KCCI elects Divakar Pai Kochikar as president for 2026-27
Ashwin Pai Maroor elected vice-president; CA Abdur Rahman Musba honorary treasurer
Mangaluru, Sept. 30, 2026: The Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has elected Divakar Pai Kochikar as its president for 2026-27.
The new office-bearers and directors were elected at the 86th Annual General Meeting of the Chamber held at its registered office in Mangaluru at 4.30 p.m. on Monday, September 28.
Ashwin Pai Maroor was elected vice-president and CA Abdur Rahman Musba honorary treasurer. Jeethan Allen Sequeira and Vincent Cutinha were elected honorary secretaries.
The newly elected directors are Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, Amith Ramachandra Acharya, B. A. Nazeer, Aditya Padmanabha Pai, M. Athmika Amin, CA Nandagopal Shenoy, Sujir Prasad Nayak, Ajay Prabhu Karkala, Nitte Dasharath Shetty, Vincent Joseph Neeliyara, Balakrishna Janardhana Jeppu and Ranjal Rajnish Nayak.
Pai Kochikar is an entrepreneur from Mangaluru and is the third-generation executive director of Swasti Cashew Industries Private Ltd., established in 1952. He holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology.
He began his career in banking software with Nucleus Software in Noida and later worked with Infosys on Apple projects before returning to Mangaluru to join his family business.
Swasti Cashew Industries has a history in cashew processing and Cashew Nut Shell Liquid and currently operates warehousing facilities. Pai Kochikar is also involved in agriculture, cultivating rubber, arecanut and pepper.
He co-founded Kochikar Technologies LLP and co-created MyPoojaBooking, a temple management platform for online sevas, donations and room bookings, including self-service kiosks. The firm also develops Sahay Mitra, a scholarship platform that has helped students access financial support from trusts across the country.
Pai Kochikar joined the KCCI board as a director in 2018 and served two terms as honorary secretary. He is a Rotarian and has served as secretary of the Rotary Club of Mangalore and held responsibilities at Rotary District 3181. He is also a member of the Managing Committee of the Ammembal Subbarao Pai Memorial Fund, Mangaluru.
Speaking after his election, Pai Kochikar said several priorities pursued by the Chamber over the years were beginning to gain traction, with the Union and State governments showing growing commitment to the region’s potential.
He said he intended to build on the momentum and carry forward the Chamber’s vision in the coming years.
Pai Kochikar said the region was entering a critical five- to 10-year period of growth and that development needed to be pursued sustainably and supported by structured urban planning as Mangaluru positions itself as a global business destination.
He highlighted Mangaluru’s port and maritime economy as a natural advantage and said there was scope for growth in finance, education, healthcare, IT and tourism. He also stressed the need to equip the region’s youth with the skills required to convert these opportunities into economic activity.
He said the trading community, which formed the founding base of the Chamber, would remain central to this vision.
Pai Kochikar thanked the Chamber’s past presidents and directors for their continued involvement and acknowledged the support of its well-wishers. He also thanked the media for highlighting the Chamber’s work and sought continued support as new initiatives are taken up during the coming year.
