A debt fund is a mutual fund that lends money (to governments and companies) rather than buying shares, so it aims for steadier, more modest returns than equity, with less volatility. For a founder the usual role is the safer, medium-term slice of your money: a home for cash you will not need for a year or few but do not want swinging with the stock market. They are not risk-free (credit and interest-rate risk are real, so stick to high quality, short duration funds for safety), and their tax treatment has changed in recent years, so check the current rules. Use them as ballast and for near-term goals, not as a growth engine.
A curated summary to orient you, not advice. The resources below are the real value.
3 hand-picked resources, 3 India-specific, 2 link-checked. Pick how you want to dig in.
Why we picked it What debt funds are, the types, the risks, and their recently changed tax treatment in India, before you park money in one.
From ClearTax by ClearTax
Open cleartax.in →Why we picked it The free, India-first grounding in what to do with cash once you have it: goals, allocation, SIPs, and not losing it to fees.
From Zerodha Varsity by Zerodha Varsity
Open zerodha.com →Why we picked it A trusted India-first place to compare funds and think about where cash goes once you have some to invest.
From Value Research by Value Research
Open valueresearchonline.com →
