Widely read:
The unseemly spectacle unfolding in the Delhi High Court over industrialist Sunjay Kapur's Rs 30,000 crore estate should serve as a wake-up call for every Indian with assets worth protecting. Here we have an ultra-rich businessman who presumably had access to the best legal advice, yet his family finds itself embroiled in bitter litigation over a will that his children with ex-wife Karisma Kapoor claim is forged. The Bollywood connection makes this case tabloid-worthy, but the underlying issue affects millions of Indian families who assume their assets will automatically flow to their intended beneficiaries.
The harsh reality is that dying without a proper will – or with a contested one – can destroy more wealth than any market crash. Legal battles consume both money and time, often lasting years while assets remain frozen. Families that should be grieving instead find themselves fighting each other in courtrooms, with lawyers as the only guaranteed winners.
Yet despite these obvious risks, will-making remains shockingly uncommon among Indians. Some surveys suggest fewer than 20 per cent of adults have executed wills, even among those with substantial assets. Based on my personal experience, even this sounds high. The reasons range from superstition about discussing death to simple procrastination, but the consequences are always the same: unnecessary hardship for surviving family members.
The excuse I hear most often is that Indian succession laws automatically favour immediate family members, making wills unnecessary. This reflects a dangerous misunderstanding of how inheritance actually works. Without a will, your assets get distributed according to rigid legal formulas that may not reflect your wishes. The solution is straightforward: make a will. Not next year, not after retirement, but now. A basic will costs a few thousand rupees and can be completed in a matter of hours with proper legal guidance. For most people, the document need not be complex – simply stating who should inherit what and appointing executors is sufficient. For simple wills – which would serve most people – online options are inexpensive, quick, and good enough.
However, the Kapur case highlights a deeper systemic problem: our archaic system for authenticating and preserving wills. Currently, wills can be challenged on grounds ranging from mental capacity to outright forgery, leading to exactly the kind of disputes we're witnessing. The burden of proving authenticity often falls on grieving families who may lack the deceased's detailed financial records.
This is where technology could transform estate planning in India. Blockchain-based will registration systems could provide tamper-proof documentation with clear timestamps and digital signatures. Such systems already exist in other countries and offer compelling advantages over our current paper-based approach.
A blockchain-registered will would create an immutable record of the document's creation, modification, and final version. The technology could verify the testator's identity, record video testimony about mental state, and even require multiple forms of authentication before allowing changes. Most importantly, it would eliminate questions about document authenticity that fuel expensive legal battles.
I've long been sceptical about cryptocurrencies, viewing most of them as speculative bubbles divorced from real economic value. However, the underlying blockchain technology has genuine applications that could benefit society – will authentication being a prime example. While crypto enthusiasts chase phantom profits, the real revolution lies in using this technology to solve actual problems like estate planning inefficiencies.
The government should seriously consider implementing a national blockchain-based will registry. Such a system could integrate with existing identity verification mechanisms like Aadhaar, creating a seamless process for citizens to register and update their wills securely. The technology exists; what's needed is the political will to modernise our legal infrastructure.
For now, though, don't wait for technological solutions. Make your will using current systems, however imperfect. The Kapur family's courtroom drama will eventually resolve, but the lesson for the rest of us is clear: proper estate planning isn't just about distributing wealth, it's about protecting your family from unnecessary conflict when they can least afford it.
Also read: The endless crypto hype
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