Dr. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan is the MLA for Madurai Central Constituency in the 15th & 16th Legislative Assemblies of Tamil Nadu. He currently serves as the Minister for Finance & Human Resources Management in the Tamil Nadu Government.

In June 2017 he was appointed as the (founding) Secretary of the newly formed IT Wing of the DMK. In that capacity he has undertaken the build-out of the party’s technology platforms and a cadre of over 1,50,000 Office Bearers across the State. He is also a designated spokesperson for the party, generally focusing on Economic, Budget & State/Central Finances, and Policy matters.

Dr. Rajan previously worked as an International Investment Banker for many years, in several trading, market sales, and management roles at Lehman Brothers (largely in New York), and Standard Chartered Bank (mostly based in Singapore) – where he last served as Senior Managing Director, Financial Markets, overseeing the sales of several fixed-income products globally. Prior to banking, his career spanned Academia, Agriculture, Consulting, Manufacturing, and Research.

Dr. Rajan represents the 4th generation of his family’s engagement in the Dravidian Movement, and he is a 3rd generation elected representative, following in the footsteps of his Grandfather Tamizhavel Sir P. T. Rajan (former Minister & Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency under Diarchy), and his father P.T.R. Palanivel Rajan (former Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, and Minister of the Government of Tamil Nadu).

His political and policy views are significantly shaped by his observation of both the diversity of cultures around the world and the universality of human values. He is frequently invited to speak on wide ranging topics such as Science, Economics, Philosophy & Politics addressing diverse gatherings ranging from Students & Professionals to Trade associations, Industry Leaders & Global Investors.

Because of his global career and deep curiosity, Dr. Rajan has travelled to about 60 countries across the major continents. His political and policy views are significantly shaped by his observation of both the diversity of cultures around the world, and the universality of human values.

Dr. Rajan earned a B. Tech (Hons.) in Chemical Engineering from NIT, Trichy, MS (Operations Research) and Ph. D. (Human Factors Engineering/Engineering Psychology) from the State University of New York, and an MBA (Finance) from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Mr. Muruganandam is an officer from the 1991 batch of the Indian Administrative Service. As an officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, he has served in various capacities in the past over three decades. Starting his career as Sub-Collector of Cheranmadevi, he also has the distinction of having served for a period of around five years as Collector of Karur, Coimbatore and Chennai districts. After heading Poompuhar Shipping Corporation for a couple of years he moved on to head the ‘Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Programme’ including self-help groups and micro credit in Tamil Nadu. In that period of five years, he was instrumental in designing and implementing the World Bank funded Poverty Alleviation and Empowerment Programme titled ‘Pudhu Vaazhvu Project’ which received the accolade from the World Bank as the best in the sector globally.

His expertise spans beyond sectors, he had the privilege of serving in Government of India for seven years in various capacities such as Director, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development monitoring the MNREGA programme. His contribution in the Port sector is immense in his capacity as Joint Secretary, Ports and Managing Director of Indian Ports Association. He also had the honour of serving as Private Secretary to the Union Cabinet Minister for Shipping and Ports.

His experience both in the centre and the state gained him the position of Principal Secretary, Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu where he served for over two years before being elevated to the post of Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Government of Tamil Nadu.

With his expertise and vast experience in the fields of administration, rural development, surface transport, industries and finance his appointment as a Director on the Board of the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation will not only be a commendable value addition to the corporation but will take it to the next level.

Balachandran Muthusamy, has been a career banker for 37 years. He worked in India and abroad for over 33 years in Bank of Baroda, lastly as Chief Executive for the bank’s American operations at New York.

Thereafter, he headed Bank of India and superannuated as its Chairman and Managing Director in 2007 and subsequently Institute of Banking Personnel Selection and retired in 2012. He specialised in Agriculture and SME, Corporate and International Banking and Human Resource Management.

He was instrumental in founding the Star Union Dai Ichi Life Insurance Co., a joint venture between Bank of India, Union Bank and Dai Ichi life insurance Co of Japan and was its founder Chairman for 3 years till 2011.

He was also ex-officio Chairman of - BOI Shareholding Co. and Bank of Baroda (Guyana) Inc. (South America) and Director on the boards of Indo Zambia Bank Ltd., Nabard Consultancy Services and Agricultural Finance Corporation Ltd., Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). He conceptualised and founded "Abhay" BOI sponsored Credit counselling Centre, the first of its kind in the country.

During his tenure, BOI expanded its overseas network by adding Beijing and upgrading Schenzen branches in China, Antwerp in Belgium, acquired majority stake in Bank Swadesi in Indonezia and secured licenses for subsidiaries in Tanzania and South Africa.

He was on the special committee set up by Govt. of India for making Mumbai as International Financial Centre, member of High Power Advisory Committee of SEBI on Consents and Compounding., and member of R&D Advisory committee of National Housing Bank (NHB). He was also on the Boards of Chartered Financial Management Ltd. as Independent Director and PNB MetLife Insurance as Nominee Director of Punjab National Bank.

Other committees where Mr. Balachandran was associated are - Chairman, Committee for Review of Depositories System in India (SEBI); Chairman, Expert Group for Merger of Urban Co-op. Banks (RBI); Trustee, DHAN Foundation, Member of External Advisory Committee of RBI for screening of applications for Small Finance Banks.

Mr. Balachandran has actively participated in several National and International seminars and conferences as speaker and panelist.

Born in 1947, he is a Post Graduate in Agricultural Sciences and Certified Associate (I) of Indian Institute of Bankers and lives in Chennai.

Thiru. Arun Vasu aged 53 years, son of Thiru. TT Vasu, is the Chairman and Managing Director of TT Group of Companies, a Service Industrial sector of TTK Family. He hails from a family of well recognized businessmen and Philonthrophists in south India. He is the grandson of Thiru. TT Krishnamachary, the First Finance/ Commerce Minister of India in Sri. Jawaharlal Nehru’s Cabinet and the founder of TTK Group of Companies, one of the leading business conglomerates in South India.

He is currently Director of around 12 companies. He is also one of the Trustees of Worth Trust one of the leading NGO’s in Tamil Nadu involved in assisting and training the physically challenged persons in various industrial places like Katpadi, Pondy, Trichy etc.,

He is in business since the age of 22 years assisting his father as a Director of TT Travels Private Limited. He has rich experience of over three decades managing various businesses such as (i) Visa Outsourcing businesses for Embassies/ consulates in India and abroad having various offices in India and abroad (ii) Full Fledged Money Exchange business activity having around 26 branches throughout India (iii) General Sales Agency & Back office support functions for British Airways World Cargo, Etihad Airways Cargo, Singapore Airlines cargo in various locations throughout India (iv) Customs Bonded Trucking and General trucking business having offices throughout India (iv) Hospitality Industry having a boutique hotel, restaurant and a resort in a unique destination in ECR near Marakkanam (v) Ocean & Adventure Water Sports Industry (vi) Insurance Broking office having offices in various locations in South India.

He has been involved in Water sports, Ocean Water and Adventure sports for the past three decades. In addition, he is involved in various CSR activities in Chennai mainly in Kovalam village assisting beach cleaning, training fishermen community youth in Ocean Water & Adventure sports, Women empowerment, village infrastructure development and other activities. He is also the President of the Surfing Federation of India and Honorary Consul of Sweden.

Shri Vineet Singhal is an Associate Member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of India, an Associate Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India and holds Masters in Business Administration (Finance). He is also a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers with Honours Degree in Commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce.

He is presently working as General Manager in National Housing Bank, a statutory body under the Govt. of India that supervises and supports the development of a sound and sustainable housing finance system in the country. The Bank is also engaged in financing and promotional activities. He has a post qualification experience of more than 28 years and has worked in various capacities in the Bank.