Chetna Gala Sinha is a social activist, farmer, and banking pioneer, renowned as the Founder-Chairperson of the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank, India's first bank for and by rural women. Her career is a testament to the transformative power of grassroots finance and a commitment to economically and socially empowering women micro-entrepreneurs. She is a recognized global voice on financial inclusion and social innovation.
Driven by a vision to correct market failures, Sinha established the Mann Deshi Bank in 1997 in a drought-stricken area of Maharashtra. The bank now has over 100,000 account holders and has loaned over $70 million, continually creating new financial products tailored to the needs of rural women. Her work extends beyond banking; in 2006, she founded the first Business School for Rural Women in India, and later launched the first Chambers of Commerce for women micro-entrepreneurs in the country.
Sinha’s profound impact on development has earned her significant global and national recognition. She served as a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2018 and was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar—India’s highest civilian award for women. Policy institutions including the Reserve Bank of India and other national planning bodies regularly seek her advice on financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, underscoring her expertise.
As a passionate speaker and activist, Chetna Gala Sinha brings her "boots-on-the-ground" experience to the stage. Her presentations detail how organizations like the Mann Deshi Foundation—which has supported over 650,000 women through business schools, a community radio, and a water conservation program—can drive significant policy changes and economic empowerment, inspiring audiences to embrace risk and pursue compassionate, high-impact social entrepreneurship.
