Good morning Kannu
Happy special day to you. I am missing you and Choti and Mamma,
it’s been such a long time that I have been away from you. I know you are now
all grown up and will soon move into your flat (btw, did you find out if you
can get a rent holiday?) and you will soon form your own life and it has to
happen that you will have your own family.
But as I speak to Dadu and Didu every day morning, I see both
sides. They are so happy to hear from me and then I can see the happiness in
their eyes which is how I feel when I see you. You make me so proud. You are
all and more that a father would ever need or want. They are getting on in
years. I was teasing Dadu after Didu and I were talking about Ira going to
college. She and him were saying that they will be dead and buried by then. He
used to say when he was 50 that he is going to die soon and then we will
remember him or we will learn some random lesson. And I told him, you have been
saying that now for so many decades, you are 86 now, so I think you can well
live on for another 15 years till Ira gets into college. He didn’t know how to
take it. But given his age, he is really spry, no medical issues, other than
the usual squabbles with Didu. Good you two are speaking to them on a weekly
basis, son.
It was funny to see the reactions of people who have been
working from home, they really hate it. I didn’t have a problem and frankly my
productivity has gone by at least by 25%! Huge work being done. I guess once
you have worked in London managing global teams – you don’t have an issue for
working from home that much. That said, besides productivity, weight is also
going up…I am now up to 122 kilos!!! Despite exercising every day and trying to
go for long walks when I can, it’s the sitting around snacking which is killing
me.
On the longer term, this covid19 will change the operating model
for the world hugely. I don’t know what will be the situation for the next
20-25 years. Those will be some of my final business years whilst they will be
your first 2 decades at work. So I am thinking around on what I would have said
for you and I to think and remember and do?
1.
Keep cash in hand, our
investments need to be much better timed and sectors oriented
2.
Family has become even
more important. I am so lucky to have Mamma, you and Choti but you will need
your own family as well son. The support you get in times of trouble is
unbelievable. Not just times of trouble but also day to day. So do think about
that. You need to approach it as scientifically as with everything else. Having
a partner and kids – don’t rely on luck – that’s too vague and the damage from
a bad choice can be too much.
3.
Languages are good son.
Spend a bit of time to learn one more language. Chinese might be too tough, but
maybe an European language or Hindi – Mamma knows Hindi and speak to her and
Choti at home and you will keep picking this up.
4.
I am not sure if an MBA
will help at the moment. It is too vague and generalist at the moment. But if
you are thinking about future studies, then you have to only go for an Harvard
MBA or Stanford or Yale. Just the top 2-3, and yes in the USA. You have
coverage and knowledge of Europe and India is in your genes, but you need to
spend some quality time in USA to build up your cv, son.
5.
You can also think about a
CIMA perhaps? But maybe later. Optional.
6.
Another thing that will
help will be to join a charity of some kind. Doesn’t matter which one but it
will seriously enrich your life, son. Hugely. The thing is, you are in danger
of being in a bubble. You spend your time with some very rich people on the
phone and in meetings. Your spare time is with your friends, who are also quite
comfortably well off, middle class, in London. So the issue is that you aren’t
seeing the down, the poor, the dying, the sick, the distressed. That isn’t
right because you run the risk of forming a world view which doesn’t include
them. If you want to become a CEO or a Board Member, you need to be connected
to more sections and sectors of society. Your decision making powers and
capability will be hugely enhanced.
Anyway< I think this is long enough now, son. Have a lovely
day, look after the girls
Love you
Baba
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