Here are some major headlines with regard to microfinance in India: A new technology platform designed specifically for microinsurance providers has been launched ICICI and others have banded together to create a rating system for MFIs A recent study indicates that microfinance is focusing more on the urban areas than before NABARD sponsors trip for [...]

In a first of its kind survey, the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has released a study analyzing the level of financial inclusion currently in India relative to other nations. The results are unimpressive. The paper ranks India at 29 in a list of 55 countries based on the country’s performance [...]

University of Madras is organizing a International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility between from the 5th to 7th of November, 2008. They have interesting names lined up, including writer Dr. Ramachandra Guha and social activist P. Sainath. More details here

Last week, we wrote about Rohini Nilekani’s excellent op-ed in The Hindu, on the changing face of philanthropy in India. She is in the news again, Rohini will be hosting a new show on NDTV 24/7 called Uncommon Ground. The show will bring leaders of corporate India and the not-for-profit sector together to discuss challenges [...]

In an effort to grow from its four existing branches to twelve by the end of the year, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) plans to open eight more microfinance branches across the nation. The branches would be designed around the self-help group linkage model. This effort is one in a larger trend by major financial [...]

In line with its National E-Governance Plan, the Government of India recently launched the India Development Gateway, which seeks to “foster inclusive growth and empower its rural users through relevant information in six languages – Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Bengali and English.” In addition, the portal aims to provide information on agriculture, health, primary education, [...]

Once in a while, its not uncommon to see a Bollywood movie taking on a pertinent social issue and the same time striving to be commercially successful. On that spirit, the latest bollywood release titled Summer 2007, is taking on the issue of farmer suicides in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra [via Reuters India] In [...]

A feature on the Deccan Development Society (DDS), an organization aimed to create a self-sustainable ecosystem of dalit women in Andhra Pradesh, in a manner that its leader coins as being “villaged global.” My favorite paragraph: Starting in 1999, the women of the DDS created a market with about 2,000 members, comprising ecological, self-produced food [...]

Here is an interesting story of a farmer’s decision to utilize the ancestor of an indigenous strain of wheat that was used in Malwa before the Green Revolution. The impetus for the change? — the fact that the newer variety of grain actually demanded more water than the older one. Time was when Malwa, a [...]

Grameen Foundation has recently announced that they will be providing two entrepreneurs seen money to develop Village Phone programs. It will be run through its Village Phone Assistance Center. Launched in 2007, the Village Phone Assistance Center guides MFIs and other organizations in developing Village Phone products that provide poor communities around the world with [...]