Banking on women
A series to document the financial journeys of women in Bharat, and how they manage their money, use digital services and make financial decisions.
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Playbook: Designing Financial Products for the Women of Bharat
By
![D91 Labs](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/D91_9d1d68d69c/D91_9d1d68d69c.gif)
Proposing ideas and interventions across the user journey by leveraging the insights collected from interviews in the Banking on Women series.
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Women's obscure path from awareness to adoption of insurance products
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![Rajashree Gopalakrishnan](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7.jpg)
The fourth blog of the insights from the “Banking on Women” series covers our respondents’ views and apprehensions when it comes to insurance policies.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Frame_83_d3ab426996/Frame_83_d3ab426996.png)
Women’s choice between savings and investments to gain financial freedom
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![Rajashree Gopalakrishnan](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7.jpg)
The third blog of the insights from the “Banking on Women” series covers our respondents’ views on savings, investments and emergency funds
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Women’s tenuous relationship with credit & the factors that affect their borrowing decisions
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![Rajashree Gopalakrishnan](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7.jpg)
The second blog of the insights from the “Banking on Women” series covers our respondents’ views on credit, their borrowing patterns, and preferences for credit instruments.
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Women’s journey from access to the usage of bank accounts and digital payment platforms
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![Rajashree Gopalakrishnan](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7/Full_Size_Render_c5aaef39e7.jpg)
Blog one of this series contains insights on banking habits, digital payments and household expense tracking practices among the respondents.
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#20 Arundathi | Chief of all trades
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
No matter how much I have studied, the environment in a village is such that most of us are not very technologically savvy and are unaware of how to transition to the digital age without assistance.
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#19 Raksha | Mastering the hustle culture despite setbacks
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Several times, irrespective of my skill sets, organizations have decided not to move forward with me because I don’t have the right qualifications on paper.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/3_19_30a792c9fb/3_19_30a792c9fb.jpg)
#18 Farah | Silver lining of cloud kitchens
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
I am not aware of how to do things online, so I rely on my husband to manage my finances. But with the right guidance, I hope to change that for myself soon.
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#17 Pavitra | The power of starting small
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
I am happy where I currently am because there have been many ups and downs in my life before. Therefore, I feel as long as things are going smoothly, it’s fine.
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#16 Mary | Carving out a niche for herself
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Sure you need money to do things, but thinking about personal development is also important and money is not the only factor that comes into play.
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#15 Dimple | Inspiring hope for rural business women
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
To be honest, in the initial phase of my journey a lot of people have tried to fool me for the simple reason that I am a woman.
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#14 Deeksha | Credit in the time of Covid-19
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
In order to be able to move forward with finances, it is important to be able to trust the system or the person who is willing to guide you.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/3_5_9bf77d5be1/3_5_9bf77d5be1.jpg)
#13 Priya | Tailoring her financial future
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Whenever I want to make an investment, I talk to my husband as he is very supportive or even my father-in-law sometimes because according to me male members have a lot of knowledge about these things.
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#12 Anjali | Coping with a chequered life
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
The general financial advice anybody would give you is to have six months worth of your salary in liquid cash, but that is not the case for me.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Pragati_ac14eab839/Pragati_ac14eab839.jpg)
#11 Pragati | Investing in a brighter future
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
I invest to have a better lifestyle. I am trying to stabilize my career as I want to become financially independent and early retirement is an aspiration for me.
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#10 Zainab | Building structures to building narratives
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
I believe that in case an emergency arises, we should be in a financially stable position to fight that. I never want to be in a situation where I have to go to someone else and ask for money.
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#9 Anupama | From being digital first to digitizing other women
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
So what happens in villages is that people really try to fool you when you are a woman and think that you don't understand what has to be done in terms of financial matters.
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#8 Bhakti | Re-entering the workforce after 12 years
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
In my house, though I am the most comfortable with digital payments, somewhere my decision-making becomes weak when it comes to financial matters because I have been dependent on my husband till now.
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#7 Sandhya | From IT to agri-entrepreneurship
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
If my parents hadn’t told me the importance of investing, I probably wouldn’t have started. Having a service that increases awareness about finances will definitely benefit everyone.
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#6 Preksha | Investing in kids, at home and at work
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Not everybody is from the banking sector, so a platform to help bridge the financial knowledge gap will make it much easier for the masses to grasp things without feeling like we are lacking.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/3_1_924615043f/3_1_924615043f.jpg)
#5 Ritika | From teaching kids to learning business
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Initially, most of my investments were for my children, but now they're old enough and don't need it. Since that money and my Guwahati flat rent had accumulated, my brother suggested that I invest it.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Bhavana_Hero_Image_b926bb77ac/Bhavana_Hero_Image_b926bb77ac.jpg)
#4 Bhavana | One Mandala at a time
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Initially, it hurts to pay for investments every month because that money cannot be used for other things, but eventually when you see your money grow, it feels great.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Susan_Hero_image_9f9309a3e9/Susan_Hero_image_9f9309a3e9.jpg)
#3 Susan
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
For me, trust and confidence in the institution is of utmost importance when taking financial decisions such as loans because there are a lot of swindlers who try to extract money from a debtor.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Title_page_fd8e310101/Title_page_fd8e310101.jpg)
#2 Tara
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![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
As solo entrepreneurs, we should always fix the cost of our effort because if we were to hire somebody else, they would have also taken their share.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Rachana_a04118a807/Rachana_a04118a807.png)
#1 Rachana
By
![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
In my life, I have learned the hard way about the value of financial knowledge and so I am educating my daughter about finances at a young age itself.
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![image for undefined](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/bankingonwomen_35f172a80c/bankingonwomen_35f172a80c.jpeg)
Banking on women
By
![Kalpitha Jagadeesh](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Photo_138137dd1f/Photo_138137dd1f.jpg)
![Neeti Bhatt](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d/Neeti_Bhatt_f5630ee62d.jpeg)
![Monami Dasgupta](https://storage.googleapis.com/d91-assets/latest/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c/Monami_Dasgupta_39ecae917c.jpg)
Introducing a series chronicling the financial journeys of the women of Bharat
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