Shaping Lifelong Money Habits

Mr. Navneet Munot

MD & CEO,

HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd. Mr. Navneet has 28 years of rich experience in Financial Markets, he joined HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd in February 2021. Earlier, he was the Executive Director and Chief Investment officer of SBI Funds Management Pvt Ltd. He was responsible for overseeing investments worth over $150 billion across various asset classes in mutual funds and segregated accounts. Navneet was Director on the board of SBI Pension Funds (P) Limited. In his previous assignments, he was the Executive Director & Head – multi-strategy boutique with Morgan Stanley Investment Management and Chief Investment Officer – Fixed Income and Hybrid Funds at Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund.  Navneet has a masters degree in Accountancy and Business Statistics and is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He is a Charter Holder of the CFA Institute and CAIA Institute. He

has also done Financial Risk Management (FRM).

---

1. Why is it important for us as a country to look at financial literacy in education? India is a young country, full of ambition and promise. But ambition needs guidance, and financial literacy plays a quiet yet powerful role in shaping that journey. It is not an optional skill as it influences how people make choices that affect their entire lives. We spend years teaching children mathematics, science and history, but rarely talk to them about money in ways that prepare them for the real world. Young minds learn about empires and battles, but not about inflation quietly eroding purchasing power, or how excessive borrowing today can constrain choices tomorrow. Concepts such as turning savings into investments, compounding of returns, patience and long-term financial planning often remain outside the classrooms. This gap shows up in adulthood, when capable individuals struggle financially not because of poor intent, but because no one taught them the nitty-gritties of Personal Finance early. If introduced early, financial literacy can shape lifelong habits like saving steadily, investing patiently and borrowing responsibly. For India’s sustainable growth, embedding financial literacy in schools may be one of most powerful long-term investments for the society. 2. Teachers today, also require financial literacy. What are your thoughts about this? If children are the future, teachers are the architects shaping that future. Their influence extends far beyond textbooks as they shape values, habits and ways of thinking that stay with students for life. For financial literacy to truly take root, teachers themselves must feel comfortable with the subject. Like many Indians, most educators have not had the benefit of structured financial education. This is not a shortcoming of teachers, but just how the system has been structured so far. One can teach algebra confidently, yet remain oblivious to how compounding works in real life or how long-term financial choices play out. When teachers are financially aware, learning can become more meaningful and well-rounded. A mathematics lesson can naturally connect to saving and compounding, just as social studies can reflect real economic decisions. Much like value-education sessions instil ethics and responsibility that guide students years later, financial literacy taught by teachers can shape lifelong money habits. Equally important, teachers deserve financial confidence themselves. Empowering them creates a powerful multiplier. One financially confident teacher can indeed influence generations. 3. How do companies like yours play a role in helping children understand financial literacy? As an Asset Management Company, our responsibility is not limited to offering products. We are part of a larger ecosystem that shapes how people perceive money. This is a position of influence and therefore one that carries responsibility. We believe financial literacy should begin long before people start earning. It should begin when curiosity is high and fear is absent. That is why we focus on early, simplified and story-based learning. We have partnered with IIMUN to take financial literacy to the masses, reaching young minds across regions and backgrounds. Through this collaboration, we aim to democratise access to basic money concepts. We also design special engagement formats exclusively for children.  Not watered-down adult content, but child-first learning tools. This includes: • Children’s literature focused on simple money concepts

• Comics and visual storytelling, through our tie-up with Biplab, where finance is explained through relatable stories

• Short stories that focus on everyday decisions i.e. saving, sharing, choosing, planning We also launched a pan-India quiz: HDFC MF Planet Aspirations, which saw participation of thousands of children. Our intention was not to create competition, but to spark curiosity. We wanted children to think, question and explore money-related ideas in a fun and engaging way. For older students, we run Campus Connect, which engages them just before they enter the workforce. This is a crucial transition phase. They start earning but often don’t know how to manage money. We help them understand budgeting, emergency funds, long-term thinking and responsible decision-making. Across all these initiatives, we follow three rules: No jargon, No fear, No pressure. 4. How do you make something like financial literacy fun for children? Children learn best when they are emotionally engaged. If learning feels like a lecture, it quickly becomes a burden. But when it feels like a story or a game, it sparks curiosity. That is why we focus on story-based and experiential learning. A good example is Mission Mars, an immersive experience designed for children. Instead of teaching finance through theory, we place children inside a story. They become part of a mission, with goals to achieve, limited resources and choices to make. Without realising it, they start learning about planning, prioritisation, risk, teamwork and delayed gratification. In those moments, they don’t feel like students; they feel like active participants on a space mission. Similarly, through comics and stories, abstract ideas become relatable. Children may not connect with charts, but they connect with characters.  All our content is simple, jargon-free and aligned to how children naturally think and feel. When learning is joyful, it stays for life. Views expressed herein are as of 20^th January 2026, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied herein. HDFC Mutual Fund/AMC is not indicating or guaranteeing returns on any investments. Readers should seek professional advice before taking any investment related decisions. The views are for general purposes only and not an investment advice. MUTUAL FUND INVESTMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO MARKET RISKS, READ ALL SCHEME RELATED DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY