Tips to Stay Young n Happy Always…

Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight, and height

Let the doctors worry about them.. That is why you pay them

Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down

Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!

Keep learning

Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s name is Alzheimer’s!

Enjoy the simple things

Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with him or her!

The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourself. LIVE while you are alive

Surround yourself with what you love: Whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge

Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help

Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is

Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity

Things we can learn from Dil Chahta Hai…

Freaking out and enjoying life doesn’t need drugs or cigarettes

There are relationships apart from Bf/Gf, marriage, siblings, friendship that can be very emotional and true which is beyond the understanding of many people

And yeah even though U may be the best of friends there is always a limit which should never be crossed. Then it starts hurting…

Improving U r imperfections after you realize it, always take some time

You always don’t need to show or prove your Gf/Bf how much U love or care about her/him, which can sound very boring and finally U R dumped

Believe in Love , true love will never let you down

Never be ashamed to go back to your old friends, friends are there to understand your mistakes

Do not be afraid of others, always think that others are afraid of you. (remember the Australian Beggar at the railway station)

Whenever you need your friend, remember that he is just a phone call away…distances can’t separate friends

In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends

It’s the friends you can call up at 4 A. M. that matter

The only unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with never say a word, and then walk away with a feeling like it was the best conversation you’ve ever had

And last but not the least- do what your heart loves
Karo wahi jo, DIL CHAHTA HAI !!!

Birla Sun Life Special Situations Fund… Expect MORE than the usual!!!

Expect MORE than the usual ……………. From your Equity Portfolio

The investors never had it so good. Over the last three years, the equity markets have generated very good returns. During this period, many companies within India Inc. turned around, struck Mergers & Acquisitions (M & A) deals, inducted Private Equity (PE) players and de-merged

Companies undergoing these and many more such special situations unlocked more value to shareholders than they would have otherwise done

Do these special situations exist in India? Well, yes, special Situations in India are actually on a rise

The vibrant Indian Economy is driving M&A and PE Deals to a higher level and is proving as a hot bed for Private Equity Investments. The Following Table shows the rise in the number of special situations in the Indian Market

Special Situations like these have a positive impact on the stock price of the companies and thus provides an opportunity to the investor to get incremental gains than their regular diversified equity investments

Special Situations – Bringing Significant Extra Gains in a High growth Equity Portfolio
Special Situations may occour in companies irrespective of their Sector, size or market condition. Special Situations can occour at any point of time in the Life-cycle of a company. They can also occour multiple times for a company
Some of these special situations which may have a positive impact on the Company’s stock are

• Turnaround Stories
  Strong but under performing companies with potential to turnaround
• Mergers, PE & Takeovers
  Potential candidates of M&A or attracting PE investments
• De-mergers
  Diversified companies that intend to de-merge its existing businesses
• Restructuring Businesses
  Companies entering into new business streams or restructuring the existing portfolio
• Buy Back / Open Offers
  Potential candidates for delisting or promoters increasing the stake
• Asset Plays
  Intrinsic Value is greater than the market price of Stock i.e. Companies with land banks etc
• Out of Favor Stocks
  Companies that are currently out of favor but are fundamentally strong
• Sector Related Developments
  Companies in sunrise sectors Sectors affected by favorable policy announcements

Have you benefited from any of these Special Situations?
Special Situations like the ones mentioned, provide an opportunity to the investor to get incremental gains than their regular diversified equity investments. However the key lies in identifying these situations…
Let us see three actual cases of Special Situations in the recent Past and how the investors have benefited from each of these

United Breweries Holding: The Acquisition story

UB Holding is the holding company in United Spirits & Breweries and Kingfisher Airlines apart from having stakes in Chemical, Infrastructure and other diversified businesses

Special Situations

• Sep ’06: UB Group plans to consolidate all spirits business under United Spirits
• June ’07: Acquires 26% stake in Deccan Aviation and makes open offer to acquire additional stake of 20% thus consolidated market share to over 30%

Result
Stock price appreciation of 395.31% * in 14 months

(Absolute returns from September ’06 to 30th November ’07)

Aban Offshore: Listing of Subsidiary
Aban Offshore is one of India’s largest offshore drilling contractor in the private sector, offering drilling and oil field services for offshore exploration and production of hydrocarbons to the oil industry in India and abroad

Special Situations

• June ’06: Acquires stake in Sinvest ASA (a Norweign company in the same sector)
• September ’07: Acquires rigs from another norweign company and in October ’07 it announced plans to list it’s subsidiary Aban Singapore on Singapore Stock Exchange

Result
Stock price has appreciation of 300%* in 17 months

(Absolute returns from April ’06 to 30th November ’07)

Balaji Telefilms: Adding New business line
Founded in 1994, Balaji Telefilms Limited, a media company, engages in the production of television serials in various Indian Languages

Special Situations

• April ’07: Announced a JV with Star TV for rollout of new TV channels in South India

Result
Stock price appreciation of 117%* in 7 months

(Absolute returns from April ’07 to 30th November ’07)

Unique Value Proposition

• A dedicated fund for Special Situations to evaluate the value unlocking potential of select stocks
• Special situations bring incremental gains
• The number of special situations is growing rapidly which means increasing special situations to take advantage off
• A unique investment strategy to identify potential special situations
• An investment style that focuses on immediate as well as long term gains
• An investment and fund management expertise of over 12 years by Birla Sun Life Asset Management Company Ltd

About the Fund
Birla Sun Life Special Situations Fund endeavors to generate long-term growth by identifying stocks that may have the potential for special situation. Stocks that are undergoing or have undergone such a situation are also potential picks
Most special situations often result in incremental value addition to a stock/business. This may get reflected in the price within a short period or gradually depending on the special situation that the company is in
The objective of the scheme is to generate long-term growth of capital by investing in a portfolio of equity and equity related securities. The scheme would follow an investment strategy that would take advantage of special situations and contrarian investment style

Scheme Features
The Scheme may invest in Foreign equity securities subject to the investment restrictions specified by SEBI / RBI from time to time. Under normal circumstances, the Scheme shall not have an exposure of more than 25% of its net assets in foreign securities, subject to regulatory limits

Type of Scheme
An Open Ended Diversified Equity Scheme

New Fund Offer Price
Rs. 10 per unit plus applicable entry load

Opening Date of NFO
17-Dec-07

Closing Date of NFO
15-Jan-08

Plans & Options Available
Dividend (Reinvestment/Payout/Sweep) & Growth

Subscriptions
Rs. 5,000/- and in multiple of Re. 1 thereafter per application under each plan

Redemption
In Multiples of Re. 1/-

Load Structure
Entry Load (including SIP)

• For purchase of units less than or equal to 5 crores: 2.25% of the applicable NAV
• For purchase of units more than Rs. 5 crores: Nil
• Dividend Reinvestment option: Nil

Exit Load (including SIP)

• For purchase of units less than or equal to 5 crores: 0.5% of the applicable NAV(within 6 months from the date of allotment)
• For purchase of units of more than Rs. 5 crores: Nil

Benchmark Index
BSE 200

Fund Manager
A Balasubramanian

For more details on the Scheme Features, please refer to the Offer Document

Asset Allocation & Investment Pattern
The asset allocation pattern of the scheme under normal circumstances shall be as under: (percent of investible corpus)
Equity and Equity related Instruments- Medium to High risk- 80%-100%
Fixed Income Securities (including Money Market Instruments)- Low risk- 0%-20%
Investment in Securitised Debt papers may be made upto 5% of the net assets of the Scheme

Downloads

• Application Form
• Offer Document
• Presentation
• One Pager

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks

Please read the offer document carefully before investing

You may write the ARN Number as ARN-29889 and Sub-broker code as 222370001 for any mutual fund investment

LIC wins Outlook Money NDTV Profit Award 2007…

A mixed day with a lot of difference…

Today is a very different kind of day. Firstly, I have been feeling very sad and depressed for the way my loved ones are behaving with me. They always lie and never perform their duties correctly. Whenever there’s a problem, I am the only person to solve it. They just keep mum and I feel the pain. What do you call this? If a person is truly loving and caring, they always support you and help you out of problems. But unfortunately, my loved ones are there only to share happiness. In case of problems, they are just unknown people. But yes, after the problems are solved, they come and patch up and again get ready for taking happiness. I have spent so much of my time with such people and only I know how much it hurts. When a person is dying, a single drop of water can save him. But after his death, even the whole ocean can’t get him back. Same way, my near and dear ones give me ocean (to drown me) but never have I got that live saving drop of water

With these sad thoughts, I was just passing the day when I remembered that our beloved S K Naik sir is coming to visit us today. He is the hostel superintendent of Adilshahi house at Sainik School, Bijapur and quite close to me and my family too. They came and had good time at my home. He was happy to note my progress and congratulated me on the same. Of course, it was a big surprise for him to see my show-case full of trophies with Academic Excellence. After all, I was an academic failure just a couple of years back. But with honest efforts, I have had a turning point in life. However, this turning point is again sucked away due to certain reasons. And life is moving through sour times, yet again. All hopes seem to have disappeared and dreams have no place in life. Things have taken a bad shape again in my life. Almost everyone feels that I am having a bright life ahead. But only I know what is coming up

At around 3 pm, I was lying down and a shocking news was heard. His holiness, Sri Chandrashekar Swamiji of Shandilya Ashram is no more (standing in center adoring orange color clothes). This was really heartbreaking. Swamiji was a great person. I met him very recently when I had gone with my mom to his ashram. He was a spiritual leader and had a lot of effect on the lives of many people across the nation. He is worshipped by many people. When I met him, it was somewhat a heavenly feeling. I just managed to speak a few words with him. We had, in fact, gone to ask something about some family problems. However, as he was very tired, he was not in a position to listen to us. But he assured us that things will get well soon. My mom is a great believer in him. And my dad too. I, generally, dont find much interest in performing such activities. However, I dont know what took me there today. I was going in the afternoon itself wbut my mom stopped me and asked me to come with her in the evening. We went in the evening. So many devotees were present at the ashram. Almost everyone with tears in their eyes. After all, he was the only person who gave confidence to the general public and blessed them. His body was arranged in the manner prescribed as per Hindu rituals. And when I saw his face, it was just a kind of feeling, I can never express. Was it smile or was it sadness? It was not a blank face. It was trying to tell something to everyone in this world. There was bhajan going on. I could not move my sight away from his face. I wanted to decipher what he was telling. Once at least, it appeared as if he is meditating and he will get up and come to speak to us now. Once I felt as if he feeling some pain. It was a mixed feeling. There was a lot that could be read from his face. For not even a second did I feel that he is not alive. When someone in family dies, the whole family cries. But today, I could see thousands of people shedding tears from their hearts. This indicates his impact on the people. There are many feelings that I got and I am unable to express them

I started thinking about what has happened and what is happening. After all, what is this life? Seriously. Ask yourself, what is this life? More importantly, Who are you? Yes, who am I? Why have I come here? Why should I die one day? What is this system? These are some questions which everyone might think at one point of time. Today, I felt, the real purpose of life is to get an insight to ourselves. What are we doing in our life? Is that right? If not, why do we do it? Why are we so much bothered about materialistic things? Why do we think about such things which have no meaning? Why do people keep doing such things which have no relevance in life at all? Many questions. No answers

When I was thinking all this, I felt as if it was all death in life. What is there in this life expcept death? Lord Shri Krishna was the only person who came on the earth with a smile and he is immortal. We all have come with a cry and we all have to leave one day. I can never imagine the pain of death. When we have a small pain of fever or headache, we feel so much pain. Then, just imagine, how painful is death? What is this life meant for? People plan for future, accumulate money, plan for children, buy everything but what relevance does it hold. After all, everything has to perish one day

These are certain peculiar thoughts that have been flowing in my mind since many days (rather months) but with today’s event, these thoughts have been intensified. All life is a big confusion. But one thing that I have learnt is people are life. Life can be a good feeling if we stay with good people. All happiness and sadness depend on the people we live with. Our life paths depend on them. We need support of great souls like Chandrashekar Swamiji who can guide us in right paths. We need experienced parents who have led life seriously and have understood it. We need life partners who contribute rather than expect. We need relatives who add value. Only then, life can be good. Everyone must have good thoughts and feelings. And all this must be under the blessing and spiritual shadow of the Lord God. Only then, life bears some meaning. Otherwise, life is meaningless. And unfortuntely, no one on the earth understands this

And today, yet another sad news came. Amitabh Bachchan’s mother, Smt Teji Bachchan, also expired

A real dark day, as I can see…

The evolution of The FJ! Logo…

Getting a business loan…

The websites of different banks and financial institutions give a lot of details about getting a loan from them. Once you read them, you may feel that, the moment you go in, you will get a loan. But things are not as they are written. Its still a tough thing. I had this experience today. I went to a couple of banks for the purpose of asking about a business loan. Before disclosing them that I wanted a loan, I wanted to learn about the terms and conditions. And after knowing that, I decided to move out

They said they don’t give loans to new businesses. The businesses must be at least 3 years old and they must be tax payers

Well, who would need a loan in that case

A business tax payer

Let me analyse this word. We know how many businesses operate in the nation. Hardly does anyone shows real profits. They just show a small amount of profit and pay a small amount of tax for formality. So, you can imagine, what kind of earning you need to have to get a business loan. And in case you have that earning, why would you need a business loan

Questions that need to be thought about

Further, you can see how many business loans are closed saying that the business ended in loss. What happened to them? Did they end in loss? Or the lender ended in loss?

Why would establised businesses ever need loan? I know that the reason is that it acts as a security and the banker can have confidence to lend. But then, think about it. Is it really so?

There is one theory about money. It says, TO EARN MONEY, YOU NEED MONEY

Money attracts money

Rich people don’t help poor people… Thats why they are rich
Poor people help their counterparts with whatever less amounts they have… Thats why they are poor
Had the rich helped poor and had the poor not helped others, all would be equal today. Need a lot of understanding to understand this!

At a dinner party, 2 great people talking
World’s 2nd richest person: How much money do you have?
World’s richest person: $ 8375025726759283069025. What about you?
World’s 2nd richest person: $ 928470142189740421901
The waiter gets the bill
World’s 2nd richest person: Oh! Can you give me $100
World’s richest person: Oops, had you asked a moment before. I had a little cash. I gave it to my friend. What happened to your money?
World’s 2nd richest person: I didn’t get any as I am with the World’s Richest Person

We love you God…

PAN cards must for MF investors from New Year…

And now PAN CARD is MANDATORY for mutual funds too…

If Indian fund houses thought that they could once again plead before the powers-to-be and get another reprieve about accepting investments without a PAN card, they better think again. The finance ministry has told Amfi, a trade body of Indian asset management companies, that every investment made into a fund will compulsorily have to be accompanied by a valid PAN card from January 1, 2008. For the last few months even proof of having applied for a PAN card was sufficient for investing in mutual funds

Amfi members had recently convened a meeting — the agenda under discussion being the fast approaching deadline making PAN mandatory — as these players feared a shift in investments to other instruments. In a letter dated November 5, the ministry has said that unlike what happened in mid-2007 , there would be no relaxation in the deadline. In July 2007, Sebi had relaxed the deadline for compulsory PAN cards for MF investments from July-January 1 of 2008

However Amfi members are not pleased. They believe the government should create a level-playing field among various participants in the financial system. “Why should only the mutual fund industry be singled out, when it is anyways in the lowest risk category,” questions Amfi chairman AP Kurien. Considering that funds accept and pay money only through banks, there is a clear audit trail, he points out. “There is no question of unaccounted money coming in,” he says

SEBI waives load on bonus and reinvested dividends…

Hip Hip Hurray!!!

A mutual fund investment will no longer be such a heavy cross to bear. A small investor’s campaign to keep bonus units and reinvestments free of any charge has borne fruit after three years. The investor, VT Gokhale, told ET that the Securities and Exchange Board of India has written to him saying entry and exit loads should not be charged for units given as bonus or against reinvested dividends. This means only original investments can attract a levy, and all further gains will accrue to the investor — without any cuts

“It’s a major victory for investors who have been helplessly losing a part of their legitimate earnings for no reason,” Mr Gokhale said. SEBI had, a few days back, communicated to Mr Gokhale a decision taken by Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), not to charge entry/exit load on dividends. “SEBI has accepted the AMFI recommendation,” says the communiqué from the market regulator, a copy of which is with ET

SEBI recently proposed that investments done directly — that is, without an agent — shall not attract an entry load, typically about 2% of the proposed investment. That, coupled with the latest communication, should make mutual funds cheaper for investors

An entry load is a charge an investor pays for buying mutual fund units and the exit load is what he pays for selling them. Having entered a scheme once, investors earn dividends that they can take in cash or put back into the scheme to get more units. Occasionally, the fund manager converts earnings from the scheme into units and distributes them to the investor proportionately. Mr Gokhale pointed out that a bonus or dividend would amount to gains from such investments and not a further purchase

Currently, some fund houses charge exit loads on these reward units as well, if redeemed before a certain period. In effect, the fund is charging an exit load on an investor’s initial investment as well as the reward units. “This is highly unethical,” Mr Gokhale said

He took up the matter with SEBI in April 2005. His case related to UTI’s children career plan that had charged him an exit load of Rs 1,198.22 on additional units. After his protest, the fund house refunded him the amount, but didn’t address the issue. Currently, all open ended funds charge an exit load if the investments are redeemed before a certain period — usually six months. This is done to discourage the investor from rapidly churning his investments in the fund, as it could affect the fund’s stability

Source: Economic Times