'Don't Like To Be The Aunty Who Criticises': Radhika Gupta On Gen Z Investments

NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Radhika Gupta, MD and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, has a message for young investors navigating volatile markets: don't panic over short-term movements, and give your investments time to grow.Speaking at NDTV Profit Ignite on Wednesday, Gupta said she was reluctant to criticise Gen Z for its approach to investing. She believes the younger generation is smart, confident and has started investing earlier than previous generations. "At 43, I don't like to be the aunty who is criticising Gen Z," Gupta said, adding that "the country, in many ways, has seen the power of Gen Z"."I generally believe Gen Z is a very smart generation. It's a very confident generation. It has started its investment journey earlier than my generation has," she said. Her remarks came amid questions about young investors using digital platforms to invest in mutual funds and equity products. For many of them, the experience of navigating a market downturn and dealing with volatility is relatively new.Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better PayGupta said her own attitude towards market crises had changed with age and experience. "I saw my first crisis in 2008 and I thought the world was over. Now anything happens and I'm like, what is the furore about?" she said.Radhika Gupta's Advice To Gen Z InvestorsGupta advised young investors against checking their portfolios too frequently or following market news simply to track their investments."My genuine advice to Gen Z is don't watch the news," she said. "Watching your portfolio every day... But don't watch news to check your net asset value. That's Mann Ki Ashanti's formula."Instead, she urged investors to take a longer-term view and focus on their investment goals rather than daily market movements. "Literally try and zoom out and go back to the statistic I said. A 10-year SIP has never been bad for everyone," Gupta said.A systematic investment plan, or SIP, allows investors to put a fixed amount into a mutual fund at regular intervals. It can help investors spread their purchases over time instead of investing a lump sum at one market level. Gupta also pointed to the underlying growth prospects of Indian companies as a reason for investors to maintain perspective despite the challenging external environment. "Finally, you're investing in India. You're investing in Indian companies. Earnings growth is not bad," she said.Acknowledging the risks, she added that investors should understand what they are signing up for when they invest in equities. "Yes, the external environment is painful," Gupta said. "But you don't get 4 per cent or 5 per cent over fixed deposit for free. You get it to bear the volatility."India Could Have 100 Asset Management Companies: Radhika GuptaGupta also spoke about the evolution of India's mutual fund industry and how it compares with markets such as the US and China. She said the industry was consolidating, with larger players likely to grow further. At the same time, she sees room for asset managers with different investment strategies and areas of specialisation."I have been arguing for the last few years that India will have a hundred different AMCs, and I think now that will happen sooner than later," she said.Gupta said global markets have different types of asset managers. Some offer a broad range of products, while others focus on specific investment themes or passive strategies.She believes India does not need to follow a single model of asset management. Instead, firms with strong products, sound money-management capabilities and a clear proposition can find room to grow. "One of the advantages of this digital age is information on what everyone is doing is available to everyone," she said."If you have a good consumer product, if you know how to manage money well, if you have the right proposition, nothing can stop you from growing," Gupta added. She also pointed to the changing fortunes of listed asset management companies, saying investors were increasingly noticing the progress made by firms that were once considered smaller players.