Alpana was always determined to be self-sufficient and earn for her family. She was aware of the importance of standing on her own feet and supplementing her husband’s income as a schoolteacher. Given her household commitments, she wanted to start small with a part-time venture. She started sourcing sarees from a known supplier and selling them in her neighbourhood. As she progressed in her business, she was quick to realise that a steady flow of capital and variety in stock were essential in her line of business.  

At this point in time, Alpana heard about Bandhan Bank and availed her first loan of Rs.5,000 in 2006 that she utilised for expanding her stock. Over the next few years, Alpana took more loans from Bandhan to grow her business. Currently, she has a loan of Rs.1,50,000. She has also reached out to manufacturers in Phuliya, a district in West Bengal, and Kolkata and started doing business with them directly. With Bandhan’s support, Alpana was able to set up a profitable saree shop.  

Just when things started looking up for her, she lost her husband to kidney failure. Her unwavering spirit and her by-now steady business helped her to keep going. Her son now works at a private company and her daughter is a medical student in Burdwan district of West Bengal. The way Alpana has singlehandedly taken care of her family and business is praiseworthy, her community members feel proud of her.  

Shardaben Bhavsar, a resident of Ahmedabad, led a modest and laborious life before taking the reins of destiny into her own hands – with a little help from Bandhan Bank. Her husband’s cloth printing machine was their only source of income. The dwindling demand reduced the profits steadily. The business had to be reinvented to change that. With a zeal to secure the future of her business, Shardaben reached out to Bandhan Bank for a loan to start their own manufacturing unit.  

In 2012, she borrowed Rs.15,000 to buy a sewing machine for her son who worked as a tailor. In two years, she was able to kick-start the manufacturing business with women’s leggings as their first product. Slowly and steadily, with the help of another loan of Rs.40,000, she purchased three more machines. With the tailoring business gaining significant momentum, the cloth printing business took a back seat and so did its losses. They evolved their products as per industry and market needs. Today, they own 14 tailoring machines and have been able to offer employment to 15 people.  

The Bhavsars are currently in their seventh loan cycle of Rs.1,50,000 and are looking to expand to other verticals as well. They are acquiring a larger space to accommodate 25 machines and subsequently increase their production capacities. Shardaben believes that her relationship with Bandhan Bank has been life changing for her business and her family.  

Nilam’s journey is a story of relentless perseverance. She has been a harbinger of change for her family and the women in her community. Nilam’s husband, a farmer, was the sole earning member of the family. He could barely make two ends meet. In spite of her inherent societal inadequacies, she was determined to increase the financial income of the family. However, she was unable to obtain a loan from mainstream financial bodies owing to the long list of complex documents required. Nilam saw the light at the end of the tunnel when she heard about Bandhan Bank.  

With a simplified application process, she was able to avail her first loan of Rs.10,000 from the Bank. She utilised the funds to start her own costume jewellery shop. She gave a new lease of life to her family with her innovative venture. Expressing her gratitude, she says, “Bandhan Bank has helped me step into the entrepreneurial world and transform myself from job seeker to job giver.” She believes that her financial independence has also helped her champion the cause of her children’s education. Her son is now a student of engineering and her daughter studies in Grade 12.

Sumathi’s husband was a small-time cloth manufacturer. He produced and supplied plain white cloth to traders. His earnings could hardly sustain their family of five. To make matters worse, his machine broke down. The improper functioning of the machine caused serious setbacks to his business.  

 At this juncture, Sumathi availed a loan of Rs.35,000 from Bandhan Bank to purchase a new machine. This support from the Bank was a blessing that helped revive their business. Since then there has been no looking back! Their sales witnessed an all-time high; demands increased such that they employed three workers who work on two machines.  
Their association with Bandhan Bank continues to thrive. Sumathi is currently in her fifth loan cycle of Rs. 1,30,000. She has reinvested the money in the expansion of the business. She is happy that her two sons have been able to pursue higher studies, all thanks to the financial support she received from Bandhan Bank.  

Ruma started out as domestic help for households. With the hope for improving the living standards of her family and fulfilling her own aspirations of starting her own business, she reached out to Bandhan. She joined one of the groups and took a loan of ₹10,000. And thus began her entrepreneurial journey. She started with a small shoe stall at Gariahat (popular shopping area in South Kolkata). With passing time, through her grit and hardwork, she now has two established stores in the main market in Gariahat. She set up her first shop in 2011; followed by a second store in 2019. Her daily earnings are between ₹6,000 to ₹7,000. With the success of her business, she was able to send her daughter to a reputed school, who now studies in a leading college in Kolkata. Ruma hopes to get her daughter married, once she completes her studies. Her husband who was a driver now helps Ruma in the business. With regard to her business, she would like to expand her footwear business further by procuring footwear from suppliers in Mumbai and Delhi. Ruma has a current ongoing loan amount of ₹2,50,000.

Mr. Basu is a renowned artist and the former Regional Director for Asia and the Middle East at Rolls-Royce. His first book of poems, Tumi i Pratham, received widespread acclaim and marked the beginning of a long and respected literary journey. Over the years, he has made significant contributions to Bengali literature and has been honoured with awards such as the Gaurishankar Bhattacharjee Memorial Award and the West Bengal Bangla Akademi Puraskar. He has also represented India at various international poetry festivals and was part of the Writers and Artists In-Residency Programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2017.

He places great importance on trust, especially in financial matters, which is why he banks with us. As an Elite Savings Account holder, he enjoys a premium banking experience. He also appreciates our Internet and mobile banking services that offer convenience without compromise.

As a senior citizen, Mr. Basu continues to benefit from the Bank’s services, including higher interest rates on term deposits, doorstep banking, and more. His enduring relationship with us reflects the trust and satisfaction he places in the Bank.

Samsuna’s entrepreneurial journey began over two decades ago with a loan of Rs.2,500 from Bandhan Bank to start a small clothing business. Working out of her rented home with just a few employees, she gradually expanded her operations with the help of multiple loans from the Bank.

Today, she owns a store in Kolkata’s New Market, employs 30 women, and serves customers across India. Her success has enabled her to build her own home, with dedicated rooms for business activities. After covering all expenses, she now earns a monthly profit of at least Rs.3,00,000.

Jaswant began his journey with a small yet determined step. He started by crafting and selling Kanha dresses from his home, using just two machines to bring his vision to life. As demand grew, he opened a store. However, financial hurdles soon followed. High-interest loans from private lenders made it difficult to turn a profit, and for nearly two years, most of his earnings went towards repaying debts, leaving little room for growth.

Things began to change when we extended a business loan of Rs.3,00,000 to Jaswant. He used the funds to invest in materials and stock, helping him meet rising demand and stabilise his operations
Since then, his business has witnessed steady growth. He has opened another store, increased his number of machines, and brought more workers on board. Today, he runs his enterprise with four machines, with one focused entirely on fulfilling daily customer orders.

With a little support from Bandhan Bank, Jaswant no longer depends on high-interest private loans. Our simple and affordable financing has empowered him to grow his business and save for a more secure future.