Name: Pragya jain & Mitali Gupta
Country: India

Year: 2026
Volume: Volume No: 13, Issue No: 1, Year: 2026
Page Number: 66-76
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19060188

ABSTRACT
In the recent years, microfinance has gained global recognition as a powerful instrument for promoting financial inclusion and fostering entrepreneurship among marginalized communities, particularly women in rural areas. By providing small-scale credit and related financial services to individuals without access to traditional banking systems, microfinance offers an opportunity to bridge economic inequalities and stimulate grassroots development. In the Indian context, where gender disparities in rural regions remain pronounced, microfinance has been actively deployed as a tool to empower women economically and socially. Though there have been various researches to explore the topic but specific research in the recent years stayed in research gap. This study examines the impact of microfinance on women entrepreneurs in rural Rajasthan, a state known for its cultural richness but also for its significant socio-economic challenges, especially in terms of gender inequality and poverty. The research explores how access to microfinance has influenced the entrepreneurial activities of women, their income-generating capacities, and their role within the household and the community. It also investigates whether microfinance initiatives have led to sustainable business practices and long-term economic independence among rural women. This paper contributes to the growing body of knowledge on rural development, gender empowerment, and financial inclusion in India.

Keywords: Microfinance, Women Entrepreneurs, Rural Development, Financial Inclusion,
Economic Empowerment.