January 13, 2026: The New India is a Digital India. In rural areas too, digital technologies have gained immense popularity with neo digital entrepreneurs known as “eDosts” riding a new high. Among these digital savvy women, Vandana Chaudhari from Junglepada, Jawhar in Palghar district of Maharashtra has transformed the rural ecosystem with new-age digital and financial services. She is not only earning a steady income and supporting her family as a digital and financial specialist, she has also simplified the lives of the villagers by bringing technology and happiness to their doorsteps while earning respect and admiration.
Her commitment towards the rural community, was acknowledged with the Inclusive Finance Changemaker Award – Individual Category bestowed on her by ACCESS Development Services in partnership with HSBC India and the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India as the Co-Host, at the Global Inclusive Finance Summit 2025 held in New Delhi. Time stood still for this woman hailing from a remote hamlet, when she walked confidently onto the dais to receive the award from Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India in the presence of Mr. Sudipto Saha, Head, Financial Inclusion, ACCESS Development Services, Mr. Hitendra Dave, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC India and Ms. Aloka Majumdar, Managing Director, Global Head of Philanthropy & Head of Sustainability India, HSBC. This moment will be etched in her memory for a long time to come and will serve as a source of immense inspiration for other rural women who are functioning as digital and financial catalysts in remote parts of the country.
BAIF is facilitating and encouraging women like Vandana to become agents of change and power by assuming leadership roles while extending financial and governance-related services to rural society. These eDosts, with their newfound confidence and as custodians of last-mile digital and financial inclusion, are making sure that Rural India inches towards “Digital India”, the flagship programme of the Government and are thereby reducing the formidable gap which exists between rural and urban India.
