iSIFby ICICI Prudential
ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund
NFO Open · May 19 – Jun 2Equity Long-Short

iSIF Equity Long-Short Fund

ICICI Prudential's flagship equity long-short SIF — a listed-equity strategy benchmarked to Nifty 500 TRI with limited short exposure through equity derivatives. Open-ended, daily NAV.

Equity Long-ShortOpen-endedLimited Short via DerivativesDaily NAVNifty 500 Benchmark

NFO Opens

May 19, 2026

NFO Closes

June 2, 2026

NFO Price

₹10 per unit

Min Investment

₹10,00,000

Benchmark

Nifty 500 TRI

Risk Band

Level 5

NFO Period: May 19, 2026June 2, 2026. Open-ended strategy — reopens for ongoing subscription post-allotment.

Why this fund matters

Long equity, with a derivative-based short overlay

The standard hedged-equity SIF structure, from India's second-largest AMC. Long book in listed Nifty-500 equities, with limited shorts via derivatives to dampen drawdowns and create alpha.

Benchmarked to Nifty 500 TRI

Broad-market reference — large + mid + small caps. Manager has the full Nifty 500 universe to pick from on the long side.

Limited short via derivatives

Short exposure only through equity derivatives (futures + options on stocks and indices). Caps the structural downside while preserving the long alpha engine.

Mittul Kalawadia leads — 19 years at ICICI Pru

Lead PM Mittul Kalawadia has 19 years at the AMC across fund management + equity research. Co-managers Nitya Mishra and Sri Sharma round out the team.

The team

Fund managers

MK

Mittul Kalawadia

Lead Fund Manager

Age 43 · CA, M.Com, B.Com

With ICICI Prudential AMC since January 2006 — 19+ years across fund management and equity research roles. Previously Equity Research Analyst (Oct 2008–Feb 2012) and Business Planning & MIS at the AMC. Currently manages several ICICI Prudential equity and hybrid schemes with derivatives exposure.

NM

Nitya Mishra

Co-Manager

Age 39 · CFA, PGDM (Finance) — XIM Bhubaneswar, B.Tech (Electronics)

Joined ICICI Prudential AMC in May 2018 as Senior Manager in Risk Management. Appointed as fund manager on several schemes from July 2024. Brings risk-management discipline to the equity long-short construction.

SS

Sri Sharma

Co-Manager

ICICI Prudential AMC fund management team

Co-manager on the iSIF Equity Long-Short Fund alongside Mittul Kalawadia and Nitya Mishra. Part of ICICI Prudential's equity fund management group.

Fund details

Specification at a glance

Fund nameiSIF Equity Long-Short Fund
AMCICICI Prudential Mutual Fund
CategoryEquity Long-Short
TypeOpen-ended investment strategy
NFO opensMay 19, 2026
NFO closesJune 2, 2026
NFO price₹10 per unit
Min investment (1st time)₹10,00,000 (aggregate at PAN level across iSIF strategies)
Min for accredited investor₹10,000
Min additional purchase₹10,000
BenchmarkNifty 500 TRI
LiquidityOpen-ended · Daily NAV
Exit load1.00% within 12 months · Nil after 12 months
Risk band (AMFI)AMFI Level 5 (Highest)
Plans / optionsDirect + Regular · Growth only (no IDCW)

SIFPrime view

How we're thinking about iSIF ELS

iSIF Equity Long-Short joins a crowded category — there are now 10+ live equity LS SIFs in India. The differentiation here is mostly AMC pedigree, not strategy.

The case for iSIF ELS: ICICI Prudential runs India's second-largest AMC by AUM. Their equity research team is among the deepest, and Mittul Kalawadia has been there for 19 years across multiple flagship schemes. For an investor who already trusts the ICICI Prudential brand, this is a straightforward path into the SIF category.

The case against (or, what to wait for): ICICI Prudential is launching two SIFs simultaneously — this one and the iSIF Active Asset Allocator. The AAA is the more differentiated product. For an HNI with limited SIF allocation budget, the AAA arguably has more category-novelty.

Track record to watch: Mittul Kalawadia has managed equity schemes with derivative exposure for years, but this is a dedicated long-short structure. The first March-style drawdown will be the test.

Who should consider it: Existing ICICI Prudential investors looking to add hedged-equity exposure within their preferred AMC. Investors who specifically want Nifty 500 benchmark exposure (not midcap or smallcap focus).

Disclaimer. The information above is sourced from the iSIF Equity Long-Short Fund Investment Strategy Information Document published by ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited. SIFPrime is an AMFI-registered mutual fund distributor and does not provide investment advice. SIFs are subject to market risk; please read the SID/SAI carefully before investing.

Risk Band: AMFI Level 5 (Highest). Investments in SIFs involve relatively higher risk including potential loss of capital, liquidity risk, and market volatility.

AMC website: isif.icicipruamc.com

Related SIF Funds

Frequently asked questions

What is iSIF Equity Long-Short?
iSIF Equity Long-Short is an open-ended equity Specialized Investment Fund that takes long positions in equity and equity-related instruments and uses derivatives for limited short exposure (up to 25% unhedged), managed by ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund. It is a SEBI-regulated Specialized Investment Fund (SIF) — a category introduced in April 2025 that sits between traditional mutual funds and PMS, with a ₹10 lakh minimum investment. The fund is benchmarked to Nifty 500 TRI. iSIF ELS launched on June 2026 (post-NFO).
What is the minimum investment in iSIF ELS?
The minimum investment in iSIF Equity Long-Short is ₹10,00,000 (10 lakh rupees) — the SEBI-mandated floor for all Specialized Investment Funds in India. There is no upper limit. Subsequent investments through SIP or lumpsum follow the same minimum unit threshold per SEBI rules.
Is iSIF ELS a safe investment?
High equity-market risk plus derivative risk from short exposure. Volatility is typically lower than a pure long-only equity fund but higher than a debt or hybrid fund. Suited for investors with at least a 3-year horizon who are comfortable with mark-to-market drawdowns. iSIF ELS is regulated by SEBI under the SIF framework, has the same custodian, audit and disclosure standards as a mutual fund, and the AMC ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund is responsible for managing the fund within its stated mandate. However, "safe" is relative — past returns and crash-period performance are the better guide. See the live performance and Alpha Shield score for iSIF ELS above.
How is iSIF ELS different from a regular mutual fund?
Unlike a mutual fund, iSIF ELS can take unhedged short positions (up to 25% of NAV) using derivatives. This allows the fund manager to profit when stocks fall, not just when they rise. The trade-off is a higher minimum investment (₹10 lakh vs ₹500 for an MF SIP) and slightly higher Total Expense Ratio. SIFs follow daily NAV publication, mutual-fund-level governance, and the same tax treatment as the underlying asset class.
How are iSIF ELS returns taxed in India?
iSIF ELS is taxed based on its underlying portfolio composition, exactly like a mutual fund of the same category. Equity-oriented SIFs (>65% equity) qualify for equity taxation: 12.5% LTCG above ₹1.25 lakh after 12 months, 20% STCG before 12 months. Hybrid and debt-oriented SIFs are taxed at the investor's slab rate as per the post-April-2023 debt fund regime. See the SIFPrime tax guide for worked examples.
What is the expense ratio (TER) of iSIF ELS?
iSIF ELS's TER is published in the latest Scheme Information Document and on the AMC website. Direct plans are always cheaper than Regular plans (typically by 50–100 bps) because they do not include distributor commission. Direct plans are recommended for self-directed investors; Regular plans for investors using an MFD.
How can I invest in iSIF ELS?
You can invest in iSIF ELS directly through the ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund website (Direct plan), via a SEBI-registered Mutual Fund Distributor or RIA (Regular plan), or through online platforms that have onboarded SIFs. SIFPrime does not sell funds — we provide independent comparison and ratings.
Where can I compare iSIF ELS with other SIFs?
Use the SIFPrime side-by-side comparison tool at /sif-compare to compare iSIF ELS against any other live Specialized Investment Fund in India on Alpha Shield (capital protection), since-inception return, March 2026 crash-period alpha, TER, strategy and benchmark. The /all-sifs-india-ranked-explained page also ranks all 24 SIFs end-to-end.
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