Idea to Impact-Lessons From Building A Woman Led Enterprise with Social Impact

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The School of Business & Management (MBA), Christ University, Pune Lavasa Campus, in association with the Centre for Social Action (CSA), organized a guest talk on “Idea to Impact – Lessons from Building a Woman-Led Enterprise with Social Impact”, with a focused emphasis on Microfinance as a tool for women’s economic empowerment, on 06 February 2026, from 02:00 PM to 03:00 PM, at the Auditorium, Central Block.

The session was delivered by Dr. Medha Purao Samant, Founder and CMD of Annapurna Parivar, a pioneering woman-led organization in the microfinance and community development sector. The objective of the talk was to provide MBA students with practical insights into the role of microfinance in promoting financial inclusion, entrepreneurship among women, and sustainable rural development.

The programme began with a formal welcome address by the faculty coordinator, who emphasized the relevance of microfinance in the contemporary financial ecosystem and its growing importance in inclusive growth strategies. The association with the Centre for Social Action highlighted Christ University’s commitment to integrating management education with social responsibility and grassroots engagement.

In her address, Dr. Medha Purao Samant traced the evolution of Annapurna Parivar as a microfinance-based social enterprise that empowers women through self-help groups (SHGs), micro-credit, savings mobilization, and livelihood support. She explained how microfinance goes beyond providing small loans and serves as a comprehensive development mechanism enabling women to become economically independent, confident decision-makers within their households and communities.

Dr. Samant elaborated on the microfinance model, discussing key components such as group lending, financial literacy, repayment discipline, social collateral, and trust-based systems. She highlighted how women-centric microfinance initiatives contribute to poverty alleviation, enterprise creation, and social upliftment while ensuring financial sustainability of the institution. Real-life examples from Annapurna Parivar’s field experience illustrated the transformation of women from informal workers to micro-entrepreneurs.

A major focus of the session was on challenges in the microfinance sector, including credit risk, regulatory compliance, operational costs, and maintaining a balance between social mission and financial viability. Dr. Samant discussed ethical concerns in microfinance and emphasized responsible lending practices, transparency, and borrower education as essential elements of sustainable microfinance institutions.

The speaker also addressed the role of women leadership in microfinance, noting that women-led institutions often demonstrate stronger community engagement, higher repayment rates, and deeper social impact. She shared insights on how empowering women through access to credit, savings, and skill development leads to intergenerational benefits such as improved education, health, and living standards.

The session included an interactive question-and-answer segment, where students actively engaged with the speaker on topics such as microfinance regulations in India, the difference between microfinance institutions and traditional banks, impact measurement, and career opportunities in the microfinance and social finance sectors. Dr. Samant encouraged management students to explore roles in microfinance, social enterprises, NBFC-MFIs, NGOs, and impact investing organizations.

The guest talk effectively linked MBA concepts such as financial management, risk assessment, operations, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship with the practical realities of microfinance implementation. The session reinforced the idea that microfinance is not merely a financial service but a powerful instrument for inclusive and sustainable development.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks, acknowledging Dr. Medha Purao Samant for her valuable insights and inspiring narrative. The organizers also expressed gratitude to the Centre for Social Action, faculty members, and student volunteers for their support. Overall, the session was highly informative and impactful, enriching students’ understanding of microfinance as a viable and socially responsible business model.


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