Franklin Templeton launches nationwide drive to boost women's participation in mutual funds

In a bid to deepen financial inclusion and expand women's participation in capital markets, mutual fund investment company Franklin Templeton India on Thursday said it has launched a nationwide investor education campaign for creating awareness about mutual funds among women. The initiative highlights the growing recognition that financial literacy, particularly among women, is key to the country's long-term socio-economic progress. ''Financial literacy among women is fundamental to India's long-term socio-economic progress. While urban centres have made meaningful advances, lakhs of women across Bharat, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions, remain underserved in terms of access to financial knowledge and tools,'' Avinash Satwalekar, President, Franklin Templeton India, said here. Drawing from personal interactions during visits to 17 smaller towns across southern and western India, Satwalekar noted that many women were not even aware of mutual funds as an investment avenue. ''Through this initiative, we are engaging with women from diverse walks of life, and empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to save, invest and adopt digital finance,'' he added. Marking Franklin Templeton's 30 years in India, the 30-day outreach journey commenced from Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of the country, and will traverse 21 cities before culminating in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. The campaign will feature interactive financial education sessions, expert-led discussions and community engagement programmes aimed at demystifying mutual fund investing and encouraging women to transition from savings to long-term investments, Satwalekar said. The investor education workshops will cater to a diverse spectrum of participants, with women forming the majority. The outreach will include farmers from fishing and agricultural communities, members of self-help groups in food and handloom sectors, students, parents, educators, entrepreneurs, private and government employees, and personnel from the armed forces and police services. Mutual funds are widely regarded as one of the most efficient investment vehicles for achieving long-term financial goals, offering diversification, professional fund management, liquidity, tax efficiency and relatively lower ticket sizes. They also play a crucial role in helping investors combat inflation and build sustainable wealth over time. The mutual fund industry currently manages assets worth Rs 81 lakh crore, and going forward, the growth is expected to continue supported by India's growth story; participation from women, millennials and GenZ; financialization of savings and technology, Satwalekar said. Franklin Templeton India, with 30 years of presence in India, oversees average assets under management of over Rs 1.27 lakh crore across 37 schemes. The initiative also aligns with recent regulatory measures aimed at expanding retail participation. In November, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced a revised incentive structure for mutual fund distributors, offering additional commissions for onboarding new investors from B-30 cities as well as new women investors across geographies.