Mutual funds have once again proven why they remain one of the most effective wealth-creation tools for Indian investors. While fixed deposits and traditional instruments struggled to beat inflation, a select set of equity mutual funds delivered extraordinary returns over the last five years. In this article, we analyse 10 mutual funds that turned an investment of ₹1 lakh into ₹3.3 to ₹3.6 lakh in just 5 years, translating into 230% to 260% absolute returns. These funds benefited from strong sectoral tailwinds, disciplined fund management, and India’s post-COVID economic recovery.
How We Filtered These Mutual Funds
For this analysis, we evaluated equity mutual funds across thematic, sectoral, midcap, and smallcap categories.
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Performance data considered as of 10-Jan-2026
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5-year CAGR used as the primary filter
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Only funds with CAGR above 26% were shortlisted
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Absolute returns were calculated for a lump sum investment of ₹1 lakh
Since Direct plans have limited long-term history in some schemes, we considered consistent performance data for fair comparison.
10 Mutual Funds That Delivered 230%–260% Returns in 5 Years
| Rank | Mutual Fund | 5-Year CAGR (%) | Absolute Return (%) | ₹1 Lakh Became |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ICICI Prudential Infrastructure Fund | 29.40 | 260% | ₹3.60 Lakh |
| 2 | SBI PSU Fund | 29.38 | 259% | ₹3.59 Lakh |
| 3 | Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU Equity Fund | 29.01 | 257% | ₹3.57 Lakh |
| 4 | Quant Small Cap Fund | 28.70 | 255% | ₹3.55 Lakh |
| 5 | ICICI Prudential BHARAT 22 FOF | 28.15 | 248% | ₹3.48 Lakh |
| 6 | Invesco India PSU Equity Fund | 28.01 | 246% | ₹3.46 Lakh |
| 7 | Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund | 27.72 | 243% | ₹3.43 Lakh |
| 8 | HDFC Infrastructure Fund | 26.93 | 237% | ₹3.37 Lakh |
| 9 | ICICI Prudential India Opportunities Fund | 26.81 | 236% | ₹3.36 Lakh |
| 10 | LIC MF Infrastructure Fund | 26.68 | 235% | ₹3.35 Lakh |
Deep Dive into Mutual Funds That Created Massive Wealth in 5 Years
#1 – ICICI Prudential Infrastructure Fund
Fund Objective:
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Invests in infrastructure-related companies across power, capital goods, construction, and logistics sectors.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 24.94%
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5-Year CAGR: 29.40%
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10-Year CAGR: 18.43%
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Absolute Return (5 Years): 260%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.60 Lakh
Who Should Invest:
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Investors bullish on India’s infrastructure growth
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Those with a high-risk appetite and long-term horizon
Risk Factors:
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Sector concentration risk
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Dependency on government capex cycles
This fund is part of 11 Best Mutual Funds to Invest in 2026 as per Perplexity AI.
#2 – SBI PSU Fund
Fund Objective:
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Focuses on public sector undertakings benefiting from reforms and divestment.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 29.19%
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5-Year CAGR: 29.38%
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10-Year CAGR: 15.21%
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Absolute Return (5 Years): 259%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.59 Lakh
Who Should Invest:
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Investors with a high conviction on PSU turnaround
Risk Factors:
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Policy changes
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PSU-specific governance risks
#3 – Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU Equity Fund
Fund Objective:
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Invests predominantly in PSU stocks across energy, banking, and industrial segments.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 27.18%
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5-Year CAGR: 29.01%
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Absolute Return (5 Years): 257%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.57 Lakh
Do you know that this fund is among Top 10 Mutual Funds with Highest 5-Year SIP Returns (Over 30%)?
#4 – Quant Small Cap Fund
Fund Objective:
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Targets high-growth small-cap companies using a dynamic investment strategy.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 20.03%
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5-Year CAGR:: 28.70%
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10-Year CAGR: 19.61%
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Absolute Return (5 Years): 255%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.55 Lakh
#5 – ICICI Prudential BHARAT 22 FOF
Fund Objective:
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Tracks the BHARAT 22 ETF focusing on PSUs and CPSEs.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 26.09%
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5-Year CAGR: 28.15%
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Absolute Return (5 Years): 248%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.48 Lakh
We explored this fund earlier at 13 Best Mutual Funds Rated 5-Star by Value Research (30%+ CAGR in 5 Years).
#6 – Invesco India PSU Equity Fund
Fund Objective:
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The Invesco India PSU Equity Fund aims for long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity and equity-related instruments of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) where the government holds significant ownership or control, focusing on fundamentally strong companies with growth potential, while also allowing flexibility for privatized or divested entities.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 29.99%
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5-Year CAGR: 28.01%
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10-Year CAGR: 18.53%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.46 Lakh
#7 – Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund
Fund objective: The Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund aims for long-term capital appreciation by investing in high-quality, mid-sized Indian companies with strong, long-term competitive advantages and significant growth potential, focusing on sectors poised for growth and utilizing a “Buy Right, Sit Tight” philosophy.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 26.11%
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5-Year CAGR: 27.72%
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10-Year CAGR: 18.69%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.43 Lakh
This is among 5 Mutual Funds with Highest Rolling Returns in last 5 years.
#8 – HDFC Infrastructure Fund
Fund Objective: To seek long-term capital appreciation/income by investing predominantly in equity and equity related securities of companies engaged in or expected to benefit from the growth and development of infrastructure
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 25.54%
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5-Year CAGR: 26.93%
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10-Year CAGR: 12.64%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.37 Lakh
#9 – ICICI Prudential India Opportunities Fund
Fund objective: To generate long-term capital appreciation by investing in opportunities presented by special situations such as corporate restructuring, Government policy and/or regulatory changes, companies going through temporary unique challenges and other similar instances.
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 23.70%
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5-Year CAGR: 26.81%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.36 Lakh
Explore more about this fund at 7 Thematic Mutual Funds with 30%+ CAGR in 5 Years.
#10 – LIC MF Infrastructure Fund
Fund objective: The investment objective of the scheme is to generate long-term growth from a portfolio of equity / equity related instruments of companies engaged either directly or indirectly in the infrastructure sector
Performance Highlights:
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3-Year CAGR: 27.85%
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5-Year CAGR: 26.68%
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10-Year CAGR: 17.45%
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₹1 Lakh investment value in 5 years: ₹3.35 Lakh
Conclusion
The last five years have shown that thematic and sectoral mutual funds, when timed well, can generate exceptional returns. These 10 mutual funds turned ₹1 lakh into ₹3.3–₹3.6 lakh, highlighting the power of staying invested during strong economic cycles.
However, higher returns come with higher volatility. Investors should align investments with their risk appetite and diversify wisely.
