WOMEN INVESTORS - Empowered to enrich

The Reliance Power IPO in 2008 changed her fortunes, says Soniya Jain. No, the Noida-based self-employed professional didn’t make money from her maiden foray into stocks. In fact, by the time she sold her holdings, the value of the `15,000 invested in the IPO had dropped to `6,000. But losing 60% of the principle imparted an important lesson that changed her perspective. “I realised that direct investments in stocks were too risky and required expertise. I am busy with my work, and my husband is a senior manager at a PSU. Analyzing stocks is just not our cup of tea,” says Jain (see picture). This epiphany nudged Jain and her husband to seek professional advice on how and where to invest. The advisor, Noida-based Money Options, introduced them to diversified equity mutual funds, and the Jains embarked on an investment journey that has helped them achieve several goals in the past 16 years, including buying a new car, partially funding their daughter’s education, and making the downpayment of their apartment. “Had we not suffered a loss in the Reliance Power IPO, we probably would still be investing randomly in stocks on our own and might have missed the opportunity offered by mutual funds,” she says.

This story showcases women like Jain who have taken charge of their family’s finances. Some of them are driving the investment decisions of their household, while others are equal partners in financial matters. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, which was celebrated last week, this is an appropriate time to celebrate such women who are working to spread financial literacy among their friends, relatives, and colleagues.