India’s economic future may not be decided by its billion-dollar technology companies alone. It may well be determined by the ability of millions of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to embrace artificial intelligence. The recent World Economic Forum report, Transforming Small Businesses: An AI Playbook for India’s SMEs, serves as a timely reminder that the next industrial revolution will not be fought in corporate boardrooms alone but in thousands of workshops, factories,

Kerala must ensure fair access at India’s emerging maritime gateway while avoiding the mistake of discouraging the very investment needed to make it a global hub. The proposed investment by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited represents a defining moment for Kerala’s maritime ambitions. The reported acquisition of a 49 percent stake by MSC, valued at around US$1.4 billion and placing the overall valuation of the port at nearly US$2

We were supposed to speak for an hour. Three and a half hours later, neither of us had noticed the time pass at all. No agenda. No pitch. No elevator speech rehearsed and delivered at the first opportunity. Just two founders, genuinely curious about each other — sharing experiences, exchanging ideas, finding unexpected alignment in how we each run our businesses, what we believe, how we think. By the time we ended the call, something had been built that no sixty-minute struct

The observation that markets reward patience more reliably than impatience has outlasted every boom and correction finance has witnessed. It raises a question that has occupied investors for generations: can an ordinary investor realistically expect to outperform the market, or is the more worthwhile pursuit something else entirely? The idea is undeniably attractive, and the Indian equity landscape of the past decade offers reasons for optimism. The Sensex and the Nifty 50 ha

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

In Mumbai, July is the month when the monsoon is no longer a possibility, but a full-blown reality. Over the last week or so, the city has seen heavy rains. One minute the rain slows down, the next - the skies open up again without warning. And yet, most of us carry an umbrella. Not because it is raining every single minute, but because we know it can start again anytime. The Umbrella Mindset We don’t wait for the first drop to go shopping for umbrellas. We keep them ready in

He had been doing things his way for decades. A business built from the ground up, a reputation earned over years, a way of showing up so ingrained it had become indistinguishable from identity. When I pointed out what was not working, he listened politely. And then continued exactly as before. He was older than me. More successful than me by most conventional measures. And in the quiet of his reaction, I could sense what he did not say out loud — what could a young woman pos

Social media has the power to make or break an issue—and increasingly, it shapes how we think, shop and respond. The frenzy surrounding content creators has swept across the Indian digital ecosystem. Alongside this surge has come an ever-growing audience of consumers who absorb a constant stream of information, often without questioning its credibility or filtering what they consume. Immersed in an endless flow of content, many lose track of both time and context, consuming i

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 pr

Before our call ended, I had already searched him. Not because I doubted him. Because that is simply what people do now. A name comes up, a conversation is scheduled, and within seconds — before the other person has even put down their phone — you have searched them. You have looked. You have decided. What I found was not what I expected. A well-established founder. Years in business, a serious operation, the kind of professional who commands respect in a room. And yet online

With the first half of 2026 now behind us, July becomes an important checkpoint in the financial calendar. The beginning of July is the right time to move from reflection to action. Here are five important financial action points to focus on. 1. Inflation-Beating Assets One of the most important principles of long-term investing is to ensure that your portfolio is designed to beat inflation. Inflation silently reduces the real value of your money over time. This is why your l

Financial planning is not just about growing wealth—it is about protecting the people we leave behind. Bharath, a 26-year-old software engineer in Pune, lived with his parents and younger sister. His father, Rajesh, was the family's sole earning member. He managed the household finances, paid the home loan EMI, handled investments, renewed insurance policies, and made every major financial decision. One morning, Rajesh suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away. The famil

As June draws to a close, it marks an important checkpoint in the financial calendar - the halfway mark of the year. The beginning of the year often brings fresh resolutions and ambitious financial goals. However, with six months already behind us, now is an appropriate time for a mid-year financial review. Are your investments on track? Beating Inflation Is Important Inflation remains a silent but persistent eroder of purchasing power. While market conditions, interest rates

She introduced herself with four words. “I am your competitor.” I was in an online networking session last week — founders from different industries, different cities, a shared breakout room. When it was her turn to speak, she looked directly at me and said it without hesitation. There was confidence in it. There was even pride. But what every person in that room felt in that instant was not confidence. It was a door closing. I responded immediately. “You are not my competito

Six decades after statehood, constitutional safeguards remain necessary to bridge the gap between western Maharashtra and the regions left behind. Maharashtra is often referred to as India’s economic engine. The state, which is home to Mumbai’s financial ecosystem and Pune’s industrial corridor, contributes about 14 percent to the GDP of India. There is a long-standing dispute behind this achievement that has affected state politics for decades. Is every district in Maharasht

Many young professionals earn well, yet struggle financially because they lack trusted guidance and meaningful conversations about money. In an era where financial information is available at the click of a button, many young professionals still struggle to discuss money openly. Despite earning salaries, investing through mobile applications, and purchasing financial products, a large number of young earners face an invisible problem known as financial loneliness. Financial l

India’s ethanol revolution will succeed only if its costs are shared more fairly. On June 13, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari approved regulations giving E100 fuel legal status in India. The move does more than add two new fuel grades to India’s pumps. It marks the evolution of ethanol from a green fuel and sugar-surplus solution into a strategic fuel designed to reduce India’s exposure to external energy shocks. For over a decade, the older version of the ethanol programme deli

Every year, 21 June is celebrated as International Yoga Day. Yoga is associated with flexibility, fitness and physical well-being, while meditation helps us remain calm, focused and emotionally balanced. Interestingly, the same qualities are equally important when it comes to managing money and building wealth. Simple, But Not Always Easy Investing, much like yoga and meditation, is simple to understand but not always easy to practise. Most people already know the basics: spe

AI generated image Bengaluru: Imagine a young professional walking into a coffee shop every morning. He orders a cappuccino for Rs.120. It is a harmless indulgence, repeated almost without thought. Now imagine another young professional who skips that coffee and instead invests Rs.100 every day into an equity mutual fund through a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). Twenty-five years later, the difference between the two decisions is transformational. The first professional has

He walked into the room with energy. Loud, enthusiastic, impossible to miss. Within minutes he had introduced himself to almost everyone — business owner, founder, investor, mentor, speaker, and three other things I lost count of. He had a story for every person, a pitch woven into every handshake, and an opinion ready before the other person had finished their sentence. I watched from across the room. Not with judgment — with recognition. Because in working with founders and