Corporate Governance for MSMEs: From Compliance Burden to Strategic Enabler
When I delivered an expert session on Corporate Governance for MSMEs recently, the most common reaction from entrepreneurs was predictable: “This is for Tatas and Infosys, not for us.” That perception that governance is only for large or listed companies is not just wrong. It’s dangerous. Over nearly four decades spanning Public Sector Enterprises, Listed […]
The Vacation That Split the Family
A few summers ago, Rohit planned what most Indian families do every year…a modest holiday to see relatives and escape the heat. Tickets were booked. Leave was applied for. Then work happened. A project deadline shifted. The children’s school vacation didn’t. The family travelled first. The employee followed a few days later. The holiday was […]
Foreign Salary, Indian Tax: Here’s Where the Line Is Drawn
For many Indians working overseas, life often feels split between two worlds. Home is where family lives, memories are rooted, and festivals are celebrated. Work, however, may be thousands of miles away. In most cases, the passport quietly records this reality with stamps that speak louder than words. But sometimes, tax authorities read those stamps […]
When a Home Bought from Your Spouse Becomes a Tax Battleground
It often starts as a simple family decision. A property is sold. The capital gains are significant. A new home is needed. Within the family, there is already a suitable house, legally owned, properly valued, and available for purchase. The transaction seems sensible, efficient, and entirely lawful. Until the tax notice arrives. In Kavita Manoj […]
When Love, Affection and the Income-Tax Act Collide
It began with what many consider one of life’s simplest gestures: a gift from husband to wife. But in the labyrinth of Indian tax law, that gesture seemingly straightforward and sentimental set the stage for a complex legal battle that reshaped how capital gains on gifted property are treated. In the case of Sushama Rajesh […]
Interest on Home Loan and Capital Gains: A Tax-Saving Strategy
For many Indian homeowners, particularly those under the now-default new tax regime, the tax story around home loans feels incomplete. You diligently pay EMIs year after year and a large part of those payments is interest. Under the old tax regime, at least some of that interest brought annual tax relief. Under the new tax […]
When Tax Residency Becomes a Question of Real Life, Not Just Day Counts
Late one evening, a successful Indian entrepreneur sat across his dining table in Singapore, while news alerts from India flashed on his phone. A few months earlier, he had stepped away from the company he built, taken up a new role overseas, and re-rooted his family in a new country. Life had clearly moved on […]
Building Ethical Workplaces: Lessons from Everyday Decisions
A few years ago, during a regular sales review, I posed a question to my Sales Head: “If a customer promises us a large business order but asks for the latest iPhone in return, what should we do?” He paused for a moment and then without hesitation said, “Yes! We should give it. It’s good […]
The Fantastic Four of Personal Finance: Superpowers for a Stronger Financial Future
The Fantastic Four of Personal Finance: Superpowers for a Stronger Financial Future What if I told you that your financial life could use a few superheroes? No, not a financial advisor in a cape (though that might be fun). I’m talking about channelling the strengths of Marvel’s iconic Fantastic Four to build your own personal […]
When CAGR Isn’t Enough: Making Sense of Cash Flow-Based Returns with XIRR
A little while back, I wrote about something that many of us nod along to in meetings but rarely fully understand…the absolute growth rate, AAGR and the CAGR. If you missed it, here’s the link: 👉 CAGR, AAGR & The Mystery of Growing Money: A Friendly Guide to Making Sense of Growth Rates. That post […]
The Rest That Heals: What I’ve Learned About Recharging the Body, Mind, and Spirit
I’m Not Tired, I’m Empty in Ways I Didn’t Know For years, I believed I was managing just fine. Yes, long workdays, packed calendars, late night flights, ending stream of emails…I wore it like a badge of honour. After all, isn’t that what leadership demanded? While you go through the motions, show up to meetings, […]
The Quiet Power of Giving: What I Learned from it
The Humble Origins of “Joy of Giving” It didn’t start with a big strategy meeting or a lofty vision statement. It began with a simple conversation. One afternoon, during a regular HR catch-up, our HR Manager, someone who had previously run a community campaign in her former company, suggested we try something similar. A small, […]