At the Crossroads

Vikram Akula's SKS Microfinance was one of the first to show that private capital could be harnessed to nurture sustainable livelihoods in villages. Today, the company is on the verge of becoming the largest MFI in the world, overtaking Grameen Bank. It is looking at a big bang IPO in 2010. But as the company scales up, can Akula find the perfect balance between profit motive and social commitment?