awards

Known as the “Mother of Indian Microfinance”. Late Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Das was an (ex) Director on the Board of SATYA MicroCapital. A woman of substance and a firm believer in “women empowerment”, she was deeply inspired from her mother and grandmother, who broke traditional norms and took up the job in a society where women were prohibited from doing one. Late Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Das shattered stereotypes way back in the ‘70s when she took up a job in finance after a degree in economics when women roles were mostly limited to domestic duties.
After a post-graduate degree in economics, she further did advanced courses from the Economic Institute, Harvard Institute for International Development, and Women’s World Banking of USA. It was in 1989 that Late Mrs Vijayalakshmi Das took up the leadership role as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Friends of Women’s World Banking (FWWB) India. As a Chief Executive Officer, she worked relentlessly for women empowerment, aided farmers, and several low-income groups to achieve their financial stability and develop their skills.
Her long list of work credentials includes her membership in the standing committee on gender Issues in credit and support services of NABARD. She had also been a part of the project advisory group of CGAP—an organisation that works toward financial inclusion in India. Others include her participation in RBI’s microfinance task force, MCRIL’s governing board, SIDBI Foundation for Microcredit board’s governing board. Das has also been a trustee of APMAS and Appropriate Technology, India.