New Delhi, July 11 -- It all started when I went home.

When I visited my home recently, my 60-year-old father surprised me with a question he asked non-chalantly.

"Beta, what should I do with the Rs.10 lakh from my retirement funds?" he asked, with genuine uncertainty.

He had just received a lump sum from a matured LIC policy and some post-retirement benefits. Like many Indian retirees, he was contemplating investing all that into fixed deposits.

For context, fixed deposits continue to remain one of the most trusted investment avenues among senior citizens in India notwithstanding interest rates hovering below inflation. But something about the way he asked told me he was open to learning. Instead of telling him where to invest, I rep...