Field Notes From The Mountains: Banking Sherpa Vol. 1 | A Practical Guide to Corporate Banking in India | Credit Appraisal, Risk Analysis, SME Lending & Case Studies | Paperback | By Ashish Agarwal

About the Book

A practitioner’s guide written in the voice of the senior banker I wish I’d had sitting next to me the one who’d lean over during a meeting and whisper, “Look at the creditors, they’re paying too fast. Something’s off.”

The one who’d stop me before quoting a rate and say, “Did you check with treasury first?”
The one who, after my first NPA, would remind me, “It happens to everyone. Here’s what you do next.”

This book is structured around the Trail Pattern, a practical learning framework designed to mirror real-world banking challenges:

• Trailhead — Understand why the topic matters
• The Climb — Core concepts explained through examples, tables, and real experiences
• Sherpa’s Notebook — Personal insights, mistakes, lessons, and warnings from the field
• Case Study — Realistic scenarios where concepts come alive
• Summit View — Clear, actionable takeaways you can apply daily

With additional resources available online—case studies, quizzes, cheat sheets, and tools your learning continues beyond the last page.

The mountain is high. The path is steep.
But you’re not climbing alone anymore.
— The Sherpa

What You’ll Learn :

• Practical credit appraisal and financial analysis
• Understanding borrower behavior and hidden red flags
• Structuring deals and managing client relationships
• Navigating real-world banking decisions under pressure

It bridges the gap between theory and real-world banking, helping readers think like experienced professionals rather than beginners. With practical tools, case studies, and extended learning resources, this book ensures your growth continues well beyond the final chapter.

About the Author

Ashish Agarwal is a seasoned corporate banking practitioner with over fourteen years of experience across leading institutions including ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and YES Bank.

Before entering banking, he began his career as an engineer at Mahindra & Mahindra’s automotive division, where he gained first-hand exposure to car manufacturing operations an experience that later proved invaluable in appraising industrial credit proposals.

He has managed SME and corporate credit portfolios exceeding ₹600 crore, with hands-on experience across the entire lending lifecycle, including business development, credit appraisal, CAM structuring, documentation, disbursement, portfolio monitoring, and resolution. His professional journey spans diverse geographies across India Maharashtra (Pune, Nashik, Mumbai), Tamil Nadu (Chennai), Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot), and Delhi NCR (Delhi, Noida, Meerut, Gurgaon, Faridabad) giving him a ground-level understanding of the country’s varied industrial and business landscapes.

He is the founder of Banking Sherpa (bankingsherpa.co), a platform dedicated to bridging the gap between academic banking education and real-world practice, equipping relationship managers with the practical knowledge needed on the ground.