How Prateek Agrawal Led Motilal Oswal MF to ₹1Lakh Crore Milestone

If you’re even slightly interested in investing, financial freedom, or how to grow wealth smartly, this episode of Simple Hai! with Prateek Agrawal is a goldmine. Not filled with jargon or technical fluff, this conversation brings real-life insights straight from one of India’s top mutual fund leaders. Hosted by seasoned financial journalist Vivek Law, the episode captures the incredible journey of how Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund crossed INR 1 lakh crore in AUM and the thinking that made it possible.

Reset with a Purpose: A New Path for Motilal Oswal MF

While Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund has always believed in focused investing, Prateek Agrawal and his team took things to a whole new level in the past couple of years. Going beyond the trusted QGLP (Quality, Growth, Longevity, Price) model, the fund house decided to zoom in on sectors with long-term growth potential.

Agrawal explained how they first selected sectors and then the right companies within those sectors that offered both opportunity and value. This strategic shift wasn’t easy; it meant making bold changes to existing portfolios and ignoring short-term trends.

“We decided to be growth managers and stay the course,” Agrawal said with quiet confidence.

The Power of Concentration: Why Less is More

Unlike other funds that try to mirror indices or hold 50+ stocks, Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund keeps things sharp and clean. Most of its funds have just 20 to 35 stocks. It’s not a limitation, it’s a strategy.

Each fund plays a specific role in an investor’s larger portfolio. This clear focus has allowed them to tap into strong themes like:

• Defence
• Renewable Energy
• Mid and Small-Cap IT
• NBFCs
• Luxury Consumption

This thematic, conviction-led approach is what sets the fund house apart.

When January 2025, Tested Everything

Every journey has a storm, and it came in January 2025 for Motilal Oswal MF. Indian stock markets corrected sharply. But this time, it wasn’t about poor fundamentals or overvalued companies.

Agrawal broke down the real reasons behind the fall:

• Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) exited due to global bond yield hikes.
• Hedge funds reacted strongly to rupee volatility.
• China’s changing outlook caused money to shift back to its markets.
• Even Alpha-seeking funds were hit by global trends.

“The best-performing stocks from September to December were hit the hardest in January—not because they were bad, but because of global selling pressure,” he clarified.

However, by February, India bounced back as global interest in emerging markets returned.

Prateek’s Career Wisdom

Beyond market talk, Agrawal offered timeless lessons for professionals and investors alike:

• Hunger is necessary, not just to get rich but to stay focused.
• Discipline matters more than intelligence.
• Luck helps, but knowing your worth and securing your upside (like ESOPs or equity) is smarter.
• Take risks early, but shift to conservative moves as wealth grows.

He explained how many entrepreneurs start with trading and later build long-term businesses in services or manufacturing.

Also read: If You Invest in India, Don’t Miss This Insightful Podcast by Navneet Munot

Investment Advice for Young India

Agrawal’s tips for young investors are simple yet powerful:

• Don’t over-diversify in the beginning.
• Start with one growth-oriented fund and one value-oriented fund, from different AMCs.
• Consider significant & mid-cap, or multi-cap, funds for smoother growth.
• Be patient. Mutual funds are tax-efficient and offer long-term compounding benefits.

“If you give time to your investments, financial freedom is not just a dream, it’s possible,” he said.

More Than a Job, It’s a Mission

For Agrawal, investing goes beyond building wealth. It’s about enabling people to live freely, without financial stress. With INR 1 lakh crore AUM now under Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund’s wing, that mission is more real than ever.

“Helping people achieve financial freedom is one of the most meaningful things we can do,” he said.

Why You Must Listen to This Episode

This episode is not just for finance professionals or market nerds—it’s for:

• Young investors are unsure where to begin.
• Working professionals want better returns.
• Entrepreneurs are trying to understand market cycles.
• Anyone looking to make sense of current investing trends.

Prateek Agrawal doesn’t just talk about money. He talks about mindset, market reality, and what it really takes to grow, both personally and financially. Vivek Law keeps the conversation sharp, simple, and highly relatable.

A Podcast You Simply Shouldn’t Miss

Don’t miss this episode of Simple Hai! Whether you’re planning your first SIP or managing your crores, this 40-minute listen could change the way you think about investing.