Lavanya Mundayur – From Vadakara branch manager to CMD of India’s largest general insurance company

Kozhikode: Years ago, Lavanya Mundayur served as the branch manager of the Vadakara office of The New India Assurance Company Limited. Today, she has risen to become the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the company, which has a presence across the country. She was appointed to the top post earlier this week.

Lavanya, who shares a strong bond with Kozhikode, now takes charge of India's largest general insurance company. A lover of arts and someone who maintains a wide circle of friends in Kozhikode, she began her professional journey in the city.

After completing her studies, she joined the Kozhikode office of New India Assurance in 1991. Following her marriage, she moved to Mumbai in 1993. In 2003, she returned to Kozhikode on transfer to the divisional office and later served as the branch manager in Vadakara. She also owns a house at Pottammal in Kozhikode.

Originally rooted in Thrissur, Lavanya is currently based in New Delhi. She presently serves as CMD of the Agriculture Insurance Company of India and will relocate to Mumbai after assuming her new responsibilities.

Lavanya is the first Malayali to lead New India Assurance, which has around 10,000 employees and 1,600 offices across India. She told Mathrubhumi that she was delighted to become the first Malayali CMD in the company's 108-year history.

Despite her demanding career, Lavanya remains deeply involved in arts, particularly Kathakali and Mohiniyattam. She is daughter of late AD Madhavan and Radha. Madhavan was actively associated with cultural organisations in Kozhikode and had served as Managing Director of Steel Complex Limited, Cheruvannur.

Her husband, Ranjith, is a retired employee of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited. Their daughters are Dr Radhika, who studied at Madras Medical College, and Neelima, who is based in Scotland.