Cultural expectations surrounding the elderly are being challenged today, and with good reason!

While it was the norm to slow down and retreat into a quieter life post-retirement, more men and women are finding purpose and joy in doing the opposite.

WisdomCircle honours such men and women by shining light on their journey through an inspiring series called “Wisdom Stories”. These people have successfully smashed stereotypes, and their stories remind us that life should be lived to the fullest, no matter what age or stage.

“I graduated from IIT Kanpur in 1971 and did my MBA from UCLA in 1975. I spent a decade honing my skills in marketing and sales within the aerospace sector thereafter. A pivotal juncture arrived in 1984 when I was presented a choice – move to Los Angeles or remain in the burgeoning tech landscape of San Francisco. Opting for the latter, I embarked on my first entrepreneurial pursuit in the IT Services sector. The company was subsequently sold to Hall Kinion, a NASDAQ company (now part of Kforce Inc.). The turn of the millennium saw the launch of my second business. This enterprise focused on developing solutions to connect call centers with critical database infrastructure. This company was acquired by Avaya (AT&T) in October 2004, leading to my retirement.

My post-retirement pursuit included architectural projects, notably the construction of my dream home in Berkeley Hills that garnered significant media attention, including coverage in 3 books and 10 magazines, including the Wall Street Journal. In January 2013, I was intrigued by a couple of documentaries on nutrition and lifestyle. I dived headlong into extensive research and made changes in diet and lifestyle, that led to a profound shift in my health. I started sharing my learnings with my friends, and my ideas gained traction by word of mouth. In 2021, I established Plant-Based Wellness Foundation in both India and USA. This current endeavor, while rooted in personal experience, reflects my passion for health education and advocacy. I have taught a course in Nutrition & Health at IIT Kanpur as a guest faculty in 2023. ⁠⁠I have been writing a health blog in Times of India since January 2024 where 68 blogs have been published till date.

Key people who have inspired me over the years include

• Swami Chinmayanandanda: His teachings on Vedanta had a profound impact on my spiritual and philosophical outlook. I maintained a close association with him and became a scholar of Vedanta as a result.
• Dr. John McDougall: Dr. McDougall, focused on diet and lifestyle to reverse chronic diseases, and his insight played a crucial role in my learning about nutrition and health.
• Dr. Colin Campbell: His work detailed in The China Study, which demonstrated the potential harm of animal protein consumption had a profound impact on me. Dr. Campbell’s findings, influenced by earlier Indian research, led to a complete shift in my understanding of nutrition.
• Dr. Michael Greger: I learned a lot from Dr. Greger’s work at nutritionfacts.org, where he analyses and presents findings from numerous nutrition studies.
• Dr. Dean Ornish: Dr. Ornish’s work, particularly his book Undo It!, demonstrates the possibility of reversing heart blockages through dietary changes. This further influenced my understanding of the power of nutrition in health.

I have been guided by the principle of Prasad Buddhi – accepting circumstances with equanimity, in both business dealings and life. My current motivation stems from leveraging acquired knowledge to foster well-being, and advocating for informed decision-making, particularly within the realms of food and nutrition.“

Explore more inspiring journeys—read more Wisdom Stories here.

Photo and Interview credits – Saonli Bedi of WisdomCircle