Sinchina Raikar, a 15-year-old Class 10 student from Bengaluru, has built a ₹13.9 lakh investment portfolio through strategic planning and disciplined approach. According to reports from Mint, her parents provided the funds after withdrawing money from insurance policies that were not delivering satisfactory returns. The teenager handles investment decisions under parental supervision, with the primary goal of financing her future master's education.
Raikar employs a systematic approach to mutual fund selection, utilizing what she calls the GDP method: Growth, Direct and Passive. As reported by Mint, she focuses on growth options because she doesn't require regular payouts, preferring direct plans to avoid intermediary commissions, and selecting passive funds that follow benchmark indices. Her portfolio allocation includes 63% equity and 37% mutual funds, with 71% invested in Indian markets and the remaining 29% in international markets including the US and Taiwan.
The student has completed two National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) certifications while managing her schoolwork. According to Mint, she initially encountered a setback when she missed the passing score for one examination by just one mark, but chose to prepare again rather than giving up. Weekends and holidays became opportunities for learning, supplemented by watching financial videos to improve her understanding of investment concepts.
Raikar's interest in money management began with raising ₹10,000 from relatives towards purchasing a telescope, with her parents contributing an additional ₹2,000 to complete the purchase. As reported by Mint, she later helped raise around ₹45,000 for protective supplies for frontline workers. Her current portfolio aims to reach ₹45 lakh by the time she needs it for her master's education, though this figure represents an aspiration rather than a guaranteed outcome.
The teenager reads newspapers on weekends and monitors developments affecting her holdings before discussing investment decisions with her parents. According to Mint, her father emphasizes staying calm during market fluctuations and treats practical experience and learning from mistakes as crucial components of financial education. Her father explained that financial independence was embedded in their family from a young age, and they want to pass this same philosophy to their daughter, giving her confidence and independence.
