Kannur: The State Bank of India, Thalassery, completes 140 years of business today and its former and present staff will gather in its historic location to mark the occasion.
Chief manager Rajagopalan P. said the celebrations would continue until July 1, the foundation day of India's largest bank.
“During this period from Monday, the staff will visit places like schools, colleges, clubs and residential areas to create awareness against online frauds in banking transactions,” he said.
On October 4, 1877, the board of directors of the Bank of Madras decided to open a branch here and sent A.C. Cavendish, the inspector, to take immediate steps.
On January 29, 1878, it began its operations in the midst of the historic fort, office of the sub-collector and the English Medium School of the Basel Mission.
It was 20 years before Appu Nedungadi, the author of one of the early Malayalam novels, Kundalatha, started the Nedungadi Bank at Kozhikode.
Initially, its officials were Europeans. The ledgers, papers, iron furniture, and also the steel pens, pencils and ink used then were all imported from London.
The bank had recently opened a heritage museum here showcasing ancient ledgers, old cheques, currency notes and account entries of some of the early businessmen of the region.
P.C.D. Nambiar, who later became the chairman of the SBI and V. S. Natarajan, who retired as its managing director had headed this branch.
