Hyderabad/Chityal: The banking sector has been shaken yet again. What should have been the beginning of a bright career ended in tragedy when B. Gayatri, a young Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) of the 2019 batch, posted at Canara Bank’s Chityal branch under Hyderabad Circle, died by suicide.
Colleagues and reports suggest that Gayatri was under unbearable work pressure, a silent weight that finally pushed her beyond her breaking point.
Her death is not just a personal tragedy, it is a mirror reflecting the unbearable realities of India’s banking sector, where officers are burdened with unrealistic workloads, inhuman targets, endless compliance tasks, and a lack of support for mental health.
⚖️ A System That Failed Her
In a strongly worded note addressed to the Canara Bank Officers’ Association (CBOA), anguished colleagues expressed their outrage:
“This is not just a personal tragedy, but a collective failure of the system which continues to ignore the mental health, dignity, and well-being of officers.”
The letter demands:
- A transparent inquiry into Gayatri’s death.
- Accountability for those who created such hostile working conditions.
- Immediate measures to reduce work pressure and restore work–life balance.
- Strong support systems, including counseling for officers in distress.
The words are heavy with pain, but they echo the feelings of thousands of bankers across India who silently endure the same crushing weight every day.
🕯️ Not the First, Sadly Not the Last
Just days ago, another tragedy struck the banking world.
In Baramati, Pune, Shivshankar Mitra (52), Chief Manager at Bank of Baroda’s Bhigwan Road branch, also died by suicide. In his note, Mitra spoke of the unbearable pressures he faced.
Two bankers, two lives, two institutions. Yet the cause is chillingly similar—work pressure that destroys mental health, dignity, and hope.
😔 The Silent Cry of Bankers in India
Bank jobs are still considered “secure” by society. Families celebrate when a son or daughter gets placed in a public sector bank. But behind the curtain lies a darker truth:
- Unrealistic targets that keep rising each quarter.
- Fear of humiliation in review meetings.
- Transfers uprooting families and shattering personal lives.
- No work-life balance—late nights, missed family moments, and no time for self.
- Mental health ignored—no proper counseling, no empathy, only numbers.
Every banker knows the feeling of walking into the branch with a smile, while inside, they are drowning.
❓ The Questions We Can’t Ignore
How many more Gayatris will we lose?
How many more Shivshankars must write farewell notes before someone listens?
Will the banking sector continue to celebrate profits while ignoring the people who make it possible?
🚨 A Call for Change
This is not the time for routine condolence notes. This is the time for action:
- Union leaders must rise above statements and demand real reforms.
- Management must see officers as humans, not machines.
- Government and regulators must step in to safeguard the dignity and well-being of bankers.
Because no target, no profit, no audit is worth a human life.
💔 Final Word
Gayatri’s chair at Chityal branch will remain empty. Her family will carry an unhealed wound for life. Her colleagues will remember her not for her career, but for the tragedy that cut it short.
But her death must not become just another statistic in a forgotten report. It should be a turning point for the entire banking sector.
If you are a banker reading this, know this: your life matters more than targets. If you know a banker, call them, check on them, remind them they are not alone.
✨ Let Gayatri’s story be shared, not buried. Maybe her tragedy can save another life.
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