Candid, outspoken and enchanting. That is how author Joydeep Ghosh, Senior Associate Editor, Business Standard, describes Parag, whom he knew for over two decades.
Through short stories and pictures, the book captures the journey of Parag, his devotion to his family and friends and his investment philosophies.
Going back to school at the age of 40, refusing Harshad Mehta’s collaboration proposal, redeeming tech stocks at the height of the information technology boom, withdrawing client’s investments from the vyaj badla schemes are some of his contrarian decisions which turned out to be right, shares the author.
The book also compiles a few thought provoking articles authored by Parag, which talk about value investing, keeping emotions in check and need to educate clients.
The following excerpt from the book beautifully captures his philosophy to both life and investing.
‘Parikh’s primary trait, whether in life or business, was caution. Much as he gave a hard workout to his body and mind every day, his approach to his business was exactly the same. He did not believe that money could be made in a day, week, or a month. For him money or investments had to go through the rigmarole, like life to give dividends. Actually, when markets did extra-ordinarily well. PPFAS would be an average performer. But when markets did badly, PPFAS would stand out.
It’s not that he would remain unruffled when markets did not do very well and investors questioned his wisdom. Gautam says he was constantly worried that he was perhaps letting his investors down and would analyse situations several times. But he always chose the safest route because he truly believed that he was the custodian of his investors’ money and they had placed their trust in him. So, even if it meant earning less than alpha returns, he never regretted his decisions.’
Cafemutual too pays their tribute to the man who was amongst India’s first value investors.
