An NDTV explainer highlights how investors can target ₹1 crore through a systematic investment plan (SIP) over a long period, emphasizing that the initial phase is often the hardest. The article notes that an SIP starting from relatively modest contributions—such as ₹10,000 per month—can grow into a much larger corpus when sustained over roughly 20 years, illustrating the impact of compounding and consistent investing. It also draws attention to a common investor challenge: reaching the first major accumulation milestone (around ₹25 lakh). According to the piece, many investors underestimate how long it can take for the portfolio value to rise from early contributions to that first large checkpoint, before the growth rate becomes more noticeable. While the report focuses on milestone psychology and timeline, it underscores that the strategy depends on maintaining regular SIP payments and staying invested through market fluctuations. Overall, the message is that patience during the early stage is critical to achieving the larger goal of ₹1 crore.