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Ashwini

Ashwini Dasgupta  | Answer  |Ask -

Personality Development Expert, Career Coach - Answered on May 01, 2024

Ashwini Dasgupta is a personality development coach and a neuro-linguistic programming trainer.
She has 15 years of experience training corporate professionals and has worked at Amazon, JP Morgan, Nomura and Satyam among others.
As a career coach, Ashwini specialises in helping growth-minded IT corporate managers develop their self-worth and create the right mindset so that they can achieve their career goals.
Besides corporate training, she offers personal consultations as well.
Ashwini holds a master’s degree in human resources from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, and is a certified NLP trainer from the National Federation of NeuroLinguistic Programming, USA.
She has completed her soft skills training and image consultancy course from the Image Consulting Business Institute, Mumbai
Ashwini is also a PoSH trainer, certified by the Society for Human Resource Management.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Apr 19, 2024Hindi
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Career

I am working for more than 12 years and does not have a clarity on my experience. I have been into multiple LOB due to financial concerns and there was no one to provide guidance about the career path and career growth. I have been rejected by employers due to age factor and want to pursue a career in AML/KYC/Compliance. People often talk about the difficulty in clearing certification courses which makes me feel deflated and feel like I cannot proceed ahead. Please guide how I can avoid all and have a fruitful career

Ans: Dear Sir/ Madam,

Please look into the following aspects

Clarify Your Goals- take some time to understand what is your interest. Identify your strengths, interests and now consider them aligning it with AML/ KYS / Compliance or any other. Have focus. It's good to hear other's opinions at the end you have to deep dive and see what you want to do.

Look for a mentor or guidance in the area of your interest. For example if you are keen to pursue AML/ KYC and Compliance then look for someone from the same industry who can guide you better and what steps you need to take to prepare yourself to get the success and clear the exams.

Secondly age is something we can not anything about instead focus on the skills you bring on the table.

Increase your networking and connections this should help you land where to aim to.

Mostly important be positive and focussed. People are going to speak out their opinions the only thing you can do is make a choice and stick to that.

Hope this helps

Thanks and Regards
Ashwini Dasgupta
Author of Confidence Decoded - Is it a Skill or Attitude?
Career

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Asked by Anonymous - Jan 06, 2026Hindi
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I am ready to stand against my parents for the boy I love, but he isn’t willing to stand up to his family. We are both Hindus but our customs, language and rituals are very different from each other. Since the time we started dating, I have tried to give up on my choices for the sake of our happiness. He proposed to me last year after dating for 12 years. I said yes. Now he wants me to convince his parents. He is 29, the eldest son of the family but he feels his parents will not agree for our marriage. His entire family is against us. His mother won't even look at me, forget sit down and talk. I told him we'll have a court marriage and live separate but he wants me to convince his family. If he doesn't take responsibility now, how can I expect him to stand up for me in the future?
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
Are you serious? He happily got into a relationship with you BUT now wants to hide when it's time to talk to his parents.
He's 29 and as a mature adult you must learn to understand that until marriage it's his responsibility to not just talk to his parents but also find a way to make you and his parents meet.
Instead, he chooses to hide or he's scared? Do push him gently into his responsibilities and if you catch him delaying talking to his parents, then understand that he has a personality that avoids conflicts especially with his parents. Do imagine what it can be for you once you are married into that house.
Have an honest chat with him; love is not always roses and candles...straight and honest talk is always better before taking that big step.

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Financial Planner, MF and Insurance Expert - Answered on Feb 03, 2026

Money
sir, I am 28 year old Engineer working in IT field for 6 years. Recently married and my wife is also working in a IT Company. I have started investment in MF since my first salary and at present total the corpus is 15 L and my present SIP amount is 60K. In addition I am having 6L in PPF, 8L in Bank FD, 15L PLI and 5L Health Policy. My parents are well settled. My portfolio is as given below. 1. ICICI Prud. NASDAQ - 3K 2. Parag Parikh Flexi Cap - 10K 3. Quant ELSS - 7K 4. HDFC Retirement Saving - 10K 5. Kotak Mid Cap - 6K 6. SBI Focused Equity - 8K 7. Bandhan Small Cap - 8K 8. Nippon India Multi Asset - 8K My investment time horizon is 20+ years. Please review and suggest changes required if any. With Thanks & Regards, S. Salvankar
Ans: Hi Sarvothama,

You are doing great with your iverall investments at such age. Early investment really helps you in the long run. Let us analyse everything in detail:
1. Make sure to have ample emrgency fund in FD or liquid funds.
2. You should have proper term insurance and health insurance for yourself and family. As your spouse is working, she should also have an independent term insurance.
3. 8 lakhs in FD - can be treated as your emergency fund.
4. 6 lakhs in PPF - not recommended as a=you must have your EPF being an IT Professional. PPF is just like EPF, hence make minimum contributions to keep the account active and close it when 15 years tenure is over.
5. Health policy - 5 lakhs >> insufficient keeping in mind rising medical costs. Increase it to a minimum of 25 lakhs family floater for yourself and spouse.
6. 15 lakhs PLI - continue.
7. 15 lakhs + 60k monthly SIP in mutual funds. Very good and you should continue. However, the funds chosen are not exactly great. Entire allocation needs a proper plan in alignment to your profile and long term goal. It is better to work with a professional to choose better funds for your 20+ years goal.
I will not recommend continuing your SIPs in - Quant ELSS, HDFC Retirement Savings, Nippon multi asset and Focused Equity fund.

Hence overall reallocation and distribution in required here.
Do consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

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Reetika

Reetika Sharma  |524 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF and Insurance Expert - Answered on Feb 03, 2026

Money
Sir, I am a 44 years old male and have made following investments in Mutual Funds, which are as follows, please let me know if it is good to go: DSP India T.I.G.E.R. (The Infrastructure Growth and Economic Reforms Fund) Direct Growth (Rs. 1,000) Nippon India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth (Rs. 1,500) Axis Silver FoF Direct Growth (Rs. 1,000) LIC MF Gold ETF FoF Direct Growth (Rs. 1,000) Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund Direct Growth (Rs. 1,000) Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct Growth (Rs. 500) SBI PSU Direct Plan Growth (lumpsum - Rs. 7,000) Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU Equity Fund Direct Growth (lumpsum - Rs. 6,000) I urge you to review my above portfolio as a whole and thereafter appropriately guide me whether I need to switch any of the above SIPs or stay invested as it is, particularly I am more worried about ‘Nippon India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth’ (keeping in consideration that my SIP becomes more than 1.5 years old with this Fund), it has generated negative returns more often, which now becomes my cause of concern, as a result sometimes I felt that I had invested in a wrong fund. My intent for the above investment is to create sufficient wealth, till the time of my retirement. Now, I seek your valuable guidance over the above, enabling me to reach to a decision. Thanks & regards, Ashish
Ans: Hi Ashish,

You have long 16 years till your retirement and proper guided investment can do wonders with your monthly SIPs.
Your concern regarding Nippon Small Cap fund is genuine but this is exactly how markets work. One cannot expect their money to double in an overnight. It needs patience and proper plan to generate even bare minimum of 12% annual return.

I see all the funds you invest in are direct funds. while direct funds are more preferred as they have lower expense ratio of about 0.5%, regular funds are better as they come with proper plan and guidance throughout.
Generating 2-4% returns in these types of direct funds v/s getting 12% return in regular funds - there is always an option.

However, continue with Nippon small cap, Parag Parikh Flexicap, and Motilal Oswal Midcap fund. Stop SIPs in other funds and work with a proper advisor to redirect these funds into better new funds.

Hence do consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

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Dear Sir, I'm 54 year old and My sons are 23 and 21 years old. I would like to know, in SBI Life Policies / any other brand of Life Policies, Term Insurance and Health Insurance. At present, specifically what are the best beneficial wealth policies, Term Insurance and Health Insurance Vs PPF, Vs MF, vs. NPS v FD vs Trading in the Share Market including ETFs, as well as with Sudden Death Protection, which suits for me and my both son's age and all of three income source, such as a salary of 6-8L /Annum. Pls.elaborate all these request with PROS and CONS on each segment for three of us including Retirement plan and policies/investments. .Thanks, from Chennai (1st Feb 2026)
Ans: Hi,

I understand that 3 of you come under salary bracket of 6 to 8 lakhs. And you want to know products suitable for you and both sons. Let us discuss pros and cons of each below along with other major necessities you should have:

- As a family, have a dedicated emergency fund of 6 months worth expenses in FD. If your monthly expense is 50k, have 3 lakhs FD and if monthly expense is 1 lakh, habe 6 lakhs worth FD. This fund will safeguard your expenses in case of any uncertain situation.
- As earning members, all of you should have a pure term cover of 1 crore each. Make sure to take proper term insurance and do not mix with any other rider / policy.
- Proper health insurance for family. Avoid mixing it with wealth policies and other policies. Buy proper health insurance for whole family. Can go for HDFC Ergo as it has the highest claim settlement ratio. Avoid going for cheaper premium policies.

Now, when these 3 requirements are done, start investing the surplus to meet your financial goals. Firstly, list all financial goals and invest.
- SBI Life policies - not recommended. Go for proper Term Insurance of Max Life or HDFC Life.
- Wealth Policies - not recommended as these come with high commission end products. It is always better to keep insurance and investment separate. One shall not expect insurance premiums as investment, insurance is always a cover against unforeseen risk and it should be kept like that.
Hence, do not mix your insurance with investment. Avoid all wealth policies and ULIPs and LIC policies.

For investment, choose the following:
- PPF - not recommended if you have an ongoing EPF.
- NPS - not for your sons as the amounts will be locked till 60 years.
- MF - recommended for all. you can choose from a variety of equity and debt instruments wrt your goals and risk capacity. It will generate upto 15% annual returns to meet your financial goals. Funds in MF is not locked and flexible.
- FD - use it only for emergency fund.
- Share market - not recommended. The way you will not google and cure yourself for an illness, same way you cannot google and invest. Take proper help.

You should work with an advisor who will understand your risk appetite and make an investment plan for your family.
Hence do consult a professional Certified Financial Planner - a CFP who can guide you with exact funds to invest in keeping in mind your age, requirements, financial goals and risk profile. A CFP periodically reviews your portfolio and suggest any amendments to be made, if required.

Let me know if you need more help.

Best Regards,
Reetika Sharma, Certified Financial Planner
https://www.instagram.com/cfpreetika/

...Read more

DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related document carefully before investing. The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information and as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision. RediffGURUS is an intermediary as per India's Information Technology Act.

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