CRED’s Kunal Shah flags India’s blind spots in time value and female workforce

CRED founder and CEO Kunal Shah has raised concerns about two critical gaps in India’s economic behavior, the lack of understanding of the time value of money and the country’s low female labour force participation.

In an interview with Forbes, Shah said that most Indians fail to grasp the economic principle that time has a monetary value. “Time value for money is an interesting concept that doesn’t exist for most Indians,” he said. Comparing this with the American approach, Shah noted that even those doing basic jobs in the US are aware of their hourly worth. “In India, you ask anyone what their salary per hour is, and they have no clue. People who make Rs 10,000 an hour spend an hour trying to save Rs 500 on a flight ticket,” he added.

Shah also pointed to India’s low female workforce participation as a significant roadblock to economic progress. Recalling a visit to China, he said, “Every meeting I went to had more women than men, especially in product tech companies.” This, he said, stood in stark contrast to India and revealed a concerning trend. “Our per capita income cannot grow with one gender working,” Shah said.

He also commented on the social implications of this imbalance, noting that lower female financial independence often correlates with lower divorce rates, not due to stronger relationships but due to lack of economic freedom. “The country will not get to prosperity with one gender contributing alone,” he concluded.

Shah’s remarks highlight the need for deeper cultural and behavioural shifts if India aims to achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

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