Mark Mobius's life was a reminder that curiosity doesn't age, it compounds. Mobius passed away at 89 on Wednesday, leaving behind enriching lessons that will benefit market investors for generations to come.
My first memory of Mark is him walking into the Taj Palace hotel in New Delhi. I was supposed to help him with checking in, but he beat me to it. At 87, the spring in his step made even 26-year-old me jealous.
At check-in, he noticed his bag had been damaged by the airline. The irritation was brief, and the response was methodical. We got the hotel to help fix it, and he told me, almost matter-of-factly, that he would file for compensation as soon as he was back in Dubai.
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I had the pleasure of chaperoning him at the NDTV World Summit in 2024, and one moment clearly stayed with him. PM Narendra Modi, in his address, mentioned that experts like Mobius are bullish on India, even noting how he urges global funds to allocate a significant share to Indian markets. Mobius was genuinely thrilled. Soon after, he had me track down the exact text of the speech, and together we drafted a note to the PMO thanking them for the mention. He was gracious, precise, and prompt.
As part of our Delhi tour, one of the stops we took was Yashobhoomi. As we walked through the vast, polished spaces, he slowed down, taking it all in before remarking that India would need "many, many more" such global-scale venues. It was classic Mobius -- admiring the present, but already thinking ahead.
What stood out most was his energy. He was remarkably fit, always ready to move, always open to small adventures. His sweet tooth was equally fearless. While I hesitated, he dove into lauki halwa and anything unfamiliar. And that zest extended well beyond food. One evening, he texted me asking about the gala concert and later showed me a video of himself jiving to Shilpa Rao's performance, clearly delighted.
In those moments, Mobius came through as more than a legendary investor -- observant, disciplined, and still joyfully engaged with the world. Of the many quotes Mark has left the world with, there's one that stands out to me: "What goes down usually goes back up, if you're willing to be patient and don't hit the panic button." RIP Mark.
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