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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 20, 2024

Ramalingam Kalirajan has over 23 years of experience in mutual funds and financial planning.
He has an MBA in finance from the University of Madras and is a certified financial planner.
He is the director and chief financial planner at Holistic Investment, a Chennai-based firm that offers financial planning and wealth management advice.... more
Asked by Anonymous - May 14, 2024Hindi
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Hi I am 28 yrs and investing in ppf 150000, nps 150000, lic jeevan anand 53000 per annum. In addition to i have hdfc bal. Adv. Fund Rs. 800000, sundaram aggressive hybrid fund 200000 and a sip of Rs. 5000/-. Should I increase my SIP or should I increase my annual NPS?

Ans: Analyzing Your Current Investments and Future Strategy
Overview of Your Investments
Your disciplined approach to investing at the age of 28 is impressive. Your current investments include:

Public Provident Fund (PPF): ?1,50,000 per annum
National Pension System (NPS): ?1,50,000 per annum
LIC Jeevan Anand: ?53,000 per annum
HDFC Balanced Advantage Fund: ?8,00,000 (lump sum)
Sundaram Aggressive Hybrid Fund: ?2,00,000 (lump sum)
SIP: ?5,000 per month
Compliments on Your Financial Discipline
Your commitment to a mix of retirement savings, insurance, and mutual funds shows strong financial planning. Investing early will help you build a significant corpus over time.

Evaluating Your Current Portfolio
PPF:

PPF is a safe and tax-efficient investment with guaranteed returns.
It offers good long-term returns but lacks liquidity.
NPS:

NPS provides market-linked returns and additional tax benefits.
It is an excellent choice for retirement planning with a mix of equity and debt exposure.
LIC Jeevan Anand:

This policy offers insurance coverage and savings benefits.
However, returns are generally lower compared to other investment options.
HDFC Balanced Advantage Fund:

Balanced Advantage Funds dynamically allocate between equity and debt.
They provide balanced risk and return, suitable for medium to long-term goals.
Sundaram Aggressive Hybrid Fund:

Aggressive hybrid funds invest predominantly in equity and the rest in debt.
They offer higher returns with moderate risk.
SIP of ?5,000:

Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) in mutual funds are great for rupee cost averaging.
Regular investments help in building wealth over time.
Recommendations for Enhancing Your Portfolio
Increase SIP Investments:

SIPs offer the benefit of regular investing and compounding.
Increasing your SIP amount can significantly boost your long-term corpus.
Consider increasing your SIP by ?5,000 or more if your financial situation allows.
NPS Contributions:

Increasing NPS contributions enhances your retirement corpus with tax benefits.
However, it has limited liquidity and is locked until retirement.
Balanced Allocation:

Ensure a balanced allocation between equity and debt to manage risk.
Higher equity exposure is suitable given your young age and long investment horizon.
Review Insurance Policies:

Evaluate if your LIC Jeevan Anand policy meets your insurance needs.
Consider term insurance for higher coverage at lower costs, and invest the savings in higher return instruments.
Diversification:

Diversify your mutual fund investments across different fund categories.
Consider adding large-cap and mid-cap funds to spread risk and capture growth.
Regular Portfolio Review:

Periodically review and rebalance your portfolio based on market conditions and goals.
This ensures your investments remain aligned with your financial objectives.
Action Plan
Increase SIP Amount:

Boost your SIP in mutual funds to enhance long-term growth.
Start with an additional ?5,000 per month and increase gradually as your income grows.
Maintain NPS Contributions:

Continue with current NPS contributions for retirement planning.
Consider increasing contributions annually if you can afford it.
Review LIC Policy:

Assess the returns and benefits of your LIC policy.
If it’s not meeting your needs, consider switching to term insurance and reinvesting the difference.
Diversify Mutual Funds:

Add funds with different risk profiles to your portfolio.
This can help balance risk and reward.
Conclusion
You have a strong foundation with diversified investments and disciplined savings. Increasing your SIPs, balancing your portfolio, and regularly reviewing your investments will help you achieve your financial goals. Your proactive approach at a young age will ensure significant wealth creation over time.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in
DISCLAIMER: The content of this post by the expert is the personal view of the rediffGURU. Users are advised to pursue the information provided by the rediffGURU only as a source of information to be as a point of reference and to rely on their own judgement when making a decision.
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Hello Hardik, Iam 40 Years and have started investing in SIP for the past 6 months.Below are my monthly investment 1. Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Regular Growth - 3500 2. Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund Growth - 3000 3. HDFC Retirement Savings Fund Equity Growth - 3000 4. NPS - 3500 I am planning for 18 Years of investment and aiming to slowly increase the SIP to achieve corpus of 2.5-3.0 Cr. Kindly review and advice. Regards, Ram
Ans: Hi Ram,

It's great to see that you've started investing systematically towards your long-term financial goals. Here's a review of your current SIP investments:

Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Regular Growth: This fund follows a diversified approach across various market caps and geographical regions, which can provide stability to your portfolio. It's suitable for long-term wealth creation.
Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund Growth: Small-cap funds can be volatile in the short term but have the potential to offer high returns over the long term. Ensure you're comfortable with the risk associated with small-cap investments.
HDFC Retirement Savings Fund Equity Growth: This fund is designed to provide wealth accumulation for retirement. It's aligned with your long-term investment horizon and retirement goal.
NPS: The National Pension System (NPS) is a retirement-focused investment option offering tax benefits. It's prudent to contribute to NPS alongside other investments for retirement planning.
To achieve your target corpus of 2.5-3.0 Cr over 18 years, consider periodically reviewing your SIP contributions and adjusting them based on changes in your income, expenses, and market conditions. Additionally, diversify across asset classes to manage risk effectively.

As your financial goals evolve, consider consulting with a Certified Financial Planner to ensure your investment strategy remains aligned with your objectives.

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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 02, 2024

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 25, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - May 24, 2024Hindi
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Hi I am 25 year old and have started investing in SIPs for the first time since last hear. I do 1. HDFC Index Fund Nifty 50 -5,500 2. MIRAE Asset Midcap fund - 3500 3. Axis small cap - 2500 4. JM Flexicap - (one time investment) - 20,000 5. Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU equity - (one time) - 6000 6. Quant Mid cap - 3,500 7. Quant Infrastructure- 1,000 8. ICICI Prudential retirement - 1000 9. QUANT ELSS - 1,000 10. Parag Pareikh - 1000 11. Nippon India - 1000 12. SBI PSU - 1000 Overall my monthly SIP goes around 25,000-30,000 and my plan is to retire at the age of 50 with 5 Crore. XIRR - 27.33% Please suggest if i need to make any changes
Ans: It's impressive to see a 25-year-old like you investing diligently in SIPs. Your commitment to securing your financial future early is commendable. Let's evaluate your portfolio and see if any changes are necessary to help you achieve your goal of Rs 5 crore by the age of 50.

Diversification and Allocation
You have a diverse portfolio with investments across different categories:

Large-cap Index Fund

Mid-cap Funds

Small-cap Fund

Flexi-cap Fund

Sector Funds (PSU, Infrastructure)

Retirement Fund

ELSS Fund

This diversification helps spread risk and capture growth from various market segments.

Disadvantages of Index Funds
Index funds, like your HDFC Index Fund Nifty 50, track the market and offer average returns. They cannot outperform the market. Actively managed funds, managed by experts, aim to beat the market, offering potential for higher returns. Given your long investment horizon, actively managed funds could be more beneficial.

Benefits of Actively Managed Funds
Actively managed funds are overseen by professional managers who make strategic decisions to outperform the market. These funds can provide better returns, especially in volatile markets. With the right selection, actively managed funds can significantly enhance your portfolio's performance.

Disadvantages of Direct Funds
Direct funds have lower costs but lack professional guidance. Investing through a Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD) with a CFP credential ensures you receive expert advice. This professional support helps in making informed decisions and aligning investments with your financial goals.

Assessing Your Sector Funds
Your investments in sector funds like Quant Infrastructure and SBI PSU can offer high returns but also come with high risk. Sector funds are dependent on the performance of specific sectors. Diversifying too much into sector funds can increase risk. Consider limiting exposure to sector funds to balance your portfolio.

Importance of Reviewing Portfolio
Regularly reviewing your portfolio is essential to ensure it aligns with your financial goals. Market conditions and personal circumstances change over time. A periodic review helps in rebalancing your portfolio and maintaining the desired risk-return profile.

Evaluating Long-Term Goals
Your goal of Rs 5 crore by the age of 50 is ambitious but achievable with a disciplined approach. Considering the power of compounding and historical market returns, maintaining a consistent investment strategy will be key to reaching your target.

Projecting Future Returns
While exact future returns are unpredictable, a diversified portfolio with a mix of actively managed funds and strategic investments can provide good growth. Historically, equity mutual funds have delivered around 12-15% annual returns. Adjusting your portfolio to optimize for this growth can help achieve your long-term goal.

Suggestions for Improvement
Increase Allocation to Actively Managed Funds: Shift some investments from index funds to actively managed funds to potentially achieve higher returns.

Reduce Sector Fund Exposure: Limit investments in sector-specific funds to manage risk better.

Regular Reviews and Rebalancing: Periodically review and rebalance your portfolio to ensure it remains aligned with your goals and market conditions.

Conclusion
Your current investment strategy is strong and diversified, setting a solid foundation for future growth. With some adjustments to focus more on actively managed funds and regular portfolio reviews, you can enhance your chances of achieving your Rs 5 crore goal by the age of 50. Consulting with a Certified Financial Planner can provide tailored advice to optimize your investment strategy.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

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Naveenn

Naveenn Kummar  |235 Answers  |Ask -

Financial Planner, MF, Insurance Expert - Answered on Sep 15, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Sep 08, 2025Hindi
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I have monthly SIPs in following funds and investing since 2019 with increasing in SIP amount and presently SIPs are as under. SBI Small Cap: 8000 (XIRR: 20.12%). SBI Focussed Equity: 5000 ( XIRR: 17.36). SBI Large and Mid Cap: 3000 (XIRR: 17.45) SBI Contra Fund: 4000 (XIRR: 20.46) SBI ELSS Tax saver: 3000 ( XIRR: 20.50) ICICI Large Cap: 3000 ( XIRR: 19.34) Parag Parikh Flexi: 3000 ( XIRR: 18.56) Motilal Oswal Mid Cap: 3000 ( XIRR: 21.20) I am getting good returns from these funds. When I am having some additional funds I also do lumpsum. Total Present Corpus: 55 lacs. I want to continue the SIPs for next 10 years. Please inform if I should continue SIPs in these funds or should change some funds. My Average NAVs in all these funds is almost half of present NAV and I think it is helping me accumulating good wealth.
Ans: Dear sir ,
Your MF journey is already on a strong track. You started in 2019, stayed disciplined, and today you sit on ?55 lakh corpus with XIRRs in the range of 17–21% — far ahead of index average. This shows your strategy is working.

But here’s the deeper truth:

Too many funds from one AMC (SBI). It creates stock overlap. Diversify across fund houses.

Too many categories (contra, focused, mid, small, ELSS, flexi). This looks good when market is rising, but in a fall, the downside will be heavy. Better to consolidate into 5–6 high-quality funds.

Your average NAVs are half of current NAVs — that is the power of staying invested long-term. Don’t break the compounding machine.

My Straight Suggestion:

Keep SBI Small Cap, ICICI Large Cap, PPFAS Flexi, Motilal Mid Cap.

Keep one tax saver ELSS.

Choose either Contra OR Focused, not both.

Slowly, after corpus crosses ?1 Cr, shift 10–15% into debt/hybrid for safety.
If you continue ?32k SIP for next 10 years, you are staring at ?1.2–1.5 Cr corpus depending on markets. That’s wealth creation.

Rule: Don’t run after new funds, don’t panic in corrections. Let compounding do its job.

Best regards,
Naveenn Kummar, BE, MBA, QPFP
Chief Financial Planner | AMFI Registered MFD
https://members.networkfp.com/member/naveenkumarreddy-vadula-chennai

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Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
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Hello, I am currently in Class 12 and preparing for JEE. I have not yet completed even 50% of the syllabus properly, but I aim to score around '110' marks. Could you suggest an effective strategy to achieve this? I know the target is relatively low, but I have category reservation, so it should be sufficient.
Ans: With category reservation (SC/ST/OBC), a score of 110 marks is absolutely achievable and realistic. Based on 2025 data, SC candidates qualified with approximately 60-65 percentile, and ST candidates with 45-55 percentile. Your target requires scoring just 37-40% marks, which is significantly lower than general category standards. This gives you a genuine advantage. Immediate Action Plan (December 2025 - January 2026): 4-5 Weeks. Week 1-2: High-Weightage Chapter Focus. Stop trying to complete the entire syllabus. Instead, focus exclusively on high-scoring chapters that carry maximum weightage: Physics (Modern Physics, Current Electricity, Work-Power-Energy, Rotation, Magnetism), Chemistry (Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics, Coordination Compounds, Electrochemistry), and Maths (Integration, Differentiation, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability). These chapters alone can yield 80-100+ marks if practiced properly. Ignore topics you haven't studied yet. Week 2-3: Previous Year Questions (PYQs). Solve JEE Main PYQs from the last 10 years (2015-2025) for chapters you're studying. PYQs reveal question patterns and difficulty levels. Focus on understanding why answers are correct, not memorizing solutions. Week 3-4: Mock Tests & Error Analysis. Take 2-3 full-length mock tests weekly under timed conditions. This is crucial because mock tests build exam confidence, reveal time management weaknesses, and error analysis prevents repeated mistakes. Maintain an error notebook documenting every mistake—this becomes your revision guide. Week 4-5: Revision & Formula Consolidation. Create concise formula sheets for each subject. Spend 30 minutes daily reviewing formulas and key concepts. Avoid learning new topics entirely at this stage. Study Schedule (Daily): 7-8 Hours. Morning (5:00-7:30 AM): Physics concepts + 30 PYQs. Break (7:30-8:30 AM): Breakfast & rest. Mid-morning (8:30-11:00): Chemistry concepts + 20 PYQs. Lunch (11:00-1:00 PM): Full break. Afternoon (1:00-3:30 PM): Maths concepts + 30 PYQs. Evening (3:30-5:00 PM): Mock test or error review. Night (7:00-9:00 PM): Formula revision & weak area focus. Strategic Approach for 110 Marks: Attempt only confident questions and avoid negative marking by skipping difficult questions. Do easy questions first—in the exam, attempt all basic-level questions before attempting medium or hard ones. Focus on quality over quantity as 30 well-practiced questions beat 100 random questions. Master NCERT concepts as most JEE questions test NCERT concepts applied smartly. April 2026 Session Advantage. If January doesn't deliver desired results, April gives you a second chance with 3+ months to prepare. Use January as a practice attempt to identify weak areas, then focus intensively on those in February-March. Realistic Timeline: January 2026 target is 95-110 marks (achievable with focused 50% syllabus), while April 2026 target is 120-130 marks (with complete syllabus + experience). Your reservation benefit means you need only approximately 90-105 marks to qualify and secure admission to quality engineering colleges. Stop comparing yourself to general category cutoffs. Most Importantly: Consistency beats perfection. Study 6 focused hours daily rather than 12 distracted hours. Your 110-mark target is realistic—execute this plan with discipline. All the BEST for Your JEE 2026!

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Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Dec 13, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
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Dear Sir/Madam, I am currently a 1st year UG student studying engineering in Sairam Engineering College, But there the lack of exposure and strict academics feels so rigid and I don't like it that. It's like they don't gaf about skills but just wants us to memorize things and score a good CGPA, the only skill they want is you to memorize things and pass, there's even special class for students who don't perform well in academics and it is compulsory for them to attend or else the student and his/her parents needs to face authorities who lashes out. My question is when did engineering became something that requires good academics instead of actual learning and skill set. In sairam they provides us a coding platform in which we need to gain the required points for each semester which is ridiculous cuz most of the students here just look at the solution to code instead of actual debugging. I am passionate about engineering so I want to learn and experiment things instead of just memorizing, so I actually consider dropping out and I want to give jee a try and maybe viteee , srmjeee But i heard some people say SRM may provide exposure but not that good in placements. I may not be excellent at studies but my marks are decent. So gimme some insights about SRM and recommend me other colleges/universities which are good at exposure
Ans: First — your frustration is valid

What you are experiencing at Sairam is not engineering, it is rote-based credential production.

“When did engineering become memorizing instead of learning?”

Sadly, this shift happened decades ago in most Tier-3 private colleges in India.

About “coding platforms & points” – your observation is sharp

You are absolutely right:

Mandatory coding points → students copy solutions

Copying ≠ learning

Debugging & thinking are missing

This is pseudo-skill education — it looks modern but produces shallow engineers.

The fact that you noticed this in 1st year already puts you ahead of 80% students.

Should you DROP OUT and prepare for JEE / VITEEE / SRMJEEE?

Although VIT/SRM is better than Sairam Engineering College, but you may face the same problem. You will not face this type of problem only in some top IITs, but getting seat in those IITs will be difficult.
Instead of dropping immediately, consider:

???? Strategy:

Stay enrolled (degree security)

Reduce emotional investment in college rules

Use:

GitHub

Open-source projects

Hackathons

Internships (remote)

Hardware / software self-projects

This way:

College = formality

Learning = self-driven

Risk = minimal

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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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