Saarathi Finance has opened its 100th branch in Jagtial, Telangana, strengthening its branch network in the northern part of the state. The branch is expected to serve MSMEs, entrepreneurs and small business owners in Jagtial and nearby areas by providing access to formal credit. 
The company commenced lending operations in April 2025 and reached the 100-branch milestone in just over a year. The expansion comes as Saarathi Finance continues to build a branch-led lending network focused on semi-urban and rural markets. 
Jagtial, located around 190 km north of Hyderabad, is an agricultural and commercial centre with a growing MSME base. Saarathi Finance has added 20 branches across Telangana during the past year, taking its operations to different parts of the state. 
The NBFC primarily offers Loan Against Property (LAP) solutions, with loan sizes ranging from INR 5 lakh to INR 35 lakh. The loans are aimed at helping small businesses and entrepreneurs use property assets to meet working capital requirements, support business expansion and fund other business needs. 
According to the company's latest announcement, Saarathi Finance has crossed INR 650 crore in Assets Under Management (AUM). The company had reported AUM of around INR 280 crore at the end of 2025, while an ICRA report in March 2026 showed total managed assets of about INR 641 crore as of the nine months of FY2026. This indicates the pace at which the company has expanded its lending portfolio. 
Saarathi Finance currently operates across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Its expansion strategy is focused on markets where small and self-employed businesses have traditionally had limited access to formal credit. 
The company had raised INR 475 crore in its maiden Series A funding round in 2025. The round was led by TVS Capital Funds along with Lok Capital, Evolvence Equity Partners, Paragon Partners and angel investors. Institutional investors contributed around INR 350 crore, while the remaining amount was invested by the founders. The funding valued Saarathi Finance at more than INR 900 crore and was intended to support lending to underserved MSMEs, particularly in semi-urban and rural markets across six states. 
The company also received an A- long-term credit rating with a stable outlook from ICRA earlier this year. At the time, ICRA noted that Saarathi Finance had commenced operations in April 2025 and was operating through around 62 branches across six states. The rating assessment also highlighted the company's capital position, investor backing and management experience. 
Commenting on the 100-branch milestone, Founder and CEO Vivek Bansal said the achievement, along with the company crossing INR 650 crore in AUM, reflected its business model and execution. He said the company's focus as it expands would remain on sustainable growth, prudent risk management and building a technology-led lending business. 
Independent Director Shashi Shekhar Vempati said reaching 100 branches in just over a year reflected the company's approach of combining technology, governance and customer focus to expand access to credit for MSMEs. 
Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director of TVS Capital, said the pace of branch expansion reflected the leadership and execution of the Saarathi Finance team. He also noted that maintaining both speed and discipline at this scale was important for a young company. 
Saarathi Finance and Credit Pvt Ltd was incorporated in 2024 and received its NBFC licence in April 2025. The company focuses on secured and unsecured lending to small business owners and self-employed customers, particularly in semi-urban and rural India. Its business model combines technology with local market understanding and branch-based customer engagement. 
The company says its broader objective is to address the credit gap faced by India's MSME sector. Its current operations and branch expansion indicate a focus on building a wider formal lending network for businesses outside the country's major urban centres. Saarathi Finance's stated guiding principle is Aap Akele Nahi Hai, or You are not alone. 
Source PTI