Tim Grandage went to Kolkata in 1987 as a bank manager. He ended up setting up a charity that changed thousands of lives
By Jonathan Drennan for the Guardian Sport Network
Thirty-three years ago, Tim Grandage arrived in Kolkata to manage the city’s HSBC bank. The Englishman had volunteered for the position, much to the surprise of his human resources manager. Kolkata did not have the best reputation at the time, but Grandage fell in love with the city immediately and was drawn to the warmth and hospitality of its citizens.
“Of course, I knew about poverty in Kolkata, but it was absolutely brilliant to be there,” he says. “It was an absolutely crazy and vibrant city, like nothing I had ever seen before or since. With
India, or certainly Kolkata, you either love it, or you hate it. For me, it was love instantly. The people in the city were delightful. No matter where you were from, they wanted to welcome you to their city. They consistently went out of their way to help you.”