Stalwarts
GRG Brand Ambassador
These are amazing people whose achievement has secured them a position in society. They have imbibed the trait of Krishnammal in them and they disseminate the values which Krishnammal stands for.
Ms. BHUVANESHWARI MURALI
(MBA, 1995-1997)
Ms. Bhuvaneshwari Murali, MBA Class of 1995 and Gold Medallist, is a senior leader in banking and financial services with over 25 years of experience. She currently serves as Vice President of Commercial Rating, Underwriting, and Risk Management at American Express in the USA, overseeing global commercial credit risk governance, underwriting frameworks, and portfolio risk management.
Over her career at American Express, she has progressed from Commercial Underwriter to Vice President, demonstrating strong expertise in credit risk strategy, portfolio analytics, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management. Known for her data-driven decision-making and sound judgment, she has consistently contributed to organizational stability and performance.
She is also recognized for her ethical leadership and commitment to mentoring global teams, fostering a culture of integrity, accountability, and analytical excellence. Outside of work, she values continuous learning and maintains a balanced lifestyle through reading, travel, investing, and staying active.
CA MS. RAMA MEENAKSHI
(B. Com, 1990-1993)
Ms. M. Rama Meenakshi, a Chartered Accountant and distinguished alumna of the Class of 1990, is a senior finance professional with over three decades of experience in chartered accountancy, banking, and non-banking financial services. A Fifth Rank holder from Bharathiar University, she qualified as a Chartered Accountant on her first attempt in November 1994, becoming the first woman from her family and from Tirupur to achieve this milestone.
Her career includes significant tenures at The Vysya Bank and during its transitions into ING Vysya Bank and later Kotak Mahindra Bank, where she was widely respected for her integrity, sound credit judgment, and commitment to prudent financial management.
Ms. Leena Antonette Maria, IRS
(BSc. Physics, 1992-1995)
Ms. Leena Antonette Maria, B.Sc. Physics alumna from the Class of 1992 is a senior officer in the Indian Revenue Service with over three decades of distinguished service in the Income Tax Department, Government of India. A former President of the College Union, she was awarded the Best Outgoing Student Gold Medal in 1992, reflecting her early leadership and commitment to service.
Joining the IRS in 1993, she has progressed through roles including Inspector, Assistant Commissioner, and currently serves as Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax. Her work spans key areas such as Investigation, Assessment, Intelligence, Recovery, and Vigilance.
Notably, during her tenure in the Intelligence and Criminal Investigation Wing in Bengaluru, she contributed to the detection of INR 26,100 crore in unreported income and played a leading role in several high-impact search-and-investigation operations. In 2019, she was selected by the Central Board of Direct Taxes for advanced training at the Civil Service College, Singapore, representing the National Academy of Direct Taxes, Chennai, where she also serves as a faculty member.
Beyond her official role, Ms. Leena Antonette is actively involved in youth mentorship and social outreach, supporting NGOs in education and healthcare.
Ms. K. Asha Bhat
M.Sc. - Botany (1993 - 1995)
Ms. K. Asha Bhat of the Class of 1979 (BSc Botany) is currently a senior practitioner of law in Australia. She moved to Australia in 1989 to join her husband.
Ms. Asha Bhat has been practising law in Australia for over 30 years. She focus largely on the less-privileged sections of the society, and people from challenged backgrounds. She has been deeply engaged in community service. She has helped scores of men and women who have been victims of domestic violence. She has also been helping her home city of Coimbatore through her involvement with the Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 9550 of Australia. She has also served as the President of her Rotary Club for two terms.
Ms. Asha Bhat was the President of Indian Cultural Society, Darwin during 2012-13. As a part of the Cultural Festivities in 2013, she also arranged artistes of Kodiyattam from Kerala to perform in Australia. When the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi visited Australia in 2014, she was among the invitees to the reception hosted for him by the Indian High Commission in Sydney.
In acknowledgement of her achievements and her contribution to the society, we are pleased to recognize Ms. K. Asha Bhat of the Class of 1979 (BSc Botany) as a GRG Brand Ambassador!
21 January 2025 Peelamedu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Dr. V JANAKI
B.Sc. (Botany), 1982-85.
Dr. V. Janaki of the Class of 1995 (MSc Botany) is currently the Joint Commissioner (GST - State Tax) in the Department of Commercial Taxes of the Government of Tamil Nadu. She completed her PhD degree in 2018 on "Women Empowerment in Tamil Nadu".
After a stint in the academia till 2009, Dr. Janaki was selected in Group 1 of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission examinations and appointed as Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes). Over the last fifteen years, she has served the Department of Commercial Taxes with distinction and held several senior positions of leadership. She was promoted as Joint Commissioner in 2023.
A keen lifelong learner, Dr. Janaki continues to help students and practitioners by sharing her knowledge and experience with them. She has been a resource person at many institutions for the purpose.
In acknowledgement of her achievements and her contribution to the society, we are pleased to recognize Dr. V. Janaki of the Class of 1995 (MSc Botany) as a GRG Brand Ambassador!
21 January 2025 Peelamedu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Ms. C. Girija
[MCA, 1997-2000]
Ms. Girija of the Class of 2000 (MCA) is the Founder and CEO of the Fintech Startup - PORUL (Fintech Omniverse AI Platform), Bengaluru. After graduation from KCW, Girija started her career at Infosys Technologies, Bangalore and worked across multiple geographies, making best-in-class Digital Software Products and Solutions for Banking and Telecom industries. She joined Accenture in 2018 as Vice President for their Capital Markets and Wealth Management portfolios, leading a team of 300+ people.
Girija has led many initiatives in child education, mainly for disabled students. She has adopted many government schools across South India to enhance the digital skills of the students. She is also actively working towards fostering a supportive environment for women, guiding them in skill development, helping them to break down barriers and take on leadership roles. She is also involved in afforestation activities.
Ms. Swarnalatha Ramachandran
[BSc Chemistry, 1991-94]
Ms. Swarnalatha Ramachandran of the Class of 1994 (BSc Chemistry) is currently the Vice President (IT & Product Management) and Head of Digital Transformation & Data Analytics at Magellan Healthcare in Ohio, USA. She has over 25 years of professional experience in the technology industry. Starting her career as a software engineer, she has held various leadership roles at General Motors, MI and Hewlett Packard as Technical Lead, Application Leader and Digital Leader.
Swarnalatha is very passionate about women empowerment and volunteers as speaker, panel member and mentor at various programs. She is an advocacy member for "On Your Sleeves" - a children’s mental health program, advisory board member for modal.io and volunteers at Columbus Coalition for Homeless.
Ms TS. Shobha
[BSc Chemistry, 1977-80 & MSc Chemistry, 1980-82]
Ms TS. Shobha of the class of 1982 (MSc Chemistry), started her career at ISRO in 1984 as an R&D scientist at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Shobha has served ISRO and VSSC in different positions of responsibility over three decades.
She has contributed significantly as Director (Technology and Services), Executive Director, Antrix Corporation (the commercial arm of ISRO), and the Deputy Director of Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), the prime centre responsible for the prestigious Gaganyaan programme. She is a recipient of ISRO Individual Merit Award, ISRO Performance Excellence Award and ISRO Team Excellence Award for three consecutive years. Shobha's concerted efforts towards development of spin-offs from space technology (including the Disaster Warning Receivers and Navic Receivers) have resulted in products used for larger benefit of the society.
Ms. R.Vimala
(BSc Chemistry, 1995-98)
Ms. R. Vimala, a member of the Class of 1998 (BSc Chemistry) from KCW, is currently the
District Collector and District Magistrate of Kalimpong District, West Bengal. Prior to this, she
served as the State Project Director of Paschim Banga Samagra Siksha Mission and Paschim
Banga Sarva Siksha Mission. In 2007, she began taking UPSC examinations and eventually
earned a position in the IAS in 2010, being allotted the West Bengal cadre. As the head of
district administration, Vimala has implemented a number of positive changes for the
community. She is particularly fond of her alma mater, KCW, and credits it with shaping her into
the person she is today.
Ms. Geetha Ram
(BSc Physics, 1988-91)
Ms. Geetha Ram, a member of the Class of 1991 (BSc Physics) from KCW, completed her
postgraduate degree in Physics at Government Arts College, Coimbatore, and secured an M.Phil.
degree from Bharathiar University. She started her career as an IT Consultant at AT&T, New
Jersey in 1996, following which she served as an IT developer in Transcendent Technologies,
New Jersey for two years. She then served as a senior consultant at Morgan Stanley, New York,
from 2000 to 2006 and is currently a Vice President. Geetha enjoys exploring various subjects
such as arts, astronomy, culture, spirituality, and textiles. She also works on staying healthy with
yoga, walking, and jogging. She runs marathons, indulges in color pencil and pastel sketching,
and researches various textile weaves. Furthermore, she leads hiking trips for women, such as the
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and the Rim-to-Rim across the Grand Canyon. She is part of a group
that developed medication for a rare genetic disorder.
Ms. Akhila Rajeshwar
(BSc Maths, 1985-88)
Ms. Akhila Rajeshwar, a member of the Class of 1988 (BSc Maths) from KCW, is currently the
Executive Director at TiE Chennai. She is also a certified coach of Marshall Goldsmith
Stakeholder Centered Coaching, a knowledge philanthropist, and a startup mentor. Akhila was a
Business Consultant for about four years during 2010-13 and the Chief Operating Officer at
eZecare, a US-based healthcare BPO, for about four years during 2006-09. She is now a leading
mentor and trainer in Tamil Nadu's entrepreneurial ecosystem. At TiE Chennai, she has initiated
and led multiple projects, including Personal Boards (platforms for facilitated peer sharing) and
Catalyst (personal development for entrepreneurs). Akhila has received the 'Best Executive
Director' award from TiE Global three times, and under her leadership, TiE Chennai has been
adjudged the best chapter twice. Her work is deeply influenced by her experience spanning
consulting, BPO, and healthcare industries. This, coupled with her passion for impact-driven
work, characterizes her work.
Ms. Jyothi M. Rao
B.Sc. (Botany), 1967-70.
She is a highly experienced and regarded Clinical Microbiologist and Mycologist in the USA. She has been with William Beaumont Hospital, Michigan, USA since 1988, after a decade-long tenure as a Medical Laboratory Technologist at Lansing Clinical Laboratory at Lansing, Michigan and at the Baptist Hospital at Louisville, Kentucky. She works with infection-control professionals with the aim to prevent the spread of infections and helps in the management of the laboratory. She also teaches Medical Technology students. Ms. Jyothi Rao was the class topper of the first batch of students of the Botany department.
Ms. Sashi Chandran
B.A. (English), 1969-72.
She is the Chief Executive Officer of Nitya Gurukula and a member of the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA) and serves on its various committees. She has also been teaching in educational institutions and industry. She has enabled the indigenization of Transactional Analysis in organizations. Ms. Sashi Chandran has conducted empowerment workshops for women for more than thirty years. She also conducts Excellence workshops for students and professionals. She continues her links with her alma mater by sharing her expertise with the student community.
Dr. Radhika Meenakshi Shankar
B.Com., 1972-75.
She is actively involved with the industry and academic campuses promoting entrepreneurship and incubation, mentoring, and providing consultancy for start-up ventures and existing MSMEs through her Management Services firm for MSMEs at Hyderabad – Wise Owl Consulting Services - since 2011. Her enterprise focuses on training entrepreneurs / Trainers / Faculty / Students. She is an accredited and trained mentor of BYST-CII & Guild of Skills, UK. She is also an accredited trained mentor with London Business School, Goldman Sachs, and NEN. She has trained more than 10,000 domestic and international entrepreneurs. She now contributes to the entrepreneurial development efforts at PSGRKCW based on her rich experience in the area. Dr. Radhika Meenakshi Shankar is the recipient of the Champion Entrepreneurship Educator 2015 Award from the Ministry of Skills & Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India.
Ms. Shanthini Choudhry
B.Com., 1981-84.
She is a professional hotelier and founder of the Grand Regent Hotel, 20 years ago. She introduced the concept of service apartments for the first time in Coimbatore. A connoisseur of arts, she is an acclaimed classical dancer and is passionate about crafts. Having attended many craft fairs worldwide, she started the only Crafts Club in Coimbatore and runs craft stores by the name of Vama whose proceeds go towards the upliftment of the differently-abled. Ms. Shanthini Choudhry has won recognition from organizations such as The Inner Wheel, Round Table, and Ladies Circle for her philanthropic endeavors.
Ms. Meera Ramakrishnan
MBA, 1993-95.
She began her career in advertising before she joined Infosys as marketing manager for engineering services. Later she served as Head, Global Marketing & Strategy at Infosys and Head of Marketing & Strategy at GE Healthcare, South Asia, before she moved to industrial automation with Honeywell. Recently, Ms. Meera Ramakrishnan established the start-up, Zishta with a vision to preserve and share ancient wisdom for posterity by encouraging indigenous products by rural artisans. She continues to cherish her bonds with her alma mater and shares her experiences to inspire future businesswomen.
Ms. K. Asha Bhat
M.Sc. - Botany (1993 - 1995)
Ms. K. Asha Bhat of the Class of 1979 (BSc Botany) is currently a senior practitioner of law in Australia. She moved to Australia in 1989 to join her husband.
Ms. Asha Bhat has been practising law in Australia for over 30 years. She focus largely on the less-privileged sections of the society, and people from challenged backgrounds. She has been deeply engaged in community service. She has helped scores of men and women who have been victims of domestic violence. She has also been helping her home city of Coimbatore through her involvement with the Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 9550 of Australia. She has also served as the President of her Rotary Club for two terms.
Ms. Asha Bhat was the President of Indian Cultural Society, Darwin during 2012-13. As a part of the Cultural Festivities in 2013, she also arranged artistes of Kodiyattam from Kerala to perform in Australia. When the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi visited Australia in 2014, she was among the invitees to the reception hosted for him by the Indian High Commission in Sydney.
In acknowledgement of her achievements and her contribution to the society, we are pleased to recognize Ms. K. Asha Bhat of the Class of 1979 (BSc Botany) as a GRG Brand Ambassador!
21 January 2025 Peelamedu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Dr. V JANAKI
B.Sc. (Botany), 1982-85.
Dr. V. Janaki of the Class of 1995 (MSc Botany) is currently the Joint Commissioner (GST - State Tax) in the Department of Commercial Taxes of the Government of Tamil Nadu. She completed her PhD degree in 2018 on "Women Empowerment in Tamil Nadu".
After a stint in the academia till 2009, Dr. Janaki was selected in Group 1 of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission examinations and appointed as Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes). Over the last fifteen years, she has served the Department of Commercial Taxes with distinction and held several senior positions of leadership. She was promoted as Joint Commissioner in 2023.
A keen lifelong learner, Dr. Janaki continues to help students and practitioners by sharing her knowledge and experience with them. She has been a resource person at many institutions for the purpose.
In acknowledgement of her achievements and her contribution to the society, we are pleased to recognize Dr. V. Janaki of the Class of 1995 (MSc Botany) as a GRG Brand Ambassador!
21 January 2025 Peelamedu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India