The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Refugee from Uganda makes it big in UK

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 10, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Refugee from Uganda makes it big in UK

Special Correspondent

Participant in Pravasi Bharatiya Divas recalls his success story

HYDERABAD : When he fled Uganda, thanks to Idi Amin, Vinod B. Tailor had only self-confidence to bank upon. His is surely one of those success stories.

From a class nine dropout when his father and tailor Ghanshyam left the shores of India, off Navsari in Gujarat, to an immigrant whose life was made miserable, and now a vice-president in Citibank, United Kingdom, it reads like one straight from the story books.

Here for the 4th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), Mr. Vinod recalled his beginnings in UK and how he made it big in the banking industry. "We were forced to flee Uganda with thousands of Asian Ugandans headed for UK," he said narrating his CV listing odd jobs here and there, a bank, as a stockbroker, with Tesco Limited, UK and then Citibank.

"We were penniless and went through a nightmare," he recalls. Sheer hard work made him rise up the ladder and he is now a vice-president specialising in NRI business operations at Citibank. "Ours is the only bank to have set up NRI department two decades ago," he said. "PBD is a great opportunity for bankers to network with overseas Indians," he said, pointing out that despite living in other countries Indians still pine for their motherland.

Charity work

Mr. Vinod has not forgotten his past and actively associates himself with charity work. Blessed with four children, he encourages them to know the rich history, culture and religion of India.

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