Creditable legacy

"In 1992, the total business of the Bank (the aggregate of deposits and advances) was a mere Rs 10.47 crore. I am proud to state that as of today the total business of The Zoroastrian Co-operative Bank Limited (ZCBL) is more than Rs 1,000 crore. This will give you an idea of how the Bank has grown,” states retired banker Hoshang Kohina whose banking career has spanned six decades. Kohina was on the board of ZCBL for two decades from 1992 to 2012 and served as its chairman from 2000-2008. On January 19, 2012, he bid farewell to ZCBL due to advanced age. Recognizing the role he had played in the Bank’s progress, ZCBL honored him with a memento, with members commending his manifold achievements.

"He (Kohina) was instrumental in putting his experience to good use at not only the board meetings, but also at the meetings of the various sub committees. Having specialized in the field of credit and audit, his inputs were highly cherished not only by members of the board, but due to his amicable disposition and courteous demeanor, he was highly revered by the executives, staff and even the constituents of the Bank,” states a release from ZCBL.

Hoshang Kohina (center) receiving memento from Hoshang Sinor (right) with Aspi Katgara alongside

"When I joined in 1992, the Bank was functioning as a credit bank and acquired its license as an Urban Co-operative Bank only in 1994. In the year 2003, it acquired a Scheduled Bank status and now it is on the threshold of being a multi-state bank,” Kohina told Parsiana in an e-mail response forwarded through Noshir Paghdiwalla, senior executive, in-charge of Surat operations at ZCBL. The Bank is expanding into the state of Gujarat by acquiring a Surat-based bank with six branches, with an area of operation from Jamnagar to Valsad. "The Bank has continued to be graded under the highest category by the statutory authorities. These are no mean achievements and our community can legitimately be proud of the Bank. On my part, I cherish my tenure as the chairman for eight years,” Kohina declares. Eminent banker Hoshang Sinor took over the reins from Kohina.

The Bank offers almost all the products available elsewhere — Core Banking, NRE (Non-Resident External) deposits, Forex (foreign exchange) facilities, widespread network through agency tie-ups, electronic transfer of funds, ATM (Automated Teller Machine) cards, etc. The Bank has given "timely and need based facilities” not only to the Zoroastrian community but to other communities as well. "Many a budding student has availed of our educational loans, many a family has been adequately and comfortably housed with the financial support provided by the Bank and many a budding entrepreneur has fructified his dreams,” Kohina asserts. Professionally managed, with 12 branches, the Bank has provided employment to many a youngster setting his sights on a career in modern day banking, he believes.

The early part of Kohina’s career was with the Union Bank of India and he rose to the rank of deputy general manager. Thereafter he joined the then Development Co-operative Bank Limited as its general manager. Later he was brought on to the ZCBL board. "Our vision of being a multi-state bank rooted in the values of Zoroastrian tradition and trust today stands realized. Henceforth, I visualize the Bank to be classified amongst the leading banks in the co-operative sector with continuing adherence to our core values,” he states. His own efforts, he acknowledges, were complemented by "the cooperation and support of ZCBL’s enlightened board of directors, the professional approach and acumen of its executives and the dedicated perseverance of its staff, without which the progress of the Bank would not have been possible.”