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Visa appoints Rishi Chhabra as vice president, head of Merchant Sales & Acquiring (MS&A), India and South Asia
Mumbai: Visa (NYSE: V) has announced the appointment of Rishi Chhabra as vice president, head of Merchant Sales & Acquiring (MS&A), India and South Asia. In this role, he will lead the Merchant Acquiring and CyberSource strategy and its implementation in India and South Asia. He will be instrumental in charting the strategic direction for and leading the local MS&A teams for Visa in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.
Prior to joining Visa, Chhabra has held executive leadership positions at companies like Fiserv (erstwhile First Data Corp.), PayPal and JP Morgan. Rishi is a proud alumnus of Visa, having previously spent over three years as a business leader in the US Small Business Product team. In his most recent role at Fiserv, he served as country head and general manager for the India and Sri Lanka markets. Shailesh Paul, who till recently led the merchant sales & acquiring team for India and South Asia, has now moved to Singapore in the role of vice president, global small business solutions for Visa.
“I am delighted to welcome Rishi to the Visa family. With over two decades of experience across the financial services and payments sectors, Rishi brings a strong multidisciplinary background to his role in Visa. His expertise will help in spearheading various strategic client-centric initiatives and strengthening the digital payments acceptance ecosystem in India and South Asia”, said Visa’s Group country manager, India & South Asia, Sandeep Ghosh.
“I am excited to join a dynamic global leader like Visa and feel energised to take over this role. Given the accelerated adoption of digital payments in the country and the subcontinent, I feel there is no better time than now for the brand’s promise to deliver an inclusive, sustainable and secure approach to empower people, businesses, partners and customers,” said Chhabra.
Chhabra has a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the Ohio State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mumbai. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters and as a travel and sports enthusiast, loves to play tennis and cricket regularly.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
