About US
At Young Financial Innovators (YFINN), we firmly believe in the power of early financial education. Recognizing a critical need to equip India's children, aged 10 to 16, with essential financial literacy, we're dedicated to ensuring they grow up as informed and empowered individuals, resilient against financial exploitation. While commendable efforts are underway by government and private entities, we've identified a significant gap in the effective implementation and widespread delivery of this crucial knowledge. YFINN is here to bridge that gap. We are committed to providing financial education to children aged 10-16 in India, regardless of whether they live in urban centers or rural villages and irrespective of their socio-economic background.
We believe that financial understanding is a fundamental life skill necessary for everyone. Our founders, with their deep understanding of both rural realities and the financial sector, have witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by individuals due to a lack of financial understanding. Recognizing the difficulty in engaging adults with complex financial concepts, YFINN focuses on equipping children with the fundamental skills to make informed financial decisions throughout their lives.
founders
Santosh Badhei
Santosh Badhei is a seasoned finance professional with over two decades of experience in banking and financial management. A graduate in Commerce and post-graduate in Business Administration from Vishva Bharti University, Santosh has built a strong foundation in India’s financial landscape. With 15 years spent in banking, he has gained invaluable insights into the financial needs and challenges
of individuals across diverse sectors.
Throughout his career, Santosh has witnessed the widespread impact of financial illiteracy and mis-selling, which has deeply influenced his mission to empower young minds with the tools they need to make informed financial decisions. His extensive knowledge of financial products and services, coupled with his personal commitment to combating financial exploitation, has driven his passion for financial education.
In addition to his practical experience, Santosh holds several prestigious certifications, including Certified Retirement Adviser, Mutual Fund Distributor, Certified Portfolio Management Services (PMS) Distributor, Certified Wealth Manager and more from the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) and other recognized institutions. His commitment to staying at the forefront of financial education and management further strengthens the vision of YFINN to provide children with the financial knowledge needed to navigate today’s complex financial world. As a Founder of YFINN, Santosh is dedicated to shaping a future where India’s youth are financially literate, resilient and empowered to create positive change in their communities.
Jyotika Sood
Jyotika Sood brings a unique blend of experience, education and passion to her role as a co-founder of Young Finance Innovators (YFINN). With a post-graduate degree in Agricultural Journalism from Punjab Agricultural University, Jyotika's foundation in rural development was deeply shaped during her childhood and further solidified during her graduation and post-graduation from the same institution.
From a quite early age, she was exposed to the realities of rural life, sparking her enduring passion for improving conditions in these communities. Over the years, Jyotika has traveled widely across rural India, gaining invaluable insights into the pulse of these communities. Her extensive travels have further deepened her understanding of the financial and social challenges faced by rural populations.
With a career spanning 15 years, she made her mark as a journalist, covering agriculture, rural development and business for various esteemed newspapers and journals. This experience provided her with firsthand knowledge of the struggles and opportunities within rural sectors, driving her desire to create impactful change.
Following her journalistic career, Jyotika spent 2.5 years in the corporate sector, where she headed communications and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Her time in this role strengthened her resolve to address financial illiteracy and exploitation, particularly among vulnerable communities.
Jyotika’s deep understanding of rural India’s financial challenges, combined with her commitment to empowering young minds, laid the foundation for YFINN. Her vision is to equip children with the essential financial knowledge they need to become informed, responsible leaders and change-makers in their communities.