Karur Vysya Bank

The story begins in 1916 in Karur, a textile town in Tamil Nadu, India. Two local visionaries, M.A. Venkatarama Chettiar and Athi Krishna Chettiar, saw a need. They wanted to provide financial support to the local traders and agriculturists who were the backbone of their community. With an initial capital of just one lakh rupees, they founded Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) to serve this previously untapped market. From its inception, the bank was built on a foundation of community trust and steady growth. It focused on the specific needs of small businesses and farmers, a strategy that fostered deep, multi-generational customer relationships. This customer-centric approach proved successful, and the bank began to expand. By 1965, KVB had grown strong enough to acquire four other local banks. Unlike many other private banks of its era, KVB was able to maintain its independence and was not part of the government's nationalization wave in the 1980s. The modern era for KVB began with its listing on the National Stock Exchange in July 2000, a major milestone that opened it up to public investment. The bank embraced technology, computerizing all its branches by 2004 to improve efficiency and customer service. It continued its journey of steady expansion, growing from a single branch to a network of over 800 branches across India, consistently rewarding shareholders and maintaining profitability since it was founded.