Bhubaneswar : Odisha’s mutual fund market is showing promising signs of growth, and The Wealth Company’s latest initiative MF DIDI aims to leverage this momentum to empower women from Tier II and Tier III towns to become certified mutual fund distributors. The launch event was led by CA Madhu Lunawat, Founder of The Wealth Company and India’s first woman to set up an asset management firm, along with leading distributors from across Odisha.
Recent local data reflects increasing financial participation: in the last five years, the Assets Under Management (AUM) of women investors in Bhubaneswar have grown 2.5×, and the number of women investors has jumped about 2.8×. In Odisha overall, the growth in women-investor AUM has been about 2.2× in the same period. Meanwhile, Odisha’s total state-wise AAUM (total mutual funds AUM) stands at approximately ₹ 66,000 crore.
MF DIDI (Mutual Fund Distributor in Desi India) is an industry-first sponsored training program designed to equip graduate women with the skills and certification (under the NISM V framework) to become mutual fund distributors. The curriculum includes the fundamentals of funds, compounding, investor awareness, and ethical distribution practices.
Sharing her vision and ambitious plan, Madhu Lunawat stated, “MF DIDI is about creating real opportunities for women to grow their wealth and independence. It’s about unlocking the strength of women to help drive India’s economy toward the $5 trillion milestone and ensuring they inclusively claim their dignified and rightful share in the country’s rising GDP. We have set an ambitious goal of enrolling 1,000 certified MF DIDIs by FY26 and scaling the network to 5,000 within the next three years, particularly focusing on smaller towns with fewer distributors.”
Local voices have already responded positively. An MF DIDI participant, Bedamati Mohapatra, said, “Through MF DIDI, The Wealth Company has set a new benchmark. By working to fill the ‘last-mile gap’ in distribution, they are creating a model that can transform financial inclusion in Odisha and beyond.”
Mr. Sudhansu Mohapatra, President of All Odisha Mutual Fund Distributor Association, added, “MF DIDI is a visionary initiative. This program will not only increase the reach of mutual funds in smaller towns, but also provide women dignified economic opportunities. The Wealth Company deserves praise for taking this brave and socially-friendly step.”
