My name is Samir Shah. I am a person with eclectic interests, with a lifelong passion for learning. I have done graduate level work in several subjects, Chemical Engineering, Organizational Theory and Psychology, Digital Electronics, Laser Technology, Ophthalmology, Laser Dermatology and Finance. Of these only the first two were completed with formal teaching, and the rest, I have picked up along the way.
After completing my 5 year integrated M.Tech from IIT Bombay, and after obtaining my M.S. in Organizational Psychology and Theory from Carnegie Mellon University, I started my career in my family business, which was involved with medical equipment. Initially, I focused on selling imported medical equipment to eye doctors, and then I also tried to make small medical devices (hence the interest in electronics). Later, I, along with my wife, founded a company called New Vision Laser Centers, which focused on laser vision correction. Since I was involved with eye care in terms of both selling equipment and in running eye clinics, I know quite a bit of ophthalmology. Later, in 1998, I also started selling cosmetic lasers, and founded a company called New Look Cosmetic Laser Clinics, where we had several clinics across India.
After several years in selling imported medical equipment, I decided to develop our own laser equipment, and I founded a company called Star Medilas Pvt. Ltd., which developed several nice devices, mainly in the area of cosmetic dermatology.
Over a period of time, I lost interest in, or due to circumstances, I had to close down or quit, the business of Cosmetic Laser Clinics. I still own a couple of clinics, but they are on auto pilot. I also quit the business of selling imported medical equipment.
In 2012, I sold a partial stake in New Vision Laser Centers to a company called Centre for Sight, and in 2016, I sold my entire stake. I am still involved with running New Vision Laser Centers, and am also involved with Centre for Sight as a director on the board. My wife, Rupal, is now a well known eye surgeon, and also works exclusively with Centre for Sight.
Over the years, I have lost the drive to motivate people, negotiate with people, persuade people. This was never my strength, and over time, I have also lost the will.
Hence, I have turned to the business of investing and trading securities. I spend much of the time when I am not working at Centre for Sight in thinking about investing, learning about investing and trading, and in building a database infrastructure around investing and trading. This is something which I can do in a closed room keeping human interaction to a minimum.
But it can get lonely. Hence, I intend to teach, blog and tweet about matters close to my heart. This is something I still don’t do regularly, but I hope I can spend the rest of my productive life doing that. I also love to travel, and hopefully, the time will come when my wife and I can indulge in the travel bug more frequently.