Bengaluru bank lowballs Rs 30 LPA offer to new mother, she rejects it to bag Rs 1.2 crore pa UK job

After having interviewed close to 120 candidates in her previous roles, Komal Khemani said the interaction with the bank's recruiters left her angry and humiliated. 'I was so angry at the HR,' she said. (Image credit: Moneycontrol)

A 35‑year‑old Indian woman has sparked a conversation on workplace bias after recounting how a Bengaluru bank allegedly attempted to lowball her salary at Rs 30 lakh per annum after learning she was a new mother — an offer she rejected before later securing a role in the UK, paying nearly four times, estimated at Rs 1.2 crore per annum.

Komal Khemani, who took a career break during her pregnancy, said the incident occurred in 2018 but remains relevant as women returning to work after motherhood continue to face exploitation in India. She shared her experience in an interview with Moneycontrol and on social media, where it resonated with many working mothers.

‘It wasn’t negotiation, it was pricing vulnerability’

Khemani said she had been in discussions with a Bengaluru-based bank for nearly eight months for a senior role after quitting her previous job in Mumbai to move closer to her husband, who lived in the IT capital. At the time, she was five months pregnant.

“I did not disclose my pregnancy because there is no written rule on when you’re supposed to, and I did not think it necessary to share that information before they made an offer,” she said, adding that by the time discussions concluded, she had been unemployed for 11 months and had been in talks with the bank for eight months.

According to Khemani, the bank initially indicated a compensation of more than Rs 30 lakh per annum. But, just two weeks after she delivered her baby via a C‑section and disclosed that she was a new mother, the tone of the conversation changed.

“They scheduled an interview just 14 days after my C‑section. When I told them I was a new mom, it clearly did not sit right with them,” she said.

Salary cut after motherhood disclosure

Khemani said the bank conducted another round of interviews, during which she was asked why she wanted to return to work so soon after childbirth.

“They liked my profile, but once they knew I was a returning mother, they reduced the initial salary offer and gave me an ultimatum — accept Rs 30 lakh per annum or the offer would be rescinded,” she said.

“That’s when I realised it wasn’t a negotiation. It was pricing vulnerability. They were trying to exploit a returning mother,” Khemani added. “So I walked away. Looking back, it’s probably the best decision of my life.”

After having interviewed close to 120 candidates in her previous roles, Khemani said the interaction with the bank's recruiters left her angry and humiliated. “I was so angry at the HR. They had the audacity to speak to me like that. It made me feel small. This isn’t about one company — it’s about a system many returning mothers face," Khemani told Moneycontrol.

From Bengaluru to London

After rejecting the offer, Khemani later joined another company in Bengaluru, where she worked for nearly four years. She eventually moved to London, where she is now employed in a financial services role that pays around Rs 1.2 crore per annum.

“I have no regrets rejecting that offer,” she said.

It has been close to two years since Khemani has been working in London, and she said she did not face any discrimination there as a new mother.  "Here, nobody at work cares about what's happening in your personal life. The work culture is vividly different from that of India," she said.

Social media reactions highlight systemic issue

After she shared the incident on Instagram, several users — particularly working mothers — said they had faced similar experiences.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Komal Khemani (@shenanigansofafitmom)

“We have included women in the workforce, we also need them to be birth givers, however we have failed to create a system that supports women in returning to work,” one user wrote.

Another pointed out the gendered double standard: “If you were the father instead of the mother, you could have argued that your family responsibilities meant you couldn’t work for a certain salary. It would have been seen as logical.”

A third Instagram user said the issue went beyond motherhood. “This applies to any situation where a company perceives vulnerability — unemployment, layoffs or personal crises. Offers are often lowballed because companies assume desperation. This is corporate exploitation 101.”