First salary: Rs 2,000 a month to vice president

We'd asked you, dear readers, to tell us what your first salary was and what it meant to you at the time.
Rediff reader Rupesh Kumar shares his story.

I completed my diploma in electronics engineering from Government Polytechnic Ghaziabad in May 1996.

I was lucky enough to get an interview call before my final exams were over.

The company named Pepteller was into business of STD and PCO monitors, a hot selling product during those days.

After a long question answer session as part of my job interview, I finally got selected as assistant engineer (marketing).

My immediate boss, BS Kater said that for the first three months, I will receive a stipend of Rs 1,500 per month, which will later be revised to Rs 1,600 or Rs 1,800 depending on my merit in field sales.

To my surprise, after 20 days of hard work, I got my confirmation letter, mentioning Rs 2,000 per month as my salary.

I was more than happy, as I was living in a nearby village with my parents. It meant that my first salary of Rs 2,000 could be used for my personal expenses.

It also meant that I could save a lot.

I gave my first salary to my parents and later bought an Odyssey suitcase worth Rs 1,500, which was a big amount those days.

After 23 years, I am working as vice president and sales head at Best Power Equipments P Ltd, Noida, earning much much more than my first salary. But the satisfaction I got while receiving my first salary cannot be explained in words.

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