnakumar K Fedxbytz Features • Updates on the Economy,etc., by Tom P Roy • Tech for Seniors, by Easwaran L Healthwatch • Why skin care is a wise investment, by Dr Soumya Jagadeesan Creative Spark • Diabetic to Dynamic, by Ninan Joseph • A few Haikus, by M J Balachandran Nair • Stress Management, by Venugopal B • The Barharwa Story and new learnings in banking, by K R Mohanachandran • “My Name is Unni Mary”, by Peter A V • The Masterclass, by John Korulla P • A train journey; a story, by Gita Joseph R Art / Culture • Book Introduction, by Tom P Roy • Art Gallery Tidbits Food for Thought Editorial Board

01 02 03 05 05 06 06 08 09 10 11 14 14 15 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 24

Readers Write • I have gone through the second bank’s results. Lay out leaves room wealth) shall be added to make it issue. It was quite interesting. Articles by A V Peter and Ninan Joseph are good and we should have more of such personal experiences. We may have special articles on retirement living, technology, safety, nutrition, health or wellness, local community updates and photos from memory lanes.Interviews with Retirees should be brief and I do not find any need to publish

for improvement. Sabharwal A K, PF 2300

more attractive/readable. K Peter, PF 2875

• Went through the newsletters, • Very good presentation on finanit’s fairly good. Different areas of interest are seen covered. Suggest to incentivise good article providers so that more contributions would come forward with quality. Tips on health, financial management, investment, taxation etc. (all are senior citizens with good 2 • fedxbytz

cial and economic developments happening in India.Try to include more about digital payments system also in the current scenario as senior citizens are the members of our group. Mr. Anil G, PF 4566

• Gone through the first issue. tions of healthy foods, exercises/ jan Satish, S/o Shri. Satish) Very Good initiative. Second one is not available on website. All the Best. Patney P K, PF3091

• Reading ‘FEDXBYTZ’ is really an

experience. Various subjects covered in it gives a quality reading for the members.However, may I scribble some points that come to my mind, which may enhance the contents of the newsletter.

• Health and fitness tips: Sugges-

yogas for keeping youngsters of 60 plus fit. (experts of yester-years among our members also can make inputs) • Hobby corner: Our members can inculcate various hobbies, like gardening/ vegetable cultivation/handicraft making etc with the help / guidance from our own members. • A cartoon corner: Lighter moments by our members/their children (Eg.Ajith Kumar K M, Shri. An-

Jayagopal A C, PF 3627

• Very happy that our internal

house publication Fedexbytzis off to a flying start. The contents/articles/anecdotes are very interesting and makes a compelling read.A platform for showcasing and unearthing hidden talents. Kudos to all the contributors and the editorial team. Way to go. M G Ajit, PF No. 2379

Editor’s Note: Inviting our readers to provide their valuable feedback on the newsletter, so as to enable us to make it more interesting, readable and useful. You may forward your feedback-messages to: [email protected]

News & Events Celebrations & Get-togethers Family Meets

With COVID on the wane, the Federal penchantfor festivefamily get-togethers,is reasserting itself amongst us, it seems. The past few months saw the

conduct of family meets at our Aluva, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kollam, Kottayam and Kozhikode Areas. We provide below photos and brief reports of these events.

The Aluva meet was an exhilarating one. After the morning session’s lively speeches, there were songs aplenty; two captivating group dances by our lady members; a spirited presentation of dramatic scenes from Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar’ by Shri Varghese

Koikara( PF 405); and a melodious violin recital by Shri John Louis Chirayath (PF 4485). And to add to the spirit of camaraderie there were fun games. Together, these helped turn the event into a truly memorable one for all the participants.

3 • fedxbytz

Shri Joseph P L, 92, our oldest member, was present. There was a distinguished guest at the meet, too: Ms Shalini Warrier, Executive Director, Federal Bank, who spoke at length about the bank’s current initia-

tives and its quest to be the most-admired bank of the country. She also conveyed her best wishes to the retiree community. Pictures above show glimpses of the event.

Ernakulam Area’s family meet conducted at the Island D Cochin, one of Kochi’s most elegant resorts, was not onlya well-attended event, but a very lively, and zestful one too, which saw enthusiastic participation by the attendees.At left, above,is a picture of the inaguration of the event by Shri Tom Thomas, President, FBROF.

For our Kannur friends, this family meet was a fun- and song-filled houseboat cruise to Trikaripur along the Kavvai backwaters.

The Kollam get-together held at Lake Inn, Thevally, Kollam, was, for our members and families of the Area, an occasion to relax and rejoice in the company of long-missed friends.

Kottayam Area chose the sedate environs of Kottayam Club,Kumarakom, as the venue of their family meet. The event included a boat trip too. And it turned out to be a happy and memorable occasion for all. 04 • fedxbytz

The Kozhikode Area family meetwas a well-attended one. With the younger generation, i.e., the children of our members, actively involving themselves and participating wholeheartedly in the conduct of the meet, the event turned out to be a vibrant and joyous one for all participants. And for many of our members, it brought back nostalgic memories of family meets long past.

AIBPARC News

The 4th triennial conference of AIBPARC was held at Bengaluru from 28th to 29th January, 2023. Photo shows our contingent at the conference, which, apart from our Central Office team led by General Secretary Shri K T Thomachan, included our Bengaluru Area members also.

FedNews

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das was the distinguished speaker at the 17th Hormis Memorial Lecture organized by the Federal Hormis Memorial Foundation at GrandHyatt, Kochi, on 18th March, 2023. This high-profile event, inevitably, received much media-attention and the Governor’s speech was widely reported.

Awards & Accolades

Federal Bank was once again recognised by Great Place to Work® as one among India’s 50 best workplaces, recently. Adding glitter to this achievement is the fact that Federal Bank is the only commercial bank included in this elite group of 50. At left is the image the Bank used on its social media handles, to announce this recognition.

Q3 Results

The Bank came out with another great set of numbers for Q3. Net Profit for the quarter registered a 54% YoY rise to reachRs 804 Crore – its highest ever - while total business crossed ₹ 3.70 Lakh Crore.Net NPA ratio improved to an impressive 0.73%, and NIM touched 3.49%.As on 31/12/2022, ROA stood at 1.33% and net worth at ₹20457 Crore. It was a very impressive all-round performance that the bank came up with during the quarter, thus.Our congratulations to the leaders and all members of the marvellous Federal team!

05 • fedxbytz

Achievers’ Gallery

Shri AHVS Sudhakar, PF 1902, of Hyderabad Area was one of the prize-winners at a ‘Humorous Letter Writing’ competition organized by the popular Telugu humour-magazine ‘Hasyanandam’. Pictures show (1) Shri Sudhakar receiving his award, and (2) the Letter of Appreciation he received from the magazine.

Current Affairs

Union Budget 2023 and

proposed changes in Direct Tax

In this piece, the author, a Chartered Accountant and our Bank’s former Head of Finance & Accounts, elucidates for us the changes now effected in Direct Taxes

F

inance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the Financial Year 2023-24 on February 1, 2023. The response to it has been favourable, generally. Many new initiatives aimed at promoting overall growth of the country have been envisaged in it, and India’s growth rate is targeted to improve from the current year’s 7% to 10.5% in FY 2023-2024. Moreover, fiscal deficit for FY 2023-2024 is targeted at 5.9% of GDP, which is much below the 6.4% projected for FY 2022-2023. After the Budget speech, Finance Bill 2023 was introduced in the Lok Sabha, proposing various changes in tax laws. The major changes in tax laws affecting salaried persons, including pensioners, are summarised below. 1. Tax Rates: Through the Finance Act 2020, a new Section 115BAC was introduced, making an option available to the assessee to choose to pay tax under the said section (new Regime) from AY 2021-2022, or under the existing rates (old Regime). However, if the option was exercised to pay tax under the new regime, ie. Section 115BAC, most of the Chapter VI-A deductions (under Section 80C etc.), and also set-off of losses, etc., would not be available. Finance Act 2023 proposes to make New Tax Re-

gime the default regime from FY Krishnakumar K 2023-24 onwards. Also, the tax PF No. 5790 slabs and rates under the new regime are modified as follows from FY 2023-24. Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Total Income (₹)

Rate of Tax

Up to 3,00,000 From 3,00,001 to 6,00,000 From 6,00,001 to 9,00,000 From 9,00,001 to 12,00,000 From 12,00,001 to 15,00,000 Above 15,00,000

Nil 5% 10% 15% 20% 30%

Rates under new regime during the FYs 2020-21 and 2022-23 were as followsw Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Total Income (₹)

Rate of Tax

Up to 2,50,000 From 2,50,001 to 5,00,000 From 5,00,001 to 7,50,000 From 7,50,001 to 10,00,000 From 10,00,001 to 12,50,000 From 12,50,001 to 15,00,000

Nil 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

7.

Above 15,00,000

30%

06 • fedxbytz

Under the New Tax regime, the basic exemption is proposed to be increased to ₹ 3 lakh. Also, the slab rates have been reduced. There is no change in the slabs or tax rates under the old regime which are as follows: Sl. No. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Total Income (₹)

Rate of Tax

Upto 2,50,000 From 2,50,001 to 5,00,000 From 5,00,001 to 10,00,000 Above 10,00,000

Nil 5% 20% 30%

However, for senior citizens, Nil rate will apply for income up to ₹ 3 lakh and for Super Seniors nil rate will apply for income up to ₹5 lakh, while, other slabs and rates will be the same as above. This distinction for Senior and Super Senior citizens will not be available in the new regime. From FY 2023-24 onwards, all taxpayers will be under the new tax regime, unless they opt to remain in the old regime. This option can be given every year for individuals who are not having any income from business or profession. So, such persons can choose the beneficial regime every year. In all the above cases, besides tax at the specified rates, surcharge and cess are applicable. The highest rate of surcharge on personal income tax has been brought down to 25% from 37%. Thus, income above ₹ 2 Crore will attract a surcharge of only 25% and not 37% for individuals, HUFs, Associations of Persons (other than co-operative societies), Bodies of Individuals and Artificial Juridical Persons. There is no surcharge for income up to ₹ 50 lakhs. Surcharge if income is above ₹ 50 lakhs, up to ₹100 lakhs is 10% and if income is above ₹ 100 lakhs and up to ₹ 200 lakhs is 15%. The Health and Education Cess of 4% is payable on tax plus surcharge by all assessees. Under the existing new tax regime, no exemptions and deductions are available such as Sec 80C, etc. However, from FY 2023-24, salaried taxpayers (including pensioners) will be allowed to claim standard deduction u/s 16(i) of ₹ 50,000/- under the new tax regime also. Similarly for Family Pensioners, standard deduction up to one third of pension received

subject to a maximum of ₹15,000/- will be available under the new tax regime from FY 2023-24 onwards {sec 56(iia)}. These are already available under the old regime which will continue. 2. Rebate under section 87A The existing rebate under Section 87A for resident individuals was ₹ 12,500/- for a total income upto₹ 5 lakh, thereby the tax payable will be Nil by persons having income upto ₹ 5lakh. However, if the income exceeds ₹ 5 lakh, then tax need to be paid on income above 2.50 lakh. This limit has been changed by increasing the total income for the purpose of rebate to ₹ 7 lakh and increasing the rebate of tax to ₹ 25,000/- in the new regime. Therefore, individuals resident in India having a total income upto ₹ 7 lakh will not be liable to pay any income-tax. However, if one opts for the old regime, the rebate will be available for income up to ₹ 5 lakh only. In view of the standard deduction now available, persons having salary and other income upto₹7.50 lakh need not pay any tax under new tax regime considering the rebate u/s 87A. While approving the Finance Bill, 2023, an amendment relating to the above rebate for those under new tax regime, has been made. As a result, Marginal Relief will be available to those having income exceeding ₹ 7 lakh, such that, their tax liability would be as follows: their tax payable as computed normally, or the amount of their income exceeding ₹ 7 lakh, whichever is less. For example, the normal tax payable on total income of ₹ 7.10 lakh will be ₹ 26,000/-. However, since marginal relief is available, the tax actually payable by this person will be Rs.10,000 only, i.e., the income exceeding Rs.7 lakh. This marginal relief will end at a total income of ₹ 7,27,780/- and will not be available beyond this income level. 3. Increase in limit for exemption on leave encashment: The limit of ₹ 3 lakh for tax exemption on leave encashment on retirement of non-government salaried employees was last fixed in the year 2002. In line with the increase in salaries, it is proposed to increase this limit to ₹ 25 lakh. Since this exemption is yet to be notified, the effective date from which this higher de-

07 • fedxbytz

duction will be available is not known now. It may be noted that the following deductions/ exemptions will not be available under the new tax regime. • Leave travel concession in Section 10 (5); • House rent allowance in Section 10 (13A); • Some of the allowances as contained in Section 10 (14); • Allowance for minor’s income in Section 10 (32); • Deduction for profession tax in Section 16; • Interest in Section 24 in respect of self-occupied properties referred to in Section 23(2). • Set-off of Loss under the head income from house property from rented property - this would not be allowed to be set off against income under any other head in that year and same would have to be carried forward to be claimed in future subject to Section 71B; • All deduction under Chapter VI-A except Section 80CCD(2) { deduction for Employer’s contribution to NPS} which is allowable in the New Regime. One may need to determine the more beneficial

regime, on a case-to-case basis as it may seem that if a person is eligible to claim deduction of more than ₹3,50,000, then the old regime is more beneficial. Conversely, it will not be required to go for last minute investments (like 80C eligible deposit etc) for getting lower tax outflow, as the new regime proposes lower tax outflow even without any such investments. 4. Section 206C(1G) – Enhanced TCS rate on certain remittances made outside India Tax to be collected at an enhanced rate of 20% as against the existing rate of 5% in case of all the remittances under Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) and overseas tour package. The existing threshold limit of ₹ 7 lakh for not collecting tax is done away with. However, the TCS rate on remittances made for medical and education purposes in excess of ₹ 7 lakh continues to be at 5%. Further, in case remittance in excess of ₹ 7 lakh is made for educational purpose out of loan obtained from financial institution, the TCS rate of 0.5% remains unchanged. The above amendment will be applicable from 1 July 2023.

Fedxbytz Features

Economy, Finance, Business & Banking

O

- Updates

utlook on Global Growth: Geo-political hostilities, monetary policy tightening, sticky inflation and of late, deepening fears on the health of the banking sector in developed economies, continue to shadow the outlook on the global economic growth. According to the International Monetary Fund, global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.40 % in 2022 to 2.90 % in 2023 and then rise to 3.10 % in 2024. Domestic Economy: Driven by private consumption and investment, the real GDP of India is estimated to grow at 7 % y-o-y in 2022-23. The real GDP growth for 2023-24 is projected to be 6.40%. Economic activity remained strong in the second half of the current fiscal. The Reserve Bank of India continues to remain focused on withdrawal of accommodation to ensure that inflation remains within the

target while supporting growth. Inflation: The Consumer Price Index for February 2023 stood at Tom P. Roy 6.44% as against 6.52% a month PF 4559 before. The CPI was at 6.07 at end Feb 2022. The medium-term target for Consumer Price-based inflation is 4% with a band of plus or minus 2 %. Saptarishi: The Union Budget 2023-24 has adopted seven priorities named Saptarishi with the objective of guiding the nation through the Amrit Kal. The priorities are (1) Inclusive Development (2) Reaching the Last Mile (3) Infrastructure and Investment (4) Unleashing the Potential (5) Green Growth (6) Youth Power and (7) Financial Sector. Real-time Payment Systems Linkage between India and Singapore: A linkage has been established

08 • fedxbytz

between the fast payment systems of India and Singapore, namely, Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India and PayNow of Singapore. The linkage will enable users of the two fast payment systems in either country to make convenient, safe, instant, and cost-effective cross-border funds transfers using their respective mobile apps. Funds held in bank accounts or e-wallets can be transferred to / from India using just the UPI-id, mobile number, or Virtual Payment Address (VPA). To begin with, State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank and ICICI Bank will facilitate both inward and outward remittances while Axis Bank and DBS India will facilitate inward remittances. For Singapore users, the service will be made available through DBS-Singapore and Liquid Group (a non-bank financial institution). More banks will be included in the linkage over time. Is regulatory roll-back the real villain behind the latest Bank failures in the US: The Dodd–Frank Wall

Tech for Seniors

W

Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 was a major enactment towards overhauling financial regulation in the US in the aftermath of the great recession of 2008. The enactment made sweeping changes in the financial regulatory architecture of the US. The law made sure that no institution can bring down the entire financial system through risky behaviour. However, there has been clamour for repeal of many provisions of this statute from the day it was enacted. In 2018, the Senate passed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act exempting many US banks under a $ 250 billion asset threshold from the Dodd–Frank Act’s banking regulations. Banks like Silicon Valley Bank which were then carrying an asset base less than the threshold were thus exempted from the regulatory purview of Dodd-Frank (Source : the New York Times).

Some useful tips for senior citizens to stay safe and secure in the digital world

hen was the last time you used cash? Or the Try to avoid this as much as poslast time you visited an ATM or stood in a sible, especially when you are long queue to pay your Electricity or Water utility travelling. bills? The world has steadily transitioned from cash • Enable biometric login / Goopayments to a digital world of cashless transactions. gle-enabled authenticators for While this has made our lives easier, it has also made your bank accounts &Demat ac- Easwaran L, PF 905 our private / personal information (passwords, PINs, counts. bank account details etc) susceptible to theft and • Often we get messages like “Your card has been misuse by online predators. blocked, please click this link to unblock” or “Your Here is a list of safe digital practices: electricity bill is pending, the connection will be • We get lots of SMS & WhatsApp messages with cut. To avoid, please click this link” etc. These messome online links attached to it. Some of them, sages trigger fear or anxiety in us, prompting us to even look genuine coming from our banks, insurclick without a second thought. NEVER click any of ance companies, electricity/water boards and oththese links. Rather take time to contact your bank er Service Providers. Never click OR forward any or Service Providers directly to address the issues. of these links. These links might download virus- • There are countless unwanted spam messages we es in your phone, leading to serious data security receive on our phone / mail box. Many of them breaches. would be promotional in nature, offering attrac• NEVER ever share your Password or OTPs with any tive gifts / incentives etc. NEVER open or share online agents / unauthorized websites. No Bank or those messages. It could expose your accounts Service provider will ever ask for Password or OTP and communication devices to avoidable potential details. risks caused by viruses / malware. While sharing • NEVER use Public WIFI for any bank transactions. such spams with others, in fact, you are exposing 09 • fedxbytz

others also to unnecessary risks. In fact, you can easily block or unsubscribe such spam messages / mails. It’s quite simple. Open your messaging app and find the text you want to block. Long-press the message and tap the Block icon. (In some apps, you may need to tap Options (three dots) > Block.) • Many of your unwanted mails you can unsubscribe.

Go to the bottom of the mail and click the unsubscribe hyperlink. Quite simple. In short, the digital world allows us to transact right from the comfort of our homes. It’s a blessing. And, unless we use it judiciously and with caution, it could turn out to be a bane as well. Make your life easier and more efficient but stay safe too.

Healthwatch

I

Why skin care is a wise investment: Some tips you can bank on

n the grand scheme of our health, the skin is a big deal - literally. It’s the largest organ in the body and one of the most complex. Not only does the skin act as an outer covering, it also provides a flexible barrier between the outside world and the highly regulated systems within the body. Moreover, it helps with temperature regulation, immune defence, vitamin production, and sensation. ‘Skin care Routine’- does it matter? ‘Skin care routine’ is a popular word among the Instagram / influencer-led generation. But is a ‘skin care routine’ all bad? Formulating a skin care plan considering the unique features of your skin and overall health may offer many benefits. Not only will it help improve the skin health and appearance, but also prevent from potential skin diseases too! A basic regime of • Daily protection from excessive UV radiation, • Protection from excessive irritation and drying (by avoiding drying soaps, excess water or irritating chemicals) and • Aiding of the skin’s barrier properties (using a moisturising protective layer) will result in noticeable improvement of the skin. Skin diseases come in many guises! Ageing changes The skin is constantly renewing itself. With ageing, this process of cell renewal slows down. The “dead cell” layer remains longer on the skin’s surface, giving the skin a dull look. This skin feels rough and scaly, and the supporting structures and elasticity decrease with age, leading to sagging skin and wrinkles.

Care of hands and feet The skin becomes dry and flakes easily as the oil content Dr Soumya of the skin decreases with age. Jagadeesan Consultant Dry skin becomes itchy, and sen- Professor& Dermatologist Amrita Institute of sations of dryness and tautness Medical Sciences, Kochi are familiar. Proper moisturis(Daughter of ing at this stage is important to T S Jagadeesan prevent development of itchy PF 639) cracked oozy skin, particularly on the hands and feet (eczema). Contact with sanitisers, soaps and detergents can aggravate this problem and expert advice must be sought if one has already developed eczema. Poor blood circulation and varicosities / leakage in the veins of the legs can cause itchy oozy skin around the ankles and legs. Besides moisturising, it is important to inspect for changes in the skin and to keep the legs elevated at regular intervals to prevent varicosities. Expert advice including doing Doppler scans of the legs to determine the defects in circulation, will be required. Compression bandages to relieve pressure on the circulation, besides medications, may be of help. Those doing farm and agricultural work should take particular care regarding protection of skin using gloves, boots etc. Skin growths Most of the skin growths that appear with age are benign. They include skin tags and its variants, moles etc. However, it is important to be on the lookout for the marks and growths appearing on the skin. When

10 • fedxbytz

in doubt, always consult your doctor. All cancerous growths on the skin must be removed. Skin infections With the hot and humid weather, ring worm infections (a type of fungal infection) are very common among all age groups. Mainly seen in the body folds, they are very itchy and can be very persistent unless properly treated. It is important not to self-medicate using over the counter creams as they have been shown to cause much harm including resistance (due to the steroid content in such creams). Risk factors like diabetes etc make the skin more prone to develop bacterial and fungal infections. If the cracks in the skin are not treated in time, it can potentially lead to deeper infections like cellulitis. It is important to inspect areas like the skin between the toes and fingers, the under-surface of the feet, etc., daily; and to keep them moisturised, avoiding excessive wetting, and also to treat early if there are any signs of damage. Some general tips on general skin care which you may find useful: 1. Bathing practices

• Wash with a gentle, fragrance-free, moisturizing bar soap, cleanser, or body wash. • Use warm (not hot) water. • Keep your bath or shower short. • Apply a creamy, fragrance-free moisturizer formulated for dry skin within 3 minutes of bathing and throughout the day. 2. Wear gloves while doing housework and gardening. 3. Protect your skin from the sun. Sun protection offers many benefits. It helps to prevent new age-spots and blotchy skin. It can reduce dry, thinning skin. It also reduces your risk of developing skin cancer. To protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, dermatologists recommend that you: • Seek shade when outdoors. • Wear clothing that protects your skin from the sun. • Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher. This must be applied to all skin that clothing doesn’t cover, while you’re outside. • Go fragrance free in your skin care products. It’s worth looking after your skin, as you’ll wear it every day for the rest of your life. And good healthy skin is an indicator of your overall health!

Creative Spark

Diabetic to Dynamic:

I

A personal story on reversing diabetes and other lifestyle disorders

had been a diabetic for almost fifteen years, managing it solely through tablets. My glucose readings were not alarming, around 200 at the maximum. However, symptoms associated with it like exhaustion, frequent urge to urinate, insomnia, peripheral neuropathy, to name a few, were the constant irritants. My doctors as well as the elderly diabetics repeatedly told me that I will have to live with it though I may be able to control it to a limited extent through medicines, diet and exer-

cise. As a consequence I made my walking regular and brisk, which helped to a certain extent to relieve me of the swelling around my ankles, but without losing a gram of weight. My weight and bloated belly seemed stubborn even when I tried vigorous exercise and aerobics at the gym a few years back. At the most there would have been a one kilogram weight loss during the long schedule. I realised from the testimonies from many others that this was the situation 11 • fedxbytz

for them also. Ninan Joseph, While I retired PF 1767 and reconciled myself to carrying my obesity along with the attendant ills, I chanced upon a conversation on You Tube by a retired Engineer named N V Habeebu Rehman, a diabetic who successfully reversed the disease with lifestyle changes such that he is now free of medications. Inspired by the results, he wrote a small book in Malayalam entitled ‘PramehamVarunnaVazhi’. The talk prompted me

to read the book and try out the change in diet as recommended by him. The diet, known as Low Carb High fat (LCHF) or more popularly Keto Diet, he reiterates, is not his discovery but that propounded by doctors practicing modern medicine. What he had done was only to go through various research reports and collate the information for the benefit of the growing diabetic population of Malayalis. I was sceptical before embarking on this diet because I had gone after quick and quacky remedies only to burn a hole in my pocket rather than fat. Having read Habeebu Rehman’s book, I decided to supplement the data with my own information, researched through Google and YouTube to find appropriate food and recipes that were readily available and easy on the pocket. I started off one day, six years back when I was in Qatar with my son. As recommended, I had to shun all carbs. Therefore, our favourite staples such as rice, wheat, grains and pulses, not to mention sugar in all forms were taboo. The principle is simple, just reduce the intake of carbs to a minimum, say 20 to 30 grams a day and increase fat and protein. My breakfast, as a consequence started with a couple of eggs and two slices of bacon. Instead of coffee with milk I started taking a coffee with unsalted butter beaten into a concoction which was frothy, resembling a cappuccino and of course it was tasty. This coffee is popular among dieters as ‘bullet proof coffee’. This much of

food will leave you without cravings and energy loss easily for around 6 hours at a stretch. For lunch and dinner there were no carbs, only fish or meat cooked in coconut oil or ghee along with green salads. If there is an urge to snack, one can have almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashew etc., all having high fat and protein. I got used to it within three days and the results were simply amazing. My glucose levels plummeted to below 100 after fasting and the post prandial sugar to around 110. The results were so encouraging that I decided to continue. As days went by I realised that the lowering of sugar levels was not a freakish fall but a stable signal. I decided to stop the medicines for diabetes as well as BP. Though they say one has to consult a doctor before deciding to go off medicines and even before embarking on the diet, I just went ahead and did it on my own. I thought, ‘what if my doctor is not familiar with this diet and says, ‘No’ because, it is learnt, that medical professionals are divided on the benefits of such a diet. I checked my HBA1C levels which too were and continue to be normal. l am now on a diabetes-free cruise. No fatigue, no insomnia, no tingling pain in the limbs and no high BP. I lost 17 kilos of my weight and reduced my waist size by 8 inches, all in 7 months! Within two years I had shed 33 kilos and shrunk my waist from 48 to 32 inches! I threw the medicines out of the window! I felt 12 • fedxbytz

Ninan - before and after

it was nothing short of a miracle. As a consequence of these encouraging results I continue to maintain the same diet, which apparently seems difficult. After commencing the diet on the usual breakfast-lunch-dinner routine I graduated to having food only when I’m hungry. What one will notice during the initial stages of the diet is that in the first few weeks, the puffiness disappears with a good amount of weight loss. In my case I had shed 5 kilos in one week. After that the weight loss was gradual, say 1 to 2 kilos a month. The seemingly hard part was to reduce belly fat for which the recommended strategy was intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting means not taking any food for a 16 hour period to start with. For instance, if one has dinner at 8:00 PM then the next meal would only be at 12:00 noon the next day. Once we get used to this, the next type of fasting is for 24 hours. 36 hours and even 48 hours. This fasting should be undertaken once or twice a week intermittently. Believe me, it was easy fasting. No hunger pangs whatsoever because my body had already moved into a ketogenic state. In other words, following this regimen, I had

taught my body to process fat for energy rather than carbs. Once we get used to carbohydrate deprivation, our cravings automatically decrease. That seems to be the principle, as explained by experts in this field. While on a fast one can keep oneself hydrated with plenty of water during the process, maybe with added salt. Some even recommend a bone broth during the fast, though I have not tried it. There are of course some adverse effects while switching over to a Keto Diet. I had diarrhoea and even symptoms of a cold for a couple of weeks, while, as known from blogs, others reported constipation, itching and flu. If we decide not to give up at this stage we will soon get over it and what occurred would just fade into history. Despite all this the impetus for keeping us going is the positive results. There is a nagging concern among those who perceive a great risk in consuming fat; that of high cholesterol levels leading to cardiovascular issues. Yes, indeed cholesterol levels rise, but they say cholesterol is no more the villain. Countries like Sweden have already declared fat to be good for energy and for the prevention of several lifestyle disorders. By fat we mean, butter, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, lard, peanut butter and so on. Most of them are natural stuff, not the artificial ones like margarine of hydrogenated oils. Remember, all fruits are out, except avocados, berries like blue berry, blackberry and strawberry. No root vegetables too because

they all contain starch. However, a little bit of onions and carrots are OK. We have to help ourselves aplenty with leafy vegetables, cauliflower, broccoli, okhra, capsicum, mushrooms etc. No more ‘dhals’ either. High fat nuts like walnuts and almonds and to a lesser extent peanuts and cashew nuts should be on the menu. These are just illustrative, while there are a number of other vegetables and nuts one can eat. I may not have covered much ground on this subject, because I just focussed on my experience more than the theories behind this diet-style. For those who are interested in knowing more, I would advise visiting the website, ‘Diet Doctor’, which I find is the most comprehensive one for all lay persons, patients and doctors. It is a non-profit, so there are no advertisements in the site. There is a separate information section for doctors where one can find details on various Randomised Control Trials (RCT) and links to various other articles and studies on the subject. Besides reading the referred book there are a number of interesting videos on TED and YouTube. One such video that impressed me is that of Dr. Sarah Hallberg, Medical Director at the Indiana University of Health, USA, which currently has registered a viewership of more than 10 million. There are many videos on Diet Doctor as well. All these debunk the theory that fat is bad. Though governments are yet to act on revising their diet and health policy, 13 • fedxbytz

it looks like it will only be a matter of time before old theories will fall like a house of cards. This awareness is gaining momentum in Kerala and among the Kerala diaspora abroad, thanks to the effort of Mr. N V Habeebu Rahman. A ‘Telegram’ group named ‘LCHF Malayalam’, is a support group for diabetics and the obese moderated by Habeebu Rahman himself. In Tamil Nadu as well as in some other parts of the world this is known as the Paleo Diet (though not very similar) and Tamils too have such a group for discussing everyday issues on the diet. My adversaries keep saying that there may be ill effects in the long term. They are not sure. Until that happens and new discoveries emerge it seems to be wiser to live in the present, free of debilitating symptoms. Science may not be able to change many beliefs, only a scientific temper can, which means ringing out the old and ringing in the new based on scientific evidence. I must tell you that one can cheat on the diet mentioned here occasionally once your weight and vitals have stabilised. No harm in joining a party loaded with carbs and drinks. It is said that a section of the professional medical community is in the grip of pharma and processed food companies, not to mention governments and research funded by these companies. Despite such hurdles there is light at the end of the tunnel and we are indeed moving closer to it.

A Few Haikus

Little flashes of insight

My Endorphins Your smile, dear, White lilies between pink roses. My endorphins for long.

M J Balachandran Nair PF 2770

Wherever You Be Wherever you be, And in whatever form, shape and size: Divine, you are

Absolute Reality Insentient and inert, It lies, beneath the mind and intellect, The absolute reality.

One Without a Second I am at the gate. Show me now the resplendent radiance: The one without a second.

Body Only He lay there. Beneath the wreaths, flowers and silk, Oh! his body only.

Stress Management

A few simple tips on stress management

What is stress? Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Small amounts of stress may be beneficial, as it can improve athletic performance, motivation and reaction to the environment. Excessive amounts of stress, however, can increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, ulcers and mental illnesses such as depression. It can also aggravate pre-existing health conditions. Eustress is a positive form of stress and Distress is a feeling of extreme worry, sadness or pain. Emotional signs of Stress Being more emotional than usual, feeling overwhelmed or on edge, trouble in keeping track of things, trouble in making decisions, use of alcohol / drugs to relieve emotional stress, etc. How stress affects your brain? It has been found that chronic stress in a healthy individual may lead to shrinkage of those parts of the brain associated with emotions, metabolism and memory.

Types of Stress There are mainly 3 types of stress: Acute Stress, Episodic Acute Stress and Chronic Stress. Acute stress results from your body’s reaction to a new or challenging situation. Episodic Acute Venugopal B Stress refers to that situation when PF 2965 acute stress happens on a frequent basis. Chronic stress is the result of stressors that continue for a long period of time. Useful Tips to Combat Stress • Make meditation a habit. • Practice deep breathing which can help to activate your parasympathetic nervous system and reduce the overall stress and anxiety you may be experiencing. • Nutrition is important, as stress may deplete certain vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. • Reduce the time you spend on social media sites. • Connect with others: you need to have connections with people to feel supported.

14 • fedxbytz

Tolerance to stress can also be improved through the Practice the 5 As. These are: • AVOID Alcohol and drugs • ALTER your schedule, allowing sufficient time for taking proper food, exercise, relaxation and sleep. • ACCEPT family and social support • ADAPT to all situations. • ASSERT your feelings instead of becoming aggressive, There are several other techniques and therapies

that can help you cope with stress. A qualified practitioner can guide you through this. Most importantly, manage yourself to stay calm and cool and always feel free and relaxed to lead a happy, healthy and stress-free life. (The author is the topper in the PGTC Diploma course -Post Graduate Training in Counselling - 1st Batch of the MG University, Kottayam and presently working as a Part-time Counsellor.)

The Barharwa story and new learnings in banking The author speaks from personal experience about micro-banking and its power to transform lives

B

arharwa is a town in the Rajmahal subdivision of Sahibganj district in the state of Jharkhand. Barharwa Junction is a B-category station under Malda division of the Indian Railways. It is one of the busiest stations in terms of freightand goods-train movement. Stone chips and mining materials are supplied all over the country from the hills near Barharwa. The Junction is also a major transit point. I travelled to Barharwa in September 2022 by road from Ranchi. The distance by road from Ranchi to Pakur, another major town in Jharkhand, is 371 kms, and from Pakur to Barharwa, 30 kms. My travel to Barharwa was to oversee in person my present organisation’s micro lending activities in that area. The purpose of travelling around 400 kms by road in a taxi, along with my Jharkhand colleagues, was to visit a few other centres also on the way, where we do micro lending. This journey, through the most remote

parts of the still-developing state of Jharkhand, watching multiple activities on the way, from farming to mining, was tiring but interesting. From what we saw, it was evident that ‘India still lives in her villages’. My trip to Barharwa included a meeting with the ‘Sangam’ of one of our micro-borrower groups in Bindupura village, on the way from Pakur to Barharwa. About 10 to 15 women of a locality form a Sangam, for borrowing money from a bank or financial institution, under the joint liability model. We reached the venue at around 7 am on a Wednesday. Almost all the members of the Sangam were present there by that time. The Field Officer of my organisation and the Branch Manager had already arrived from Barharwa, their base location. There is a leader for each Sangam. The Sangam meetings are conducted in the house of one the members. This time the meeting was in the house of Renu Devi, and the name 15 • fedxbytz

K R Mohanachandran PF 3046 of the Sangam was ‘Vaishali’. I saw the leader of the Sangam, Midhula Rani, who was clad in a yellow saree and dressed up in the traditional style, collecting weekly repayment instalments from the other members of the Sangam, and explaining the numbers to our officials, who were also sitting there along with the members, on a mat laid down inside the house. This is micro banking, or, more specifically, micro lending. Micro lending institutions go to rural, semi urban, urban, and even to some parts of metropolitan cities and identify locations where micro finance would be successful and useful for the institution as well as the society. Officials meet rural women; educate them by conducting classes on financial literacy and financial independence,

and encourage them to start small businesses and other activities by availing micro loans. Small groups of women, called ‘Sangams’ (as noted above) are formed, and suit-

able names are selected for each. In case any member does not have the money to repay the weekly or monthly instalment, other members help her to avoid default.

Micro finance has been able to serve as a catalyst of change globally and in India particularly. No other scheme of lending has ever helped the unserved, under-served and most needy segments of India’s population better 16 • fedxbytz

Though not educated, these women are aware of the implications of loan default. They know about Credit Bureau (CB) reports like CIBIL and the ill-effects of being notified in CB reports. Most of the members of the Barharwa Sangam I visited had beedi making as their occupation. Women of the families cut beedi leaves, fill it in with unprocessed tobacco and make beedis for sale. Husbands go for other works elsewhere; but the wives ensure the family livelihood, thanks to micro finance. Each member is given loans starting from small amounts of, say, Rs.20000/-, to start with. The loan amounts would gradually be increased, when certain cycles of lending are completed. These loans are sanctioned without any collateral security or even personal guarantee. The major criterion for sanction of micro loan is the total income of the family (household income). Persons having annual household income up to Rupees three lakh are considered eligible for micro loans. Monthly repayment obligation of the entire household towards all the loans availed of from various institutions should not be more than 50% of the monthly household income. Assessment of annual / monthly household income is done based on certain sets of parameters. By introducing a new set of norms for micro lending with effect from 01 April 2022, RBI has ensured that excessive lending or excessive borrowing does not hap-

pen. Interest rates for the loans are to be fixed by the lending institution based on Board approved norms, and Interest rates should not be very high. Micro finance has been able to serve as a catalyst of change globally and in India particularly. No other scheme of lending has ever helped the unserved, under-served and most needy segments of India’s population better. The number of micro lending institutions in the country increased manifold in the last few years and to a certain extent ‘over-supply’ caused a little bit of indiscipline in micro lending both at the level of financial institutions and the borrowers. RBI’s new guidelines for

micro finance effective from 01 April 2022 are aimed at instilling discipline both at the lender-level and the borrower-level. Micro finance is a different line of banking showing us the face of real banking. It was a new learning for me. Visiting the specialised micro finance branches across eight states outside Kerala, from Karnataka to Uttar Pradesh to Tripura; interacting with hundreds of Field Officers who directly deal with thousands of women borrowers in the remotest parts of different states, and Branch Managers, Area Managers and Regional Heads who travel extensively every day on bicycles and two wheelers to visit the branches and borrowers;

all these forced me to change my reservations about Indian banking and to believe that banking is still not about digital lines and corporate styles alone. While all these modern styles and patterns of banking have transformed the look and feel of Indian banking, it is still not a myth that the real banking happens amongst the most-needy segments of the Indian populace by way of micro finance. It provides, therefore, a new experience and a feeling of ‘giving back to the society’ in a most humble manner. “Business must be for Profit; but Profit must also be for a purpose” – that forms the philosophy of micro finance.

“My name is Unni Mary” The author reminisces about his early days in the Bank

I

t was 1976, and I was working in our Ernakulam North Branch. Our Bank had organized a “Students’ Month Scheme”, enrolling students to our Federal Savings Fund [FSF]. This was to cultivate savings habit in students and to attract them to our Bank. Attractive gifts were given to all the students who opened FSF Accounts. A 3-Member Collection team was formed in our Branch to open and collect the instalments every month from the students of St. Teresa’s Girls’ High School, near Children’s Park, Ernakulam. 3 consecutive days were fixed for it every month and I was a member of the Collection team. Those three days

were very thrilling to us. We used to shave our faces cleanly all these days and were neatly dressed. One day, girl students were standing in queue at the school to open and also to remit installments. After the first student, an extremely beautiful girl stood in front of me and said, “My name is Unni Mary. I want to open a new Account.” It was Cine Actress, Unni Mary, who was a student of Class X of that school. She had acted in several Malayalam and Tamil films in those days and was at the peak of her fame. I could not believe my eyes. We were friendly with her and happy to meet her every month at school. 17 • fedxbytz

AV Peter PF 964 Other members of the 3-Member Collection team were Monichan Baby Madathil and KN Prabhakaran. Monichan Baby later resigned from our Bank and went to USA. I am sad that he died on 23.08.2014 at Chicago, due to a poisonous Bee sting. He was a person of deep friendship and his death was highly shocking to several of his Federal Bank friends. KN Prabhakaran also died in 2020 at Ernakulam, after prolonged health issues.

The Masterclass

An engrossing story in which the author exquisitely re-creates an incident he had heard of from his seniors in the Bank several decades ago. Author’s Note: Looking back upon Hormis Sir’s life, what one finds most fascinating are his impeccable integrity and boundless commitment to the Bank’s growth. My only interaction with Hormis Sir, however, was during my induction when he asked me questions. The rest of my knowledge about him, including this tale, was handed down by my seniors, like Vijayadas Thavamony Sir, late Parambil, and others.

T

he clock struck twelve. Joseph, the branch-head, was in his cabin and in front of him was contractor Krishna Pillai, talking about the new Traffic Circle that was presumably in the offing. In the main hall the staff had finished with the morning’s first wave of customers and Joseph was responding to Krishna Pillai with one eye on the counter, when, to his left, Joseph sensed, rather than saw, a car pull up and stop in front of the premises. There was something faintly familiar about the black Ambassador, and sure enough, Joseph saw with a start Hormis Sir stepping down. “That’s Hormis Sir.” Said Joseph, and Krishna Pillai turned to his right to look out of the window. “Hey, this is unexpected!”, he said. To give Rajan (the Officer of the branch) the word, to pass on an instruction to Paulose (the Bankman), and to spring up, step out, and cross the short stretch of greenery to the road was for Joseph but the work of an instant. But Hormis Sir, portly and bustling, in trademark white mundu and

shirt, had already alighted from the car, and, stopping for a moment, was looking at the sapota tree that stood within the branch grounds, when Joseph reached him.

“Good morning, Sir”, said Joseph, and Hormis Sir turned to him saying “Ha, Joseph, I was on my way to Kottayam and thought I’d drop in. How is everything?”. Hormis Sir entered the branch with his purposeful stride and Joseph followed close behind. Entering, the big boss halted awhile taking in the Hall and the customers at the counter, and Joseph had this niggling fear that he would go up to the customers for a random question. However, he walked into 18 • fedxbytz

John Korulla P PF4046 the cabin saying: “Continue, continue, I shall come to you”. Krishna Pillai was already up and waiting at the cabin-door. “Sir, this is a surprise visit!” he exclaimed. “Ah, Pillachen, quite a pleasure running into you here”. Smiling, he indicated a chair and both of them sat down while Joseph walked round and sat in his chair. The two talked like old acquaintances meeting up. “Hope you are helping young Joseph here?” said Hormis Sir, in closing. *************** Rajan, meanwhile was making sure that there were no lapses in sight. He had despatched Paulose to the stationery room to ensure that everything there was shipshape. He himself went into the bathroom - for Sir’s dictum was too well known. He knew the Old Man could take an impromptu tour of the premises and that nothing untoward would miss his eye. He hoped against hope he wouldn’t ask about arrears in the various aspects of housekeeping. ****************** Twenty minutes past twelve. Hormis Sir seemed to be winding up his visit. He was moving back to the cabin after a brief spell in the

hall. But once inside the cabin he started talking again: “Joseph, are you in touch with the rubber dealers here? They will direct you to the growers.” “Abraham Mathew discounts his bills with us Sir. He’s influential…”, Joseph said. The boss now seemed ready to leave, and was saying “As I told everybody, this Bank will go places. The outside Kerala branches have taken off superbly. It is up to you Kerala branches to keep the momentum alive. Be on your toes, is what I have to tell you”. “Certainly, Sir”, said Joseph, and Rajan, who was with him, said: “Sure Sir.” Hormis Sir stood up then and was about to leave, when, looking out of the window, he turned to Joseph saying: “Coming in I noticed that the sapota fruits on our tree are ripe. I would like to have some.” “Sure, Sir” said Joseph, and turning to Rajan, nodded, whereupon Rajan went out. Hormis Sir sat down again and Joseph waited. “Now” thought Joseph “I’ll speak to him about the loan proposal of ours hanging fire at HO”. Then he saw Paulose rushing out. Hormis Sir resumed: “We opened the branch here because the Sultan gave us his house here. The temple is really the node of the social ecosystem here. I want you to have a very good relationship with the temple...” He was using the time available to provide Joseph with his views, growth

ideas and advice, and Joseph knew he would have to do the route the boss was laying out now. Hormis Sir dilated on the growth nodes and the people he knew. Joseph then saw Paulose coming back from the tree. He entered with the fruits wrapped in a newspaper. He waited at the door and Hormis Sir turned to him. Flushed from the exertion - and the sense of a job well done too, perhaps Paulose asked: “Shall I place this in the car, Sir?” “Ah yes, give it to Pillachen”, said Hormis Sir, indicating the car. However, as Paulose was leaving, the boss stopped him. “How much is it?” “Around one and a half kilos sir”, Paulose smartly conjectured. “No Paulose, I meant how much it costs!” Paulose was shocked, “Sir! These few fruits…from our tree…” Needless to say, it was in Joseph’s mouth too to say likewise. Hormis Sir’s forehead creased in a frown now. He raised his hand as though to indicate, ‘Stop it right there’! He then beckoned Paulose to come to him and said, “Now how can you give this away freely?” Joseph cast a quick look at the counter and the hall. The customers and the branch-staff were going about their businesses normally. Thankfully, there was nobody to see the ignominy that Joseph knew was coming. And the boss continued: “You thought that I as your Chair have the unfettered right to do as I please? And you as a Bankman to offer it to me?” Pau19 • fedxbytz

lose winced slightly. So did Joseph, inwardly (for, wasn’t he too on the mat, though the boss hadn’t directly implicated him?) “What is its cost?” Hormis Sir now asked. Paulose looked at his manager for help. Seeing this, Hormis Sir continued “We don’t know. Now, go out to the market and find the selling price… go”. With a muttered, “Sir” Paulose left. The boss still had a lot to say. “People mistake the basic things so. I have said this a thousand times… in this Bank there are no ‘adjustments’ as in the bad wide world. That must be made clear to all of us in the Bank and to the public.” He looked at his watch, looked at the car waiting outside and resumed, “The most important…” Paulose returned now, and opening the cabin-door, put his head in tentatively. “Yes? What is the price?” “Four rupees a kilo, Sir”, said Paulose, coming in. Sir took out his wallet from his briefcase, and fishing out a tenner, gave it to Paulose, and said: “That makes it six rupees… no? Credit it into P/L and let me have the balance.” Wide-eyed, Paulose was about to retire when Hormis Sir called him in. The boss became expansively explanatory, then: “You must understand that this is a public limited company. Now what is such a company? It is not a teashop or a cloth-shop that somebody owns where his sweet will runs. You know what a

Public Limited Company is? What a Scheduled Bank is?” He looked from Paulose to Joseph and back. “Thavamony back at HO will lose no time to tell you that a company like ours is ‘an association of persons’ and ‘a separate entity with a legal identity of its own’ where, among other things, the ownership is separate from the management… Paulose, this Bank is such a thing and you, Joseph here, and

I - we supply it with life. We are its eyes, its mind, its voice, and its courage. So then, what am I? I am tasked with the responsibility of steering it to its full realisation.” Paulose was now nodding his head vehemently. And so was Joseph. Hormis Sir went on: “The Bank will be as good or as bad as each one of us is in work and in life. See?” Sir then looked from Pau-

A Train Journey

T

he girl rushed out of the classroom. Her classes had got extended beyond the usual college hours as the professor wanted to wind up the chapter he was teaching. Since the college hostel was within the campus, she reached there within minutes, and stuffed her backpack with her clothes and a few books. It was already too late to catch the train to the city where her family stayed. In twenty minutes, when she finally reached the station platform, she could hear the train moving away. The train had been late by ten minutes, but still, she couldn’t catch it. She stood there with a bewildered look, ‘Should I just return to the hostel? But then my ticket will go to waste!’, she thought. She didn’t want that. It was hard earned money that her family had managed to send her! “Hello, missed the train? Don’t worry, the passenger train on the other platform will leave in a few minutes”. She turned to the source; it was a man in his thir-

lose to Joseph and back, and asked “Now do you think I should have taken away six rupees of the Bank’s revenue illegally?” Paulose shook his head firmly to indicate his ‘No’. “So now, go and credit the money in P/L and bring me the balance.” Joseph realised then that he had just been given a Masterclass on Life.

A story

ties!! The information brought some relief to her. But as she walked down the foot overbridge to the other side and reached the train, she could feel someone behind her. Yes, the man was following her, “Don’t get into the ladies’ compartment, it isn’t safe as most women would’ve got into the train that just left and there might not be many travelling in this train”. The passenger train was about to leave, and she had no time to think much. Within seconds she got into the general compartment.Making her apprehensive, the man too got into it. There weren’t many travellers. She Ignored the man, the stranger, and sat at a window seat. On all such journeys she was used to being vigilant about the movements of others. Times were such that it wasn’t safe for women, she knew that well. Another hour passed, and she had almost dozed off. Suddenly she woke up to some voices in the compartment. There stood the man, the stranger,with a mid20 • fedxbytz

Gita Joseph R PF 6124 dle-aged couple. He seemed to be saying something to them. The train halted at the next station, and the stranger got off

(Illustration: Ajith Kumar K M, PF 4522)

the train. The couple seemed to be glancing at her every now and then, “Oh God, what were they up to? Were they some thieves planning to rob her?”, she thought. She sat there motionless. In another half an hour she might reach her station, but then, until that time, would she be safe? Thoughts rushed through her mind. She continued staring at her mobile, but this time, removed her earphones

T

and was all eyes and ears, making sure her pepper spray was handy in the pocket of the jeans she was wearing. At last, the station. As she was to alight within a minute, she stood up to move towards the door. Unknowingly her eyes met those of the woman, her co passenger. There was a smile on the woman’s face as she asked her “Who was that man with you?”. “Why should

they know” was the thought that popped up in her mind even as she said “No one, just met at the station”. “Oh, that’s good, he had just asked us to stay alert and be mindful about your safety as you are travelling alone”, said the woman. Taken by surprise the girl smiled, more from relief than out of gratitude. She walked out of the compartment and alighted from the train.

Art/Culture

he first book in the series we introduce is “Man’s Search for Meaning” authored by Dr. Viktor E. Frankl (1905-97), a renowned Psychiatrist from Austria. The book is very small with 154 pages and covers the universal theme of “growing beyond the self towards realising the potential meaning of life under any condition including sufferings in life”. The book is available on Amazon at a price of Rs. 178.00.

Tom P Roy, PF 4559

Book Introduction

(This column attempts to introduce to our readers highly acclaimed books that are lucid, short and easily comprehensible. The objective is to encourage the habit of reading among our readers.) The story of “Survival” has been one of the major themes of literature and art across many generations and races. The book, first published in 1946, is still relevant and transcends time. The book is a detailed account of the experiences of Frankl in the nazi concentration camps of the Second World War and how he survived the tyranny of such camps and founded the doctrine or school of Logotherapy. In the chapter on ‘Experiences in a concentration camp’, the author narrates very lucidly his experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camp, the sufferings, the behaviour of fellow prisoners and the treatment by the Camp Officers. However, the beauty of the narration is not in the instances of sufferings, instead, it is in the sources of strength he has experienced to survive such sufferings and find meaning in life. Frankl thus has devoted this book to invoke the philosophy of finding meaning to our existence. According to Logotherapy, striving to find meaning in one’s life is the primary motivational force of man. While detailing on the concept of Logotherapy, Frankl reminds the reader that there are situations in which one is cut off from the opportunity to do one’s work or to enjoy one’s life and the chances of experiencing unavoidable sufferings in life are many. He further advocates that the meaning of life rests on accepting this challenge and suffering bravely till the end. The book with the potential to strengthen people in difficulties and change the attitude to life is inspirational and worth reading. 21 • fedxbytz

About Logotherapy Logotherapy is a therapeutic doctrine enunciated by Dr Viktor E Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist. The doctrine was founded on the basis of Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalysis and Alfred Adler’s Individual Psychology. Logotherapy/Exis-

tential Analysis, sometimes called the “Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy”, is an internationally acknowledged and empirically based meaning-centred approach to psychotherapy. In Logotherapy/Existential Analysis (LTEA) the search for a meaning in life is identified as the primary motivational

Art Gallery We proudly present the artworks of two gifted artists we have in our midst:

Below: Caricatures of tennis legend Roger Federer, singer S P Balasubramaniam and music composer M K Arjunan, by Ajith Kumar K M, Ajith Kumar K M PF 4522

Right: An acrylic painting by Varghese Koikara

Shri Varghese Koikara, P F 405

22 • fedxbytz

force in human beings. Frankl’s approach is based on three philosophical and psychological concepts. viz., Freedom of Will, Will to Meaning and the Meaning in Life. The Institute of Logotherapy is now a Global Organisation with the objective of promoting meaningful life on Earth.

Tidbits

Bits and pieces of information & inspiration, from here, there and everywhere

(Essay)

The importance of relationships Introducing a very popular TED Talk on relationships

T

alks on TED* can be life-changing, sometimes. A 2015 presentation by Robert Waldinger titled ‘What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness’ is perhaps one such. With close to 45 million views in the past seven and odd years, it is also one of the most-viewed talks on TED.

In it, Waldinger, who is the fourth director of a 75-year-old Harvard study on human happiness called ‘The Harvard Study of Adult Development’, shares with us, with great elan, the findings of the study. The procedure the researchers adopted was to closely follow the lives of a set of 724 men from their teenage days till well into their old age, to see what really keeps people happy and healthy.

And what the researchers found after 75 years of the study was that more than wealth or fame or working harder and harder, it is good relationships that matter in life. “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study” says Waldinger, “is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier”. He also speaks of three other important learnings on relationships that the study resulted in. The first is that social connections are really good for us. Says Waldinger: “It turns out that people who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community… are happier as well as physically healthier, and live longer than people who are less well connected”. “The second big lesson that we learned” goes on Waldinger “is that it’s not just the number of friends you have… or whether or not you’re in a committed relationship… but the quality of your close relationships, that matters. It turns out that living in the midst

“Over and over, over these 75 years, our study has shown that the people who fared the best were the people who leaned in to relationships” 23 • fedxbytz

of conflict is really bad for our health… and living in the midst Johny Joseph of good, warm PF 5446 relationships, protective”. And the third insight the researchers gained was that good relationships protect not just our bodies, but our brains too. “Being in a securely attached relationship to another person, in the 80s, is protective”, says Waldinger “and, people who are in relationships where they really feel they can count on the other person in times of need – those people’s memories stay sharper longer”. Waldinger sums up the findings of the study thus: “Over and over, over these 75 years, our study has shown that the people who fared the best were the people who leaned in to relationships”. He then closes with these moving words: “The good life is built with good relationships”. To reach the video, just search the web for ‘What makes a good life?’. If you choose to watch it, it will be well worth the time you spend on it, we assure. *The American - Canadian non-profit media platform that makes available international talks online, for free distribution, under the slogan “ideas worth spreading”.

Food for Thought

EDITORIALBOARD Chief Editor: • Mr Tom Thomas, President, FBROF Managing Editor: • Mr K T Thomachan, General Secretary, FBROF Executive Editor: • Mr S Sathyamoorthy, Deputy General Secretary, FBROF Editor in Charge: • Mr Johny Joseph, PF No.5446 Editor: • Mr Smith P S, Assistant Secretary, FBROF

Joint Editors: • Mr Easwaran, PF No. 905, EC Member, FBROF • Mr Venugopal B, PF No.2965, AS – PTA, FBROF • Ms Girija C George, PF No. 3078 • Mr Tom P Roy, PF No.4559 • Mr Ramesh D, PF No.4679 • Ms Usha Mary Mathen, PF No.4957 • Mr Gulam Mohamed A, PF No. 5417

Published by Federal Bank Retired Officers’ Forum (FBROF), Registered Office: Aluva - 683101. email: [email protected] (For private circulation only)