Mittal Patel

As part of Optum Presents The Better India Showcase, supported by M3M Foundation, meet five Social Impact Changemakers who are breaking barriers and building a more equal, inclusive India.

Mittal Patel gave up the dream of becoming an IAS officer after she came in contact with the issues including employment, education and health plaguing in Gujarat’s tribal areas.

Kalupur co-operative bank has been financially empowering these communities since 2006 through loans of ₹50,000 to purchase houses under government schemes and ₹25,000 for expanding small-scale businesses at a rate of interest of 10 percent.

“No government was giving them the right solutions. Their problems were much more complex than the government providing them with houses in some welfare scheme,” she explains.