Start SIPs early, increase investments steadily, and let compounding beat inflation to secure retirement wealth, says Ramalingam Kalirajan
'You set up your SIPs and you do not touch them. Not during COVID, not during a war scare, not when your neighbour tells you the market is finished. You let the noise pass over you.' 'The beauty of this approach is that it does not require courage or conviction in the moment. It just requires inertia -- keep the SIP running and do not look at your portfolio too often.'
Net investments into equity mutual fund schemes in India remained elevated at approximately 38,440 crore in April, despite a slight dip from March's high and a 3% month-on-month decline in Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) inflows.
Equity-oriented mutual fund schemes in India experienced a 5 per cent decline in net inflows in April, reaching Rs 38,440 crore, while monthly Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) contributions also saw a decrease.
Ask rediffGURU and PF expert Nitin Narkhede your mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
Retiring at 50 is not unrealistic. It simply requires: Discipline + Long-Term Vision + Compounding
Ask rediffGURU and PF, MF and insurance expert Purshotam Lal your mutual fund, insurance and personal finance-related questions.
Disciplined investors who ignore short-term fear build significant long-term wealth, notes Ramalingam Kalirajan
An activist in Mathura, India, protested the pollution of the Yamuna River by dressing as a cockroach and staging a demonstration at the municipal corporation office.
History is rarely decided by who has the biggest weapons, but by who has the better process. The same rule applies to investing, says Ramalingam Kalirajan.
India's mutual fund industry has significantly increased its share of public trading in the stock market, widening its lead over the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for the fifth consecutive year. While LIC's share of free-float listed shares has fallen to 7.42% as of March 2026, the mutual fund industry's share has surged to 22.92% from 7.06% in 2012.
Mutual fund investment through systematic investment plans (SIPs) has surged to an all-time high of Rs 3.34 lakh crore in 2025, driven by growing investor appetite for disciplined, long-term wealth creation.
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
'Once the currency goes out of the hand, then possibly your major challenge is that it will not come back.'
Inflows into mutual fund (MF) schemes via systematic investment plans (SIPs) have topped Rs 3 trillion for the first time in a calendar year, as investors increasingly rely on the staggered investment route amid market volatility.
'Once the market decides it wants to go up, it goes up -- no amount of bad news can really hold it back.'
Mutual fund industry extended its bull run in 2025, adding a staggering Rs 14 lakh crore to its asset base and pushing total AUM to a record Rs 81 lakh crore by November, powered by surge in retail participation and record SIP inflows. Venkat Chalasani, chief executive officer of AMFI, told PTI that the industry's outlook remains positive, with steady SIP inflows continuing to offset foreign portfolio investor outflows and strengthening market resilience.
Discover the only way to travel, where fun meets fitness!
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
'Every year we import approximately $70 billion worth of gold -- closer to $72 billion in 2025-2026, an all-time record.' 'There is no parallel for this anywhere in the world. And this love for gold will not disappear overnight.'
Deferred payment plans may come with a cost, which may not be immediately visible.
Analysts are increasingly optimistic about India's capital markets, with HDFC AMC, CAMS, and KFin Technologies identified as top investment picks. This optimism stems from a structural shift in household savings towards financial instruments and an expected multi-year earnings expansion for market infrastructure providers and asset management companies.
While being in an air-conditioned room can make you feel pleasant and comfortable, it also has its disadvantages, says Dr Manjusha Agarwal, consultant-internal medicine at Gleneagles Hospital, Mumbai.
'AUM reached an all-time high of Rs 79.9 trillion in October 2025, driven by strong retail participation and record SIP inflows of Rs 29,529 crore from over 94.5 million contributing accounts.'
SIP inflows into active equity schemes from areas beyond the top 30 cities (B30), which first crossed this milestone in September 2025, stood at Rs 10,080 crore in October, industry data shows.
'Portfolios built in these phases often deliver the strongest outcomes over time.'
'In my entire career, whenever friends, relatives, or associates have sought my counsel, I have told them consistently: Stay away from equities. Buy gold. Place funds in fixed deposits. Acquire some raw land.' 'That is all one genuinely needs to build meaningful, enduring wealth, without the attendant anxiety of equity market participation.'
'Portfolios built in these phases often deliver the strongest outcomes over time.'
EMI means you've already spent tomorrow's income; SIP means you're investing today's income to secure tomorrow, explains Ramalingam Kalirajan
Ask rediffGURU Reetika Sharma your insurance, mutual fund and personal finance-related questions.
'In a volatile global market, India is pursuing a low-risk, low-return policy, akin to a SIP -- slow, steady investment.' 'Pakistan is following a high-risk, high-return policy.'
Indian cricketer Varun Chakravarthy celebrated India's T20 World Cup victory with a humorous Instagram post, sipping tea while holding the trophy, reminiscent of a previous joke after the Asia Cup win.
rediffGURU Jinal Mehta answers readers' financial planning and health insurance queries
'Ego is a part of the film industry, be it Bollywood or the South Indian movies.'
The majority of investors fail to reach their financial goals, even if they started with a well-defined financial strategy. This isn't just about market volatility; it's a complex interaction of factors that include human psychology, inconsistent habits and lack of proper monitoring.
The majority of investors fail to reach their financial goals, even if they started with a well-defined financial strategy. This isn't just about market volatility; it's a complex interaction of factors that include human psychology, inconsistent habits and lack of proper monitoring.
A systematic withdrawal plan doesn't drain wealth, poor planning does. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains the truth behind systematic withdrawal plans
Her remarks come after 84 former bureaucrats, 116 veterans, and four lawyers wrote an open letter asking Rahul Gandhi to apologise over an incident in which he had tea and biscuits at the Makar Dwar entrance of Parliament.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances