Our top reads of the week

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Every week, catch up on the best long form stories from Forbes India. Often peppered with our binge-worthy podcasts, videos or infographics too.

1) Mutual exits

This year is turning out to be one of the record years for exits for private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) funds in India. The ability to return capital from India—earlier a sticky subject for foreign investors—has caught the attention of fund managers across the board. Alternative asset fund managers have returned $38.7 bn in 2021 by exiting 229 deals. Exits through secondaries hit $12.9 bn. Find out how the alternate asset market is going through a churn. Read more

2) Forbes India study: Where are the women in Indian PE/VC?

How many women can you think of in Indian PE and VC scenes beyond the obvious ones like Vani Kola, Renuka Ramnath or Bala Deshpande? Women remain a minority in India's private equity and venture capital sectors, and makes one wonder if they ever played a role in building new unicorns or encouraging a revolutionary startup. This Forbes India study is bringing you the names of the next generation of women investors. Read more

3) Will the debutante drag?

Paytm IPO scraped through with just 1.86 times subscription. It proved the market watchers right who were certain that IPO would fizzle out despite the boom in the market. Investors were unwilling to pay a premium for a company that had yet to demonstrate the viability of its business model. But will it affect the upbeat form of the market? Read more

Discover

1) Mard ko dard hota hai

The stigma around mental health in India has roots that go generations deep and impact every layer of the social and cultural body of our nation. Teaching men to be tough all the time pressurises them to ignore their mental well being. Mental health concerns do not make men weak. It just means that they’re dealing with trauma and require empathy, kindness, and the support of their loved ones. Men need to understand that and so does society. Read more

2) Talk to your consumers

iD Fresh Food found itself in a soup thanks to misinformation spread via WhatsApp forwards. Rahul Gandhi, chief marketing officer, iD Fresh Food, sheds light on why consumer trust is all that matters, and what it takes to create a clean-label brand and cater to conscious consumers. Read more

3) Green finance

As India has made a significant commitment, both in the Paris Agreement and in the SDGs programme, there are going to be more disclosures on how India Inc’s corporate objectives would align with the national objectives. Here is an explainer on why we should develop a unified approach around ESG investments, green guidelines, and financial products to drive sustainable growth in the country. Read more

4) Delhi boy

Ankur Jain, founder and CEO of B9 Beverages, has changed the beer-drinking habits of Indians with his brand Bira 91. You cannot expect anything less from Jain—a self-proclaimed craft beer snob. In the latest episode of Forbes India Beyond the Boardroom, Jain talks about the origin of his beer obsession, love for food, and how being a father has changed him. Watch