Page 133 of One Indian Girl

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Josh gave me a summary of my performance review. My peers had rated me four-and-a-half overall.

‘That’s a good rating,’ Neel said. I wondered what he himself had rated me.

‘Thanks,’ I said.

‘And the bottom line,’ Josh said. ‘Your number, or your bonus for the year, is 350,000 dollars.’

My heart skipped a beat.

‘Wow,’ I blurted out, even though I didn’t intend to react.

Josh smiled.

‘That tells me you are happy. Good.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, still absorbing my gross compensation. My total base salary and bonus came up to half a million dollars.

‘Keep up the good work.’

‘I am humbled,’ I said.

‘You deserve it. Your deals made a lot of money for the group,’ Neel said.

He smiled at me. I kept a straight face.

I came back to my desk. I called my mother. She gasped at the number, especially when I converted it into rupees. My father went into shock.

‘Of course it’s all legal, dad. What are you saying? I promise it’s legal. Goldman Sachs is a reputed firm,’ I said.

‘But three crores a year?’ he said.

‘That’s your little girl,’ I said.

He laughed.

‘You want to move to a new house in Gurgaon? One of those apartments with swimming pools and gyms?’

‘No, beta. We are fine here,’ dad said.

‘If you need anything, just anything, let me know,’ I said.

‘You visit us soon,’ he said.

‘I will,’ I said. ‘Love you.’

Josh finally left Neel’s office at 6, after finishing all bonus announcements.

I knocked at Neel’s door a little later.

‘Hey, come on in,’ he said.

‘Tired?’ I said.

‘Busy day, yes,’ he said.

I sat down in front of him.

‘Happy with your number?’ he said.

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