PATNA: Nearly 50 years after his death, the country’s first President Dr Rajendra Prasad's saving account has been kept alive by a public sector bank here in a unique remembrance -- and the balance is Rs.1,813.
The amount of Rs 1,813 is lying unclaimed in the account of Dr Prasad in the Punjab National Bank's Exhibition Road branch, according to a bank official yesterday.
The account may have become inoperative in the past 50 years after the death of Dr Prasad but the bank continues to credit half-yearly interest as usual. Dr Praad passed away four months after the account was opened on October 24, 1962.
Dr Prasad had opened his saving account with an amount of Rs.500 and since then the ledger balance has increased to Rs 1,813 as the bank has routinely credited half-yearly interest even though the account is non-operational, the Bank's Exhibition Road Branch Manager S L Gupta told PTI.
"We are very proud to operate the saving bank account of as important dignitary as the first President of the country," he said.
The bank has given Dr Prasad's savings accounts prime customer status, Gupta said, adding that his account number 0380000100030687, his photograph and signature have been displayed prominently at the branch to woo prospective customers.