About Us

Banyan Tree Money Academy is a financial capability and learning platform dedicated to helping individuals build the knowledge, skills, and behaviour needed for long-term financial well-being. Through structured education, behavioural coaching, and access to licensed financial planning services, we support financial growth across every life stage.

Our Vision

To build a financially capable society where individuals develop strong money habits for lifelong financial well-being.

Our Mission

To help individuals build financial capability through financial education, coaching, advisory, and trusted financial services.

Our Core Values

Knowledge, integrity, responsibility, and commitment to improving financial well-being for individuals and communities.

The Banyan Tree Money Academy Story

The Banyan Tree holds a special place in the hearts of our founders, Pragasam and Rajna. During a drive through the countryside of Bangalore, India in 2007, they came across a magnificent 400-year-old banyan tree spanning over an area of 4 acres. It was almost impossible for the founders and their four grown-up sons to resist the sheer joy of swinging on the tree’s aerial roots like children.

 

That moment sparked an inspiration. They realized the significance of this tree and how it beautifully aligned with their vision for the company. Inspired by this vision, Banyan Tree Money Academy was established in 2007, and later formally structured in 2012 to deliver practical financial education that empowers people to make confident financial decisions.

The Meaning Behind Our Name

What does our name truly signify? For us, Banyan Tree Money Academy embodies the values and standards we uphold in our services. The physical characteristics of the banyan tree perfectly reflect the support and growth we aim to provide.

The banyan tree is known for its strong roots, expanding branches, and unique system of aerial roots that grow downward to form new trunks. Over time, the tree grows wider and stronger, creating a vast canopy that provides support and shelter. Similarly, we believe that individuals who gain financial knowledge and capability from us become the strong foundation for their families. As these values are shared across generations, they grow and flourish, just like the banyan tree expanding into a wide and nurturing canopy.

The stronghold of the roots, the spreading of the branches, the support system of the trunks, the story of historian Alexander the Great camping with an army of 7,000 soldiers under a banyan for shelter and most interestingly the beginning of the Share trading under the banyan tree in Mumbai, India, have all attributed to the naming of Banyan Tree Money Academy.

A distinguished team of financial planners, academics, and industry practitioners dedicated to building financial capability and delivering real-world impact.

Dr. Rajna Anthony

Founder & Financial Education Strategist

  • Financial Literacy & Capability Development
  • Retirement & Wealth Planning
  • Community Financial Wellbeing

Licensed Financial Planner (eCMSRL/C4539/2025) and educator with over 25 years of experience in financial education, retirement preparedness, financial wellbeing, and community empowerment initiatives.

Mr. Maria Pragasam

Founder & Corporate Financial Trainer 

  • Financial Educationist
  • Business & Corporate Strategy
  • Workplace Financial Wellness

Certified Financial Planner, Experienced corporate trainer specialising in practical financial capability development, management training, and adult learning facilitation.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Husniyah Abd Rahim

Research & Academic Advisor

  • Family Economics & Educationalist
  • Consumer Behaviour Studies
  • Financial Wellbeing Research

Academic and researcher with extensive expertise in financial resilience, family resource management, and social wellbeing development

Dr. Nuradibah Mokhtar

Senior Lecturer & Researcher

  • Financial Educationalist
  • Consumer Finance
  • Financial Behaviour Studies

Experienced academic specialising in financial education, financial management, and consumer financial wellbeing research.

Mr. Sanjeev Prabu

Financial Education Expert

  • Financial Literacy & Capability Development
  • Financial Education Gamification
  • Community Financial Wellbeing

Certified financial planner with strong expertise in activity, game-based training, children financial literacy training expert and adult financial coaching.

Mr. Alan Keevan John Michael

Children Financial Education Specialist

  • Children’s Financial Literacy
  • Creative Learning Development
  • Youth Engagement Activities

Passionate educator and creative facilitator specialising in developing engaging financial education content and interactive learning experiences for children and young learners.

Jessemun Vinod Prabu

Assistant IT & Digital Support Specialist

  • Digital Systems Support
  • Creative Design Assistance
  • Technology Coordination

Young technology enthusiast supporting digital operations, content coordination, and creative development initiatives.

Ir. Dr. Baran Razali

Financial Planning & Compliance Specialist

  • Financial Planning
  • Capital Markets & Compliance
  • Investment Advisory

Licensed financial planning professional with expertise in investment planning, compliance, and capital market advisory services.

Dr. Yasotha Nair Tramankuti

Senior Lecturer & Financial Educator

  • Financial Management
  • Consumer Behaviour (Bankruptcy)
  • Financial Education Research

Academic professional specialising in financial literacy in bankruptcy, behavioural finance, and consumer financial management studies.

Suganthan Sumelingam

Financial Education Trainer & Project Specialist

  • Financial Education Training
  • Project Coordination
  • Financial Services Support

Experienced professional with expertise in financial education delivery, project coordination, and operational support within financial services and community engagement initiatives.

Nurul Kamilah Hanif

Corporate Legal & Compliance Advisor

  • Corporate Legal Advisory
  • Governance & Compliance
  • Strategic Corporate Affairs

Legal and corporate affairs professional experienced in governance, compliance management, and organisational advisory services.

Our Collaborators