Nearly 50 years after his death, the first President Rajendra Prasad’s savings account is being kept alive by a public sector bank here in a unique remembrance.
An amount of Rs. 1,813 has been lying unclaimed in his account with the Punjab National Bank’s Exhibition Road branch, its manager S.L. Gupta told PTI on Thursday.
The account may have become inoperative in the past 50 years but the bank continues to credit half-yearly interest as usual.
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Dr. Prasad passed away four months after the account was opened on October 24, 1962.
A native of Bihar, Dr. Prasad had opened the account with Rs. 500 and since then the ledger balance has increased to Rs. 1,813.
“We are very proud to operate the savings bank account of as important a dignitary as the first President of India,” Mr. Gupta said.
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The bank has given Dr. Prasad’s savings account prime customer status.
His account number 0380000100030687, his photograph and signature have been displayed prominently on the branch premises.
“A customer with the stature of the first President has certainly helped us add more customers and in turn boost our business in Bihar and the rest of the country,” Mr. Gupta said.
Usually after the death of an account holder, the money in the account is passed on to his/her legal heirs on completion of certain formalities. But no one had so far come to stake claim for the money in Dr. Prasad’s account, the manager said.