Vikram Akula

About the Author

Vikram Akula is a visionary entrepreneur and social innovator whose journey from Wall Street to the rural heartlands of India has redefined the fight against poverty. Born in the United States to Indian immigrant parents, Akula returned to his ancestral homeland in the early 2000s, driven by a profound desire to empower the world's poorest communities. Founding SKS Microfinance, he pioneered a model that blended profitability with social impact, providing microloans to millions of underserved individuals, particularly women, to foster self-reliance and economic independence. In his acclaimed memoir, A Fistful of Rice: My Unexpected Quest to End Poverty Through Profitability, Akula chronicles the triumphs, challenges, and ethical dilemmas of this bold experiment, offering profound insights into sustainable development and the power of market-driven philanthropy. Today, he continues to advocate for innovative solutions to global inequality through writing, speaking, and advisory roles in impact investing.