MUMBAI: In a grand launch befitting the festive spirit of Diwali, NDTV Profit hosted the first edition of IGNITE in Mumbai, convening India’s top market strategists, corporate leaders, fintech founders, and investors. The event underscored the urgency and optimism with which market participants are looking ahead to the new Samvat, seeking both direction and conviction in the wake of global economic turbulence.
As the forum opened, veteran investor Ramesh Damani set the tone with a candid assessment: ‘The world today is vastly different from when I began in 1989,’ he remarked, calling for a recalibration of expectations and strategy. While globalization once dominated frameworks, he noted, nations now increasingly must fend for themselves. Yet, he asserted, India remains comparatively well-placed to navigate these headwinds.
Damani also steered the attention toward sunrise sectors — rare earth minerals, shipbuilding, and infrastructure development — while voicing caution on gold’s long-term track record.
Manish Chokhani of Enam offered a counter-view on gold’s resurgence as a hedge against inflation and Western monetary excess, though he too reinforced the importance of discipline and patience.
From the exchange’s vantage, Ashishkumar Chauhan, CEO of NSE, issued a firm caution on leverage and derivatives, warning individual investors that unlike companies, they lack bankruptcy protections. ‘Leverage is the ultimate risk,’ he said, urging restraint.
Nilesh Shah of Kotak Mahindra AMC underlined how India’s startups are absorbing technology at unprecedented speed and called for reforms to further unlock potential.
Sundeep Sikka of Nippon Life AMC emphasized the resilience of SIP flows as a safeguard against emotional investing. Harshvardhan Roongta highlighted that no portfolio is complete without insurance, while Ayush Mittal urged investors to use AI as a research ally, not a substitute for judgement.
The conversation also touched on consumption revival post-GST cuts, with Mayank Shah of Parle Products explaining how pricing benefits would filter down to smaller packs in the months ahead. Market voice Vijay Kedia called the IPO market ‘frothy,’ reiterating his now-signature lines urging discipline, patience, and conviction. Actor-entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi brought a refreshing entrepreneurial lens, sharing how his educational venture Swarnim University is blending degrees with start-up culture to build India’s next generation of founders.
Rahul Kanwal, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of NDTV, said: ‘IGNITE is about bringing the market’s most trusted voices together. At a time when investors are flooded with noise, we want to create a space that offers clarity and reason. Our goal is to help people understand where real opportunities lie, and to make those conversations accessible to everyone who looks to NDTV Profit for guidance.
The launch of IGNITE marks a new chapter for NDTV Profit — a conversation designed to explore the choices investors must make in an uncertain world. With its first edition setting the bar high, IGNITE will return through the year as a space where clarity, wisdom, and foresight come together to shape the conversation on India’s financial future.
