Our Board Of Directors

Dr. Anup Kumar Sinha is the former Director of Heritage Business School (‘HBS’) and currently designated as Chief Mentor. He has also served on the Board of NABARD.

Dr. Sinha has taught at Presidency College and Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (‘IIMC’). He served IIMC as Professor of Economics for 25 years. He served three terms on the Board of Governors at IIMC and also as the Dean during 2003-06.

He received the Best Teacher Award in 2004 and Best Faculty Award in 2005 from the IIMC Alumni Association. In 2012, 2014 and 2015, he won the Most Popular Teacher Award from the outgoing MBA students of IIMC.

He has held visiting appointments at University of Calcutta, Indian Statistical Institute, National Institute of Public Finance & Policy, University of Southern California, Washington University at St. Louis, Curtin University and Curtin Business School at Perth and Kyoto University. He has been actively engaged in training and consulting for a number of organisations in the public and private sector, as well as for international agencies in the fields of economics. He has also authored publications on various topics including economics, rural economy, management, etc.

Dr. Anup Kumar Sinha is an economist with a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. He is also an M.S. in Economics, University of Rochester, USA, Master in Economics from University of Calcutta and B.A (Economics Honours), Presidency College, Calcutta. 

Mr. Partha Pratim Sengupta is an experienced banker, who has nearly four decades of experience in the banking industry. He has worked in different geographies, across both retail and corporate banking. He has been groomed at State Bank of India (SBI), where he rose to the role of Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer of the Bank. He then took over as Managing Director & CEO of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB). Mr. Sengupta is a resilient and outcome oriented leader who has demonstrated consistent achievement of goals. In both his stints, at SBI and at IOB, he has leveraged technology and innovation for achieving business results. Mr. Sengupta has spent his career in a range of retail and corporate branches and business. His postings included Branch Manager roles at retail and commercial branches, Forex, Trade Finance and Credit Officer roles, Regional Manager, Deputy General Manager in Corporate Centre Internet Banking Department, General Manager Mid Corporate, etc.

Between 2016 to 2018, Mr. Sengupta served as Chief General Manager, SBI Kolkata Circle, which included the states of West Bengal and Sikkim and also the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 2018, Mr. Sengupta was elevated to the rank of Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer of State Bank of India. He was the Chairman of the Corporate Centre Credit Committee, the highest sanctioning committee of the Bank just below the Board. He was a member of the Investment Committee, Fraud Management Committee, NPA Management Committee and Operational Risk and Marketing Risk Management Committees of the Bank. At SBI, he was a permanent invitee in the Board of SBI as DMD & Chief Credit Officer of the Bank. He has also been a non-executive director on the board of SBI’s investments (YES Bank, ARCIL, among others) and IOB’s joint venture (Universal Sompo Life Insurance).

In 2020, Mr. Sengupta was selected as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Indian Overseas Bank and led the bank until December, 2022.

Mr. Sengupta has graduated in Physics Honours and is also a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers. He has received training in Leadership Development from Harvard Business School, IIM Calcutta, and ISB Hyderabad. 
 

Mr. Kesh has around three decades of experience across industries in leadership roles in multiple domains – Operations, Technology, Transaction Banking, Product, Affluent Banking, Operations Risk, Enterprise Governance, Intelligent Automation, Digital, Cx and Organisation Transformation. He was recognised among the 50 most talented Quality Professionals in India by the World Quality Congress. He was also recognised as one of India’s top 25 Emerging Tech Leaders by BIOCON Network in collaboration with MeitY. 

At Bandhan Bank, he has been the Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer since March 31, 2023. He is leading multiple functions including Technology, Operations, Customer Experience, Transformation, Internal Audit, Recovery, and other support functions. Mr. Kesh successfully led the IT transformation at the Bank and has been playing an instrumental role in optimising the processes, controls, customer services, business excellence, etc., at the Bank.

He was part of the core team to lead organisation transformation with technology, digital, governance, quality and customer focus during his tenures at ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Yes Bank and Axis Bank. He was among the first few in the Indian Banking Industry to launch full-fledged Service Quality Framework and Service CRM while in HDFC Bank. To his credit, he transformed the Axis Bank’s operations by imbibing technology, digital and AI. Mr. Kesh is also a Member of Managing Committee of The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He is a B.E (Mechanical Engineering) from NIT, Durgapur and MBA from NMIMS. He is also certified Quality Engineer from Quality Council of Indiana, USA and has completed advance leadership course from IIM-A and Strategic Agility from Harvard.

Mr. Babbar has over 35 years of experience across the banking sector in various leadership roles. He is an accomplished senior leader, with vast experience across multiple spheres of banking. He has a proven track record of creating new businesses and propelling existing ones, consistently delivering growth multiples in AUM, market share, and profitability. 

During his tenure spanning more than 23 years with HDFC Bank, he has handled various leadership assignments and has successfully led large teams across Transportation and Infrastructure Finance, Rural Banking and Retail Liabilities. He was the Group Head - Transportation, Infrastructure and Tractor Finance Group at HDFC Bank.

Prior to this, he was responsible for building and managing the Rural Banking Group for the HDFC Bank covering farmer finance, MSME loans to intermediaries, related retail assets and third party products. Under his leadership, the rural businesses witnessed robust growth, making it one of the best rural franchises in the industry for any bank or financial institution in terms of size and profitability. 

Prior to joining HDFC Bank Ltd, he has worked with Centurion Bank, Bank of Punjab and Central Bank of India, handling various roles and responsibilities. 

He holds Bachelor in Science, LLB, LLM Corporate Law & Criminal Law and is currently pursuing PhD from NMIMS, Mumbai. He has also completed a leadership development programme from IIM Ahmedabad.

Dr. Mitra, a Doctorate in Agriculture (Dept. of Plant Molecular and cellular Biology, Bose Institute), having extensive experience and expertise of more than three decades in the field of agricultural sciences. She has done extensive research and published articles in the field of commercial micropropagation of Horticulture/tree and medicinal species, DNA extraction and sequencing, DNA fingerprinting (plants), gel electrophoresis, protein and isozyme analysis, etc. Dr. Mitra is a recipient of the CSIR Fellowship and the ‘Women Scientist Award’ from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, 2005 for the project “Identification of Disease Resistant Genetic Markers in Bamboo Spp.”

She has also guided various postgraduate students from well-known universities on their projects in the domain of Plant Tissue culture part. She has been associated with various organisations, such as:

Tissue Culture Consultant in Pallishree Limited, a Department of Biotechnology (‘DBT’) certified commercial lab, since its inception (since 2011) and R&D-Head, since 2021
Member, Advisory Board of the DBT Sponsored Post Graduation Diploma- “Quality Assurance Testing of Tissue Culture raised Plant“, a DBT (GoI) supported Skill Development Program, Certified by “Life Science Sector: 

• Skill development Council” at Rama Krishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Rahora, Kolkata

• Visiting faculty in the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of Calcutta (since 2014)

• Laboratory and Organic farming consultant in Maple Orgtech Private Limited and Tega Industries Private Limited (since 2016)

• Research officer in The Agri-Horticultural Society of India (2002-2004 and 2008-2020)

• As DST Women Scientist in the Bose Research Institute (2005-2007)

• Director and Editor of Artefact, Arts Acre Foundation (2021- October 2024)

• Director on the Board of Uncarbon Private Limited (since February 2022)

Dr. Mitra is a Ph.D in Agriculture, M. Tech., (Applied Botany, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering, IIT Kharagpur) and B.Sc in Botany (Hons), Chemistry and Zoology, M.Sc. (Genetics and Plant Breeding). She has also done hands on training in cell cloning from National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow.
 

Mr. Tendulkar is a qualified Chartered Accountant (1981) and Company Secretary (1987). He has more than 41 years of experience in Finance, General Management & Operations in IT, Telecom and Manufacturing industries. He has extensive experience working with American & European based multinational organisations and has successfully resolved multidimensional, dynamic & challenging issues.

He was an Executive Director with Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Limited for almost 14 years. He was also associated with many IT Companies including Tata Telecom, AT & T, USA, Digital Global Soft etc. Mr. Tendulkar is also an Independent Director on the boards of Siemens Gamesa Renewal Power Private Limited, PSB Alliance Private Limited and Global Vectra Helicorp Limited.

Mr. Tendulkar is the recipient of many awards such as CFO 100 Roll of Honor in 2012 and 2016 from 9.9 Media, Best CFO of Hewlett Packard worldwide, Special Achievement Award for leading the Best Finance Team in APAC & Japan Region for FY 2005, Best Governance Award in year 2000 from the Institute of Chartered Finance Analyst and was also nominated for the prestigious CNBC TV 18 CFO award for the year 2006.

Mr. Santanu Mukherjee is the former Managing Director of the erstwhile State Bank of Hyderabad, an associate bank of the country’s largest lender - State Bank of India. He has four decades of experience in the fields of banking, finance, risk management, etc. in various capacities. From 2013 to mid-2014, he was acting as Chief General Manager of State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur. He has also worked as a Chief Executive Officer of State Bank of India, Paris from 2004 to 2008. He joined as a probationary officer and carried out important domestic and overseas assignments in the SBI Group.

Mr. Mukherjee is an Independent Director on the boards of Suven Life Sciences Limited, Muthoot Housing Finance Company Limited, Sumedha Fiscal Services Limited, Rainbow Children’s Medicare Limited, Aurobindo Pharma Limited and NACL Industries Limited. He is also on the Board of Governors of the Institute of Management and Technology, Hyderabad.

Mr. Mukherjee holds a B.Sc. (Honours) degree from Presidency College under the University of Calcutta and CAIIB from the Indian Institute of Bankers. 

Mr. Dutta Gupta has a rich experience of more than 35 years in Asset-based Financing, with 20 years dedicated to the Mortgage industry in India and 11 years to Development Finance. His domain expertise has been in investment and advisory services related to the mortgage industry, covering areas like strategic planning, business plan, underwriting and policy formulation.

He has an extensive experience in mentoring the workforce at startups in the Housing Finance sector, grooming and upskilling them on lending to the informal and low income borrowers, including developing business plans and data analytics platforms.

Mr. Dutta Gupta worked at the International Financial Corporation (‘IFC’), World Bank Group for more than a decade from 2008 to 2019 and retired as the Principal Financial Officer of IFC. During his stint at IFC, he worked in South Asia, South East Asia, and Central Asia. He has also been associated with BHW Birla Home Finance as the Managing Director, with SREI International Finance as Senior Vice President and with Classic Financial Services & Enterprises Ltd. as the Regional Manager for Operations. Mr. Dutta Gupta is also an Independent Director on the board of RMBS Development Company Limited.

Mr. Dutta Gupta holds a Master of Arts degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics.

Mr. Chander is a veteran Banker. He has 37 years of rich experience in Banking Operations, Trade Finance, Retail and Wholesale Banking. His extensive experience covers the entire gamut from retail, small and medium enterprise, mid-sized corporates to large corporates.

Mr. Chander started his professional journey in banking as a trainee at ANZ Grindlays Bank in 1983 and since then has worked in foreign banks in India and abroad, and a private sector bank in India. He retired as the Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking at IndusInd Bank in March 2020. Mr. Chander is also an Independent Director on the board of Canara Robeco Asset Management Company Limited.

Mr. Chander is a Chartered Accountant (1982). He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Economics from the University of Delhi (1978).

Ms. Thapar, a qualified Chartered Accountant, has over 29 years of extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of Statutory and Internal Audits, Bank Audits, Government Audits, Information Systems Audit, Consultancy in Company Law, Indirect Taxes, FEMA and RBI Matters with an ability to handle complex and challenging assignments in the field of Audit, Taxation and International Taxation as a Senior Partner in the firm, M/s. V K Thapar and Company, a well recognised Chartered Accountants firm established in 1965, which she had joined in April 1996, after completing her training with Price WaterHouse.

She is currently an Independent Director on the Board of Directors of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and SJS Enterprises Ltd, both listed companies; an Independent Director on the board of Monedo Financial Services Private Limited, a base layer NBFC and RVR Corporate Consultancy Pvt Ltd., a Management Consultancy Firm in Practice in Corporation form and is a member on the Board of Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority appointed through the order of the Central Government.

She has been an Independent Director on the Boards of Bank of India for two terms, HLS Asia Limited and Yokogawa India Limited, both Public Limited Companies and has been a member on the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs also for two terms. She has the experience of chairing the Audit Committee of the Board, Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the Risk Committee across various boards and has been a member of other Committees of the Board, viz. Monitoring of Large Value Frauds Committee, Committee of Directors for Customer Service, IT Strategy and Digital Payment Promotion Committee, Share Transfers Committee, Stakeholders Committee, Group Governance Committee, Committee for Non Cooperative Borrowers, Disciplinary Proceedings Committee, Steering Committee of the Board on HR.

She has excellent communication skills and has been a speaker at various forums and a part of various round table and fire side deliberations, covering topics related to Indian Banks, their challenges, solutions and way forward; Reforming Financial Institutions, preparing NBFCs for Future Challenge; Employability Matrix and Skilling New India; Roadmap for $5 Trillion  Economy; Technology & Ease of Living in Urban India; Challenges to brick and mortar in an online model; Auditors contribution to the financial sector and economy as a whole; Chartered Accountants Profession in the Artificial Intelligence Era; Role of Independent Directors; Presence and upliftment of women in board positions; Work life balance for women among other related areas with a firm conviction that learning is a continuous process and imagination and creativity have no boundaries while endorsing responsible adaptability and compliance.

Ms. Thapar is a qualified Chartered Accountant, a Cost Accountant from ICMA, a qualified Certified Information Systems Auditor from ISACA (USA) and a qualified Diploma holder in Information Systems Audit from ICAI. She is a certificate holder in International Taxation from ICAI, she has completed the certificate programme in IT and Cyber Security for Board Members from the IDRBT, has successfully completed the Online Proficiency Self-Assessment Test for Independent Director’s Database from IICA, a certification in the IICA Valuation Certificate Programme from IICA, and has a certification of successfully completing the Directors Development Program from Harvard Business Publishing and EgonZehnder.
 

Mr. Vijay N Bhatt is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a Bachelor in Law. He has over 35 years of experience in large, medium and small Indian and multinational businesses. Being in the audit profession, he has a good understanding of the business environment, business risks, controls, accounting and financial reporting issues relevant to businesses operating in India.

He was with KMPG for over 10 years (Senior Independent Director), with E&Y for 2 years, R S M & Co., Chartered Accountants for 19 years and for a few months with Lovelock Lewis. He has been a member of various committees of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, such as Accounting Standard Board, Audit Standard Board, Information Technology Committee, Financial Reporting Review Group and Professional Development Committee of WIRC. Mr. Bhatt is also an Independent Director on the boards of JK Files & Engineering Limited, FDC Limited, IRB Infrastructure Developers Limited, Maini Precision Products Limited and Finolex Industries Ltd. He is also a director on the board of Qontrac Prints Private Limited.

Ms. Divya Krishnan is a finance and investment banking professional and is currently a visiting faculty at Ashoka University. Ms. Krishnan was formerly Chief Investment Officer (‘CIO’) and Head of Investment at SBI Mutual Fund. Prior to becoming CIO, Ms. Krishnan worked as a fund manager at SBI Funds.

Post her voluntary exit from SBI in 2001, Ms. Krishnan has served as a consultant to a number of leading non-profits and NGOs. She worked closely with non-profit institutions, catalysing growth through impactful programs. She has been an invitee as Scholar-in-Residence by a leading private University in the US, guiding students to effectively support developmental initiatives in India.

Ms. Krishnan was a member of the Working Group on Disabilities to develop the 12th Five Year Plan for the local state government. She has also served as a volunteer teacher for slum children in Mumbai and for primary school children in Hong Kong and in Trivandrum. Ms. Krishnan is also an Independent Director on the board of Bandhan Financial Holdings Limited.

Ms. Krishnan did her MBA at IIM Ahmedabad and was awarded a prestigious industry scholarship for outstanding scholastic achievement during her time there. Ms. Krishnan is an alumnus of Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi and La Martiniere School, Kolkata.

Shri Arun Kumar Singh was appointed by the Reserve Bank of India as an additional director on the board of the bank w.e.f June 24, 2024, for a period of one year. Shri Singh is a former Senior Central Banker and has a wide and rich experience of working in RBI for 35 years in the field of Banking and Non-Banking Regulation & Supervision, Enforcement actions against banks & non-banks, Information Technology, Financial Inclusion, Monetary Policy, Government Banking, etc. He has acted as Principal Inspecting Officer / Senior Supervisory Manager for various commercial banks and NBFCs and has actively participated in first Asset Quality Review (AQR) of banks as well as Risk-based Supervision (RBS) related processes and development. He has been associated with committees / working groups related to operational risk, MCLR, stress testing, payment & small finance banks, prompt corrective action, financial resolution, returns rationalisation, etc. He was involved in framing banking policies in various capacities. As head of Enforcement Department, he was responsible for enforcement action against commercial banks, small finance and payment banks, NBFCs, cooperative banks, credit information companies, payment system operators, asset reconstruction companies, etc. He was also the head of Information Technology, Reserve Bank of India, spearheading technological development in RBI, particularly, in the areas of Currency Management, Government Banking, Payment System, e-Kuber, Cyber Security, Data Centre upgradation, Internal Applications, IT Infrastructure, etc. He was Regional Director for Rajasthan and carried out his Central Banking responsibilities in the areas of currency management, financial inclusion, financial literacy, banking / non-banking development, Government banking, etc. in the state of Rajasthan.

He has served as RBI nominee director on the Board of Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank (RRB), Union Bank of India, Reserve Bank Information Technology Pvt. Ltd. (ReBIT), Mumbai, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBiH), Bengaluru, and Institute for Development in Research and Banking Technology (IDRBT), Hyderabad.

Shri Arun Kumar Singh has done his Graduation in Economics and MBA in Finance and HR. He is also a Certified Associate of the India Institute of Banking (CAIIB).