Kolkata: The surge in the value of gold in the past several months has multiplied the value of ancestral wealth of many Indian families in a manner that can be compared only the rise in market cap of the Indian stock market, said Barun Das, MD and CEO of TV9 Network, as he began his welcome address of the Money9 Financial Freedom Summit 2026.
The power of gold in Indian families
“I often think our grandmothers were right, gold really does save the day. In the last one and a half years, gold prices in India have doubled to nearly Rs 1 lakh per 10 grams,” said Das. “The estimated 27,000 tons of gold which is held by Indian households added almost Rs 100 lakh crore to their wealth. That is the real power of Indian households. We are the largest owners of gold in the world,” he added.
Rise of the retail investors
Das described the retail investors as the true heroes of the Indian stock market. The label has passed from the institutional investors to the retail investors. “I am delighted to welcome you all to the fourth edition of the Money9 Financial Freedom Summit. We launched Money9 on the TV9 network with a specific mission to spread financial literacy in Indian languages among our countrymen and help them become financially independent. Almost all of us work for money, but I believe that when money works for us, we become financially independent.” Significantly, retail investors braved the FII outflow in 2025, when they turned net sellers, and kept up investments in the equity markets doth directly and indirectly.
SIPs set a record
Das mentioned the SIP juggernaut and how investments through Systematic Investment Plans touched Rs 31,000 crore a month basis in December 2025 and January 2026. In January, there were over 260 million SIP accounts in India. He added that amid global turmoil, latest data indicates a slight decline in SIP investments but SIPs in equities have held their ground.
Mutual funds are right
Das also mentioned how retail investors have become the power behind the mutual fund revolution. “Retail investors in India have matured. They have become wiser,” he remarked. They have harnessed the power of India’s financial inclusion mission, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Retail investors have discovered the power of mutual funds which has become a preferred investment route for many. Das mentioned how they have finally understood that systematic investment is the only way to build wealth in the world’s fastest-growing major economy. Building wealth is about spending time in the markets and not timing the markets, he remarked.
A star-studded cast
The fourth edition of the Money9 Financial Freedom Summit 2026 featured a star-studded cast. The chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis addressed the audience via a recorded message. The speakers included Navneet Munot, MD & CEO of HDFC AMC, Nilesh Shah, MD of Kotak Mahindra AMC, Rahul Aurora of Ashika Institutional Equities, Jayprakash Gupta, co-founder of Dhan; Feroze Aziz, joint CEO of Anand Rathi Wealth, Swarup Mohanty of Mirae Asst, Devina Mehta, chairperson of First Global; Rajiv Gupta, director of PB Infotech; Satishwar B; MD & CEO of Bandhan Life Insurance.