New Delhi, Sept. 1 -- Prashant Patil, 45, a practising gynaecologist who runs his own hospital, began his financial journey with limited capital two decades ago.

"My father had supported me with Rs.1 lakh. I began my practice in a rented clinic that cost Rs.6,000 a month. I used to commute daily on my scooter from my village to the city," he recalls.

Petrol was Rs.40-50 a litre then. "I would often hope I had at least enough patients in a day to cover just my monthly fuel expenses."

Patil understood the value of investing early on. He had seen how his father's limited investments, despite years of service as a teacher, left the family struggling after retirement. He made his own investment decisions with little guidance. However, this ...