How an Indian fan of Warren Buffett achieved his financial independence in 20 years despite market volatility

For fund manager Gurmeet Chadha, a Warren Buffett fan, the journey to financial independence did not hinge on extraordinary intelligence, elite degrees, or perfect market timing. Instead, it was shaped by a single, yet simple principle—one he learned by closely following Warren Buffett for decades. The principle was this: accept volatility as an inseparable part of wealth creation.

In his own words, Gurmeet Chadha often emphasizes that what truly mattered was not skill or knowledge, but the “stomach” to endure market ups and downs without panic. Equity markets, by nature, are volatile. Prices fluctuate, narratives change, fear dominates headlines, and patience is constantly tested. Most investors don’t fail because they are wrong—they fail because they exit too early.

According to Chadha, surviving in the market for 15 to 20 years is far more important than chasing quick gains. Shortcuts to wealth rarely work, and “get-rich-quick” schemes often destroy capital. Those who remain disciplined, stay invested through cycles, and believe in India’s long-term growth story stand a far better chance of becoming wealthy over time, he said in a post.



This philosophy is deeply influenced by Warren Buffett, whom Chadha openly calls his biggest investing inspiration. Buffett himself has famously said, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” That belief explains why Buffett avoided much of the US tech rally for years, investing meaningfully only in Apple—a company he understood not as a technology firm, but as a powerful consumer business with extraordinary brand loyalty.

Gurmeet Chadha, a respected fund manager, is the CIO and managing partner of Complete Circle. Before starting his venture, he worked for Citibank, Reliance Mutual Fund and HDFC Bank in various capacities.

Gurmeet Chadha on current Indian stock markets

Gurmeet Chadha believes the stock market has a unique way of keeping investors grounded. One of his biggest learnings from the past 18 months about Indian markets, he says, is that markets do not always move in sync with the economy—at least in the short term.

According to Chadha, equity markets often behave independently of economic reality over brief periods. There are phases when fundamentals look weak—economic growth slows, corporate earnings remain flat—yet stock indices continue to climb and make new highs. Conversely, there are times like the present, when economic momentum is improving, reforms are gaining pace, and long-term indicators are strengthening, but markets choose to correct instead of rally.

This apparent contradiction, Chadha explains, is a normal feature of equity markets rather than an anomaly. Markets are forward-looking and driven by expectations, liquidity, and sentiment in the near term. However, Chadha urges investors not to draw long-term conclusions from short-term market behavior. While markets may remain “disconnected” from the economy for months—or even a year or two—they eventually realign.

This is why Chadha advises against becoming overly pessimistic during market corrections. Short-term declines, he believes, should not be mistaken for a breakdown in the India growth story.

In Chadha’s view, humility, perspective, and patience remain the most valuable tools for navigating Indian equities. Markets may surprise in the short run, but over time, they tend to reward those who believe in the country’s long-term economic trajectory.