‘Bank of Polampur’ is a fanciful story of a fictitious bank. The main character, Kashmiri Lal Chawla, is a simple common man who joined the service as a clerk (there was nothing like campus selections in those days) and somehow by remaining a sincere guy , rose to the prestigious position of General Manager.

‘Bank of Polampur’ is an account of all the events and incidents of Kashmiri Lal Chawla's journey in bank service which he used to narrate in detail to his wife Manpreet. This account not only exposes the alliance among the wicked and powerful people, corruption, nepotism, deceits and fraud in a satirical way but also analyses why it was so and suggests solutions.

The story dates back to 40 years and begins with interesting and surprising incidents that took place during selection of Kashmiri Lal for bank service. In those days employment in bank was considered equivalent to the jobs of engineers and doctors. In accordance with the working atmosphere prevalent in the bank, Kashmiri Lal becomes lazy and an active member of KMS (Kamchor Maha Sangh) i.e. the Great Union of Shirkers.

How, many people get promotions in banks and other public sector institutions? How there are formal Constitutional and many other un-declared and informal Reservation laws for promotions, leaving only around 20 percent posts available for the real deserving candidates?

How many ‘Savitries’ get their undeserving Satyawans (Husbands) promoted!

In various branches and controlling offices of Bank of Polampur (and probably in many other banks too), the correspondence is like the Ping Pong game, where the officers concerned instead of taking decision or finding solution to the issues, just try to shift ball to the other party’s court with full force. If the case concerned is related to sanctioning loan, the speed and force of throwing the ball to the other side is even more. It would be very interesting is see who loses and who wins.

The common man is surprised and somewhat shocked to see that when one applied for loan for house there were so many formalities and detailed inquiries, demand for guarantees, securities and mortgages and requiring to visit bank for umpteen times before the loan was finally sanctioned. But the influential people get loan of thousands and crores of Rupees without any securities and that too in very short time and finally most of them generally don’t care to pay a penny? The defaulter who was unable to pay back the meagre amount of Rs.50000 is frightened by the Bank Manager of the threats of court cases and even sending to Jail. On the other hand the big embezzlers and non payers of millions and billions live life king size and respectfully. How does all this happen? Why don’t the Police ji, Judge ji and Netaji in the system get together and get hold of them?

Just like Bank of Polampur, all the banks have Control rooms, Divisional Offices, Rural Offices, Main office and the massive staff of officers and executives to keep a watch. Inspectors, Auditors and Statutory auditors are busy inspecting banks round the clock. Still the graph of unpaid loans, deceits, fraudulence and corruption is on the rise rather than declining. May be the inspectors and auditors are on sightseeing tours in the name of inspection.

There are many committees and high power Board of Directors and yet Bank of Polampur was constantly sinking. What was happening in meetings of Board of Directors and the other committees?

Was it like this as if the pilot had put the aircraft on an auto pilot mode and was enjoying a game of cards with co-pilot or was busy in chit-chat with the air hostess and ……

How do the high level Banks function? How did the top management of Bank of Polampur run? Why the top executives who pocketed fat salaries and were provided with unlimited official as well as unofficial perquisites, were not as dedicated as the army men who are ever ready to sacrifice their life for country and its people? 

Why is a patwari arrested by the policeji for taking a bribe of Rs. 500 by the Anti-Corruption Department while the Chief Executive Officer of I.S.I.S.I, Mr. Nanda Chhajed who gulped down thousands of crores of rupees gets Padma Bhushan instead of hand-cuffs? When Mr. Nanda Chhajed is charged by the Anti Corruption Deptt with fool proof documents why the leaders from all the political parties become silent and start looking the other way?

What is the MD's philosophy of eradicating  poverty in the country? Who was Venu Gopal who just moved her little finger and anything could happen in Bank of Polampur?

Was business (Vocational) growth possible just by the Managing Director Mr. Shiv Shanker Pillai’s 9 Am to 9 Pm powerful speech? What is the relationship between the gifts offered to bank executives and the corruption?

What role does Actor Madhuri Singh play in the TV serial ‘Ashiq Ki Arthi’ based on Bank frauds?

In the last chapter of the book there is a personal conversation between Kashmiri Lal Chawla and his wife Manpreet, which is revealed in the form of this book. This Conversation will provide answers to all the question raised above.

This book, Bank of Polampur in not like any issue of the magazine ‘Lot Pot’ or like the comedy show of Kapil, Bharti or Kikoo Sharda. It exposes the gross and retail robbery that takes place inside and outside banks. The book does not raise just questions, it suggests solutions as well.

Only limited copies of this book’s first edition (many may try that it should be the last edition) are available. Thus not only read this book but also buy a few extra ones and present them to your friends.

You are welcome in ‘Bank of Polampur’. For its forthcoming Part-II, we solicit your reactions, feedback, stories, incidents and experiences.