Sailendra Narain

Sailendra Narain
Sailendra Narain
Born	Nawadah, Bihar, India
Occupation(s)	Development finance expert, consultant, chairman
Years active	Over four decades
Known for	Chairman of CESMED; former Chairman and Managing Director of SIDBI; SME policy and financing expert

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Sailendra Narain, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025

Dr. Sailendra Narain is an expert in development finance originating from Nawadah, Bihar, India, with a career exceeding four decades dedicated to advancing the global small and medium enterprises (SME) sector. His expertise lies in crafting policy frameworks that drive SME expansion, launching SME financing initiatives within banking and development financial institutions, and enhancing entrepreneurial capacity through targeted training.

Throughout his distinguished career, Narain has contributed significantly to prominent Indian organizations such as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), and the Government of Haryana. Presently, he leads as Chairman of the Centre for SME Growth and Development Finance (CESMED) based in Mumbai, where he offers strategic guidance on national policy formulation, innovative MSME financing models, and capacity enhancement worldwide. Additionally, he acts as an international advisor to governments, multilateral agencies, development finance institutions (DFIs), and private sector entities across Asia, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

His consultancy portfolio includes collaborations with IFC/World Bank Group in the Middle East, Swiss Development Corporation within the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), World Bank operations in Nigeria, UNIDO projects in Ethiopia, as well as partnerships with GTZ, UNCTAD, IFAD, DFID, and UNDP.

Notable roles and achievements include:

Chairmanship of CESMED with a focus on MSME growth and financing solutions
Former Chairman and Managing Director of SIDBI; key architect in establishing it as India's premier SME development financial institution
Non-executive Board Director position at IDBI
Membership on the governing council of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), promoting entrepreneurial advancement
Leadership of the MSME and Entrepreneurship taskforce under UN ESCAP's Business Advisory Council (UN EBAC)
Previous tenure as Director of Institutional Finance and Joint Secretary for the Government of Haryana

Education and training

Narain holds two master's degrees—initially in sociology followed by economics—both awarded with First Class honors and Gold Medallist distinction from Patna University. He completed his doctoral studies earning a PhD in development economics with research centered on the role of small industries in India's economic progress. Furthermore, he acquired certification as an associate in banking and finance (CAIIB) through the Indian Institute of Bankers between 1966 and 1968. His professional development also includes specialized programs at the Reserve Bank of India's Bankers Training College, National Institute for MSMEs, and the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom.

He has been invited as visiting faculty at several international academic institutions such as Harvard University, where he collaborated with Dr. Glenn Jenkins to design advanced executive training courses. Moreover, he co-led enterprise development initiatives aimed at business school deans and faculty members from SAARC nations at the University of California, San Diego.

Professional positions

From 1990 until 2000, Narain served as Chairman and Managing Director of the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). He was appointed by IDBI to a task force responsible for establishing SIDBI under the 1989 Parliamentary Act and played a pivotal role in defining its mandate and service offerings. During his leadership tenure, SIDBI introduced pioneering SME financing schemes that fostered sustainable growth, gaining acclaim as one of The Banker-London’s Top 50 Development Banks and earning the Asian Banking Award in 1999.

Narain founded The SIDBI Foundation for Micro Credit to facilitate fund distribution through NGOs targeting rural communities. He also spearheaded SIDBI’s international outreach by negotiating a $500 million agreement involving US EXIM Bank and IDBI.

Currently presiding over CESMED in Mumbai, he provides expert consulting on national MSME policies and rural industry financing strategies. His specialization encompasses development banking, microfinance operations, and rural credit systems while advising governments, multilateral organizations, DFIs, and private sector stakeholders throughout Asia, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

He chairs the UN ESCAP Business Advisory Council (EBAC) Task Force dedicated to MSMEs & Entrepreneurship and holds a position on the governing body of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), emphasizing entrepreneur creation and enabling SMEs to evolve into growth-driven enterprises.

UN ESCAP Initiatives

In his capacity as a founding member and the current Chair of the UN ESCAP Business Advisory Council's MSME Taskforce, Narain has spearheaded several significant projects:

Ahmedabad Charter

Narain was instrumental in the formulation of the Ahmedabad Charter in 2013. This document was developed by representatives attending the International Workshop on Entrepreneurship in Socially Responsible Business for Development in Asia and the Pacific, along with participants from the Young Business Leaders Programme. The charter includes member nations of UN ESCAP such as Afghanistan, India, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Its primary commitment is to: Enhance entrepreneurship and promote socially responsible business practices within the private sector to foster inclusive and sustainable development throughout Asia and the Pacific. The initiative received sponsorship from IDBI Bank and SIDBI.

Trade Finance for SMEs

In April 2015, Narain led a project focused on crafting a strategic roadmap featuring innovative proposals aimed at establishing a durable trade finance system for SMEs throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The findings were delivered at a senior-level consultation held in Indonesia.

Young Business Leaders Programme

Serving as Chair of UN ESCAP’s MSME and Entrepreneurship Task Force, Narain oversees the Young Business Leaders Programme. This initiative advocates for ethical standards in socially responsible business among entrepreneurs, banking institutions, and development finance institutions (DFIs). He has developed credit-oriented financial models alongside non-financial support mechanisms tailored for MSMEs, including risk reduction approaches and collateral-free credit guarantee schemes designed for financial entities.

Vietnam Chamber of Commerce

Narain extended his support to the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce (VCCI-Da Nang) by launching an SME innovation initiative targeting Central Vietnam. He offered technical expertise to design the SME Market Development Programme along with its key online platform, Smartex, which aims to boost SME internationalization and facilitate their integration into global value chains.

International Consultations

Narain’s proficiency is recognized across various international forums spanning multiple regions and countries.

Awards

Recipient of the Asian Banker Award
Honoured with the Special Honour Award in 1997 by the World Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (WASME) for outstanding contributions to SME advancement
Awarded the Plaque of Merit Special Award jointly with VCCI-Da Nang by ADFIAP for pioneering the SME Market Development Programme in Central Vietnam

Press Coverage