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Diversification of the asset book was part of future plans, said Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, CEO and managing director of Bandhan Bank.

“By 2025, 70 percent of assets will be secured and 30 percent unsecured. We are planning strategically to achieve this,” Ghosh said at an event to announce the appointment of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as the bank’s brand ambassador.

“Bandhan was born as a microcredit organization, but we are a universal bank,” said Ghosh. The acquisition of home finance company Gruh helped the bank diversify its portfolio, and about 26 percent of advances came from home loans, he said.

As he laid out the growth plan, he said the bank would build a secured portfolio. In this direction, in addition to financing housing, MSMEs would be the focus of interest. “So far, MSMEs account for 38 percent of total advances, a large portion of which is secured. We are growing on it,” said Ghosh.

In addition to the asset book, the bank pursues geographic diversification. “About 47 percent of our bank branches are in the East,” he said. Emphasis will be placed on expanding geographic presence.

The bank plans to increase the number of branches to 8,000 from the current 5,640 in 2025.