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By:

Kaustubh Kale

10 September 2024 at 6:07:15 pm

Four Methods to Choose Investment

One of the most common questions investors ask is: “Which investment should I choose?” The real answer is that no investment is good or bad in isolation. A simple way to judge any investment is the RRLT framework - Risk, Return, Liquidity and Time Period. Before investing in any product, all four factors should be seen together. 1. Return Return is the reward you expect from the investment. It may come in the form of interest, dividend, capital appreciation or regular income. Naturally, every...

Four Methods to Choose Investment

One of the most common questions investors ask is: “Which investment should I choose?” The real answer is that no investment is good or bad in isolation. A simple way to judge any investment is the RRLT framework - Risk, Return, Liquidity and Time Period. Before investing in any product, all four factors should be seen together. 1. Return Return is the reward you expect from the investment. It may come in the form of interest, dividend, capital appreciation or regular income. Naturally, every investor wants good returns. However, return should be understood properly. It is important to look at the real intrinsic / internal rate of return (IRR) of every investment, especially when cash flows happen at different points of time. A product may sound attractive on the surface, but the actual return may be very different when calculated correctly. 2. Risk Risk is the possibility of losing money whether partially, fully, temporarily or permanently. In some investments, the risk is very low. In others, the value may fluctuate significantly in the short term. Direct stocks, equity mutual funds, gold and real estate can create wealth over time, but they need patience and the ability to tolerate ups and downs. On the other hand, fixed income products may offer stability, but they may not beat inflation over the long term. 3. Liquidity Liquidity means how easily you can convert your investment back into money when required. A savings account is highly liquid. Fixed deposits, mutual funds and stocks are reasonably liquid. Real estate may take time to sell. Liquidity matters because emergencies do not come with advance notice. Before chasing returns, every investor must ensure that enough money is available in liquid instruments for short-term needs and emergencies. 4. Time Period Time Period is the most important filter. The investment product should be selected based on when you need the money. If the money is needed within a few months or one to two years, safety and liquidity matter more than high returns. If the goal is ten, fifteen or twenty years away, growth-oriented assets like equity mutual funds, direct stocks and gold-related instruments can play a larger role. The longer the time horizon, the better your ability to handle short-term volatility. Goal-Based Planning This is where proper financial planning becomes useful. Make a table of your financial goals - home purchase, car, vacation, child education, child’s marriage and retirement. Write the amount required, adjust it for inflation and mention the time left for each goal. Once this is clear, choosing the right investment becomes easier. Investment Avenues Broadly, investment avenues can be divided into two categories - those that help beat inflation and those that mainly provide stability. Equities, equity mutual funds, gold and real estate help in long-term wealth creation by beating inflation. Your long-term financial goals should ideally be invested in this bucket - the one that helps your money grow faster than inflation. For your short-term goals, rely more on bank fixed deposits, recurring deposits, and debt mutual funds. Here, safety and availability of money are more important than high returns. A good investment is not the one that sounds exciting. A good investment is the one that fits your goal. So before investing anywhere, remember RRLT - Risk, Return, Liquidity and Time Period. When these four are aligned with your financial goal, investment decisions become much clearer. (The writer is Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial advisor. Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605)

The Rebel Who Refused to Sing by the Rules

New Delhi: Asha Bhosle chose unpredictability in an industry that thrived on predictability. She quietly turned that into a power that could not be robbed, replicated, or replaced. She didn’t just lend her voice for playback singing; she challenged norms and redefined femininity in films. She went on to build a career spanning over eight decades on choices many wouldn’t dare to make.


She defined herself not with rebellion that shouted but with one that sang boldly, sensuously, playfully and unapologetically. While others stayed within the safe boundaries of melody and tradition, Asha broke them – note by note!


In O. P. Nayyar’s compositions, her voice discovered its fearless, untamed spirit. Songs like Aaiye Meherbaan spoke volumes about their musical chemistry.


Beyond Shadow

Coming from the legendary Mangeshkar family, she often found herself in the shadow of her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar. While others perceived that shadow to be suffocating for her, she turned that challenge in her favour and shaped her individuality. When she embarked on her career, she was offered what the industry considered “leftover” songs – cabaret numbers, club songs and bold compositions. Often picturised on vamps and bad girls! But this was the moment when she began writing her own destiny. She didn’t reject those songs, she transformed them and made them her identity.


Songs like Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja, Dum Maro Dum, and Yeh Mera Dil weren’t just chartbusters – they were cultural shifts. Asha brought a raw, uninhibited energy that the industry had never experienced before. She was never afraid to sound different, to experiment, to take risks. Asha infused a playful sensuality and attitude in these songs that made them timeless. Her voice didn’t just follow the music, it owned it. She deliberately did not limit herself to a “good girl” image – because for her music had no moral boundaries, only emotional ones. And that’s what made her a rebel.


Sound of Freedom

Her collaboration with R. D. Burman was electric. Together they created magic that still defines an era. Whether it was the intoxicating rhythm of Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyaar Tera or the hypnotic energy of O Haseena Zulfonwali, Asha owned the songs like a pro and captivated the listeners.  


To box her into just “bold songs” would be a mistake. By singing Dil Cheez Kya Hai and In Aankho Ki Masti Ke in Umrao Jaan, she silenced every critic who doubted her depth. The same voice that once defined cabaret now delivered ghazals with haunting grace and classical finesse. Her brilliance and versatility didn’t go unnoticed.


Asha has won multiple National Film Award for songs that highlighted her vigor and range! She has been conferred with the Padma Vibhushan and the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest award in cinema, celebrating her lifetime contribution to music. Yet awards only capture a fraction of her story!


What’s truly fascinating about Asha is her valiant evolution. With every decade trends changed, she adapted – singing pop albums, collaborating internationally, and exploring genres that many of her contemporaries hesitated to touch. She never allowed age, expectations, or labels to limit her. In a world where stars slip into oblivion with time, Asha remained relevant – because she refused to stand still.


More than Music

There is something deeply inspiring about her life. Her journey has not just been about success but also about resilience. She found her voice and her ground, when the music industry tried its best to cage her. She has silently turned every ‘no’ into a new possibility. She has often expressed that she sang for joy and not for validation.


She represents every person who has ever been underestimated, every voice that was told to stay within limits. She reminds us that sometimes, the roles we’re given are not restrictions – they are opportunities in disguise. And in every note she sang, there was a quiet rebellion…one that continues to charm generations.


At 92, time may have claimed her but it could never silence her. Somewhere between the rhythm and the silence, her voice still lingers – softly echoing, “Janam Samjha Karo”! 

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