Mani Ram

Wealth Coach | Agronomist | Motor-ist

[maniramk79-blog]

You’re not a failure, Sir! - An Ekalaivan’s Rebuttal

  A lot can happen over a cup of coffee, but we never knew what was brewing behind it. You built a business from scratch, created an international brand, accumulated wealth and gained fame in an honest manner that every Indian entrepreneur aspired for.

You aren’t a failure; you chose death over being labeled as a fugitive.

You aren’t a failure; you stayed rooted among those who amassed millions of rupees and run out of this country without even paying a single rupee.

You aren’t a failure; in a system where the real things are always outnumbered by the artificial.

You aren’t a failure; in a country where every politician seeks another term to keep their promise.

You aren’t a failure; in a bureaucratic system that never delivered.

You aren’t a failure, in a time where even municipal councilors behave like VIP’s; you stood in the queue and paid the bills at your very own stores.

You aren’t a failure; you offered the best coffee at airports at the rate of the parking charges.

You aren’t a failure; you gave wings to some 50,000 youths by offering jobs including the differently-able, which even the governments failed to do.

You aren’t a failure; offered free milk at your cafes for infants, instead of selling a banana for Rs.450.

You aren’t a failure; offered us not only the best in class products & services, but safe and clean restrooms for every woman who entered your highway cafes.

For the past two days a lot have been spoken about your attitude & desire to achieve. But very few know that on March 2019, you sold your IT arm Mindtree for Rs.3,200 crores. Rs.3,000 Crores was paid as a full settlement for a loan with Axis Bank, Rs.154 crores as fee towards sale proceedings and the balance Rs.46 crores as advance tax and returned home without even taking a single penny from it.

It’s not you sir, but this system & our country with crony capitalism & tax terrorism which failed to recognise your business acumen, ethics, philanthropy and more than anything else, your adorable soul. In the words of Oprah Winfrey, “It’s not a failure, if you enjoyed the process”. And we know how much you enjoyed yours. Rest in peace, Sir.

[maniramk79-blog]

Life & Living

“Activity is Life & Life is activity” – Major Bakhtawar Singh Brar.

As they say, “Age is just a Number” and for that matter this is 105 years (young) Major Bakhtawar Singh Brar, who is now a farmer in California, USA. He recently celebrated his birthday hosted by his farm workers. Even on that day, working at his desk (!) he said, “Activity is life and life is activity”. A person is never useless in their life, they may go down in performance, but everyone can do something for their country.

This man hasn’t stopped working a day in his life and he says work is what keeps him alive. The decorated Indian army veteran moved to the USA in 1980 when he was 68. When he was recommended to apply for a pension, he refused saying, ‘what have I done for this country, nothing. I don’t want to be a burden here. I will earn it if I need it’. He then started working as a farm worker to earn a pension for himself and his wife. And since 2006, Major Bakhtawar has been overseeing his son’s agriculture company, which now owns 18,000 acres of land in Delano, California where they grow raisins, pistachios & almond. He is actively working with his team of workers, and his day starts around 5 am at office, even on Sundays! His WORK keeps him alive & kicking.

So, what is the key to living such a long and healthy life? According to him, it’s moderation. He says no matter what you do in life, good or bad, don’t overdo it. And he continues, retiring means what? Lying in bed, “Farmers and soldiers never die in bed.”