The North Bengal University has conferred on Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, Founder, Managing Director and CEO of Bandhan Bank Ltd, India’s newest universal bank, the prestigious Doctor of Literature (Honoris Causa) degree at its 48th Convocation Ceremony at Siliguri.
Keshari Nath Tripathi, Governor of West Bengal, presided over the function. Dr. Subires Bhattacharyya, the Vice Chancellor of North Bengal University also graced the occasion.
The University conferred the degree on Mr. Ghosh in recognition of his role as a socio-economic change agent. In his strive to change the lives of the underprivileged, in less than two decades, Mr. Ghosh has created many success stories through his NGO, NBFC and finally, Bandhan Bank.
Ghosh was elected as a ‘Senior Ashoka Fellow’ – a social entrepreneurship award – in 2007 by Ashoka Foundation. Since then, he has received a string of awards in recognition of his leadership, creativity and contribution in the field of inclusive finance.
For instance, in 2014, he won the Forbes India Leadership Awards in the category ‘Entrepreneur with Social Impact’. He was also declared ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by India’s leading business daily The Economic Times in the same year. He received the Microfinance India Award 2015, instituted by ACCESS, in the category ‘Lifetime contribution to the sector by an individual’; he was also bestowed with the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award in the category ‘Financial Services’ by Ernst & Young in 2016.
