Twenty years is a long time to observe the performance of a mutual fund scheme and long enough for naysayers to be convinced about the virtues of investing in mutual funds for the long term. In its 21 year history, this fund has weathered several market cycles to emerge a winner. The fund has posted a robust 23.77 per cent returns since inception and recently its NAV crossed Rs 1,000, which made it the first fund in the country to reach this price.