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TV Mohandas Pai criticized an SBI branch manager for not using Kannada.
He argued that businesses should communicate in local languages for respect.
Pai emphasized learning basic Kannada is not too difficult for bank staff.
Former Infosys director TV Mohandas Pai slammed an SBI branch manager in Karnataka for refusing to communicate in Kannada with local customers. Mr Pai called the manager’s behaviour “very, very wrong”, arguing that businesses should serve local customers in a language they understand. He further emphasised that learning basic Kannada phrases is a matter of respect. He further emphasised that the expectation wasn’t for bank staff to become fluent in Kannada, but rather to learn basic phrases to communicate respectfully with local customers.
Mr Pai’s comments sparked a debate online, with some agreeing that service providers should make an effort to communicate in local languages.
“You are very, very wrong. Every business must serve its local customers in a language they understand. This is not the British Raj again. This is a service business. Learning to say 200 words to converse is difficult? Nobody is asking anyone to read and write, but to converse, learn a few words to show respect to your customers. They are customers, not your captives or subjects. Thus arrogance is very,y very wrong, ” Mr Pai wrote on X in response to a user.
See the tweet here:
You are very very wrong. Every business must serve its local customers in a language they understand. This is not the British Raj again. This is a service business. Learning say 200 words to converse is difficult?nobody is asking anyone to read and write but converse, learn a few… https://t.co/ipxKUJKPZD
— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) May 21, 2025
Mr Pai’s strong-worded tweet was in response to X user Tushar Gupa, who defended the manager, stating it’s the “State Bank of India, not the State Bank of Karnataka.” He further wrote, “This business of ‘learn the local language to work in the state’ cannot be allowed. We are Indians first. We’ll always be Indians first. The Constitution has no such condition. Let’s not encourage this madness.”
The Kannada Row
A recent controversy erupted in Karnataka when a State Bank of India (SBI) branch manager in Surya Nagar, Anekal Taluk, was recorded refusing to speak Kannada with a customer, insisting on Hindi instead. The viral video, showing the manager saying, “I will never speak Kannada… This is India,” sparked widespread outrage.
The video drew widespread outrage from Kannada-speaking citizens and pro-Kannada groups, who demanded action against the bank employee. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also condemned the behaviour as “strongly condemnable,” emphasising the need for bank staff to respect local languages. Following the public backlash, the manager issued an on-camera apology. Meanwhile, SBI transferred the manager overnight and issued a statement affirming its zero-tolerance policy toward behaviour affecting customer sentiment.