Hi,
I am Shashi s. Praharaj
I am 50 years old and probably the oldest member of the forum.
I am working in a public sector Bank for last 26 years.
I have worked in around 10 states and in many capacities. I was inducted to IT in 1992, through an internal selection process and for last 7 years I am posted in Mumbai.
Currently I am the IT head of Mumbai Region of our Bank.
I have done my M.Sc. after which I joined the Bank. I did my LLB after that.
While in Bank, I did my MBA (Finance).
Though I am into so many things, my interest is in stock market. I was first inducted into the stock market in 1982, when I applied for GNFC public Issue. I have seen many ups and downs in the stock market and for a brief period I was out of the market. I lost a lot of money during Harshad Mehta clash and learned a lot about market dynamics. After that I remained out of the market for 3-4 years. Then I realised, that by quitting the market, I am proving myself to be an escapist. If I have lost in the market, it is the market which can makeup my loss and make my fortune. By staying away, not only, I have already lost, there is no chance of winning in future. Now I am cautious and I am winning. With friends like Basant and Internet, I beleive I am in the right track.
My style of investing now is a little different. I have two kinds of portfolio. One in which blue chips are there. They may be as little as 5shares or maybe max 300 of a company. I don't sell these shares. Sometimes I add 5 or 10 shares of a new blue chip company, when I have some extra money. There is a principle. These shares can be sold in emergency, that is for children's education or hospitalisation.
The other portfolio is for real investing. I prefer potential multi baggers in this category. I could only get one real multibagger so far in this category, that is Kirloskar Brothers. Now I am invested in TTML, Gitanjali, TV-18, Orchid Chemicals, AB Novo and Bharthi Shipyard. As I don't have big money, I have limited no of shares also, and I am gradually adding.
One of my passions is reading good books. I read any good book, I get. In half an hour time I decide whether the book is worth reading or not and proceed accordingly.
I am also interested in art and especially paintings. I have done a six month evening course in Appreciation of Art from National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. To be frank this course I enjoyed the most, and it was a sort of eye opener for me. I can not draw a line, but I can distinguish from a bad painting and a good painting.
I hope I have written enough about me.
I am really thankful to Basant for making this site. Its like a addiction for me now. I don't feel comfortable, if I don't see the site at least once a day.
Edited by s_praharaj - 25/Oct/2006 at 10:11pm