12th International Finance Conference

The 12th International Finance Conference at SDMIMD, held in collaboration with BCIC, successfully brought together insightful ideas, pioneering research, and engaging discussions led by distinguished corporate leaders, academics, and researchers.
 
The conference was inaugurated on October 24 by Mr. Sri Ram Ranganathan, Vice President at Wipro, alongside Dr. Mousumi Sengupta, Dean of International Relations, and Dr. M. Sriram, Associate Professor of Finance and Conference Chair. Dr. Sriram introduced the conference theme, highlighting favorable factors for Indian financial market growth amid global uncertainties. Dr. Sengupta spoke on the critical role of digitization in enhancing financial inclusion.
 
In his keynote, Mr. Ranganathan detailed the evolution of India’s capital markets, noting how domestic fund inflows provide stability amid fluctuating foreign portfolio investments (FPI). He emphasized the rising need for finance professionals to possess both technical and soft skills.
 
The event continued with a technical session led by Mr. Arun Mohanty from Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd., who discussed the impact of digital transformation and India’s demographic strengths on financial growth. He highlighted a shift in behavior from savings to investments, fueling both individual and national economic progress.
 
Day two began with insights from Mr. Bharathram Lokkur, Director at Lokkur Finvest Pvt Ltd., on the Indian capital market's evolution, FII dynamics, and valuation metrics for informed investment decisions. Across both days, delegates presented around 40 research papers on topics such as herding behavior, blockchain adoption, ESG analysis, and fintech’s role in financial inclusion.
 
The conference concluded with a valedictory address by Mr. Badri Narayanan, celebrating the success of this collaborative platform for breakthrough finance research and discourse. The enthusiasm and contributions from participants underscored the event’s impact on emerging trends in corporate finance and financial markets.