Rohit deposits 12% of his income in a bank.

Let the total income for the year 1997 be Rs $x$.

i.e., $12 \%$ of $x=1440$

$\Rightarrow \frac{12}{100} x=1440$

$\Rightarrow x=\frac{144000}{12}$

$\Rightarrow x=12000$

$\therefore$ Rohit's total income was Rs 12,000 .