CRIF India Introduces the "Credit Goes to Her" Chapter in Kolkata

News Desk. News Nation 360: In an effort to increase women's leadership and influence in the credit ecosystem, CRIF India, a well-known branch of the worldwide CRIF network, has opened the first regional chapter of its "Credit Goes to HER" program in Kolkata, West Bengal. The community platform, which made its debut in March 2026, connects women professionals who are influencing credit policy and facilitating financial access for female borrowers in order to drive grassroots effect. Women now make up 41% of all new-to-credit borrowers (up from 33% two years ago), and national insights show that women-led business loans have increased by 61.1%. Additionally, evidence shows that women continuously exhibit better credit behaviour, with much lower default rates than men and an increasing presence in secured lending markets. Kolkata was deliberately chosen for the first regional chapter because of the extremely strong credit growth in Eastern India. With 332 lakh active accounts and a 17.2% year-over-year (YoY) increase in total retail loans reaching ₹583.9K crore as of March 2026, West Bengal's retail credit sector was growing steadily. Similar to this, consumption loans increased 13% year over year to ₹368.4K crore, mostly due to a 25.2% YoY increase in sole proprietor loans and a 54.1% YoY surge in gold loans. The Kolkata chapter will serve as a local hub for women in banks, NBFCs, fintech companies, and financial services, promoting knowledge exchange, focused mentoring, and cooperation on more inclusive regional lending practices. Prominent female leaders from the BFSI industry in the area, such as 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), attended the launch event.

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