This pioneering initiative, unveiled on Women’s Day, marks a first in the gold-loan industry
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, March 8, 2025: IIFL Finance, one of India’s largest non-banking financial companies, has launched seven gold-loan branches exclusively run by women employees across the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). This pioneering initiative, unveiled on Women’s Day, marks a first in the gold-loan industry and underscores IIFL Finance’s commitment to empowering women in financial services.
Branded as ‘Shakti’ branches, the new outlets celebrate the strength and resilience of women who drive social and economic change in their communities. These branches will cater to all borrowers while offering special benefits and financial literacy programs tailored for female entrepreneurs.
Abhiram Bhattacharjee, President and Chief Operating Officer at IIFL Finance, “A quarter of IIFL Finance’s customers are women, mostly from unbanked and underbanked segments. Additionally, we have a significant number of women employees at the branch level. Through these women-centric initiatives, we aim to foster financial independence and create a more inclusive business ecosystem.”
Each ‘Shakti’ branch is staffed entirely by women, providing employment opportunities to up to forty female professionals. Beyond financial services, these branches will offer skill development programs designed to support women entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses.
Manish Mayank, Zonal Head of Gold Loan at IIFL Finance said, “Women business owners are a vital force in India’s economy and form a significant segment of our customer base. The launch of Shakti branches reaffirms our commitment to extending credit and financial resources to small, unbanked, and underbanked women entrepreneurs. Women’s Day is the perfect occasion to introduce this initiative.”
With a focus on financial inclusion, IIFL Finance continues to serve over 10 million customers nationwide, primarily from underserved communities. The company remains a preferred lending partner for small entrepreneurs across India, operating across 25 states through over 4,800 branches, with assets under management totaling Rs 71,000 crores.
