It is beyond comprehension that Chitra Ramakrishna, was led by a 'Marma' Yogi or mysterious sage, said a former IDBI Bank employee who had worked with her in the mid 1980s.
Ramakrishna was the former Managing Director and CEO of National Stock Exchange (NSE) who is now under the scanner of various investigating agencies for her official commissions and omissions.
According to him, IDBI had the policy of hiring top rankers -- Chartered Accountants/ Management Graduates -- then and Ramakrishna was one of the toppers and was recruited in 1985.
"Even at the stage she showed leadership qualities. She was intelligent, outspoken and also pushy. She was always at the front," her former colleague recalled.
According to that official, Ramakrishna who was then in her early 20s was always career or business focussed and would not talk about anything else.
"She was a lone ranger then. She used to have her lunch alone," the former IDBI employee mused.
Another colleague shares insights
Another former banker told IANS that Ramakrishna was the granddaughter of a school Head Master and daughter of a professional accountant. Her mother hailed from Chennai and after marriage went to Mumbai.
Queried about bachelor bankers going behind the young, intelligent and good looking Ramakrishna, the former banker replied: "It was not so. Perhaps young colleagues were sort of intimidated by her attributes and didn't nurture any romantic ideas."
"She too did not show any such romantic inclinations towards any of the most eligible bachelors in IDBI," the former IDBI official added. But cupid seems to have struck her as she married a visually challenged colleague -- Ramakrishna. However, the two got separated, two former bankers told IANS.
When the late IDBI Chairman S.S. Nadkarni asked for volunteers to set up the NSE, Ramakrishna was one of the persons who came forward to take the challenge.
"As far as I recall, Chitra was not a greedy person. It is still a wonder why she got involved in all the murky happenings at NSE that are coming out in the open. She could have simply said no to the powers that be and quit," her former colleague said.
The former bankers were of the view that she did the bidding of a powerful person on the assurance that nothing would happen to her and if at all anything adverse crops up against her, she would be protected.
"It is beyond our comprehension that Chitra would be led by a mysterious yogi. She was not like that. And who is this 'Marma' Yogi is the major question that needs to be answered," her former colleague said.
