India, March 31 -- justify;">Late afternoon in one of the busiest metros of the country where the weekday rush has softened. Inside a women-led financial advisor's office, a young professional waits with a small notebook. She has a list - a short sabbatical next year, a home purchase in five years. Parents who rely on her advice. She wants to know whether small monthly SIPs can make a difference. She also wants to stop feeling guilty about not doing everything at once. The counsellor smiles. Start with what you can. Stay with it. Let time work for you. What follows is not a pitch but a conversation. It is a picture of how thousands of women across India are learning to treat money as a partner in a longer journey.

Financial independence ...