It is but a few who acquire the status of the mythical Prometheus, who is fabled to have stolen fire from the gods and brought it down to earth for the benefit of mankind. Com. Prabhat can only be described as the Prometheus of the bank employees’ movement, the Commander Par Excellence who ‘found it mud and left it marble’. A major portion of his seventy four years on this planet was lived in searing dedication to the cause of bank employees. He was so much the architect, the high priest, the life-breath of the bank employees’ movement going under the name of AIBEA, such an integral, intricate part of it, that it is difficult to speak of the one without referring to the other. He finally died with his boots on, his last breath being rasped out in the cause of bank employees. Com. Prabhat Kar was born on 13th October, 1910 in Calcutta in a middle class family not very different from the ones from which today’s bank employees hail. Even during his school days, Com. Prabhat Kar displayed his brilliance, always secured very high marks and ranks in every class. The Presidency College of Calcutta, around that time was a very prestigious institution and admission was available only for the highly efficient. He graduated in the year 1932 with high honours. In 1928 as a youth of 18 he had his first taste of the freedom struggle when he joined as a Volunteer in the Calcutta Congress Session. After graduating from the Presidency College in Calcutta in 1931, he joined the services of Lloyds Bank Ltd., as a Clerk in 1933. It is here that he first witnessed and experienced the rampant and inhuman conditions to which this section of the working class was subjected. The situation obtaining then is beyond our imagination today. The right of hire and fire prevailed and employees were often hired only to be fired. Service conditions were non-existent and the word ‘union’ was an unutterable blasphemy. The hold of the pay master on his workers was complete and total. Destinies were made and broken at the mere whim of the ‘Employer’ which was only a euphemism to describe the lord and master. It is in such an hostile environment that Com. Prabhat Kar had his baptism in the Trade Union Movement. From 1933, the year in which he joined the bank, till 1946 he was fully immersed in organising bank employees against these sub-human conditions. He organized the employees of Lloyds Bank in Calcutta, numbering around 600 and formed Lloyds Bank Indian Staff Association in May, 1946. He was naturally elected as its General Secretary. Right from the beginning Com. Prabhat Kar was clear as to the cause underlying this primitive exploitation. He was aware that what he witnessed in the banks was only the expression of a larger callous system which continuously endeavoured to keep the worker oppressed and harassed. Hence from the very day he joined the bank he was conscious that this situation could be battled only by a workers’ organisation of comparable size and strength. Envisaging the broadest platform of unity possible in the then prevailing situation and circumstances, Com. Prabhat made the organising of the entire lot of bank employees in the banking industry his prime target. With the characteristic courage of his convictions and vision which in later years came to be reckoned as his hall mark, Com. Prabhat, along with a group of young, angry but dedicated comrades took the historic decision on 9th April, 1941 to form an all India organisation for bank employees. On 20th April, 1946 this vision stood translated into reality as the AIBEA took formal shape on the banks of the Hooghly. At the time when the AIBEA was founded, in certain pockets in some of the banks, there were a few fledgling organisations. But all these were struggling against immense odds even for survival. There was nothing present on the Trade Union scene in the banking industry to encourage the formation of an all-embracing industry- level organisation. Yet from the day the AIBEA was founded Com. Prabhat started a ceaseless and unremitting struggle to unify all banks employees under a single banner. “One industry, one union” had become his immediate lodestar. In the meantime he was already shouldering the responsibility of being the General Secretary of the Bengal Provincial Bank Employees’ Association which was formed in February, 1947. In 1948 Central Bank employees in Calcutta were on an indefinite strike against the non-implementation of Sen Tribunal Award in that Bank. BPBEA was extending all possible support to the striking employees. But suddenly, the then President of AIBEA, Soumyendra Tagore issued a press statement that all bank employees in Bengal would go on strike in support of Central Bank employees. At that time some of the Unions including of the Lloyds Bank were before a Tribunal and hence any strike by them would obviously be declared illegal. But knowing all these complications full-well, Com. Prabhat Kar, as General Secretary of BPBEA, still decided that prestige of AIBEA’s call is important and hence decided to implement the call. On 17th August 1948, Com. Prabhat led the solidarity strike from the front. Lloyds Bank management instituted criminal proceedings under the I D Act against 11 of the Lloyds Bank leaders and suspended them. Against this provocation, all the employees of Lloyds Bank observed strike but management declared a virtual lock out. The management issued a newspaper advertisement on 27th October, 1948 informing the dismissal of all the employees and advertised for recruitment of new staff. There was a prolonged strike against this provocative action and ultimately, all except 40 employees were allowed to join. After nearly 10 years of protracted and attritional legal battle, the Supreme Court reinstated all these comrades in June, 1958 except Com. Prabhat Kar. It certainly must have been crucifying for an individual of 38 years age to stand dismissed from service and to be confronted with the prospect of further grueling struggle in the years to come. The period 1953 to 1966 was a period of incessant, relentless and prolonged struggles for both Com. Prabhat and the AIBEA which he had come to represent as its General Secretary since his election to that post at the 5th Conference of the AIBEA held at Lucknow in 1953. It was during this period that the sweep of the organisation came to acquire an unprecedented magnitude. The AIBEA fought bitter battles inside the portals of tribunals and outside in the streets under the stewardship of Com. Prabhat Kar. During this period, in 1957, Com. Prabhat was elected to the Parliament from the Hooghly constituency. During his tenure in Parliament Com. Prabhat Kar took up the issue of bigger banks’ taking over small banks that went into liquidation and saw to it that an amendment was made to the Banking Company’s Act to that effect, while alsoendeavouring to ensure that the employees of the liquidated banks’ were absorbed into the new banks. The first bank to be taken over was the Indo - Commercial by the Punjab National Bank. He was again elected to the Lok Sabha in 1962. In 1961 Com. Prabhat Kar participated as a member of the Bonus subcommittee at the Indian Labour Conference at Bangalore, where it was decided that the entire Banking Industry, both private and public sectors, excluding the RBI, would come under the purview of the Bonus Commission. The phase of tribunalisation and third party intervention came to a decisive end with the signing of the historic first ever industry level Bipartite Settlement under the captaincy of Com. Prabhat Kar in 1966. The Signing of this First Bipartite Settlement metamorphosed the status of both the AIBEA and the bank employees. It constitutes a decisive watershed in the history of the movement since the period of definite consolidation of the movement and advancement commences from this point. The AIBEA has never looked back after this. The period that followed was an era of bipartism. AIBEA grew from strength to strength under the stewardship of Com. Prabhat Kar. Another outstanding contribution of Com. Prabhat Kar to our movement, nay, our country, is the nationalization of major Banks. Com. Prabhat Kar led a very powerful campaign and struggle by the bank employees which resulted in the major decision being taken by the Government. After achieving nationalization of Banks, in the 17th Conference of the AIBEA held at Madras in 1973, Com. Prabhat made a bold departure by laying more emphasis on national problems and called for a change in the credit policies of the government. This concern for the nation, the role the banking industry played in the growth of the nation, and the potential of the bank employees to influence this role played by the industry in the nation’s growth, increased over the years. In successive conferences Com. Prabhat Kar’s emphasis on this sphere of activity also increased as this conviction grew. A personal and organisational set back for Com. Prabhat was the passing away of Com. Parvana in 1975. His responsibilities increased as a result of this sad loss. In the period that followed, the securing of the III Bipartite Settlement formed one of the sternest of organisational challenges faced by Com. Prabhat Kar in his long tenure as pilot of the movement. The government at the helm of affairs was the Janata Government which had triumphed at the hustings with a massive mandate from the electorate in the aftermath of the emergency. And the Government was headed by Morarji Desai as the Prime Minister. When the AIBEA proposed the long overdue wage revision for bank employees it was the Prime Minister himself who thundered that bank employees enjoyed best of both the worlds and therefore there was no question of any wage increase for them. Not only did the government rule out any wage revision but alsosimultaneously attempted to foist the obnoxious Boothalingam Committee D. A. formula on the bank employees. The resistance to imposition of this formula in other industries was tepid. A battle royale ensued therefore between the AIBEA and the government in which Com. Prabhat Kar directed the use of every known item of weaponry from work-to-rule and other forms of agitation to novel methods like short duration strikes at different centres. The government had to finally bow before the combined might of the bank employees and Com. Prabhat once again achieved the impossible by signing the III Bipartite Settlement. The Fourth Bipartite Settlement, came to the Bank employees virtually on a silver platter as it was achieved with comparatively less struggle. The movement had come full circle under the stewardship of Com. Prabhat. It has progressed from the situation of protracted battles for small gains to that of limited struggles for major gains. The subsequent period witnessed Com. Prabhat busily engaged in the task of organizing the officers under the banner of the AIBOA of which he was the Founder President. In the midst of these activities Com. Prabhat Kar travelled to Nizamabad in Andhra Pradesh on 24-11-1984 to inaugurate the Conference of State Bank of Hyderabad Staff Association. While on his way back to Hyderabad from this Conference, he collapsed in the car in which he was travelling. It was 9-30 p.m. of 27th November 1984. Thus he passed on to the ages, serving the cause for which he lived upto the last breath of his life. There are only a few who continue to live beyond the grave, for whom death signifies nothing more than the mere consignment of mortal remains to dust. That immortality is truly noble which is achieved in the cause of organising the masses. That immortality is uniquely Prabhat Kar’s. COM. PRABHAT KAR AMAR RAHE LET US EVER REMAIN GRATEFUL TO HIM LET US EVER REMEMBER HIM

Com. H. L. Parvana was born in a poor middle class family on 3-11-1923 in a remote village in Punjab. His name was Harbanslal. He studied in Rajpore Bhaiti upto middle school. He did his High School education at Badden-a place 10 kms. away. He used to walk daily to go to the school. The sweep of the freedom movement, the Jallianwala Bagh incident, the inspiration from Lala Lajpat Rai and Bhagat Singh, -all had their natural impact on the young and sensitive Parvana. His instincts were pushing him away from routine studies and towards active public life. The seed had been sown in him. Alongside, he took keen interest in literature. He was especially attracted to Urdu literature due to its realistic depiction of the commoner’s plight and the naked exposure of the exploitation existing in the social set up. He began writing small Urdu couplets and adopted the pen-name Parvana. Though he completed Matriculation with very high marks, his family could not afford his further higher education. Com. Parvana, volunteered to seek a job to support the family suppressing his desire and urge to prosecute higher education. This was the beginning of the era of sacrifice for Com. Parvana. At the age of 16, he started to hunt for a job and after lot of difficulties, through the introduction of a friend, he got a job in Punjab National Bank. But he was posted as a Daftary even though he was a first class matriculate. After about 3 months, he was put on probation as a clerk with a salary of Rs. 16 per month. After joining the job, he continued his studies in an evening College and passed B.A. with honours in Urdu from Punjab University. Every week end, Com. Parvana used to visit his elder brother who was employed in a textile mill. His brother was a Trade Union worker of that Mill and Com. Parvana found that through the efforts of the Unions, the problems of the workers were being mitigated and resolved. Com. Parvana took no time to found a Union in Punjab National Bank at Lahore. But as a consequence of this “crime” he was dismissed by the Bank in 1944. Then Com. Parvana came to Delhi in search of job again. With the help of his friend, he got a job in Bharat Bank Limited as an unpaid apprentice. Due to his efficiency and hard work, he was soon promoted as a supervisor and again as Superintendent. Undeterred by the bitter experience of victimisation by the previous employer, Com. Parvana, as a result of his deep convictions, soon formed a Union in Bharat Bank, Delhi. He organised strike actions in 1946, 1947 and 1948 and the Union made spectacular achievements including recognition of the Union by the Management. Later, he organised a day’s strike on 8th March, 1949 in support of the Railway employees, setting example for fraternity and solidarity of workers. But the Management reacted sharply by getting 450 out of its 527 employees arrested by police. Com. Parvana fought back against these repressions and there was a strike for 21 days. Management terminated 35 activists of the Union including their leader Com. Parvana. Com. Parvana was again on the streets and underwent sufferings. When the Sen Tribunal was appointed, it also heard the dismissal of the 35 employees of Bharat Bank. Com. Parvana himself argued the case on behalf of the victimised employees. The Bank’s side was represented by the eminent lawyer Setalvad. The Tribunal awarded reinstatement of all the 35 employees but the Bank went on appeal to Supreme Court and obtained a stay. But in the final hearing, the Supreme Court confirmed the reinstatement of these employees including Com. Parvana. But that was not the end of the tribulations. The Bharat Bank decided to purchase the Punjab National Bank but cunningly dissolved the Bharat Bank rendering the 1,300 employees jobless. It was March 1951. Com. Parvana had organised a Union in Punjab National Bank with the help of Com. P. L. Syal (later Vice President of AIBEA). The Punjab National Bank Union went on strike against the Bharat Bank’s decision to throw out its employees. Punjab National Bank Management dismissed 159 of its employees for this. The issue was referred to a Tribunal which ordered absorption of all the Bharat Bank employees in Punjab National Bank. But the Management went on appeal to the Supreme Court. After 12 years of legal battle, in 1963 the employees won the reinstatement of all the employees including Com. Parvana. By then, Com. Parvana had immersed in the movement so much that he decided not to accept the reinstatement and continued to work for the Trade Union whole-time. This was the ripening of Com. Parvana into a Leader of unparalleled dimensions. Com. Parvana had become the centre of activities of the Bank employees’ movement in and around Delhi and was responsible in forming Trade Unions in different Banks during the 1950s. In 1951, he was elected as Vice-President of AIBEA and in 1954 as Assistant Secretary. In 1962, he was elected as Secretary of AIBEA which position he held till he died in 1975. Com. Parvana was always known for his hard work. The more the AIBEA movement grew, the harder and longer he worked. Whether it was the fight before the Sastri and Desai Tribunals in 1950s and 60s, whether it was the fight to achieve Bipartite Settlement in 1965-66 or the sustained struggle for nationalisation of the Banks from 1960, Com. Parvana was straining every nerve to gear up the rank and file to back up the organisation’s demands for their eventual accomplishment. This ever continuous and tremendous strain had a disastrous effect on his health and he suffered from heart attack in 1966. But much against the advice of the doctors, he freed himself from the hospital and resumed work in AIBEA Office. The hectic activities during the First Bipartite struggle and negotiations further affected his health. But he refused to take rest. He suffered a second attack in 1970. After a slight recovery, he plunged into his routine work again. He got a third attack in 1973. Doctors told him that his health had deteriorated and advised him to be very careful. But with some little improvement in his health, he was back to his normal work and frequent tours and meetings. His health had become so bad, that he could not climb the staircase of his house. So he shifted to the house of Com. Prabhat Kar who took care of him as his younger brother. Com. Parvana was managing to live with heavy doses of tablets daily. But this was not to be a permanent solution. On 13th April,1975, he took seriously ill and was admitted into a hospital. Despite best medical attention by eminent doctors, the precious life of this hero could not be prolonged any further. At about 10-45 a.m. on 18th April, 1975, Com. Parvana passed away. Volumes can be written about Com. Parvana about his sterling qualities of leadership, about, his outstanding contribution to our movement at every point of time and about the multi-dimensional activities of this gentle colossus. In short, he personified AIBEA. There cannot be a better acknowledgement of his services than through the following words of Com. Prabhat Kar, the father of our movement who wrote in his General Secretary’s report in the Amritsar Conference of AIBEA : “ I am placing this report in a Conference where Com. Parvana is not present. For me, this situation is almost unbelievable. Days in and days out, throughout all these years he was a comrade who helped me in discharging my responsibilities. He was the life and soul of the AIBEA centre. His dedication to the cause and thoroughness of minutest details are unparalleled. In every dimension of work of AIBEA, he was indispensable. In movement, in agitation, in campaign, in negotiations, in settling differences and solving problems his unique contribution was visible. As an agitator, organiser, as a leader conversant with every sphere of Trade Union movement, his imprint was distinct. He was a comrade with clarity, with vision and a comrade who never knew tiredness. It is almost impossible to think of Central Office of AIBEA minus Com. Parvana. His amiable disposition brought everybody near him and he became the closest friend, philosopher and guide of each and every bank employee. He was a man of the masses. He was a man of the Trade Union movement. He was a leader of the working class. He was a comrade who cannot be replaced. The movement is indebted to him which cannot be repaid. I only wish to put on record our great gratitude for his able, mature advice, dedicated service and unparalleled comradeship manifested all the years he lived.” This was our great Com. Parvana LET US REMEMBER HIM

AIBEA suffered a massive blow when on the 2nd of May 2003 the General Secretary of AIBEA Com. Tarakeswar Chakraborti passed away in Kolkata Airport while returning from Mumbai after some organisational work. Words are insufficient to measure the extent of loss that has been caused by his death. After the demise of Com. Parvana and Com. Prabhat Kar, Com. Tarakeswar Chakraborti took over the reigns of the organisation and came to symbolise the hopes and aspirations of the multitudes of bank employees under the glorious banner of AIBEA. In the last more than two decades he had taken the organisation to great heights in tune with the traditions of AIBEA. His death is an irreparable loss, the void of which can never be filled-up. Tarakda, Tarak, Dada – as he was affectionately and intimately known to his colleagues and comrades strode the banking trade union scenario like a gentle colossus and became a legend in his own life time. Com. Tarakeswar Chakraborti was born on 2nd June, 1926 to Shri Sashikanta Chakraborti and Smt. Hiranmoyee Devi at Lakshmipur, a small town in District Noakhali, which is now in Bangladesh.  He had his early education in his village and after Matriculation came to Kolkata for higher education. He passed B.A. in 1945 with high distinction from Ashutosh College. It was at this time of his life in college that he had initiation in social work as Secretary of Students’ Relief Society. During the period of the infamous Bengal Famine, he worked amongst the various ranks of the poor people, which gave him a proper outlook on life. Because of the extreme pecuniary exigencies, he was taking private tuitions even as a student to help his parents. Because of the financial limitations of his parents, he discontinued his MA Degree Course and joined Central Bank of India on 1st January 1946. Some months after, AIBEA was born and then in July 1946, when Central Bank of India Employees’ Association was formed in Kolkata, he became a member of the union. In January 1947, he became the Assistant Secretary of Central Bank Employees’ Association, West Bengal and thus started his journey in the trade union movement. He had dedicated his entire life to the cause of bank employees’ movement. In 1956, he became the Central Committee Member of AIBEA, its Assistant Secretary in 1960, its Secretary in 1976 and was elected as General Secretary of AIBEA in 1980 at the Allahabad Conference. Since then he had been steering the AIBEA under his matchless leadership. He was also the main architect of the Central Bank employees’ movement. He was the founder Treasurer of All India Central Bank Employees’ Federation in 1956. From 1957 to 1993, he was its General Secretary when in 1993 he opted to become its President, which post he held till his death. He had built up a very strong joint trade union movement of employees and officers in Central Bank. Till his death, he was also the President of both the Employees’ and Officers’ Unions in West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand. Similarly, he was closely associated with the Bengal Provincial Bank Employees’ Association and held various positions in the same. He was also associated with trade unions in various banks. He was also equally acquainted with the general trade union movement in our country and abroad. He had traveled to many parts of the world and participated in various international conferences. He was actively associated with the Trade Union International (Public and Allied Employees) and was its Vice President. He was also the President of the Bank Branch of the TUI. He was an ardent communist and was a member of the National Council of the Communist Party of India. He was associated with various Tribunals and Settlements in the banking industry right from Sastry Tribunal in 1951 and had been a signatory to all the Industry-level Bipartite Settlements since 1966. After the death of Com. Prabhat Kar, he successfully steered the 5th, 6th and 7th Bipartite Settlements. Com. Tarakda will be particularly ever remembered for his achieving the Pension Settlement in 1993 against heavy odds. While he was closely associated with the AIBEA‘s campaign and struggle for Bank Nationalisation in 1969, he played a very sterling role in fighting against attempts at bank privatisation. Bank employees will ever remember his pioneering initiatives in building a tough resistance against the Government’s ill-advised moves to privatise the Banks. His bold initiative in publishing the List of Bank Loan Defaulters was reflective of his patriotic commitments to the cause of national development and the role of banks therein. Realising the changing needs for broader unity and strong united actions to protect and preserve the gains of the movement, Com. Tarakda played a stellar role in building up the United Forum of Bank Unions – the umbrella platform which today represents 100% of the employees and officers in the Banking industry. His spirit of understanding and accommodation in propelling a united movement has been acclaimed by everyone. Similarly, he also realised that women employees have to be organised, activated and integrated in the organisational activities and took a lot of initiatives. If today, women employees are getting represented to some extent in the organisation at various levels including in the Central Committee and Office Bearers team of AIBEA, it is in no less measure due to the persistent efforts of Tarakda. In the fast changing scenario of increasing hostile attacks on the trade unions, their rights, the jobs and job security of the employees, Tarakda laboured hard to bringin necessary changes in the orientation of our movement from mere fighting foreconomic demands to shifting the priorities to fighting fundamental attacks. His slogans of “DEFEAT DENATIONALISATION – DEFEAT DE-UNIONISATION” exemplify his vision and far-sightedness. Tiredness was unknown in his dictionary and he traveled extensively and undertook intensive tour to inspire the masses of the employees in our struggles. His powerful oration and speeches impacted and influenced the minds of the employees to fight under the banner of trade union. His elephantine memory about dates and events and people was amazing and a wonder to everyone. He was an able organiser, effective agitator and skillful negotiator. He was a voracious reader. He was a strict disciplinarian but at the same time he always strived for practical solutions to the various problems that arose in the organisation. He was tough with the managements but never failed to appreciate their viewpoints. Notwithstanding the fact that he suffered a heart attack in 1987 and underwent a bypass surgery in 1989, despite Doctor’s advice to restrict his activities, he continued his unrelenting mission with total dedication to the cause he cherished. Those who moved with him knew of his intellectual capacity, amazing brilliance and the wonderful softness of the heart. He became the leader of leaders and yet he was a man of the masses. In his 55 years of continuous trade union activity, he had become a titan and a colossus. But his death has created a void, which cannot be filled up. The death of this illustrious leader is a grievous blow and a great loss to our movement. His life-longcrusading fight was an inspiration to the entire middle-class trade union movement in general and bank employees’ movement in particular. Remembering Tarakda for his lifelong contribution and mission will give us the courage, confidence and hope for the furtherance of the cause for which he stood for and to dedicate ourselves to work for the same. Tarakda was perhaps one of the last links between the fast fading generation of bank employees who had founded and built up this mighty AIBEA and the present generation of employees. To all of us, like our illustrious leaders Com. Prabhat Kar & Com. H.L. Parvana, Com. Tarakda will ever inspire us in our continuing fight. Leaders like Com. Tarakda live beyond the grave and to them, death signifies nothing more than mere consigning their mortal remains to nature. But they live for ever because they stood for a cause and gave their life for the same. The real homage that we shall pay to Tarakda would be to take a pledge that we shall work to fulfill his unfinished tasks and dreams. The task is stupendous because we have lost our leader. Let’s close our ranks, work cohesively and unitedly and move forward. Let us give a befitting account of ourselves in taking forward our beloved AIBEA whose baton Tarakda was carrying all these years. To think of AIBEA without Tarakda is very difficult because he came to symbolize the hopes and aspirations of the entire bank employees’ movement and was the spirit and total driving force behind all our endeavours. The task before all AIBEA men and women is to re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals of AIBEA and to keep the flag of AIBEA fluttering ever high in the sky. Tarakda gave his life to building a strong AIBEA and the same commitment from all of us will be the proper tribute and homage to this great leader. Tarakda lives on and lives on for ever because he lives in the hearts of millions of bank employees. TARAKDA AMAR RAHE

Short sketch about Com K K Mundul: Kalyan Kumar Mundul, was born on 15 February 1915 in a small town known by the name of Phuljhari, in what was then East Bengal of India, now Bangladesh. Com. Mundul schooled at St. Xavier’s School in Calcutta from where he passed the University Cambridge School Certificate examination, and went on to study in the same college. But Com Mundul was always caught up in sports and other extra-curricular activities and so did not concentrate or excel in studies. He was the college swimming champion. A paralytic stroke during his college days left one side of his facial muscles affected impairing his natural smile, (He was only able to smile with a lift of one side of his face) yet it was such a graceful smile that his admirers and followers used to yearn for. He initially took a job with J. Walter Thomson, an advertising agency now known as Hindustan Thomson. He moved up in the industry quickly and left home town for Bombay, to join Lintas, an in-house ad agency of Lever Bros. He worked there as Assistant to Accounts Executive from 1.9.1942 till 31.5.1947 on a handsome salary of Rs 378 per month in those days. Since the British management was unhappy with his keen interest in the Independence struggles, he resigned from the job. After resigning from his executive position, he joined the Congress Socialist Party and thereon dedicated his life to working for the upliftment of Indians. He was appointed General Manager, Azad Publishers, on 19.10.1947, without any salary, and began editing their writings, perhaps due to his proficiency in English. His intense involvement won favour with the Socialist Party, and he was asked to contest the Bombay Municipal Elections in Feb 1952, as their candidate from Byculla (W), Ward No.20. In the Election he was supported by M/s Ashoka Mehta, M.Harris, Adam Anil, Naruddin Ansari, and many other freedom fighters, as well as Shri. Kharat, President, Bombay Branch of Scheduled Caste Federation. However, he lost the elections. But he evinced keen interest in advising and counseling workers. He thus entered the arena of Trade Unions. As a representative of the Socialist Party he visited China in the 50’s, to witness the progress of the workers movement. On his return he expressed himself freely and wrote forthright articles about China. Later he joined the undivided Communist Party of India(CPI). In his role as an active Trade Unionist, he was associated with several Trade Unions. To list a few, he was the General Secretary of All India Brooke Bond Employees Federation, (while Com. C. l. Dudhia of INTUC was his President), he was also associated with Hindustan Brown Boveri Union, and many pharmaceutical unions . As an active Trade Unionist, he eventually came to the AIBEA movement and he played an important role in developing Unions in various Banks. Many Foreign Bank Unions were founded by him. He was the President and founder of the Union in British Bank of Middle East (now extinct) and began a movement for improving the working conditions of the substaff in this Bank. He coined a slogan ‘ sipahi ko chhatri do’, a demand for umbrellas to protect the substaff working outdoors in the sun and rain of Mumbai; he was the President and a founder member of Standard Chartered Bank Employees Union, Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Employees Union (now HSBC) and several others. He was an Office Bearer in Reserve Bank Workers Union in Mumbai. He used to encourage employees of the then Bank of Maharashtra Ltd and Central Bank of India Ltd to strengthen their Unions, while guiding them and encouraging them in times of adversity. He was also actively associated in the struggles of employees in Canara Bank Employees Union in Mumbai. Especially, when the Joint Secretary of the Union Com A K Nayak was vindictively dismissed by the Bank, Com Mundul gave shelter to him, his wife and newly born son to stay in his house and took care of him. The role and leadership of Com Mundul in building up Syndicate Bank Employees Union was very notable. He fought against the anti-labour attitude of the Syndicate Bank Management, which dismissed 149 Union leaders and activists of Syndicate Bank Employees Union in 1964. As the All India General Secretary from 1952 to 1967, and thereafter as President till his death in 1991, Com. Mundul consolidated and knit the Syndicate Bank employees Union into a strong fighting force with fierce conviction, well equipped to counter the communal and dynastic aspirations of the Syndicate Bank Management. He was also connected with Corporation Bank Employees Union and was its All India President for 32 long years from 1956 to 1988. By his association with the various Unions in different Banks, he became a part of bank employees movement and played an important role in the formation of Bombay Bank Employees Federation ( which later has become MSBEF). He was the President of MSBEF and later its Vice President for a pretty long time. He was elected as Office Bearer of AIBEA in its 8th Conference held in Kolkata in 1956 and continued as Office Bearer for the next 33 years till 1989. He was part of the negotiating team of AIBEA in four Bipartite negotiations, from 1966 onwards. In those early periods, the Syndicate Bank Employees Union was paying Com. K.K. Mundul a salary of Rs. 25/- because he had no income of his own. But when 149 comrades were dismissed by the management in 1965, he declined to draw the salary. Later during the Silver Jubilee year of the Union, in 1977, he was given a donation of Rs. 25,000/-. On the spot, he re-donated this amount to the union with a request that it may be invested and income arising out this may be used for helping towards medical assistance for full time employees of the union. Similarly, in those early periods when Com. K. K. Mundul was struggling for his existence without any remuneration, Maharashtra State Bank Employees’ Federation used to pay him a monthly honorarium of Rs. 300/-. After a few years, the twin sons of Com. Mundul secured jobs. Thereafter, Com. Mundul wrote to the Federation that since his sons were employed, it would not be proper for him to draw honorarium any longer. However, he requested that the amount be sent to the Communist Party so that some struggling party worker will be benefited. Mundulda was a towering personality in our AIBEA movement and was one of the stalwarts of our organisation. Those who had moved with him could see his undiminishing, irreconcilable anger against exploitation of workers by employers and managements and his boundless commitment and concern for the cause of workers and bank employees. Mundulda died on 6 January 1991 at the age of 76. His entire life was a saga of struggles, sacrifices, courage, conviction and exemplary determination to fight against exploitation. His luminous and illustrious life will continue to inspire all us. Mundulda Amar Rahe

Com.D.P. Chadha was born on 01.09.1928. A graduate in economics, in 1945, he joined the Punjab National Bank Ltd. as a Clerk at Bombay. Thereafter, he joined the Bharat Bank Ltd. at Delhi and was transferred to Lahore in 1946. He rejoined the Punjab National Bank during April, 1948. He was one of the participants in the great historic strike for 49 days launched under the leadership of Com. H.L. Parvana in 1951. Along with around 150 comrades, he was also dismissed and after 9 years of suffering, he rejoined duty in 1959 when the Supreme Court reinstated 138 dismissed employees. He was instrumental in organizing the employees in the Punjab National Bank at Bombay. In 1948 itself he became a Joint Secretary of the Union and also for the Bombay Bank Employees’ Federation. In 1960, he became a Joint Secretary for Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation. In the same year, he became Asst. Secretary for the All India Punjab National Bank Employees Federation. From 1975 onwards, he had become the General Secretary of this Federation. In 1962, he was elected as the President of the Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation and continued as such till his death. At the Pune Conference of AIBEA in 1968, he became the President. He continued as such till 1980 when during the Allahabad Conference, he was elected as Secretary of AIBEA. Again in 1985 at the 20th Conference, he was elected as President of AIBEA. He continued in this position until his unfortunate demise on 23rd September 1996. Under his leadership, the All India Punjab National Bank Employees Federation launched many struggles and strike actions and secured a number of benefits for the employees. At the AIBEA level, he always has been one of the main negotiators for Bipartite Settlements with the bankers. He has also been associated with trade unions in the Insurance Sector. Government Sector and other areas in Bombay where he used to be a frequent speaker. On behalf of AIBEA, he has also appeared before various committees and commissions and had attended many seminars. In 1972, he has attended the Trade Union International Conference at Moscow as a member of the delegation from AIBEA. In 1993, he had participated in the Conference of WFTU as a delegate. A powerful orator, Com. Chadha for over 40 years had led our movement with dedication, commitment and devotion. He passed on 23.09.1996 at Chennai after a second bypass surgery. Com. D.P. CHADHA AMAR RAHE

Com. N. Sampath passed away suddenly on 20th November morning of 2014, in Chennai. He was quite normal and after taking his dinner as usual he went to bed on 19th night. He suffered from a silent but severe myocardial infraction and passed away while he was asleep in the early hours on 20th. He was aged 89. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, sons- in-law and grandchildren. Born on 26-3-1926 in a very orthodox middle class family, Com. Sampath had his school education in Ramakrishna Mission High School in T. Nagar and later completed his B.A. from Loyola College, Chennai. In his younger days, Com. Sampath was a cricket player and in fact he played for his school team for which Mr. N Vaghul ( who later became the Chairman of Bank of India and IBA) was the Captain. Com. Sampath joined Bank of India in Chennai in 1946, the year in which AIBEA was founded. Though he had taken the job for his livelihood and to make a career, the pathetic working conditions of the bank employees in those days agitated his young mind and it took no time for him to realise that trade union is the only way to ameliorate their conditions. Soon he was in the company of few daring youngsters who decided that a trade union should be formed. Thus he was associated with the formation of the union in Bank of India in Chen- nai in 1951 and was one of its founder leaders along with leaders like Com. D. Natarajan. He continued as the leader of this Union for 63 long continuous years and at the time of his death, he was the Hon. President of this Union. In Bank of India, he also took initiative in the formation of all India Federation of Bank of India Staff Unions along with other senior leaders like Com Sushil Ghosh, Com K J Joseph, Com. N.S Purao, etc. and was its leading figure for many years. He rose to the position of President of the Federation. He was also the Workman Director in Bank of India from 1979 till 1986 when he retired from the Bank. Com. Sampath also started to feel that it is difficult to fight unless we have unions in all the Banks. Hence he was involved in the task of forming Unions in other Banks and bringing all bank unions in Tamilnadu under a common umbrella under the banner of AIBEA and was thus part of the formation and foundation of TNBEF (known as Madras Provincial Bank Employees Union in those days) in June 1953. Very soon he became the accredited leader of the Federation and from 1958 onwards he was being continuously elected as the General Secretary of TNBEF in all the Conferences. In those days, TNBEF was a star-studded organisation with galaxy of senior leaders as Office Bearers. Along with Com C.S. Subramaniam of Canara Bank Employees Union, Com. M S Dawood, Com R Parthasarathy, Com. V K Krishnamurthi, Com. Rm Vellayan, Com. U P Shet and many such senior leaders, he built up TNBEF as a very strong, militant, vibrant and disciplined battalion under the banner of AIBEA. He traversed beyond the Bankwise unions and built up strong unions in various Districts and towns in the State of Tamilnadu. Today, we have an effective network of units in all the Districts and Towns due to which all the programmes of the organisation are successfully undertaken. If there was any let up in the activities of any District, he would personally go to such centres and re-activate the comrades. He always took special care to nurture and nourish small and weak units so that members of these unions are protected from any possible attack from the management. He was himself the President of unions in Oriental Bank of Commerce, New Bank of India, State Bank of Indore, etc. In a pioneering endeavour, keeping the future needs of the organisation in mind, from 1985 itself he started inducting young cadres in the leadership of the Federation. That is how comrades like C H Venkatachalam and Kamaluddin Surany were elected as Offcie Bearers and later many young comrades like E Arunachalam, R Vijayakumar, V Raghuraman, K Vijayan, Michealraj Joseph, Deviprasad, L R Gopalakrishnan, etc. were brought to the leadership team. In 1994, he voluntarily opted to become the President to enable younger leadership to emerge and again in 2010 he chose to become the Chairman of TNBEF. Today, one can understand and applaud the far-sightedness and vision of Com Sampath in taking these initiatives. He did not confine himself to organising the commercial bank employees. His eyes were also set on the Co-op. Bank employees who were in those days virtually treated as slaves and did not enjoy any trade union rights. He ordained Com. C S Subramaniam to look after the Co-op. banks and by their devoted attention, today, we have very strong trade unions in the Co-op. Banks in Tamilnadu. He was the President of Tamilnadu Co-op. Bank Employees Association from inception and led their struggles from the front. Because of his sustained and personal attention, TNBCEA has developed into a strong organisation due to which we have the pride of having the headquarters of All India Co-op. Bank Employees Federation in Chennai with Com. P Balakrishnan as its General Secretary since inception. Similarly Com. Sampath also realised long ago that given the increasing number of women employees in the Banks, our Unions must create adequate space for them to work in the unions and they must get some platform to discuss their problems. Thus he was a forerunner in giving importance to the women employees in the organisation and organised and set up a Women’s Wing under TNBEF even before a formal decision was taken at AIBEA level in this regard. In the same way, when he observed that of late many of our units were handicapped for want of adequate knowledge on legal-oriented problems, looking to the need to guide our units with proper advisory, he had set up an exclusive Legal Wing under TNBEF drawing experts like Com V S Ekambaram, Com V S Balasubramaniam, Com. Michealraj Joseph and such other comrades and ensured that our unions do not suffer on account of insufficient knowledge to deal with legal issues. In the earlier days, in Chennai city, banking operations were confined mainly in the George Town area and most of the bank branches were located in that area and mobilising employees for programmes was easier. But with advent of nationalisation and branch expansion, bank branches were getting opened in many parts of the city and employees were working in different parts of the city. During the struggle for 3rd BPS in 1978-79, he understood that mobilising all these employees in one place for rallies, demonstrations, etc. would be difficult and hence he took the initiative to set up Madras City Implementation Committee. Through this Committee, he devised programmes in various parts of the city and ensured that employees participate in the struggle programmes in large number with greater convenience. In another commendable initiative, even as long back as 1977, looking to the burgeoning young employees in the banks and the need to bring them at the altar of mainstream trade union, he launched Parvana Youth League under TNBEF with a view to draw young cadres and this proved very useful in spotting active cadres for the unions in various Banks. Being a sports-loving person himself, he always organised sports activities on various occasions like Silver jubilee, Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee, etc. but his main intentions were to draw as many sections of members close to the union as was possible. He also encouraged the formation of a Music Choir for TNEBF to utilise the musical talents of the members. In a novel idea, with a view to help the women employees working in the various Banks, he started a Creche under the banner of TNEBF to take care of the children of the women employees and this was very popular step and received wide appreciation. Com. Sampath was also very particular about sharing of knowledge and information to units and cadres. He launched the TNBEF’s monthly Bulletin “TNBEF HERALAD” and was its editor since the last three decades. He personally wrote the editorial every month and ensured the magazine is published without any interruption. Having regard to the need for communications in the local language, he started the monthly Tamil Bulletin “Seidhi Malai” for the benefit of our units. With his vast and authentic knowledge on the service conditions of bank employees and the provisions of various Settlements, he authored “Journey So far”, the Book that contains all the updated details of the Awards and Settlements right from the beginning and in every union office we can find that the book is being used as a Ready Reckoner. This Book has been very popular amongst the Bank managements also as a one-stop reference book. The popularity and usefulness of the Book can be gauged from the fact that it has seen 8 Editions so far. He also authored a Booklet called “Triumphant March” detailing the datewise struggles and important events from the year 1946 for the benefit of our leaders and units. Under his guidance and initiatives, TNBEF brought out very important publications like ‘Legal Guide to Defence’, ‘A Peep into Labour Laws’ and ‘A Hand book on Defence’ for the benefit of the units and those office bearers who are dealing with defence of employees in disciplinary action cases. To perpetuate the memory of his Comrade-in-arm Com. C.S. Subramaniam, the dashing leader of the bank employees in Tamilnadu, he took initiative to create an Memorial Endowment in association with D.G. Vaishnava College in Chennai. Such was his affection and intimacy with Com. C.S. Com Sampath was not only well-known within the compound of our organisation. With a view to recognise the decades of yeomen services rendered by Com. Sampath to the bank employees as its leader, the Department of Commerce of the Loyola College, Chennai has instituted a Rolling Trophy in the name of Com. Sampath so as to remember and perpetuate his memory as an old student of the College. As the organisation expanded and membership swelled post-nationalisation, he realised that our unions would require more and more cadres to run the unions and hence the unions have to be equipped with knowledge-based cadres. By way of perpetuating the memory of Com. C S Subramaniam after his death, in 1983 he launched the CS Memorial Foundation under which periodical trade union classes were conducted and it goes to the credit of Com Sampath that hundreds of young comrades were graduated with trade union knowledge in these programmes. Many of such trainees are today leading our unions in different Banks. Because of this, when AIBEA decided to launch Prabhat Parvana Trade Union Training Institute, he became the obvious choice to be the Course Director of the Institute and its functioning at Chennai. He used to personally take classes on bank employees movement, banking industry, wages and service conditions, impact of technology, etc. At the national level also, Com Sampath was very active in AIBEA movement from the very beginning. When the 6th Conference of AIBEA was held in Chennai in 1954, he played an active role in hosting the same. In the 8th Conference of AIBEA held in Kolkata in 1956, he was elected to the Central Committee. In the historic Trivandrum Conference of AIBEA held in 1964, he was elected as Asst. Secretary. In 1985 in our Bangalore Conference, he was elected as Secretary. The Conferences of AIBEA hosted by TNBEF in Chennai in 1973 and in 1989 are even today unforgettable for all the participants and are testimony to the meticulous organising skills of Com. Sampath. In the Golden Jubilee Conference in 1996 in Kolkata, he became the President of AIBEA. He could have continued as long as he wanted as he was a popular and accepted leader of our movement. But In 2001 Mumbai Conference he insisted and volunteered to step down to promote younger leaders to come up to positions of responsibility in the organisation. But he remained in the Central Committee of AIBEA since then and till his end. His contributions to AIBEA were immeasurable and invaluable. His role in the bipartite wage negotiations was unique and outstanding as he was the backbone of all the calculations in Bipartite Settlements upto 7th BPS. In all struggles, campaigns, organisational matters, and in every aspect of AIBEA, his contribution in decision-making was commendable. In dealing with organisational issues, he was very dispassionate and went into the roots of the problems while suggesting solutions. He practiced utmost discipline in the organisation and insisted everyone to be disciplined as he strongly believed that indiscipline in the organisation would weaken the union. He was also insistent on conforming to democratic norms within the organisation and never took any decision unilaterally. He had the remarkable quality of taking notes during any and every meeting. In meetings and conferences, he would not only take notes of the views of the comrades but would reply and clarify to each and every issue raised. In dealing with the finances of the Union, he was extremely calculative to ensure that not a single rupee of the organisation was wasted. Similarly, he was also very punctual and meticulous while claiming the bills and submitting all the details of the expenses incurred by him. Another mentionable quality in him was his sense of punctuality in attending meetings. Never in any meeting could we find him coming late. Com. Sampath never restricted himself to the precincts of bank employees movement. He was also keenly interested in the struggles and problems of the general working class and trade union movement. He was associated with AITUC activities in Tamilnadu for nearly six decades and was the member of its State Council and Working Committee. Due to his deep convictions against exploitation and commitment to struggle thereagainst, he was wedded to leftist ideology and was a member of the Communist Party of India for more than six decades till his death. Com. Sampath had the privilege of close association and guidance from eminent leaders of those days like Com. Mohan Kumaramangalam, V.G. Row, ASK Iyengar, KTK Thangamani, N.K Krishnan, Parvathi Krishnan, M Kalyanasundaram, P Manickam, etc. He was also associated with leaders like Com. Indrajit Gupta, Homi Daji, K L Mahendra, MS Krishnan, Dr. Raj Bahadur Gaur, S.S Thiagarajan, A.M Gopu, TRS Mani, K.M Sundaram and others. Even today, leaders like Com A B Bardhan, Sudhakar Reddy, Gurudas Dasgupta, D Raja, R Nallakannu, Tha Pandian and others hold him in high esteem due to his lifelong contributions to our movement and for his steadfast principles and commitment to the cause of workers. In AIBEA, he was very closely associated with top leaders of AIBEA like Com Prabhat Kar, Com Parvana, Com K.K Mundul, Com. N.S Purao, Tarakeswar Chakraborti, D.P. Chadha, TKV Nair, AVG Nair, P.S Sundaresan, P.K Menon and many others. After the death of Com. Prabhat Kar, Com. Tarakeswar heavily relied on the views and suggestions of Com. Sampath in taking various organisational decisions. He was always concerned that AIBOA should develop into a stronger organisation and frequently he used to discuss with Com R J Sridharan on how to work together with co-ordination. Com Sampath was a tireless trade union leader who believed in meticulous planning and team-building. One of his unique qualities was his ability to transcend the age barrier and to mingle with younger generation leaders and members with ease. Even at the very old age, he tried to learn the use of computer and was updating himself constantly on use of technology in trade union activities. Due to his impeccable uprightness and steadfastness to principles of AIBEA, he was highly respected by all and various other unions also held him in high esteem. In the negotiations with IBA, Com Sampath commanded a special respect from IBA due to his thoroughness of the service conditions and genuineness of his arguments. Despite his old age, Com Sampath kept himself active in the organisation and did justice to the positions he held. In fact, a few days ago, on the 14th and 15th of this month, he participated in the entire proceedings of the CC meeting of All India Co-op. Bank Employees Federation and guided their deliberations. That came to be his last participation in a trade union programme. It is very rare to see a leader like Com Sampath being so meticulous in every work of the trade union. His simplicity and humbleness was always adored by everyone in our movement. For more than six decades, he was dedicated to the cause of bank employees and AIBEA, and in his death, we have lost a veteran leader who belonged to the generation that built up AIBEA since inception. The entire life of Com Sampath was a saga of sacrifices and struggles for the cause of bank employees in particular and working class in general. By his outstanding contributions to our Federation, he became the doyen of TNBEF all through. Com Sampath is no more with us today. It is hard to digest that he is no more. The void is also impossible to be filled up. But he has left a rich legacy behind him. He has bequeathed a vibrant organisation to all of us. Let us try to emulate him to take the organisation forward. Death, be not proud that you have snatched away the leader from us. He will live in our hearts forever. We dip our banner in respectful