Every time someone mocks you, takes a jibe, or makes fun of you – a part of me feels hurt. The kind of connection I have with you; most people can’t understand.

It isn’t just a name for me. It is a constant, woven in our everyday lives. Maybe because my father and you share the same birthday. Or maybe because he gave 35 years of his life to you.

As his daughter, I had a front-row seat to all that came with it – the pride, the pressure, the long hours, and the silent sacrifices.

But the real behind-the-scenes, I got to witness when we lived in a house where one of your branches was downstairs.

We would walk past Papa’s cabin every day while coming back from school – and he would have his head down, immersed in files, often surrounded by people. Catching a quick look or smile from him was rare but special.

Audit days meant stress.
Trainings meant joy for us – as upon return, I would get something from Hyderabad, few things I still have.
LFCs would bring huge happiness, as I sat in a plane for the first time courtesy of that.
Pension camps were bittersweet.
I remember people even arriving on charpais, waiting for hours to collect their pensions. When Papa took charge, he organised tents and water so they could wait in the shade. And once they got their pension, the smile would say everything and they’d shower blessings on everyone around.

Most of my childhood was spent in small towns, in Tier 3 or 4 cities where people would come for different work, with different issues. Some couldn’t read, others didn’t know how to fill forms. But they all trusted you, as an institution.

When it was time to chase bigger dreams, I knew I had a safety net – an education loan facility. And I wasn’t alone. Thousands of students across India have built their futures on that same support.

I still remember when an uncle couldn’t take leave due to a staff shortage despite having some skin related allergy. He would just put on an angouchha instead of a shirt and worked through the summers.

Recently, I visited a branch and I saw the same commitment – people working tirelessly, with almost zero breaks (unlike what people write jokes about), despite the systems still being paperwork-heavy.

And I understood – when you cover the length and breadth of India, serving 52 crore people via 22,900 branches, digitization isn’t the answer for everyone. And YONO won’t work for a few 😉

Dear State Bank of India, Happy 70th Birthday (1 July)!
For most, you’re a bank.
But for us, Children of SBI employees, you are a solid part of our story.
May you continue being that quiet strength in millions of lives just like you were in ours.