Startup Genius

Some journeys begin with a clear plan. Others begin with something much simpler—a dream, curiosity, and the belief that life has more to offer. Sweta Singh’s journey belongs to the second kind. A small-town girl with big dreams, Sweta grew up curious about the world around her. She wanted to build a life beyond the familiar boundaries of her surroundings. Naturally introverted, she was not always the loudest person in the room. Instead, she preferred to observe, listen and understand people. That quiet curiosity would eventually shape two very different but deeply connected journeys: a successful career of more than 16 years in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition across India and the Asia-Pacific region, and an emerging career as a fiction author. Building a Career Around People Over the years, Sweta has worked with organisations and leaders across diverse markets, developing talent strategies, building teams and supporting businesses through periods of growth, transformation and ch...

भारत में कई कार खरीदारों के लिए ₹10–15 लाख का बजट एक दिलचस्प लेकिन मुश्किल फैसला सामने रखता है। क्या इस बजट में एक बिल्कुल नई कार का लोअर या मिड वेरिएंट खरीदना बेहतर है, या फिर इसी कीमत में एक पुरानी लेकिन प्रीमियम सेगमेंट की कार लेना ज्यादा समझदारी होगी? नई कार खरीदने का सबसे बड़ा फायदा यह है कि आप पहले मालिक होते हैं। आपको कंपनी की वारंटी मिलती है, नई टेक्नोलॉजी मिलती है और कार के पुराने इस्तेमाल को लेकर कोई चिंता नहीं होती। दूसरी तरफ, सेकेंड-हैंड कार बाजार में इसी बजट में बड़ी, ज्यादा प्रीमियम या बेहतर फीचर्स वाली कार मिल सकती है, जिसकी कीमत नई होने पर काफी ज्यादा होती। पहली नजर में पुरानी प्रीमियम कार बजट का बेहतर इस्तेमाल लग सकती है। लेकिन सिर्फ खरीद कीमत देखकर फैसला करना सही नहीं है। लोन की ब्याज दर, इंश्योरेंस, मेंटेनेंस, रिपेयर, डेप्रिसिएशन और भविष्य की रीसेल वैल्यू भी आपकी कुल लागत को काफी बदल सकती है। इसलिए नई और पुरानी कार में फैसला करते समय सिर्फ कीमत नहीं, बल्कि पूरी ओनरशिप कॉस्ट को देखना जरूरी है। सिर्फ खरीद कीमत नहीं, पूरी लागत देखें बजाज कैपिटल के CBO उत्तम अग्रवाल के अ...

Your phone shows “No Internet,” but the bill at the checkout counter is still waiting. In India, where UPI has become one of the most common ways to pay for everyday purchases, a sudden network failure can be frustrating. Whether you are buying groceries, paying for a cab or making a small payment to a local shop, poor connectivity can interrupt the transaction. But there is an important fact many users may not know: internet connectivity is not required for every digital payment method in India. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) have introduced and supported several payment solutions that can work with limited or no mobile internet, depending on the service, device, bank and transaction conditions. Here are five options that can act as a backup when your regular UPI app cannot connect. 1. UPI Lite: Keep Small Payments Simple UPI Lite is designed mainly for low-value, everyday transactions. Instead of processing every small payment th...

Buying a house, flat or plot is already a paperwork-heavy process. When the seller is a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), the tax compliance requirements can make the transaction even more complicated. One important change is now set to reduce some of this burden for eligible resident individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs). From October 1, 2026 , eligible buyers purchasing immovable property from an NRI will be able to use their Permanent Account Number (PAN) for certain TDS reporting requirements instead of obtaining a separate Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) . However, there is an important point buyers should understand: the removal of the separate TAN requirement does not remove the responsibility to deduct and deposit TDS. The buyer will still have to comply with the applicable tax rules and report the transaction correctly. What Is Changing From October 1? Under the rules applicable before October 1, a resident individual or HUF purchasing property from an N...

“मैं इस घर या जमीन पर 20-30 साल से रह रहा हूं, इसलिए अब यह संपत्ति मेरी है।” प्रॉपर्टी विवादों में इस तरह की दलील अक्सर सुनने को मिलती है। लेकिन किसी घर, फ्लैट या जमीन पर लंबे समय तक रहने या उसका इस्तेमाल करने मात्र से कोई व्यक्ति उसका कानूनी मालिक नहीं बन जाता। इसी से जुड़ी कानूनी अवधारणा को Adverse Possession यानी प्रतिकूल कब्जा कहा जाता है। हालांकि, Adverse Possession केवल इस बात पर निर्भर नहीं करता कि किसी व्यक्ति ने कितने वर्षों तक किसी संपत्ति पर कब्जा रखा। इसके लिए कुछ विशेष कानूनी शर्तों को पूरा करना और आवश्यक सबूत पेश करना जरूरी होता है। दी गई जानकारी के अनुसार, ‘Bhagat Singh बनाम Basant Kaur और अन्य’ मामले में 10 सितंबर 2026 को सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने इस मुद्दे पर महत्वपूर्ण स्पष्टीकरण दिया। कोर्ट ने दोहराया कि केवल लंबे समय तक किसी संपत्ति पर कब्जा होना अपने आप Adverse Possession का दावा साबित नहीं करता। Adverse Possession क्या होता है? सरल भाषा में समझें तो Adverse Possession ऐसी स्थिति से जुड़ा है, जिसमें कोई व्यक्ति किसी दूसरे व्यक्ति की संपत्ति पर लंबे समय तक कब्जे में रहता ...

Housing Society Rules and Rights: In Maharashtra, cooperative housing societies play a major role in the everyday lives of millions of residents. Yet, despite their importance, many members are still unclear about how a housing society should actually function. One common misconception is that the chairman, secretary, treasurer or managing committee members are the “supreme authority” of the society and can take any decision they consider appropriate. That is not how the cooperative system is structured. The Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 provides an important distinction between the general body of members and the managing committee . Section 72 states that, subject to the Act and rules, the final authority of a cooperative society rests with its general body. At the same time, Section 73 provides that management of the society vests in the committee, which must exercise its powers according to the Act, rules and the society’s bye-laws. So, what exactly are the powers ...

In a cooperative housing society, disputes over maintenance and repair expenses are common. One such issue arises when members living on the ground floor or first floor refuse to contribute towards lift repair costs, arguing that they rarely or never use the lift. But can a member simply refuse to pay because they do not use a particular common facility? In general, the answer is no . Lift maintenance and repair are treated as expenses connected with the common services of the building, and eligible members of that building are required to contribute according to the applicable society rules and bye-laws. The Question Many Housing Society Members Ask A resident recently raised an important question: “Our building requires major lift repairs, and the cost will be substantial. However, members living on the ground and first floors say they do not use the lift and therefore will not pay for its repair. They believe that only members who actually use the lift should bear the expense. What ...