India, Jan. 22 -- For Madhu Lunawat, financial freedom has never been defined by the size of a bank balance. Instead, it has always been about the power to choose how to work, what to build, and which values to protect along the way.

Growing up with limited means, money played a very real role in her life. It was the enabler that allowed her to pursue education, fund everyday needs and, most importantly, claim independence. Years later, as a co-founder of Pantomath Group and a key force behind India's first female-led mutual fund house, her definition of financial freedom remains unchanged even as the scale of responsibility has grown.

"Financial freedom is not about how much money lies in your bank account," Lunawat says. "It's about t...