Ms. Chetna Sinha strongly believes that empowering rural women contributes to improving their own lives and well being of their families and the community. Following her belief, Ms. Chetna Sinha, formed the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank Ltd. Mhaswad, in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is India’s first rural financial institution to receive a co-operative license from the Reserve Bank of India.

Smt. Sinha has been successful in introducing this new concept to develop a culture of micro-entrepreneurship among women in the inaccessible, drought-prone areas of Maharashtra. She has significantly contributed to bring in a revolution amongst rural women by providing them the tools necessary for achieving financial independence and self-sufficiency.

The bank was set up in 1997 and is run by women, for women. This undertaking, in addition to offering financial assistance, also invests in developing rural infrastructure and asset-building; floats projects to rejuvenate local traditional skills; offers training for skill upgradation and rebuilds women’s linkages with new markets.

With an objective to promote the right of women to own property, Mann Deshi Bank succeeded in convincing the Revenue Department of Maharashtra to include women’s names on stamp papers which are required in transactions of immovable properties, since 2004.

In addition to the bank, the Mann Deshi Mahila umbrella involves operations of two other organizations Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha and Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation. The Sanstha provides students scholarships, vocational skills training and conducts health education camps. The Federation is a non-profit association aims at developing and empowering rural women entrepreneurs and currently caters to more than 300 self-help groups. These comprise of self employed women who are vegetable vendors, milk sellers and weavers.

Smt. Sinha, 47 and a mother of three sons, born in Mumbai, has earned her master’s degree in Commerce and Economics from Mumbai University in 1982. Her work and contribution has also gained recognition and acclaim internationally. Various organizations and financial institutes have extended their support and co-operation towards Smt. Sinha’s commendable projects and activities.