Cambridge Scholars Publishing Evaluation of Microfinance Institutions in Varanasi with Special Reference to Client Education

Product Description In the last two decades, microfinance has gained growing recognition as an effective tool for improving the quality of life and the living standard of poor and low-income people. Microfinance’s popularity reached a peak when the United Nations declared 2005 the ‘International Year of Microcredit’ and when, one year later, the author of ‘Banker to the Poor’, Muhammad Yunus, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This recognition has given rise to a movement that was supposed to accomplish social and financial goals simultaneously and without any friction. However, microfinance as an industry was shaken for the first time in 2008, as a consequence of the international financial crisis, and it again suffered problems more recently. It was reported that the populist moves by politicians led to a mass default of loans, of worth more than US$1.5 billion in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the biggest market for the microfinance institutions in India. Measures taken to ensure that the 2008 crisis and its consequences are not repeated include bringing clients’ protection principles to work and building client awareness in order to make informed decisions. This book focuses on the efficacy of ‘financial education’ as a tool towards attaining client protection. It also utilizes the Microfinance Clients Awareness Index to evaluate the factors that impact the level of financial awareness for microfinance clients. About the Author Dr Vinita Kalra, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Management Studies at Rajarshi School of Management and Technology, Varanasi, India. She has presented research papers at major management institutions in India, including the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore, and she has authored approximately 15 research papers and articles published in various reputable national and international journals. Her areas of interests include microfinance, behavioural finance, and security analysis. H. P. Mathur is Allahabad Bank Chair Professor at the Institute of Management Studies of Banaras Hindu University, India, having received a Master’s degree and PhD in Management Studies from the same institution. He has extensive experience in academic administration, research, and teaching. He has authored 12 books, in addition to a number of articles published in various national and international journals. His areas of interest include strategic management, finance, entrepreneurship, nurturing and grooming talent, and skill development, among others.