Some leaders build organizations while others create systems that change social stereotypes. And then there are those rare people who quietly reshape lives on a scale never seen before. Yes, the one in the spotlight is none other than Amrita Kapoor, CEO of Swadhar FinAccess, who leads the campaign for women empowerment in the financial sector. With over two decades of experience in industry and academia, she has consistently worked to drive strategy, innovation, training and empowerment of women, driving systemic change and creating lasting impact for underprivileged women.
His work over the last seven years with Swadhar FinAccess (https://www.swadhaar.org/) has not only advanced financial inclusion but also helped redefine financial dignity for women in India’s underprivileged communities. You ask, why is her profile the top choice for this edition? Well, scale, sensitivity and systemic change come together in the purpose-driven leadership of Amrita Kapoor’s generation. Beyond initiatives and collaborations, their goal is to create an inclusive financial future in which women are key players in the economy rather than in supporting roles. He has transformed financial literacy from an intervention to a movement that reshapes intergenerational opportunity through his “tech + touch” philosophy. His leadership is based on the conviction that inclusion alone is insufficient. Access to a digital wallet or bank account does not guarantee long-term stability, control, or confidence. What women really need is understanding, agency, and systems tailored to their realities. That belief has guided Amrita’s journey, shaped Swadhar’s strategy, and influenced the national conversation on how financial services can work meaningfully for women.
Making Finance Work for Women
With over 25 years of experience in industry, education, training and innovation, Amrita brings both strategic acumen and grassroots sensitivity to her role. Under his active leadership, Swadhar FinAccess became a major force in India’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion, currently operating 211 RBI Centers for Financial Literacy (CFL).
This growth and impact has been strongly shaped by the vision of Swadhar FinAccess’s Founder, Veena Mankar, whose pioneering work laid the foundation for the organization’s mission and values. She has also played a vital role as a mentor to Amrita, guiding and strengthening her leadership journey and ensuring continuity of purpose in driving women-centric financial inclusion on a large scale.
These CFLs are not mere information centres. They are learning spaces where first-generation learners, many of them women who have never interacted confidently with formal finance, begin to understand savings, credit, digital transactions and financial decision making in ways that connect directly to their daily lives. The shift is subtle but powerful: from dependency to decision making.
Scaling effects, not just numbers
The scale of this change is astonishing. When Amrita helped lead the organization, Swadhar’s CFL network stood at just 20 centers in 2019. In just a few years, this number grew to 154 in 2021 and has now crossed 200, expanding into deep rural and semi-urban areas where access to reliable financial guidance is limited. Swadhar has impacted the lives of over 10 million people since its inception and counting.
Yet development was never limited to geography alone. Each new center represents a group of women who are gaining the confidence to ask questions, avoid debt traps, use digital devices safely and participate more actively in household financial decisions. Today, Swadhar’s presence extends to over 28,000 towns and villages, supported by over 450 trainers and technology tools that ensure that learning doesn’t stop when the session ends.
turning crisis into success
The most defining chapter of Amrita’s leadership came during the pandemic. As physical training programs halted across the country, the risk of widening the financial learning gap was real, especially for vulnerable communities. Instead of stopping, he led the launch of an innovative online B2B training model that equipped NGOs to integrate financial literacy into their community programs.
What could have been a disruption turned into a multiplier effect. Women continued to learn how to manage household finances, make digital payments and protect themselves from fraud even during the lockdown. It was a moment that showed their agility, ability to combine technology and social purpose not as a reaction, but as a mindset.
A gender lens that shapes every strategy
Amrita’s leadership is based on applied research and extensive work in peri-urban and rural communities. Their approach recognizes a reality that is often ignored: women don’t just need access to finance, they need systems designed around the way they live, work and make decisions.
Social norms, limited mobility, informal income patterns and household responsibilities all shape women’s engagement with money. Swadhar’s programs reflect this understanding through behavioral science-informed interventions, high-touch training formats, and digital tools that support learning without overwhelming first-time users. It is designed with financial literacy in mind empathyNot assumptions.
Influencing policy and global conversations
Their impact goes beyond strategy and implementation. Amrita plays an active role in shaping the broader financial literacy and inclusion framework. She serves as an advisor to the Financial Literacy Committee of the Ministry of Labor and Employment and is a member of the World Bank-CGAP Task Force, contributing to strategies that move from basic inclusion toward meaningful financial resilience for women.
His thought leadership has been widely recognized. He was invited by the Reserve Bank of India in 2023 to present best practices, received the G100 Global Golden Award in 2024 for excellence in financial services, and was featured in the Global F5 Collective publication as a leader and for his leadership in driving positive change. He was invited as a distinguished global governance leader and keynote speaker at the AIMA DMA Global Governance Summit (September 2024). Recently, under her leadership, Swadhar received the prestigious Ilaben Memorial Award from Sa-Dhan in 2025, recognizing its contribution in advancing women empowerment.
The power of “Tech + Touch”
At the heart of Amrita Kapoor’s philosophy is a simple belief: technology can enhance learning, but confidence is built through human connection. That balance defines Reformation’s “tech + touch” phygital model, which is a blend of physical centres, on-ground trainers, research-driven content and mobile applications that make learning continuous and accessible.
For a woman using digital banking for the first time, this approach means she’s not alone with a screen. She has guidance, reassurance and someone who understands her context. Technology becomes a facilitator, not a hindrance. Their approach towards digitalization is human-centric.
Changing the future, one woman at a time
Swadhar now exceeds 10 million in reach, but the true impact is not captured in the statistics. It lives in small, quiet changes: a woman opens her first bank account, a mother teaches her daughter about saving, a family is moving away from the cycle of informal debt, a community is starting to see financial decisions as something they can shape rather than endure. These are the everyday revolutions that Amrita Kapoor has helped set in motion. Their journey shows that when financial literacy is delivered with empathy, scale and a deep understanding of women’s realities, it does more than inform, it empowers, protects and transforms the future.
about laurels
The progress of the organization has crossed many milestones and received several recognitions demonstrating the impact of its work at the grassroots level. Established in 2006, Swadhaar FinAccess (https://www.swadhaar.org/) Started by providing financial literacy to low income and vulnerable women with the grant support of Rs. Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. Early initiatives included HSBC Financial Inclusion Literacy Center in Mumbai, which also served as a platform for piloting innovative approaches. Later improvements were selected reserve Bank of India The Center for Financial Literacy (CFL) model was piloted in 2017 and subsequently scaled up nationally through multiple expansion phases led by the RBI. Boosting its grassroots reach, Swadhar introduced digital and behavioral innovations such as the Swadhar Sathi App, HSBC e-Fin Class and Swadhar Finact, which was supported by. Gates Foundation. By 2025, the organization had reached over ten million individuals.
His influence also extends into national public discourse. As part of a financial literacy initiative focused on protecting investors from fraudulent activities, the work of Swadhar under his leadership was showcased on Doordarshan in collaboration with IEPF Authority, NCAER and Ministry of Corporate Affairs. This reflects the trust placed in their expertise at the highest institutional levels. Amrita was an honored speaker at the CII Financial Inclusion and Fintech Summit in 2024 and was featured in Business Standard.
Amrita Kapoor has also been honored for her contribution to women’s empowerment, receiving an award on International Women’s Day, recognizing her efforts in strengthening women’s financial agency.
As a speaker at workshops organized by the IEPFA Authority, NCAER, Ministry of Corporate Affairs and IMI, she has contributed to national efforts aimed at enhancing financial literacy among women in the digital age, an important pillar in building a developed India. Through these platforms, she continues to inspire institutions and individuals alike, demonstrating that when leadership is guided by purpose and empathy, it can transform not only systems, but the future.
His journey reminds us that effective leadership is not defined by position, but by how many lives it uplifts. On that scale, his work stands as both an inspiration and invitation for others to contribute to a more inclusive world, where everyone can live with dignity and know the impact of financial empowerment.
Her approach is people-first and she continues to lead Swadhar to serve the most vulnerable sections of our society in the areas of financial and digital literacy, inclusion and women empowerment.
Note to readers: This article is part of HT’s paid Consumer Connect initiative and has been independently created by the brand. HT does not take any editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to independently verify all information.
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