Technology has moved from the back office to the core of business strategy in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector, according to KNC Nair, Chief Information Officer of Indel Money. In a recent interview, Nair highlighted how data and digital systems now play a decisive role in driving growth, managing risk, and building customer trust.
Nair noted that the role of the CIO has evolved significantly over the years. Once seen largely as a support function, the position has become a key business leadership role, closely aligned with operations, compliance, and long-term strategy.
Indel Money’s own transformation mirrors this shift. Originally a branch-led gold loan company, the NBFC has transitioned into a largely paperless, digital-first organisation. Today, the entire customer lifecycle—from onboarding and gold appraisal to loan servicing and closure—is handled through digital platforms. Customer identity verification is carried out using Aadhaar- and PAN-based eKYC, while almost all transactions are processed through banking channels, bringing cash usage down to near zero.
Regulatory compliance and data protection form a critical part of Indel Money’s digital framework. The company adheres to Reserve Bank of India guidelines and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, supported by robust access controls, regular security audits, and systems that allow granular control of customer data.
Looking ahead, Indel Money is adopting a modern, API-driven technology architecture to enable co-lending models and partnerships with banks and other financial institutions. The company is also selectively deploying artificial intelligence across functions such as gold appraisal assistance, fraud detection, credit evaluation, and branch-level security.
According to Nair, technology at Indel Money is no longer a supporting layer but the foundation of the organisation’s operations. In a highly regulated financial environment, he said, digital systems are essential for ensuring trust, effective risk management, and sustainable business growth.
Read the full interview!
Indel Money Executive Director and CEO Umesh Mohanan recently shared insights on the changing role of gold in India during an episode of Simple Hai!, hosted by Vivek Law. The discussion focused on how gold in India is moving beyond tradition and emotion to become a practical financial tool that supports liquidity and inclusion.
India holds nearly 25,000 tonnes of household gold, much of which remains idle. Mohanan explained that global factors such as US economic trends, geopolitical tensions, central bank policies, and rising global debt now influence gold prices more than seasonal domestic demand. These factors have strengthened gold’s position as a stable asset in uncertain times.
He highlighted that only about 15% of household gold enters the gold loan pledge market, and a majority of this is still handled by unregulated moneylenders. Indel Money aims to change this by expanding regulated gold lending in Tier 2 to Tier 5 cities, helping households access safe credit while improving transparency and local economic activity.
Mohanan also spoke about how gold loans have shifted from being a distress option to a lifestyle finance solution used for education, business needs, agriculture, and home improvements. With longer loan tenures, customer education, and strong governance, Indel Money has built a model focused on trust, repayment discipline, and long-term relationships.
The conversation highlighted how structured gold loans are strengthening financial resilience across India.
Umesh Mohanan, Executive Director & CEO of Indel Money, joins Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief Vivek Law on the Simple Hai! show to decode the real role of gold in times of crisis and why gold loans work differently from traditional credit.
Mohanan explains how gold continues to act as a reliable store of value, how global factors now drive gold prices, and why trust is central to the gold loan ecosystem.
