Vikram Akula of SKS Microfinance Touts Mobile Banking as the Future of Microfinance

Posted on May 6, 2008 by prernasri

In a recent interview with IndiaKnowledge@Wharton, Vikram Akula of SKS Microfinance touted mobile banking (conventionally used for “performing balance checks, account transactions, payments etc. via a mobile device such as a mobile phone” ;) as the future of microfinance, but cited India’s regulatory environment as a significant limiting factor in expanding mobile banking networks (click here [...]

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[TC-I Changemaker]: CGAP’s Gautam Ivatury on the linkage between technology and financial empowerment of the poor

Posted on May 4, 2008 by Vinay

The ThinkChange India staff is committed to providing our readers with interviews with people we believe are at the brink of something special but have for the most part been overlooked by the mainstream media. Readers will be able to see other conversations under our TC-I Changemakers tab.
This week, Vinay sat down (over the phone) [...]

Filed under: Finance/Credit, Microfinance, NGO/Non-profit, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Venture Capital, TC-I Changemakers, Technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

TC-I Week in Review

Posted on April 26, 2008 by Vinay

First off there seems to be a lot of interest in our TC-I Changemakers profiles as that page on our website received a number of hits this week. For us here at ThinkChange India, interviewing people active in the field of social entrepreneurship in India is something that we truly love to do and we [...]

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Op-Ed: Should SKS Microfinance go Public?

Posted on April 24, 2008 by prernasri

A recent article on www.sramanamitra.com postulates that SKS Microfinance, which offers “several microfinance options to the poor in India for a variety of businesses from agriculture and livestock purchase to basket weaving and photography,” and has to date “provided over $550 million in microcredit,” will most likely follow Compartamos’ model and go public. According [...]

Filed under: Approaches, Finance/Credit, Issues, Microfinance, NGOs and Non-profits, Op-Ed | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

TC-I Tidbits

Posted on April 21, 2008 by Vinay

Here is your daily dose of headlines about innovative or anti-innovative ideas from around the country:

Microfinance

ACCESS Development Services and Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development will work to build cooperation between Europe and India to assist 20 MFIs in the country.
SKS Microfinance and Bajaj Allianz will form a partnership to provide clients with insurance [...]

Filed under: BoP, Education, Energy, Environment, Finance/Credit, Government, Health, Housing, Microfinance, NGOs and Non-profits, PPP | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

Vikram Akula, founder of SKS Microfinance, to speak at CGAP, Washington, DC today

Posted on April 11, 2008 by prernasri

The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) is hosting Vikram Akula, founder and CEO of microfinance institution SKS Microfinance today as part of their informal brown bag series. RSVP to cgap@worldbank.org, or call the CGAP offices at 202-473-9594 for more information. The CGAP offices are on the third floor of 900 19th [...]

Filed under: Approaches, Meetings, Microfinance, Opportunities | Tagged: , , , | No Comments »