Spearheading the Incredible Manappuram Odyssey: V.P. Nandakumar

Many centuries ago, a savant and philosopher named Laozi on the other side of the Great Wall of China quipped, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

True, a seemingly insignificant act can have a butterfly effect over the years. The peerless saga of an entrepreneurial colossus on this side of the Great Wall best illustrates this wise saying of Laozi mentioned in his monumental work ‘Dao De Jing’. When V.P. Nandakumar took over the reins of the single-branch money-lending business of his late father in 1986, not many would have thought that it would be the beginning of a journey of stellar, unprecedented success. Today, his Manappuram Finance Ltd is one of India’s leading NBFCs with 5,200 branches spanning 28 states and Union Territories with Assets Under Management (AUM) to the tune of Rs 42,069 crore and a workforce of more than 50,000.

Unique Times chronicles the fascinating success saga of Nandakumar, the Managing Director and CEO of Manappuram Finance Ltd, who used his astute leadership skills, razor-sharp acumen and vision to steer his enterprise all through its high-octane journey to becoming a financial powerhouse in the country. The journey that began in modest settings in Valapad, a quaint village in Kerala’s Thrissur, has acquired a pan-India dimension today, which is nothing but extraordinary. Nandakumar has added more feathers to his cap by unlocking the portals of diversification through microfinance, home loans, vehicle finance and SME and personal loans thereby broadening the spectrum of his company.

Wearing Many Hats With Elan