Date:12/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/bline/iw/2006/11/12/stories/2006111201301300.htm

Back Money-Talk

Dr Ganesh Natarajan, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director, Zensar Technologies, is a highly successful IT professional, who has carried his wide-ranging knowledge and experience from his earlier ten-year stint as CEO of Aptech to Zensar. Under his leadership, Zensar has grown in strength and stature in the last few years. He shares his investment habits in this brief feature:

When did you start investing?

I have been investing seriously only in the last six years.

Did you start with investment in real-estate before you moved on to direct investing?

Yes but only apartments for living in.

Have you followed any asset allocation pattern for your own finances?

I do try to balance between equity and longer-term real-estate and illiquid investments.

Which was the first stock you picked and did you make money on it? Any learnings from that experience?

Orissa Synthetics — after which I have never invested in an IPO.

Are you entrusting funds to a financial planner/portfolio manager?

To a friendly chartered accountant, but the decisions are joint.

Krishnan Thiagarajan

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Meet Mr Deepan S. N., a 23-year-old securities analyst with First Global Stock Broking, tracking media and logistics stocks. He talks about his recent exposure to the world of investing:

When did you start investing?

I started investing with my own money at the age of 23, specifically after getting into my job.

Which was the first stock you picked and did you make money on it?

My first stock was Marico, bought six months ago and I made some money on it.

Have you followed any asset allocation pattern/strategy for your finances?

Out of my total savings in a year, I plan to invest 40 per cent in mutual funds (tax saver), 30 per cent in insurance and the rest in equity (self-managed).

Any investment gurus whose styles have impressed you?

I have been impressed with Warren Buffett — the guru of value investing. Every investor has to learn from his art of picking stocks. Buffett never buys a stock but he buys a business, which has its own prospects and which he understands.

Best book on investing, if any.

Benjamin Graham's book Intelligent Investor, a must read for every investor.

Radhika Kamath