About Utkarsh Welfare Foundation
Utkarsh Welfare Foundation ('UWF' or 'the Foundation'), erstwhile Samutkarsh Welfare Services (SWS), was incorporated on August 12, 2010 and is registered under the Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 (erstwhile Section 25 of the Companies Act 1956). Its interventions are aimed at providing various services for the development and assistance to the underprivileged and underserved segments with market linkage opportunities, education, health and vocational training programs.
Over the years, the Foundation has made significant impact in the developmental work sphere towards the vision of promoting sustainable development through technology driven, impactful and scalable interventions in various thematic areas.
Since inception, the Foundation, through its unwavering commitment has touched the lives of more than 02 million people across Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
At Utkarsh Welfare Foundation, we envision to be an institution of excellence in promoting holistic development through equitable socio-economic activities. Our strategies for development and implementation include leveraging technology and making a sustainable change through impactful and scalable interventions with direct community engagements.
Over the years, the focus of the Foundation has always been on being a catalyst to development interventions that enhance wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalized rural households. With innovative program design at the core of its intervention strategy, the Foundation is rapidly evolving its approach to maximize its outreach and intensify its impact. The institution has made sustained efforts in diversifying its interventions in the areas of of financial awareness & education, primary healthcare, skill development, micro enterprise training and sustainable livelihoods.
Our primary objective is to develop ideas, solutions and interventions that are firmly rooted in a deep understanding of needs of the low income households in remote and underserved areas. The Foundation has created its niche and is intensively focusing on Financial Awareness, Health Initiatives, Skill, Vocational & Entrepreneurship Development and Village Development programs amongst others.
At Utkarsh Welfare Foundation, we are driven by a shared sense of purpose and an unyielding passion to create a positive and lasting impact on the communities we serve. We believe that by working together, embracing innovation, and fostering collaboration, we can build a brighter future for those who need it the most.
One of our core strengths lies in our collaborative approach to development. We actively seek partnerships and collaborations with like-minded organizations, government bodies, and stakeholders to amplify the impact of our initiatives. By forging strong alliances and working in tandem with local communities, governmental agencies and other relevant stakeholders, we have been able to create a synergistic environment that fosters sustainable change on a larger scale.
At the heart of our operations is a robust monitoring and evaluation framework. We believe in accountability, transparency, and evidence-based decision-making. Our dedicated team closely monitors the progress of our projects, regularly assesses their effectiveness, and makes necessary adjustments to ensure that our interventions yield the desired outcomes. By rigorously evaluating our impact and learning from our experiences, we continuously refine and tune our strategies, striving for continuous improvement and more effectiveness in our work.
Vision & Mission
Our Vision
Be an institution of excellence in promoting holistic development through inclusive growth leading to greater participation in equitable socio - economic opportunities.
Our Mission
To promote sustainable development through technology driven, impactful & scalable interventions in the identified thematic areas including primary healthcare, education, skill training, livelihoods, financial inclusion & environmental conservation.
Chairperson's Message – Dr. H. P. Mathur
Our financial inclusion initiatives include Financial Awareness programs that enhance the financial decision-making process of beneficiaries through classroom training. We have gained extensive experience in running Financial Awareness programs, allowing us to implement Financial Awareness in multiple innovative ways in addition to the regular Classroom Training viz. Mass Awareness Camps, Theatre Camps and Trainings through digital mode.
Under Skill, Vocational & Entrepreneurship Development Programs, the initiatives are aimed to enable entrepreneurs to setup / upscale / diversify their micro and small business enterprises. Relevant skill training, business development and start-up support is being provided, especially to women micro-entrepreneurs.
The Village Development Programme (VDP) of the Foundation focuses on integrated development of the village through self-reliance and capacity building. The Foundation is continually strengthening and expanding its presence in the VDP villages through setting up of Smart Classes, promoting best agricultural practices, providing agricultural input support, conducting regular capacity building programs on various types of microenterprises for women, etc.
At Utkarsh Welfare Foundation, we operate largely in the States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The teams have worked dynamically and promptly on the strategic priorities of the developmental sphere.
I express my gratitude to our shareholders, Board Members, partners and beneficiaries for their unwavering support. I also extend my appreciation to our dedicated employees who contribute their expertise and efforts towards sustainable development. Our commitment for making a positive impact on disadvantaged communities remains resolute.
Dr. H. P. Mathur
Chairperson, Utkarsh Welfare Foundation
Board of Directors
Dr. H. P. Mathur
Dr. Himendu P. Mathur has a rich experience of over 41 years in academic administration, research, teaching and industry. He has published dozens of articles/papers in reputed national and international journals. He has also authored 13 books including edited volumes. His areas of interest include Banking, Strategic Management and Finance. He acts as an expert member at different committees and academic bodies. He has acted as Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, chaired Sessions, delivered Keynote Addresses and made presentations in several international and national conferences, Seminars, workshops, EDPs, FDPs in India and abroad.
Dr. H. P. Mathur is also associated with Atal Incubation Centre, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi as a Director and is the Coordinator of International Students Affairs and Collaborations, BHU. He is closely associated with developing corporate relations and organizing alumni network.
Prior to joining at Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), BHU in 1992, he worked as Assistant Engineer at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, involved in designing, planning, fabricating and testing equipment for fighter aircrafts. He also worked for over ten years in Allahabad Bank and was also Branch Head. His major involvement was in project formulation, evaluation, and credit and risk management. He is B.Tech. in Electrical Engg. from IT (now IIT), BHU, Master's in Management Studies (Gold Medalist), Ph.D. from Faculty of Management Studies (BHU), CAIIB from Indian Institute of Bankers (now IIBF) and holds Diploma in German Language.
Mr. Ashwani Kumar
Mr. Ashwani Kumar has hands-on BFSI industry experience of over 18 years, especially in the domains of banking & microfinance with a focus on setting up and upscaling support and control functions, while working with Public Sector Bank, NBFC-MFI, Small Finance Bank and Core Investment HoldCo.
He is co-Promoter of and Managing Director at SiCANFinServePvt. Ltd., an entity dedicated to provide financial solutions tailored to the evolving needs of Indian households by blending the traditional wisdom with the practicalities of modern financial services.
Earlier, at Utkarsh Group entities (HO, Varanasi), he led critical functions in its transformational journey (banking licence to IPO) of Utkarsh Micro Finance Pvt. Ltd. (UMFPL) to Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Ltd. (USFBL). Initially he led the Internal Audit, vertical with concurrent charges of Risk, Compliance, Secretarial, Credit & Client Interaction and then had exposures as Head of Strategy, Corporate Communication, Training and Recruitment verticals. Lastly, he was the Deputy CFO at USFBL, and the Managing Director & CEO at Utkarsh CoreInvest Ltd.
At NABARD Financial Services Ltd. (NABFINS) (HO, Bangalore), as Assistant General Manager, during its transformation journey, he played a pivotal role in setting up and expanding the Finance & Accounts vertical along with the Risk, Audit, Inspection, Secretarial, Regulatory Compliances, HR & General Administration verticals; while being a Business Partner Empanelment Committee Member.
At Canara Bank (HO, Bangalore) as Manager (Scale II), he led the Bank’s 1st Batch of Agri Business Marketing Managers & Officers, concurrently heading the Priority Small Loan Monitoring Division and being part of the initial team to set up the Microfinance Division towards the Financial Inclusion initiatives of the Bank, while leading the Capacity Building initiatives for Priority & Agriculture Officers/Branches in collaboration with the Bank’s Staff Training College.
He started his career as a ‘Research Associate’ at Locus Research and Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (HO, New Delhi), primarily engaged in the Projects for Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India and other few other international agencies.
He is an IRMA (Institute of Rural Management, Anand) Graduate, CFA from ICFAI (India), B. Com (Hons.) from Delhi University; has CAIIB and various other Diplomas and Certifications from IIBF; and is also UGC Net (Management) certified.
He has been on Editorial Board of institutional magazines. He also participates regularly in various industry and academic conferences. His award-winning presentation and article thereon, on Channel Financing was published in RBI’s Annual Book.
Mr. Govind Singh
Mr. Govind Singh has an overall experience of more than 30 years in the Banking & Finance Sector, with a wide range of experience at different levels.
He was the founder of Utkarsh Micro Finance Ltd., the promoting institution of Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Ltd. Currently, he is the Managing Director & CEO at Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited. Prior to setting up Utkarsh, he was with ICICI Bank Ltd. in Rural, Micro & Agri-Business Group as the Business Head for Micro Banking. He also worked in the Retail Liabilities Group and Retail Infrastructure Group with ICICI Bank. Earlier to ICICI Bank, he had worked with UTI Bank Ltd. (Axis Bank), Bank International Indonesia, Surya Fincap Limited. He also had stints with Allahabad Bank and State Bank of Patiala (since amalgamated with State Bank of India).
Mr. Govind Singh also served as a member of the working group to review the Business Correspondent (BC) Model in India. The committee was set up by RBI to examine the ways for improving BC Model.
He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from Delhi University and is a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers (now IIBF).
Ms. Ramni Nirula
Ms. Ramni Nirula had retired as Senior General Manager of ICICI Bank Limited. She has more than forty years of experience in the financial services sector, beginning her career with the erstwhile ICICI Limited in the project appraisal division. Since then, she has held various leadership positions in the areas of Project Financing, Strategy, Planning & Resources and Corporate Banking. She was part of the top management team, instrumental in transforming ICICI Bank from a term lending institution into a technology-led diversified financial services group with a strong presence in India’s retail financial services market. She was also a part of the top-level task force, which successfully planned and implemented ICICI Bank’s entry in the Rural Banking, Microfinance & Agriculture Business group, identified by the Bank as a key thrust area. Ms. Nirula also held a key position as Managing Director & CEO of ICICI Securities Limited, the Investment Banking arm of ICICI Bank Limited. She also headed the Corporate Banking Group for ICICI Bank. In addition, she was also responsible for setting up the Government Banking / Corporate Agri Group based out of New Delhi within the bank.
Ms. Nirula helped to set up / take forward ICICI Banks’ CSR initiative through the ICICI Foundation, set up with a focus on the delivery of primary health, primary education and access to finance.
Ms. Nirula had been a member of the Board of many ICICI group and associate companies i.e. ICICI Securities Limited, ICICI Direct and 3i Infotech. Additionally, she had been a member of the Board of leading companies in India.
She had also been on the Board of non-corporates like a leading residential school for girls, a Micro Finance Institution in India and an Advisory Council Member of ICICI Knowledge Park Trust. In addition to the Corporate Boards, she was there on the India Advisory Board of a Boston-based global PE fund for advising on investment opportunities in India and supporting investee companies in their biz growth.
She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Delhi University.
Senior Management
Mr. Sulabh Kumar Jain – Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Sulabh Kumar Jain has 18 years of experience in the field of Banking, Microfinance and Financial Sector. He started his career with ICICI Bank as Relationship Manager and was looking after wholesale lending to Microfinance Institutions.
He has worked with Utkarsh Microfinance Ltd. in various capacities (Field Operations, Internal Audit, HR and Training and Credit Plus Activities) in leadership roles. He has also worked in leadership roles with Simpa Energy India Pvt. Ltd. (Sr. Director HR and Training), Satin Creditcare Network Ltd. (Head Internal Audit) and Ananya Finance (VP-Microfinance). Prior to joining the Foundation, he was working with Utkarsh Small Finance Bank in the capacity of National Audit Manager-Concurrent Audit.
He is an Agriculture Graduate and has done Masters in Agri-Business Management.
Annual Reports
Careers
At Utkarsh Welfare Foundation, we aspire to bring about positive change and empower communities. We seek highly motivated and qualified individuals to join our dedicated team and engage with us in the areas of Financial Awareness, Education, Health, Skill, Vocational, Entrepreneurship Development, Village Development and other such initiatives.
We firmly believe in creating an inclusive and supportive work environment, where every individual is given equal opportunities to contribute and grow. At Utkarsh Welfare Foundation, we embrace diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.