*From Boom to Bust* *Ramesh's Stock Market Nightmare* Ramesh Agarwal, a 42-year-old small business owner from Mumbai, had always been cautious with his money. But in early 2020, after watching the Sensex reach record highs, he decided it was time to enter the stock market. Encouraged by online videos and friends who had made quick profits, he invested ₹10 lakh-his hard-earned savings-into mid-cap and small-cap stocks. At first, things went well. His portfolio was up 25% within months, and he started dreaming of an early retirement. Then, March 2020 arrived. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered one of the worst stock market crashes in Indian history. The Sensex plummeted over 13% in a single day, and Ramesh saw his portfolio shrink by 40% within weeks. Panic set in. *His WhatsApp groups were flooded with fear.* *Experts on TV gave conflicting advice-* some said to "hold for the long term," while others predicted further crashes. *Unsure and scared, Ramesh decided to cut his losses and sold everything at a 50% loss.* Months later, he watched in disbelief as the *market rebounded sharply* . *The stocks he had sold at a loss were now at all-time highs.* If he had held on, he would have made a profit. *The regret was unbearable.* Ramesh's lesson was harsh but valuable: *the stock market is unpredictable, and emotional decisions can lead to financial disaster.* Now, he invests cautiously, diversifies his portfolio, and sticks to a long-term strategy-no more panic selling *Never sell in Panic - Hold when the Market are down*.