Chapter 1: The Beginning (2019)

The morning sun streamed through the windows of Bangalore’s prestigious Apollo Hospital as Priya Sharma, a fresh physiotherapy graduate, nervously adjusted her white coat. At 23, she was about to begin her internship, earning a modest stipend of ₹15,000 per month.

During her second week, while having lunch in the hospital cafeteria, she met Dr. Ramesh Kumar, a senior orthopedic surgeon known for his wisdom both in medicine and life. Noticing Priya counting coins for her meal, he smiled knowingly.

Over the next few weeks, Dr. Ramesh mentored Priya about mutual funds, SIPs, and the magic of compounding. Despite her limited income, Priya decided to start with what she could afford: ₹500 per month in a diversified equity mutual fund.

Chapter 2: Building the Foundation (2020-2024)

After completing her internship, Priya joined a rehabilitation center in Koramangala as a junior physiotherapist. Her salary increased to ₹25,000 per month. True to Dr. Ramesh’s advice, she maintained her SIP, watching her investment grow steadily.

By the end of her third year, something remarkable happened. Priya received a promotion and her salary jumped to ₹35,000 per month. She remembered Dr. Ramesh’s words: “As your income grows, let your investments grow with it.”

Chapter 3: The Master’s Degree Decision (2024)

By 2024, Priya had established herself as a skilled physiotherapist. However, she dreamed of pursuing her Master’s in Sports Physiotherapy from a premier institute in Bangalore. The program was expensive: ₹3,00,000 for two years, plus living expenses.

Her parents offered to support her, but Priya had a different plan. She met with Dr. Ramesh, now a close mentor and friend.

Priya’s master’s program offered a stipend of ₹8,000 per month. While pursuing her studies, she needed approximately ₹15,000 per month for living expenses, academic materials, and fees. The shortfall was ₹7,000 per month.

Dr. Ramesh helped her set up a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) from her mutual fund corpus, withdrawing ₹8,000 per month to supplement her stipend comfortably.

Chapter 4: Financial Independence During Studies (2024-2026)

As Priya immersed herself in her master’s program, her financial planning proved invaluable. The SWP of ₹8,000 per month, combined with her stipend, allowed her to:

• Pay her semester fees of ₹37,500 every six months
• Cover rent for her PG accommodation in Jayanagar (₹6,000/month)
• Manage daily expenses and academic materials
• Maintain a decent quality of life without constant financial stress

Over the two-year period, Priya withdrew ₹1,92,000 (₹8,000 × 24 months) from her mutual fund corpus. Meanwhile, the remaining amount continued to grow at approximately 12% annually.

During her convocation ceremony, Priya’s parents sat in the audience with tears of pride. Not only had their daughter earned a prestigious degree, but she had also largely financed it herself through smart financial planning that began with just ₹500 per month.

Epilogue: The Ripple Effect

After completing her master’s, Priya joined a leading sports medicine hospital in Bangalore with a starting salary of ₹65,000 per month. She immediately restarted her SIP, this time with ₹13,000 per month (20% of her salary).

More importantly, she became an evangelist for financial literacy among young healthcare professionals. She often shared her story during hospital inductions, inspiring countless interns to start their investment journey.

Dr. Ramesh, now retired, would often say with a smile, “Priya didn’t just learn about physiotherapy in this hospital. She learned the most important therapy of all – financial therapy.”