My Worst Nightmare and the Papa Who Never Made it Back Home
Today, tragedy struck again on Mumbai’s lifeline — the suburban railway — as over five commuters fell off an overcrowded local train near Mumbra. This is not an isolated incident; it is a recurring nightmare for millions who brave these trains every single day.
As a child, I remember dreading the moment my father left for work each morning. Every evening, he’d return with tales of near-misses — of the unbearable crush, the breathlessness inside the compartment, of shoes lost and toes stepped on, of being dragged involuntarily by the crowd. And sometimes, the story ended with someone not coming back at all.
Today’s accident is a continuation of that grim legacy. Despite countless lives lost, despite public outcry, the system remains broken. The minister remains indifferent. And the daily gamble with death continues for Mumbai’s commuters.
What My Parents Taught Me and What I Teach My Kids Instead!
Take a bus, not an autorickshaw. Buy functional clothes, not fashionable ones. Toys? Only when absolutely necessary, and never branded. Every single rupee mattered. A cheaper version was always preferred. To them, a good decision was one that saved even a few coins. The idea was simple: stretch the rupee, don’t grow it.
Looking back, I can understand their logic. They were doing their best with what they had. Their world revolved around keeping expenses low and surviving within limited means. But I can’t deny that this approach often made life feel like a constant struggle. A series of silent sacrifices. A quietly endured life. It taught me how miserable and limiting a typical middle-class existence can be when the only financial lesson passed on is: “Don’t spend.”Now that I have children of my own, I look at things differently. I’ve lived that life. I’ve walked in those shoes. But I want my children to walk farther, aim higher.
So here’s what I teach them instead: Don’t just save money—learn how to grow it. Focus your energy on activities that add monetary value to your time and efforts. Build multiple streams of income. Learn the power of compounding. Start investing early. Know where your money is going and make it work for you.
Saving is not a bad habit—it’s just incomplete. Saving is not investing. A bank account with idle savings is no substitute for assets that appreciate. The money you save today can lose value tomorrow to inflation. But if you learn to invest smartly, that same money can multiply and build true financial freedom.
We often romanticize the frugal ways of our parents. And yes, they were wise in their own context. But we also have to be honest: those lessons, while rooted in caution, came with blind spots. My goal is not to dismiss their sacrifices, but to evolve from them.
I believe modern parenting must include financial education. Not just how to budget, but how to invest. Not just how to cut costs, but how to build wealth. Not just how to live within means, but how to expand them.
So while I’m grateful for the values my parents taught me—simplicity, humility, and resourcefulness—I’m also determined to pass on a different legacy. One where money is not feared, but understood. Not merely saved, but multiplied.
Because my children don’t need to relive the limitations I grew up with—they need to be empowered to break through them.
Teaching him to be Rich!
“Don’t worry Sarthak”, I responded to him with a deep thought. I then got engrossed thinking and came out with a smile.
“The fact that you have asked me this question, itself gives me enough confidence that you will never die poor”, I replied extending the smile I wore a moment back. Honestly, I haven’t observed such thoughtfulness in the Gen-alpha kids before. Sarthak sometimes leaves me intrigued and surprised.

Once I took him to a fun-fair and asked him to pick a toy of his choice. We both walked to every other counter, and I kept walking behind him in the hope that he will pick one. Being a kid, it was not unusual for me to see an affinity to toys for him. But that day, he did not select any of toys.
“I don’t want any of them”, he declared.
A week later, I saw him sitting quiet in the drawing room at 10 PM in the night. I read his face and tried to enquire about his reticence. He did not speak and I kept probing.
“That fair we visited last week… Papa, there was a toy that I…”, he fumbled.
“Did you like that toy? How did it look like?”, I asked.
“It was like a key chain Papa… and it had a beautiful…”, he kept describing it to me.
“Wow! Sarthak, then why didn’t you tell me you wanted to have it the very same day?”, I asked again.
“I was not sure if it was expensive for us…”, he said with a grim look.
Flabbergasted with his answer, I couldn’t resist giving him
a long hug.
Teaching your kids the idea of richness is difficult. Richness is not about compromising on your needs or dreams. Being rich is cultivation of a good character, a habit of investing consistently – into self improvement and elevating your personality. Because in today’s world we see popular millionaires who are so poor that all they have is money.
Powerful Leadership Lessons from the "Missing Plate"
Once while on a business trip, I was invited by a customer delegate for dinner at an Indian restaurant somewhere in the San Francisco, Bay Area. The restaurant was managed and served by a sole waitress and the place was sparingly crowded. We were directed towards a table for four as we entered the restaurant. While the customer delegate and the other two inmates in our group took their seats, I rushed into the washroom for a quick one. When I returned to the table, it was noticed that the waitress had served only three plates on to the table. I took my seat. While the other two inmates started discussing the details on the menu, Indian savories and their preferences, the customer delegate looked uncomfortable. I unknowingly gauged the reason behind his discomfort as we learnt that the waitress was now busy attending other guests. It was obvious that the missing plate on the table was making him uncomfortable.
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A silly picture I took outside my Hotel in the USA |
Lesson 1: Leaders Respect
Respect is a powerful value. Respect is something we show when we treat each other right. In the above case, the customer delegate was our project sponsor and could have waited for the waitress to attend us. He could have called her and requested for the missing plate on the table. The customer delegate did notice that she was busy with other guests and hence, decided to take a small step to fix the situation he did not find worthy enough to live with.
Lesson 2: Living the change through collaboration
It was evident that the delegate was disturbed by the situation. Taking that extra step to walk into the kitchen and interacting for a fresh plate is a great example of collaboration that we see in Agile environments. The outcome was a faster time to value and a greater user satisfaction. Modern leaders do not order, they act.
Lesson 3: Imparting an Even Stronger Message
A message is strongly delivered through silent gestures and not through words. In a broader sense, the customer delegate was accountable for the successful delivery of the upcoming project – the reason for me being with him. He tersely demonstrated this by making me feel special by taking good care of me. Caring for one another is infectious and is a vital tool to make people feel responsible.
Lesson 4: Being Humble yet Effective
While in several Asian countries, the job of a waiter is not considered that respectable. Ones willingness to take up that task strongly advocates the effectiveness of servant leadership. While working in a team, being cross functional and self-organized promises the team’s velocity and predictability. Being cross functional makes the team member more effective and valuable for the team.
In most of the cases, leadership merely needs a compassionate heart, willingness to act and living up the change one wishes to see. Success is just a byproduct of such an act.
In our day to day life, a leader’s role is filled with several choices. A leader could escalate, request the missing plate, order it or opt to place it himself to bring in that human touch and effectiveness to meet larger goals.
So what's your take with that missing plate?
The Beaches, The Forts and the One Day Trip @ Alibaug, Raigad, Maharashtra
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Beautiful view of the fort from Alibaug Beach |
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Alibaug Beach |
The Everlasting Impression of the Elephant Show in Pattaya, Thailand
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The Elephant Show at Pattaya, Thailand: Beauty and the Beast |
'Pani-Puri' and the Visit to Mauritius
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Asim and his family
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Experiencing the Reign of the Peshwa Rulers at Modern Pune, Maharashtra
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The fortified palace of Shaniwar Wada that once stood strong is today just a remains |
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The pathway from within the palace to the fortified wall which even today stands firm |
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View of the Bajirao I Statue from the Delhi Darwaza depicting the glorious history of the Peshwas |
The Majestic Matheran, Raigad Is a Perfect Weekend Destination
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A Majestic View from the Alexander Point in Matheran |
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A local Matheran Villager heading back home |
The Baal Dhamaal Experience Made Me A Better Parent
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Inaugural Briefing at the Baal Dhamaal 2016 |
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Zensar Volunteers for Baal Dhamaal 2016 |
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Drenched in the same color |
Delhi's Street Food | Parathe Wali Gali
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Parathe Wali Gali |
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The Kaju (Cashew) Paratha |
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Curries Accompanying The Parathas |
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A Kulcha Dish with Boondi Raita, Choley Sabji and Paneer Curry |
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The Raj Kachori |
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Rabri |