Jana Small Finance Bank Shareholders Approve Appointment of Rakesh Joshi as Independent Director

Jana Small Finance Bank has successfully obtained shareholder approval for the appointment of Mr. Rakesh Joshi as a Non-Executive Independent Director. The approval was secured through a postal ballot, with 99.89% of votes cast in favor of the appointment.

Key Details of the Appointment

Aspect	Details
Appointee	Mr. Rakesh Joshi (DIN: 09766853)
Position	Non-Executive Independent Director
Appointment Date	August 27, 2025
Proposed Term	5 years (up to August 26, 2030)
Age	63 years
Experience	Over 41 years in banking, financial services, and insurance
Previous Role	Whole Time Member at IRDAI (until December 2023)

Remuneration and Voting Process

Mr. Joshi's appointment comes with an annual remuneration package and sitting fees:

Remuneration Component	Amount
Annual Remuneration	Rs. 10.00 lakh
Sitting Fees (Board Meetings)	Rs. 60,000 per meeting
Sitting Fees (Committee Meetings)	Rs. 40,000 per meeting

The bank conducted an e-voting process for shareholders to cast their votes:

E-voting Period: October 24 to November 23, 2025
Cut-off Date for Voting Eligibility: October 17, 2025
Results Announcement: By November 25, 2025

The remote e-voting process concluded on November 23, 2025, with 271 members participating out of 53,304 total shareholders as of the cut-off date.

Professional Background

Mr. Rakesh Joshi brings extensive experience to the bank:

Expertise in Wholesale Banking, Retail Banking, Investment Banking, and Insurance
15 years in Front Office roles, from Junior Trader to Chief Dealer
Strong understanding of Markets and Asset-Liability Management (ALM)
Proven track record in designing and restructuring systems for enhanced growth and profitability

Current Directorships

Mr. Joshi currently serves on the boards of:

The Clearing Corporation of India Limited
Bima Sugam India Federation
Kaustubh Motor works (LLP)

His appointment is expected to bring valuable insights to the bank's board, particularly in areas of risk management, finance, and regulatory compliance.

The successful approval of Mr. Joshi's appointment aligns with Jana Small Finance Bank's commitment to maintaining a strong and diverse board to guide its strategic growth in the competitive small finance banking sector.

1 Day	5 Days	1 Month	6 Months	1 Year	5 Years
-1.39%	-1.38%	-7.31%	-8.22%	+8.29%	+21.49%

Jana Small Finance Bank , a key player in India's small finance banking sector, has announced ambitious growth plans for the fiscal year 2026 (FY26), targeting a 35-40% increase in asset growth. The bank's strategy focuses on expanding its secured lending portfolio, particularly in affordable housing, MSME, and gold loan segments.

Growth Strategy and Asset Mix

The bank is strategically shifting its focus towards secured lending, aiming to have 95% of its portfolio either secured or covered under guarantee programs by March 2027. As of September 30, 2025, the bank's secured book stood at 72.5% of its total assets, showing significant progress towards this goal.

Jana SFB's Managing Director and CEO, Ajay Kanwal, stated, "Our focus on building a granular and diversified balance sheet continues to yield results, supported by the trust of our customers and disciplined execution by our teams."

Financial Performance Highlights

For the half-year ended September 30, 2025, Jana SFB reported:

Net Profit: ₹177.00 crores
Gross Loan Portfolio: ₹31,655.00 crores (20% year-on-year growth)
Total Deposits: ₹32,532.00 crores (31% year-on-year growth)
CASA (Current Account Savings Account) Ratio: 18.3%
Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA): 2.8%
Net Non-Performing Assets (NNPA): 0.9%
Capital Adequacy Ratio: 20.7%

Segment-wise Performance

Segment	Growth (Y-o-Y)	GNPA
Affordable Housing	34.4%	0.6%
Micro LAP	17.8%	1.7%
MSME Loans	27.3%	1.5%
Two-wheeler Loans	97.3%	1.2%
Gold Loans	204.5%	1.6%

Future Outlook

Jana SFB expects to see improvements in several areas:

Credit Costs: The bank anticipates a reduction in credit costs over the coming financial years, particularly as it increases its focus on secured lending.
Net Interest Margins (NIMs): With the cost of funds expected to decline in the coming quarters, the bank foresees an improvement in NIMs.
Earnings Momentum: The calibrated resumption of unsecured lending, along with continued moderation in Gross and Net NPAs, is expected to support earnings growth.

Kanwal added, "Backed by favourable macroeconomic conditions, prudent risk management, and operational strength, Jana Small Finance Bank is well-positioned for sustained and profitable growth in the periods ahead."

Challenges and Mitigations

While the bank faces challenges in the MFI sector, its strategy to move towards a predominantly secured book or loans covered under guarantee programs is expected to mitigate risks. The bank has also made accelerated provisions of ₹222.00 crores in H1 FY26 to strengthen its balance sheet.

Conclusion

Jana Small Finance Bank's focus on secured lending, coupled with its strong deposit growth and improving asset quality, positions it well for the targeted 35-40% asset growth in FY26. The bank's strategic shift towards a more secure loan portfolio is expected to enhance its resilience and profitability in the coming years.