LIFESTYLE
Meet the
bankers
Dr Mathai
Vaidyan, a
banker since
1979, is General
Manager of
the State Bank
of India, the
largest bank
in the South
Asian country,
with 23 000 branches and 232 000
employees. He also serves as
Regional Head for Africa and CEO of
the bank’s operations in South Africa.
In his banking career, Dr Vaidyan helped establish
the State Bank of India’s life insurance division, SBI
Life Insurance and SBI Gilts, a primary dealer in
government bonds. In the early 1980s he was posted
to Los Angeles as Credit Officer of the bank. In his
time in the US he managed to complete a Doctorate
in Business Administration by the age of 30.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
I was born in the province of Kerala in India, in 1956. Kerala is
known worldwide as God’s own country because it is very beautiful.
It is where St Thomas, the disciple of Jesus Christ, came and started
Christianity in India.
HOW DID YOU BECOME A BANKER?
I did a Bachelor of Commerce and Masters of Commerce at
the University of Kerala, India. As