Karaikudi is situated in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. It is a greater municipality and the states 20th largest urban agglomeration. It is part of the Chettinad area and has been declared a heritage town by the State Government of Tamil Nadu. Karaikudi is known for its palatial houses that are built with limestone called Karai Veedu. Karaikudi has derived its name from the thorny plant called Karai. It has been referred to in the ancient literature as Kareekudi. The name gradually got modified and modernized into Karaikudi. It was established in the 19th century. The oldest known structure in the area is the Koppudaiya Nayagi Amman Temple. The town of Karaikudi is home to the Nagarathars and the Chettiars who form the business community, the financiers and the trade facilitators. Karaikudi is a rapidly developing urban center. UNESCO has proposed to set up a Chettinad Heritage Museum in the area, recognizing the unique architectural style of the region. Karaikudi is known for its palm leaf baskets woven by the women, known as Chettinad Kottan. Chettinadu Kandangi sarees of Karaikudi are widely popular in the region. The handicraft industry in Karaikudi is indeed a thriving business. Karaikudi is also known for its delectable cuisine. There are many prominent temples in the area that attract tourists. Kundrakudi Shanmuganathan Temple, Ariyakudi Thiruvengamudayan Temple, Pillayarpatti Karpagavinayagar temple, Thirumayam Permual Temple, Kannadasan Mandapam, Kamban Manimandapam, Chettinad Raja Palace and Thousand windows house are the visitor attractions in Karaikudi
The J&K Bank is a private sector banking and financial services company based in Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir. J&K Bank established on October 1, 1938, was the first bank in the country to emerge as a state-owned bank. On 1 October 1938, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank was founded by Maharaja Hari Singh (the Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir). The eminent investors were invited by the Maharaja to become the founding directors and shareholders of the bank. The most notable investors were Abdul Aziz Mantoo, Pesten jee, Pandit Sriniwas Magotra, and the Bhagat Family, all of whom acquired a significant holding in bank shares. On 4 July 1939, the bank commenced the operations, and it was declared as the first semi-state-owned bank of with participation in capital by State and the public under the control of State Government. The bank had achieved the status of a scheduled bank In the year 1971 and was recognized as an "A" Class bank by the Reserve Bank of India in 1976. The bank had to face severe difficulties during independence time as out of its ten branches two branches of Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot, and Mirpur fell to the other side of the line of control (now Pakistan administered Kashmir) along with cash and other assets. As per the regulations of Indian Companies Act 1956, the bank was declared as a government company following the extension of Central laws to the state of Jammu & Kashmir.