Year of reality check

From promoters losing their firms to consumers realising there are no free lunches, 2019 was a year of getting real

There is still a fortnight to go before 2019 wraps up, but one can see some patterns emerging in the world of Indian business. There were momentous events this year: From scams in financial firms, a former finance and home minister being incarcerated, big brand businesses folding up, promoters fighting one another for control to debt-ridden entrepre-neurs losing their firms, and, in some unfortunate cases, even their life. Though it is not possible to club all under the same rubric, there are broadly three trends that define the goings on at India Inc this year.

No free lunches: Thanks to the