A Future Every 5

The 75th year just passed of us being independent. And with each 5 years, I remember that every 5th year brought in a promise of the future and not just a remembrance of the past. Some of the below you may relate to.

The 40th, I was 6. We were asked to march in files through the neighborhood in pristine white “kurta-pyjamas” screaming “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram” amidst drumbeats. As we received salutes back from people on the streets, balconies, and terraces, I remember feeling like we weren’t kids anymore and being an adult was cool.

The 45th, now 11. I, finally, convinced everyone that it was good to cycle to school than use the school bus, though intermittently to begin with. My whole life of non-academic pursuits began with that simple change. You could stop at a variety of places on your way back. Some of those are integral to who I am today.

The 50th, now 16. Out of Xth. To college. We did not have to dress in uniforms anymore; you were free to wear what you liked. And you could choose (though restrained) between streams like science, commerce, and arts. The world became full of options.

The 55th, now 21. I joined ITC, my first professional pursuit. Surrounded by brilliant young people who were running the company, and my dreams changed. I was not just a good student with an amicable personality but now felt like a man of the world with a responsibility to shape the corporate of the future.

The 60th, now 26. I came into management consulting. What blew me away was the aspiration of impact (a word that I owe to my early days there) that young consultants had. The lowest aspired to change the whole trajectory of large corporates; the highest talked about the GDP of India!

The 65th, now 31, I was a year into investing. My first defining learning there was that our country of tomorrow will be built by new age India, and hence suddenly, I felt that people like me had a chance.

The 70th, now 36. A few months into starting up. Now, I was responsible for not just my own future but of ‘00s that had bet their own and their household’s. And I was responsible for conserving and building the money that all our ecosystem had invested in us. And to hustle behind a dream that every entrepreneur has.

The 75th, now 41. I know not what the future holds. But going by past experience, it will open up a grander future. With all our young men and women in tow.

Read more from CEO speaks Column:-
– Tech in Baby Steps (Baby step 3)
– Tech in Baby Steps (Baby step 2)