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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

Mutual Funds, Financial Planning Expert - Answered on Apr 10, 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
Vivek Question by Vivek on Dec 28, 2023Hindi
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Hi I am investing with horizon of 15 years in below funds since last 2 years. 2500 rs each current sip total 17500 pm. Plan to increase 10% each year. My age is 47. Corpus required --1cr Hdfc flexicap fund growth Sbi focused equity fund regular Sbi large & midcap fund regular Canara robeco bluechip equity Kotak emerging equity fund Nippon India small cap fund Sbi equity hybrid fund

Ans: It appears you have a well-diversified portfolio with exposure to different market segments. Given your investment horizon and goal, it's crucial to maintain discipline and continue increasing your SIP contributions annually. However, periodically review your portfolio's performance and ensure it remains aligned with your risk tolerance and financial objectives. Consider consulting with a financial advisor to optimize your asset allocation and make any necessary adjustments to achieve your target corpus of 1 crore over the next 15 years.
Asked on - Apr 12, 2024 | Answered on Apr 13, 2024
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Thanks for the advise.
Ans: Welcome :)
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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Ramalingam

Ramalingam Kalirajan  |10881 Answers  |Ask -

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

Money
Hello Sir I have SIP in follwing funds( all are direct fund) 1. HDFC Large and Mid Cap fund 4000 2. UTI fifty Nifty 50 index 4000 3. Motial Oswal midcap 3000 4. Quant Mid cap 3000 5. Nippon India small cap 5000 6. HDFC flexi cap 3000 7. Parag parik flexi cap 3000 8. HDFC balanced advantage fund 3000 9. ICICI prudential multi asseet 3000 10. Mirae asset large and mid cap 1500 Kindky review my portfolio i want to stay invested for next 12 years and build corpuse of 1 Crore
Ans: You have a well-diversified SIP portfolio with exposure to large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, and multi-cap funds. Your goal of building a Rs 1 crore corpus in 12 years is achievable with a disciplined approach. Let’s go through each aspect of your portfolio, identify areas for improvement, and suggest ways to optimize it.

Portfolio Diversification

Your portfolio is diversified across different fund categories. This reduces risk and enhances the potential for growth. Diversification is crucial because it spreads your investments across various segments of the market. This approach helps balance the volatility in the equity market.

However, there’s a slight overlap between some of your funds. For instance, having multiple mid-cap and flexi-cap funds may lead to duplication. While diversification is good, too much overlap can dilute the effectiveness of your investments. It’s better to streamline your portfolio by reducing redundancy.

Review of Direct Funds

You have chosen direct funds, which offer lower expense ratios compared to regular funds. This is cost-effective, but it comes with the responsibility of monitoring and managing your investments on your own. While this saves costs, direct funds may not always be the best choice for everyone.

Investing through a Mutual Fund Distributor (MFD) who is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) has its advantages. A CFP can provide personalized advice, regular portfolio reviews, and strategic rebalancing. This ensures your investments align with your financial goals. Additionally, regular funds provide access to expert guidance, which can enhance your portfolio's performance over the long term.

Active vs. Passive Investing

You have included an index fund in your portfolio. While index funds offer low-cost exposure to the market, they merely track an index and do not seek to outperform it. This can be a limitation when markets are volatile or when specific sectors outperform others.

Actively managed funds, on the other hand, have fund managers who aim to beat the market by selecting high-performing stocks. This approach can potentially yield higher returns. Given your long-term horizon, focusing on actively managed funds might be more beneficial. They can provide better returns by leveraging the expertise of seasoned fund managers.

Fund Allocation and Investment Strategy

Your portfolio includes a mix of large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap, flexi-cap, balanced advantage, and multi-asset funds. Let’s assess each category:

Large-Cap Funds: These funds provide stability and steady growth. They are less volatile compared to mid-cap and small-cap funds. Keeping a reasonable allocation in large-cap funds is wise, as they form the core of your portfolio.

Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Funds: These funds offer higher growth potential but come with increased volatility. While you have exposure to both, consider consolidating into fewer funds. This will reduce overlap and enhance the effectiveness of your investments.

Flexi-Cap Funds: These funds offer flexibility by investing across market capitalizations. They can adjust their allocations based on market conditions. Having one or two well-performing flexi-cap funds is sufficient.

Balanced Advantage Funds: These funds provide a balance between equity and debt. They are suitable for investors seeking moderate risk and returns. Continue with these for portfolio stability.

Multi-Asset Funds: These funds diversify across asset classes like equity, debt, and gold. They provide a hedge against market volatility. Keep a portion of your investment here to reduce risk during market downturns.

Streamlining Your Portfolio

To optimize your portfolio, consider the following steps:

Reduce Overlap: Consolidate your investments in mid-cap and small-cap funds. Instead of spreading your investments thinly across multiple funds, focus on a few that have consistently performed well. This will help you concentrate your capital in funds that are likely to generate better returns.

Focus on Performance: While selecting funds, look for consistent performance over the long term. Evaluate the fund’s track record, the expertise of the fund manager, and the investment strategy. Choose funds that align with your risk tolerance and financial goals.

Increase Allocation to High Growth Funds: Given your 12-year investment horizon, consider increasing your allocation to high-growth funds. This includes mid-cap, small-cap, and flexi-cap funds that have the potential to outperform over time. However, ensure you are comfortable with the higher risk associated with these funds.

Periodic Review and Rebalancing: Regularly review your portfolio to assess its performance and make adjustments as needed. Market conditions change, and so should your portfolio. Rebalancing ensures that your portfolio stays aligned with your goals and risk appetite.

Building the Rs 1 Crore Corpus

To achieve a corpus of Rs 1 crore in 12 years, you need to maintain a disciplined investment approach. Here’s a strategic plan:

Increase SIP Amounts Gradually: As your income grows, consider increasing your SIP amounts. Even a small increase in SIPs can significantly impact your corpus over time. This strategy leverages the power of compounding and helps you stay on track to meet your Rs 1 crore target.

Stay Invested During Market Volatility: Markets will have ups and downs. It’s important to stay invested during these times. Exiting during downturns can result in missed opportunities for growth when markets recover. Patience and discipline are key to achieving long-term financial goals.

Focus on Long-Term Growth: Avoid the temptation to chase short-term gains. Stick to your long-term investment strategy. Over time, equities have the potential to outperform other asset classes. By staying invested, you allow your investments to grow and compound.

Risk Management and Asset Allocation

Managing risk is crucial as you build your corpus. Here’s how to approach it:

Diversify Across Asset Classes: While equity should form the core of your portfolio, consider diversifying into debt and gold. This reduces the overall risk of your portfolio. Allocate a portion to safer assets like debt funds, which provide stability during market downturns.

Emergency Fund: Ensure you have an emergency fund in place. This should cover at least 6 months of living expenses. It acts as a financial safety net and prevents you from liquidating your investments during emergencies.

Insurance Coverage: Adequate insurance coverage is essential. Review your life and health insurance policies to ensure they are sufficient. This protects your family’s financial future and ensures that your savings are not eroded by unforeseen events.

Final Insights

Your portfolio is on the right track, but there is room for improvement. By streamlining your investments, focusing on high-performing funds, and maintaining a disciplined investment approach, you can achieve your Rs 1 crore goal in 12 years. Remember, the key to successful investing is consistency, patience, and regular portfolio reviews.

Stay focused on your long-term goals, and with the right strategy, you will be well on your way to building the wealth you desire.

Best Regards,

K. Ramalingam, MBA, CFP,

Chief Financial Planner,

www.holisticinvestment.in

..Read more

Latest Questions
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

Kanchan

Kanchan Rai  |646 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Dec 12, 2025

Asked by Anonymous - Dec 07, 2025Hindi
Relationship
Dear Madam, I was a bright student during my school days and my plan was to become a civil servant but that did not succeed even after several attempts. With the advise of my brother i went ahead and pursued Masters at a normal university in Sydney. I did internship and continued staying with my job though it wasn't my field of study. After that what came as a shock was my brother's divorce. We don't know what is the actual issue till date but I tried a lot to fix the gap by talking to his ex-wife but they were very orthodox. I couldn't see my brother suffer because he had planned and arranged so much for her. I had no choice then so i try to harm his ex-wife by spoiling her reputation thinking she will come back for him. In the mean time i got married to a girl who was her relative too thinking my wife can help us in some case but she turned out to be completely in the opposite direction. She was probably convinced by my brother's ex-wife or their relatives that she is not coming back. Even then my brother tried to go meet his ex-wife through many channels. My wife did not help him at all in any aspect. Finally the divorced happened and everything ended. Now we have sought several proposals but nothing seem to be a good fit for him. Most of the girls whom we met on matrimonial sites are fake profiles with something hidden or falsely represented. I would say my brother escaped all this. But we are worried about his life now as he is already in his 40's and he seem to be struggling for a good job and finance. He is very picky probably but doesn't talk much to all of us. Sometimes he even says the game is over so no point looking at a second marriage. My wife and he fought once when he visited us because she didn't want him in our house and she created a fight putting me in the front. After that he stopped coming to our house or see us or talk to us. Things even gets worse sometimes when her brother comes and visits us and stays at our house which my parents don't like. My parents argue that your brother was not allowed to stay for few months then how come her brother is allowed for several months. What kind of partiality is that? I feel i could not do anything for him despite the fact that he is my only brother. He is good at heart and looked after me when i went abroad financially and even came to meet me few times. I tried to send him money, gifts but he is still the same. He communicates with our parents but not with me nor my wife anymore. Kindly give us a good advise.
Ans: Your brother’s distance is not a rejection of you. It is his way of protecting himself. He went through a difficult marriage, an emotional collapse, and then watched people around him — including you — react out of desperation to fix things for him. Even though your intentions came from love, he may have associated those actions with more pain and pressure. When a person has been wounded, silence feels safer than conversation. His withdrawal simply means he is tired, not that he dislikes you.
You also need to understand that the guilt you are carrying is heavier than it needs to be. You tried to intervene in his marriage because you wanted to protect him, not because you wanted to cause harm. Looking back now, with more maturity and clarity, you see the mistakes, but at that time, you were acting out of fear and love. This is why it’s important to forgive yourself instead of punishing yourself over and over.
The conflict between your wife and your brother only added another layer of stress, because it forced you into choosing sides. Your wife reacted emotionally, your brother pulled away, your parents questioned the imbalance — and in the middle of all this, you lost your sense of peace. But their disagreements are not failures on your part. They are the natural result of people operating from insecurity, fear, and past hurt.
What needs to happen now is a shift in your role. You cannot continue trying to solve everything for everyone. You cannot carry your brother’s marriage, your wife’s fears, and your parents’ judgments all at once. It’s time to step out of the role of rescuer and step into the role of a grounded, calm brother who offers presence, not solutions.
Rebuilding your bond with your brother will not come from pushing proposals, sending gifts, or trying to fix his life. It will come from offering him emotional safety. A simple message, expressing that you are sorry for any hurt, that you care for him, and that you are available whenever he feels ready, will speak louder than any effort to arrange his future. Once you send such a message, the healthiest thing you can do is give him space. Sometimes relationships repair themselves in silence, when pressure is removed.
And for yourself, healing begins when you stop believing that every problem in the family rests on your shoulders. You have given more than enough over the years. Now you deserve emotional rest. You deserve peace. You deserve to feel like a brother, not a crisis manager.
Your brother may take time, but distance does not erase love. When he feels safe, he will come closer again. Your responsibility is not to force that moment, but to make sure you are emotionally steady and ready when it happens.

...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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