Profile of Board of Directors


Mr. Satish Kumar Kalra
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Satish Kumar Kalra recently took the helm as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB), an appointment approved by both the NESFB board and the Reserve Bank of India. His arrival at NESFB marks a significant phase in the bank's journey toward enhanced operational excellence and strategic expansion, especially during the ongoing merger with the fintech company, slice.
Mr. Kalra brings with him an extensive background in banking, with over four decades of experience in the industry. His career began at Allahabad Bank, where he managed various key roles across zones and branches, notably leading the international and industrial finance branch and the treasury department.
He later joined Andhra Bank, where he significantly contributed as the Executive Director and briefly served as the Managing Director & CEO (In-charge). During his tenure, he was instrumental in driving the bank's growth with a notable 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% in credit disbursal, substantially higher than the industry average. His areas of expertise include Treasury Management, Non-Performing Asset (NPA) Credit Management, and Risk Management, all of which have been crucial in his substantial contributions to the banks he has served.
In addition to his banking roles, Mr. Kalra has held several prestigious positions as an independent director with organizations such as PNB GILTS Ltd., Indbank Merchant Banking Services Ltd., JK Cement Limited, and CAN FIN Homes Ltd. His vast experience also includes serving on the Board of Directors at India First Life Insurance Co Ltd as a nominee director.
At his new role at NESFB, Mr. Kalra is overseeing significant strategic initiatives including the bank's asset management and branch operations. His leadership is expected to fortify the bank's stability and drive substantial growth, aligning with the highest standards of governance and regulatory compliance. His focused oversight on the integration process with slice will aim to ensure operational optimization and a seamless cultural merger, promising a robust future for NESFB under his stewardship.


Mr. Rajan Bajaj
Executive Director

Rajan Bajaj is the Founder of slice, India's leading consumer payments and lending company, which, effective 27th October 2024, has merged with North East Small Finance Bank (NESFB). As the newly appointed Executive Director of NESFB, Rajan is set to build India’s first AI-driven, digital-first bank, placing customer experience at its core. This merger marks a pivotal milestone in India’s financial landscape, combining the innovation of a leading fintech with the trusted foundation of a traditional banking institution.
Rajan’s strategic acumen led slice to secure integral regulatory approvals to successfully complete this merger and move closer to realizing his vision of creating India’s Most Loved Bank. The new merged entity sets the foundation for building India’s foremost tech-driven bank, prioritizing stability, risk management, and a robust governance framework as its key pillars.


Dr. Ram Krishna Garg, PhD.
Independent Director

Dr. Ram Krishna Garg, PhD. Superannuated as Chief General Manager (Risk Management), from State Bank of India, in April 2013, after heading the Bank’s North East Operations for two years. He has vast experience in setting up New Companies for State Bank, resolving Stressed Assets for the Bank, managing High Value Industrial credit, Heading the Bank’s Risk Management function, heading challenging banking operations not only in India but also abroad with responsibilities over Retail Banking including SME, Agri, HR, and International Banking. He has also been associated with several companies, while in service and after retirement as well.
Dr . Garg is an Honours Graduate in Physics, with a Management Post Graduate degree from Banaras Hindu University. While he is a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers, he was awarded Doctorate by Gauhati University, for his thesis on “A study of Enterprises based in North Eastern states, based on their credit rating “in April 2015. He has undergone several professional development programmes in Top ranking Indian and International Management Institutes


Mr. K. V. Eapen
Independent Director

Mr. K.V. Eapen is an independent director on the board of NESFB. A retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, he brings over 35 years of experience in public service, having served in key administrative, financial, and governance roles at the state, central, and international levels. Throughout his career, Mr. Eapen has been instrumental in driving administrative reforms, shaping financial policies, and strengthening governance frameworks within the Indian government.
He has held senior leadership positions in the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Commerce, where he contributed to advancing public sector banking, promoting financial inclusion, and supporting regulatory development. Internationally, he represented India as a senior advisor at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing valuable insights on global financial governance.
In addition to his work at the central level, Mr. Eapen played a significant role in the state governance of Assam and Meghalaya, where he led departments responsible for finance, planning, power, and infrastructure development. He also served as an administrative member at the Central Administrative Tribunal; adjudicating service matters related to central government employees.
Mr. Eapen’s board-level experience includes directorships in public sector banks such as Union Bank of India, along with other financial institutions and governance bodies, adding depth to his expertise in financial oversight and institutional governance. His experience in governance, financial policy, and public sector banking strengthens NESFB’s strategic direction and governance standards. Mr. Eapen holds an MSc in macro-economic policy and planning from the University of Bradford, UK, a post-graduate diploma in business management and policy from MDI Gurgaon, an MA in economics from the Delhi School of Economics, and a BA (Hons) in economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.


Ms. Manjula Saikia Bhuyan, IAS (Retd.)
Independent Director

Ms. Manjula Saikia Bhuyan is a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from SV Regional College, Surat (NIT) and has 36 years of experience in the field of Industrial Sector particularly in agriculture & rural economy, Small Scale industry.
As an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer she worked various vital position as Joint Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Additional Secretary, Industries & Commerce Deptt and retired as Secretary, Industries & Commerce and Transport Deptt.


Mr. Tapan Kumar Hazarika
Independent Director

Mr. Tapan Kr Hazarika has wide experience of Agri-Banking sector having worked with NABARD and retired as Chief General Manager. He has a Master’s Degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi.
During his stint with NABARD, he was looking after Corporate Planning, Business Strategy & Development, Rural Credits and monitoring of promotional programmes. He was instrumental in drafting, finalizing (and coordinating with DFS, MoF) various budget proposals relating to promotion of rural credit/ development for incorporation in the (Annual)Union Budget of GoI.
He played a key role as member in various Corporate Level Committees viz. Management Committee, Investment Committee, ALCO etc. besides being member in the Board of Supervision (BoS) for State Co-operative Banks (StCBs), District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) responsible for providing directions and guidance on matters related to supervision and inspection and review of inspection findings of these banks and suggesting appropriate measures.


Mr. Ashish Fafadia
Nominee Director

Mr. Ashish Fafadia, currently a Managing Partner at Blume Ventures, oversees the fintech and growth portfolios, actively supporting the development of notable portfolio companies such as slice, Purplle, Turtlemint, Jai Kisan, and Stellapps. Blume Ventures has become a vital player in India’s startup ecosystem by investing in and nurturing transformational ventures and visionary founders, having contributed to the growth of over 100 startups across various geographies and sectors. Mr. Fafadia also leads fundraising initiatives for Blume’s core, opportunity, and continuity funds across the MENA region, Southeast Asia, and India. He is a Chartered Accountant (CA) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and has over 20+ years of experience in the venture capital and private equity industry establishing himself as a seasoned finance professional.
A member of Blume’s leadership since 2012, Mr. Fafadia has been instrumental in developing Blume’s platform team and in founding Constellation Blu, a transaction and financial advisory firm. His contributions have been key to expanding Blume’s capabilities and impact.
Mr. Fafadia’s expertise as a thought leader in venture capital, captured in Blume’s Future of Money report and Fintech thesis, is complemented by his active involvement with industry bodies like IVCA and the PEVC CFO association. This deep understanding of fintech and growth strategies will bring valuable insights to NESFB, helping the bank strengthen its strategic direction and innovate in financial solutions.
As a Chartered Accountant and Company Secretary, Mr. Fafadia has also contributed as a speaker and visiting faculty at top business schools. Based in Mumbai, he brings over a decade of prior experience from Times Group, Standard Chartered Bank, and State Bank of India, positioning him to provide NESFB with high-impact financial guidance and sector expertise.


Mr. SHRIMOHAN YADAV
Independent Director

Mr. Shrimohan Yadav is an Advisor in the Financial Services space with an experience of 29 years in Reserve Bank of India, wherein he worked in diverse areas including Supervision, Regulation, Rural Development, Financial Inclusion, Human Resources Management, etc.
As Chief General Manager of Department of Regulation for 5 years, he headed divisions handling matters relating to ownership and licensing of private sector banks (Universal Banks/ Small Finance Banks/ Payments Banks); acquisitions in banks/NBFCs/HFCs/ARCs; amalgamation and restructuring of banks under stress; merger of NBFCs with private sector banks; and governance related issues (including executive compensation practices, constitution of board and board committees) in banks and NBFCs. He spearheaded the discussions with Government of India on privatization/divestment of public sector banks.
He was the lead manager and key contributor of ‘Internal Working Group to Review Extant Ownership Guidelines and Corporate Structure for Indian Private Sector Banks’ (2020) and ‘Discussion Paper on Governance in Banks’ (2020), instructions on governance in banks (2021). He was member of ‘Compensation Monitoring Contact Group’ of the Financial Stability Board, Basel, Switzerland. He was also a member of an Expert Committee set up by Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI). He is also member of Insurance Advisory Committee, set up by IRDAI
Prior to joining RBI, he worked with a large Public Sector Bank for 7 years and gained experience in credit and financing. He is also an MBA and CAIIB (Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers).


Mr. Samit Shankar Shetty
Independent Director

Mr. Samit Shankar Shetty is an accomplished finance professional with a distinguished career spanning over two decades, characterized by successful entrepreneurship, specializing in microfinance, NBFC management and strategic leadership. He has demonstrated success in founding and managing financial institutions, driving, digital lending initiatives, and executing mergers and acquisitions. He has proven his ability in leading teams toward organizational growth, adept at leveraging technical expertise in finance and risk management to achieve business objectives. He has experience in Microfinance and NBFC operations, Strategic leadership, Mergers and acquisition, Business development. Supply chain management, Entrepreneurship, Regulatory Compliance.
He is the Founder and Director of Alfenas Natural Solutions Pvt. Ltd. & New Soul Restoration Pvt. Ltd. Both these new companies work in the space of Agro- Forestry and private reforestation. These firms are trying to bring private capital to manage shared lands for sustainable farming, tourism and forestry. He was earlier the Vice President of M&A and Strategy in Navi Technologies Ltd where he provided strategic guidance on integration processes and post-acquisition operations for the health insurance and mutual fund business. He was also the CEO and Managing Director of Navi Finsrev from March 2020 to February 2021 and started digital lending focussing on personal loans and housing finance products. Key focus areas in Navi Finserv, was to enhance customer experience, stabilise credit risk, onboarding automation and fraud detection.
He Co-Founded Chaitanya India Microfinance in 2009 and was its Managing Director from April 2014 to March 2020. Chaitanya is a rural-focussed microfinance NBFC, he led the company till its strategic sale to Navi Group. He established & managed another NBFC, Chaitanya Rural Intermediations (CRIDS) specializing in two-wheeler and housing loans. Chaitanya's MFI operations scaled to 7 States with 250 branches under his leadership. Before setting up Chaitanya he was a Partner at IGSA Solutions Private limited from October 2008. His Managerial experience was with the Singapore Based Commodity Major "Olam International Group" from 1999-2008. As the Country Manager of Brazil at Olam International from 2004 to 2008 he started Olam's Coffee Business operations in Brazil, scaling it from scratch to a turnover of close to $200 million USD, managing a diverse multi national team. He has worked with Olam in Tanzania, and Cote d’Ivore, contributing the Company’s global expansion and market leadership in coffee. He has been on the Board of several reputed Companies. He has been associated with NESFB since 28/03/2024.


Mr. Nikhil Sachdev
Nominee Director

Mr. Nikhil Sachdev is a Managing Director at Insight Partners, where he helps lead investments in high-growth software and fintech companies, supporting their journey from initial funding stages to significant growth phases. With over 17 years of experience, he has a specialized focus on investments within software and fintech, drawing on extensive knowledge of both technology and finance. Insight Partners has invested in more than 800 companies worldwide, over 55 of which have successfully reached IPO status. Mr. Sachdev brings a valuable global perspective through his collaboration with founders across the United States, Europe, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. He holds a BA with Honors in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Mr. Sachdev began his career at Goldman Sachs, advising technology companies in cloud and mobile sectors, which laid the groundwork for his expertise in the field. He then moved to Bain Capital, where he applied an operational focus to investments, emphasizing sustainable growth. His interest in impactful business strategies led him to Harvard Business School, where he worked with a Sequoia-backed startup, reinforcing his commitment to technology and venture capital.
At Altimeter Capital, Mr. Sachdev held the role of Partner, leading investments across software, cloud infrastructure, online marketplaces, and other high-growth areas. This role solidified his skills in identifying and supporting successful businesses. Mr. Sachdev’s experience in investment and growth strategy becomes an asset to NESFB as the bank continues its journey of growth and transformation. His expertise is expected to contribute significantly to NESFB’s strategic direction and long-term value creation.


Mr. Eugene Karthak
Independent Director

Mr. Eugene Karthak brings decades of leadership experience in regulatory governance, banking supervision, and strategic oversight. He most notably served as Executive Director at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), where he was responsible for leading critical departments including Information Technology and Corporate Services. In his tenure at RBI, he held key leadership roles as Regional Director in Delhi and Bengaluru, where he was instrumental in driving regulatory compliance, productivity, and policy implementation across multiple banking institutions.
Mr. Karthak’s extensive contributions to India’s financial sector include leading financial inclusion initiatives as Chief General Manager at RBI Kolkata, covering the states of West Bengal, Sikkim, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Throughout his RBI career, he was an active member of several high-level committees such as the Change Control Board, DG's Committee, ED's Committee, and the Building Sub-Committee, contributing to strategic decision-making at the highest levels.
In addition to his regulatory leadership, Mr. Karthak served as RBI’s Nominee Director on the Board of Andhra Bank, participating in critical governance functions through the Audit, Remuneration, IT, and Management Committees. He also brings experience in independent governance through his previous role as Independent Director at Jana Small Finance Bank, where he provided strategic oversight and board-level leadership. He currently serves as Director at the Indian Institute of Bank Management, Guwahati, further contributing to capacity building in the banking sector.
Mr. Karthak’s deep expertise in regulatory frameworks, operational governance, and strategic leadership makes him a valuable asset as NESFB continues its journey of transformation and responsible growth. Mr. Karthak is a graduate of St. Stephens College, Delhi University and completed his Post graduation from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He has also completed an Executive Programme focused on management from Graduate School of Business, Stanford University and University of Maryland, Washington.