The incredible banker by Ravi Subramanian

"The incredible banker" by Ravi Subramanian. The book is published by Rupa in 2011 and is 308 pages long. This is his 4th book.

Deepak and Karan are two mid level managers in Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2) in Mumbai. Karan has always performed better. When Deepak is moved to head audit and compliance, he takes his revenge by finding inexistent deficiencies in Karan's department with the help of Savitha, a young beautiful widow in Karan's team and other enemies of Karan. Karan quits the bank. Later Deepak become head of credit cards division. He is not able to achieve his monthly targets for two consecutive months and tipped by his new friend, referee, in attempt to meet impossible targets and be always ahead of competition makes a block deal with a company called Symbiotic technologies.

Later Deepak is arrested after referee is killed in a naxalite encounter. Karan who has now joined media makes biggest exposé of the year.

What is the exposé? Is Deepak involved or is he framed? Is this Karan's chance to get even? How do naxalites come into picture? What role does CBI play? Who is the mastermind behind it?

The central theme of the story is cut throat competition in banking industry leading to procedural lapses and frauds with the backdrop of naxalite movement.

The story is a bit slow in first half but picks up speed as it goes. Fictitious GB2 is Ravi's brainchild and appears in his subsequent books. Some of the characters like Karan & Kavya also appear in subsequent books. I could draw parallels between this book and Ravi's  other book 'The Bankster' as far as the revelation of traitor and mastermind is concerned. I think author should have given better explanation about Karan's exit and why his management did not support him.

Ravi is a good story teller. The internal politics and rivalry in the banking industry. Misuse of position and power. Internal working of banking industry. Targets. Cut throat competition. Ravi paints a canvas of all this meticulously. Naxalite movement and how the banking system is milked by terror organizations is shown in great detail.

Ravi is called John Grisham of banking and he deserves it.

A very good book. Recommend reading.

The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian

"The Bankster", by Ravi Subramanian, who is dubbed as John Grisham of banking, by Wall Street Journal. This is his 4th book, although 1st one I read.

Three stories run in parallel. A CIA agent works as arms supplier. A nuclear power plant is built in Kerala and locals oppose it. Three employees of a multinational bank are murdered.

Who has done it? Is it related to money laundering? Is there any connection between 3 stories?
How does it end?

This book has all the ingredients for a thriller. Corporate politics, governance issues, ambitious managers, extra marital affair, use of good looks to further ones clause, NGO's controlled by external powers, nuclear politics, religion, murders and investigative journalists.

Character of Indrani appears to be inspired by Chanda Khochar of ICICI. All characters are sufficiently developed. Inner workings of banking industry is used as background for the story. How bankers run after business, how protocol is overlooked, how rules are bypassed and how things are influenced is shown in detail. I liked the title. By calling it Bankster, author has simultaniously raised curiosity and made it look sinister. Full marks for the title.

Story keeps you interested. Pace is even.You do not get bored. After reading this book, I do not mind reading other 3 books by Ravi.

Although it is not a 'wow' book, it's a good read.