Kolkata, May 27: CRIF India, part of the global CRIF network, has launched the first regional chapter of ‘Credit Goes to HER’ in Kolkata, West Bengal, focused on strengthening women’s leadership and influence in the credit ecosystem. The initiative, launched in March this year is designed to drive grassroots impact by building a community of women professionals who are both shaping credit and enabling access to credit for women across segments. This comes at a time when women are playing an increasingly significant role in India’s formal credit economy yet remain underrepresented in leadership roles that shape credit policies and products.
Insights show that nationally, women-led business loans have grown by 61.1%, and women now account for 41% of new-to-credit borrowers (up from 33% two years ago). Women borrowers also demonstrate strong credit behaviour, with lower delinquency levels compared to men, and a rising presence in secured lending segments. ‘Credit Goes to HER’ seeks to build on this momentum by bringing together women professionals across lending, risk, analytics, NBFCs, fintech, and policy, creating a platform to amplify their voice and participation in shaping the future of credit.
Kolkata has been chosen for the first regional chapter given Eastern India’s robust credit growth and lending landscape. West Bengal’s retail credit market witnessed healthy growth as of March 2026, with total retail loans rising 17.2% YoY to ₹583.9K crore, while active loans grew 8.9% YoY to 332 lakh accounts. Consumption loans stood at ₹368.4K crore, up 13% YoY, led by strong growth in Gold Loans (+54.1% YoY) and Sole-proprietor Loans (+25.2% YoY).
The Kolkata chapter will serve as a local arm of the community platform for women across banks, NBFCs, fintechs, and other financial services to share knowledge, seek mentorship and collaborate on more inclusive credit practices. The launch event in Kolkata saw participation from senior women leaders of the region’s BFSI sector, including Nina Bairagi (Deputy General Manager, State Bank of India), Arpita Sen (Senior Vice President, Bandhan Bank), Jyoti Sharma (General Manager, UCO Bank), and Sharoni Pal (Head of Credit, Arohan Financial Services Limited).