Ritesh Sabharwal CFP®

W.M.W #15: From the first ₹1 Cr grind to ₹1 Cr per year after 24 years

Reading time: 4 minutes - September 27, 2025

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Hey Reader

They say the First Crore is the hardest and it’s true - building that initial ₹1 Cr portfolio feels like climbing a mountain. But here’s the exciting part: once you cross that milestone, the next crores come much faster.

Here’s why 👇

The Road to Your First Crore

Ask any seasoned investor - the first ₹1 crore is always the hardest. Why? Because in the early years, your wealth is driven more by your savings than your returns. Compounding is still warming up.

Think of it like pushing a heavy flywheel: the first few turns take maximum effort. But once it starts moving, momentum takes over.

Here’s how long it takes to reach ₹1 Cr depending on your SIP (assuming 12% return with a 10% annual step-up SIP):

The faster you get to your first ₹1 Cr, the sooner compounding can take over. And that’s why early discipline in SIPs matters much more than chasing the “perfect” mutual fund.

Your first crore isn’t just about money. It’s about proving to yourself that patience works. It’s about building the discipline of saving first and spending later. Once you’ve done that, the journey ahead feels lighter because compounding starts carrying the weight for you.

The Power of Compounding After ₹1 Crore

Once you’ve pushed your way to the first crore, something magical happens: the money itself starts doing the heavy lifting. Think of your first ₹1 crore as your ticket. Once you have it, every future crore comes faster - sometimes in half the time, sometimes in a fraction of it.

In the beginning, it was your savings that mattered most. But after ₹1 Cr, the returns on your investments start outpacing your monthly contributions.

Example – Let's say you start investing ₹30,000/month SIP @12% returns (that too even without step up SIPs)

Here is how the portfolio grows along with how long it takes to achieve

• ₹1 Cr in ~12.5 years
• ₹2 Cr in ~17 years (just 4.5 years more)
• ₹3 Cr in ~20 years (3 years more)
• ₹4 Cr in ~22.25 years (2.25 years more)
• ₹5 Cr in ~24 years (less than 2 years more)
• Beyond ₹5 Cr → Your portfolio adds ₹1 Cr every year, without extra effort.

That’s compounding in action. The more your money grows, the more it accelerates itself. See it below to believe it:

This is why the discipline in the early years matters so much. The first crore feels like a grind, but it unlocks the compounding engine that makes every next crore arrive faster.

Here’s what you learned today:

• The first crore is slow and discipline-heavy.
• Step-up SIPs accelerate the journey.
• After ₹5 Cr, wealth compounds at a pace where you add ₹1 Cr every year.

Reply to this email and tell me — How close are you to your first ₹1 Cr and how long it took you to get there?

Connect with me on LinkedIn, I write every day to help you make smarter money decisions👇

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