Our top reads of the week

3) Fall guys of funding winter

When the market was flowing with funds—even during the tail end of the pandemic—CFOs in the Indian startup ecosystem were handed out mandates and injected with the sense of 'realism' by founders and board members of ambitious ventures—go out in the market, raise funds. Nobody cared about the imbalance of ballooned valuations and cash burns for growth at all costs. Now the funding winter is here. Layoffs have become the best solution to preserve cash. But why CFOs are also in the firing line? Here's a story about the sacrificial lambs. Read more

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1) Why India's defence sector is booming

India’s defence sector has undergone major reforms as the government is trying to strengthen the nation’s defence prowess by reducing dependence on imports. Buoyed by healthy order books and revenue expansions, the sector has turned attractive for investors. However, analysts caution that steep valuations, execution hiccups, competition pressures and cash flow generation risks may pose threats to the bumper rally defence stocks have seen recently. Read more

2) Bring it home for desi football

Two of the Premier League's best clubs are reportedly looking for new owners. Manchester United aka the Red Devils and Liverpool aka The Reds are ready to trade hands. And if rumours are to be believed, Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries (which owns the Network18 Group that publishes Forbes India), has entered the race for the bid. What happens if these elite clubs in the world of football are owned by Indian billionaires? We have experts weighing in. Read more

3) Sunil Vachani on Leadership Mantras

In 1993, the concept of manufacturing for most people was alien, but Sunil Vachani was confident that electronics manufacturing was the next big thing, and it was here to stay. He rented a 10,000 sq ft plot in Noida, a few machines, hired 15 employees and borrowed ₹15 lakh from his father to start his company. Today, the business has grown to ₹10,700-crore powerhouse that is valued at ₹20,000 crore on the stock market. Constantly reinventing, focusing on numbers and finding the company’s core are some factors behind Dixon’s success. Watch this episode of Leadership Mantras to know more about his journey. Watch here 

4) Pathbreakers: Abhinav Bindra's secret to success

A marksman par excellence, Abhinav Bindra devoted 22 years of his life to perfecting his craft. In this wide-ranging conversation with Neha Bothra, he talks about his untiring quest for perfection and his indomitable spirit to bounce back and persevere despite all odds. It is six years since Bindra hung up his rifle, but the values he imbibed as a sportsman continue to light his path as an entrepreneur. The five-time Olympian shares his plans for the future and believes the next decade will be the decade of sport in India. Watch the full conversation for powerful transformation ideas from one of India's finest athletes. Watch here