Meera Sanyal
Encyclopedia
Meera H Sanyal is a banking professional in India
, who was an Independent candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha
polls from the Mumbai South Constituency
. She is the President of the Indian Liberal Group
, Liberals for Good Governance a Group of Active Citizens working towards Good Governance in India.
(retd.) G M Hiranandani, a gallantry award winner and author of several publications on Indian Naval history, he had also served in the Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC). Meera studied in Fort Convent in Mumbai, Loreto Convent, Delhi and completed her schooling at Cathedral & John Connon, Mumbai. She graduated with a B.Com degree from Sydenham College, Mumbai and then went to France for an MBA at INSEAD. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institue of bankers UK, and in 2006 completed an Advanced Mangaement Program at Harvard Business School.
. Prior to this, she was the Chief Operations Officer
for the Asia Pacific. In 2001, she set up ACES, the bank's Global Shared Services company. In 1992 she joined the bank to head up its Investment banking
division from Lazards.
Through the activities of the RBS Foundation, which Meera chairs, several projects that aim both to alleviate poverty
and conserve biodiversity
(especially in endangered tiger
habitats), as well as promote watersheds
and sequester carbon through working with tribals and marginal farmers in degraded land areas have been undertaken.
In recognition of her initiatives on Financial Inclusion & Sustainability, she has been appointed the Chairperson of FICCI's Financial Inclusion Committee and nominated to TERI's Business Sustainability Council
Meera has a deep interest in education and skill development and serves on the National Advisory Board of AIESEC India, and is a Board Member of Jaihind College in Mumbai.
In Sept 2011, she was invited by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to join her International Council of Women Business Leaders, which focuses on the economic empowerment of women for global economic prosperity and which meets annually at the State Dept in Washington DC.
On being asked her reasons for this step, she stated that as a citizen
of India
and a resident of Mumbai
, she had witnessed the steady decline of the city in spite of it being a treasure trove of talent
and entrepreneurship
. She said that she believed with good Governance Mumbai could easily become the world class city that it has the potential to be. The traumatic events in Mumbai
and the failure of the state to respond cemented her resolve and take the decision to fight the 2009 General Elections from the constituency
of Mumbai South
.
Though she lost, her campaign inspired many others to believe that they could and should participate in the democratic electoral process if they wished to bring about change in India.
Post the election, Meera resumed her Banking Career but retains a keen interest in Public Policy & Governance, Financial Inclusion & Women's empowerment. She heads the Indian Liberal Group - Liberals for Good Governance, a not for Profit Organisation, that provides a platform for like minded Indian Liberals and Active Citizens to work within their local communities to improve the quality of life and state of Governance.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, who was an Independent candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
polls from the Mumbai South Constituency
Mumbai South (Lok Sabha Constituency)
Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra state in western India.-Assembly segments:...
. She is the President of the Indian Liberal Group
Indian Liberal Group
The Indian Liberal Group is a think tank founded in 1965 by Minoo Masani, author and parliamentarian, to promote the Liberal point of view and educate the public on the concept of Liberalism. Its Headquarters is in Mumbai and banker Meera Sanyal serves as the current President.- Organization...
, Liberals for Good Governance a Group of Active Citizens working towards Good Governance in India.
Personal life
Meera is the daughter of late Vice AdmiralAdmiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
(retd.) G M Hiranandani, a gallantry award winner and author of several publications on Indian Naval history, he had also served in the Union Public Service Commission
Union Public Service Commission
The Union Public Service Commission is the central agency authorized to conduct the Civil Services Examination for entry-level appointments to the various Civil Services of India. The agency's charter is granted by the Constitution of India...
(UPSC). Meera studied in Fort Convent in Mumbai, Loreto Convent, Delhi and completed her schooling at Cathedral & John Connon, Mumbai. She graduated with a B.Com degree from Sydenham College, Mumbai and then went to France for an MBA at INSEAD. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institue of bankers UK, and in 2006 completed an Advanced Mangaement Program at Harvard Business School.
Professional life
A professional banker since 1984, Meera is the Chairperson and Country Executive for RBS) in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Prior to this, she was the Chief Operations Officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
for the Asia Pacific. In 2001, she set up ACES, the bank's Global Shared Services company. In 1992 she joined the bank to head up its Investment banking
Investment banking
An investment bank is a financial institution that assists individuals, corporations and governments in raising capital by underwriting and/or acting as the client's agent in the issuance of securities...
division from Lazards.
Through the activities of the RBS Foundation, which Meera chairs, several projects that aim both to alleviate poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and conserve biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
(especially in endangered tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
habitats), as well as promote watersheds
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
and sequester carbon through working with tribals and marginal farmers in degraded land areas have been undertaken.
In recognition of her initiatives on Financial Inclusion & Sustainability, she has been appointed the Chairperson of FICCI's Financial Inclusion Committee and nominated to TERI's Business Sustainability Council
Meera has a deep interest in education and skill development and serves on the National Advisory Board of AIESEC India, and is a Board Member of Jaihind College in Mumbai.
In Sept 2011, she was invited by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to join her International Council of Women Business Leaders, which focuses on the economic empowerment of women for global economic prosperity and which meets annually at the State Dept in Washington DC.
Public Life
In 2009, Meera's decision to stand as an independent candidate from South Mumbai attracted considerable national and international media attention. Standing against two sitting MP's (Congress Petroleum Minister Murli Deora's son Milind and Shiv Sena's Mohan Rawale) and 18 other candidates, she became a symbol for the "new clean" politician that many Indians aspired to vote for.On being asked her reasons for this step, she stated that as a citizen
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and a resident of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, she had witnessed the steady decline of the city in spite of it being a treasure trove of talent
Skilled worker
A skilled worker is any worker who has some special skill, knowledge, or ability in their work. A skilled worker may have attended a college, university or technical school. Or, a skilled worker may have learned their skills on the job...
and entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
. She said that she believed with good Governance Mumbai could easily become the world class city that it has the potential to be. The traumatic events in Mumbai
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
and the failure of the state to respond cemented her resolve and take the decision to fight the 2009 General Elections from the constituency
Mumbai South (Lok Sabha Constituency)
Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra state in western India.-Assembly segments:...
of Mumbai South
Mumbai South (Lok Sabha Constituency)
Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra state in western India.-Assembly segments:...
.
Though she lost, her campaign inspired many others to believe that they could and should participate in the democratic electoral process if they wished to bring about change in India.
Post the election, Meera resumed her Banking Career but retains a keen interest in Public Policy & Governance, Financial Inclusion & Women's empowerment. She heads the Indian Liberal Group - Liberals for Good Governance, a not for Profit Organisation, that provides a platform for like minded Indian Liberals and Active Citizens to work within their local communities to improve the quality of life and state of Governance.
Education
- AMP Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business SchoolHarvard Business SchoolHarvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, Class ValedictorianValedictorianValedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
October 2006 - FCIB: Fellow Chartered Institute of Bankers, UK, February 1996
- ACIB: Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, UK, February 1989
- MBA: INSEADINSEADINSEAD is an international graduate business school and research institution. It has campuses in Europe , Asia , and the Middle East , as well as a research center in Israel...
, FontainebleauFontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; Graduated with Honors on the Deans List December 1983 - B. Com.Bachelor of CommerceA Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
: Sydenham CollegeSydenham CollegeSydenham College or Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics is the first college of commerce in Asia.It is an institute in Mumbai , affiliated to the University of Bombay, and offering undergraduate degrees in commerce and undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in management...
, Mumbai University ;Graduated with DistinctionDistinction*Distinction may refer to:* Distinction is a social force that places different values on different individuals....
, ranked 7th in the University, May 1982 - H.S.C.: A level equivalent Cathedral and John Connon SchoolCathedral and John Connon SchoolThe Cathedral and John Connon School is a co-educational, private school located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, established in 1860.According to the Education World-C fore Survey of Schools 2010, the school has been ranked first in the all India ranking of the best schools in India.It was ranked...
, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
; Ranked 1st in school with distinction in all subjects April 1979 - I.C.S.E.: O Level equivalent Loreto Convent, New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
; Ranked 1st in school and in the top 100 in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. December 1976
Awards
- Philanthrophist of the Year 2011 FICCI iCONGO Confederation of NGOs.
- Woman of Substance Award 2010 Rotary Club of India
- Karmaveer PuraskaarKarmaveer PuraskaarThe Karmaveer Puraskaar are National People's Awards for Citizen Social Justice and Action instituted by the citizens and people of India. These awards are instituted by iCONGO- Confederation of NGOs – a Public-Private-People partnership in association with other partners from industry, media,...
2008 (Award for the best Corporate Executive Citizen) iCONGO Confederation of NGOs.
- Woman Banker of the Year 2006 Indian Merchants Chamber.
- AIESECAIESECAIESEC is a global youth organisation that develops leadership capabilities through their internal leadership programmes and engaging students and graduates in international student exchange and internship programmes for profit and non-profit organisations. Its international office is in...
Hall of FameHall of FameA hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
Award AIESECAIESECAIESEC is a global youth organisation that develops leadership capabilities through their internal leadership programmes and engaging students and graduates in international student exchange and internship programmes for profit and non-profit organisations. Its international office is in...
International Congress, PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...