Overview

• Speaking at the ceremony, Amit Shah pressed Indian lenders to aim for top‑10 global scale and to expand funding for MSMEs, noting government guarantees for such borrowers.
• Shah credited a decade of reforms and financial inclusion for stronger balance sheets and said gross NPAs fell from 19% to 2.5% over the period, reflecting the government’s assessment.
• Axis Bank MD and CEO Amitabh Chaudhry was named Banker of the Year, and former Federal Bank chief Shyam Srinivasan received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
• Winners were chosen by an independent jury chaired by S Ramadorai, with EY validating three years of RBI‑sourced data across banks, NBFCs, small finance banks and fintechs.
• The event drew senior political and industry figures and featured remarks on digital adoption, co‑lending with fintechs, and the government’s resolve to keep reforms on pace under a coalition.