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AI & Digital Lending
A colleague asked whether AI adoption in banks really has depth. I paused to examine the public evidence. A colleague who had been reading my recent blogs on AI in lending called…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…een an Alarm and a Radar Traditional EWS behaves like an alarm. It rings when a threshold is crossed. A radar does not wait for collision. It tracks movement, direction and speed. But lending stress is often visible before the alarm rings. It must track whether borrower b…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
Episode 3 : Why AI should not digitize waste faster The Johari Window of Lending Information There is a danger in the current excitement around AI in lending. The dange…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
Episode 2: The AI Lending Flywheel From Isolated Use Cases to Intelligent Credit Flow In Episode 1, we looked at the hidden waste in lending. Paper is visible. But the…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…origination systems. Dashboards replaced printed MIS. Customer communication moved from letters to SMS, WhatsApp and email. This was necessary. But it is not sufficient. The next stage of transformation in lending will not be defined by whether a document is digital. It…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…erspective Series : Episode 4 A bank may do everything that banking process expects it to do. Title documents may be obtained. Legal scrutiny may be completed. Mortgage may be created. Disbursement may be made. Default may occur. SARFAESI action may begin. And then, at th…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
Legal Perspective Series : Episode 3 A property-backed loan can look safe on paper. Title deeds are available. Legal opinion is satisfactory. Valuation report is comfortable. Mortgage is created. MoDT is executed. Borrower declarations are on record. Ten…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…Around December 1984 , it entered into an agreement with K.L. Rajgarhia, owner of a 300 sq. yard plot at B-9, East of Kailash, New Delhi . The arrangement was that Rajgarhia would construct residential flats on the plot and hand them over to the Bank. The agreed consider…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…dged challenge. But there is another layer to this problem—quieter, less discussed, and perhaps more frustrating: Uncertainty even on the day a case is listed to be heard. The Invisible Problem A matter is listed before the Supreme Court of India. The litigant prepares. C…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…d. A purpose that did not match usage. A document that was technically complete but intuitively wrong. My own old RCU training material from 2012 was built around exactly that discipline: triggers, patterns, deviations, tell-tale signs, mismatches, factual inconsistencies…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…s arrive digitally. GST data flows through APIs. Bank statements are analysed automatically. Credit bureau scores are available instantly. In many institutions today, a loan proposal can move through multiple system checks within minutes. Yet, despite all this progress, e…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…sively through the SMA stages. In theory, this framework should ensure that repayment behaviour and risk recognition remain aligned . Where Behaviour and Systems Diverge However, operational systems sometimes reveal an interesting asymmetry. Moving an account into default…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…e pulled. An entire ecosystem of digital tools now exists to make this process faster. Yet an uncomfortable question remains: Has the quality of due diligence improved in proportion to the amount of data being gathered? The Structure of a Loan Decision In principle, every…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
Decision Manipulation How AI is Changing Fraud and Asset Stripping in Financial Institutions For decades, fraud in banking followed a familiar pattern. Documents were forged. Col…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…he file begins its journey. Branch → Regional Office → Head Office → Credit Department → Committee. Clarifications are raised. Additional data is sought.Internal discussions continue. By the time approval finally arrives, the borrower has already arranged funds elsewhere.…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ntation delays. Individually, none of these may appear alarming. Collectively, they may form a pattern. But patterns remain invisible when information is siloed. This is not a call for collusion. It is a call for prudential awareness. Structured, lawful inter-bank dialogu…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ayer Most pledged rings fall into: Single-stone rings Multi-stone cluster rings Antique or heirloom rings Issues at appraisal: Stones are non-recoverable for lending value Stone weight displaces gold weight Stone settings mask hollowness beneath Borrower expectation: “Thi…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ation & What Time Reveals ORNAMENT Sub Series : Gold Jewellery Funding : Episode 18 Sunita didn’t pledge her necklace again. She chose bangles. One bangle at first. Then another, a few months later. Each decision felt temporary Each pledge felt reversible. Six months pass…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…dity to Silent Continuity ORNAMENT Sub Series : GOLD JEWELLERY FUNDING : Episode 17 Sunita didn’t pledge her necklace again. She chose bangles. One bangle at first. Then another. Each time it felt small. Each time she told herself she’d catch up next month. But six months…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…nd of necklace you own. Banks don’t see jewellery the way jewellers or families do. They see gold recovery risk . 1️⃣ Plain Gold Chains (Highest Comfort Category) What it is Rope chains Box chains Curb / anchor chains Uniform links No stones, no enamel, no hollowing Why b…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…seemingly low risk. Over time, however, something fundamental changed. Gold stopped behaving like a self-liquidating retail collateral and began functioning like working capital . What was once a short-tenure household loan increasingly morphed into revolving overdrafts,…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…esn’t — And Why Gold Jewellery Funding - Episode 14 3. What RBI Permits (And Why It’s Often Misunderstood) 3. 1 Loans Against Gold Jewellery (Classic Gold Loans) Gold jewellery loans remain one of the cleanest secured retail products , because: Physical custody is taken L…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…regulatory text, not interpretation gymnastics . 1. The Root of the Confusion: “Gold” Is Not One Product Most debates fail because they treat gold as a single category. From a regulatory lens, gold appears in multiple, very different avatars : Form of Gold Regulatory Tre…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…it & fraud cases ✔️ Frequent Exit is contested, not default Valuation Challenged ✔️ Yes ✔️ Yes ✔️ Yes ✔️ Yes Valuation fairness litigated Auction Contested / Delayed ✔️ Yes ✔️ Yes ✔️ Yes ✔️ Yes Enforcement timing scrutinised Custody Questioned ✔️ FIR / SC matter ❌ Rare ✔️…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…: Where Gold Loan Risk Actually Surfaces Gold Jewellery Series - Episode 11 PART A — WHEN GOLD LOANS ENTER THE LEGAL DOMAIN ⚖️ Trigger Points (Not Defaults) Gold loans enter courts and tribunals not because borrowers default , but because: Closure is disputed Valuation is…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…one of the safest forms of credit in Indian banking. Collateral is physical, liquid, and emotionally anchored. NPAs remain consistently low across cycles. Auctions are rare. Losses are infrequent. And yet, when one reads bank balance sheets over time , a different story…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…not just another blog. It’s a lens that sharpens your view of complex financial topics like tractor finance, fraud, and AI in lending. Ready to explore? Why Vivek's Unique Perspective Matters in Finance Ever felt like finance talks over your head? Like the jargon is a sec…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…ndian banks, gold jewellery loans typically form just 2–10% of total advances , yet contribute 15–35% of incremental retail credit growth during periods of rising gold prices. Segmental disclosures show gold loan outstanding growing at 1. 5–2. 5× the pace of overall retai…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…the ground beneath it differs . PSU banks absorb the shock Old private banks wobble New private banks freeze NBFCs contain quickly Co-ops crack under concentration The architecture didn’t change. The foundation did. The Big Reveal (What JL Architecture Really Is) Jewelle…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ating temporary liquidity comfort that later reverses. Gold has always been seen as safe. So when jewellery businesses fail, the instinct is to look for fraud, bad intent, or regulatory crackdowns. But across India, a quieter story keeps repeating. Customer money arrives…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ysically verifiable?” Lens 2: Cash & Bank Balances vs Regulatory Deposits 🚩 Red Flag Pattern “Deposit under protest / Bail / DRI deposit” appears Cash balance falls sharply Borrowings increase What this tells you Liquidity is frozen due to regulatory intervention. 📌 Thi…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…as Advance from Customers Usage of funds Often working capital , not earmarked gold The jeweller is not holding gold against the advance. He is holding cash , free to deploy. Hidden Risk #1: Unhedged Gold Price Risk If gold prices rise sharply during the scheme period: J…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…cash, and clear archetypes , Episode 4 deals with what most banks actually struggle with: Businesses that look like retailers, sound like manufacturers, handle inventory like owners, but behave like intermediaries. This is the grey zone of jewellery lending — where risk…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…er (Before We Name Them) Banks typically classify jewellers by: Size (small / large) Geography (urban / rural) Brand (chain / non-chain) Jewellers classify themselves by: What they sell Where they source How busy the shop looks Both approaches miss the real axis of risk.…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…urnover ones — constantly struggle for liquidity? The answer lies in a simple but overlooked reality: Jewellery may be paid for in cash, but it is never built in cash. The misunderstanding When we say “cash business”, we usually mean cash at the counter . But for a jewell…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…full of destiny. From this single block, paths diverge : Some ingots become bangles — requiring ductility Some become chains — needing tensile strength Some become pendants — where design & stone-setting dominate Some become filigree — requiring extreme softness and preci…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…a legacy service-request process using RPA: TAT dropped by 95% and productivity surged by 900% . Under EASE Reforms, retail loan TAT in PSBs has improved from nearly 30 days to around 10 days , backed by a 15% improvement in the overall EASE index and a 26% jump in “Respo…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…industry has scorecards that approve loans in 30 seconds, data aggregators that read financial history in a minute, and AI that predicts behaviour before the first EMI. And yet, the most important question in lending remains the same: How will this borrower behave when th…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…fear something far more colourful: the next morning’s TAT dashboard . One red cell is enough to trigger panic. People raise queries they don’t believe in, send mails they didn’t need to, and work late not because the work demands it, but because the dashboard does. TAT h…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…your account name. 3. Aadhaar Is Optional — Not Compulsory — for Bank Accounts This is the part most misunderstood. UIDAI and RBI have repeatedly clarified that: ✔ Aadhaar is not mandatory for opening a bank account✔ e-KYC is optional✔ The customer can choose which OVD t…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…at has been and what is yet to be. The phase of corporate transition sits precisely there — between gratitude and uncertainty, between closure and curiosity. Leaving an organisation isn’t just a logistical exercise. It’s an emotional recalibration. It’s the process of gen…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…25 will be observed from 27 October to 2 November 2025 with the theme — “Vigilance: Our Shared Responsibility.” Two campaigns, continents apart, but united by one truth: ethics is the first and last line of defence against corruption. As someone who has spent nearly three…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
The Promise — What Limit Trees Were Supposed to Do Every bank swears by its limit tree . Every system claims — “We can’t breach limits.” And yet… breaches happen. Quietly. Daily. Not because technology failed —but because governance did. LIMIT TREES The Re…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…or Should Find) LEI Document / System Typical Spot / Field Purpose Sanction Order / Sanction Letter In the “Borrower Details / Entity Information” section (alongside name, CIN, address) To ensure the sanction is tied to the correct legal entity globally and avoid ambiguit…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…ripple effects—from suicides to unemployment—loom large. Yet, amidst the political clamour and media hype, one issue remains largely unspoken : how MSME banks and lenders can stanch the bleeding through smarter credit models and policy levers. Let’s explore how core chall…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…call came just after lunch. Ramandeep Singh , owner of a mid-sized garment export unit in Gurgaon, had been anxiously waiting to hear back from a major U. S. buyer. When the voice on the other end finally spoke, it wasn’t good news. “Ramandeep ji, we can’t absorb the new…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
Fraud Prevention Series Three banks in Chennai are fighting a new card-testing fraud. Each sees a tiny piece of the pattern. If they could pool data, the fraud would pop instantly—but privacy rule…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…Statistics : ACFE ) Consider the implications: for every ₹100 crore of annual business, ₹5 crore is being stealthily drained—often unnoticed for months. Combine that with high false-positive fatigue, and the risk isn’t just financial—it becomes structural. Fraud Preventi…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…MSME lending powered ahead as the fastest‑growing credit segment in India.” MSME loans surged 14. 1% , outstripping retail (11. 7%) and services (11. 2%) Their share of total (non‑food) bank credit hit an all‑time high of 17. 7% , with outstanding MSME lending crossing ₹…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
Policy Vs Practice Series Policy Intent When the SARFAESI Act was introduced in 2002, it was hailed as a game-changer. For the first time, banks in India could enforce security interests without the long wait of civil courts . The intent was clea…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…NG METHODOLOGIES TTC vs PIT – The Two Lenses Approach What It Means When It’s Useful Through the Cycle (TTC) Ratings remain stable across economic cycles; focus on long-term fundamentals, less on short-term fluctuations. When you want to see the structural creditworthines…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…hen it’s low, it’s a desert. That’s procyclicality — and it’s silently shaping your loan book. Imagine a neighbourhood tailor shop. When the economy is doing well, customers flock in, and the tailor hires extra hands, stocks expensive fabrics, and even takes a loan to exp…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…an August pause at 5.50% — is setting up the same squeeze. Different year, same playbook. And the same margin trap is waiting. THE STRATEGY (Repo Rate) Think of a bank like a shop. It “buys” money from depositors and “sells” money to borrowers. When the RBI cuts rates, t…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…ode 2 timelines. Sector-Level Impact Agri Machinery Finance Before: NBFC could book the loan when farmer placed order, wait for delivery (often weeks later), then transfer share to bank. Now: Delay in delivery breaches 15-day window → bank participation drops → NBFC funds…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…nd glossy numbers, cash flows may be telling a very different story. Fund Flow Analysis — an often-neglected credit appraisal tool — can unmask whether operations are genuinely generating liquidity or simply inflating assets. In this episode, we’ll revisit real-world corp…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
Beyond Ratios Series In today’s risk committees and appraisal notes, a dangerous trend is setting in — ratios rule, narratives are ignored . 🧾 Credit officers are asked: “Is the Current Ratio above 1.33?”“Ha…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…ata-driven lending — when their core clientele lives largely outside the formal data economy . Take Meena , who runs a tailoring unit in Tiruppur. Her monthly bank credits are regular but modest, interspersed with cash deposits from walk-in customers. She’s repaid five lo…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…Account Aggregator Yet when he applied for a working capital facility, the branch manager flipped through his file and said, “Where’s your last three years’ audited balance sheet and collateral documents?” Suresh, perplexed, opened his bank app: “Aren’t these monthly cred…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
BEYOND RATIOS SERIES - EPISODE 3 Introduction Ramesh runs a flourishing tailoring unit in Tirunelveli. His clients are mostly regulars from his WhatsApp group and neighbourhood references. His inflows come through UPI, small…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…d Priya's needs are simple: INR 3 lakhs as working capital to purchase home gym equipment and lighting. INR 50,000 for paid Instagram and YouTube promotions. INR 2 lakhs for creating an app to manage client routines and payments. She doesn’t want a long-term loan. She wan…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…unelveli. The bank had rejected his ₹4 lakh loan request — citing insufficient collateral and lack of formal ITRs. DISCLAIMER : This is an AI Generated image - only for illustration Frustrated, the store owner showed his GPay dashboard: ₹7.8 lakh worth of receipts over 6…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…ent a small business approaches a bank, its viability is judged not by its agility, relationships, or digital revenue trails, but by a maze of ratios, margin assumptions, and stock statements. It’s a framework meant to standardize risk — but what if that very framework is…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ten to undermine financial discipline and stability. A lifebuoy (symbolizing support) gradually morphing into a heavy chain tied to someone’s leg — from help to burden. This blog unpacks the numbers, the practices, and the way forward — examining whether CC/OD has indeed…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…rld of Collective Bias — where due diligence drowns in diffusion of responsibility. How does a forged WhatsApp letter drain ₹42. 5 lakh from a government FD account in a leading bank — without a single red flag? Panchkula, June 2025. What happened wasn’t just a scam. It w…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…ng about how bias shapes our decisions. Is this also a case of bias?” someone asked me, forwarding a clipping about unclaimed Sahara deposits. I paused. Because the question wasn’t rhetorical. Sahara Refund Opening Scene A staggering ₹24,000 crore sits unclaimed in a gove…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
Opening Scene Mumbai, June 2025. Dr. K, a 73-year-old retired cardiologist, receives a video call. A woman, fluent in English, claims to be from TRAI. Moments later, a un…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ick Kochi, 2023 Rajesh, a small business owner, received an SMS on a busy Monday morning: “Blue Dart: Package delivery failed due to incorrect KYC. Update by 6 PM today or return will be initiated.” It looked legitimate. He had actually been expecting a parcel. There was…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
Curiosity-driven trust — when the urge to know overrides the instinct to pause. REAL STORY: The Email That Felt Too Specific Hyderabad, 2023 Priya, a 29-year-old HR executive, received an unsettling email: “Final Notice: Your resignation approval let…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…lhi-numbered phone. “IAS Probationer – Revenue Cadre” Posted temporarily for observation, madam. From the Ministry. He said it politely — not arrogantly. His accent leaned English, his Tamil formal and structured. And for small-town Tamil Nadu — that was enough. That’s wh…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…een us women. ”The idea? Pool money, rotate benefits. But this was no ordinary kitty party. “This isn’t gambling,” she said. “This is empowerment. Housing plots. Doubled returns. Backed by LIC.” She showed no brochures. No receipts. Only a spiral-bound notebook where she…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…emic, his voice message went viral across Tamil Nadu: “Don’t take paracetamol — it’ll worsen COVID. My brother works in AIIMS. I’m just passing this urgently to help people.” It had urgency . It had relatability . And more importantly — it had a familiar tone . 🔁 The For…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…s, relieved to receive a dose — free, convenient, and just down the street. The organizer, a man named Debanjan Deb , claimed to be an IAS officer “in coordination with WHO and state health authorities.” He had a badge. He had a seal. He had the tone of a man who belonged…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…pressed whites, and a government-issued ID card that had the unmistakable seal of Delhi. Unmistakable Seal of delhi He said he was an IAS officer , posted in the Finance Ministry, and had just returned from a UN delegation trip. He referenced the Prime Minister’s Office w…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
(Based on the true story of the Susi Emu Farms scam, 2006–2012) If you drove past the outskirts of Perundurai , in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district, sometime around 2010, you’d have seen an unusual sight — acres of open land lined with tall wire fencing, hundreds…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
(Based on true incidents from North Chennai) There’s something unnerving about silence after violation. No shattering glass. No barking dog. No scream. Just… absence. Sharda sat still on the ed…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
Title Why AI in Lending Needs a Moral Compass If a human loan officer rejected your application for being a woman, or from a lower caste, or lacking English fluen…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
…s tabulate the definition of word “Fraud” - wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. So it boils down to INTENT . It has been observed that the intent is bad in approximately 2-3% of the instances . In other instances, intent become…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…nnounced a classmate of mine who worked for a NBFC. A few of us met for tea, and it was normal to start off a thought trail as many interesting facets of our work come forth this way. Unsure of which perspective, the statement came from, I quizzically enquired " SO ? ". H…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…transcend across people irrespective of their background / ability to comprehend, based only on the skills they were trained in. It was the most powerful thought. It has since set my perspective and learning into a new dimension. I started imagining a position where 2 ge…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
Originally written on Nov 16, 2017 Practically every retail finance company out there is carving out “exclusivity” image which signifies customer friendliness. The “Experience” of buying or availing credit ha…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…bility of a negative outcome My ability to withstand the impact of that negative outcome (As a measure) Let me just explain this using an example : Company A , has a structure, wherein Sales and Collections are manned by different people for a particular product – let’s s…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…017 During one of our tea session discussions, one of my team mates asked " We have multiple functions attached to a Retail Loan - Sales/Business, Credit/ Underwriting, Policy Drafting, Product Management, Operations, Collections, Customer Service, Marketing etc. Which am…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…ernal Check / Hindsighting - call it what you may, are very many. Yet the ones that don't get addressed properly and remain very critical are : How do we set the scope for audits in products like Farm Equipments ? Why should we have an internal check / audit mechanism ? D…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…ractors ? ". Promptly he was shown a grid which the policy team had put forth. He quickly glanced through the grid and waited.... There was silence...He said .." I'm expecting one of you will tell me how you arrived at the values in the Grid ". One of the members from the…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…e, Condition, Model popularity etc. It was about deducing information from mere look at the Tractor Tyres. Many of my trainees have asked why is this important ? It is a method of validation. Validating information that a customer is declaring. Need and Usage as we all wo…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
Originally written on April 16, 2017 I sat dazed after one of my training sessions. An enthusiast in class had asked me question, " Are you worried about the money lent coming back (as in being repaid) or how we (as fin…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…lleagues handling similar portfolios meet is about the recent trend / demand of including tractor loans as part of the waiver schemes. Hence the critical questions would be : (a) Are there true Early Warning Indicators for the performance of Tractor Loans ? (b) Is there a…Read in full
AI & Digital Lending
AI-driven lending is fast, digital, and convenient —but are borrowers really aware of the hidden risks? Interest rates that dynamically change without n…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…story-telling As we grow up the ladder, the sweep of the responsibilities keep increasing, yet the quotient of time remains the same. The easiest option of the yore used to be to hire people. These days we have options of outsourcing, tech-solutions, algorithms et al. No…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…’s call. The design in a pookalam is ideally chosen keeping the time paradigm in mind, as well as number of resources available. I was never a great fan of mathematics or geometry, and yet here I was applying all the principles of geometry, ratios, measurements of scale e…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…effect of Positive Energy and being associated with Postive thoughts.. Considering that water forms nearly 75% of the Brain material, this experiment showcased the importance of remaining positive. Incidentally, a colleague of mine was narrating how she chose a diet struc…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ute is in proving INTENT. Malafideness of intent has to be established. The entire process is a time consuming one and painful for the financier or lender. He has lent money, runs the risk of not receiving it back, is accountable to his investors / public, and has also go…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…“The most natural thing for a man is to speak the truth” – by C Rajagopalachari In the world of Agri Finance, where I hail from, this is the key mantra or the basis for a number of initiatives taken by my brethren in the same field including myself. Looked at it from a d…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…, Change in organizations, or New Organizations – I’m sure, irrespective of our vintage or age, all of us have had our fair share of fears. However, the enhancers, in these instances, have been opinions, information and perceptions that we have gathered from others and th…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…XYZ and ABC were happy with the progress made in their respective companies. The exponential growth had a price to be paid for. Where do we want to position ourself ? What is the right move ? While there are no straight answers to the first part of where to position ours…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
It was one of our chai sessions, when discussions meandered into questioning the need for a separate underwriting faction. The hypothesis : “Credit Assessment / Underwritin…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
Some of my recent experiences, with regard to visits to colleges and campuses as part of various initiatives, have aided in active engagement with students, and understanding their requirements and views. Let us take a closer view of students from Agricultural Degree…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…between 3rd - 5th year after sale, thereafter 7th year and then 9th year. While the reason for the dip in HMR still remains to be unravelled fully, the proximate rationale given is the costs. The usage in the first 3 -5 years of the tractors depending on brand and techno…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…of sacrifices made by many, and wars with lot of bloodshed, much in contrast to our traditional idea of a temple. The paintings on the walls, manuscripts, artefacts, pages of history have all been evidence to violence. Violence in the backdrop of an altruistic goal of pr…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…usiness Management. It was very interesting to note , of trends, where in many farmers used technology to book maximum gains for any given day. This ushered in the question of the day - " Can we use an algorithmic approach to finance agri-related customers ? "... A Debate…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…es. Akbar wanted to know where he had been working. “In the granary,Your Majesty,” was the reply. “Put him in prison,” said Akbar. And Birbal said, “A corrupt man will take bribes whatever position he may hold.” A courtier got up and said, that he knew of one job where a…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…ismatch is not wide. This also drives the financier into a frenzy to balance the time frames in which the loan book is raised. The Government Catalyst : Each state government has been doing its best in offering subsidies and sops to farmers primarily to make farmers embra…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…of a Used Tractor / Pre-Owned Tractor. A Note : To all my brethren from the Valuation world. This blog is more like explaining the blood reports – just to take a simili. Just because these nuances are discussed, doesn’t mean that any of us would perform this task ourselve…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…he downside to this however, will be when these reassurances are tagged with marketing ploys. For Eg : “Arrey Way Ram Bhai ! You seem to be doing pretty well…. You’re also hiring your plough, managing your relationship right and are able to get your money churned too…. Ye…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…f we could clone our knowledge / experiences into bots making ourselves redundant, and look beyond where the bots would aid us in managing the current day function and we look at a larger, bigger, piece of unchartered territory which we have never gone in to earlier owing…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
As i stood gazing at the Lord at Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Mumbai, i observed people revolving in the same place in which they stood, instead of the traditional practice of circumambulation around the deity in diffe…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
THUREEYA / SAHASRAHARA - The overview / Big Picture " The Brain " One of the main challenges in the assessment methodology is – Dissection / eliciting information with the big picture in mind. To understand this…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…of emotions are by far the best indicators of intentions. Many a time these are quick, short or even subtle. Yet the trained eye is able to capture these. Just like finger print types, we need to be aware of NAVA BHAVAS which fall within the ambit of this Chakra. Ability…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…question was posed by a fellow mate from the same finance industry, about the practicality of detecting frauds. He explained himself with an example. A customer was assessed by them, and found fit to be financed. Based on their policies and credit norms, the customer was…Read in full
Tractor & Rural Finance
…istency of inputs / information elicited. LESSON : This is the stage where information flows in to corroborate every detail provided by the customer. Simple, Structured styling of questions and framework will help in getting accurate answers. VISUDDHI - Physical and Menta…Read in full
Leadership & Reflection
…e such story. What is amazing is their ability to give new "family additions" their space and allow them time to be ingrained into the company's culture. Nay ! This is not a blog on the great man or his achievements. This is about "People" being given importance above all…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
I was quite influenced by a training on Fraud Detection and Prevention recently, where a point came up about "Triggers" losing relevance with time. This was when the Trainer pointed…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…of UG / PG, we used a different expression – “ Oppurtunity Cost “. Measure of the current yield from investments made against what we could earn if the investments were made elsewhere in alternate opportunities. I guess the terminology “Oppurtunity Cost” must have seemed…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…ly term !! 3. BACK DOOR I was narrating a scenario where a filter had been placed to screen and stop the entry of a certain set of profiles into my portfolio, as part of the credit process and soon found that the system had been hoodwinked and the very profiles we wanted…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…... from Part 1.. ..highlights of a talk on "Fraud Prevention in Farm Equipment Financing" Observation 3 - Know your domain I've read about Luca Pacioli's Quote, which I shall use slightly differently - "He who does business without knowing all about it, sees his money go…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…their comments were: Now the reality : 1. The farmer used to cultivate Coconuts in his area. He found skilled labour availability extremely difficult. Over a period of time moved to another crop – Mango. 2. Mango – rains were a problem and water requirements were higher…Read in full
Fraud, Ethics & Governance
…e in the papers earlier this year. "The state agriculture department is investigating all agriculture insurance fraud claims made by farmers for the Khareep and Rabbi seasons after it came to light that in Beed district alone, Rs 58 crore insurance money was claimed illeg…Read in full
Credit & Underwriting
…getting at, I nodded my head in the negative, inviting him to enlighten me. He quickly quipped - " its typically the brain time. Three quarters of the year is for the brawn. The fourth is what we call - leaders call". As he progressed with his accounts, watching waves on…Read in full