Com Tehemasp S. Kelawala was born on 2nd Jan 1933. He joined the bank services as a clerk in cash department in the then Bombay Office on 1st August 1955. The Cash Department was catering services to the entire Bombay (Mumbai) city. The department had control over the cash transactions and clearing activity throughout the city. While working he came in contact with late Com. Awasia and became active in the trade union of Bank of India. During his tenure as a joint secretary of BOISU Mumbai, the Cash Department was the backbone of trade union activities. He was groomed as a leader under the guidance of Com. V.M.Chitnis, Com. Dholakia, Com. J.M. Paranjpe & Com. Dada Purao. After the demise of Com. Dada Purav he was shouldered the responsibility of General Secretary of Bank of India Staff Union Mumbai on 22nd February 1983. He held the position till his retirement from the bank on 31st Jan.1993. Bank of India Staff Union made him Honorary Member of the Union on 29th January 1993

Com. Kelawala held the position of Assistant General Secretary in the Federation of Bank of India Staff unions for several years. In our conference held at Jamshedpur in Dec 1986 he was elected as General Secretary of our Federation. As his family was to settle out of India he tendered his resignation from the post of General Secretary in February 1997. During his tenure as Assistant General Secretary and also as General Secretary he has signed various internal Settlements with Bank Managements on various subjects which include promotions of award staff, special pay posts, duties & allowances, fitment formula etc.

He was also representing Workmen on the Board of Directors of Bank of India from Jan 1992 to Jan 1993. Com. Kelawala was a working committee member of Maharashtra State Bank employees Federation for about 20 years. He held the position of Vice President for about 10 years in MBSEF. He was also a central Committee member of AIBEA for about 20 years. He was also present in the Central Committee meeting of AIBEA held at Cochin which adopted the historic final resolution to sign the pension Settlement in lieu of employees’ contribution to Provident Fund in an atmosphere of confusion created within and outside by rival forces.

Com. Kelwala was a popular personality among union members. He was always pleasing and had a smiling personality. He was a very soft spoken person but very firm with management while dealing on the issues of workmen interest. Com. Kelawala breathed his last in the morning on 8thApril 2023 in the USA.