Shock in Indian Finance: Aequitas Founder Siddhartha Bhaiya Dies at 47 on Family Vacation

Siddhartha Bhaiya, the founder, managing director, and chief investment officer of Aequitas Investment Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., passed away on December 31, 2025, at the age of 47 due to a cardiac arrest while on a family vacation in New Zealand.[3]

Aequitas issued an official statement on January 2, 2026, confirming the tragic news and expressing profound grief over the loss of their visionary leader.[3] The statement highlighted Bhaiya's role as the driving force behind the firm, emphasizing his strong values, disciplined processes, and culture of accountability that shaped Aequitas into a unique organization grounded in intellectual honesty and long-term thinking.[3]

Bhaiya was renowned in India's investment community for his sharp market insights and cautious approach. In recent interviews, he warned of stretched equity valuations amid falling earnings yields, noting that earnings yield—the inverse of the price-to-earnings ratio—indicates whether equities adequately compensate for their risks.[2] He described the market as being in a bear phase for some time, predicting selective performance where previous momentum stocks might decline while new leaders emerge.[2]

He advised against betting heavily on consumption, IT, or banking sectors, urging caution and consolidation rather than aggressive positions, especially amid uncertainties in global markets.[2] Bhaiya also shared success stories from his career, including turning a Rs 1 crore investment into Rs 25 crore over 11 years through multibagger picks, though he cautioned that high valuations now limit such opportunities.[2]

His philosophy stressed long-term investing over short-term timing, a lesson drawn from two decades of experience: "One thing which we have learned from 20 years of investing is to be a regular investor and try to avoid timing the market for a short-term duration."[4]

The news first spread via social media notes from trading communities before Aequitas' confirmation, sparking widespread tributes from investors and peers who remembered him as a rigorous analyst focused on fiscal consolidation, infrastructure, and sectors like capital goods, metals, and mining.[3][2]

Aequitas has assured investors that the team will reach out in the coming days to address concerns, reaffirming their commitment to upholding Bhaiya's standards during this difficult period.[3] His untimely demise leaves a void in India's financial circles, where his candid views on market realities were highly regarded.