Greetings,

This month's banner is adorned with purple blooms of the Jacaranda tree - often associated with wisdom and the magic of spring (and fresh starts).

With that, this edition brings to you our community's experiences and learnings from rejections - a part of life we often avoid thinking about. We also bring you a spotlight on Anu Radha, an independent film consultant who we recently placed at Genwise, and more.

WisdomCircle x Aditya Birla Centre for Enriching Lives (ABCEL)

We have partnered with ABCEL to support their mission of assisting "Seasoned Citizens" in India. ABCEL is hosting an event to encourage Seasoned Citizens (WisGen) to view their post-retirement life from a new perspective and find significance and purpose post-50. As an active WisGen, your feedback will assist ABCEL and WisdomCircle in highlighting the benefits of staying meaningfully engaged after 50 and setting a precedence for others to follow. Through this survey, ABCEL seeks to understand aspects of your identity, motivations, and values as a WisGen.

This survey will take 5-10 minutes to fill.

 Please sign in to your WisdomCircle account to browse and apply for opportunities that suit your requirements. 

WisdomCircle routinely organises events for our valued members. These sessions are thoughtfully curated to align with the unique interests, needs, and aspirations of our community.

As a member of WisdomCircle, you have access to the recordings of past sessions on topics like how to be an independent director, financial planning for seniors, and more on the Events page! 

About Anu Radha

Anu Radha works as an independent film and communications consultant and scriptwriter for various national and international organisations.

She has made globally acclaimed documentary films on children and human issues based on real heroes and events. Her film 'A Little Poland in India', created on the lives of orphaned Polish children of World War II who were given protection by an Indian Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijay Sinhji of Gujarat, was awarded a Bene Merito as recognition of Honour by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Poland. The film has been installed at Yaad-e-Jallian at the historical Red Fort, India, and screened in the USA, Poland, UK and India with wide media coverage.

Anu Radha uses her communication skills to bridge the gap from the grassroots to the boardroom, thus bringing positive partnerships in social development. She has done extensive work on HIV/AIDS and Skill India Mission, creating communication strategies and audio-visual to bring behavioural change and awareness. She also coordinates High-Level Events with WHO (Geneva) and CBA (London) to her credit.

An obsessive traveller and an avid photographer, Anu Radha strives to make a difference amidst the diversity through her organisation, Aakaar Films.

Is there a retirement age in Media?

“In media or any other creative field, one never retires by "age" – in our field, age is just a number, if you know what I mean. Media, like any other creative medium, involves various verticals – films, writing, visual arts, I could go on and on. How can these mediums that expand human consciousness through expressions be summed up in a word like retirement? One keeps creating till the mind and body support. In fact, there is an expansion of vision as one ages as most physical boundaries of society have lost their grip, and thus, there is true freedom of expression – like old wine.”

On what she is currently doing

“Like the story of India – Poland, we have a unique connection with many countries, and various important historical travellers have found their 'home' here. Thus, I am currently developing projects for films on human interest subjects that speak about this shared relationship - hidden jewels of our Incredible India's gift to the world.”

On her experience with WisdomCircle

“It has been fantastic! WisdomCircle is a unique platform that believes there is no "retirement age," especially in this era where there is more value for intellectual quotient than the number denoted on your Aadhar card. They have created a platform that values senior professionals who would have otherwise declared "retired and thus not productive" for society. I have found various portfolios available to lend my communication abilities professionally for a good cause. I was recently appointed as the Ambassador for social cause with Genwise, a unique app that empowers senior citizens.”

Introducing our new On-platform Chat feature!

Stay connected with recruiters through our seamless real-time chat feature. After applying for a role on the WisdomCircle platform, recruiters can initiate a chat to share messages, assignments, meeting links, and updates, keeping you informed throughout the process. Streamline your communication and stay up-to-date with ease. 

How has your experience with WisdomCircle been so far? You can tell us in this survey. 

"Career transitions happen by choice or compulsion," writes Shoba Narayan in her insightful blog on coping with career changes. She advises, "The trick when you find yourself stumbling is to be prepared to pivot, to change." This thoughtful piece explores the challenges of career shifts, whether forced or voluntary, and encourages readers to embrace new passions that could lead to fulfilling second careers. With wisdom and positivity, Narayan reminds us, "The way to prevent a push is to act on your pull." 

Why is it that people age differently?

Bharat Wakhlu writes, "I, too, have noticed that people age differently. Some grow relaxed and playful, others serious and bitter." Sharing what he learned from observing his grandmother and moving to "retirement years" himself, Bharat shares five factors that enable individuals to be on the pathway to ageing gracefully.

 We asked our WisGen, to tell us about a time they faced rejection in their life, how they dealt with it, and share how it impacted them. 

Read below to find out how they met with rejection and are forging forward.

To share your articles, blogs, and other written content related to your post-retirement experience, write to us at content@wisdomcircle.com

WisdomCircle honours those challenging cultural expectations of elders slowing down and retreating into retirement by shining light on their journey through an inspiring series called “Wisdom Stories”. 

We interviewed Soumitra Bhattacharya one of the honourees of 58 Over 58, a collaborative endeavour spearheaded by WisdomCircle and INK. The mission is to spotlight the narratives of 58 remarkable individuals annually who are meaningfully engaged in their post-retirement phase.

When asked about advice he would like to share with WisGen*, he says, “Counselling, not taking oneself too seriously, doing what we love and generally letting go. Another important aspect is planning – what gets measured gets done. I started my planning 5 years before my retirement!”

Have an achievement you'd like to share with us? Write to us at engage@wisdomcircle.com.

Redefining Life Through Passion and Purpose

Dignity Dialogue, India’s leading magazine for senior citizens, features Shyam Sundar, a resident of Bangalore, who represents the essence of a fulfilling retirement phase by embracing life with zest, pursuing personal interests, and sharing his wealth of experience.

Through us, he was placed in a prominent business analytics company’s Grand Manager Programme, where he has been able to guide the next generation of business minds towards holistic growth. This role fulfilled his post-retirement desire to not just be engaged and productive but also impart his extensive knowledge and experience to young professionals.

Why We Need To Reimagine Retirement

Basav Ray Chaudhuri writes on how our traditional 3-stage life (school, work, retire) is outdated. Longer lifespans and fewer young people mean a shrinking workforce. He explores why we need to rethink retirement and how both employers and employees can benefit from a more flexible approach.

WisdomCircle at the India Diversity Conclave

WisdomCircle participated in India Diversity Forum's recent conclave. We engaged in a Fireside Chat on "Addressing Pay Parity and Age Diversity" with Bijuraj Balakrishnan, HR Director at Dassault Systèmes, and Joanna Shruti Sundharam, WisdomCircle's Head of Product & Founding Team Member. The discussion highlighted the critical topic of pay parity and age diversity in the workplace. 

Sukoon.Love’s mission is to spread joy and comfort through conversations. Sukoon.Love is more than just a platform, it is a happy and comforting space for Seniors to connect with Sukoon Saarthis, a group of handpicked Seniors who bring with them wealth of empathy, experience and knowledge.

Wondering what to talk about with Sukoon Saarthis? Talk about anything that matters to you. Whether you want to discuss about parenting, relationships, spirituality, finance, career, emotions or life in general – Sukoon Saarthis are there to provide friendship, support and counsel. Like your loved ones, Sukoon Saarthis are always available for you.

Check out Sukoon.Love today, select a Sukoon Saarthi of your choice and enjoy happy and soulful conversations!

Hurry, it's currently FREE for all WisdomCircle Members!

How has your experience with WisdomCircle been so far? Share your feedback with us. 

If you haven’t already, join our WhatsApp Announcement group to be up-to-date with new opportunities and events.

WisdomCircle connects senior experienced professionals, who are typically over 50 and retired, with meaningful opportunities that leverage their lifetime of wisdom and experience.

We are passionate about making post-retirement life meaningful for WisGen.