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Tag: Finance

What’s the Most Valuable Asset to Build Wealth? Hint: It’s You!

Posted on by prathod

Can you guess what the best asset is for building wealth? It’s not money, gold, or property—it’s you! In The Book of Wealth, Mark Mobius reveals the secrets to true prosperity by emphasizing the importance of investing in your skills, education, and attitude. By focusing on personal development, you can unlock boundless potential and set the stage for lasting success. Ready to transform your future and achieve greatness? Start by investing in yourself!

 

 

The Book of Wealth
The Book of Wealth || Mark Mobius

***

In order to be wealthy, you need to have assets. Assets can be money, gold and other precious metals, property, stocks, bonds, art, jewellery and many other things. But many people forget the most important asset: themselves.

 

So, the first step towards fortune begins with investing in your best asset—you. Your earning power will depend on how well you have trained and educated yourself. If you want to earn money as a health trainer, it is vital for you to develop your own body so you can demonstrate to others how good you look, which will attract customers to you. If you want to earn money as a carpenter, you must try your best to learn from the most skilled experts so you can demand the highest appreciation and income.

 

When you realize that you are your best investment, you will begin to make conscious decisions to focus on your development and well-being. You will begin to see that your success in becoming wealthy will depend on the foundation you have built in your own education, experience, social status and influence.

 

You, like others, are a unique individual, and you, like others, have boundless potential that can be unlocked by investing in your skills, education and health. A critical aspect of this is self-empowerment, where you control your destiny and become less reliant on external factors. You become more self-sufficient, which boosts your confidence and resilience.

 

An important aspect of this is gaining knowledge and expanding your horizons, beyond your current community and into the ever-changing world. This will enhance your ability to innovate and find new paths to success. A key item of self-development is setting high goals. You must dream of great things and aspire to what you normally would not imagine you can achieve. This way, you will both consciously and unconsciously take proactive steps towards reaching your dreams. Amazon’s growth is an example of this.

 

When you are considered for a job or have been hired to do a job, the people you work for and with will evaluate you and consider what you bring to the task at hand. In addition to your education and experience, people will consider your attitude. If you have a bad attitude, it can pull energy out of the workplace. That bad attitude will be like a poison pill and damage the work environment and the group objectives. A good and positive attitude can penetrate a group and organization, leading to success for all concerned and contributing to your individual success too. Always remember what Zig Ziglar said: ‘Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.’ It is about your positivity: How do you react when things get challenging or tough?

 

What will contribute to and create a good attitude for you? First, you need to be grateful for the opportunities you get for success. Second, you must be optimistic in the face of risks and danger. Someone once said, ‘The world belongs to optimists.’

 

***

Get your copy of The Book of Wealth by Mark Mobius on Amazon or wherever books are sold.

Curious About Investing in Crypto? Here’s All You Need to Know

Posted on by prathod

Curious about investing in crypto and diversifying your investment portfolio? Mukesh Jindal’s Crypto the Disruptor sheds light on the transition from traditional money to digital currencies, offering valuable insights and tips for beginners and experts alike. Despite regulatory challenges, India’s crypto market is buzzing with innovation and there’s no better time to get into it than now. So, if you’re keen to explore crypto investments,  read this exclusive excerpt to know everything about this hottest currency trend.

 

Crypto the Disruptor
Crypto the Disruptor || Mukesh Jindal

***

Although investing in crypto assets is not illegal in India, the government heavily taxes and regulates it. The Finance Bill 2022 imposes a 30 per cent tax on crypto holdings and transfers, making it costly to trade crypto in India. The government has also expressed its intention to create a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and ban private cryptocurrencies. However, despite these challenges, india is one of the fastest-growing crypto markets in the world, with over 100 million crypto owners. some of the most popular crypto assets in india are Bitcoin, ethereum, Dogecoin, Cardano and XRP.

 

The indian crypto market is witnessing a surge of innovation and entrepreneurship as more and more crypto projects and platforms emerge and gain traction. some examples include Polygon, a layer-2 scaling solution for ethereum; WazirX, a leading crypto exchange and platform; CoinDCX, a crypto investment app; and instadapp, a DeFi aggregator and manager. if you are a beginner and want to start investing in crypto assets in india, you need to follow five basic steps:

 

1. Choose a crypto exchange or broker that is registered with the Financial intelligence unit (Fiu) and complies with the tax and regulatory requirements. An Fiu is a national agency that collects, analyses and disseminates information on suspicious or unusual financial transactions that may be related to money laundering, terrorism financing or other crimes. Fius also cooperate with other domestic and international agencies to combat financial crimes. The Financial intelligence unit-india (Fiu-inD) reports directly to the finance minister-led economic intelligence Council. some of the leading cryptocurrency  exchanges in india are WazirX, CoinDCX, ZebPay and unocoin. They allow users to buy, sell, trade and store various digital tokens, such as Bitcoin, ethereum, Ripple and more. They also offer different features and services, such as crypto lending, margin trading, peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions and educational resources.

 

2. Create an account on the platform and verify your identity and address. You may need to provide your Permanent Account number (PAn) card, Aadhaar card, bank account details and other documents.

 

3. Deposit funds into your account using your preferred payment method. You can use the unified Payments interface (uPi), bank transfers, debit cards or credit cards.

 

4. start purchasing crypto assets of your choice. You can either buy them at the current market price or place a limit order to buy them at a specific price.

 

5. store your crypto assets in a secure wallet. You can either use the platform’s wallet or transfer your crypto to an external wallet, such as a hardware wallet or a software wallet.

 

As previously stated, there are two sorts of cryptocurrency wallets: software-based hot wallets and physical cold wallets. Hardware wallets, a sort of cold wallet, are one of the most secure methods of storing cryptocurrency. They function by keeping your private keys on a physical device (often a usB or Bluetooth device).
some of the benefits of using a hard wallet are:

 

• Control: You have full ownership and control of your funds as you manage your private keys without relying on any third-party service.

• security: Your private keys are kept offline at all times, which makes them immune to hacking, malware or phishing attacks.

• Compatibility: As long as the device supports them, you can store and access thousands of different cryptocurrencies with a single hard wallet.

• Convenience: You can easily connect your hard wallet to your computer or smartphone and make transactions with a simple click or tap.

 

Online platforms like TradingView can assist cryptocurrency traders and investors. They are platforms that provide advanced charting tools, market data and social features for traders and investors in various markets, including cryptocurrencies. They also support trading directly from the charts through various brokers and exchanges, such as Binance, Coinbase and Kraken.

 

Crypto investing offers a wide range of assets, pairs and derivatives to choose from. However, not all of them have the same performance and potential. Therefore, it is advisable to diversify the portfolio across different categories, such as Bitcoin, altcoins, stablecoins and tokens, as well as across different sectors, such as DeFi, nFTs, gaming and the metaverse. This way, one can reduce the correlation and dependency on a single asset or market and increase the chances of earning consistent returns.

 

***

Get your copy of Crypto the Disruptor by Mukesh Jindal wherever books are sold.

Set Up Your Personal Finance Game Like a Pro with these ACTION-able Insights!

Posted on by prathod

Ready to level up your personal finance game? Discover how to become a financial pro with ACTION by Vivek Mashrani and Anand Venkitachalam! Dive into this exclusive excerpt for actionable tips on assessing your finances, setting smart goals, and crafting a budget like a boss. Get set to take control of your financial future today!

 

Action
Action || Vivek Mashrani, Anand Venkitachalam

***

Financial planning is a systematic approach to using money wisely so as to achieve your life goals. The process includes an in-depth examination of your current financial status, the setting and prioritization of goals, the formulation of an action plan to reach these objectives, regular review of your progress towards this plan on an ongoing basis and then updating your plan as necessary. Timelines play an integral part in financial planning, as they dictate what investment options are available, your risk tolerance levels and your overall strategic decisions. Understanding your financial situation At the foundation of financial planning lies your understanding of your current financial status—knowledge of your income, expenses, assets, liabilities, risk tolerance, etc., as described earlier. Now that you understand your financial status and have a clear picture of your life goal, aligning with your financial goals should become part of your daily routine. To create an efficient personal finance goal-setting process, follow these steps.

 

1. Evaluate your financial situation
Evaluate the details of your monthly income and expenses by factoring in all sources (salary, rental income, etc.) against all expenses such as rent, groceries and transportation. Additionally, consider your assets (real estate, stocks, mutual funds, etc.) against your liabilities (home loan, personal loan, credit card debt, etc.). You can calculate your net worth from this, as described earlier.

 

2. Establish your financial goals
Reflect upon what financial milestones you wish to reach—for example, purchase of a home, saving for college tuition expenses for your children, planning an efficient retirement portfolio or an overseas trip.

 

3. Establish SMART financial goals
Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound to help ensure they will actually happen. Rather than setting generic retirement savings goals, such as ‘I want to save for retirement,’ make your goals specific—for example, ‘I plan to save Rs 2 crore by age sixty.’

 

4. Categorize your goals based on your time horizon for them
Classify your goals based on their expected dates of achievement to more efficiently allocate and prioritize resources towards meeting all your financial objectives. This exercise helps set clearer priorities when prioritizing finances for long-term objectives.

 

5. Prioritize your goals
Ranking your goals from ‘P1’ to ‘Pn’ is the easiest and simplest way to identify which ones are of highest priority to you, P1 being given top billing and Pn receiving no consideration at all. Establishing your priorities allows you to direct your effort, time and financial resources towards those goals which align best with your values and aspirations. Making more informed decisions regarding where your income, savings and investments go can also ensure that progress is being made towards your more important financial objectives.

 

6. Estimate the savings needs for each goal
Estimating the total investments required on your part for each of your goals and breaking up those investments into manageable savings targets require the consideration of factors like the time horizons you have in mind, the inflation rates and any associated costs. Using those figures, you can then set realistic savings goals for the allocation of funds for each of your objectives.

 

7. Allocate savings and assets according to priority
This involves matching up financial resources with each goal’s importance and time horizon. Prioritized goals, such as emergency funds or near-term objectives, often necessitate more conservative savings instruments, like savings accounts or short-term deposits. Medium-term goals could benefit from an array of savings and moderate-risk investments; long-term ones may require higher-risk vehicles like stocks or mutual funds to drive potential growth. By pairing savings and investment instruments with each goal, you can optimize your financial resources while increasing the probability of their fulfilment. Furthermore, this exercise will also assist with identifying lowpriority goals which need to be abandoned or postponed.

 

8. Establish a budget
A budget involves making a careful inventory of both your income and expenditure in order to craft an account that aligns with your financial goals, tracks your spending habits and savings, where applicable, and also allocates your savings to investments related to those goals. A good budget enables you to prioritize your financial goals while controlling your spending habits so as to stay within your means. The purpose of the budget is to ensure financial stability and prosperity for years to come.

 

9. Monitor your progress
Regularly assess your financial health using online tools or apps which sync up with your bank accounts to get an accurate picture of where you stand.

 

10. Review and alter your goals
As life circumstances shift, so must your goals. Marriage, children, health issues, job changes or income adjustments all may necessitate modifications to your financial goals. Financial planning should not be seen as a one-time activity. It is an ongoing journey. Your plan must adapt to your life changes and the shifts in your financial situation. Seeking advice from financial advisers may also prove helpful.

***

Get your copy of ACTION by Vivek Mashrani and Anand Venkitachalam wherever books are sold.

Learn the Power of Financial Planning with Abhijeet Kolapkar

Posted on by prathod

Are you tired of financial uncertainty? Dive into Abhijeet Kolapkar‘s groundbreaking book, Money Works where he demystifies the art of financial planning. With a checklist that lays out practical steps, this excerpt hints at the transformational journey from money worries to money mastery.

Money Works
Money Works || Abhijeet Kolapkar

***

What Experience Reveals

Most of us live simple and straightforward lives; 90 per cent of our lives follow a pattern—school, college, job, marriage, life after marriage and retirement. We try hard to plan our lives. For example, in our twenties, we plan to finish our studies, buy a home by age twenty-seven, a car by age twenty-nine, and so on.

 

  • Our dreams need to be converted into goals to bring them to life. Pre-planning and execution are essential to achieve these goals.Also, backing our dreams with financial planning is important.

 

  • Most of us realize the importance of financial planning only as we cross our forties; however if we had realized the need for it in our twenties, a lot of our issues of the present might never have surfaced.

 

‘We do plan our finances but that does not last long.’

‘Is financial planning really necessary?’

‘Financial planning is not as easy as it seems.’

 

We hear such statements about financial planning.
Financial planning is clearly not unnecessary, and it is actually neither difficult nor impossible. It is a simple and straightforward process. What is really needed is to do it with the right intention and make sure you are proceeding with diligence.

 

Checklist for Successful Financial Planning

1. Plan your finances as early as possible: Delaying financial planning is injurious to your long-term financial health. Don’t start financial planning when emergencies arise.

 

2. Stay away from an extravagant lifestyle: Never celebrate by taking loans. Remember this line.

 

3. Avoid overuse of credit cards: One should use a credit card only when it is absolutely necessary. Using it just to avail of offers should be avoided.

 

4. Avoid comparing your situation with others: Know your limits. Instead of looking at what others are buying, think about whether those items are necessary and affordable for you. Understand your situation before spending.

 

5. Prioritize savings over spending: Expensive cars, gadgets and lifestyle choices may make you look rich, but will not make you a rich person. Prioritize saving and investing your earnings.

 

6. Save at least 5–10 per cent of your earnings every month: The first step in financial planning is to save every month and invest it to provide for emergencies.

 

7. Avoid financial investments you don’t understand: It is best to stay away from the type of investments you have no clue about.  In case you still want to go ahead, do so with the help of a financial adviser. Practise caution while investing.

 

8. Buying an insurance cover is a must: Insurance is not an investment but a productive tool to financially cover yourself or your family members in emergencies. That is why everyone should get health insurance, accident insurance and term insurance.

 

9. Invest for the long term: To get the benefit of compounding, invest a major portion of your savings in long-term options.

 

10. Regularly re-evaluate and review your financial strategies: You may have planned a robust financial strategy but failed to implement it or made a few wrong financial decisions. To understand this, you need to frequently review your financial strategies.

 

○ Re-evaluation: The goals based on which we decided on our investments in the past may change. For example, you may feel that saving money for your children’s higher education is more important than buying an expensive car, which was your earlier goal.

○ Review: We can re-prioritize our goals based on our current needs, after periodical reviews.

 

11. Discuss your strategy with your partner: Have a healthy discussion with your partner about your financial goals. Whether your partner is an earning member or not, you should consider their point of view as well.

 

12. Be ready for change: Life is full of surprises—be prepared, mentally and financially, to face any unexpected situations that may arise.

 

13. Read up on financial matters: You should regularly engage with financial newspapers, magazines, blogs and social media pages. Also, you should have books on the subject handy in your personal library.

 

14. Don’t be an emotional fool! Many a time we make decisions based on our emotions, which may lead to financial losses.  Hence, you should stay away from overconfidence, lack of confidence, haste, work, anger, greed, lust, jealousy, etc., while making your financial decisions.

 

15. Self-confidence is essential: No one can play your part better than you. That is why you need to study the subject of finance in depth and make the right decisions to get the most out of your wealth.

 

With this checklist, you can start financial planning based on the goals you want to achieve

***

Get your copy of Money Works by Abhijeet Kolapkar wherever books are sold.

7 titles that will help businesses make a positive impact on Indian economy

Posted on by swara

India is one of the largest economies in the world yet when one goes to the grassroots to study the situation of the average Indian, one sees abject poverty and systemic inefficiency. Why is that, and what can we do?

Penguin Random House India has put together a list of titles by some of the most successful businessmen and economists in the country. With insights, experiences, tips, and the best way to move forward, there is sure to be something useful for you, and your business, and how your business can positively impact the country.

 

A Game Changer’s Memoir

A masterful strategist, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) Chairman, G.N.Bajpai, in this book, recounts his truly inspiring journey as he weaved through complex rules and frameworks in his efforts to turn SEBI into an effective financial regulator for the country. Easy-flowing and readable with the writer’s anecdotal and educative style of writing and yet greatly comprehensive, this is a go-to book for a new generation of aspiring financial groundbreakers.

 

India: Still a Shackled Giant

India is one of the largest economies in the world today…but what about the India that the government does not want you to know about: the India where healthcare doesn’t work, corruption is rampant, criminals get elected to public office, the rich go scot-free, most people don’t pay income taxes and inequality is out of control.

Dev Kar, a former senior economist at the International Monetary Fund, points out the truth behind the noise of popular media and jingoism of leaders and tells us why India continues to be a shackled giant and how it can find the road to redemption.

 

Demonetization and the Black Economy

This move, it was claimed, was made to wipe out corruption, deter the generation of black money, weed out fake Indian currency notes and curb terrorism. Overnight, people in India realized that the cash in their pockets had no value. A year later, the RBI announced that 99 per cent of the old currency notes had been deposited with it. India continues to grapple with the effects of this move. The black economy has not been dented; counterfeiting and terrorism continue; the credibility of the RBI, banks and currency is damaged; the accountability of the Parliament and the prime minister has been eroded; and the social divide has widened. There have been many arguments and counter-arguments from both sides, but they have missed the complete picture.

 

Reviving Jobs: An Agenda for Growth

Every country in the world experiences the benefits of its demographic dividend, a period that comes but once in the life of a nation-when the share of the working-age population is larger than the non-working-age share. It has the potential to make a country progress towards higher incomes and development. But it can also become a nightmare if there aren’t enough jobs.

Reviving Jobs, the third volume in the Rethinking India series, offers suggestions on how India can make the best use of the remaining period of its demographic dividend-any failure to do so will cause millions to suffer in poverty for decades to come.

 

Do Better with Less: Frugal Innovation for Sustainable Growth

This groundbreaking book, by the bestselling authors of Jugaad Innovation, shows how India can harness the three megatrends — the sharing economy, the maker movement and the circular economy — and disruptive technologies such as AI and 3D printing to generate jobs and drive inclusive and sustainable growth in the decades to come.
Packed with over fifty case studies, Do Better with Less offers six proven principles that Indian entrepreneurs and businesses can use to co-create frugal solutions in education, energy, healthcare, food and finance that are highly relevant to India and the world.

 

Leap Grogging to Pole-Vaulting

An exhilarating manifesto for the future, this book convinces readers to make the shift from reactive leapfrogging to proactive pole-vaulting through radical transformation.

The unique ‘3-4-7 framework’ demonstrates how a paralysing mass of problems can be brought down to a formidable formula, thus making every problem solvable, no matter how big and complex. The book is dotted with inspiring case studies that can instil confidence in people from across the world to put this framework into practice for assured success.

 

Some Sizes Fit All

Some Sizes Fit All is an attempt to explain these fundamental pillars for any kind of business. An authentic and lucid presentation of management concepts and practices-which Akhil Gupta has tried and tested first hand through his illustrious career-this is a must-read for anyone trying to build a robust and financially sound business.

Make Money the Chanakya Way!

Posted on by Penguin India

Radhakrishnan Pillai’s latest book, Chanakya and the Art of Getting Rich is a holistic study, written for anyone and everyone. The book is the result of his fascinating insight and research into the master diplomat, administrator and economist (before the term existed) and the man behind the Mauryan empire, Chanakya- the ancient author of the Arthashastra. Pillai has deftly extracted the maxims most relevant to wealth-creation from the Arthashastra’s vast  scope of statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, and interspersed it with modern examples, bringing  practical wisdom from the 4th century BC to guide contemporary ambitions!
Chanakya and the Art of Getting Rich begins with the simplest of questions-‘Do you want to be rich? If you replied in the affirmative to the most basic of all ambitions read on for some tips from the Guru of all gurus.
Aanvikshiki, the science and art of thinking.

‘Clear thinking is the foundation of all good decisions. According to Chanakya, clear thinking and calculated decision-making are the first qualities a person needs to  develop. A person who cannot think clearly will always have great difficulty assessing a situation, evaluating the scenario and taking a decision that is the best in the given circumstances.’

Keep your spiritual and material life distinct

‘“No business in charity, and no charity in business” is a well-known adage in the business world. What this means is that one should never do charity for profit nor run a business as a charitable activity.’

Eternal Vigilance

‘One has to fulfill one’s duty of keeping an eye on the wealth one already has. If we are not alert and vigilant about the wealth we already own, it will deplete and eventually ebb away.

Ethical wealth is long-term wealth

Remember, the key to ‘big money’ is to understand the ‘right money’. One can become rich very fast too, but mostly through shortcuts. . Ethics are very important when it comes to amassing wealth. Illegal and immoral wealth does not stay for long.

Channel your ‘wealth potential’

Everybody cannot make money in every field. The smart ones are those who can identify which field is meant for them.  Chanakya has a formula for that. In the first book of the Arthashastra, Chanakya talks about finding your swadharma. Swa means ‘your own’ and dharma is nature. If you come to know what your true nature is, wealth will come to you naturally.

Find your guru

‘You may have all the potential to become rich. But, the fact is that you still require a mentor and guide to become rich.’

Know your political environment

‘If you want to expand your business and become rich, think about the place you are in. Read about the government policies that affect your area, your city, your business, your country.. Any changes in policy have a ripple effect—if they don’t touch you directly they will affect other things that will affect you in return.

Keep your Equanimity and carry on

‘Equanimity Is of Paramount Importance A person who desires to become wealthy should also develop another important quality—equanimity. This state of mind is comparable to a lamp which is steady and calm, and the flame does not flicker.’

The Blueprint of Success

‘As the famous saying goes, ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ So if you want to put into action any roadmap of wealth creation, then plan the whole strategy. It is like drawing your blueprints before you start the construction. Thinking is the blueprint required before you get into action’

Money attracts money.

‘Wealthy people become wealthier. But if you do not take care of the wealth you own, it will slip away. So learn the art of managing your wealth well so that it can grow, not deplete.’

Accountability in Accounting

‘Chanakya says, “He [the leader] should check the accounts for each day, group of five days [week], fortnight, month, four months [quarterly] and a year.”’

Partnership Is a Way to Wealth

‘No one person can have all the qualities required for success. Therefore, to succeed, it is good to have partners. Partnerships are about complementing each other. Partners make up for each other’s weaknesses and support each other’s strengths.’

6 Statements from ‘Demonetization and Black Economy’ that are point on about demonetization

Posted on by Penguin India

Arun Kumar is the country’s leading authority on the black economy. In his recent book Demonetisation and the Black Economy he gives a lucid account of demonetization along with its effects on the economy.

Here are six statements by Prof Kumar which describe impacts and effects of demonetisation.






The Lehman Collapse Days, An Excerpt ‘From Lehman to Demonetization’

Posted on by Penguin India

Tamal Bandyopadhyay is one of the most respected business journalists in India. He has had a ringside view of the major changes that came through in the Indian finance and banking sector in the last two decades. In his book ‘From Lehman to Demonetization’ he tells the epic story of banking in India in the last decade. The book features essays and interviews with stalwarts from the sector like Raghuram Rajan, Arundhati Bhattacharya, and many others.
Here is an excerpt from the book.
On the day US investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. filed for bankruptcy, the chief executive officers of six large commercial banks assembled at a south Mumbai hotel to debate a topic close to every foreign banker’s heart: ‘Should India open up the financial sector?’ Y.V. Reddy, former RBI governor, widely known for his views against the opening up of the sector, had retired just ten days before the collapse.
His successor, D. Subbarao, former finance secretary, was to be the chief guest at the conference but he excused himself because he could not have expressed his views on the subject in his new role as RBI governor. Owing to the newsflash that morning, the mood at the conference was sombre and even the traditionally aggressive foreign bankers, who always blame the Indian banking regulator for keeping the doors closed, were restrained in their arguments. The beer tasted flat that evening, the food stale, and a few panellists, including ICICI Bank Ltd’s then managing director and CEO, K.V. Kamath, did not wait for the dinner and left immediately after the discussion was over.
The exposure of ICICI Bank, India’s largest private-sector lender, to Lehman Brothers was $83 million, less than 0.1 per cent of its consolidated balance sheet, but investors rushed to sell the bank’s stock and pulled it down by 15 per cent in the next few days as panic gripped the market. A few other banks, including State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank, two large public-sector banks, had a small exposure to Lehman Brothers in various forms.
At a meeting with the executives of Lehman Brothers’ Indian arm and local banks, V. Leeladhar, then deputy governor of RBI, told the US investment bank to close all transactions with Indian banks within twenty-four hours. Lehman Brothers did so in forty-eight hours. It was running a non-banking financial company in India, but its entire capital was invested in government bonds and bank deposits; so the money was safe. Its broking arm, Lehman Brothers Securities Pvt. Ltd, housed in Ceejay House—hemmed in between the Arabian Sea and the glass-walled Atria shopping mall on Annie Besant Road in midtown Mumbai, the most expensive office space in the city—was taken over by Japan’s Nomura Holdings Inc. In October, Nomura also took over Lehman Brothers’ back office operations, which employed 2200 people, in Powai, a western suburb of Mumbai.
The panic did not last long. The global financial system had plunged into an unprecedented liquidity crunch after the Lehman collapse but India shrugged it off relatively easily. The GDP growth dropped to 3.5 per cent in the March 2009 quarter, but in the very next quarter, it rose to 5.9 per cent and by the September 2009 quarter, it bounced back to 9.3 per cent.
We all celebrated how resilient the Indian banking system was. A cautious and conservative regulator ring-fenced the Indian banks by not allowing them to take excessive risk.
However, we celebrated too early. The monetary policy and fiscal stimulus that followed after the collapse to ward off its impact led to a V-shaped recovery at that point, but it didn’t last long; seeds were sown for high inflation and bad assets. It took years to bottle the inflation genie but we are far from sorting out the problem of bad assets.
The first rate cut was announced on 20 October 2008, more than a month after the Lehman collapse and in the next six months, the policy rate was brought down from 9 per cent to 3.25 per cent (lower than the savings bank rate which was an administered rate then); the cash reserve ratio or the portion of deposits that banks keep with the RBI from 9 per cent to 5 per cent; and the floor for banks’ government bond holding from 25 to 24 per cent. Collectively, the cut in the reserve requirement and the opening of new refinance windows pumped Rs 5.6 trillion into the Indian financial system.

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