Dr. Shabnam Sinha will become the new Chairperson of Airtel Payments Bank from October 1, 2026. She will replace Sunil Bharti Mittal, who will step down from the board on September 30 after completing his 10-year tenure.
What is a Payments Bank: A payments bank is a type of digital bank that provides basic banking and payment services. Like traditional banks, it can accept deposits, provide debit or ATM cards and help customers send and receive money. However, payments banks have certain restrictions. They cannot provide loans or issue credit cards to customers. Their main purpose is to provide payment, transaction and savings-related banking services.
Shabnam Sinha’s Experience
Dr. Shabnam Sinha has more than 30 years of experience in banking, governance and digital transformation. She worked with the World Bank for 15 years, from 2010 to 2025, as a Lead Specialist. During this period, she handled projects worth more than $4 billion, or around ₹38,000 crore, across Asia, Europe and Africa.
Before joining the World Bank, she was the CEO of IL&FS Education. She also worked with USAID and NCERT. At present, she is associated with the boards of several major institutions, including Airtel Payments Bank, Vedanta and Bharat Financial Inclusion.
Airtel Payments Bank’s Growth Under Sunil Mittal
Sunil Bharti Mittal became the Chairman of Airtel Payments Bank in April 2016. During his 10-year tenure, the bank has grown significantly and has become the country’s largest payments bank by revenue.
The bank currently has more than 121 million monthly active users and over 30 million savings account customers. It has more than 500,000 banking points across the country, covering around three-fourths of India’s villages. This has made it one of the largest banking networks in the country.
The bank has also become the country’s second-largest mobile bank and a leading provider of UPI Autopay services.
Profit and Revenue Increase
Airtel Payments Bank reported strong financial growth in the financial year 2026. Its profit increased by 73% to ₹109 crore, compared with ₹63 crore in the previous year. The bank’s total revenue also increased to ₹3,207 crore from ₹2,709 crore in the previous year.
Customer deposits also increased during this period. Total customer balances rose by 26% to ₹4,612 crore, showing increased customer trust in the bank.
