MONEYLIFE- THE FIRST FIVE YEARS

Moneylife has completed FIVE years. Five years in which it has established a strong fan following. You may like it, you may not- but it is there, making an impact on investors and regulators. I would like to think that if any investor were to sit in a corner, with every published issue, it would be a full journey in investor education; and some more.

I have been privileged to know Debashish and Sucheta and am glad that they have deemed it fit to let me ramble on in the magazine right from the first issue. Surely, a pleasure, a privilege and at times, a bit stressful as I keep searching for a topic, and finally pushing it to Debashish and Sucheta for making sure that my communication is fair and proper and fit for reading.

In these five years, NEVER once have either of them told me to change my view, even if it be at odds with a stance they have taken in the magazine. And the freedom they have given me, is without boundaries. I respect them for that.

I must also mention the pain that they must be going through each time I push in my contribution at the eleventh (sometimes thirteenth) hour- unedited, full of errors, grammar haywire and disjointed. In the twelfth hour, they piece it together. Often, after seeing my article in print, I am surprised at the way the words flow and my article makes sense, even to me. Thanks, Debashish and Sucheta, for putting up with the spiel that I often send you, and making it look intelligent.

We generally have a tendency to remember only the latest. However, going back these five years, I look at several things that Moneylife pioneered. Honest to God interviews with fantastic achievers (not possible to name one in a galaxy that had stars like Dr Mashelkar, Glen Saldanha, Hafeez Contractor et al). And more importantly, to me, the choice of subjects and people always justified both halves of the magazine’s name. It was never just finance.

On the day of the launch, I recall a promise that was made by Sucheta and Debu- Moneylife will not be like other magazines which presume that every reader is from the financial markets and use terms and jargons that leave us all scrambling for Google (more likely that we switch off after some time). And I believe that this promise has not been breached. Yes, sometimes, I have been guilty of using some ‘hifi’ terms which have left the common reader stumped- my apologies for that.

Some of my friends tell me that there is too much ‘negativism’ in the magazine. To them, I say that the financial regulations and markets have taken a heavy toll on investors. Scams and chicanery is second nature to the financial markets. In such markets, a strong voice is needed. To keep regulators alert and also to warn and educate investors and would be investors. From the first issue, Moneylife has fought battles for the investors.

And when it comes to taking on the regulators, I do not believe that any other publication is as forthright or forthcoming as Moneylife is. The launch of the Moneylife Foundation was another momentous one. And all these are continuing without selling space and words for money. Yes, money is needed for all the seminars and the financial retrieval that is done for the members. A lot of good people have realised the contribution of Moneylife in today’s world of financial chicanery and kept the flame alive. I exhort everyone to give. Especially those who have gained from intervention of Moneylife can spread the word.

I can go on.. For me, each issue has been one to look forward to. I must also say that Moneylife has received bouquets, but no bouquet is complete without a fair number of brickbats. In this journey, it is perhaps natural that the brickbats sometimes outweigh the bouquet. It is not my aim to please everyone, but to tell the truth. And of course, some will dispute the truth. I normally check my sources and based on my experiences, have a fair knowledge of what is reliable and what is not. Agree, not infallible, but works nine out of ten times.

The team at Moneylife is also fantastic. Too many to name, but there are many who work quietly and ensure that the curtain rises in time, for each and every show.

The best to team Moneylife

Five is just a number and many more fives will touch Moneylife.

A “Hi Five” to everyone ...

Cheers

Bala