Mutual funds key to financial freedom and investor resilience, say industry experts

India recently celebrated 78 years of Independence, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for atmanirbharta (self-reliance) striking a chord with investors and financial leaders.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Money, leading voices from the mutual fund industry shared how mutual funds are empowering Indians on their path to financial freedom.

Navneet Munot, Chairman of AMFI and MD & CEO of HDFC AMC, said, “Financial security means living a life of dignity, fulfilling aspirations, and living without financial insecurity. Mutual funds have provided households the ability to meet their goals through diversification, convenience, and disciplined investing.”

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For Nilesh Shah, MD of Kotak Mahindra AMC, financial independence is not about a fixed number. “Financial independence is a state of mind. For someone, it could be a six-digit salary, for someone, it could be wealth creation. It is that state which allows you to do what you want to do.”

Sundeep Sikka, Executive Director of Nippon Life India Asset Management, highlighted the industry’s deepening reach. “We can proudly say almost every pin code of India has investors. Earlier, mutual funds were for big cities, today we have crossed B30 to B300. Investors are maturing — during volatility, they are investing more through SIPs.” He added that a generational shift is visible, noting, “When my father retired, I had to convince him to invest in mutual funds. But when my daughter started working, she asked me where to invest.”

Saurabh Nanavati, CEO of Invesco Asset Management India, underlined long-term focus. “New investors are coming with a 5-10-year perspective. It’s about time in the market, not timing the market. Even with flat indices, many funds have delivered double-digit returns.”

 For the entire discussion, watch the accompanying video

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