MAM
Weekend Unwind with: Whoppl’s Ramya Ramachandran
Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, it is time to unwind with the latest Q&A edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind—a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of business executives through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.
In this week’s session, we have Ramya Ramachandran, Whoppl CEO & founder Ramya Ramachandran
So, without further ado, here it goes…
Your mantra for life
My mantra for life is “Hustle in silence and let your work make all the noise.”
A book you are currently reading or plan to read
Currently, I’m reading “Mastering the VC Game: Venture Capital Insider on How to Get from Start to an IPO on Your Terms.”
Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
Answer: My fitness mantra during the pandemic was simple: just show up. I made it a point to work out for at least 30 minutes, no matter how tired, bored, or unmotivated I felt. I dedicated that time exclusively to a good workout.
Your comfort food
My comfort food has to be sambar rice. It’s my go-to when I need some comforting and delicious food.
A quote or philosophy that keeps you going when the chips are down
Answer: A quote or philosophy that keeps me going when the chips are down is, “There are no two days that are the same. Some are happy, some are sad. We shouldn’t complain about the happy days, so we shouldn’t complain about the sad ones. What is life without some variety? If every day were the same, it would be incredibly boring.”
Your guilty pleasure
My guilty pleasure, if you can call it that, is my love for traveling and my music collection. I have playlists for every mood, and it’s something I hold close to my heart.
The last time you tried something new
The last time I tried something new was pottery. I got my hands dirty and, even though the end result wasn’t as expected, it was a fun and creative experience.
A life lesson you learned the hard way
A life lesson I learned the hard way is that not everyone you trust will be trustworthy. Trust should be earned, not freely given to everyone who comes into your life.
What gets you excited about life
What gets me excited about life is the prospect of new adventures and the unknown. Whether it’s traveling to new places, meeting new people, or exploring new challenges, the thrill of the unknown keeps me excited.
What’s on top of your bucket list
On top of my bucket list is to travel the world and experience different cultures, cuisines, and landscapes. There’s so much to explore and learn out there.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be
If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be to worry less about what others think and focus more on being true to yourself. Authenticity is your greatest strength.
What’s one thing you would most like to change about the world
One thing I would most like to change about the world is the lack of equality and opportunities for all. It’s essential to create a world where everyone has a fair chance to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Is there an activity that keeps you motivated and charged during tough times
An activity that keeps me motivated and charged during tough times is listening to music. It has the power to uplift my spirits and provide the energy and motivation to push through challenges.
What lifts your spirits when life gets you down
What lifts my spirits when life gets me down is spending quality time with friends and loved ones. Their support and companionship can be incredibly uplifting during difficult times.
Your go-to stress buster
My go-to stress buster is practicing mindfulness and meditation. Taking a few moments to center myself and focus on the present helps me reduce stress and find inner peace.
Brands
Muthoot FinCorp names Arun Kumar COO & Harjit Singh Takkar chief distribution officer
Leadership hires to boost operations and widen pan-India reach
THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Muthoot FinCorp has strengthened its top deck with the appointment of Arun Kumar B as chief operating officer and Harjit Singh Takkar as chief distribution officer, sharpening its focus on scale, speed and service as it pushes into its next phase of growth.
The flagship financial services arm of the 138-year-old Muthoot Pappachan Group, popularly known as Muthoot Blue, is expanding both muscle and mindset. With more than 3,750 branches nationwide and its digital platform, the Muthoot FinCorp ONE app, the company is betting on tighter execution and wider reach to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive lending market.
Arun Kumar B steps in with nearly two decades of experience cutting across financial services, technology transformation and customer analytics. He previously worked with CreditAccess Grameen, where he led enterprise-wide technology and data strategy initiatives and played a pivotal role during a major merger in the microfinance space. His work spanned integrating operations and products while scaling lending and non-credit offerings such as insurance and pensions.
At Muthoot FinCorp, Arun will steer operational excellence and strategic growth initiatives, aligning teams and processes to deliver sharper efficiency across the business. A gold medallist from Anna University and a postgraduate from IIM Indore, he also holds certifications in design thinking, Blue Ocean Strategy and business analytics.
Harjit Singh Takkar takes on the newly created role of chief distribution officer, reporting directly to the chief executive officer. The position is designed to energise the company’s distribution engine and bring greater governance and agility across its branch network.
Takkar brings over 28 years of retail banking experience, having held senior leadership roles at IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank, Yes Bank and ICICI Bank. Known for scaling branch networks and building high-performing teams, he combines distribution expertise with governance depth as a qualified company secretary with a master’s degree in finance and control.
In his new role, Takkar will oversee branch business and distribution channels, with a clear brief to expand reach, lift productivity and reinforce the company’s pan-India presence.
Commenting on the appointments, Muthoot FinCorp Ltd. chief executive officer Shaji Varghese, said the company continues to invest in leadership as it scales. “Our purpose is to improve the financial well-being of the common man. As we grow, strengthening leadership across key functions is important to ensure consistency in execution and customer experience,” he said.
With complementary strengths in operations and distribution now in place, Muthoot FinCorp appears set to move from steady expansion to sharper acceleration, backed by people, process and technology working in concert.
