Meera Sanyal

{{Infobox person

| image = Meerasanyal1.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = Meera Hiranandani

| birth_date = {{birth date |df=yes|1961|10|15}}

| title = CEO and Chair of the Royal Bank of Scotland (India)

| term = 1983-2013

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2019|01|11|1961|10|15}}

| birth_place = Cochin, Kerala, India

| death_place = Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

| parents = Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani
Banu Hiranandani

| party = Aam Aadmi Party

| spouse = Ashish J Sanyal

| children =

| alma_mater = Cathedral and John Connon School
University of Mumbai
INSEAD

| website = {{URL|meerasanyal.com}}

}}

Meera Sanyal (née Hiranandani; 15 October 1961 – 11 January 2019) was an Indian banker and politician. She was CEO and chair of the Royal Bank of Scotland in India. The daughter of a highly decorated Naval officer, Vice Admiral Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani, she was involved in banking for over 30 years before stepping down from RBS to stand as the Aam Aadmi Party candidate in South Mumbai in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, which she lost. She had earlier contested as an independent candidate in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from the Mumbai South constituency.

She was on the board of Pradan, an Indian NGO that works to empower women through entrepreneurship and on the international board of Right to Play. She was also on the boards of Jai Hind College and the Indian Liberal Group.[http://www.cppr.in/uncategorized/talk-on-governance-by-meera-sanyal-former-country-head-of-rbs/ Talk on Governance by Meera Sanyal, Former Country Head of RBS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529052144/http://www.cppr.in/uncategorized/talk-on-governance-by-meera-sanyal-former-country-head-of-rbs/ |date=29 May 2014 }}, CPPR She was a member of various national committees at the CII and FICCI. She was the former chairperson of the Indian Advisory Board of AIESEC, the world's largest student organisation. On 11 January 2019, Sanyal died of cancer.

Early life

Sanyal was born in 1961 to Indian Navy officer, Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani, and his wife, Banu Hiranandani; a Sindhi family who migrated from Sindh to India at the time of the Partition of India. Her father was the mastermind of Operation Trident, the crippling Naval attack on Karachi, Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article14650.ece|title=Vice-Admiral Hiranandani cremated with full Naval honours|newspaper=The Hindu|date=3 September 2009|accessdate=13 January 2012}}

Sanyal graduated in commerce (B.Com.) from Sydenham college Bombay in 1982 with an MBA from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France,{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20080616-iron-maidens-736487-2008-06-04|title=Iron maidens|last=Subramanyam|first=Chitra|last2=Ahmed|first2=Bushra|date=4 June 2008|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=13 January 2019|last3=Malhotra|first3=Purvi|last4=Khatri|first4=Deepika}} in 1983. She attended the six-week Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2006. She was a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (UK).{{Cite web|url=https://amritt.com/india-business-guide/meera-sanyal/|title=Meera Sanyal {{!}} Prominent Indian Women Executives {{!}} India Business Women|website=Amritt, Inc.|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-13}}

Professional and public life

After a 30-year banking career, Sanyal stepped down from her position as CEO and chairperson of Royal Bank of Scotland India, in 2013, to focus on public service.{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-10/news/38434030_1_milind-deora-mecklai-financial-services-south-mumbai|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414005407/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-10/news/38434030_1_milind-deora-mecklai-financial-services-south-mumbai|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 April 2013|title=Meera Sanyal to quit Royal Bank of Scotland for a full-time career in politics|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=10 April 2013|author=Anita Bhoir|agency=ET Bureau|page=1}} During her time at the bank, she mentored the MicroFinance program, which financed over 650,000 women in rural India. She also chaired the bank's Foundation, providing livelihood assistance to 75,000 women-led households in threatened ecosystems.{{cite web|title=Meera Sanyal Interview- Globalinvesther|url=http://www.globalinvesther.com/women-leaders-in-the-spotlight/women-in-leadership-series-an-interview-with-meera-h-sanyal-indian-public-figure-former-ceo-of-rbs-india/|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320174840/http://www.globalinvesther.com/women-leaders-in-the-spotlight/women-in-leadership-series-an-interview-with-meera-h-sanyal-indian-public-figure-former-ceo-of-rbs-india/|archivedate=20 March 2014}} Her banking career was distinguished both in India and overseas. She was the head of Corporate Finance and later the COO for ABN AMRO in Asia. She also started and led the global BPO and ITes for ABN AMRO / RBS in India.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Sanyal was a board member of Pradan,{{cite web|url=http://www.pradan.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=10|title=Meera Sanyal on Pradan board|date=31 January 2014|website=Pradan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140423072729/http://www.pradan.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=10|archive-date=23 April 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=18 March 2014}}{{cite web | title=Meera Sanyal, Former Banker And AAP Leader, Dies At 57 | website=Outlook (India) | date=2019-07-06 | url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-meera-sanyal-former-banker-and-aap-leader-dies-at-57/323388 | access-date=2019-07-07}} a member of the International Board of Right To Play, a global NGO. She was also a board member of LiberalsIndia for Good Governance – the Indian Liberal Group, and was on the supervisory board of Jaihind College. She was a member of various National Committees of both FICCI and CII. In 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, invited her as the sole Indian representative on her International Council on Women's Business Leadership.{{cite web|url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/meera-sanyal/36/61/974|title=Meera Sanyal LinkedIn profile}}{{Primary source inline|date=January 2019}}

She was invited to speak at global seminars including:{{cite web |url=http://www.meerasanyal.com |title=Meera Sanyal |publisher=Meera Sanyal |accessdate=22 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322140959/http://www.meerasanyal.com/ |archivedate=22 March 2014 }}{{Primary source inline|date=January 2019}}

Climate Summit in Copenhagen
Swedish Agency for Economic & Regional Growth{{cite web |url=http://barrskog.se/894/ |title=Golden Rules of Leadership – Tillsammans skapar vi bättre möjligheter |publisher=Barrskog Konsult |date=23 April 2013 |accessdate=22 March 2014 |language=sv |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407105038/http://barrskog.se/894/ |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=live }}
Women of the Future summit in the UK{{cite web|title=The women of Future Summit, UK|url=http://summit.womenofthefuture.co.uk/#speakers|access-date=20 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407031712/http://summit.womenofthefuture.co.uk/#speakers|archive-date=7 April 2014|url-status=live}}
Asian Institute of Finance, Kuala Lumpur{{cite web|title=AIF symposium speakers list|url=http://www.symposium.aif.org.my/speaker.html|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317040434/http://www.symposium.aif.org.my/speaker.html|archivedate=17 March 2014}}
Nikkei Summit for Asian Women Leaders, Tokyo
Global Competitiveness Summit, Seoul, Korea

Political life

Sanyal stood in 2009 as an independent candidate for the Lok Sabha elections in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks but lost the election.Anita Bhoir, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130414005407/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-04-10/news/38434030_1_milind-deora-mecklai-financial-services-south-mumbai Meera Sanyal to quit Royal Bank of Scotland for a full-time career in politics] The Economic Times, 10 April 2013 Along with her husband, she campaigned and raised funds for the AAP in the 2013 Delhi elections.{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Meera-Sanyal-canvassing-for-AAP/articleshow/24557502.cms |title=Meera Sanyal canvassing for AAP |work=Times of India |date=23 October 2013 |accessdate=8 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810091536/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Meera-Sanyal-canvassing-for-AAP/articleshow/24557502.cms |archive-date=10 August 2014 |url-status=live }} She was a member of AAP's National Committee on Economic Policy.{{cite news|title=AAP's National Economic Committee|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/arvind-kejriwals-aap-forms-panel-to-finalise-economic-policy/1219227|newspaper=The Financial Express|date=19 January 2014|access-date=20 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322050430/http://www.financialexpress.com/news/arvind-kejriwals-aap-forms-panel-to-finalise-economic-policy/1219227|archive-date=22 March 2014|url-status=live}}

In May 2014, Sanyal contested 2014 Lok Sabha election from the Mumbai South constituency, as an Aam Aadmi Party candidate.{{cite web|url=http://www.aamaadmiparty.org/lok-sabha-elections-2014-first-candidate-list|title=Meera Sanyal on AAP candidate list|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320180547/http://aamaadmiparty.org/lok-sabha-elections-2014-first-candidate-list|archivedate=20 March 2014}} She lost, receiving 5.2%[http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/arvind-kejriwals-aap-needs-a-future-plan-fatigue-sets-in-for-partys-small-time-drama/articleshow/35568186.cms Arvind Kejriwal's AAP needs a future plan; fatigue sets in for party's small-time drama] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528143504/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/arvind-kejriwals-aap-needs-a-future-plan-fatigue-sets-in-for-partys-small-time-drama/articleshow/35568186.cms |date=28 May 2014 }} The Economic Times of the vote cast in South Mumbai constituency, trailing at fourth position behind Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena candidate, winner), Milind Deora (INC candidate) and Bala Nandgaokar (MNS candidate).[http://eciresults.ap.nic.in/ConstituencywiseS1331.htm?ac=31 Maharashtra – Mumbai South, Results Declared] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529051537/http://eciresults.ap.nic.in/ConstituencywiseS1331.htm?ac=31 |date=29 May 2014 }} Election Commission of India, 2014

Death

On 11 January 2019, Sanyal died due to cancer after two years of treatment.{{cite news|title=Meera Sanyal, Top Banker-Turned-AAP Leader, Dies After Battling Cancer|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/meera-sanyal-banker-turned-aap-leader-dies-after-battling-cancer-1976605|last=Nair|first=Arun|website=NDTV|date=12 January 2019|accessdate=12 January 2019}}

References

External links

{{Official website|http://www.meerasanyal.com}}
[http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200903202188.htm Banking to Politics – The Hindu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104014909/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200903202188.htm |date=4 November 2012 }}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20090307183423/http://www.snmcpn.org/RBS-wildlife-awards-2008.html Sanctuary Awards 2008] (archived 7 March 2009)
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080907021300/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/History/2000s/Hiranandani.pdf Admiral Hiranandani] (archived 7 September 2008)

Category:1961 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:Women in Maharashtra politics

Category:Aam Aadmi Party candidates in the 2014 Indian general election

Category:INSEAD alumni

Category:Politicians from Kochi

Category:Indian women bankers

Category:Indian Sindhi people

Category:Indian bankers

Category:Aam Aadmi Party politicians

Category:Businesspeople from Kochi

Category:Indian women business executives