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London: Universities and student groups on Tuesday urgently lobbied British Prime Minister <keyword id="19906889" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rishi-Sunak" source="keywords">Rishi Sunak</keyword> to safeguard the country's <keyword id="21659184" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="post-study-visa" source="keywords">post-study visa</keyword> offer, which has been dominated by Indians to gain work experience for around two years at the end of their university degree. Amid reports that Sunak is considering either restricting or ending the <keyword id="20616105" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Graduate-Route" source="keywords">Graduate Route</keyword> to curtail soaring migration statistics ahead of a general election, a group of nearly 30 university vice-chancellors and the <keyword id="21760521" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-indian-students-and-alumni-association" source="keywords">National Indian Students and Alumni Association</keyword> (NISAU) UK have issued detailed letters of appeal to 10 Downing Street. They list a series of factors in favour of keeping the Graduate visa scheme unchanged, including the benefits that international students bring to the UK economy in a competitive global higher education marketplace. "Modelling by consultancy London Economics shows that a single cohort has a net economic benefit of GBP 37 billion to the UK economy; as well as through the soft power that Britain's international graduates generate for the country over time, including through furthering ties of trade and diplomacy," reads the NISAU UK letter addressed to Sunak. "Indeed, 70 per cent of <keyword id="19971660" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-students" source="keywords">Indian students</keyword> have told us that the ability to gain meaningful work experience is a critical element in their decision to choose between competing international destinations, of which the UK is one... the Graduate Route allows the opportunity to gain this work experience for a temporary period. It is non-extendable and does not count towards permanent settlement. This means that neither students nor Graduate visa holders should be considered 'immigrants' in the context of the long-term picture of migration," it notes. Their appeal comes a week after the influential <keyword id="20609895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Migration-Advisory-Committee" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Migration Advisory Committee" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Migration Advisory Committee">Migration Advisory Committee</keyword> (MAC) advised the government to let the scheme continue as it found no abuse of this post-study work offer. It also confirmed that Indians topped its tally, accounting for 89,200 visas between 2021 and 2023, or 42 per cent of the overall grants, and were likely to be "most affected by any restriction on the Graduate Route". In their letter to Sunak, universities in the north of England — from Sunderland to Sheffield, Leeds to Lancaster, Liverpool to Teesside, Bradford to Huddersfield, and York to Newcastle — said they will all be harmed by the removal or reduction of this visa as it is an "intrinsic part of the educational offer that has made the UK so attractive to brilliant students from all around the world". "The Graduate Visa Route is regarded by students in key markets like India as an integral part of their educational experience. The MAC review made clear that the removal of this route would make the UK less attractive and thus would cause considerable financial detriment to universities around the country," reads their joint letter. "International student tuition fee income has long cross-subsidised underfunded research and has increasingly become critical to cross-subsidise the teaching of UK undergraduate students because of the frozen tuition fee. Universities cannot continue to absorb the costs of teaching UK undergraduates without some form of alternative funding source," they caution. On top of their visa fees, international students who find work and start businesses contribute billions of pounds in income tax, national insurance and VAT annually. The university chiefs point out that they are also usually net contributors to the National Health Service (NHS) through the NHS surcharge. The Russell Group of the UK's leading universities issued its appeal over the weekend, with CEO Tim Bradshaw warning that there has already been a 10 per cent decline in international applications for post-graduate courses starting this September in the wake of the clampdown on students being able to bring dependant family members. "A further restriction on international students would not only be unnecessary — as numbers are already falling — but also damaging, resulting in less spending in local communities, fewer opportunities for domestic students and less UK research," he noted in a letter to Sunak. Members of his own Cabinet are believed to be opposed to any changes to the Graduate scheme, but the British Prime Minister is having to balance pressures from the right of the governing Conservatives who are single-minded in their demands to curb all forms of legal as well as illegal migration levels ahead of an election later this year.

Universities, student groups lobby PM Sunak to keep UK's post-study visa scheme unchanged

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some expat Indians are moving back home to launch companies of their own.</li><li>India's booming market size, internet growth, and post-pandemic spending is driving their decision.</li></ul>Nithin Hassan, 41, has always been fascinated with building something of his own.As a child in India, he would get in trouble for dismantling electronics around the house just so he could peek inside.In college, in true <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startups-to-bet-your-career-on-in-2024-2024-2">startup</a> fashion, he started working on a small business out of his parent's garage in Bengaluru, assembling computers for friends and family.It was the early 2000s and the internet was not the trove of knowledge it is today — Hassan was relying on books to learn. Finding mentorship and the right guidance was a challenge, too.Everyone around Hassan told him that going to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/resume-tips-google-software-engineer-skills-experience-careers-software-tech-2024-3">US for a master's degree</a> was the next big opportunity. So he did.Over the next 16 years, he put his startup plans on hold and worked at some of the world's biggest companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta.<div type="image" title="Nithin Hassan" height="2450" width="3266" msid="113831978" hostid="261" sizebytes="215682"></div>But the pandemic felt like a turning point. And its aftermath made India look like a lab-designed business environment: It had just become the world's most populous country, the pandemic had created <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/indicators/private-consumption-continues-to-be-supported-by-pent-up-demand-finance-ministry/articleshow/99069973.cms?from=mdr">pent-up demand</a> for consumer products, and growing internet adoption made commerce more scalable, he said.So Hassan left behind about $500,000 in annual pay at Meta to move back to Bengaluru in December 2023 with his wife and two children. He has since launched two startups.Hassan is part of a group of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-moved-back-to-india-after-living-abroad-for-decade-2024-9">expat Indians moving back</a> home to venture out on their own. As such, he's also part of a decades-long trend of reverse migration back to India.The trend began in the 1990s and picked up at the turn of the century, driven by the economic collapse in 2008, said Binod Khadria, the president of Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism. Many of those who returned to India for work were largely working for multinational companies.Today, the impetus for the move often looks a bit different: It's driven by factors like unstable visa policies and economic recessions, which lead to uncertainty when it comes to jobs and duration of stay in these destinations.Many returnees find work in tech, but the finance, retail, and climate sectors also absorb a large number of expat Indians, Khadia said. And some of the returnees are heading back to India to start companies of their own.India is undergoing a startup explosion. The country reported over<a target="_blank" href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2043805"> 140,800 recognized startups</a> at the end of June — nearly 50,000 more than last year — and credited them with creating 1.6 million direct jobs.To be sure, not all of these companies will make it big — and some do still stumble, like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://inc42.com/features/what-are-the-current-problems-being-faced-by-oyo/">Oyo </a>and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/blackrock-hsbc-funds-byjus-startup-valuation-zero-edtech-india-raveendran-2024-6">Byju's</a>. But the chaos, where even established startups are trying and failing, makes India a fair playing field for new entrants, Hassan said.Business Insider spoke to six <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-vc-wants-see-5-traits-new-founders-fundraising-antler-2024-8">first-time founders </a>about why they have recently returned to India after spending several years, or even an adult life, abroad.<h2 id="0e4a3c47-ba19-4690-8b52-c6bfece1c81d">Fastest-growing economy</h2>The health of the economy and interest from investors are fueling the entrepreneurship boom.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-billionaire-karan-adani-plans-challenge-china-dominance-seaports-2024-8">India's economic growth</a> in 2023 — 8.2% — was the fastest of all large economies worldwide. That's led to greater purchasing power, which lets companies, including startups, sell more.India's inflation rate of about 3.5% is well below its annual wage growth of 9.6%. This makes inflation less of a challenge than it is for slower-growing peers, where consumer-focused businesses have been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-jobs-report-sentiment-consumers-elections-recession-inflation-mortgage-rates-2024-9">hurt by high prices</a>.Investors are getting in on the action.From 2015 to 2021, the number of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sequoia-capital-vc-firm-split-china-india-2023-6">unique investors in India</a> nearly quadrupled, though the number is tracking much lower this year, per PitchBook."Other than a slight downturn in 2022 and 2023 due to global macroeconomic factors, VC funding has been consistently growing in India," said Ben Mathias, a managing partner at Vertex Ventures Southeast Asia &amp; India.Besides funding, domestic developments have encouraged founders and VCs too, Mathias said.The Indian government's Universal Payment Interface system has spurred consumers and businesses to pay online, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bcg.com/press/2june2022-digital-payments-in-india-projected-to-reach-10-trillion-by-2026">40% of all digital payments</a> globally happen in India today, the partner said.Programs like Startup India, which provides founders benefits like tax exemption, easier compliance, and funding support, have made creating a company smoother.Devyani Parameshwar worked in the microfinance and fintech space in India in the 2010s before heading to the UK and Africa. She returned to India in 2022 to launch a financial management venture."It's changed dramatically. I remember standing in line at various ministries in Delhi trying to get meetings and then trying to get answers and it wasn't easy in the past," she said of her memories of India.Now, she can use an online platform to ask the country's central bank and banking regulator questions.It's easier than ever for foreign companies to invest in India, which means startups have a clearer exit path through acquisition — something VCs think hard about before entering new markets or writing checks.<h2 id="e5dd7b6f-a09f-4ff2-84c1-5907de96dc5e">Market ripe for the taking</h2>For Rohan Bhide, who spent most of his college and professional life <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worked-in-big-tech-before-launching-my-own-startup-engineer-2024-9">preparing to launch something of his own</a>, a trip home in 2017 while he was studying in the US was a turning point.Indian telecom giant Reliance had recently launched a cheap unlimited data plan, which spiked Indian internet adoption. India was charting among the countries with the highest online transactions."That really, really drew my attention," said Bhide, who worked at Meta after graduation. "It was my dream come true — a huge market, a huge user base, and at the same time, the ability to adopt technology was incredible."Bhide returned to India in January, leaving behind about $580,000 in total compensation at ticketing platform StubHub. He and a cofounder are working on launching a consumer tech product later this year.<div type="image" title="Rohan Bhide" height="2304" width="3072" msid="113831979" hostid="261" sizebytes="218468"></div>Most Indians grew up wanting to work at a multinational company — but that's changing, Bhide said.Freelancing, running your own business, or working for a startup is much more socially acceptable now, because people see the success of other Indian startups. The country has the third-largest number of "unicorns" — companies worth $1 billion or more — with 64, per PitchBook.<h2 id="7f423804-745b-4e04-a250-839e01663f09">Boom in entrepreneurship culture</h2>A lot has changed since Hassan first wanted to launch his hardware startup in the early 2000s.Tech hot spots like Bengaluru and Gurugram have seen a boom in entrepreneurship culture in the last few years, with meet-ups, networking mixers, and even morning walks with like-minded builders.<div type="image" title="man standing in front of mountains in USA" height="2268" width="3024" msid="113831980" hostid="261" sizebytes="141132"></div>Dhruv Anand, who left Google in the US to move back to India in 2021 to launch an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-startups-most-promising-2024-9">AI startup</a>, said that there were lots of other founders and mentors to help guide him."If you want to figure out who's the right chartered accountant to talk to, who's the right lawyer to help you draft agreements, all of that stuff is very easy," Anand said."It's been a really, really supportive community," Bhide said. There are people "telling you about their entire lives just because they want to help you and they're hoping that you pass the favor onto the next person who moves to India and wants to start their own company."<h2 id="3c8bff36-e855-4530-9b44-bcc7f36b0825">Not everything is perfect</h2>Although these founders made the decision to return to India, that doesn't mean they no longer see the benefits of operating in the US.Ruchit Garg founded an agriculture startup in Silicon Valley in 2016, with a focus on supporting farmers around the globe. In 2019, he returned to India, where his late grandfather worked as a farmer.Garg has been building in India ever since, but he says its startup ecosystem cannot yet compete with the Valley's decades of experience."The overall ecosystem was more mature back in Silicon Valley. It's still one of the best places for entrepreneurs. India isn't there yet, although it's growing pretty drastically," he said.Despite efforts to digitalize key processes, many bureaucratic challenges persist.For most founders, after living in US cities where populations are a fraction of those in Mumbai and Bangalore, congested roads and poorer air quality are also everyday annoyances.But India provides some big perks, including affordable domestic help and the appeal of building solutions for problems they witness firsthand."It's a different joy to be able to build for problems that you feel for very personally," Parameshwar, the fintech founder, said. When she worked in Africa, she needed translators. Now, she can speak with her users herself.Bhide said the general sentiment among local founders is shifting from "Build from India" to "Build for India."For some founders, being surrounded by family and the culture they grew up in was another selling point.Niranjan Vemulkar moved back to India in 2015 and later founded a digital legacy planning platform.He said that he never fully felt at home in the US, where he lived for over a decade."For us, it was the fact that we wanted to raise a family in an environment where the children would have access to the grandparents and Indian culture," Vemulkar said. "The fact that you could come back to India, start something of your own and figure things out in an ecosystem which was potentially booming for startups, was just a cherry on the cake."Are you in India and have a story to share about the tech and entrepreneurship landscape? Please reach out at shubhangigoel@insider.com

Some techies are leaving cushy Silicon Valley jobs to launch startups at home in India

Earlier this week, the death of yet another corporate employee shook the nation. Various other incidents also made headlines last month, where employees of some big companies reportedly died of work pressure. With a rise in such incidents, people are talking about the importance of <keyword id="19901232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-life-balance" source="keywords">work-life balance</keyword> and <keyword id="19956983" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="keywords">mental health</keyword> at workplace. <keyword id="20253489" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zoho" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Zoho" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Zoho">Zoho</keyword> CEO and Co-founder <keyword id="19914274" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sridhar-Vembu" source="keywords">Sridhar Vembu</keyword>, in a new interview with PTI, has called for a fundamental shift in how companies treat their employees. In the interview, the entrepreneur warned that organisations pushing their workforce to unsustainable limits will not be able to keep up the pace. He also called for a shift in mindset and said that people are being put in a "very big pressure cooker." <h2>Zoho CEO on putting employees in pressure cooker </h2> <keyword id="21154651" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vembu" source="keywords">Vembu</keyword>, who has spent over two decades building Zoho into one of India’s leading tech companies, expressed deep concern over the increasing pressure faced by employees, particularly in large cities. He said that we are creating environments where workers are trapped in a ‘pressure cooker’, referring to the convergence of long working hours, grueling commutes, and the isolation many young professionals experience after migrating from smaller towns. "You already have loneliness, long-commutes, stressful work condition. So, you are throwing people into a very big pressure cooker, and very tragically, some people break, other people are broken," he told PTI. Reflecting on his own experience, Vembu stressed the importance of pacing oneself in order to sustain a long and productive career. “I have been working for 27-28 years, and I hope to work for another 28 if possible. But to do that, I cannot allow myself, or my employees, to burn out,” he explained. He argued that companies prioritising short-term gains at the expense of their workers’ health are doomed to falter in the long run. <h2>What's the solution?</h2>Vembu’s advocacy for a healthier work culture is grounded in his broader vision for corporate India. A long-time proponent of decentralising business operations, he believes that one solution to the high-stress environment is to diversify away from major urban centres. “We bring young people from small towns into big cities, and their first challenge is loneliness. Then, they face commutes that can stretch up to two hours each way, particularly in cities like Bengaluru. It’s no surprise that many feel overwhelmed,” he said. The Zoho chief pointed out that by expanding operations into smaller towns and rural areas, companies can alleviate some of these pressures, allowing employees to stay closer to their homes and communities. This approach, he believes, not only reduces stress but also fosters a more sustainable, human-centric model of growth. Beyond <keyword id="22447710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="workplace-stress" source="keywords">workplace stress</keyword>, Vembu touched on the role of technology in shaping the future of business. He reiterated his call for tighter regulations on big tech companies, particularly in preventing the monopolisation of digital services. Drawing parallels between email, which is an open standard, and messaging services that are often locked within proprietary ecosystems, he urged the government to push for greater interoperability. “Messaging platforms should not operate in silos. We need standards that prevent monopolies and ensure a level playing field for all,” he remarked. Vembu also praised India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiatives, calling them a “shining success story” and a model for other nations. He highlighted how India has become a global leader in digital infrastructure, with initiatives such as the ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) and the health stack setting new standards for the world to follow.

People being thrown in pressure cooker, different mindset is needed: Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu on India’s work culture

<div type="image" title="For the unversed, trading in futures and options can be akin to setting their hard-earned money on fire" height="900" width="1200" msid="114064202" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;For the unversed, trading in futures and options can be akin to setting their hard-earned money on fire&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Once upon a time, there thrived a wild, wild land. Here, it was all about super high monetary stakes, lightning-fast trade deals, and bucketloads of money shifting hands every single second. This wilderness lured millions of individuals with the promise of super duper high returns. But, at what cost? Welcome to the unforgiving, ultra-risky wild west of <keyword id="19991165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-equity-markets" source="keywords">Indian equity markets</keyword> called the <keyword id="145718" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Futures-and-Options" source="Orion">futures and options</keyword>. Here, everyone seems to just fly right through the bright red-flagged warnings of financial risks to earn even a fraction of these promised returns. Most burn themselves in the process, but carry on nevertheless, as if nothing ever happened. <h2>Chasing the cloudy profits</h2>The data conclusively proves that every 9 out of 10 individuals only lost their hard-earned money in this land. But hey, what do the numbers know? Some hide their losses out of shame, some out of fear. The proponents, meanwhile, proudly boast unusually high returns on their investments, some open social media channels while others encourage their friends and family to take the plunge. Naturally, news of this unstoppable and humongous en-masse migration to the F&amp;O (futures and options) town has reached sheriff <keyword id="19901201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SEBI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SEBI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SEBI">SEBI</keyword>, galvanising them into action. After all, it was time to put a leash on this madness and save the common man. The inhabitants of this town doubled in the last 2 years, from 51 lakh in FY22 to 96 lakh in FY24—99.8% of whom were small and mid-income traders. But profits? Well, that's a different, rather completely absent story. <h2>Que Sera Sera, much?</h2>A recent report by SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) that studied profits and losses made by traders in the equity derivatives segment between FY22-24 exposed the mad mania of futures and options trading in India, especially since the pandemic. Per the report, 91.1% of individual traders, or about 73 lakh traders had only lost money trading in futures and options in FY24. Between FY 22-24, over 1 crore traders, or about 92.8% of individual traders, had lost Rs 2 lakh each. But once bitten, twice shy? Well, not in this case. More than 75% of individuals, who had only made losses trading in F&amp;O in FY22 and FY23, continued to trade vigorously in FY24 as well, without any changes in the bottom line, which remained deep in red and negative. So, then all these traders must be uber-rich, with tons of cash and not much care to spare? Nope. 76% of traders in the F&amp;O space in FY24 had an annual income of less than Rs 5 lakh. 2 years ago, their share stood at 71%. And their choice of poison? Options! In FY24, 60% of traders made losses trading in futures, but a whopping 91.5% burnt their funds trading in options. Mind you, futures are riskier than options. With futures, which require significant capital investment, the buyer and seller both are contractually bound to adhere to the pre-determined strike price of the futures or options contract, irrespective of whether the prevailing prices are higher or lower (and thus, resulting in losses for either the buyer or seller). With options, since this adherence ain't necessary, individuals end up taking debt to take highly leveraged positions while trading here. <h2>Scale of the explosion</h2>Anyone who trades even infrequently will tell you that a demat account is the mitochondria or powerhouse of the trading cell. As of August 2024, India had over 17.1 crore <keyword id="20957284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demat-accounts" source="keywords">demat accounts</keyword>, which are a prerequisite for trading in the markets. India is the 9th biggest country in the world, in terms of total demat accounts. Did you know that our demat accounts are at par with the entire population of Bangladesh? Talk about scale! Just 4 years ago, in March 2020, this number was a mere 4 crore. Naturally, the total F&amp;O turnover on both <keyword id="20004725" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="NSE" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="NSE">NSE</keyword> and BSE has hit the roof, and also broken it. As of October 4, 2024, the total futures and options turnover on NSE stood at a massive Rs 4,78,27,27,750.30 crore. Good luck counting the thousands! <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Year </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Total Turnover (Both Futures and Options) (In Rs Crore) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2020-21 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">64,36,03,951.51 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2021-22 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,69,52,33,134.47 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2022-23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">3,82,23,26,468.06 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2023-24 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">7,99,27,67,152.43 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table>Source : NSE Another metric that underlines the meteoric growth of trading in India is the collection of STT or <keyword id="20930760" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Securities-Transaction-Tax" source="keywords">Securities Transaction Tax</keyword>. As of September 2024, India's STT mop-up had gone past Rs 26,000 crore. Traders have to pay STT whenever they buy or sell any security in the market. So, more trading brings in more STT, and hence, more revenue for the government, so they're not really complaining. After all, this is certainly what they'd call enviable growth. As of August 2023, our STT collection stood at about Rs 21,599 crores. And in FY20-21, India's STT collection had been Rs 16,000 crore. If only our salaries also managed to grow at this rate! <h2>So, what's happening?</h2>Two things. One, it's the big bulls who are raking in all the moolah. And it's the younger lot (those aged under 30) who are propping them up for this. In FY24, 43% of individual traders in the market were less than 30 years of age. In just one year, this number has swelled by 12 percentage points from just 31% of individual traders. But who says ageing is bad? Wrinkles and silver hair seemingly have a propensity of incurring lesser losses in the market. In FY24, only 79% of traders aged above 60 years made losses, as compared to 93% of those aged below 30. Small and mid-income traders, which make up 98% of the total trader base, witnessed average losses per person of Rs 65,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh in FY24 in futures and options, respectively. The winner here? Clearly, the big bulls, who declared an annual income of over Rs 1 crore, ended up with average profits of Rs 96,000 per person this year. <h2>What’s the sheriff up to?</h2>The government has finally swung into action, hiking the STT rate for F&amp;O during this year’s budget. Effective October 1, 2024, the STT on futures stands at 0.02%, up from 0.0125%. For options, it was upped to 0.1% versus 0.0625% previously. Small margins, but huge impact oncoming. Says Puneet Sharma- CEO and Fund Manager at Whitespace Alpha, “SEBI aims to enhance market stability while safeguarding investor interests, reflecting the regulator's intent to balance risk management with market participation”. But this might come with its own share of challenges, too. “Stricter norms around leverage, transparency, and capital adequacy could limit the ability of investors to determine their own risk appetite, thereby stifling innovation in trading strategies. Over-regulation in an environment that thrives on strategic flexibility and creativity could dampen the market’s dynamism, affecting India's competitiveness in the global derivatives landscape”, he observes. SEBI recently came out with a set of guidelines that aim to thwart <keyword id="19972907" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-investors" source="keywords">retail investors</keyword>' participation in futures and options and hinder them from taking undue risks. Here's a quick recap of what's to come for the residents of the F&amp;O town Margin Requirements: To battle the high volatility and chaos which is generally seen on expiry days(i.e the last mandated date, post which an option becomes invalid), SEBI will put in place an extreme loss margin (ELM) of 2% for all open short options on the day of expiry. Translation? Traders will need to pony up more cash upfront, leaving them with fewer funds to take on risky bets. It ain't a choice: No more of one expiry every single day! Going ahead, an exchange like BSE or NSE will just be able to offer weekly expiries, that too, only on one benchmark index, as opposed to an entire buffet it currently offers. At present, NSE offers weekly options contracts for its financial index, bank and midcap indices. But say goodbye to this, and hello to derivatives on only 1 index per exchange. Raising the bar: Effective November 30, 2024, the minimum contract value for index derivatives will be upped to Rs 15 lakh, from the present Rs 5-10 lakh. The hope is that by making it ultra-expensive to enter these trades, investors will be dissuaded from taking on risky trades. Pay upfront: Starting February 2025, those trading in options will have to pay the entire options premium upfront, even before their trades are executed. This is because options generally carry very high leverage, and paying a significant sum upfront can force traders to think twice. Invigilation Pro Max: Starting April 1 2025, to make sure that the number of positions for equity index derivatives does not slyly slip over the mandated limit, especially on expiry days when trade volumes are huge, the exchanges will have to take a minimum of 4 position snapshots randomly. The question is, will these injections of sobriety be enough to calm down the steroid-fed bull of the futures and options market in India? Well, only time and market turnover will tell! For more insights into the financial markets and business news, stay tuned to our site and social media handles. And don’t forget to subscribe to Business Insider India’s newsletters for your weekly dose of Simply Put! Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We recommend readers consult certified, qualified and registered advisors for professional and personalised financial advice.

SIMPLY PUT: SEBI is on a mission to take on the wild, wild west of futures and options in India. Here’s why, what, and how

A sixth-grade social science textbook that I read described India as a piece of fabric, with countless threads coloured in a myriad of majestic shades, woven together. This metaphor holds exceptionally well when put into the context of our <keyword id="22706215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-industry" source="keywords">handloom industry</keyword>. India has a rich history of handlooms and weaving cultures. The culture of handlooms is so intricately woven into Indian culture, that there are whole towns dedicated to the same: <keyword id="248532" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chanderi" source="Orion">Chanderi</keyword> in Madhya Pradesh to Pochampally in Telangana and a dozen more! Unfortunately, the handloom industry in India is dying. The struggle is multi-faceted, ranging from a declining workforce to fierce competition from <keyword id="20496028" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="power-looms" source="keywords">power looms</keyword>. Hence, five years ago, August 7 was proclaimed <keyword id="22677698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Handloom-Day" source="keywords">National Handloom Day</keyword> in response to this crisis and to heighten public awareness. This date holds special historical significance, commemorating the initiation of the Swadeshi Movement in 1905—a pivotal act of defiance against British colonial rule. <h2>When did this industry come into existence?</h2>According to archaeological findings, the origins of handloom in the Indian subcontinent may be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization. The Mughal Empire was known to support and patronise <keyword id="20258864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="weavers" source="keywords">weavers</keyword>. The support from the royal patrons resulted in the invention of new textiles such as ‘Mulmul’ and ‘Banarasi Brocade’ among others. This era witnessed a heightened worldwide demand for Indian textiles. In the 17th century, India produced 25% of the world’s textiles, with Bengal accounting for more than 50% of textiles and 80% of silks imported by the Dutch from Asia. <h2>What led to the decline of the <keyword id="19934660" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-handloom" source="keywords">Indian handloom</keyword>?</h2>The East India Company's entry fuelled the industry's initial decline, which started in the 1830s. The weavers were obliged to sell only to the British, and that too at exceedingly cheap prices, virtually putting them out of business. On the other hand, Indian cloth was taxed excessively to promote machine-made British clothing. The Industrial Revolution in Britain strengthened their indigenous textile industry, giving rise to new markets for cheaper textiles. In India, the collapse of the Mughal aristocracies meant no access to royal patronage. As a result, textiles like Khadi and muslin had little demand in the market. Circling back to the present, the industry is facing both similar and new challenges. Fabrics made on power looms are cheaper and faster to produce, in comparison to handloom fabrics. The industry is largely unorganised, and the wages are shockingly low. 67% of <keyword id="22706216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="handloom-workers" source="keywords">handloom workers</keyword> are earning less than the minimum wage every month. Faced with economic challenges, the older artisans are thus forced to encourage the newer generation to choose an alternative career path. This migration of the workforce from a traditional sector is evident from the fall in the number of weavers less than 35 years of age- from 26.13 lakh in 2009-10 to 16.07 lakh in 2019-20. The majority of weavers do not have access to banking facilities, let alone institutional credit. Furthermore, if one manages to accumulate credit, there is a mismatch between the supply and demand forces due to the lack of awareness about handwoven textiles in the current generation. <h2>Initiatives for revival</h2>The cultural significance of the Indian handloom isn’t just limited to its beauty and extravagance, but it extends to our independence struggle as well. The Swadeshi movement immortalised the charkha and advocated for the use of indigenous goods. Following independence, the Indian government took many measures to revive the handloom industry. In 1953, India’s Parliament approved the Khadi and Other Handloom Industries Development Act. In 1955, the All India Handloom Fabrics Marketing Cooperative Society was formed to promote the sale of fabrics produced by handloom cooperatives across India. The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) aimed to provide financial assistance for marketing and production. The Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme offers health and life insurance to weavers, to ensure social security. The organisation commenced a fortnight-long exhibition, “VIRAASAT” dedicated to celebrating the 10th National Handloom Day began at Handloom Haat in Janpath, New Delhi on Saturday, 3rd August 2024, and will conclude on 16th August 2024. The Handloom Mark scheme was introduced to authenticate handloom products, thus enabling weavers to gain better market access and ensuring that consumers get genuine products. Moreover, the India Trade Portal also mentions that the GOI plans to provide financial assistance of Rs. 30 crore to at least 10,000 handlooms. Various state governments also regularly conduct handloom expos and fairs, providing platforms for weavers to showcase and sell their products directly to consumers. <h2>Contemporary Brands and their love for Indian handloom</h2>Modern, popular designers such as <keyword id="8264" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sabyasachi" source="Orion">Sabyasachi</keyword> and <keyword id="21493890" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ritu-kumar" source="keywords">Ritu Kumar</keyword> are known to work closely with weavers and have been doing their part by bringing worldwide attention to the handloom industries. Recently, <keyword id="1472101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajrakh" source="Orion">Ajrakh</keyword> was brought into the limelight when Alia Bhatt wore a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Ajrakh saree to Joy Awards in Riyadh. However, it’s not just the fashion moguls who are working towards the revival of this industry. Contemporary indie brands are partnering with local weavers, and creating awareness about their work. The emergence of such indie brands and their association with local artisans is beneficial for both entities. For instance, Joskai Studio derives its name from ‘Joskai’, a woven piece of cloth worn as a part of the traditional costume of the Tiwa community of Assam. They work with artisans in northeast India, specifically from the weaving village of Saualkuchi in Assam. Rouka by Sreejith Jeevan is a Kerala-based brand that works strictly with weavers from Kerala, specifically Chendamangalam and Kuthampally. <h2>Employment and Exports</h2>According to the Indian Trade Portal, the Indian handloom sector is the country’s second-largest employer after agriculture in rural areas. The Handloom Census 2019-20 mentions that the industry employs about 35,22,512 workers across the country, with women forming 77.29% of the workforce. India is the second largest exporter of handloom products in the world, with exports valued at $ 353.9 million in 2017- 18, as per EXIM bank's working papers. The major handloom export centres are Karur, Panipat, Varanasi and Kannur where handloom products like bed linen, table linen, toilet linen, floor coverings, and embroidered textile materials and curtains etc. are produced for export markets. During April 2021-February 2022, India exported handloom products worth 1693 crore, as per Indian Trade Portal. Indian silk scarves also form a sizable chunk of total handloom exports, in addition to home textiles like carpets, rugs and mats, which constitute over 13.6% of India’s total handloom exports. <h2>The Path Forward</h2>The mere existence of organisations and allocation of funds isn’t enough to sustain the legacy of India’s rich handloom industry. Big corporations working with local weavers ensure employment but don't protect them from exploitation and meagre wages, leaving them vulnerable. The people in power ought to come up with strategies that ensure the trickle-down effect of the schemes and funds. The new generation of buyers has a greater purchasing power than the one before them. Marketing focused on bringing Indian handloom practices into the limelight can do wonders in this case.

Fabric of a nation: Sustaining India's handloom legacy in modern times

<ul><li>Over half of <keyword id="4970209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="genzs" source="Orion">GenZs</keyword> and millennials surveyed say they prefer ‘only office’ working models.</li><li>Gen X Plus, over 50, crave for flexibility with work, as they miss work-life balance.</li><li>High cost of living in cities, reverse migration and long commutes are challenges that employees cite about working from offices. </li></ul>One of India’s largest companies TCS has recently reversed its pandemic-time WFH policy and asked its employees to come back to work. The reason? It wants teams to work together, co-exist and especially new hires who have never seen ‘office’ to learn from their colleagues. It looks like employees are half-way there too, and miss being a part of teams. “Collaborating with their teams, socializing and bonding with colleagues, and having in-person meetings with clients are among the top reasons why employees want to go back to the office,” says a report by Awfis and Savills India. The generation that’s most eager to come to office are the GenZs and millennials. Over half of them surveyed prefer an ‘only office’ working model. This preference among the younger workforce might be linked to the significance they place on interpersonal interactions in the workplace, the report says. “Despite the common belief that the younger workforce seeks remote isolation, our research uncovers a significant desire for the indispensable impact of human interaction in a physical workplace. In a digital age, it is heartening to observe the enduring significance of the physical office as a center for fostering creativity, innovation, and shared learning experiences,” said Sumit Lakhani, deputy CEO of Awfis, a co-working space network. GenX Plus respondents, i.e. those over 50 years of age, veered towards hybrid or office-dominated work models as they crave for flexibility, the report adds. Metro office want them back In the survey, 66% respondents said that they have been mandated to go to office. But half of them also said that they prefer it that way. The location of the office also matters when it comes to calling people back-to-office. In Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, 71% of employees are required to work exclusively from the office in contrast to 63% in other cities. “In the top three cities, the only-office model is more prevalent, indicating a higher emphasis on in-office work. Other cities are more likely to adopt only-remote and remote-dominant hybrid work models, highlighting a greater preference for remote work or a mix of remote and office work,” the report added. Reverse migration and commutes The shift from work-from-home to back-to-office is riddled with challenges. Not only has a lot of the workforce shifted to their hometowns, a few have gotten used to managing work and personal life – a habit that would be hard to shake off. While going back-to-office will relieve people from the fatigue of working from home, it also means dealing with early morning traffic and more. As many as 31% of respondents considered commuting to work as their biggest concern, while 26% of respondents considered the high cost of living to be their primary challenge. For 16% of them, relocating from their hometown is a challenge. And, for 15% poor work-life balance to be a reason to not return to office. The higher costs are pinching Gen Zs the most as they face the after-effects of reverse migration. Gen-Xers say that poor-work life balance as a reason, early millennials believe that inability to focus will creep in as they work from office only.

GenZs, millennials want to be back to offices even as costs pinch

Whenever a company is acquired by another, a common question that arises is what will happen to the employees of the company that is being acquired? Recently, <keyword id="19901323" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zomato" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Zomato" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Zomato">Zomato</keyword> made headlines with its acquisition of <keyword id="19898109" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paytm" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Paytm" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Paytm">Paytm</keyword>'s entertainment and ticketing business for Rs 2,048 crore. The all-cash deal, announced late Wednesday, marks a significant step in Zomato's efforts to broaden its horizons beyond food delivery and into the 'going-out' business. <keyword id="19901325" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deepinder-Goyal" source="keywords">Deepinder Goyal</keyword>, the CEO of Zomato, sent a letter to the company's shareholders, expressing optimism about the acquisition while acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead. He also revealed that Zomato will be absorbing around 280 Paytm employees. According to a report in ET, in his letter to shareholders, <keyword id="19895372" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="goyal" source="keywords">Goyal</keyword> said that the company is betting heavily on the team that will be onboarded as part of this acquisition. Unlike previous acquisitions, such as <keyword id="22892653" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber-eats-india" source="keywords">Uber Eats India</keyword> and Blinkit, where Zomato had established relationships with the teams involved, this deal introduces a new set of dynamics. "This acquisition is our first major acquisition where we are acquiring a team that we do not know very well," the Zomato CEO said. He also stressed on the importance of cultural integration, noting that the main driver of success would be the seamless assimilation of the new team into Zomato's "flattish culture." In the same letter, Goyal also talked about the potential for growth in this segment, pointing out that the success of the business would largely depend on Zomato's ability to introduce new use-cases such as shopping and staycations. He said, "We believe, over the next decade and beyond, going-out experiences will continue to grow strongly in lockstep with overall growth in lifestyle and consumption." One of the key elements of this acquisition is the impending launch of Zomato's new app, District, which is expected to go live in the coming weeks. This app will centralize various lifestyle services, including dining, movies, live events, and more, under a single platform. Initially, services will continue to be offered on the existing apps, such as Zomato, Paytm, Insider, and TicketNew. However, over time, these services will be migrated to District, creating a more streamlined and cohesive user experience. Goyal expressed confidence in the company's ability to manage the transition, highlighting that Zomato has roped in experienced team members, Rahul Ganjoo and Pradyot Ghate, to lead the execution. These two Zomans were instrumental in the successful transition of Uber Eats India to Zomato, and Goyal believes they will be key to ensuring a smooth migration of customers to the new platform. However, Goyal also acknowledged that some incentives might be required to encourage customers to move from the older apps to District. He described this as a marginal financial risk, which the company would try to minimize as much as possible.

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Universities, student groups lobby PM Sunak to keep UK's post-study visa scheme unchanged

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SIMPLY PUT: SEBI is on a mission to take on the wild, wild west of futures and options in India. Here’s why, what, and how

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Fabric of a nation: Sustaining India's handloom legacy in modern times

Prerna Tyagi

GenZs, millennials want to be back to offices even as costs pinch

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