In March 2017, Uday Kotak, managing director and chief executive of Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB), launched Kotak811—its new digital-based savings account. It was an unusual name, reminding some of the 9/11 attacks in the US and the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. But for many in India, 811 rang a different bell—of the big, shocking announcement on a winter's night a few months before. Uday Kotak confirmed as much. “It is inspired by 8th November (demonetisation) Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move. The inspiration is from PM Modi's vision of a new India,” he had said. Kotak may have flattered to impress, but he had spoken too soon. Demonetisation did not quite achieve its lofty goals. Kotak agreed later, pinning the blame on poor execution. But in a strange twist of the inspired doing much better than its inspirer, Kotak811 has gone places. The huge post-demonestisation rise in financial savings in the country helped and Kotak811 too rode the wave. There’s more than that though—a turnaround, to boot. For much of its five-and-a-half years, Kotak811 was primarily a customer-acquisition funnel and cross-selling platform for the parent bank. It was a middling show though. But the business really took off in the year ended March 2022. Account openings, credit-card issuance, lending, and customer engagement—all soared. So much so that internally at the bank, it’s become ‘aspirational’ to work with this team. And comparisons are being drawn between Kotak811 and industry giants like HDFC Bank and fintech Paytm. It’s also being seen as the competitor to YONO—the digital-banking platform of the State Bank of India. At the centre stage now, ambitions are soaring and a digital-banking license is being eyed for Kotak811. Interestingly, the unit's growth coincides with the son-rise of Jay Kotak, seen as a potential successor for the top job at the bank.