CSB Bank Limited is a private sector scheduled commercial bank headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, India. It is one of the oldest private banks in India, with a network spread across multiple states and a particular concentration in Kerala. The bank offers retail banking, SME banking, wholesale banking, NRI banking and treasury services, and is known for its long-standing focus on gold loans.
Key facts
| Type | Private sector bank |
|---|---|
| Industry | Banking, financial services |
| Former name | The Catholic Syrian Bank Limited |
| Headquarters | Thrissur, Kerala, India |
| Area served | India |
| Listings | BSE, NSE |
Overview
CSB Bank operates as a full-service commercial bank, with business segments including retail and SME lending, gold loans, wholesale banking and treasury operations. The bank is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India and forms part of India's scheduled commercial banking system. Its historical customer base has been concentrated in southern India, particularly Kerala, although it has expanded its branch and ATM network to other regions.
History
The bank was originally incorporated as The Catholic Syrian Bank Limited in Thrissur, then known as Trichur, in the early twentieth century. It grew from a regional bank serving the trading and agricultural community of central Kerala into a pan-Indian private bank. Over the decades it expanded its branch network across India and modernised its technology platform in line with broader changes in Indian banking.
In 2018, Fairfax India Holdings, through its subsidiary FIH Mauritius Investments, became the largest shareholder of the bank following a capital infusion. As part of its repositioning, the bank changed its name from The Catholic Syrian Bank Limited to CSB Bank Limited. The bank was subsequently listed on the Indian stock exchanges through an initial public offering, and its shares trade on the BSE and the NSE.
Operations
CSB Bank's product range includes:
- Retail banking products such as savings and current accounts, term deposits, home loans, personal loans and vehicle loans.
- Gold loans, which have historically been a core lending product for the bank.
- SME and corporate lending.
- NRI banking services aimed at the Indian diaspora, particularly customers from Kerala.
- Treasury and foreign exchange services.
- Third-party distribution of insurance and mutual funds.
Significance
As one of the older private banks in India with origins in Kerala, CSB Bank is part of a regional cluster of Thrissur-based banks that historically played a significant role in the development of private banking in India. Its transformation following the Fairfax-led investment and rebranding marked a notable instance of foreign-promoted recapitalisation of a legacy Indian private bank.
Related topics
- Banking in India
- List of banks in India
- Private-sector banks in India
- Reserve Bank of India
- Thrissur
- Fairfax India Holdings
- Gold loan
References
- Wikidata: Q5053244
- Reserve Bank of India — list of scheduled commercial banks.
- BSE and NSE corporate disclosures for CSB Bank Limited.