How This Fund Manager Beats Nifty with Quant Investing | Rishabh Nahar from QODE on The India Opportunity Show
Downside protection, risk management and a deep-dive into the world of quant investing
Hello everyone, welcome to The India Opportunity Show where you get a front-row seat to people building India’s future. We talk about unlocking the potential of the country with founders, investors, creators, and successful leaders from different fields to bring you real-life stories and behind-the-scenes of what it takes to be at the forefront of building the India Story.
Episode 7, Season 2 of The India Opportunity Show is out now! You can watch it on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Our guest today is Rishabh Nahar, a Partner and Fund Manager at Qode Advisors LLP, a pioneering quant-driven asset management firm based in Mumbai . With over nine years of experience in equity and quantitative research, he specializes in developing proprietary algorithms and leveraging data analytics to uncover market insights.
Beyond his technical expertise, Rishabh integrates principles from the Bhagavad Gita and mental models inspired by Charlie Munger into his investment philosophy . His holistic approach emphasizes discipline, clarity, and a balanced mindset, aiming to deliver consistent, risk-adjusted returns for his clients. The reason I wanted to host Rishabh is because of their tremendous downside protection for their clients during the Jan-March timeframe where they ranked in India’s Top 10 Best Performing PMSs and managed risk extremely well during choppy times. Hope you enjoy watching this deep-dive into the world of quant-investing!
Chapters
01:09 - Introduction to Rishabh & Qode PMS
03:44 - What is Quant Investing, Really?
05:59 - How Qode PMS Beat Nifty in a Crash
08:09 - Why Sitting on Cash is a Bad Strategy
10:29 - Rise of Quant in India: 3% to 70%?
13:09 - Active vs Passive vs Quant
15:09 - Why Most Alpha Is Just Luck
18:14 - How Quant Models Actually Work
20:59 - When Quant Models Fail (LTCM Example)
23:59 - Ray Dalio’s Macro Lens on India
27:24 - Why 40–50% Gold in the Portfolio
30:14 - F&O: Protection, Not Profit
32:59 - Rishabh’s Personal Loss Story (Options)
35:09 - First Principles Thinking in Investing
37:09 - Why Process is better than Outcome
39:59 - Qode PMS Research & Model Building
42:19 - Do You Need to Pick Stocks to 10x?
44:59 - Portfolio Construction: The All-Weather Approach
47:39 - Modeling India’s Future Like China
49:29 - Position Sizing Strategy
51:19 - Can Retail Beat Fund Managers?
52:59 - How Quant Picked a 10x Stock
55:09 - Will AI Replace Human Investors?
57:19 - Final Advice & Closing Thoughts
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Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.