National

Victor Menezes, Renowned Global Banker of Indian Origin, Dies at 77

Published

2 years ago

February 4, 2025

Victor J Menezes, a pioneering CEO of Indian descent, passed away at the age of 77 in Miami, Florida. Born in Pune, he is remembered by his wife, Tara Anne Fonseca—a former Indian model and Miss Asia-Pacific 1973—as well as his four children. His brother, the late Sir Ivan Menezes, previously held the position of CEO at Diageo.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder and executive chairperson of Biocon Ltd, expressed her condolences on X, honoring Menezes as “a wonderful and wise colleague at MIT Corporation whose intellect will be missed.”

Victor Menezes was an alumnus of both IIT Bombay and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He dedicated 32 years to Citibank, retiring as the Senior Vice Chairman in January 2005. Born on May 19, 1949, to Indian Railway Board Chairman Manuel Menezes and Nina Menezes, he was encouraged by his father to attend IIT Bombay, where he excelled as a speaker and debater, despite not being the top student academically.

After earning a degree in electrical engineering from IIT Bombay in 1970, Victor pursued an MBA in finance and economics from MIT’s Sloan School. He chose this path to seek broader career options, saying, “I wanted to have more options. I did not want to join a technical firm and work there for the rest of my life.”

Menezes joined Citibank as a management associate in Mumbai in 1972, starting with a monthly salary of Rs 2,000. He took his family out for dinner with his first paycheck. Just five years later, he became Citibank’s CEO for India at the young age of 28.

His career took him from India to New York in 1982, and then across Asia, including Hong Kong and China, as he led significant operations for Citibank. He played a crucial role in resolving a $3 billion write-off during the 1987 debt crisis in Latin America. Known as a protégé of former Citigroup Co-chairman John S Reed, he climbed the ranks through various leadership roles, encompassing both European consumer business and corporate banking.

In 1995, he was appointed CFO after a high-profile resignation and contributed to the merger that formed Citigroup. His career saw him tackle complex challenges, such as being co-head of the global investment and corporate bank in 1998. His colleagues described him as hard-working, discreet, and balanced, with a diplomat’s touch that garnered respect without compromising integrity.

While many anticipated that Menezes would ascend to chairman of Citigroup, his retirement in January 2005 surprised many, as he left at the peak of his career. He was profoundly influenced by his father, his wife Tara, and mentor John S Reed.

Tara Anne Fonseca, who stepped back from the public eye after their marriage, provided a stabilizing family life that Victor cherished, as noted by their daughter, Pia. “Despite a high-pressure job, he always knew how to leave work behind and enjoy time with family,” Pia reflected.

Post-retirement, Menezes served on a new Asian advisory board for Citibank, focusing on business expansion in the region. An internal memo praised his significant contributions to Citigroup’s success. Unlike many of his peers, he preferred tennis to golf and enjoyed reading the ‘Wizard Of Id’ comic strip.

After 32 years with Citibank, Menezes took on a role as Senior Advisor at New Silk Route Partners, a private equity firm founded by Rajat Gupta and Parag Saxena, marking the last chapter of his illustrious career.

National

11 Hospitalised After Dead Lizard Found in Birthday Cake

Published

3 days ago

August 16, 2026

Namma Kudla

Maharashtra : Eleven people were hospitalised after eating a birthday cake that allegedly contained a dead lizard in Nalasopara, Maharashtra.

The incident took place during a birthday celebration. The affected group included seven children and four women.

According to reports, they complained of sudden stomach and chest pain shortly after eating the cake.

They were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Doctors said that all 11 patients are in stable condition.

The incident has raised serious concerns about food safety and hygiene standards in bakeries.

The case comes amid growing concerns over food safety in Maharashtra. Earlier, a rat was allegedly seen inside an ice cream freezer at a Blinkit store in Thane’s Godrej Hill area in Kalyan.

In another incident, food safety officials suspended the FSSAI licence of a Blinkit-linked facility in Malad West after finding several violations.

The recent incidents have increased calls for stricter checks on food storage, hygiene and safety standards across the state.

National

Dead Russell’s Viper Found on Vande Bharat Express

Published

3 days ago

August 16, 2026

Namma Kudla

Ernakulam: A dead Russell’s viper was found on a passenger seat inside a Vande Bharat Express in Ernakulam, causing panic among passengers.

The incident took place on Friday, August 14, at around 2.30 pm. The train was scheduled to leave Ernakulam Junction for Bengaluru.

The incident came to light before the train began its journey. Vinu Varghese, who works for an insurance company in Ernakulam, had booked a ticket to travel to Coimbatore with his two-year-old child.

When he returned to his seat after visiting the restroom, he noticed the dead snake lying on the seat. He was shocked and immediately informed the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) and railway staff.

The railway staff quickly responded to the situation. With the help of passengers, they removed the dead snake from the coach.

After the snake was removed, the passengers felt relieved. Vinu Varghese later filed an official complaint through the railway portal.

In his complaint, he questioned the safety and cleanliness standards on the train. He said passengers pay a significant amount for travelling on Vande Bharat trains and expected better safety measures.

Varghese said the railway staff later apologised for the incident.

The incident has also raised questions about how a snake entered the passenger compartment. Vande Bharat trains are air-conditioned and have sealed gangways and automatic doors that open only at designated stations.

The incident has raised concerns about pest control and safety protocols on the train. Railway authorities have ordered a detailed investigation into the matter.

This is not the first reported incident involving a snake on a Vande Bharat train. In December 2025, a passenger was allegedly accused of deliberately placing a snake inside the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express.

National

West Bengal Man Detained in Bengaluru over Alleged Terror Links

Published

4 days ago

August 15, 2026

Namma Kudla

Bengaluru: Bengaluru police have detained a 25-year-old man from West Bengal over his alleged links with a terror group.

The accused has been identified as Asafool Mallik. He is a native of Naopara village in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.

Police detained Mallik in the Jigani area after receiving information about his alleged suspicious online activities.

According to the police, Mallik had allegedly established contact with a person identified as Imran Haider through Facebook. Haider, who is from Afghanistan, is suspected to have links with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Police said Mallik allegedly wanted to travel to Afghanistan and join the group. He also allegedly discussed retaliatory attacks against the Pakistan Army and possible attacks in India.

Mallik had reportedly applied for a visa to travel to Afghanistan. However, he later dropped the plan due to financial difficulties and family responsibilities, police said.

Mallik was living near APC Circle in Jigani. He had been working as a security guard at Tata Advanced Limited in the Jigani Industrial Area since December 2025.

Police said they received information about his activities while conducting patrols in the Bommasandra Industrial Area.

During questioning, Mallik allegedly said he was angry over what he believed were attacks on Muslims in Pakistan. He also reportedly expressed anger over Pakistan’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Police further said Mallik was allegedly being encouraged to retaliate if Muslims faced difficulties in India.

Police later examined Mallik’s mobile phone. They allegedly found chats, voice calls and audio conversations between Mallik and Haider.

The police are now examining the chats, recordings and other material recovered from the phone.

The investigation is underway to determine the extent of Mallik’s alleged links with the terror network.