Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited, its Promoter was granted the RBI In-Principle Approval to establish an SFB on October 7, 2015. The Bank was incorporated as ‘Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited’ on April 30, 2016 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, as a public limited company under the Companies Act, 2013 and was granted a certificate of incorporation by the Registrar of Companies, Central Registration Centre. The Bank was thereafter granted the RBI Licence to carry on business as an SFB on November 25, 2016.

It is led by its Managing Director and chief executive officer, Mr Govind Singh, who has many years of experience in the banking and financial services sector. Its Board comprises of individuals having diverse experience across industries and its Independent Directors provide strategic guidance to help improve and grow its operations. Its senior management team has significant experience in the banking and financial services industry.

It is an SFB in India and recorded the fastest Gross Loan Portfolio. Its Promoter, Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited, commenced its operations as a NBFC in Fiscal 2010 and was focused on providing microfinance to unserved and underserved segments and in particular in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Its headquarters located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh and has over the years expanded its SFB operations strategically in States where it have been able to leverage the prior microfinance experience of Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited.  On October 7, 2015, Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited received the RBI In-Principle Approval to establish an SFB, following which it incorporated Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited as a wholly-owned subsidiary on April 30, 2016. Subsequent to it obtaining the RBI Licence on November 25, 2016, to establish and carry-on business as an SFB, Utkarsh CoreInvest Limited transferred its business of providing microfinance, as a going concern to its Bank, which commenced its operations from January 23, 2017. It was included in the second schedule to the RBI Act as a scheduled commercial bank pursuant to a notification dated October 4, 2017 issued by the RBI and published in the Gazette of India (Part III - Section 4) dated November 7, 2017.

Business area of the Bank 

The Bank engaged in providing banking and financial services.

Products of the Bank

• Accounts
• Cards
• Term Deposits
• Loans
• Insurance & Investments
• Remittance

Awards and accreditations

• 2018: Award for ‘Implementing Outstanding Initiatives’ in the category of Effective Grievance Redressal Systems at the MFIN Microfinance Awards
• 2018: In Pursuit of Excellence.
• 2019: Winner in the category of ‘Descriptions of Social Impact Initiatives’ at the 5th Eastern India Microfinance Summit 2019.
• 2019: Excellence award at the MiNE India 2019: Microfinance & NBFCs Exhibition cum Conference.
• 2021: Recognition as the ‘Best Brand 2021’ by The Economic Times.
• 2021: Ranked 3rd in the AmbitionBox Best Places to Work in India 2021 in the Medium Banking Companies Category.
• 2021: Recognition as ‘Best Bank’ in the small finance bank category for Fiscal 2020 by the 25th BTKPMG annual survey.
• 2022: Recognition as ‘Paragon of Branding Excellence’ and award for ‘Brand of the Year 2022’ by Marksmen Daily.
• 2022: Award for ‘Best IT Risk and Cyber Security Initiatives’ at the Indian Banks’ Association Banking Technology Awards 2021.
• 2022: Recognition by Fortune India as ‘Next 500 Companies 2022’.
• 2022: Recognition as one of the ‘Promising Brands 2022’ by Economic Times.
• 2022: Ranked 3rd in Best Financiers in India - under the Small Finance Banks category, ranked 3rd by Fortune India for Fiscal 2021 and nine months ended December 31, 2021.
• 2022: Special award in the payments and small finance banks category for Best IT Risk Management at the 18th Indian Banking Association Annual Banking Technology Conference and Awards 2021-22.
• 2022: Exemplary award of par excellence from the PFRDA for ‘Beat the Best & Be the Best’ (May 9 - June 30, 2022).
• 2022: Awarded the ‘Exemplary Performance Award’ for integrated water management under GRIHA rating by GRIHA Council.
• 2022: Recognition as ‘2nd Best Bank’ in the small finance bank category for Fiscal 2022 by the 27th BT- KPMG survey of India’s best banks and fintech companies. 

History and milestones

• 2017: Commenced its banking operations.
• 2017: Launched its mobile banking and internet banking facilities.
• 2018: Launched its wholesale lending business and personal loans.
• 2018: Launched its asset business through business correspondents.
• 2018: Its deposit base crossed Rs 20,000 million.
• 2018: Its gross advances crossed Rs 30,000 million.
• 2018: Launched bancassurance business with partners.
• 2018: Increase in savings accounts and active loan clients to over 200,000 and 2,000,000 respectively.
• 2018: Launched bill payment services.
• 2019: Launched cashless disbursements for microfinance loans.
• 2019: Conversion of microfinance branches to Banking Outlets.
• 2020: Its deposit base crossed Rs 50,000 million.
• 2020: It crossed 500 banking outlets.
• 2020: Launched micro-banking business and two-wheeler loans.
• 2020: Its customer base crossed 2.50 million.
• 2021: Launched digital on-boarding of accounts.
• 2021: Launched non-fund based facility and working capital loans.
• 2022: Opened branches in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
• 2022: Launch of green PIN initiative at Micro ATMs as replacement for physical PIN mailers.
• 2022: Launch of white label payment gateway.
• 2022: Launch of collection current account and escrow bank account products.
• 2022: Launch of Utkarsh UPI application.
• 2022: It reached 686 banking outlets.
• 2022: Crossed one million debit card issuances.
• 2022: Appointed as corporate agent by Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company Limited, Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited and Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company Limited for soliciting insurance policies.
• 2022: Launched brown label ATM services.
• 2022: On-boarded Finnable Technologies Private Limited as a business correspondent.
• 2022: Launched Atal Pension Yojana at its Bank.
• 2022: Its deposit base crossed Rs 100,000 million.
• 2022: Shifting of registered office to Utkarsh Tower, NH - 31 (Airport Road), Sehmalpur, Kazi Sarai, Harhua, Varanasi, 221 105, Uttar Pradesh, India, a
• property owned by its Bank.
• 2023: Crossed 800,000 customers on-boarded through digital onboarding.
• 2023: Launch of ‘Utkarsh Gold Loan’, a secured gold loan product.
• 2023: Launch of UPI-LITE - on-device wallet functionality for UPI users.
• 2023: On-boarded Moneyboxx Finance Limited as a business correspondent.
• 2023: Appointed as corporate agent by Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited.
• 2023: Launch of facility for cashless disbursement of JLG loan to clients.
• 2023: Launch of facility for cashless collection of JLG loan instalments.
• 2023: Partnership with ICICI Securities Limited for 3-in-1 accounts comprising demat, online trading and savings account.
• 2023: Empanelment by Government of Chhattisgarh for deposit of government amounts in commercial banks.
• 2023: Empanelment by Government of Maharashtra for disbursement of salary and allowances to government employees and for providing pension to pensioners.