In a significant step toward strengthening human resource practices in Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), the Reserve Bank of India’s Pune-based College of Agricultural Banking (CAB) recently hosted a seminar on the theme “Local Talent, Global Standards: Professionalising HR in UCBs.”
The event provided a dynamic platform for HR and training heads from leading UCBs to engage in knowledge-sharing, skill-building, and discussions on evolving HR strategies.
The seminar was inaugurated by Jaikish, CGM and Principal of CAB, who underscored the growing relevance of HR professionalism in the cooperative banking space and outlined CAB’s plans to conduct similar programs throughout the year.
One of the key highlights was a panel discussion on “Talent Retention in UCBs: Challenges and the Way Forward,” featuring Abhay Limaye, soft skills trainer and former Head of Retail Loans and Public Relations at Saraswat Cooperative Bank. He thanked Seminar Director Capt. Shubhabrat Agarwal, General Manager and MoF, and his team for the invitation and smooth organization.
The seminar also featured two noteworthy keynote sessions. Sharad Gangal, Chairman of TJSB Bank and an experienced HR consultant, delivered a session on “Creating a Resilient Workforce,” translating complex HR principles into actionable insights.
Girish Karnad, Senior Director at SVC Cooperative Bank, spoke on “Future Ready HR: AI Adoption in HR Practices – Scope, Possibilities, and Boundaries,” illustrating the role of technology in modernizing HR functions through practical examples.
Another panel focused on excellence through reskilling and upskilling, encouraging active dialogue and experience-sharing among participants. The interactive nature of the discussions helped foster a collaborative learning environment.
The seminar saw participation from HR representatives of several prominent UCBs, including Saraswat Bank, Cosmos Bank, SVC Bank, TJSB Sahakari Bank, NKGSB, Pune Janata Sahakari Bank, DNS Bank, Kalyan Janata Bank, NAMCO Bank, GP Parsik Bank, and Sangli Urban Bank.
The event concluded with a closing address by Anand Upadhyay, Vice Principal of CAB, delivered in fluent Hindi, which resonated well with attendees.
While talking to Indian Cooperative correspondent, Limaye appreciated CAB for organizing the seminar on such a relevant topic, noting that participants left with valuable takeaways and renewed ideas for enhancing HR practices in the cooperative banking sector.
