The demographic outlook for women in finance has been particularly dire; women are still underrepresented in the financial industry compared to men, particularly in areas such as private equity, stock broking, and hedge fund management. However, the market has seen several remarkable women challenging stereotypes and driving success.
Meet Uthara Ramakrishnan, one of the pioneering and most enduring women in Kerala’s stock broking and wealth management landscape. With nearly three decades of experience, she provides sound advice and financial services to clients from around the world.
How It All Began
With a bachelor’s in commerce from the University of Madras and a master’s diploma in computer applications from NIIT, Chennai, Uthara was not completely new to the world of stockbroking. Finance was not a new terrain either; it ran in her family. Her father, T.S. Pattabhiraman, was chairman of Dhanlaxmi Bank and a founding chairman of Kerala’s prominent pharma distribution company, Leo Group. Her uncle, T.S. Anantaraman, chaired Catholic Syrian Bank and was one of the pioneers in stock broking in Kerala. Uthara started her entrepreneurial journey in 1997. She launched Artha Financial Services with her husband, Ramakrishnan, who later stepped away to manage his family’s business. From humble beginnings at their residence in Kozhikode, Artha has now grown into a globally connected, full-service financial consultancy.
The Journey
Artha has been offering finance solutions, stock broking, mutual funds, insurance, digital gold, bonds, and currency and commodity trading throughout the 25 years of its journey. Uthara navigated Artha through economic dips and market volatility with determination with her skillsets and consistency. Today, Artha has two branches with over 45 employees managing thousands of clients.
Uthara also holds one of the highest international certifications in the field, the Certified Financial Planner, as an Investment Planning Specialist from the Financial Planning Standards Board, USA.
In 2006, Uthara joined hands with Motilal Oswal Financial Services (MOFSL), one of India’s most respected broking powerhouses. She has consistently secured her place among MOFSL’s Top 25 Business Partners nationwide, standing out as the only woman to break into this elite circle. Indeed, a path-breaking partnership.
Breaking the Finance Jargon; Educating the Masses
“What should I do with my first salary?”
“Is SIP the best way to start investing?”
“Why do I always feel like I’m not doing enough with my money?”
For the common man asking these questions, wealth management may seem inaccessible, something only the affluent require. Terms like SIPs or ELSS may sound intimidating. Uthara chose to bridge this gap through her digital platform ‘Finance & U’. Here she creates short, sharp, Malayalam videos on everything from tax-saving to EMIs. The simple, jargon-free and straightforward content has earned her a following of over two lakh digital users. Her posts offer practical tips on missing an SIP or how we can tweak our EMI to save lakhs in interest in a simple manner.
Uthara has also conducted countless investor-education seminars targeted at various audiences. Here, complex financial topics are made relatable, especially for first-time investors and women stepping into wealth management for the first time.
Women Make Better Investors
As Uthara simplifies complex financial ideas into practical, actionable knowledge, she believes women make naturally disciplined investors. They are patient, goal-oriented, risk-aware, and less prone to impulsive decisions. Unlike short-term speculators, women tend to approach investing with a delayed gratification mindset, leading to more stable and sustainable outcomes. Uthara creates a space where financial literacy becomes empowerment, where women, in particular, are encouraged to build wealth not just for security, but for freedom, choice, and confidence.
Building Finance
In a state like Kerala, where financial scams and dubious get-rich-quick schemes have made the public sceptical, Uthara Ramakrishnan brings in trust and transparency in the world of personal finance. Her core message is clear, “The stock market isn’t something to fear, it’s something to understand. It’s not the risk people fear,” she often says, “It’s the unknown.”
She urges individuals to begin their financial journey with these principles: start early, stay consistent, and invest only in regulated instruments. For beginners, she strongly recommends mutual funds, which are SEBI-regulated, professionally managed vehicles that have never historically led to total loss for investors in India. “They offer diversification, expert oversight, and are a smart first step for anyone looking to build long-term wealth,” she explains.
Uthara’s guidance helps steer everyday people, especially women, away from speculation and towards sustainable, well-informed financial planning.
Accolades and Recognition
Uthara Ramakrishnan was awarded the Women Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005 by the Calicut Jaycees. She has consistently ranked among the top-performing franchise partners of Motilal Oswal, an achievement made more remarkable by her position as one of the few women in the space. In 2024, her firm, Artha Financial Services, received the South India’s Best Business Associate Award from them. They recently conferred the Chief Minister’s Excellence Award 2025 for championing employee-first, labour-friendly workplace practices. This is a totem to her belief that successful enterprises must nurture people, not just portfolios.
She established Women Entrepreneur Network (WEN) in Kozhikode, a platform that empowers over 130 women entrepreneurs in the district.
Uthara’s commitment to community care extends beyond finance. She runs a charity store called Shop Compassion. It is a charitable trust that runs on the concept, “Thrift for Charity”, to support the weaker segment of society. For Uthara, business and benevolence walk hand in hand, proving that entrepreneurship can be both profitable and profoundly humane.
To Sum It Up
In a field long dominated by men, Uthara breaks the glass ceiling with sharp technical insight with human-centric guidance. She indeed is a rare force in India’s financial ecosystem by being a strategist, educator, inclusive leader, and social change-maker all in one. Her influence stretches across demographics and decades: from mentoring school students and advising retirees to empowering women investors and conducting financial literacy sessions for police officers. In a rapidly shifting economic landscape, Uthara remains a trusted voice of clarity and purpose, consistently proving that smart money management can be simple, inclusive, and deeply impactful.
Furthermore, she redefines finance as a space where women feel seen, heard, and empowered. Uthara has helped dismantle the intimidation factor around investing, particularly for women entering the space, connecting deep financial expertise with emotional intelligence.
