Brands
RBI’s system overhaul gets Central Banking’s digital transformation award
MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central bank, has scored a double whammy at the Central Banking the global authority for central bank information and news 2025 Awards. The publication awarded two of its digital transformation initiatives – Sarthi (charioteer) and Pravaah (smooth flow) in the digital transformation category on 13 March.
The RBI had brought in these systems to substitute mind-numbing paper-pushing processes which had plagued it, replacing them with sleek digital workflows.
The Sarthi system, which went live in January 2023, has turned the RBI’s internal workings into a well-oiled machine,
Staff can now store and share documents securely without the load of managing paper files.
Tasks previously requiring manual handling now flow through digital channels.
Managers can keep tabs on work progress without breathing down employees’ necks.
Replaces the hodgepodge of systems previously used across 40 plus offices and 13,500 staff.
Meanwhile, Pravaah, launched in May 2024, allows external users to submit regulatory applications electronically a proper game-changer that,
Digitised 70 plus regulatory applications across nine RBI departments.
Boosted application submissions by a whopping 80 per cent monthly.
Created transparency with dashboards showing application status.
Linked seamlessly with Sarthi for end-to-end digital processing.
The digtisation has yielded impressive results. Sarthi now has over 10,000 active users with up to 5,000 logging in daily, while Pravaah processed more than 2,000 applications between May and December 2024.
The digital makeover has turned the 90-year-old paper-pushing behemoth into a tech-savvy operation. Staff who once shuffled papers are now happily clicking away, supported by ‘Sarthi Pathshala’ (school) for training and ‘Sarthi Mitras’ (friends) who help colleagues navigate the brave new digital world.
With enhanced cyber security monitoring, improved collaboration, and the promise of future innovations including cloud computing, the RBI has proven you can teach an old dog new tricks and rather splendidly at that.
Prime minister Narendra Modi applauded the win by India’s central bank by posting on X, “A commendable accomplishment, reflecting an emphasis towards innovation and efficiency in governance.”
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
