The 11th Excellence in Digital Banking Leadership Summit & Awards 2026 was organised by the Indian Investors Federation (IIF) in association with the Punjab Chamber of Commerce & Industries (PCCI) and Invest UP at Taj Mahal, Lucknow.
The Summit brought together bankers, government officials, industry representatives and students – an energising confluence of experience and youthful aspiration.
Moderated by Shri Ajay Thakur, CEO & Managing Partner, TGI SME Capital Advisors, the panel featured:
Dr R. K. Singh highlighted SIDBI’s role in digitising access to credit for MSMEs. Initiatives such as the Udyam Assist Platform, GST Sahay and TReDS are helping formalise enterprises, reduce information asymmetry and enable a shift from collateral-based to cash-flow-based lending. Udyam Assist has facilitated the registration of over 1.50 crore informal micro-enterprises through more than 145 designated agencies, while GST Sahay enables paperless, collateral-free, invoice-based financing.
Shri Pankaj Kumar shared regulatory perspectives on digital banking and the evolving financial ecosystem. Senior leadership from NABARD, SIDBI, SBI, Indian Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and other banks enriched the deliberations.
The second session was addressed by the Guest of Honour, Shri Jaswant Singh Saini, Hon’ble Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Industrial Development, Uttar Pradesh. Chief Guest Shri Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’, Hon’ble Minister for Industrial Development, Uttar Pradesh, delivered the Chief Guest Address and presented awards recognising excellence and leadership in banking.
Digital Banking 1.0 digitised transactions; Digital Banking 2.0 is digitising credit and risk assessment; Digital Banking 3.0 must deliver predictive, personalised and purpose-oriented finance while preserving trust, accountability and human dignity. With its vast MSME base, vibrant ODOP ecosystem and expanding digital infrastructure, Uttar Pradesh can become a national laboratory for inclusive digital finance.
Reflections shared by Neeraj Srivastava (SIDBI), who attended as a facilitator. Compliments to Shri R K Sharan and the IIF organising team.
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