Deena Mehta says investing requires common sense, patience, and women possess this in spades
Moneylife Digital Team 08 March 2011

The BSE board director believes that leaving women, children out of the financial area is something a family cannot afford today. Besides, she argues, men are known to be bad planners, and emphasises that women must learn more about investments

"Women definitely make better investors, because investing, by default, is a game of common sense and patience and women possess this in spades," Ms Deena Mehta, the lone woman member on the board of directors of the Bombay Stock Exchange, said today. Speaking at a workshop hosted by Moneylife Foundation on the occasion of International Women's Day, Ms Mehta said that keeping women and children out of the financial arena is something a family cannot afford today.



Chandita Mukherjee speaking about her organization Comet Media

Ms Mehta dwelt a lot on what families ought to do about their finances. "Simply sticking to fixed deposits will not help, because inflation will eat away at your money. Understanding the market is necessary, and not difficult. If you can take the pains to learn, you will not only make money, you will also contribute to family fortunes," she said.

Almost all families are financially sick, because they don't pay attention to their money, she said. "Women must educate themselves about investing and the market, because if you miss the market, you are missing a lot, and losing a lot of money in the process."



Nikita Ketkar speaking about ‘Masoom’ her organization working for night school children

Several international studies have shown that women are wiser in investing and they manage finances better, whether it is at home or at the workplace. India's top banks have prominent women administrators and heads-names like Naina Lal Kidwai, Chanda Kochhar, Ranjana Kumar, Kalpana Morparia. Still, finance, and in general economics, is viewed as a predominantly masculine field. Ms Mehta pointed out how, historically, stock markets had been an exclusive arena, with no entry for women. Hence, till date, very few women have entered the markets. Mass participation in the markets is only a recent phenomenon.

Busting the 'men-only' myth on finances, Ms Mehta said, "Most men have zero understanding of financial management, and bad planners. That doesn't only apply to the husbands, but the fund managers as well. So question the man of the house as well, because there is a very good chance that he is not doing his work properly, or is clueless about what should be done."



Preeti Telang speaking about 'Swadhaar- FinAccess' and its activities

On the occasion of International Women's Day today, Moneylife Foundation felicitated three women achievers: Ms Preeti Telang, general manager, Swadhaar FinAccess, which helps urban poor women save money and advocates financial literacy among them; Ms Chandita Mukherjee, award-winning short documentary film maker and founder of Comet Media, which develops media to foster education and a scientific spirit; and Ms Nikita Ketkar, founder of Masoom, which supports night schools.

Last year, on this occasion, Moneylife Foundation had felicitated Ms Indrani Malkani, who started the Model School Bus Service and is also involved in some other social projects; Ms Sumaira Abdulali , noted environmentalist and founder of Awaaz Foundation; and Ms Anandini Thakur, noted civic rights activist from Bandra and chairman of H/West Ward Citizens' Forum.

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Comments
RAM KUMAR
1 decade ago
The heading says"Deena Mehta says investing requires common sense, patience, and women possess this in spades".......I beg to disagree.....Both the women in my life my life my mom and my wife have ZERO PATIENCE and NO COMMON SENSE at all......oops hope they do not read my post...heh...heh ...heh
Ujjal Seth
Replied to RAM KUMAR comment 1 decade ago
Well my mom is very intelligent but unfortunately my girlfriend has brains of a big hairy gorilla (the ancestors of this human race)...I would tend to agree with you
meher irani
Replied to Ujjal Seth comment 1 decade ago
did you know that smart intelligent women merely have to do a mouse over on your name/ pseduonyms that accompany the brain-dead comments posted anywhere on cyberworld and YOUR TRUE email ID just pops into their heads?
Since smart intelligent women dont bother with pranks of the sub-species called men, they will probably not report you to the Wives, Mothers/girlfriends you describe. So you get away. But hey.... don't try the patience of the superior race or YOU DONT KNOW WHAT IS COMING YOUR WAY !!!
Keshav B Bhat
Replied to meher irani comment 1 decade ago
As per my experiene (i am sorry to say) most women, what ever the position they climb or hold, are good in sterio type of work as they can not think of the alternate avilabe to do the same work or fail to see the importance with the time and cost (even with some of the men also). Mostly they can not think other than perfactness in job, and they canot realise everything can not be perfact and we have to make adjustments according to the situations to continue. This is my experience in life and I sincerely appologise, if I have hurt any ones feelings.
Keshav B Bhat
Sumit Desai
Replied to meher irani comment 1 decade ago
Wow..wow...cool down....the claims about women being "superior race " and men being "sub species" are uncalled for and in poor taste...women need to prove their 'superiority'...your shouting from the roof top is not going to convince others...everybody has the right to express their opinion, asking others to 'get away' is uncalled for .. obviously the comments on women in the first posts were innocent digs by the contributes and you did not have to react in the manner you have..
Pjasani
1 decade ago
Really I must say this is superb seminar nd all thanks goes to moneylife nd its team wch gives the good opportunities to all of us to participate in such seminar.

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