Want to get rich by 2028? Expert explains what to buy, when to exit, and how to win as an investor

In a wide-ranging conversation blending financial logic with storytelling flair, renowned chartered accountant, author and financial literacy advocate Dr Anil Lamba has laid out a sharp, actionable roadmap for wealth creation over the next three years. From identifying strong businesses to mastering entry–exit timing, Lamba distills decades of experience into simple, urgent lessons for Indian investors.

At the heart of his message is a bold assertion: “Investing in shares is a national duty.” According to Lamba, developed nations share a common thread — deep and active stock markets. When citizens invest, liquidity improves, entrepreneurship accelerates, new jobs are created and the economy expands. “The development of a country and that of its stock market go hand in hand,” he says.

To illustrate, Lamba explains that investors participate in a system that gives entrepreneurs capital and gives individuals the right to exit at any time — a feature that makes the entire economic engine more efficient. “When buyers and sellers are always available, confidence rises. More people invest. More companies grow. GDP and tax revenues rise. Everyone benefits.”

But while investing is essential, timing and selection decide outcomes.

Lamba’s first rule: don’t sell in an uptrend, don’t buy in a downtrend. Markets move in identifiable patterns, he explains. Consistently higher highs indicate an uptrend — a time to hold, not exit. Consistently lower lows signal a downtrend — a time to wait, not buy. “The right moment to enter is after the second higher bottom; the moment to exit is after the second lower top,” he says, adding that perfect timing doesn’t exist, but patterns offer strong probabilities.

On what makes an investor truly successful, Lamba boils it down to two pillars: what to buy and when to buy or sell. While timing is often underestimated, he calls it decisive. “A great company bought at the wrong time can give no returns. An average company bought at the right time can make money.”

To pick strong companies, Lamba insists on choosing the industry first. Once the right sector is identified, investors should look for rising sales, rising gross profit, faster-rising net profit, an EPS above industry average and a P/E preferably below it. These filters, he says, remove a large percentage of weak candidates.

He warns that profitability and liquidity are different animals. “You can show profits and still be unable to pay salaries. Both pillars must stand strong.”

Lamba also emphasises the Rule of 72, a simple tool to estimate how long money takes to double — and how inflation silently erodes income if investments don’t grow faster.

On common investor fantasies, he is blunt: “There is no such thing as maximum profit and no such thing as minimum loss.” His advice: book partial profits, use stop-losses and act decisively.

Beyond markets, Lamba invests only in art — but never with the intention of selling. And as an author of eight influential books, he remains focused on his mission: financial literacy for a billion Indians.