India’s financial sector is ever-evolving, but amid all the sectoral stalwarts one name surely stands out for its sheer audacity to dream and execute: V. Vaidyanathan. His ascent from a hopeful entrant to the National Defence Academy to the founding managing director and CEO of IDFC FIRST Bank is a story of resilience, vision, and transformation.

What to know: Vaidyanathan’s journey, rooted in the classrooms of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Pathankot, took a pivotal turn when his ambitions to join the defence forces were curtailed by a medical condition. Unfazed, he redirected his path towards the financial world, marking the beginning of an illustrious career.

Vaidyanathan then enrolled at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. After graduating, he attended Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program. At BIT Mesra, he had to borrow ₹500 from his mathematics teacher to buy a train ticket. He searched for years and, upon finding him, repaid him in shares.

His career began with a tenure with Citibank Consumer Banking. However, it was at ICICI Group where he truly began to impact India’s retail banking landscape, spearheading the establishment of its retail banking from scratch.

See also: Delhi College Dropout Who Co-Founded A Top Logistics Company Is Now In Charge Of $250 M India Fund

His show of leadership didn’t just stop there; in 2012, he embarked on an entrepreneurial journey with the acquisition of an NBFC, founding Capital First Ltd with an equity backing of ₹810 crore from Warburg Pincus. This move was not merely a business transaction but a step towards realizing his vision for a more inclusive financial ecosystem in India.

The merger of IDFC Bank and Capital First in 2018 under Vaidyanathan’s leadership marked a significant milestone, marrying his expertise in retail banking with his entrepreneurial zest.

This amalgamation propelled IDFC FIRST Bank into a new era, focusing on transforming it into a premier retail bank in India. Vaidyanathan’s efforts to increase the retail loan book, enhance net interest margins, and turn the bank profitable highlight his commitment to leveraging India’s immense potential in financial services.

From borrowing ₹500 to buy a train ticket to leading one of India’s significant banking transformations, his journey shows that India offers boundless opportunities for those who dare to dream and tirelessly work towards their goals.

Read next: How This IIT Grad Revived An Ancient Craft To Land A Spot In Forbes' 30 Under 30 List