Page 42 - Seniorstoday February 2024 Issue

death. Vikas and Vikas knew that they will NGO job in a month’s time along with
have to decide on their own and set a time
table for themselves. But both realised that
they have to become asset light if they have
to see the light in their sunset days.
For a starter, Vikas and Vikas sold off
their practice to a large international firm,
who were wanting a footprint in India,
for a surprising tidy sum with sufficient
zeros in it, thanks to their advisors. They
were feeling light enough, with this major
decision of letting go their practice, to zip
off often to Lonavala for a week to just
enjoy everything that nothing can bring
about in their lives. They soon followed
it up with decluttering their apartment
in Mumbai and their getaway second
home in Lonavala, by giving away many
of their homely accoutrements to friends
and relatives and auctioning off their art
collection and donating the proceeds to
causes that were dear to them. The relative
minimalism in their lives, as a result of
all these actions, brought about a sense of
satisfaction and joy in Vikas and Vikas’
lives that they had never felt before.
It was the monsoon times in Mumbai and
Vikas and Vikas were enjoying the windy
sprays of the heavy rains in the balcony of
their Mumbai home. They were thinking
about their children and grandchildren in
Germany and about Manik. It had been
nearly eight months since she had last
called or dropped in and this was worrying
them no end, though they kept reassuring
each other. As if thoughts and energies
travel, they heard the doorbell only to
find a beaming Manik standing at their
doorsteps all drenched and cold. Their joy
knew no bounds and they just embraced
her. After a hot shower and a round of
piping hot tea and pakoras, Manik excitedly
told them that she had decided to quit her
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her colleague and start her own not- for-
profit organisation in a rural area catering
to educating orphaned girls and making
them contributors to nation building. She
shared with them her well thought out
plans and how she will be going about it,
starting with raising funds for the project,
with the help of her colleague whom she is
fond of and trusts. Manik was confidence
personified as she explained everything to
Vikas and Vikas in minute details, not just
about her inchoate organisation, but her
prospective life partner as well. Over the
next few days of her stay with them, it was
apparent that Manik had made up her mind
and determined to make her social project
a success. Vikas and Vikas blessed her and
assured Manik of all their support as she
embarks on her new journey. They were
exceptionally proud of Manik for thinking
of doing what she intends to do and could
not hold back their tears of joy. She was in a
way giving them a solution unknowingly.
After Manik left to go back to her work and
the drawing board, Vikas and Vikas had a
long conversation with their children and
advisers. They soon called Manik and asked
her to come over to Lonavala for a stay at
their cosy home and visit the registration
office. The Lonavala land was all hers to set
up the trust to start the school.