15 tall tales of 2022 that unearth deep and hidden trends

Adani jolts South Indian cement firms

India’s richest man, Gautam Adani created quite a stir in May this year when he decided to enter the cement business with the acquisition of Holcim AG’s operations- Ambuja Cements and ACC Ltd. In one stroke, it became the second largest cement producer in the world. country but Adani was not done yet. Immediately after the deal, he announced his intention to become No. 1 and did not rule out more acquisitions. n. Madhavan pointed out how Adani’s entry is troubling companies in the highly fragmented southern market. read more

You might also like

Why is IT attrition high despite recession risks?

Silver shines on fresh demand, but gold shines more

Textile companies on the long road to recovery

Next CEO should understand Ujjivan’s objectives: Ghosh

Is natural farming the future of food?

Fresh off the fields, Sayantan Bera tells the story of how early adopters of natural farming based on new age soil microbiology have seen higher yields and lower farming costs. This has enthused the small and marginal farmers who spend a lot on chemical inputs. Also, this method has further piqued the interest of the government as it may provide a way to keep fertilizer subsidy under control. Seems like a win-win? Well, scientific verification is still awaited. read more

When 100cc motorcycle decelerates

There is something special about today’s domestic automobile industry. While super luxury cars and SUVs are flying off the shelves, the bread and butter commuter motorcycles, which represent the other end of the spectrum, are battling a protracted slump. The low demand for motorcycles has important consequences, symbolizing the K-shaped recovery of the economy in the post-pandemic era. For this piece, Alisha Sachdev travels to the hinterlands to understand what it means to own a motorcycle, how it transforms lives, and why consumers are not liking them like in the past. read more

A financial mess in Mercedes India

Bad loans and rising non-performing assets (NPAs) hit Daimler Financial Services which finances Mercedes Benz India dealers and customers. In this report, Shayan Ghosh examines how the firm’s top executives were in cahoots with unscrupulous dealers. By assessing internal documents and talking to several insiders, Ghosh established a number of crimes, including refusing to take prompt action against defaulters and always reneging on loans. As a result, the company’s net NPA ratio rises to 17.5% in FY21. read more

Byju Raveendran’s moment of reckoning

Beset by internal business challenges and a potential valuation squeeze, 2022 was not a memorable year for Byju Raveendran. In this detailed piece, Ranjani Raghavan chronicles the many issues plaguing edtech firm Byju’s – from the lack of a dedicated chief financial officer to mounting losses at WhiteHat Jr, one of its many acquisitions. The latter is a major drain on the company’s finances and has forced even investors to ask tough questions. A few months after the story was published, Byju’s raised $250 million in new funding. But, to repair her house, she is also laying off the employees. read more

new poaching war @ coaching town

With the shadow of the pandemic receding, Kota, the hub of India’s coaching industry, is buzzing again. Devina Sengupta camped in the city for several days to chronicle a tectonic shift in the city’s landscape—old centers facing stiff competition from new ed-tech firms like Unacademy. Allen opposes the charge, the biggest player in the market. It is fighting a battle on two fronts- retaining teachers (with astronomical salaries) and acquiring students (with deep discounts). Meanwhile, Alan has learned new tricks of the trade, such as offering ESOPs (employee stock ownership plans) to teachers. read more

Strange case of development of SBM Bank

It’s barely four years old but the State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) has become the darling of fintechs – it powers nearly four dozen firms and their products. In this widely read article, Aarti Singh explains how SBM created a marketplace with startup founders while being less fussy. Unlike larger banks, which are known to sit on files for weeks, the bank takes very little time to onboard partners. However, the good times may soon be over. Stricter regulations for fintechs, going forward, may force SBMs to give up some aggression. read more

Little known fund house disrupting India’s mutual funds

In the ever-expanding world of mutual funds, a little-known fund house, Quant Mutual Fund, has left behind industry heavyweights by topping various categories in 2020 and 2021. Also violates the general principle of bottom-up research and the buy-and-hold approach of the industry at large. However, Quant’s investors are not complaining. Its enduring success is now attracting attention and is a challenge of sorts to the industry. read more

Looking for the average Indian woman

According to the National Family Health Survey, an average Indian woman is married; lives in a village; is under the age of 30; attended school for 8-9 years; Likely to belong to Other Backward Communities (OBC) and Unemployed. But does he have a face? Tauseef Shahidi scanned hundreds of profiles before going to meet Sunita Devi in ​​Kantewa village of Rajasthan. Her story is the story of every rural Indian woman – of unfulfilled dreams and unfulfilled aspirations. This is also an expectation. Devi, who has a 4-year-old daughter, is comfortable marrying outside her caste when she grows up. read more

A look inside one of the most unsafe workplaces

The construction sector is one of the largest employers of the unorganized workforce in the country, but it is also one of the most vulnerable. After the death of four workers at a construction site in Noida, Sumanta Banerjee investigates the abysmal standards of safety in the industry and blatant violations of laws. The sector is structured with thousands of sub-contractors ensuring safety always takes a back seat. The very low margin of contractors also does not give them scope to invest in security. The big fish above always get away. read more

What No One Tells You When You’re Buying a Home

It’s a story that most new home buyers, or even renters, can relate to. Most of us consider the price, location or developer while buying or renting a property. But Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) with their politics and whims can shape the experience of living in an apartment complex. Filled with anecdotes, author Madhurima Nandi highlights how many RWAs have failed to maintain apartment complexes which has led to a drop in their prices. On many occasions, they overstep their bounds, betraying prejudice against single men and women as well as pet owners, resulting in unfair and draconian restrictions. read more

Small town India is where Bollywood dies

Bollywood is fast losing appeal with its most loyal fans – the youth in the small towns of North India. As the flood of flops shows, this is becoming a big problem. Lata Jha traveled to several small towns to speak to young moviegoers. In this article, he tells the story of how Gen Z now sees greater appeal and aspirational value in Hollywood action and superhero movies. Plus, a grand display of dubbed versions of South Indian movies. Moreover, social messaging addiction is on the rise in Bollywood, be it homosexuality or live-in relationships. read more

true story of a fake network

Shell companies are a recurring subject for the government for financial fraud and tax evasion. And, in this investigative piece, Tauseef Shahidi tells the inside story of Jillian Consultants, a Gurgaon-based Chinese firm. Using a pattern of dummy directors, Jillian created more than two dozen companies that are being investigated by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office. These companies are suspected to be involved in loan app fraud, crypto investment scams, fake job offers, and even dating scams. Shahidi explained in detail how the investigators are cracking down on the culprits. read more

Mystery of missing billions of Indian business

There is a $10 billion gap in India’s trade with China – a mismatch between what China claims to export versus what India says it receives from ports. Sumant Banerjee’s investigation found that unscrupulous importers resort to under-invoicing to evade taxes. The tax authorities are aware of this and several government departments are investigating the fraud. But the story also shows how lack of coordination between departments and paucity of resources is hampering the process. A cat-and-mouse game is being played in the shadows, with tax officials having little success. read more

The Art of Returning to Sandeep Kapoor’s Patronage

In a bizarre development in June, venture capital (VC) firm Sequoia Capital cautioned its portfolio companies against doing business with Algo Legal, a law firm run by its former lawyer Sandeep Kapur. This soon turned into a bitter legal battle. In this piece, Varun Sood goes beyond the news to unearth a litany of conflicts of interest during Kapoor’s tenure at the firm. They also raised questions about Sequoia’s vigilance, or lack thereof, against possible abuses of power. read more

Elsewhere in Mint

In Rai, Pradeep S. Mehta argues that the courts should consider economic impact of decisions, Himanshu explains why we could not double farmers’ income, Pankaj Mishra says that 2022 was the year Global Revival of the Left,