Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi economist and author widely regarded as the founder of modern microcredit and microfinance. Born in Chittagong, Bangladesh, he pursued economics through a PhD at Vanderbilt University before returning to teach in Bangladesh, where a devastating famine in 1974 led him to begin offering small loans to impoverished entrepreneurs, an initiative that grew into the Grameen Bank in 1983. He rose to international acclaim as the author of Banker to the Poor, followed by Creating a World Without Poverty, works that chronicle his pioneering belief that credit is a fundamental human right and that small loans, extended on fair terms, could help the poor build sustainable livelihoods. Grameen Bank's model of granting small loans on easy terms has since been replicated in more than 100 countries, and in 2006, Yunus and Grameen Bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work to create economic and social development from below. Beyond banking, he has continued advocating for a world free from poverty, more recently entering public service as Bangladesh's interim head of government following the country's 2024 political transition. Known for merging economic theory with hands-on social innovation, Yunus's writing continues to shape modern thinking on poverty, finance, and social business and inspire readers across the world.