MAM
How to identify the top performing mutual funds for your portfolio
Mutual funds have become one of the most popular investment options for Indians looking to grow their wealth over the long run. With thousands of mutual fund schemes available across different categories like equity, debt, hybrid etc., choosing the right funds to build an effective mutual fund portfolio can be an overwhelming task. It is essential to identify top performing funds that have consistently delivered superior returns over various market cycles. This article discusses some key parameters and criteria that investors can consider to shortlist the best performing mutual funds for their portfolio in the Indian market.
Factors to consider
There are several factors an investor needs to analyze to identify top funds that have the potential to continue delivering strong returns in the future. Some of the important parameters are:
● Past Performance – The track record and past returns delivered by a fund over various time periods like 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and since inception gives a good indication of its performance capabilities. Funds that have consistently outperformed their benchmark indices and category averages over longer periods should be preferred.
● Fund Manager – Stability and experience of the fund manager is an important determining factor in a fund’s performance. Funds managed by experienced managers who have successfully navigated different market cycles tend to deliver better long term returns. It is also good to check the track record of similar schemes managed by the same fund manager in the past.
● Portfolio Holdings – Analyzing the portfolio holdings and sector/stock allocation of a scheme gives insights into the fund manager’s investment style and process. Diversified portfolios with strong businesses and quality stocks tend to perform better through market ups and downs. Concentrated portfolios require more active monitoring.
● Expense Ratio – The total expense ratio indicates the fund’s operating costs which are deducted from the returns delivered to investors. Opt for funds with reasonably low expense ratios of less than 2-2.5% for actively managed equity funds.
● Benchmark – The benchmark index determines a fund’s benchmark to compare its performance. Equity schemes are generally compared with S&P BSE Sensex or Nifty 50 returns. Funds able to consistently beat their benchmarks after factoring in costs should be preferred.
● Risk Metrics – Other key risk metrics like standard deviation (volatility), Sharpe ratio and alpha should be analyzed to understand the fund’s risk-adjusted returns. Relatively lower risk funds delivering higher returns make for better long term investments.
● Rating – Ratings by independent agencies like CRISIL, ICRA etc. provide an indicative assessment of a fund’s portfolio quality, process consistency and risk management. Highly rated funds (4 or 5 stars) tend to be more stable long term performers.
Monitoring and review
While past performance is an important indicator, investors should also continuously monitor the selected funds on these performance parameters. Funds can go through style and market cycle changes which may impact future performance. An annual review is recommended to check if a particular fund needs to be replaced due to falling ratings, poor recent performance or strategy/management changes. This approach enables investors to optimize their portfolio and maximize long term returns.
Conclusion
By comprehensively analyzing metrics like long term track record, fund managers’ experience, portfolio quality, costs and risk-adjusted returns, investors can effectively shortlist the top performing equity and debt mutual funds to construct an efficient mutual fund portfolio. Regular monitoring and reviews further help optimize returns over various market cycles in the long run. Use systematic investment plans (SIP) for long term growth in top mutual funds.
Brands
Tata Consumer Products highlights workplace bias with no repeat campaign
Women often repeat ideas to be heard; Tata campaign spotlights bias
MUMBAI: In many offices, a familiar moment unfolds. A woman shares an idea in a meeting. The room nods politely, then moves on. A few minutes later, someone else repeats the same thought and suddenly it lands.
This International Women’s Day, Tata Consumer Products is drawing attention to that quiet but persistent workplace dynamic through TheNoRepeatCampaign, an initiative that highlights how often women must repeat themselves before their ideas are acknowledged.
Conceptualised by Schbang, the campaign centres on a mockumentary-style film featuring a corporate employee known simply as “Doobara”, which literally means “again”. The character symbolises the many women across workplaces who find themselves restating their ideas during meetings, brainstorms and presentations before they receive recognition.
The campaign is grounded in research that reflects a broader workplace pattern. According to McKinsey & Company’s Women in the Workplace 2024 report, 39 percent of women say they are interrupted or spoken over in professional settings. Research by Perceptyx in 2022 adds to that picture, with 19 percent of women reporting frequent interruptions and 42 percent saying it happens at least sometimes.
Tata Consumer Products head of corporate communications and investor relations Nidhi Verma, said the campaign aims to bring a commonly experienced but rarely discussed bias into the open.
“Workplaces thrive when every voice is heard the first time it speaks. With #TheNoRepeatCampaign, we wanted to shine a light on a bias that many women experience but rarely gets called out openly. By encouraging teams to listen more consciously and acknowledge ideas fairly, we hope to create environments where contributions are valued for their merit, not the number of times they need to be repeated,” she said.
The film cleverly mirrors the very behaviour it critiques. Through deliberate repetition in the storytelling, viewers experience the subtle frustration of having a point overlooked until someone else echoes it back to the room.
The initiative also ties into Tata Consumer Products’ internal SpeakUp culture, which encourages employees to share ideas and feedback openly while emphasising the shared responsibility of listening and acknowledging contributions.
Schbang president of solutions Jitto George, said the insight behind the campaign came from everyday workplace observations.
“The insight was simple but powerful. Many women have experienced moments where their ideas gain traction only after someone else repeats them. We wanted the storytelling to reflect that reality in a way that feels relatable, slightly uncomfortable and difficult to ignore. The mockumentary format helped capture that everyday dynamic while prompting viewers to rethink how conversations unfold in their own workplaces,” he said.
Aligned with International Women’s Day 2026’s theme, “Give To Gain”, the campaign underlines a simple message. When organisations give attention, acknowledgement and visibility to women’s voices, the entire workplace benefits.
After all, when good ideas are heard the first time, they do not need a second attempt.
