14 AugVikram Akula, SKS Microfinance

Vikram Akula, SKS Microfinance

A good interview with Vikram Akula, CEO of SKS Microfinance in Hyderabad, at The Tribune India:

He has been named by Time magazine as one of 'The People Who Shape Our World' for 2006. Vikram Akula, the Founder and CEO of SKS Microfinance, one of the world's fastest growing microfinance institutions, is not resting on his laurels. The Hyderabad-based social entrepreneur wants to make a difference to the lives of seven lakh women by helping them become economically self-reliant by March next.

What distinguishes this doctorate holder from University of Chicago are his efforts in infusing cutting edge technology innovations to, in Time's words, "make venture capital available to more of the 800 million people in India". The Tufts University graduate, who is an MA in International Affairs from Yale University, returned as a Fulbright scholar to India to coordinate a project on providing microfinance to marginal farmers.

He started Swayam Krishi Sangham (SKS) Microfinance in 1998 with a clear understanding that technology could be used to automate the extremely manually intensive processes of microfinance, which enabled rapid scaling. Today, SKS's highly standardised processes, which, among others, replaced passbooks with smart cards, have attracted the attention of the likes of Vinod Khosla, Founding CEO of Sun Microsystems, with Rs 11.2 crore funds.

Other microfinance stories for today …

*At Africa Unchained, a case study from JETHRO on SME access to finance.

*Everybody Loves Kiva.

*A Peruvian microfinance institution, two Colombian non-profit organizations and a social entrepreneur in Ecuador have won the Inter-American Development Bank's annual awards for microenterprise development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

*Are you a social entrepreneur?


10 Responses to “Vikram Akula, SKS Microfinance”

  1. EHINFUN OLUSEGUN SAMUEL says:

    i heard about SKS Microfinance on CNN today , have researched and,impressed. As a social entrepreneuro would love to model his successes in Nigeria.

  2. D.Ashok says:

    I ever interest microfinace low income
    womans for villages level
    I living in Ranga Reddy(Dist)
    vikarabad madal -501101 any service
    opportunity kindly email I have good finance service experence I have Own office in vikarabad with computers interent spcility kindly give any
    opportunity

  3. I living in Ranga Reddy vikarabad madal -501101 any service opportunity kindly email I have good finance service experence I have Own office in vikarabad with computers interent spcility kindly give any opportunity .

  4. harry says:

    I was really impressed. that’s just great that such people exist! have read a lot on the topic at different blogs I found with the help of http://www.picktorrent.com search engine, have learned about some other examples of working in this sphere. but this article really gives food for thought

  5. PRAVEEN MISRA says:

    I WAS A SALES EXECUTIVE IN SOFT DRINKS LINE.HEARD ABOUT SKS THROUGH YOUR AREA MANAGER(DEVIKA)WHILE TRAVELLING HYDERABAD FROM WARANGAL.I FELT VERY PROUD THAT YOU ARE FROM OUR STATE AND DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB. I WILL SUBMIT MY RESUME ASAP BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A PART IN YOUR ORGANISATION.

  6. devidas says:

    Sir U started busness is very usefull to rural india I was a part of sks india as a Internal Audit Assiciate,
    Iwas resained only because of one person thatis Nagesh jain he is working as a AAM Of Internal audit dept Pune resional office.

    He is so much Torchuring to new joined staff because of he new staff goes in ABSCOUND, It is really true

    I was seffured this so TAKE STRICT ACTION AGENST HE.

    THANKS!

  7. Crystal says:

    India is a mystery country.

  8. tomas says:

    A good interview with Vikram Akula.

  9. ilaçlama says:

    thank you nice blog

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