Unlocking Financial Wisdom: Aditya Birla Sun Life's Workshop in Cuttack
Empowering Odisha Through Financial Literacy
By Reshmi Yadav
Cuttack: Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, in partnership with the prominent Odia daily Dharitri, hosted a workshop titled ‘Shikshit Niveshak for Viksit Bharat’ at the Marwari Club in Cuttack on Saturday.
This initiative is designed to enhance financial literacy and promote informed investment practices among the residents of Odisha.
Tathagata Satpathy, the Editor of Dharitri, attended the event and emphasized the critical need for financial awareness in the region.
He remarked, “We initiated this program to introduce something innovative to Odisha. The local populace possesses significant investment potential, yet the culture of financial education remains underdeveloped.”
He further noted, “In the past, Bhubaneswar had its own stock exchange, which eventually shut down due to a lack of support for promising initiatives. If we cultivate financial awareness, it will benefit the entire state. This program aims to shift that perspective.”
Satpathy expressed gratitude to the attendees for their strong turnout and highlighted the Marwari Club as an ideal venue to launch this movement.
He stated, “I appreciate Aditya Birla Capital and the entire team. I hope this initiative will steer our youth towards a secure financial future. For a truly developed Bharat, prosperity must be inclusive.”
Mohammed Aamir Sulaiman, AVP of Investor Education & Distribution Development at ABSL AMC Ltd, led the main session focusing on mutual funds and investment strategies. He illustrated how ordinary citizens can engage in the nation’s wealth-building efforts.
Sulaiman mentioned, “Our collaboration with Dharitri aims to ensure that financial awareness permeates every household. To realize the vision of Viksit Bharat, financial education is paramount.”
He emphasized the necessity of saving before investing, stating, “Savings secure the present while investments safeguard the future. Traditionally, people in Odisha invest in gold, real estate, or deposits, but there are numerous other avenues that provide better, structured returns.”
He highlighted the significance of goal-oriented investing—covering education, home ownership, children's futures, and retirement—and discussed the rapid expansion of the mutual fund sector. He also introduced digital tools like Fingo, a gaming app designed to simplify financial planning. Additionally, he pointed out the flexibility of mutual funds through systematic investment plans (SIP), systematic transfer plans (STP), and systematic withdrawal plans (SWP).
The workshop included a special segment on cybersecurity led by Anila Anand, OPS, DSP, and head of the Cyber Crime Police Station, CID-CB. She alerted attendees about the increasing incidents of cyber fraud associated with fraudulent investment schemes.
Anand stated, “We manage thousands of cyber fraud cases annually, treating every complaint—regardless of the complainant's status—with equal seriousness.”
She cautioned, “Using the internet compromises your data. Exercise extreme caution regarding the links you click and the files you download.”
A panel discussion followed, moderated by Debasish Mishra, Branch Manager of Cuttack Retail Sales at Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd. Mutual fund investors Girindra Narayan Ghosh, Akhaya Barik, and Dilip Kumar Swain shared their personal investment experiences and the long-term advantages they gained through disciplined investing.
The event attracted notable attendees, including Sanjay Kumar Sharma, President of Marwari Samaj, Shankar Lal Gupta, Secretary of Marwari Samaj, along with a large audience of investors, professionals, and youth from Cuttack and surrounding areas.