In life most people do things to get recognized, right? So I find people working on their image, getting image consultants, seo, etc. to become more famous.

However, in the investing world there are no rewards for being famous. Yes it could be an ego trip. I have a friend who has more money than Rakesh Jhunjhunwala (presumably, his net worth is a rather comfortable 5 digit crores) and not many people know him. Yes, he does drive a Mercedes but I doubt whether even his brother knows his net worth. Somebody mentioned a few years ago…”You must be having a net worth in excess of Rs.500 crores…and Subra must be knowing it…” we both just smiled. He was already in 5 digits!

Yes he does his foreign trips, his daughter got married in a 5 star hotel – but nobody, nobody knows his net worth. Not even his brother – and hold your breath – not even his wife knows the full details. A few of us know – so we never ever ever offer to pay the bill when he is around!!

The advantages of being RICH and unknown are far far greater than being RICH and Famous! He does not have to attend any bollywood parties, or even fund manager parties! A lot of his portfolio is direct equities, but he has a few crores in mf also.

He lives his life in peace, his daughter is married off and lives abroad. He makes a trip once in a while and flies business class – I saw him go first class once because his mother traveled with him! No need to live up to “image” – he has no image! A few promoters know about him – he holds enough shares to strangle them! In the 1980s he invested in a multi bagger and still holds that share. Again that promoter does not like to tom tom about his wealth, so they are made for each other!

I have written a blog almost dictated by him – it is about ‘Value Investing lessons from a Veteran’. Go and search i did not want to make it so easy for you 🙂 . He has 4 brokers managing his portfolio apart from some portfolio which he handles himself. Each of those brokers gets about Rs. 5000 crores to manage, and they better be on their toes. He never, ever bargains about brokerage – at the end of the year he asks “do you think you deserve to earn this much…my other broker..earned this much and took this much”….keeps them on their toes for the next year!

He is well qualified and attends his alumni meet, but nobody has any expectations. He has no tips to offer except to real close friends and it will be 2/4 shares that he suggests in a year. He expects you to hold for real long time – and I have had difference of opinion with him. He obviously buys quantities a few x times what I buy and has tremendous understanding of meeting managements. He meets them once in 3-4 years at some function and exchanges pleasantries – not necessary the numbers. He has held on to a few shares over a few decades. Unlike Warren Buffett he did not miss out the technology boom, but feels he did not sell aggressively enough at the peak. I mean when Infy had a p e of 206. Yes sold, but not sold enough!!

No expectations, no television interviews, no nothing.

HE realizes that what matters to him is just friends and family. No. Nothing else.

He is secure enough to realize that he does not need fame unlike some of us who keep saying “we do not need fame” but end up saying yes to television channels asking us to come on their channel !!