Sayli Gadakh

Education is a nation's premier capital investment. Its return is realised only when a degree translates into a pay cheque or a successful startup. Imagine Bharath, a graduate from a middle-class Indian family. His parents spent their life savings on his degree. The government supported his journey through subsidised schooling, public university infrastructure and scholarships. Upon graduation, Bharath expected to begin earning, support his family and contribute to the national economy....

There is no such thing as cost-free financing. If interest isn't explicitly charged, its cost has simply been embedded elsewhere. Bharath, a 30-year-old software engineer, wanted to buy a premium smartphone priced at Rs 72,000. During an online festive sale, he noticed an attractive offer—"Zero-Cost EMI: Rs 6,000 per month for 12 months. "Believing there was no interest involved, he chose the EMI option without giving it much thought. A few days later, Bharath visited another authorised...

Invisible inflation isn't about one big price hike—it's dozens of small increases that quietly erode a family's savings, month after month, without most households even noticing. Bharath, a middle-class employee living in Nashik, starts every month with a carefully planned household budget. His salary is credited on the first day, EMIs are deducted within a week, school fees follow, groceries become slightly more expensive than last month, electricity bills fluctuate, fuel prices affect his...