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By:

Kaustubh Kale

10 September 2024 at 11:37:15 pm

Modak and the Art of Investing

As the aroma of freshly steamed Modaks fills homes during Ganesh Utsav, the festive spirit comes alive instantly. My mouth is already watering at the thought! The humble Modak, prepared with love to honour Lord Ganesha, may look simple from the outside. But anyone who has tried making one knows that a good Modak depends on several things coming together - the right ingredients, the right recipe, patience with the process, and finally, enjoying the result. Investing is surprisingly similar....

Modak and the Art of Investing

As the aroma of freshly steamed Modaks fills homes during Ganesh Utsav, the festive spirit comes alive instantly. My mouth is already watering at the thought! The humble Modak, prepared with love to honour Lord Ganesha, may look simple from the outside. But anyone who has tried making one knows that a good Modak depends on several things coming together - the right ingredients, the right recipe, patience with the process, and finally, enjoying the result. Investing is surprisingly similar. Choose the Right Ingredients A Modak is only as good as the ingredients that go into it. Fresh coconut, good-quality jaggery, properly prepared rice flour and the right flavours all contribute to the final result. Our investments and financial products are the ingredients of our financial plan. Equities, mutual funds, fixed income, gold and other investments each have a specific role to play. The objective is not to pick whatever appears most exciting at the moment, but to select suitable, good-quality investments that match our financial goals, time horizon and ability to take risks. Health and life insurance are equally important ingredients. Adequate coverage helps protect savings, the family, and their financial goals and dreams. Good ingredients provide the foundation. But ingredients alone are not enough. Get the Recipe Right You may have the finest ingredients in the kitchen, but if the proportions are wrong, the Modak may still not turn out well. The same applies to investing. Asset allocation is the recipe of a financial plan. Too much of one ingredient can spoil a Modak. Similarly, excessive concentration in one asset or too much money in low-return products can spoil a portfolio. Balance is key. A thoughtfully constructed portfolio brings different investments together in the right proportions. To keep asset allocation very simple - short-term goals can be planned through bank fixed deposits, recurring deposits and debt mutual funds. For long-term goals, one can consider hybrid mutual funds, equity mutual funds or direct stocks. Trust the Process Once the Modak is shaped and placed for steaming, constantly checking whether it is ready will not make it cook faster. Investors often make the same mistake. We keep checking markets, reacting to every correction, chasing recent performers or changing strategies because of short-term noise. Good investing requires patience and discipline. Invest regularly, review periodically and allow your financial plan enough time to work. Compounding is powerful precisely because it rewards those who remain invested for long periods. Sometimes, the best thing an investor can do is simply avoid unnecessary interference. Enjoy What You Have Created Finally comes the most important part - eating the Modak! The purpose of investing is not merely to accumulate the largest possible number on a statement. Wealth should eventually help us fulfil our goals, support our families, create financial security and enjoy life with greater peace of mind. A good Modak needs the right ingredients, the right recipe and trust in the process. A good investment journey needs exactly the same. This Ganesh Utsav, may Bappa bless us with the wisdom to make good financial choices, the patience to stay disciplined, and the prosperity to enjoy the fruits of our efforts. Ganpati Bappa Morya! (The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor. Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)

Plan to label opponents as Naxalites: Uddhav

Correspondent
Jun 30, 2025
2 min read
Uddhav Thackeary with members of protest committee against Public Safety Bill at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai on Monday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande
Uddhav Thackeary with members of protest committee against Public Safety Bill at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai on Monday. Pic: Bhushan Koyande

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said that the state government has a plan to label the political opponents as Naxalites and lodge them behind the bars. Due to which they have become desperate to get the nod to the Public Security bill but we will not allow this to happen.


Addressing a protest rally at Azad Maidan, Thackeray said, “The government will table the public security bill in the ongoing assembly session of the legislature. The Mahayuti want a weapon in their hand to suppress the opponents. We will not allow this to happen. I know they have a brute majority but we have the power on the streets. We have given one blow to them by making Hindi compulsory. We will vociferously oppose this bill across the state by taking it to the street”.    


“Indira Gandhi declared an Emergency which was lifted, but for the last 10 years there has been an undeclared Emergency across India, who will oppose it? But the BJP should keep this in mind that they have to face Shiv Sena if they adopt oppressive tactic,” he said.


Revised draft likely

The Mahayuti government is likely to table the revised draft of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill. The bill was first tabled in July 2024. The Opposition, activists, and members of civil society strongly opposed the Bill. A joint select committee was formed to review the Bill. Based on over 12,000 objections, the committee made a few changes and the revised Bill is likely to be tabled in the monsoon session. The original version of the Bill gave the state the power to prosecute not just organisations but individuals. In the revised draft, the Bill says that the organisations will be persecuted under the act (once it's passed).


The original version, despite claiming that it's being brought to curb naxal activities, had broadly used the word 'unlawful activities'. The new draft has changed it to 'unlawful leftist or hardline activities.' This amendment and many more parts of the Bill are still being opposed by the Opposition political parties, activists, and other organisations.


The civil society members claimed that the state already has the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). They claimed that the vague wording of the Bill would give immense power to the state and would convert Maharashtra into a police state crushing any voice of dissent.


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