Finwise Personal Finance Services LLP is an AMFI-registered mutual fund distributor. This website finwise.in (and the contact details given on this website) are of Finwise Personal Finance Services LLP. We do not, directly or indirectly, provide any form of financial assistance, lending services, or loan facilitation. We are not affiliated with, nor do we endorse, any digital platforms or applications—specifically including but not limited to “FinWise: Financial Assistant” or the website <fin-wise.co>—that purport to offer such services. Any unauthorized use of our trademark ‘FINWISE’ by third parties is expressly disclaimed and is currently subject to legal action. Users are advised to exercise due caution and verify authenticity before engaging with any financial service provider.
Our next Finwise Woman is Mandira Chowdhury, a retired Govt. employee who takes pride in being in charge of her own financial affairs, while pursuing her joys – her grandson and classical music.
She says,
“As a working woman,
(in those days, it was not as common as it is today), I always had exposure and
enough interest to understand finance and various options available to me.
Added to this, I was
married into a progressive family with a strong mother-in-law. I was
always aware of our investments and was part of healthy discussions regarding
it.
Therefore, when I lost my husband a few years back, I knew where to pick up the threads. While it is a blessing to have a concerned and affectionate family, consisting of my daughter and son-in-law, I take great pride in having the last say in managing my money while recognising the need for impartial and trustworthy professional advice. Prathiba has very ably and patiently helped me in my journey so far.One never knows what life has in store for us, best to wake up and take charge of your financial life now!”
Our fifth Finwise Woman is a someone who has lived life on
her terms, and built financial security for herself through sheer perseverance.
Kavita Krishnamurthy is a successful executive, working as a General Manager in
a logistics firm, and a mother of one.
Kavita says,
“As a senior executive, and parallelly an independent mother, I have learnt to be cognizant of managing my funds well and conserving my resources optimally. Without any such backing and support for my future, some far sight and advice taught me well to keep my future secure and dependable.
Financial awareness and the right investments have been largely catalytic in helping me manifest these goals. It is indeed a matter of pride to reflect upon how far I have come in life thanks to my prudence and ability to take anything thrown at me and make something worthwhile out of it.
Being on top of your finances is not a choice, it is a compulsion, especially so for us women!”
Our next story is about another doctor, a scientist from the
reputed Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, Omshree Shetty.
Dr. Omshree says,
“Come to think of it,
how many women have access to top class education and circumstances
conducive to building a career? Given the opportunity it is important to make
the most of it and build a strong and independent financial base. It is a
non-negotiable step to be able to have choices in life and exercise them.
Being a professional myself, I am a strong advocate of seeking professional help in areas outside one’s expertise to help one live a fulfilling life.In this era of women empowerment, the true sense of independence that women can enjoy is financialindependence and that can be accomplished with careful planning and smart investment. So be wise, invest smartly and live with peace of mind and happiness.”
Today’s first Finwise Woman story is about another strong
woman, who, in an era of male dominance, has been an inspiration for many other
women. She is Dr. Neela Dabir, Dean, School of Vocational Education at the
internationally reputed Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Incidentally, while her spouse is a very successful surgeon
in his own right, she is usually the one involved in the finer details of their
personal wealth.
Dr. Neela says
“I have always been
interested in money matters, and I go the extra mile to keep myself updated
with the latest information and trends. In fact, my CA appreciates that I
understand the financial matters for both of us. Being on top of things and
constantly monitoring the how and why are important to me and give me a lot of
peace.
I truly believe that it’s important for financial decisions to be joint, failing which, one must at least be informed of where the money is being spent or invested. Every one learns to cope when forced to, but doing so voluntarily can take away a lot of unwanted stress and mistakes when you can least afford it.It is equally important to hire the right professional who places your interest on top and I have Prathiba and Finwise doing that for me by bringing all our finances together meaningfully and helping us live our dreams, while knowing that our financial future is being secured.”
The second person whose story we share today is Brindha Rao,
a blogger and avid gardener. She says
“SAHM. The title I bestowed upon myself to raise my daughter. That does not mean I can’t understand or talk money. My husband has always made me an equal partner in all our financial decisions. And now Finwise has helped us plan our daughters education and hopefully our retirement. I know I am in safe hands with Prathiba’s judgement about our finances. The best that comes out of financial planning is that you get to live and spend at measure and without guilt. Thank you Finwise, I am a wiser and more financially sorted person now.” Feel free to share with other successful women that you know who you think are also financially savvy. #FinwiseWoman #WomensDay #financialindependence
In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8, 2019),
this week, we share stories of some successful women, who over the last few
years, started their journey with Finwise and took charge of their financial
lives to make it more secure for themselves and their families.
As one of them said, “In this era of women empowerment, the true sense of independence that
women can enjoy is financial independence…”
We hope the stories of these women inspire you to take
similar actions to free your and families’ financial futures.
The first woman whose story we share today is that of
Priyanka Chaturvedi, a successful career professional in a senior role in KPMG
India. Priyanka says,
“As a working professional, mother-of-two, I am conscious that although I am financially independent for my needs, the prime ‘bread-winner’ of my home is my spouse. Therefore, while my not being around (read ‘dead’ or ‘incapacitated’) may not have any financial impact on his life, reverse the story and I would be in the deep end of things!
Financial
awareness, prudence and planning for myself and my children’s future thus is
top priority, almost as important in my list as vaccinating my kids!!
Finwise
helped us write our will which opened our eyes to the stark realities of life;
we aren’t getting younger and responsibilities will increase in the years to
come.
So,
while you must enjoy the present and not get too bogged down by 5- or 10-year
plans, do prepare for what lies ahead. Children’s education, retirement, major
illnesses (God forbid), those world-trips that you want to take when the
children fly the nest… A larger home… Everyone has their unique list!!
Prathiba is helping me plan my retirement way ahead of the ‘retiring’ age and that’s helping me sleep better… I am more relaxed now that some of life’s contingencies are planned for!!”
Feel free to share with other successful women that you know who you think are also financially savvy. #FinwiseWoman #WomensDay #financialindependence
Looking out at the azure sky with your morning cup of coffee, watering the ferns, listening to the wind chimes softly sing their song and smiling to yourself.
This is the dream my retired life is made of. A white picket fence is welcome too.
When you about to think how clichéd that sounds, let me tell you it is possible. The prime factors for the said situation being good health – physical, emotional and financial.
This image is for representative purposes only
How did I come up with this, you may ask. Meet Mrs. M, in her 80s, who I would like to call a Finwise Woman. I had the opportunity to meet with her some months back and interview her for this piece. As I walked into her spacious and well decorated apartment, I couldn’t help wondering if I had entered the wrong house. A confident mother, who brought up her kids all alone, who worked hard through her prime years, who is today proud that her children are well settled, who has excellent knowledge in the finance and investments world, who is seasoned in the trading market, Mrs. M is an inspiration to every one of us.
When life upset her with the sudden demise of her husband in her late 40’s, she picked up the pieces and decided to stare right back at the challenges ahead. She started out as a financial advisor for mutual funds, insurance, ULIP etc. as taking up a full-time job meant she would be away from her young kids, moved to be near her family and started re-building her life. From ground zero.
Often having heard and observed her family members who were stock market savvy, she began to invest small amounts in stocks. She managed her finances well and gave the best possible education to her children, and saved wisely.
Today she is financially independent, manages her home and investment portfolio, which is so good it can give any financial planner a run for their money! As I chatted with her over tea, I realised it was not just her courage that stood by her all through, it was also her willingness to learn under any circumstance , the confidence to rise above the challenges and her wisdom and forethought in planning.
This interview was so much better than any other luncheon meetings I have been to. I returned home with a head full of inspiration, a heart full of admiration and a story to write about.
Here’s to the Finwise woman in her. And in you.
This article is written by Brindha Rao, our guest writer. I would also like to thank an unnamed family friend, whose image has been used, with permission. She is an equally good candidate for being a Finwise Woman, being a savvy and financially independent woman in her own right.
Finwise is a personal finance solutions firm that helps people plan for their financial goals, follow their passions and achieve financial independence. If you wish to consult us, please reach me at prathiba.girish@finwise.in or 9870702277.
Finwise Personal Finance Services LLP is an AMFI-registered mutual fund distributor. This website finwise.in (and the contact details given on this website) are of Finwise Personal Finance Services LLP. We do not, directly or indirectly, provide any form of financial assistance, lending services, or loan facilitation. We are not affiliated with, nor do we endorse, any digital platforms or applications—specifically including but not limited to “FinWise: Financial Assistant” or the website <fin-wise.co>—that purport to offer such services. Any unauthorized use of our trademark ‘FINWISE’ by third parties is expressly disclaimed and is currently subject to legal action. Users are advised to exercise due caution and verify authenticity before engaging with any financial service provider.
