Dr M Pattabiraman (PhD) is an associate professor at IIT, Madras. He is also the founder, managing editor, and primary author of freefincal.com, a news media organisation focused on investing, retirement, and personal finance. He has authored three personal finance books and has over 11 years of experience publishing news analysis, research, and financial product development.

He has over 22 years of teaching and research experience. He was awarded the “Young Faculty Recognition Award” by IIT Madras in 2012 for his passionate teaching, which students love. He has also received gold medals for academic distinction during his MSc and PhD, both at IIT, Madras. Learn more about Pattu’s unique approach to teaching.

Dr. M Pattabiraman, associate professor at IIT, Madras, founder, managing editor and primary author of freefincal.
Dr. M Pattabiraman

Several of his calculators have been published on the investor awareness website of SEBI. He has conducted money management sessions at the Quora World Meetup and for employees of the World Bank, RBI, BHEL, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, Asian Paints, PayPal, RBS India, Societe General, Honeywell and many other institutions.

Dr. M-Pattabiraman giving a lecture
Dr M Pattabiraman giving a lecture.

Expertise and Experience

Popularly known as “Pattu”, Dr M. Pattabiraman has written three books:

He has been profiled in the Economic Times: Meet Pattabiraman, the man who helps many plan a better retirement through his calculators.

Screenshot of the Economic Times featuring Dr M. Pattabiraman taken on 11th June 2021 at 8:43 am IST
Screenshot of the Economic Times featuring Dr M. Pattabiraman taken on 11th June 2021 at 8:43 am IST

 

Pattu was also profiled for the Guru Portfolio series of LiveMint in March 2024. You only need a fund where returns remain consistent: Freefincal’s Pattabiraman. The article went viral on X(formerly Twitter). Also, see LiveMint Best of the Week.

Mint Guru Portfolio M Pattabiraman Print Version March 14th 2024
Mint Guru Portfolio M Pattabiraman Print Version March 14th 2024
Mint Guru Portfolio M Pattabiraman Summary Part One
Mint Guru Portfolio M Pattabiraman Summary Part One
Mint Guru Portfolio M Pattabiraman Summary Part Two
Mint Guru Portfolio M Pattabiraman Summary Part Two

His journey to financial independence has been featured on LiveMint: Light the FIRE and lose the fear of getting fired. Also, Can your FIRE dreams get past the COVID-19 impact?

Pattabiraman specialises in financial goal-based portfolio management where the investment risk is gauged based on need alone, regardless of market movements. This has resulted in a unique open-source robo-advisory tool.

His analytical tools and research on mutual fund investing, stock selection, pre-retirement planning, post-retirement risk management, and portfolio management have been published regularly at freefincal since May 2012. The site serves over three million readers annually (5 million plus page views).

Work with SEBI

The SEBI Investor Protection Education Fund Advisory Committee recommended nine of his calculators be part of the SEBI Investor Education Website. Further details can be found in the announcement post.

A financial health check tool created by Pattabiraman is now part of the revamped SEBI Investor Education website.

Screenshot of Financial Health Check Tool at the Sebi Investor Education Portal
Screenshot of Financial Health Check Tool at the Sebi Investor Education Portal

Also, see Outlook Money article: Sebi Shares Calculator By IIT-M Professor That Allows Changing Asset Allocation Over Investment Tenure.

Sebi Incorporates Financial Health-Check Tool On Its Investor Education Portal.

Letter of appreciation from SEBI.

Letter of appreciation from Whole Time Member Shri Bhatia for Dr M Pattabiraman's contribution towards development of financial calculators for SEBI
Letter of appreciation from Whole Time Member Shri Bhatia for Dr M Pattabiraman’s contribution towards the development of financial calculators for SEBI

Dr. Pattabiraman was a Jury Member of the SEBI Empowering Investors Hackathon.

Dr. M Pattabiraman on the Jury Panel of the SEBI Empowering Investors Hackathon
Dr M Pattabiraman on the Jury Panel of the SEBI Empowering Investors Hackathon

Dr M Pattabiraman has been a special invitee for the SEBI Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF) Advisory Committee meetings.

Books by M Pattabiraman

Popularly known as “Pattu”, Dr M. Pattabiraman has written three books:

Chichu Gets a Superpower!teach your kids how to manage money responsibly.

Cover page of Chichu Gets a Superpower! - boys and girls edition

You Can Be Rich Too With Goal-based Investing (CNBC TV18)

Gamechanger: Forget Start-ups, Join Corporate and Still Live the Rich Life you want 

Cover page of Gamechanger: Forget Start-ups, Join Corporate and Still Live the Rich Life you want 

And seven other free e-books on various topics of money management.

Interviews with Mandeep of Labour Law Advisors

Jagruk Talks with Dr Pattabiraman: How to plan for retirement

Interview with Wint Wealth

Interview with INDmoney

Podcast with Shubham and Hemanth

Interviews in Tamil

With Venkatesh Anbumani for Vam Vodcast

Also, see Exploring the Depths of Finance Wisdom with M Pattabiraman

Interview by Boosan for Finance Boosan

 

Spotify link: How to Build Wealth – Financial Expert Reveals His 15 Yrs Journey

Featured in

Interview for The Fifth Estate (official student media body of IIT Madras): A Passion for Teaching

Pattabiraman’s interview appears in The Wisest Owl: Be your own financial planner by Anupam Gupta.

Wisest Owl Cover
Wisest Owl Cover

Podcasts

Let’s get rich with Pattu, produced by Ofspin is a weekly podcast on money management. Each episode will cover one aspect of money management – insurance, emergency funds, planning for retirement, financial independence and early retirement, buying vs renting and more.

Lets Get Rich with Pattu Audible Cover
Let’s Get Rich with Pattu Audible Cover

Ways to listen:

  1. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Audible
  2. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Google Podcasts
  3. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Spotify
  4. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Apple Podcasts
  5. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Amazon Music
  6. Let’s get rich with Pattu on JioSaavn
  7. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Gaana
  8. Let’s get rich with Pattu on iHeart
  9. Let’s get rich with Pattu on Deezer

Times of Indian Podcast on changes to the New Tax Regime proposed in Budget 2023

Paisa Vaisa Podcast with Anupam Gupta

Portfolio and experience

His portfolio details and experience can be found here:

Youtube Channel

The freefincal YouTube channel has more than 1000 videos on personal finance and DIY investing. Regular viewers are accustomed to Pattu’s opening lines and callsign, “Hi, I am pattu from freefincal”!

Guest Articles

He is also a contributor to Economic Times

News Article Quotes and Other Media Mentions

Can a professor, lawyer or doctor give investment advice? Sebi has a plan

This is what Sandeep Tandon did in 72 hours after the Sebi rap that saved Quant MF from redemptions

What to consider in opting for a higher pension from EPS

Keep your money safe: Stick to systemically important banks for safety

Non-linked insurance plan: Surrender or stay? Do the math before deciding

The better way out of a troubled fixed maturity plan for investors

7 common money myths that are still doing the rounds

ITR filing: Don’t make these mistakes to avoid getting tax notice

These young professionals have a new motto- to retire early

LIC agent turned fee-only RIA

My business grew after SEBI came up with direct plans

Direct plans of equity MFs can help negate the impact of LTCG tax

Forget direct plans, these ETFs charge only 0.05 per cent

Avoid mis-selling at banks, research before buying financial product

Article by SEBI RIA Avinash Luthria: The 8 most surprising stories in the Financial Planning profession in India

Full listNews Media Presence of M Pattabiraman and freefincal

Fee-only India

He is a patron and co-founder of “Fee-only India”, an organisation to promotes unbiased, commission-free investment advice.

Integrity and core principles

Pattabiraman focuses on reportage journalism and research. All freefincal articles are based only on factual information and detailed analysis by their authors. Credible and knowledgeable sources will verify all statements made before publication.

Pattabiraman does not provide individual investment advice and does not publish paid articles, promotions, PR, or satire.  All opinions will be inferences backed by verifiable, reproducible evidence/data. He follows strict journalistic integrity defined by the freefincal’s Policies and Standards.

Corporate Sessions

He conducts free money management sessions for corporations and associations(see details below). Previous engagements include the World Bank, RBI, BHEL, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, Asian Paints, Tamil Nadu Investors Association, etc.

Watch his talks

This talk was given to World Bank Employees in Feb 2019: Common sense approach to managing money.


Index investing options in India: this talk was given to members of the Tamil Nadu Investors Association


Getting started guide: Re-assemble

Re-assemble is a free step-by-step guide to help you manage money

Small Re assemble cover - Ebooks by freefincal
Reassemble cover – Ebooks by freefincal

Download Re-assemble: Step-by-step money management basics for beginners

Related Links

Contact

  • Follow Pattabiraman on Twitter
  • Follow Pattabiraman on Facebook
  • Connect with him on Linkedin
  • Contact information: pattu {at} freefincal {dot} com (sponsored posts or paid collaborations will not be entertained)
Image of Dr M Pattabiraman
Image of Dr M Pattabiraman