The apex national body of cooperatives in the country NCUI has roped in noble laureate Muhammad Yunus for the Vaikunth Bhai Mehta Lecture for the year 2016. The 2015 lecture was delivered by union minister Suresh Prabhu.
Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the Grameen Bank and pioneering the concepts of microcredit and microfinance.
“Yes we have received his confirmation and he is coming here to give the prestigious lecture in the month of January next year”, a jubilant Chief Executive Dr Dinesh told Indian Cooperative.”
Detailing the developments before Mohammad Yunus acceded to the NCUI invitation Dr Dinesh said he had come to Mysore University. Since I know the VC I requested him to convey our desire to have him as the keynote speaker for the Mehta Lecture.
Next day the Bangalore ICM team led by Director had breakfast meeting with the noble laureate where a letter written by us was delivered to him. And now we have his confirmation, Dinesh added.
Yunus idea is to give loans to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. In 2006, Yunus and the Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts through microcredit to create economic and social development from below”.