About Company

Name & Identity

CSB Bank Ltd (formerly known as The Catholic Syrian Bank Limited) 

Founding / History

The bank was incorporated on 26 November 1920, and commenced business on 1 January 1921. 

Initially it had a small capital, and over time it expanded via branch network growth and acquisitions/mergers. 

In 2019, the bank formally rebranded from “The Catholic Syrian Bank” to “CSB Bank Ltd.” 

Headquarters & Presence

The head office is located in Thrissur, Kerala, India. 

CSB Bank operates a network of branches and ATMs across India. 

India Infoline

Business / Services

CSB Bank provides a broad range of banking and financial services. 

Its segments include:

– Retail Banking (loans, deposits, credit cards) 

– Corporate / Wholesale Banking 

– Treasury & Investment / Foreign Exchange operations 

– SME, Agri / Financial Inclusion banking 

– NRI / international banking services 

Ownership & Corporate Changes

In December 2016, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cleared Fairfax Financial Holdings (Canada) to acquire about 51% stake in CSB Bank. 

In June 2024, Fairfax’s subsidiary sold ~9.7% stake to comply with regulatory norms, reducing its holding. 

Reuters

Key Strengths & Strategy

The bank has traditionally been strong in southern India (especially Kerala), and has been expanding presence in other regions of India. 

It aims to transition from a traditional banking model to a modern, full-service bank. 

BankBazaar

It focuses on prudent risk management, with diversified business segments across retail, SME, corporate, and treasury.