Finance: Vijay Mahajan

Finance: Vijay Mahajan

Age: 54
Chairman, Basix

Mahajan is a microfinance icon in India. The electrical engineer from IIT-Delhi and a post-grad from Princeton is a leading social entrepreneur, working for rural economic development since 1981. From setting up a nonprofit, Pradhan, to creating microfinance company Basix, Mahajan's mission is to promote rural livelihood to Indians who live on less than $2 a day. Basix is one of the first microfinance enterprises in the world to attract Indian and foreign debt and equity investments, providing livelihood to over 1.5 million customers. Mahajan's in-depth knowledge of the farm sector has made him a much sought-after adviser with the Planning Commission and many Indian states.