FELLOWSHIPS |
In 2020, we have awarded seven fellowships. These cover a range of focus areas like data ownership platform for gig workers, meso and community based insurance, MSME clusters, technology based credit assessment of rural micro enterprises, self-employment of women in rural India, and investigations into FPOs as a channel of farmers’ inclusion. |
MEET THE FELLOWSUnderstanding and Debundling Financial Risks of Small and Marginal Farmers in Farmer Producer OrganisationsFormal institutional credit still remains out of bounds for the small and marginal farmers (beneficiaries) due to their inability to produce a financial history or give collateral. Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) can be an effective vehicle to reach out to the beneficiaries. The purpose of this study is to understand the means to mitigate financial risks associated with the beneficiaries by being a part of FPOs and develop well-informed use cases that can assist an FPO to become an agent of financial inclusion for the marginalize |
![]() Dr. Gayathri Aaditya ErankiAssociate Professor and Head of Planning Department, NITTE School of Architecture ![]() Dr. Pramod KhadilkarDepartment of Technology, Management and Economics, TU Denmark ![]() Rohitkumar PillaiCo-founder, Rural Caravan Pvt. Ltd. |
Mobiles for Mobilisation - Are Mobiles the Solution for Rural Women’s Entrepreneurship?Can digital inclusion bolster the empowerment of rural women and facilitate their increased participation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of rural India? Our study is aimed at identifying use cases of smartphones, feature phones and mobile applications in the mobilisation of rural women into self-employment and entrepreneurship. |
![]() Nalini SrinivasanIndependent ICT Consultant ![]() Shruti SheopurkarData Analyst, 60 Decibels |
Disentangling the Growth of MSMEsThis is a study of the lives of entrepreneurs in industrial clusters in Tamil Nadu around Chennai, Vellore, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Tirunelveli. The study will use journalistic tools to understand the challenges facing entrepreneurs in these clusters and tell their stories through six deep-dive case studies, and an essay that explores the differences and the common threads. |
![]() Ramnath N SSenior Writer, Founding Fuel |
How can Community-Based Insurance be Scaled-Up to Build Resilient CommunitiesGiven India’s low insurance penetration, community-based insurance holds great potential. This study provides an update on the state of mutual and community insurance in India, the impediments to its growth and presents a blueprint for developing a scalable and sustainable mutual insurance model for India. |
![]() Payal AgarwalUplift Development Solutions and Services (UDSS) ![]() Dr. Shariq NisarUplift Development Solutions and Services (UDSS) ![]() Kumar ShailabhUplift Development Solutions and Services (UDSS) |
Scoping Meso Level Insurance in Agriculture Sector in IndiaThe agricultural insurance sector in India has largely focused at the level of micro insurance (individual farmers as policy holders), through highly subsidized central schemes such as PMFBY. This study seeks to explore the potential and feasibility of agricultural insurance at the meso-level, which covers “risk-aggregators” including banks, MFIs, or agribusinesses. |
![]() Sabina YasminResearch Fellow, LEAD at Krea University ![]() Vinith KurianSenior Research Associate, LEAD at Krea University |
Data Ownership and the Gig Worker in the Gig EconomyFintech in its current form is largely focused on payments data for digital interactions. However, financial interactions and identity in itself is not always digital. There needs to be a connecting layer between offline and online financial interactions. Structurally, it needs to be linked to the identity of the people doing economic transactions too. The study explores how a new generation of financial technology products can be built by connecting identity, economic interactions and skills of individuals across the nation on a unified data layer powered by a blockchain. |
![]() Joel JohnResearch Analyst, Outlier Ventures ![]() Moses Sam PaulHead consultant - Growth, Heptagon.in. |
How can Technology Enable better Credit Access for Micro and Small Enterprises?The MSME sector contributes about 1/3rd to India’s GDP and they are expected to be the driving force for the economic recovery out of the current unprecedented times. However, MSMEs, especially in rural areas, have been plagued with difficulties of credit access. The study focuses on developing technology led credit access to rural MSME to provide impetus for their growth. |
![]() Nagachethan S MSenior Vice President, Navi Finserve Private Limited ![]() Vamsee YalamanchiGeneral Manager-Product, Navi Finserve Private Limited ![]() Nitin Chandrakant ZagadeSr. Product Manager, Navi Finserve Private Limited ![]() Chinmay Joshi
Product Manager, Navi Finserve Private Limited |
In 2020, we have awarded eight fellowships. These cover a range of focus areas like data ownership platform for gig workers, meso and community based insurance, MSME clusters, technology based credit assessment of rural micro enterprises, self-employment of women in rural India, and investigations into FPOs as a channel of farmers’ inclusion.
Understanding and Debundling Financial Risks of Small and Marginal Farmers in Farmer Producer Organisations
Formal institutional credit still remains out of bounds for the small and marginal farmers (beneficiaries) due to their inability to produce a financial history or give collateral. Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) can be an effective vehicle to reach out to the beneficiaries. The purpose of this study is to understand the means to mitigate financial risks associated with the beneficiaries by being a part of FPOs and develop well-informed use cases that can assist an FPO to become an agent of financial inclusion for the marginalize
Associate Professor and Head of Planning Department, NITTE School of Architecture
Department of Technology, Management and Economics, TU Denmark
Co-founder, Rural Caravan Pvt. Ltd.
Mobiles for Mobilisation - Are Mobiles the Solution for Rural Women’s Entrepreneurship?
Can digital inclusion bolster the empowerment of rural women and facilitate their increased participation in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of rural India? Our study is aimed at identifying use cases of smartphones, feature phones and mobile applications in the mobilisation of rural women into self-employment and entrepreneurship.
Independent ICT Consultant
Data Analyst, 60 Decibels
Perception and Impact of Open Banking Products on Financial Inclusion Consumer Segment of India
Proposed study is aimed to understand the perception and map needs of FI segment customers towards upcoming open banking products
Deputy Manager - Innovations, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
Consultant - Digital Banking & Payments
Disentangling the Growth of MSMEs
This is a study of the lives of entrepreneurs in industrial clusters in Tamil Nadu around Chennai, Vellore, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Tirunelveli. The study will use journalistic tools to understand the challenges facing entrepreneurs in these clusters and tell their stories through six deep-dive case studies, and an essay that explores the differences and the common threads.
Senior Writer, Founding Fuel
How can Community-Based Insurance be Scaled-Up to Build Resilient Communities
Given India’s low insurance penetration, community-based insurance holds great potential. This study provides an update on the state of mutual and community insurance in India, the impediments to its growth and presents a blueprint for developing a scalable and sustainable mutual insurance model for India.
Uplift Development Solutions and Services (UDSS)
Uplift Development Solutions and Services (UDSS)
Uplift Development Solutions and Services (UDSS)
Scoping Meso Level Insurance in Agriculture Sector in India
The agricultural insurance sector in India has largely focused at the level of micro insurance (individual farmers as policy holders), through highly subsidized central schemes such as PMFBY. This study seeks to explore the potential and feasibility of agricultural insurance at the meso-level, which covers “risk-aggregators” including banks, MFIs, or agribusinesses.
Research Fellow, LEAD at Krea University
Senior Research Associate, LEAD at Krea University
Data Ownership and the Gig Worker in the Gig Economy
Fintech in its current form is largely focused on payments data for digital interactions. However, financial interactions and identity in itself is not always digital. There needs to be a connecting layer between offline and online financial interactions. Structurally, it needs to be linked to the identity of the people doing economic transactions too. The study explores how a new generation of financial technology products can be built by connecting identity, economic interactions and skills of individuals across the nation on a unified data layer powered by a blockchain.
Research Analyst, Outlier Ventures
Head consultant - Growth, Heptagon.in.
How can Technology Enable better Credit Access for Micro and Small Enterprises?
The MSME sector contributes about 1/3rd to India’s GDP and they are expected to be the driving force for the economic recovery out of the current unprecedented times. However, MSMEs, especially in rural areas, have been plagued with difficulties of credit access. The study focuses on developing technology led credit access to rural MSME to provide impetus for their growth.
Senior Vice President, Navi Finserve Private Limited
General Manager-Product, Navi Finserve Private Limited
Sr. Product Manager, Navi Finserve Private Limited
Product Manager, Navi Finserve Private Limited