It seems to me like only yesterday I sat in that shabby hostel room where I was interviewed by my Seniors for becoming a Junior Representative of Finitiative. In the same vein, the final ‘handing-over-the-torch’ talk our Seniors gave us in the Eastern Lawn, just after Finitiative’s Valedictory Ceremony, is still fresh in my memory. The reality still has not set in that I have become a Senior Representative now, let alone the President of the club. But as the saying goes, life is what happens when you’re busy doing something else.
It is one of my pet peeves when people diss the concept of money (You know, the philosophical, hypocritical types). After all, money is only a means to an end. I always tell them “Managing your money efficiently does not guarantee a peaceful life. But it gives the freedom to decide if you want one.” Ironically, many people who claim that they don’t make their life about money, are exactly the ones who disregard money management and end up in the rat race. Then they blame the society and the government for making them poor. Charity begins at home and good money management begins with the self. Although the words used by him are harsh, Albert Camus hit the nail in the head when he said “It is a kind of spiritual snobbery that makes people think that they can be happy without money.”
Finitiative has, in the past, and will in the future continue to look for people who accept the reality that money has become an important part of our lives – whether or not we like it. Through its activities, Finitiative will equip its members, first and foremost and its participants with the right tools on their journey towards what is broadly termed as ‘financial freedom’ – the ability to take a pro-active control of one’s life. In this sense, as Gordon Gekko puts it, “Greed — for lack of a better word — is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.” Let us all be benevolently greedy.
To reiterate the sincerity of its past members, note that Finitiative was envisioned by our Super Seniors only as late as 2012. In a very short span, the people who dedicated themselves to it, including us (luckily), have elevated it to enviable levels. Yet the basic motto of the club remains the same: “Finance is fun”. For the coming academic year 2016-17, we are looking to attract a group of fervent individuals who share our enthusiasm for money matters and are ready to spread the moolah mantra. Of course, it won’t be easy – we will face a lot of difficulties. We’re in for a bumpy ride, but we’re in it together.
This article was written by Dinesh Sairam (PGDM, Batch 21, XIME-B)
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