Latest news with #RajivMehta
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BM Property: Property market gains investor confidence again
rental yields Knight Frank In an era of volatile markets and economic uncertainty, one asset remains resilient—real estate. From first-time buyers to seasoned investors, property is increasingly seen as a reliable, long-term investment. Real estate has long been valued as a tangible asset that appreciates over time. In India, growing urbanisation, improved infrastructure, and rising disposable incomes are driving sustained demand and boosting investor Bengaluru-based software engineer Shruthi Rao, buying her first apartment wasn't just about owning a home—it was about securing her future. 'I looked at mutual funds and stocks, but nothing gave me the kind of peace of mind real estate did,' she says. 'Even if prices fluctuate in the short term, property always gains value over time.'Property developers echo this sentiment. Rajiv Mehta, a city-based builder known for mid-segment and luxury projects, believes real estate remains one of the most stable long-term investments. 'Unlike equity or gold, real estate not only appreciates in value but also provides consistent rental income,' he explains. 'We've seen clients buying second or third homes purely for investment purposes.'In cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, the boom in IT and startup culture has driven a surge in property demand. This trend is further supported by government initiatives like PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana), RERA reforms, and increased investment in infrastructure. Real estate also offers a strong emotional and cultural sense of security. 'Land is still seen as a family asset in Indian households—something we pass on to the next generation,' says Anil Kumar, a retired banker and proud owner of a plot on the outskirts of Mysuru. 'I bought it 10 years ago for `5 lakh. Today, it's worth `40 lakh. No other investment delivered that kind of growth.'Withof 2–4% and strong appreciation potential in suburban pockets, many millennials are entering the real estate market early. Investors are also exploring tier-2 cities for better returns. However, experts urge caution. 'Check legal status, RERA registration, builder track record, and infrastructure plans,' says consultant Anusha Nair.'A wise choice can outperform traditional investments.'For NRIs and global investors, Indian real estate remains appealing due to favourable exchange rates and emotional ties to the homeland. Even post-pandemic, the housing market shows resilience. Areport notes a 21% year-on-year rise in housing sales in Q1 2025, reflecting strong buyer confidence in long-term, tangible property say that while financial markets may swing, property offers a sense of stability, utility, and long-term wealth creation. As more buyers begin to view homes not just as places to live but as avenues of growth, real estate continues to prove itself as one of the smartest investments for the In cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, the IT and startup boom has fuelled property demand—further boosted by government initiatives such as PMAY, RERA reforms, and increased investment in infrastructure development across urban regionsPic caption: Housing sales up 21% in Q1 2025, signalling strong buyer confidence
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Workplace anxiety in Gen Z: Experts share how emails may cause stress and suggest strategies to help
Workplace anxiety doesn't always come from deadlines, presentations, or performance reviews. Sometimes, it comes from seemingly routine tasks, like sending an email. Email communication is widely used in the workplace, and Gen Z, who are stepping into the workforce, may often find it overwhelming, as they often they are more accustomed to the casual tone of social media, causing them to overthink their emails more frequently. Gen Z may get anxiety from work communication.(Shutterstock) ALSO READ: Career gaps are the new cool among young professionals? Micro-retirement is the rising trend to fight workplace burnout Since email is an everyday part of work life, anxiety related to follow-ups or even a mail for requesting leave can snowball into larger mental health and work performance concerns over time. HT Lifestyle reached out to experts who shared how to address workplace anxiety in different ways, offering actionable solutions for both individuals and organisations. Psychiatrist Dr Rajiv Mehta, Senior Consultant of Psychiatry at Sir Ganaga Ram Hospital, shared with HT Lifestyle how email may be a source of stress. He said, 'Gen Z, also called digital natives, has started entering the workforce. Often, they have heightened anxiety, which influences even routine tasks as small as sending emails. So email as a communication tool often becomes a source of significant stress, impacting their productivity. The anxiety is also generated from uncertainty around professional etiquette.' But heavily relying on email communication only in the workplace may be problematic as he said,"On the other hand, many use email to avoid direct conversations, which for them may be awkward. Email in this aspect becomes a safer and more controlled way of communication. However, this can be 'anxious-avoidant behaviour,' hindering their personality development." Why Gen Z may get anxiety in the workplace from emails? Knowing the roots of workplace anxiety helps to manage it better.(Shutterstock) Dr Rajiv Mehta further listed out the key reasons and consequences of this anxiey: 1. Reason: Most of Gen Z is not sure about the appropriate level of formality, tone, sign-offs, when to follow up, or even if emojis are acceptable. This leads to excessive detailing, overthinking every word written, delaying sends, and observing minor mistakes like spelling errors as catastrophic. So the ruminations about the correctness keep them occupied. 2. Consequence: Obsession around emails may lead to difficulty concentrating, decreased productivity, and increased absenteeism. Performance anxiety, fear to express constructive criticism, and anxious about taking on leadership roles are other areas of concern for them. It's often observed that they prioritize mental well-being and flexibility, often leaving jobs that don't align with these needs. Managerial strategies to reduce anxiety While email communication may be one source of workplace anxiety for Gen Z, there are bigger issues at play, from lack of psychological safety and support systems to unclear expectations. That's why identifying effective strategies that team leads, managers, and organisations can execute is key to alleviating workplace anxiety at large. Neha Mishra, Senior Vice President, Human Resources at Homesfy Realty, shared these 4 strategies to reduce anxiety at work: Employee recognition in the workplace is a vital part of company culture and also to reduce anxiety. A gamified performance rewards system, in tandem with public peer shout-outs and monthly recognition for leadership values like empathy, creativity, and collaboration, helps. The organisation calendar must include 'Wellness Weeks' where employees participate in wellness challenges, yoga sessions, and inter-office sports. Develop a strong support system. Granting resources like counselling services ensures employees have a safety net during challenging times. Regular feedback loops help create adaptive and impactful support systems. To tackle disengagment from anxiety, organisations must run continuous listening programmes and mood surveys across all teams to measure energy levels and mental health. Based on this, team leaders can receive real-time insights that allow swift action,whether it means realignment, a reset, or just a one-on-one conversation. 10 email writing tips for Gen Z On an individual level, to reduce anxiety, especially related to email communication, consider improving how you write emails. Here are 10 email writing tips shared by Taylor Elizabeth, Emotional Intelligence and Etiquette Coach, and Founder & CEO of The Elegance Advisor:
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Time of India
Major Crimes Against Minors: 5 Arrests Daily For Child Abuse
New Delhi: On an average, five people were arrested daily in the city this year for allegedly sexually assaulting or abusing minors, with four cases registered each day under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso). Investigation revealed that in most instances, the accused were known to the survivors, often being family members or neighbours. Police also noted that some families hesitated to cooperate for fear of social stigma or due to familiarity with the accused. According to Delhi Police data, till May this year, 543 cases were registered, resulting in 697 arrests. Of these, 508 cases were solved. The incidents involved various forms of abuse, including rape, molestation and eve-teasing. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Police reported that the perpetrators used deceptive tactics to gain the trust of their targets, often luring them under some pretext. In some cases, they took the minors to other locations under false pretences, where the assaults occurred. "The accused either lived with the survivor's families or were well known to them, granting easy access to their homes and personal spaces," an officer said, adding that this familiarity allowed the accused to exploit the minors without immediately raising suspicion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo According to officers, investigations become particularly challenging when the survivor is very young. Children over 10 years old can provide statements directly, but for those aged four or five, police must rely on their mothers to communicate details. "Sometimes there is a language barrier, so we use interpreters," the officer said. A major challenge arises when families withdraw complaints after reporting a crime, often due to social stigma, concerns about perceived "honour", or because the accused is a relative. "Family members often pressure the survivor to retract the complaint in such cases," another officer said, adding that this usually complicates efforts to secure conviction. The officer suggested that some accused suffer from psychological illnesses, which may contribute to their involvement in such crimes. Police also noted that minors are also vulnerable on social media. "There are cases where unknown individuals befriend children online and obtain private pictures or videos through deceit or manipulation. These children are then subjected to sexual harassment through blackmail," the officer said. To combat harassment and eve-teasing in public spaces, Delhi Police have launched targeted initiatives such as 'Shishtachar Squad'. According to Dr Rajiv Mehta, senior consultant psychiatrist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, children are targeted due to several reasons. "Firstly, they are not physically strong. Secondly, fear can be easily instilled in them. Thirdly, they can be lured easily and often do not understand what is happening. In some cases, the accused even tell them that they are just playing games," he said. "Parents should teach children about good and bad touch, and after an incident, they must take action against the perpetrators — even if the person is known to them or from within the family. They should not prioritise saving the family's 'pride', because such incidents can have a long-term impact on the child," he added.
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Business Standard
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
HDB to debut on Mumbai bourse following biggest Indian IPO of 2025
The IPO is the biggest since Hyundai Motor India Ltd.'s record $3.3 billion deal in October and comes as institutional share placements and listings are picking up after a lull Bloomberg Shares of HDB Financial Services Ltd. will start trading in Mumbai on Wednesday after the shadow lender's ₹12,500 crore ($1.5 billion) initial public offering — India's biggest this year — attracted strong demand from investors. HDB, a unit of India's biggest private lender HDFC Bank Ltd., sold shares at ₹740 apiece, the top of their marketed range. The offering lured interest from global funds such as those managed by Morgan Stanley and Allianz SE, as well as from domestic institutions like Life Insurance Corp. of India. The IPO is the biggest since Hyundai Motor India Ltd.'s record $3.3 billion deal in October and comes as institutional share placements and listings are picking up after a lull that followed a blockbuster 2024. India's $5.4 trillion stock market is booming again on the back of foreign inflows, with the benchmark index approaching a record high. A solid debut for HDB could augur well for some other closely watched deals expected later this year, including those of Tata Capital Ltd. and the domestic unit of South Korea's LG Electronics Inc. Shadow lenders like HDB typically target customers underserved or unserved by banks because of a limited credit history and low income, making them a crucial part of the financial landscape in the world's most populous nation. Their business is seen benefiting in the current environment as the Indian central bank has taken aggressive efforts to stimulate the economy via interest-rate cuts and liquidity injections. 'There will be investor interest because of HDB's asset size and parentage. It's a strong brand play,' said Rajnath Yadav, an analyst at Choice Equity Broking Pvt. Further, the Indian central bank's recent policy measures are favorable for shadow lenders, he added. HDB has a loan book of almost $12 billion and operates more than 1,700 branches with about 90,000 employees, according to its IPO document. Rajiv Mehta, an analyst at Yes Securities India Ltd., says HDB's 'palatable IPO valuation' offers an attractive opportunity for returns. The stock is priced at about 3.4 times book value on a trailing 12-month basis, a discount to peer Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co. that has a valuation of 5.7 times, according to Mehta. India's top shadow lender Bajaj Finance Ltd. trades at 6 times its book while Sundaram Finance Ltd. is valued at more than 4 times, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A dozen banks have helped arrange the HDB deal, including BNP Paribas SA, JM Financial Ltd., and Bank of America Corp.
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
10 reasons why employees are scared to talk to HR and how AI may help bridge the gap
Burnout, fatigue, or juggling personal commitments while also managing work responsibilities can feel like walking a tightrope. There may be times when everything may feel mentally overwhelming. While communicating these needs to HR, perhaps to reduce the workload or maybe request flexibility with WFH (work from home), could help ease the situation, still, employees choose to hold back and hesitate to open up, continuing to endure in silence. But AI is silently tipping the scales in their favour, creating a judgment-free space. ALSO READ: Manager's guide to employee wellbeing: 5 warning signs of emotional distress to watch out for at work HT Lifestyle reached out to experts to understand why some employees may not be able to open up about their personal or mental health issues, and what can be done about it. Dr Rajiv Mehta, Vice-Chairperson of Psychiatry at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, shared with HT Lifestyle a few psychological reasons why employees may hesitate to reach out to HR at work: He said, 'Many Employees often find it problematic to discuss difficulties and problems with their HR due to various reasons. However, the perception develops based on the experience of other employees and also on the intensity and frequency of sharing the difficulties.' Dr Rajiv Mehta listed out 10 reasons: Anonymous AI-powered support tools, however, are quietly changing the landscape in modern workplaces, sliding into the dm of corporate culture and bringing in new possibilities. These tools help tackle sensitive situations more strategically, cutting through the silence. Vikas Kakkar, CEO and Founder of shared with HT Lifestyle how AI chatbots offer a non-judgmental, confidential space for employees to open up. He said, 'As the founder of an employee engagement platform, I believe that traditional surveys and open forums frequently fail in today's high-pressure workplace. When the stakes are high, people are reluctant to be completely honest. But anonymous AI-powered platforms give businesses a more accurate sense of workplace satisfaction, burnout, mental health, and even problems like bias or toxicity. The goal is to scale human connection, not to replace it. AI chatbots are being used by industries like tech, BFSI, healthcare, and education to improve employee support. Beyond mere convenience, these tools seek to create judgment-free spaces where employees can freely express their opinions.' While traditional surveys or forums may not offer much transparency, anonymous AI-driven platforms help organisations listen better and make it easier for employees to open up, acting as an efficient bridge. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
