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This study investigates the stock market awareness and investment behaviour of youth in Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, India. Using a structured questionnaire-based survey, primary data was collected from 121 respondents aged 18 to 35 years. The research examines multiple dimensions including awareness levels, information sources, Demat account ownership, investment motivations, risk tolerance, portfolio preferences, broker satisfaction, and investment outcomes. The findings reveal that while a majority of respondents possess moderate awareness about the stock market, actual investment activity remains limited, with a significant proportion having invested for less than one month. Social media and peer networks are the dominant sources of financial information. Most respondents exhibit moderate to low risk tolerance and prefer long-term wealth creation as their primary investment motive. The study highlights critical gaps in formal financial education and provides actionable recommendations for improving financial literacy among youth in semi-urban districts. Keywords: Stock Market, Investment Behaviour, Youth, Dindigul, Financial Literacy, Demat Account, Risk Tolerance

The shift from "women's development" to "women-led development" is a major way India is looking at development and growth. Women were previously mostly viewed as beneficiaries. They are now being recognised as leaders in the economy. This is closely linked to the broader national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, in which India aspires to be a developed nation by 2047, the 100th year of independence. Financial inclusion is one of the ways to achieve this. By opening bank accounts, loans, mobile money and self-help groups, the government aims to boost women's participation in particularly in rural India. This paper examines the impact of financial empowerment and government schemes are influencing social and economic participation of rural women. The study entirely relies on secondary sources such as policy documents, national surveys, reports and academic research. It examines the initiatives like PMJDY, NRLM and PMMY, and how they have increased women's access to bank accounts, loans and group-based savings systems.The results reveal that a large proportion of women now have bank accounts, access to credit, and belong of SHGs. This is definitely progress. But at the same time there are underlying problems such as caste differences, income inequality, lack of access to technology and employment opportunities still pose barriers. Due to these structural issues, financial inclusion cannot lead to empowerment empowerment. We need further changes in markets, care work arrangements, and institutional support. By connecting women-led development to broader issues of inclusive growth, this paper contributes to recent debates on gender and emerging economies.
Keywords: Women-led development, Financial inclusion, Rural India, SHGs, Digital finance, Inclusive growth, Viksit Bharat 2047.

This research focuses on the entrepreneurial business skills of dairy-based Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Tenkasi District of Tamil Nadu, with a particular focus on uncovering the primary factors that drive their development, sustainability, and competitiveness. Although most of the earlier research has concentrated on dairy farmers and female entrepreneurs in other regions, hardly any has focused on the entrepreneurial talents and skill enhancement of the MSME owners in the dairy sector. This research intends to fill that gap by entrepreneurial characteristics such as decision-making creativity risk-taking, and business management. A mixed-methods research strategy was used, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies. A systematic questionnaire was used to collect primary data from 70 dairy MSME owners, while secondary data came from government papers, industry publications, academic journals, and market research studies. A simple random sample approach ensures fair representation among micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. The data were evaluated with SPSS software, which included percentage analysis and Chi-square tests, According to the findings, the majority of dairy MSMEs are small-scale, rural operations managed by male entrepreneurs with secondary or graduate degrees. Education appears to have a major impact on technology uptake, but not on financial planning, risk-taking, or management qualities.
Keywords: Dairy-based MSMEs, Skill Development, Business Management, Competitiveness.

While traditional finance theory assumes investors make rational choices based on complete information, behavioral finance highlights how psychological biases can heavily influence investment behavior. This is especially relevant given the rapid growth of India's mutual fund industry. The study investigates how key biases—such as overconfidence, herding, loss aversion, anchoring, mental accounting, and recency—affect mutual fund investment decisions. It also examines how financial literacy moderates these biases. Data from mutual fund investors in Karnataka were collected through a structured questionnaire. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), specifically Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM), the study tests the relationships between latent variables. Results show that behavioral biases notably impact investment choices; overconfidence and herding have strong positive effects, while loss aversion and anchoring influence risk perception and portfolio selection. Higher financial literacy appears to lessen these biases, encouraging more rational decisions. These insights help financial advisors, asset managers, and policymakers develop investor education and behavioral strategies to improve decision-making and market efficiency in the mutual fund sector.
Keywords: Behavioral Finance; Mutual Fund Investment Decisions; Behavioral Biases; Structural Equation Modelling (SEM); Overconfidence Bias; Herding Behavior; Financial Literacy.

In the banking industry, AI has emerged as a game-changing innovation, drastically altering client happiness and service performance. With the help of AI-enabled technology like chatbots, virtual assistants, predictive analytics, biometric verification, and personalized financial advising tools, banks can enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and availability of services. These AI technologies have made possible quicker responses, reduced waiting time, enhanced security, and personalization, thus enhancing consumer experience. The study examines how AI can improve various dimensions of customer happiness, analyzes how customers perceive AI-based financial services, and also examines some of the operational benefits AI offers to banks. Notwithstanding the gains, digital divide, costs of implementation, and data privacy remain some challenges. The overall results indicate that AI is a strategic enabler in enhancing customer loyalty, customer happiness, and competitive advantage for banks in the digital era.
Key Words: Artificial Intelligence, Customer Satisfaction, Chatbots, Predictive Analytics, Personalization, Banking Innovation.

This paper empirically investigates the interrelationships between digital transformation, organizational agility and sustainable service performance among firms in emerging economies. Drawing from the dynamic capability and resource-based view (RBV) frameworks, the study develops a hybrid analytical model integrating econometric estimation (unit root and co-integration tests, multiple regression) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Using panel data from 2010–2024 for 150 listed service firms and survey data from 420 managers, the study examines both long-run equilibrium and short-run causal linkages between digital transformation indicators and firm-level performance outcomes. The econometric analysis reveals that digital investment and data-driven decision-making have a statistically significant long-run co-integration with service quality and operational sustainability. SEM and path analysis confirm that organizational agility mediates the relationship between digital transformation and sustainable service performance. The study validates hypotheses using bootstrapping (5,000 samples) and multiple regression diagnostics, showing robust model fit indices (CFI = 0.962, RMSEA = 0.046). These findings emphasize that sustainable performance arises not from technology adoption alone, but through the synergistic interaction between digital transformation and organizational agility. The research provides both theoretical and managerial insights for developing adaptive digital strategies aligned with sustainable growth.
Keywords: Digital Transformation, Organizational Agility, Sustainable Service Performance, Co-integration, Structural Equation Modeling, Path Analysis, Emerging Economies