Category: Leaders

“Omar Al Futtaim has made the Group a trusted name among the reputed global brands, providing them holistic B2C & B2B services in automotive, retail, finance & real estate sectors”

With an estimated net wealth of $4.1 billion, Omar Al Futtaim is successfully leading the Al-Futtaim Group in offering holistic B2C and B2B services and solutions in automotive, retail, finance and real estate sectors, taking it to fresh heights achieving great corporate success and international recognition

winning customers’ trust

Successfully         leading            the       Al-Futtaim Group since his appointment as its Vice Chairman, Omar Al Futtaim has established the group as a trusted name among the reputed global brands from the USA, UK, Japan, Sweden, France, Germany       and      Switzerland                  providing them holistic B2C and B2B services and solutions in automotive, retail, finance and real estate sectors.

Omar Al Futtaim has steered it to extend its footprints in 14 countries, representing 29 brands across the automotive industry, as Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Dodge, Volvo, Jeep and Chrysler are some reputed brand names associated with it, and the Group is today a trusted name in offering consumer financing solutions for various brands.

A versatile leader, under Omar Al Futtaim, the Group has become a leading name in property development and operations within MENA and delivers the best shopping experience on a massive scale across MENA & APAC.

Continuously expanding its business portfolio under the leadership of Omar Al Futtaim, it deals in automotive, electronics, retail, watches, jewellery, travel, construction, engineering, marketing communications, logistics, insurance and real estate, and the Al- Futtaim Group represents many reputed brands across the world that include Panasonic, Toshiba, Sanyo, Aftron, Alcatel, IKEA, Ace, Marks & Spencer, Toys R Us, Seiko, Raymond Weil, Westar, Kolber and Minato Pearls.

With his immensely rich experience, he has made the Group a major force as a reliable trader of financial instruments and solutions it offers to its customers in its pursuit to protect and boost their wealth.

He is further endeavouring to develop an ever-evolving and growing portfolio of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions that include highly rated commercial and consumer financing products to meet the needs and requirements of its customers.

Thus, under his able guidance, in the real estate sector, the Group with its decades long experience and its motive to create superior lifestyle for every member of the community  provides  its customers value-added real estate solutions giving them value for their money; in the retail sector, the Group has an exceptional retail division with exclusive expertise to launch and develop brands of highest operating benchmarks, enjoying simultaneously its tremendous mutually beneficial relationships with its partners.

ingenious & visionary

Omar Al Futtaim is known to employ innovative, advanced business practices and solutions, effortlessly combining those into the Group’s corporate structure and thus offering memorable, value-added experiences to his customers in real estate, automobile, financial and retails sectors. Adopting a customer-centric approach and maintaining great integrity with a collaborative spirit, he has created a one-stop shop providing best transport solutions to motorists, fleet owners and contractors alike.

In the automotive sector, under Omar Al Futtaim’s guidance, the Group offers end-to-end product solutions for commercial vehicles, passenger cars, new and used cars, for sale, leasing and renting, construction equipment and auto logistics.

Always believing in having a big vision and taking small steps to reach there, the Director of V K Modi Group, Mr V K Modi is simply industriousness personified. Consistently working earnestly to achieve his goals has been the ultimate motive of his life BY RICHA SANG

Efficiently donning various roles and responsibilities with élan, Mr Modi is ever ready to share his expertise and experience with the future generations. Believing in the power of education to reform the society and being deeply inclined to the cause of education, he is currently serving as the Chairman of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management, Gwalior and was nominated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, for this esteemed position. He is also the Chairman of Gujarat Guardian Limited and Modi Rubber Limited and the Director of Modi Industries Limited.
Apart from being an erstwhile student and the member Governing Body of The Scindia School, Gwalior, he is also the recipient of Madhav Award from them. In addition, he is actively involved in various CSR activities as the Chairman of GM Modi Charitable Trust. He is leading the industry as the Chairman of M/s Modi Rubber Limited and Director of Modi Industries Ltd. and RB Multanimal & Sons Pvt. Ltd and President of Kirpa Devi Trust Fund Society, Meerut.

STEADY FOUNDATION; GLORIOUS FUTURE

An alumnus of the renowned Scindia School, Gwalior, Mr Modi acquired a Bachelor of Technology Degree from IIT, Kanpur, in the field of Chemical Engineering in 1965. Thereafter, he took the reins of family business and ventured into managing Modi Steels. He was also instrumental in setting up an automotive tyre factory at Modipuram in 1974 in collaboration with Continental AG Germany. Within a short span of time ‘Modi Continental Tyre’ became a brand leader in the truck tyre category. In 1981, under his leadership, the group acquired Firestone Indian Ltd. One of his significant accomplishments was the establishment of One Million Ton/PA Cement plant in Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with Blue Circle of UK in 1986. Thereafter, in 1990, he set up a large capacity diesel engine manufacturing company in collaboration with Mirrlees Blackstone of United Kingdom (UK) at Aurangabad, which has now merged with MAN Diesel & Turbo of Germany. His accomplishments have been recognized by the Central as well as the State Governments. This is quite evident from the fact that he was nominated by the Government to serve as a member of various committees. One of the major accomplishments of Mr V K Modi is his rehabilitation of Modi Rubber Limited (MRL) in the year 2008, which was closed in 2001 and declared sick in 2004. Thus, he created a landmark in the history of Corporate India by setting an example, of immense dedication, courage, great self-belief and perseverance.

THRIVING UNDER A RICH LEGACY

The foundation stone of Modi Enterprises was laid by a simple, kind-hearted man, Mr Ram Baksh Modi when he started a small family-run business. Mr. Chiranji Lal Modi, took over the business after Mr R B Modi passed away in 1857. Under his able leadership, the family arranged for supplies for the British cantonment from Kanpur to Peshawar. He started his career as a commission agent of food grains in Patiala and in 1894, owing to his industriousness, he bought the very mill to which he regularly supplied wheat. Thus, Mr. Chiranji Lal Modi was not only selected as the honorary magistrate but also the City Father of Patiala and on August 09, 1902 he was blessed with his first son Gujar Mal Modi in Kanaur. In 1920, at the age of 18, Mr G M Modi discontinued regular schooling, continuing his education through private coaching and became actively involved in the family business, learning from practical experience. From 1920 onwards, he revolutionized the Indian economy and industrial space. Mr V K Modi has not only learned from the wisdom of his ancestors but has also played a significant role in the expansion of the business empire established by them.

THE EVER-EXPANDING EMPIRE

Owing to Mr Modi’s exemplary leadership, the V K Modi Group is marching ahead with revenues of Rs. 2000 crores and a team of 1600 members. Diversifying into varied sectors and domains, the Group is flourishing with each passing day and is consistently reaching the zenith of success.

Under the visionary guidance and able leadership of Mr V K Modi, Gujarat Guardian Limited (GGL) has emerged as India’s first and leading float glass manufacturer under the brand name ‘Modiguard’. As a member of a group of companies led by Guardian Industries Corp. (U.S.A), Gujarat Guardian Limited has a strong emphasis on the pursuit of growth and excellence of its people, product and services. As the industry-leader, the company has a strong network of dealers and authorised retailers and the name MODIGUARD® enjoys strong brand image and strives to maintain its focus by providing exceptional customer service. The Group holds the esteemed distinction of being the largest tyre manufacturers with a production capacity of 1.2 million. Its travel domain extends the network of more than 750 locations across 6 continents. The Group also promotes unique franchising interests in different spheres such as travel, education and grooming space.

Being a learned personality and completely realising the importance of education, Mr V K Modi’s able guidance has led to the wonderful expansion of the educational tier of the Group into more than 250 schools worldwide including 102 schools across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Mr Modi also inspired the Group to venture into the Advertising sector around 25 years ago, and its exceptional work has been recognized in the form of the awards it received. The Group is thriving quite well under Mr Modi’s able leadership and is intensifying its current operations as well as eyeing expansion by diversifying into new businesses by way of acquisition and joint ventures, with technology as the key focus for all new partnerships. It is in the process of setting up a coater plant, with an investment of $55 million, which will be operational by December 2017.

Believing in the power of education to reform the society, Mr Modi is planning to invest in the education sector by way of acquisition as well as setting up new schools and is looking forward to upgrade K-12 schools to the international level, expanding the reach of quality education to children in the upcoming Tier-II cities. Under his exemplary leadership, the group has seized great potential in mechanised hollow brick technology, especially in view of the ban imposed by the regulatory authority with respect to pollution and emissions, having initiated dialogue with the world leader in this space. Additionally, the group intends to tap its real estate assets by launching new projects.

A seasoned veteran of the banking and finance sector, with an enriching experience of over three decades in the Middle East, Dr. Raghavan Seetharaman, the Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Bank Group, is a man who is grounded into the realities of the world BY RICHA SANG

Amultifaceted personality, Dr. R Seetharaman, is a prominent name in the banking industry throughout the Middle East, an economic expert who has achieved remarkable success for his contributions to Banking, Trade, Investment, Economics, Environment, Social responsibility, Philanthropy and Charity. A Gold medallist in Commerce at the graduation level, Dr. Seetharaman is a seasoned Chartered Accountant and holds certificate in IT systems and Corporate Management. A recipient of PhDs in Global Governance from European University and in Green Banking and Sustainability from Sri Sri University, Dr. Seetharaman is a scholar in the true sense of the word. However, these qualifications are just the tip of the iceberg, as he has also acquired multiple doctorates from leading universities of the world namely Doctorate of Laws by Washington College for his unique and valuable contribution to society in the field of banking and knowledge management, Doctorate of Honoris Causa from European University for his contribution to global governance and social responsibility and Doctor of Philosophy (Honorary) by Arts, Science and Technology University, Lebanon (AUL) for his valuable contribution to Banking and Finance.

Dr. Seetharaman’s goals have not been limited to acquisition of knowledge but he has efficiently utilized his passion for technology, as he himself puts it, “Although my academic training was in accounting and finance, technology was my passion. I saw the important role that technology was about to play in transforming society, and wanted to be a part of that. So I gained the knowledge and skills needed to use technology to help transform in the field of banking and financial services. I also invested my time mainly in integrating people, process and technology and actively contributed to value engineering.”

EXPANDING FRONTIERS

Dr. Seetharaman introduced a plethora of changes at Doha Bank affecting a variety of spheres, including everything from moving the bank away from a wholesale philosophy to catering to its retail market clients and to making it the frontrunner in Qatar in terms of bringing about advanced web and mobile banking solutions for its customers.

Dwelling on his strategies of success at Doha Bank, Dr. Seetharaman explains, “In my earlier assignment as head of technology operations, I had experimented as such with customer-centric values that triggered improvement in the market share. So it was easy for me to come to Doha Bank with conviction and transform the institution, especially in a market that was just getting set. The supportive market, the vision of the board, and the experience we had all converged to deliver on the journey.”

FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL

Prioritizing on transforming Doha Bank from being a Qatari bank to one with a more global presence, Dr. Seetharaman asserts, “Unless you go global, being a local bank, the opportunities are limited.” He lucidly elaborates the way in which he initiated this transformation, “We started redefining the strategic options for the bank. When the local market has become global, we have to go global. So apart from strengthening the local market operations and improving the retail, wholesale, corporate and overall operation efficiency of the bank, I started thinking about redefining its international presence.” Thus, bent on achieving this goal with single-minded dedication, Dr. Seetharaman initiated the process of expansion of Doha Bank from its base in Qatar to other Gulf nations like the Kuwait, alongside the set-up of the bank’s representative offices in countries like Japan, Singapore, Turkey, South Korea, China and several others.

Not only realizing the importance of new ways of thinking, and executing those innovative ideas, but also focusing on the practicality and feasibility of those innovations, Dr. Seetharaman states “Irrespective of your considered vision, you have to produce the earnings.” He further adds, “No shareholder is going to give you a free lunch, unless you have responsible returns coming in. So you have to produce maximum returns to shareholders, which we managed to achieve.”

Owing to Dr. Seetharaman’s exemplary leadership and visionary insight, Doha Bank has been transformed into a global brand, with sterling performances year-on-year and has emerged as one of the best performing banks in the region, and experienced unparalleled growth. Not surprisingly, Dr. Seetharaman himself has emerged as an icon in the banking industry and is looked upon with awe and respect by the stalwarts.

BOLSTERING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Being an avid admirer of the environment, Dr. Seetharaman is actively engaged in creating awareness about issues such as climate change – the cause, effects and measures; need for a global community that is aware of and inclined to finding solutions to global issues on a global scale. Committed to innovation and justifiably proud of his green initiatives, he declares, “To me the exercise of corporate social responsibility is a key to ensure the long-term sustainability of an institution. We started by making Doha Bank the first green bank in the region. We made sure Doha Bank operated at low emission facilities. Our bank buildings became LED certified and we operated energy efficient vehicles and equipment.” No wonder, Doha bank is considered a model for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as explicit by the recognition it has gathered in terms of the innumerable global awards conferred on it.

Churning out a perfect blend of technology and sustainable development measures, Dr. Seetharaman “introduced paperless banking and Internet banking.” He elaborates his environment-friendly approach effectively, “We introduced a service called the Doha Souq where all customers could electronically access our products and services. We enabled our customers to use technology to provide remittances to their families overseas. We came to be known as a low carbon institution and gained great respect in the community for our efforts.”

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

The relentless dedication of Dr. Seetharaman has not went unnoticed & he has been recognized at varied platforms, most distinguished being the Government of India’s prestigious Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award [PBSA], the highest honour conferred on overseas Indians by the Government of India. In addition, he has recently received the “Global Excellence Award in Renewable Energy, 2017” by the Energy and Environment Foundation for his vision, leadership, outstanding contribution and for demonstrating excellence in the Renewable energy sector.

Having charted an illustrious career spanning more than 3 decades in the field of real estate, corporate finance and treasury management, Mr. Khushru Jijina is simply talent personified & is efficiently spearheading the financial services business of the Piramal Group BY RICHA SANG

An accomplished Chartered Accountant, and successfully serving as the Managing Director of Piramal Finance Limited and Piramal Housing Finance Limited, Mr. Jijina has been associated with the Piramal group since the last 17 years, and focuses on funding opportunities within real estate and non-real estate sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, auto ancillary, cement and others. Under his leadership, Piramal Finance effectively funds across the entire capital stack ranging from early stage private equity, structured debt, senior secured debt, construction finance and Flexi Lease Rental Discounting within real estate and mezzanine funding, as well as senior secured debt, loan against shares and corporate funding within non-real estate on a sector agnostic basis. Enabling access to smaller corporates who are usually not covered by traditional wholesale lending channels, the platform has also piloted an expansion into lending towards Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with the formation of an Emerging Corporate Lending group. He is overseeing the entire spectrum of activities ranging from origination, investments, asset management, exits and new fund raising performed by an efficient team consisting of more than 400 members. In addition, Mr. Jijina also leads the family office for all proprietary investments.

THE FASCINATING ODYSSEY

Hailing from a business family, Mr. Jijina always had a natural inclination towards business and during his childhood, he drew inspiration from his uncle who was in the theatre business & was known to make quick, decisive calls. Being greatly influenced by the decisive nature of his uncle, he intended to imbibe the same quality from a very young age. Coincidentally, this was further reinforced in his early interactions with Mr. Ajay Piramal as well who always maintained that the worst decision was not to take a decision and Mr. Jijina vehemently believes that his words ring true to this day. In the long and illustrious career that ensued at the Piramal Group, Mr. Jijina has always considered himself to be fortunate to have worked in such close quarters with Mr. Ajay Piramal, constantly seeking his guidance & mentorship as he applied himself across various business verticals of the Group.

Receiving unconditional support from his family – which has been a part of his corporate journey and decisions he had taken – has been a major determinant of his success. Holding his team in high regard, which has grown from 25 people to well over 250 on the wholesale platform and an additional 150 members in the retail housing finance foray, Mr. Jijina truly believes that each and every member of his team is also a part of his family and he must act as an able and responsible leader and a constant source of support and guidance to their ability and aspirations. Feeling blessed to be able to work with a group of such motivated people, he looks forward to achieving many more accolades and success together.

CHARTING A PHENOMENAL COURSE

After completing CA, Mr. Jijina joined Rallis (a Tata Group company) as an Internal Auditor and then moved across to Group Treasury. This was not a seamless transition but Mr. Jijina was able to prove his mettle as he has always believed in challenging himself and stepping up to meet any responsibility. His role in Group Treasury required him to be aggressive in manner and thought as he was dealing with multiple banks and bankers. He also considers it a matter of great fortune to be able to have spent a great deal of time working internationally during his stint, most frequently in Israel dealing with Israeli businessmen who are known to be tough negotiators and values this phase as a significant learning term.

EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS

Today, the wholesale finance business, with Mr. Jijina at the helm, spans assets under management of close to 50,000 crores, through a constant journey of innovation and thought leadership and occupies a position of scale & relevance in each of its target markets, & across sectors. Apart from efficiently handling Piramal Fund Management, a third-party fiduciary business, involved in advising institutional and retail investors alike through opportunistic residential development as well as customized fund management strategies such as the Mumbai Redevelopment Fund, focused on slum rehabilitation & the Apartment Fund focused on bulk buying individual units, Mr. Jijina has also been instrumental in establishing large separate account mandates and joint ventures with reputed global institutions such as APG, CPPIB and Ivanhoe Cambridge. Considering the size, scale and market relevance of the wholesale lending business, the progression to assess opportunities within the retail lending space happened naturally. In this regard, Piramal Finance has recently announced its intention to set up a retail housing finance vertical under Mr. Jijina’s leadership and applied to the National Housing Board for obtaining a Housing Finance Company license.

NOBLE DEEDS, ENNOBLED ENDS

To build social consciousness and give back to the society, Mr. Jijina has played a significant role in initiating the concept of the ‘Social Cell’ in Piramal Finance, which is responsible for planning and execution of volunteering activities engaging a large number of volunteers. The ‘School Paint Project’ was their first launch project where volunteers ideated, drew and painted various educational concepts, cartoons, and graffiti on the walls of municipal schools. Thus, the corridors of each floor of the school were painted with various bright colors expressing different messages and concepts and in turn the volunteers were successful in building a sense of community and belongingness towards the school by making it inclusive, welcoming and artistic.

THE ENRICHING WORDS OF WISDOM

Valuing integrity and the values on which the premise of the Piramal Group is laid namely Knowledge, Action, Care and Impact, Mr. Jijina stresses upon the Group’s Motto of ‘Doing Well and Doing Good’. Vehemently believing in the fact that limitations only exist in the mind and can be overcome with sheer will and tenacity, he feels that the younger generation today must seek to challenge the norms constantly. Encouraging the youth to take a very long term view when starting out in their professional lives and careers, Mr. Jijina stresses upon the need for the prioritization of the work ethic, conduct and integrity as the sole means to leave behind a lasting legacy.

MERIT RECOGNIZED

Piramal Finance Limited has received several accolades under Mr. Jijina’s exemplary leadership, including the Best Domestic Fund House by CNBC Awaaz in 2014; the Best Overall Investment Manager (India) by Euromoney’s Real Estate Awards for 3 years in a row – 2015, 2016 and 2017; and the Firm of the Year by the PEI Global Private Equity Real Estate Awards in the years 2014 & 2016.

Rohit Kochhar’s story is inordinately inspiring as it is embellished with character, values, triumphs and endurance. Rising from a humble beginning, he has proven to the world that you can shape your own destiny if you pursue your goals with passion, perseverance and positivity BY ANAM KUMAR

Though Rohit Kochhar commenced his career with humble beginnings as a criminal lawyer 30 years ago, today he is globally renowned and respected as one of the top corporate lawyers in India and an exemplary legal entrepreneur. Staying true to his dreams, initially he had persevered under the tutelage of a senior, working on preventive detention matters.

However, eager to create his own identity and destiny, within a short span of three years, Rohit commenced his independent practice and another couple of years down the line, had built up a robust criminal law practice representing clients incarcerated in various prisons across the country, including Dum Dum Central and Presidency Jails in Calcutta, Trivandrum Jail and Tihar Jail, Delhi!!

He shares, “At age 30 and perched at the peak of my career as a young criminal lawyer, came the calling and a voice from within asked me to walk away and establish a full-service law firm with a global footprint. It was a move devoid of logic and rationality, as I had no experience of the ‘law firm world’ and had to completely reinvent myself as a lawyer, leader, and entrepreneur. The decision was also fraught with risk as it involved abandoning a flourishing criminal law practice for a completely uncertain world with no prior experience, learnings or relationships to back me. I nevertheless took the plunge in 1994 and as they say, the rest is history.”

He moved on confidently to create a future for himself and founded the Kochhar law firm. After a challenging and exciting journey of 23 years, and with the invaluable support of his committed and talented partners and other colleagues, Kochhar & Co. is recognised as one of the top-tier and leading corporate law firms in the sub-continent. With more than 200 lawyers, Kochhar & Co. is spread across seven States within the country and three overseas offices including Dubai where it has a licence to practice local UAE and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) law.

Notwithstanding his unparalleled achievements, Rohit believes, “We have many miles to go before we sleep. Success cannot be static & measured on a prevailing set of statistics. It has to be an ever-evolving work in progress.”

REDEFINING SUCCESS

Young entrepreneurs typically face myriad challenges when they embark on their mission to create and build a new enterprise. In Rohit Kochhar’s case, he faced a unique challenge. “The challenge I faced emerged from within. The childlike restlessness to constantly identify, attain and redefine new goals and boundaries can be a double-edged sword. Restlessness and creativity are bedfellows and maintaining a balance requires sagacity, experience and composure – qualities typically alien to young and hungry quintessential Turks,” he reminisces.

NATION & CITIZENS FIRST

He believes that judicial reforms are the need of the hour, and such reforms need to be multifaceted and should include greater transparency and objectivity in the appointment of judges, improving the infrastructure of Indian courts, expeditious appointment of judges to deal with the huge backlog of pending cases and imparting regular training to judicial officers to be result-oriented and solution-seeking. He recognises the magnitude of the challenge and feels that “Given the size, complexity and diversity of our country, this is by no means a simple task and would require commitment, dedication and perseverance by the Government. The private sector needs to chip in by embracing a culture that discourages corrupt and inappropriate practices while managing their litigation in Indian courts. A major cultural shift is necessary – of choosing not the easy path but the right one.”

His wishlist includes improved judicial infrastructure in our country and greater accountability of judges to deal with cases in an efficient and time-bound manner. He is very vocal and emotional about the plight of innocents suffering for no faults of theirs. He further explains, “On the criminal side, there is a crying need to introduce stringent laws to fasten responsibility on and take punitive action against investigating officers who make innocent persons scapegoats by framing them in cases where the real culprits are either elusive or unidentifiable. It is heart-wrenching to come across incidents where faultless people are accused of crimes and sometimes even convicted because the investigation agencies are under media or other pressures to demonstrate successful closure of the case.”

PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL TRIUMPHS

“It has been a great honour for Kochhar & Co. and for me as its founding member to have been globally recognised for our achievements, quality and excellence in the domain of legal services,” he says.

Amongst other accolades, Rohit and his firm have been conferred the “International Council of Jurists Award” by the Prime Minister, the highly coveted “Rajiv Gandhi Award” for legal entrepreneurship, the Rashtriya Gaurav (National Pride) Award” for excellence in the field of corporate law as well as the prestigious National Bar Award by the All India Bar Association for being “The Most Dynamic and Progressive Indian Law Firm”.

He treasures his parents’ and his wife Sonali’s unconditional support during the most difficult and challenging periods in his career, “The sacrifices made by my wife have been countless and she has played an invaluable role in my growth and development – both as a professional and a human being. Her calm composure during the most testing periods has been a source of great comfort, solace and strength to me.”

NOBLE AT HEART

Under the aegis of the Kochhar law firm, Rohit has established the Kochhar Care Foundation that espouses numerous social and child welfare causes including amongst others, the very critical and burning issue relating to child safety in Indian schools and eradication of corporal punishment in State-run schools. He also feels privileged to have been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for Sai Social Responsibility and Research Centre and is currently supporting their village development project in Noida.

LIONHEARTED & AMBITIOUS

He exhorts the youth to embrace the religion of excellence and not be solely guided by material goals. Believing that financial and material wealth is a by-product of professional success, which in turn is a function of passion and perseverance at work, he feels that seeking financial success without the necessary concomitant of hard work is being foolhardy.

“Be adventurous, creative and fearless in pursuing your goals and be willing to tread on paths other men haven’t walked on,” he advises. And then adds quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.

The Founder & MD of KIS Group, Mr K R Raghunath is an enthusiast who completes every project in an innovative & unique manner. A trailblazer replete with self-belief, he endeavoured into even those ventures which had the highest risk as per the perceived market BY RICHA SANG

One of the most innovative entrepreneurs of our times, Mr K R Raghunath has developed many first-of-its-kind sustainable clean technologies that are blazing a completely new trail for energy production globally. Under his quintessential leadership, KIS (Knowledge Integration Services) Group has become the Most Awarded Biogas technology provider in Asia and is a Market Leader with Number 1 position in Biogas power projects in South East Asia.

THE TALENTED TRAILBLAZER

Even though today, Mr Raghunath is reaping the rewards of his earnest & innovative endeavours, however, the challenges which he faced in his entrepreneurial journey were enormous. Owing to the unique field of sustainable energy, all the projects which he undertook were first-of-its-kind in that region and had never been attempted before.

Deeply inclined towards the preservation of the environment, Mr Raghunath was concerned about the fact that the entire South East Asia was utilising open ponds as a norm for treating the effluent of POME. To change the mindset of the owners was the biggest challenge faced by the KIS Group as most of the technology providers were unable to provide the correct technology and many projects of treating agriculture waste had already ended up in failure. Thus, in order to overcome their fear of failure and mobilize them to invest in the Group’s ZPHB® technology was the biggest milestone. In fact, the first project of the Group was self-financed as no banks or investors were ready to repose faith in its capabilities. Under the quintessential leadership of Mr Raghunath, the Group entered into a JV wherein the project owners had a 45% stake & the Group had 55% stake. However, within a year, the project functioned smoothly & gave more returns than committed by the Group & owing to its overwhelming success, the owners brought back all the shares. This project is the FIRST CDM-POA registered project in UNFCCC for the whole world for palm oil industry. This success story created new direction. Presently, this power is exporting sustainable Green Power to Electricity grid which is again replacing the fossil fuel used earlier. As of now, more than 1 million tons / year of Carbon Dioxide emission has been reduced from several operating projects.

Another challenge which Mr Raghunath came across was the treatment of palm oil refinery waste and it was all the more uphill task because of its fine powder and 21% oil content. Being genuinely concerned about the prevalent practice of disposal of palm oil refinery waste in open area in South East Asia, posing as a huge environmental hazard, Mr Raghunath motivated the Group to develop a first-of-its-kind design which was a Fluidised bed combustion system to avoid this malpractice and this project has been registered as ‘First of its Kind’ project in UNFCCC as CDM project. As a major milestone, this project was the first in country to use palm oil mill biomass to develop energy replacing use of fossil fuel.

Being well aware of the fact that there were no sustainable solutions for treatment of highly inorganic effluent from some agro chemical industries, Mr Raghunath acted as a guiding light behind the design and development of ZCT® system for treatment of such effluents without using any chemicals or bare minimum use of chemicals. Thus, he essayed a major role in contributing to the conservation of the environment, more so as the project did not involve the usage of chemical means. During the last year, Mr Raghunath played an active role in collaborating with UPL (United Phosphorous Limited) to design & develop this new system when all existing technologies in the world were unable to treat the effluent.

THE RAPID REFORMER

The very fact that Mr Raghunath chose a unique field for entrepreneurship, that is, sustainable energy, is the testimony of the fact that he intends to reform the society for the betterment of the future generation. Profoundly concerned about the conservation of the environment, Mr Raghunath advocates that there should be more stringent environmental regulations and discharge standards for the effluent. He believes that the government should make capturing of methane emission compulsory & create awareness among the public and the company owners that adopting sustainable energy is always beneficial in the long run for all the stake holders. He is certain of the fact that if such waste-to-energy projects are promoted by the authorities with ample regulatory benefits like low interest cost for funds and tax benefits to the industries, then more and more people will act in the direction of environmental conservation by adopting sustainable energy.

Strongly believing in the fact that the government must provide incentives for industries in the form of funds, land allocation, making the registration procedures simple for industries who implement the projects, Mr Raghunath is of the view that in projects with high investment costs, the government can partner with private industries in treating the solid & liquid waste. Reiterating his concern for the environment, he asserts that STP Training programs must be conducted in conjugation with government, public, NGOs, & Industry players on how to Reduce, Reuse & Recycle the wastewater. Mr Raghunath also feels that the government must make procedures simpler for Power Purchase Agreements for energy generated from non-fossil based sources like wind, solar & biogas.

THE INQUISITIVE INNOVATOR

Being a proactive change initiator and propagator, Mr Raghunath intends to change the perception that not all such environmental projects can be solely decided by attractiveness on return on investment. He promotes the view that some projects which may appear less attractive in the current scenario may turn out to be much better in the coming years and intends to create a supportive and regulatory framework for environmental projects with TIME-bound targets. Owing to his reformist leanings, Mr Raghunath strongly advocates the introduction of a new discipline in education with ‘SUSTAINABILITY’ as one of the subjects of education starting from primary to the highest level as this step would definitely help in increasing sensitivity towards the environment.

SERVING THE SOCIETY

Asserting that his family is most important for him & he is fortunate to have their support in all his endeavors, Mr Raghunath is bent on serving the larger family of humanity through his varied CSR initiatives. From sponsoring education of EWS students by providing them with tuition fees, hostel fees & books, he provided 3 desert coolers for children studying in Seva Mandir, during the hot summer days. Since the last 7 years KIS has been sponsoring the Annual mass wedding of EWS brides & grooms. In addition, it sponsored Malaysian Association for Blinds Programme for “Employability Campaign for Blind”.

Incessantly nourishing an ambition to play his part in the development of the society, the MD of Ruban Memorial Hospital, Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh’s odyssey, spanning different territories across the globe, has been all about serving the humanity in one way or the other BY RICHA SANG

Forever guided by the leanings of giving back to the society, Dr Singh quit his job of a Consultant Urologist in West Midland, England to pursue his dream of setting up a hospital in his country, India. He set up Ruban Memorial Hospital with a mission of providing quality healthcare services in Bihar at par with multispecialty hospitals in metros with a constant and relentless emphasis on quality, excellence in service and compassion and respect for the individuals. Bent on making Ruban the safest and most prestigious hospital for everyone, Dr Singh aims to provide world-class multi-speciality facilities at affordable cost, promoting superior clinical excellence based on distinctively personalized ethical healthcare practices.

THRIVING ON THE BEDROCK OF VALUES

As an offspring of social activist parents, who were inclined to the left wing political philosophy, Dr Singh was brought up in a middle class family in Patna, Bihar and had always been exposed to a healthy cultural environment. He was inspired by the marital harmony of his parents, who ingrained in him the values of humility and kindness. He received 2 books from his father during his college days, ‘Dr. Kutnish ki Amar Kahani’ and ‘Citadel’. Being the narratives of the protagonists’ dedication and hard work, these left an indelible impression on Dr Singh and motivated him to work hard and reach the zenith of success.

THE EARLY LEANINGS: AN ACTIVIST’S TREK

While pursuing his MBBS from Patna Medical College, the multifaceted Dr Singh donned varied hats and was involved in different social activities; taking keen interest in theatre and even acting as a medical volunteer. Being socially-inclined from the very beginning, he always volunteered for social causes and once he himself arranged a group of medical students and teachers to work in flood affected areas during break out of an epidemic.

THE ODYSSEY ABROAD

Arriving at England in July 1979, Dr Singh started his job from Grantham, East Midland but soon joined in Scotland near Glasgow. After completing his FRCS from Glasgow, Dr Satyajit went on to pursue his MS in Urology from Institute of Urology in London. Even though he had scarce resources to fund his education, his dedication towards his profession and refinement of character won the hearts of all and he was successful in passing the Diploma course in Urology from London University and thereafter joined Belfast City hospital as senior registrar in Urology and transplant surgery in February 1989. Within a year he was offered a job of a Urology Consultant in Chase Farm Hospital in London.

However, consistently nurturing a goal to serve the people of his country, Dr Satyajit was longing to return home & settle in Patna, but his hands were tied due to lack of funds for setting his own practice. Then chance played its part and Dr Satyajit was offered a job from a prestigious Saudi Hospital managed by American Medical institute at more than thrice the salary than what he was getting at London Hospital. He accepted the offer instantly as he required finances to pay back loan which he had borrowed for pursuing his diploma course. Displaying sheer courage and passion for his goal of establishing a hospital in India, Dr Satyajit did not defer from his decision of accepting a job in Middle East even when he received the news of a war between Iraq and Kuwait. Despite enjoying a healthy multicultural environment, he always longed to return to India to materialize his dream of serving the people of his country.

BACK TO INDIA: THE LAND OF DREAMS

Finally returning to India in 1996, Dr Singh joined hands with his brother, Col. A. K. Singh from AFMC for setting up a modern, minimally invasive treatment centre in Patna. Utilizing his hard-earned savings from Saudi Arabia & England, along with some finances from his brother, Dr Singh laid the foundation of Ratna Stone Clinic in Nov., 1996.

THE UNSTOPPABLE TRAILBLAZER

In his attempt towards giving back to the society, Dr Singh introduced the technique of laser stone removal, a non-invasive method of stone removal – a concept relatively recent for India and only available in the metropolitan cities, even though it had been prevalent in Europe for more than 10 years. Spreading awareness about this new technique of stone removal, he collaborated with various doctors in Bihar, sharing his experience in this method of treatment and even advertised in Newspapers for this new technique. It was uphill task to convince the patients and doctors alike about the new non-invasive method of treatment, despite being dissuaded by some conventional surgeons against setting up the stone clinic, Dr Singh left no stone unturned to pursue the path of his dreams of setting up his own clinic.

Even though he received a very dismal initial response from the patients & doctors of Patna, but Dr Singh remained composed as the value of perseverance was deeply instilled in him right from his childhood. To support him in this crucial hour, his wife had to mortgage her all ornaments to pay back the overdue loan. However, Dr Singh didn’t lose hope and kept on advertising through pamphlets, newspaper advertisements and even by sending the boys with banners and pamphlets to religious and mela (fairs) gatherings. After initial results of treatment, after more than two years, the hard work of Dr Singh bore fruit and patients started flocking up his clinic through the word-of-mouth publicity.

THE SWEET FRUIT OF SUCCESS – RUBAN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

Receiving overwhelming success in the next couple of years, Dr Singh shifted from a 3 beds’ clinic to a 45 beds’ multi-speciality hospital & Ruban emerged as a renowned brand for the treatment of stones, besides providing Urology & Nephrology facilities. By 2012-13, Ruban had become a popular brand in healthcare but was not providing many specialities hence there was a need for further expansion in the number of beds & specialities. In 2014, Ruban moved to a new premises & expanded to 200 beds with 45 critical beds, 5 modular & 2 non-modular theatres, Cath lab & all radiological as well as laboratory facilities. Presently, the hospital has facilities for open heart surgery, Kidney Transplant, arthroscopy & arthroplasty as well as brain and spinal surgeries apart from the previous routine urology & general surgeries.

Dr Singh is planning to establish a new 500 beds hospital with School of Paramedics. In the first phase, it will have 150 beds with a focus on child & maternity services. The construction will start in the middle of the next year in sprawling 10 acres land in green field area of a suburb of Patna. The brand, Ruban, is expected to provide the best, newer & innovative services in healthcare in Bihar. For Dr Singh, this is a privilege as well as motivation to continue to provide quantity and quality healthcare services.

The sheer grit, persistent determination, unceasing passion & assiduous planning of Ms Satya Vadlamani have catapulted into a mammoth pharmaceutical empire – Murli Krishna Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Being the most popular doyenne of the pharmaceutical industry, she has consistently set new benchmarks of success BY RICHA SANG
Toiling hard to follow her dreams, Ms. Satya Vadlamani is an embodiment of passion, perseverance and persistence, who has come a long way in her career. As Chairperson and Managing Director of Murli Krishna Pharma Pvt. Ltd., the magnetic mogul is an inspiration for umpteen women, motivating them to rise high and break the glass ceilings in order to follow their dreams and reach the zenith of success.

Owing to her industriousness, the Company that she established back in 1997 has now transformed into a 7-million-dollar manufacturing firm having 34 molecules, PIC/s Approvals, EU Approval, and Jordanian FDA approval. Her quintessential leadership has enabled Murli Krishna Pharma Pvt. Ltd. to become one of the leading drug delivery systems (DDS) companies in India, providing a range of effective solutions to optimise the delivery of pharmaceutical products. In addition, it has an impressive global presence and its reputed clientele includes Mylan, Sanofi, Helm, Chemo, Stada, Sandoz and more.

THE INTELLECTUAL LEGACY

Brought up in an intellectually stimulating environment, literally the sprawling IIT Bombay campus, as her father being an IIT professor, and her mother a teacher, Ms Vadlamani always dreamt of becoming an engineer. She pursued a BE in Electrical and Electronics from Gandhi Institute of Management (GITAM) in Vishakhapatnam and took her first step in the pharmaceutical industry in 1992 by joining Armour Chemicals Ltd. as an Export Manager. She also worked at Ajanta Pharma Ltd.; however, she resigned from her job in 1997 to establish Murli Krishna Exports – a pharmaceutical API’s marketing and trading Company.

THE EMPIRE OF DREAMS

Laying the foundation stone of Murli Krishna Pharma Pvt. Ltd., jointly with Dr Vijay Shastri, in 2004, Ms Vadlamani has acted as a reckoning force behind the organization’s success. The company received its first EU Approval in 2007 for a single molecule and was re-audited and approved by the same regulatory body for 7 molecules in 2010. Today, the firm has approvals from the European Union and Jordanian FDA for 20 molecules, which is indeed a magnificent achievement; and to add icing to the cake, it has 4 potential IPR’s and pellets ranging from macro-size to nano particles, and is on a supply agreement with one of the leading generics of the world. In addition, the firm’s Research and Development department is accredited with approval as an R&D House by the Department of Science and Technology, India.

THE SPELLBINDING ORATOR

A prominent leader on national as well as international platforms, owing to her exceptional oratory skills and immense intellect, Ms Vadlamani often spellbinds the audience with her enlightening talks. She has been a guest speaker in several events including “Sakal Media Group”, “IBN Lokmat”, “FICCI FLO”, “Transnational Cooperation in Drug Development and Clinical Research” and others. Her influencing story has been selected by the BBC as a part of their documentary on India’s women entrepreneurs, titled “Making Medicine in a Man’s World”, and she has been featured as one of India’s leading female entrepreneurs in a book titled ‘Follow Every Rainbow’ by Ms. Rashmi Bansal. She also holds the credit of giving talks as a Motivational Speaker for various organizations like TIE, FICCI-FLO, Tanishka Forum, IBN, Lokmat, SAKAAL, WISTEM and others.

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

A lady of strong beliefs and holding a rich experience of more than 22 years, Ms. Vadlamani stresses that “I am a woman first and then an independent woman.” She profoundly states that success has not come easily to her and she has really struggled hard to reach atop the mountain of success. Her tools in this daunting journey were her abilities to take a lot of risks, a very strong mental balance and a never say die attitude – which have collectively worked in her evolution as a dynamic leader within the industry.

She has done everything possible to create the best for her company which she considers as her life and passion and has spent her time wholeheartedly towards its growth. Despite facing many obstacles; yet encountering each one of them with great courage and positivity, Ms. Vadlamani has always believed in doing her best and the success simply followed.

TOWARDS A GLORIOUS FUTURE

According to Ms. Vadlamani, setting up an industry for the first time is one of the toughest tasks, which cannot be taught by any management school. She believes that one needs to work really hard to successfully set up an establishment. Being a person of action rather than words, the success of Murli Krishna Pharma is a live testimony of her earnest efforts. The company has filed DMF’s for most of its products in the US and registrations are in place for the rest, and the Plant has been approved by Major Pharma Companies like Mylan, Sanofi, Dexcel and Pfizer for GMP Compliance. Ms. Vadlamani has set her eyes on more regulatory approvals, better recognition in terms of securing good R&D projects from renowned pharmaceutical companies worldwide and increasing the company’s customer base.

REVELING IN REWARDS

Her dedication and sincere efforts, which resulted in the tremendous escalation of her company, have been recognized at varied levels and numerous platforms. Ms. Vadlamani was awarded as the best Women Entrepreneur by the Meera Kaul Foundation’s WISTEM (Women In Science, Technology, Engineering and Management) held at Dubai on 26th October, 2016 and also became one of the top five finalists in the CPhI Pharma Awards held at Barcelona, Spain on 4th October 2016 in the category CEO of the year. She won “Make in India Emerging Entrepreneur 2016” award in the category of Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals presented by the India Today Group on 1st July 2016 and Outstanding Leadership Award in the National Awards for Excellence in CSR and Sustainability on 1st September, 2016. She was also selected by the BBC as a part of their documentary on “India’s Women Entrepreneurs Titled – Making Medicine in a Man’s World” which was telecasted in July 2015.

Spreading smiles and bringing joys to the despair-clad families of childless couples, Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj, a renowned IVF Expert, is consistently turning the dreams of umpteen aspiring parents of getting their bundles of joys to reality, through her clinic ‘The Nurture IVF’ BY RICHA SANG

Armed with qualifications such as an MBBS, DNB, MNAMS and M. Med Science in Assisted Reproductive Technology from the University of Nottingham, UK, Dr Archana Dhawan Bajaj has dedicated her life towards serving the humanity with her hard work and possesses a never ending determination to bring a positive change in the lives of her patients both in India and Abroad. Offering smiles to hundreds of couples the world over, aspiring to pave their path to parenthood, Dr Bajaj has received training from renowned centres like Nurture IVF centre (Nottingham, UK) and Farah IVF specialist centre and Hospital (Jordan). Through her unceasing ambition to excel, she has gained expertise in reproductive endocrinology, Infertility, Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), High Risk Pregnancy Management, Laparoscopic Surgeries and Hysteroscopic Surgeries (Minimal Invasive Surgeries).

SPECIALIZED TO SUCCEED

Gaining expertise in all features of infertility treatment, Dr Bajaj is adept at treating infertility in both women as well as men. Owing to her higher education and fine skills, she dexterously handles complex issues which are usually taken care of by ‘infertility experts’ and board-certified regenerative endocrinologists who have finished their training in obstetrics and gynaecology. Giving best counseling and also the best required treatment to the couples as they want to know the issue in a transparent manner, Dr Bajaj provides various treatments like IVF, Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), embryo transfer, Surgical Sperm retrieval techniques and others. Desperately craving for having their own baby, aspiring parents are offered positive prospects and perfect counseling by Dr Bajaj, who works with the motive of spreading cheers of parental bliss and is highly skilled to do so.

NURTURE – THE ABODE OF EUPHORIA

Under the exemplary leadership of Dr Bajaj, The Nurture IVF Clinic at Naraina Vihar, New Delhi, is consistently striving to offer the best solutions to couples seeking treatment of infertility, since its very origin, and is equipped with high end technology and up-to-date infrastructure to provide one of the best fertility treatments such as IVF, Surrogacy, ICSI, and IUI procedures. Conforming to the international standards with regard to its techniques and procedures, the Clinic has a team of accomplished IVF Specialists, Embryologists, Gynaecologists and Endoscopists. With an outstanding success rate, The Nurture IVF Clinic is the best in Delhi and is one of the top fertility clinics in India.

Focused on helping couples to sail out from trauma of infertility by providing them appropriate and cost-effective treatments to have their own baby, The Nurture IVF Clinic offers a plethora of services such as IVF, ICSI, IUI, Egg Donation, Embryo Donation, Assisted Hatching, Surrogacy, Embryo Freezing, Male Infertility Services, Sperm Banks and other Natural Infertility Treatments. In addition, it also provides infertility books, infertility support and drugs with encouraging emotional and moral support.

As one of the forerunners in the techniques of ICSI and having done more than 2000 cycles with success rates of around 25% – 30%, The Nurture IVF Clinic is the first unit in India to initiate the technique of Assisted Laser Hatching – a boon for elderly patients or those with the history of repeated failures – as it improves their chances of pregnancy. Being one of the oldest infertility clinics in Delhi, offering one of the most advanced and internationally competitive ART programs and services, The Nurture IVF center is equipped with the state-of-the-art ‘Embryology Laboratory’ and the staff comprises highly trained professionals. With an undeterred mission of offering fertility-related medical attention, emotional advice, ethical values, and state-of-the-art technical support to couples who are going through hard times due to their inability to conceive a child. Propelled by the motivating force which Dr Bajaj emanates, the team at The Nurture IVF centre, strives to provide the best medical services at par with the international standards at cost-effective price. As the director of the clinic and leader of eminent group of IVF specialist doctors, she not only shares her valuable experience but inspires them to produce the best result for each and every patient.

THRIVING UNDER A RICH LEGACY

Being brought up in an army background, owing to her father being a reputed gynaecologist in the army, discipline has always been the guiding principle of her life. Her refined character is a fruitful outcome of the cantonment milieu enveloping her formative years. Inspired by a gynaecologist father and an anesthesiologist mother, Dr Bajaj chose to excel in the medical profession alike her parents. They sowed in her the vital seeds of morality, which has enabled her to climb the escalator of success while simultaneously being an epitome of trust, faith and compassion for her patients.

GENTLENESS PERSONIFIED

Being a very soft spoken lady with a friendly demeanor, Dr Bajaj is a kind-hearted personality who is ever ready to help her patients at any hour of the day and even night. Eminently renowned and widely popular for imparting miraculous results in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology, she has been a popular face on various TV channels, Magazines and journals contributing her valuable insights to the common people as an act of altruism.

INCESSANT STRIVE TO SUCCESS

According to Dr Bajaj, the motto behind laying the very foundation of The Nurture IVF Clinic is to add a spark of hope to the gloomy lives of childless couples. Not leaving any stone unturned to give the best, she dexterously plays the part of not only a doctor, but of a mentor as well and is capable of playing many roles in a great manner at the same time. Bent on making the treatment beneficial for the patients, she is on a never ending quest to update herself with the latest developments and technology in the field of ART. No wonder, she has numerous satisfied patients who thank her wholeheartedly as they don the new roles of parents.

As a proficient scholar, Dr Bajaj has received the coveted National Science Talent Award by the government of India (1986-1991). She also won the Best Resident and Post graduate Award in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, in 2001. However, she vehemently believes that the real award is the exhilaration which she is able to bring to the childless couples and their families as she hands over their bundles of joy to them.

Born to a Bengali family in the city of Kolkata, she had spend most of her childhood in Bhilai as her father, Prodyut Kumar Mukherjee worked at Bhilai Steel Plant. Her mother Kalyani Mukherjee was a homeopathy consultant in Bokaro.

She was introduced to the banking sector at an early age of 22 years when she joined State Bank of India (SBI) as a probationary officer. After 35 years of banking career with SBI, she replaced Pratip Chaudhuri, who retired on September 30, 2013 and the appointment made Bhattacharya the first woman in India to head a Fortune 500 company.

WOMAN OF HIGH SELF-ESTEEM

Contrary to the position she holds in the largest bank of the country, money has never been a great motivator for Mrs. Bhattacharya. She traded the money she could have easily earned in a private bank for the comfort of growing with the State Bank of India.

In her words, when you spend so much time in an organization, you work with the same people in various capacities, and this contributes to a feeling of kinship. Because of the relationship she has shared with the members of the State Bank of India fraternity, she both understands and relates to the feeling of each one of them. Her closeness to the public sector units are a throwback to a childhood in Bhilai.

She doesn’t duck away from her mistakes as she whole-heartedly accepts that the journey with State Bank of India has been enduring with a lot many learning experiences.

SHOULDERING ECONOMIC GROWTH

A constant quench to learn more has driven Mrs. Bhattacharya to achieve some unrealistic growth in her career. As they say, nothing comes for free, she had wanted to pursue a PhD in Finance from the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, but when she was told she had to attend classes, she dropped out. It was not a cake walk to hop from one city to another and from one function to another especially for a career woman with a very young child, but she braved all the challenges that came her way in a near four-decade long career. “I have always believed that you should not make yourself indispensable, at work or at home. When you leave, don’t leave a big vacuum behind,” she says.

Wearing a charming smile always, Mrs. Bhattacharya keeps pessimism at bay as she believes that working in different cities like Kolkata, Lucknow, Bangalore, and New York has enabled her to face some synthetic challenges. The lady utterly enjoys the transfers as it keeps boredom away.

ACHIEVING HIGH

She has seen a slew of promotions in the past few years. She became the Deputy Managing Director in November 2010. Two years later, she was posted as MD & CEO of SBI Capital Markets, a subsidiary of the bank. And finally the year 2013 saw her as the CFO and MD of the bank.

It is said that she made the best use of her SBI Capital market stint from November 2012. It was a dual benefiting thing as first it gave her a lot of exposure to look at a project as a whole and second she started qualified institutional placements (QIPs). Though the initial few were a hard nut to crack but later on she sailed well with many big corporate of the nation.

Mrs. Bhattacharya is a lady of utter grace and a strong persona. She has been ever-ready to take up all the challenges that came her way while climbing the success ladder high.