South Indian Bank has published a newspaper advertisement confirming the dispatch of notices for its 98th Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for Thursday, August 20, 2026. The filing, made pursuant to Regulation 30 and 47 of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, confirms that electronic copies of the AGM notice and Annual Report were sent to shareholders by July 27, 2026. The meeting will be held via Video Conferencing (VC) / Other Audio Visual Means (OAVM) to approve a record net profit of ₹1,455.14 crore for FY26 and a recommended dividend of ₹0.45 per equity share.

The advertisement clarifies critical timelines for shareholders, setting the cut-off date for determining eligibility for the final dividend and voting rights as Thursday, August 13, 2026. Remote e-voting opens on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at 10:00 AM (IST) and closes on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 5:00 PM (IST). The Register of Members and Share Transfer Books will remain closed from Friday, August 14, 2026, to Thursday, August 20, 2026, in compliance with Section 91 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Regulation 42 of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015.

Dividend and Taxation Details

The Board of Directors has recommended a dividend of 45%, translating to ₹0.45 per equity share of face value ₹1 each, for the financial year ended March 31, 2026. Once approved by shareholders, the dividend will be paid on or before September 18, 2026. In compliance with the Income Tax Act, 2025, and the Finance Act, 2026, the bank will deduct tax at source (TDS) from dividends. For resident individuals, TDS is applicable at 10% unless a valid PAN is not provided (20%) or total annual dividend does not exceed ₹10,000. Shareholders holding shares in physical form must furnish PAN, contact details, bank account details, and specimen signature to receive dividends electronically, as mandated by SEBI Circular No. SEBI/HO/MIRSD/PoD-1/P/CIR/2024/81 dated June 10, 2024.

Special Window for Physical Securities

The advertisement also highlights a special window for the transfer and dematerialisation of physical securities, open from February 05, 2026, to February 04, 2027, pursuant to SEBI Circular No. HO/38/13/11(2)/2026-MIRSD-PoD/1/3750/2026 dated January 30, 2026. This window allows shareholders who missed the earlier deadline of January 06, 2026, to submit transfer deeds for shares sold or purchased prior to April 01, 2019. All such transfers will be processed only in demat mode and will be under lock-in for one year from the date of registration.

Governance and Financial Context

The AGM seeks approval for the appointment of Mahesh Muralidhar Pai as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD & CEO) for a three-year term from October 1, 2026, subject to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approval. Shareholders will also vote on raising funds up to ₹1,000 crore through Tier-II bonds to enhance capital adequacy. South Indian Bank reported robust growth in FY26, with net profit rising to ₹1,455.14 crore from ₹1,302.88 crore in FY25, while Gross NPA dropped significantly to 1.43% from 3.20%.

The South Indian Bank submitted its Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) for the financial year 2025-26 on July 27, 2026, revealing robust operational growth and expanded financial inclusion metrics. As of March 31, 2026, the bank’s total business stood at ₹2.23 lakh crore, marking a 14.6% increase from the previous fiscal year. This growth was accompanied by an expansion in its customer base, which rose from 8.0 million in March 2025 to 8.3 million in March 2026, driven by aggressive acquisition strategies across retail and corporate segments.

The filing, made pursuant to Regulation 34(2)(f) of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, and SEBI Master Circular HO/49/14/14(7)2025-CFD-POD2/I/3762/2026 dated January 30, 2026, forms part of the bank’s annual report. Jimmy Mathew, Company Secretary, signed the submission, which is also hosted on the bank’s investor relations website. The report outlines the bank’s adherence to National Guidelines on Responsible Business Conduct (NGRBC), covering nine principles ranging from ethical governance to environmental protection.

Operational and Digital Highlights

The bank emphasized its strategic pivot toward digital banking, reporting that more than 98% of transactions were conducted through digital channels during FY26. This shift supports operational efficiency and reduces paper consumption. The bank operates a network of 948 branches, three satellite branches, two ultra-small branches, 19 regional offices, and one service branch nationwide, along with a representative office in Dubai.

Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives

Under Principle 6, the bank detailed its environmental management practices, including the installation of solar power systems across six locations with a total capacity of 385kW. A new 75 KLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was commissioned at the SIB Tower in Kakkanad, Ernakulam. The bank also implemented energy efficiency measures such as maintaining air conditioner temperatures at 24°C and procuring 5-star rated inverter ACs. Green financing remains a key focus, with the Green Deposit Scheme mobilizing ₹97.66 crore during the year. Of this amount, ₹156.28 crore (including ₹58.62 crore carried forward) was allocated to eligible green projects.

Social Impact and Governance

The bank reported that women constituted 46.28% of its total workforce, comprising 9,147 employees. More than 98% of employees were covered under training programs related to skill upgradation, health and safety, and compliance. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives reached more than 32 lakh beneficiaries, with over 71% belonging to marginalized and underserved communities. The bank’s CSR spending focused on healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability.

Governance structures were reinforced through an Executive Level Committee overseeing ESG implementation, chaired by the Chief Operating Officer. The Board’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, led by Non-Executive Non-Independent Director Benny P Thomas, oversees ESG reporting. Independent assessment of policies was conducted by CARE Analytics and Advisory Private Limited.

What the Numbers Show

The correlation between the 14.6% growth in total business and the >98% digital transaction share indicates a successful scaling of low-cost distribution channels. This operational efficiency likely contributed to the ability to expand the customer base by 300,000 users within a single year without proportional increases in physical infrastructure costs. Furthermore, the allocation of ₹156.28 crore to green projects against ₹97.66 crore mobilized suggests the bank is leveraging prior-year deposits to meet current sustainability targets, demonstrating active portfolio management toward environmental goals.