February 10, 2026
RA Jainee
Baroda BNP Paribas ESG Best-in-class Strategy Fund – Direct | Growth
📌 Fund Snapshot & Key Details
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Fund House | Baroda BNP Paribas Mutual Fund |
| Scheme Type | Open-ended |
| Category | Equity: Thematic – ESG |
| Benchmark | NIFTY 100 ESG TRI |
| NFO Opens | 12 February 2026 |
| NFO Closes | 26 February 2026 |
| Plan / Option | Growth, IDCW |
| Minimum Investment (Rs.) | 1,000 |
| Exit Load | For units beyond 10% of investment, 1% if redeemed within 1 year |
| Lock-in Period | NA |
| Riskometer | Very High |
| Registrar | KFin Technologies Ltd. |
⚖️ Sahifund NFO Review
PLUS
• ESG-focused investing aligned with global sustainability trends
• Exposure to high-quality Nifty 100 companies with ESG tilt
• Diversified portfolio of ~85 stocks reduces single-stock risk
• Potential long-term institutional inflow theme
• Active strategy may add alpha over passive ESG indices
MINUS
• ESG investing still evolving in India — performance cycles may vary
• High correlation with NIFTY 50 limits diversification advantage
• Valuation premium due to ESG filtering
• Active management introduces fund manager execution risk
• Thematic positioning may lag in value-driven market phases
Sahifund View
A long-term ESG-focused equity strategy suitable for patient investors — but not a short-term performance play.
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⏱️ Last Updated: 13 February 2026, 10.00 AM
📊 Sahifund Interpretation of the Benchmark
NIFTY 100 ESG TRI
The Nifty 100 ESG Index selects companies from the Nifty 100 universe based on Environmental, Social and Governance risk scores, adjusting weights using ESG metrics alongside free-float market capitalisation.
Benchmark Behaviour Snapshot
• 5-Year CAGR ~14.56% with moderate volatility
• Beta near 1.0 indicates market-like behaviour
• High correlation (~0.96) with NIFTY 50 suggests broad market exposure
• Tilt towards governance-heavy large caps improves risk profile
Sahifund Insight:
This benchmark blends sustainability with large-cap stability, making it more of a quality large-cap strategy than a high-growth thematic bet.
🧠 Investment Strategy – Explained Simply
The scheme aims for long-term capital appreciation through actively managed investments in ESG-compliant companies using a best-in-class approach.
➡️ In simple words:
The fund invests in companies with strong ESG practices while trying to outperform the benchmark through active stock selection.
👤 Sahifund Interpretation of Fund Managers & Their Performance
Jitendra Sriram
Brings extensive equity research and ESG exposure from HSBC AMC and Deutsche Equities. Focus likely on governance quality and risk management.
Kushant Arora
CA and FRM with strong financial risk assessment background, supporting portfolio construction and valuation discipline.
Sahifund Assessment:
Unlike passive ESG ETFs, this fund’s performance will depend heavily on stock selection and ESG scoring methodology.
🎯 Suitable for Which Investors?
Suitable if you:
• Want ESG-oriented investing with active management
• Prefer large-cap dominated portfolios
• Have long-term investment horizon (5+ years)
• Believe in sustainability-driven investing themes
Avoid if you:
• Expect aggressive alpha vs broader market
• Prefer low-cost passive index funds
• Want short-term tactical opportunities
• Are uncomfortable with thematic positioning
❓ Should You Invest in This NFO?
Yes — but selectively.
This NFO suits investors looking to align portfolios with ESG themes while maintaining diversified large-cap exposure. However, since ESG strategies often mirror broader markets, allocation should be moderate rather than aggressive.
Final Word:
An ESG-themed large-cap strategy focused more on quality and governance than high-growth alpha.
⚠️ Disclaimer
Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully.