JAMMU, OCT 1: Marking 88 years of its institutional journey, J&K Bank on Thursday renewed its commitment to financial empowerment, regional economic development and sustainable business growth, with its leadership underlining the need to preserve the institution’s founding purpose while preparing it for the next generation.
The commemorative event was held at the Bank’s Regional Business Centre in Jammu and was chaired by MD & CEO Amitava Chatterjee. Executive Director Sudhir Gupta, Chief General Managers, General Managers and Divisional Heads attended the programme, while General Managers from the Corporate Headquarters participated through video conferencing.
The event began with floral tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh, whose vision led to the establishment of the Bank with the objective of strengthening financial access and supporting the economic development of the then princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the gathering, Chatterjee said the Bank’s responsibility was defined by two interconnected objectives — providing high-quality financial services to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh while supporting regional economic development, and maintaining the institution’s long-term business strength so that it could continue serving future generations.
He stressed that both objectives needed to progress together and called upon the Bank’s leadership and employees to pursue them through fair and transparent practices.
Highlighting the Bank’s role in employment generation and entrepreneurship, Chatterjee pointed to its position as the principal financier of Mission YUVA, the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s flagship employment-generation programme.
According to the Bank, it has so far sanctioned loans worth ₹1,902 crore to nearly 40,000 entrepreneurs under the initiative. The financing is aimed at helping aspiring entrepreneurs establish and expand businesses and convert their ideas into viable economic activities.
As part of its effort to showcase the impact of the programme, J&K Bank is launching YUVA UDAAN, a video series featuring success stories of young entrepreneurs associated with the initiative. The series will be released through the Bank’s official social media platforms.
The Bank also highlighted its contribution beyond conventional banking through its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
During FY 2025-26, the Bank said it spent more than ₹46 crore under its CSR programme, supporting initiatives across education, healthcare, environmental protection and other areas of social welfare. The interventions, according to the Bank, benefited thousands of people across the region.
The CSR initiatives were presented as part of the institution’s broader approach towards supporting social and ecological well-being alongside its core financial operations.
The anniversary programme also became an occasion to acknowledge successive generations of leadership and employees whose contributions have shaped the institution over the decades.
Chatterjee paid tribute to the Bank’s employees and stakeholders, crediting their collective efforts and continued commitment for its present position. He said the institution’s achievements represented the contribution of its entire workforce rather than any single generation of leadership.
He also emphasised the responsibility of the present leadership to transfer the Bank’s institutional values and sense of purpose to younger employees. The leadership, he said, must guide and inspire the next generation to convert the institution’s legacy into future action.
The MD & CEO described the Bank’s 88-year journey as a continuing responsibility rather than merely a milestone, stressing that its founding mission of financial empowerment remained central to its future direction.
The anniversary celebrations therefore combined remembrance of the institution’s origins with a forward-looking focus on entrepreneurship financing, social responsibility, employee development and sustainable growth, as J&K Bank seeks to strengthen its role in the economic landscape of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
