Home > Money > Question
Need Expert Advice?Our Gurus Can Help
Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 30, 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 - Dec 20, 2023Hindi
Listen
Money

Hi I want to invest 50 lakh in MF to get 4 to 5 crore in how many years and where I should invest please advice.

Ans: Investing Rs. 50 lakh in mutual funds with the aim to reach Rs. 4 to 5 crore requires a systematic and disciplined approach over a considerable investment horizon. The time frame for achieving this goal largely depends on factors like the expected rate of return, the type of mutual funds chosen, and market conditions.

To potentially achieve this target, consider investing in a mix of equity mutual funds across various categories such as large-cap, mid-cap, and multi-cap funds, as well as potentially some exposure to small-cap funds for higher growth potential. Historically, equity investments have provided higher returns over the long term compared to debt investments, although they come with higher volatility.

It's important to understand that investing in mutual funds involves market risk, and returns are not guaranteed. Hence, it's crucial to have a long-term investment horizon and stay invested through market ups and downs.

Consulting with a Certified Financial Planner can provide personalized guidance tailored to your specific financial situation, risk tolerance, and investment goals. Together, you can create a customized investment plan to help you work towards your target of reaching Rs. 4 to 5 crore.
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.
Money

You may like to see similar questions and answers below

Hardik

Hardik Parikh  | Answer  |Ask -

Tax, Mutual Fund Expert - Answered on Apr 25, 2023

Listen
Money
Hi, I am 45 years. I can invest 50K per month in MF for 15 years for a good return to secure my life after 60. Please guide. Thank you.
Ans: Hello Wasif,

Thank you for reaching out and considering mutual funds as an investment option for your financial goals. It's great to see that you are planning for your life after 60, and I am here to help you make the right decisions.

Given your age, investment horizon, and the amount you can invest, I would recommend a balanced approach that combines both equity and debt mutual funds. This approach would help you achieve growth while minimizing risk over the long term.

Here's a potential investment plan for you:

Equity Mutual Funds (70% allocation): Since you have a 15-year investment horizon, it would be wise to allocate a significant portion of your investment to equity mutual funds, which have the potential to offer higher returns over the long term. Diversify your equity investments by choosing a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap funds.
Debt Mutual Funds (30% allocation): Allocate the remaining portion to debt mutual funds to provide stability and cushion against market volatility. You can consider investing in corporate bond funds, banking and PSU debt funds, or short-term debt funds based on your risk appetite.
Ensure that you review your portfolio periodically and make adjustments as needed to maintain the desired asset allocation. Keep in mind that investing in mutual funds is subject to market risks, and it's essential to have a long-term perspective and patience to achieve your financial goals.

Additionally, consider consulting a financial advisor to help you select the right funds based on your risk profile and financial objectives. Remember that the key to successful investing is consistency and discipline, so stick to your monthly investment plan without fail.

I hope this helps you make an informed decision. Wishing you all the best in securing a comfortable life after 60!

..Read more

Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on May 27, 2024

Listen
Money
I am 60 now, I have spare 3 lakhs in my hand, I want to invest in MF please advice.
Ans: Investing Rs 3 Lakhs in Mutual Funds at 60: A Detailed Analysis

Understanding Your Financial Goals
At 60, it's important to prioritize safety and stability in investments. Preserving capital while seeking moderate growth is key. Your decision to invest Rs 3 lakhs in mutual funds is a prudent step.

Assessing Risk Tolerance
Risk tolerance generally decreases with age. At this stage, a balanced approach that minimizes risk while offering reasonable returns is advisable. Diversifying your investment can help achieve this balance.

Importance of Asset Allocation
Proper asset allocation is crucial for managing risk and achieving financial goals. Combining equity and debt funds can provide a balanced portfolio. Equity funds offer growth potential, while debt funds provide stability.

Benefits of Actively Managed Funds
Actively managed funds are overseen by professional fund managers. They aim to outperform market indices through strategic investments. This active management can potentially yield higher returns than passive funds.

Drawbacks of Index Funds
Index funds passively track market indices, offering average market returns. They do not seek to outperform the market. Active funds, managed by experts, can adapt to market changes and potentially provide better returns.

Advantages of Regular Funds
Regular funds, managed through a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), offer professional guidance. This helps in making informed investment decisions. Regular funds ensure personalized advice, which is crucial for effective financial planning.

Suitable Mutual Fund Categories
Balanced Funds
Balanced funds invest in both equity and debt instruments. This offers growth potential with reduced risk. These funds are suitable for investors seeking moderate returns with lower volatility.

Debt Funds
Debt funds invest in fixed-income securities, providing stability and regular income. They are less volatile than equity funds, making them suitable for conservative investors. Including debt funds can help in preserving capital.

Monthly Income Plans (MIPs)
Monthly Income Plans aim to provide regular income with some exposure to equity for growth. They are suitable for investors seeking regular returns with moderate risk. MIPs balance income and growth, making them a good option for retirees.

Periodic Review and Rebalancing
Regularly reviewing your investment portfolio is essential. It ensures that your investments align with changing market conditions and personal goals. Rebalancing helps maintain the desired asset allocation.

Considering Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs)
While lump-sum investments are common, SIPs offer benefits like rupee cost averaging. SIPs allow you to invest regularly, reducing the impact of market volatility. They provide a disciplined approach to investing.

Benefits of Professional Guidance
Working with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) ensures expert advice tailored to your needs. A CFP can help in selecting the right funds and creating a comprehensive financial plan. This professional guidance is invaluable in achieving your financial goals.

Evaluating Tax Implications
Understanding tax implications is crucial for maximizing returns. Certain funds offer tax benefits, which can enhance post-tax returns. Consulting a tax expert or CFP can help in optimizing your investment strategy.

Emergency Fund Consideration
Before investing, ensure you have an adequate emergency fund. This fund should cover at least six months of living expenses. It ensures financial security and prevents the need to liquidate investments prematurely.

Conclusion
Your decision to invest Rs 3 lakhs in mutual funds at 60 is wise. A balanced approach with a mix of equity and debt funds is recommended. Periodic reviews and professional guidance will help achieve your financial goals effectively.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Latest Questions
Nayagam P

Nayagam P P  |10854 Answers  |Ask -

Career Counsellor - Answered on Dec 14, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025Hindi
Career
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!

Follow RediffGURUS to Know More on 'Careers | Money | Health | Relationships'.

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1840 Answers  |Ask -

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

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 12, 2025
Career
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

...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.

Close  

You haven't logged in yet. To ask a question, Please Log in below
Login

A verification OTP will be sent to this
Mobile Number / Email

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to

Resend OTP in120seconds

Dear User, You have not registered yet. Please register by filling the fields below to get expert answers from our Gurus
Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our
Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

Enter OTP
A 6 digit code has been sent to Mobile

Resend OTP in120seconds

x