FISCUS 2014

FISCUS is an annual summit organized by SIMSREE Finance Forum to bring together students and industry stalwarts on a common platform to discuss vital issues in the field of finance and economics. FISCUS’14 strives to be a forum for delegates to reassess India’s economic growth trajectory, re-evaluate its regulatory landscape and draw up an action plan to ensure the country meets its full potential over the coming years.

Theme: Rebooting India's Economy - The Roadmap Ahead

Date: 13th September, 2014

Venue: Sydenham Management Excellence Centre

Chief Guest - Mr. D.R. Dogra (MD, CARE Ratings)

Panelists -

Mr. Nayan Mehta (CFO, BSE Ltd.) - Also the moderator for the Panel Discussion

Mr. Kapil Krishan (CFO, Manappuram Finance)

Mr. Ruchir Kapoor (Business Head, Essel Finance Business Loans Ltd.)

Ms. Dipti Deshpande (Associate Director and Senior Economist, CRISIL)

Mr. H. Subramanian (Partner & Consultant, Soham Energy)

Mr. Nikhil Kothari (Director, Etica Wealth Management)

Event Brief:

FISCUS 2014 sponsored by Central Bank of India, began with the national anthem and the traditional lighting of the lamp. Thereafter, our Head of Finance Department, Prof. Sangeeta Pandit welcomed the batch and the esteemed guests and complimented the Finance Forum for organizing FISCUS 2014 and bringing industry stalwarts to interact with the students and encouraged them to hold many such events in the future.

We then had on stage our Chief Guest for the event – Mr. D.R. Dogra, M.D. CARE Ratings to address the batch. Sir, began with the evolution of Indian Financial Markets and how they transformed from just a few traders under a Banyan tree in the 19^th century to what it is today. He also spoke at length how India has grown as an economy from the pre-liberalization era to one of the fastest growing superpowers of the 21^st century. He also discussed the global financial crisis and the impact it had on India and that as the world comes out of the crisis, India is poised to out-perform its peers provided it brings about the necessary changes i.e. it reboots itself. Mr. Dogra had set up the panel discussion wonderfully and it was time for the panelists to take centre-stage.

Our esteemed panel headed by Mr. Nayan Mehta, CFO, BSE Ltd. began in the right earnest as they analyzed various factors why India is perceived as a potential superpower – a Central Bank with robust monetary policies, inflation under control, a stable government at the centre, a favorable demographic dividend, low per capita income, growing internet and smart phone usage and the tremendous potential that India and its myriad lands possess for modernization and growth. The panel also viewed various barriers to growth for India – bureaucracy, low score on ease of doing business, corruption, stalled projects in power, telecom and infrastructure sectors, archaic laws and tax system and huge delays in approving and executing projects. The panel came to a consensus that if India would facilitate investments into India, growth will follow. In order for the investments (foreign or domestic) to flow into the economy, India would have to metamorphose into a pro-business economy. For this, the incumbent government would have to bring in a plethora of reforms and if it succeeds in doing so, India would well and truly be a global superpower to reckon with.

The panel also answered a few questions from the batch at the end of the panel discussion. After presenting the guests with a token of appreciation, and a brief vote of thanks, the event came to a close.