Value Investor

Soft spoken and calm. These are the two characteristics that best describe Apoorva Shah. These complement his two other qualities that make DSP BlackRock Top 100 Equity Fund outperform peers - invest conservatively and for the long term, and do not chase returns.

A strong team and free flow of ideas and information help him to remain on top. His firm has deliberately chosen to avoid excessive risk at the cost of returns. "The risks today are more asymmetric," explains Shah. But did this conservatism cost Shah dear?

Yes, it did. In March, last year, when the market turned bullish Shah's fund was caught on the wrong foot and could not take advantage of it. He is not hassled by it, though. "We are doing justice to our investors by avoiding excessive risk in this environment," re-emphasises Shah.

At work, Shah says he unwinds by meeting people. For him, they are both a learning as well as an enjoyable experience. Away from work, Shah loves to watch movies. "Watching a movie is the best way to de-stress as it compulsorily turns your mind off," he says, adding that in his profession the risk is that the mind is always working.

He never misses his 30 minutes of yoga in the morning apart from a walk on the beach "The morning walk could be postponed to evening, but yoga is not negotiable," says Shah.

Shah's personal investments mirror his funds' conservatism. Not more than 50 per cent of Shah's investments are in risky instruments. "While Indian markets look attractive, the environment for risk taking is uncertain," he points out.

WINNER: Apoorva Shah

FUND: DSP BlackRock Top 100 Equity Fund

FUND TYPE: Equity/ Large Cap

FUND MANAGER SINCE: April 2006

3-YEAR ANNUALISED RETURNS: 13.13%

INVESTING STRATEGY: Long term and not just aim at maximising returns

INVESTING PHILOSOPHY: Conservative

RUNNER-UP 1: Tridib U. Pathak, IDFC Imperial Equity Plan A

RUNNER-UP 2: A N Sridhar, Sahara Growth