Dhirendra Kumar is the founder and chief executive of Value Research, India's oldest independent investment research organisation. Founded in 1992, Value Research has no affiliation with any fund house, distributor, or financial product manufacturer. This structural independence has defined Kumar's approach to investing and financial journalism for over three decades.

Kumar has written about personal finance for Indian households across leading publications for more than three decades, including for Hindustan Times and, now, Mint. His writing addresses a single enduring question: how should an ordinary Indian investor make sound decisions about their money, without being misled, overwhelmed, or sold to? The answer, as his columns consistently demonstrate, lies not in market prediction or product promotion, but in evidence, discipline, and time.

As the architect of Value Research's ratings, among the most referenced in the Indian advisory ecosystem, Kumar brings three decades of proprietary research and fund performance data to every piece he writes. Value Research's ratings and editorial opinions are not influenced by its advertising relationships. No fund house can buy a better rating or a favourable column. He serves on the advisory committees of SEBI, PFRDA, and IEPFA.