COVER STORY
From poster boys of heady success in the start-up valley, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ashneer Grover and Byju Raveendran are the pinup boys of what disproportionate ambition could do to otherwise seemingly good men
March 01, 2024
The Fall
Having fallen out of favour with investors, shareholders and the Reserve Bank of India in recent months, the cause of Paytm’s current woes is the same that led to its initial quick rise—Vijay Shekhar Sharma. By giving up the chairman’s job at Paytm Payments Bank, he is attempting a Bond-like escape from the wrath of the banking regulator. Will he succeed?
Increasing consumption among the middle class and the poor in India is a valid policy challenge, the answer to which lies in creating more jobs, says T.V. Somanathan, finance secretary and secretary of expenditure in the Union Ministry of Finance. In an exclusive interview, he also discusses why the current income tax rates are reasonable and why he finds the 3% fiscal deficit target questionable among other issues. Edited excerpts:
Farmers are demanding a legal guarantee of MSP on crops. But MSP is not the silver bullet; over the past two decades, high food inflation has distorted not just the Indian economy but has also affected millions of poor, making India perform poorly on the global hunger index
Powered by easy credit, a section of Indians is splurging on premium products; at the same time, agricultural wages have stagnated and the share of the self-employed has steadily gone up. Post-pandemic, the Indian economy is going through a lop-sided recovery
India’s FMCG giants are struggling with sluggish growth. Declining sales and tough competition from local brands have dampened the sentiments around many popular legacy brands. Can the marquee names rev up a new growth engine?
IDFC First Bank has seen remarkable success in 2023, riding on impressive financial performance, with deposits growing at 40% thanks to customer-friendly banking initiatives and tools. In an exclusive interview, V. Vaidyanathan, managing director and chief executive officer of IDFC First Bank, speaks about the importance of retirement planning early in life, the emotions of those concerned and the tools for retirement planning which can provide financial security and peace of mind
Digitisation has touched all industries, and the insurance sector is not far behind. There have been many changes post-Covid, but it is time to understand the next step in this journey. Digitisation has touched all industries, and the insurance sector is not far behind. There have been many changes post-Covid, but it is time to understand the next step in this journey. Tapan Singhel, MD and CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, speaks about how digitisation can enable the interchange of data to develop capabilities that can benefit customers and save millions of lives. Edited excerpts:
While India is third in the pecking order globally in the start-up ecosystem, women founders struggle to even get a start. Investors see them as less capable and hesitate to fund their ideas
Not all office romances have a fairy-tale ending like the Obamas. In some cases, love turns sour and complications arise. No wonder HR honchos dread co-workers falling for each other and then falling apart
Having fallen out of favour with investors, shareholders and the Reserve Bank of India in recent months, the cause of Paytm’s current woes is the same that led to its initial quick rise—Vijay Shekhar Sharma. By giving up the chairman’s job at Paytm Payments Bank, he is attempting a Bond-like escape from the wrath of the banking regulator. Will he succeed?
Increasing consumption among the middle class and the poor in India is a valid policy challenge, the answer to which lies in creating more jobs, says T.V. Somanathan, finance secretary and secretary of expenditure in the Union Ministry of Finance. In an exclusive interview, he also discusses why the current income tax rates are reasonable and why he finds the 3% fiscal deficit target questionable among other issues. Edited excerpts:
Farmers are demanding a legal guarantee of MSP on crops. But MSP is not the silver bullet; over the past two decades, high food inflation has distorted not just the Indian economy but has also affected millions of poor, making India perform poorly on the global hunger index
Powered by easy credit, a section of Indians is splurging on premium products; at the same time, agricultural wages have stagnated and the share of the self-employed has steadily gone up. Post-pandemic, the Indian economy is going through a lop-sided recovery
India’s FMCG giants are struggling with sluggish growth. Declining sales and tough competition from local brands have dampened the sentiments around many popular legacy brands. Can the marquee names rev up a new growth engine?
IDFC First Bank has seen remarkable success in 2023, riding on impressive financial performance, with deposits growing at 40% thanks to customer-friendly banking initiatives and tools. In an exclusive interview, V. Vaidyanathan, managing director and chief executive officer of IDFC First Bank, speaks about the importance of retirement planning early in life, the emotions of those concerned and the tools for retirement planning which can provide financial security and peace of mind
Digitisation has touched all industries, and the insurance sector is not far behind. There have been many changes post-Covid, but it is time to understand the next step in this journey. Digitisation has touched all industries, and the insurance sector is not far behind. There have been many changes post-Covid, but it is time to understand the next step in this journey. Tapan Singhel, MD and CEO of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, speaks about how digitisation can enable the interchange of data to develop capabilities that can benefit customers and save millions of lives. Edited excerpts:
While India is third in the pecking order globally in the start-up ecosystem, women founders struggle to even get a start. Investors see them as less capable and hesitate to fund their ideas
Not all office romances have a fairy-tale ending like the Obamas. In some cases, love turns sour and complications arise. No wonder HR honchos dread co-workers falling for each other and then falling apart
OTHER STORIES
Change is difficult, but it also brings agility, says B.K. Kalra, president and CEO of global IT services company Genpact, referring to the disruption in businesses brought about by generative artificial intelligence. In an exclusive interview, he gives details of Genpact’s focus on becoming an AI-first company, its AI-assisted learning platform Genome, its strategy for growth in coming years and more. Edited excerpts:
Smita Jatia, vice chairperson of Westlife Foodworld, has donned many a hat—she is a wife, mother, grandmother, businesswoman, mentor and philosopher. While she feels there is no work-life balance for women, she believes it is important to set priorities and say no when necessary
