Irreverence

Idealism & irreverence is a heady mix. It made me return to India & jump into co-founding a social impact venture when I was 28 (and had accomplished little).

It was September 2009. Swasth India had me travel through our towns, villages & slums, to community forums, factories, local markets & government offices, to people of all kinds, on strange journeys.

I particularly remember one visit to a Latur sugar factory. The factory was owned by a late Maharashtra strongman, with a close family member managing the operations.

My junior & I arrived unannounced and somehow made it into a meeting with the manager. We pitched our low-cost health coverage to him. On being rudely prompted that he would only hear if we had something for free, I responded — “You won’t get anything worthwhile for free” & then barged out. The manager was left fuming & shouted while we walked out.

My colleague was scared — what if we were stopped & pulled back in for a thrashing? He heaved a relief when his bike finally left the factory & out of the industrial area.

The impatient irreverence, after years of working at ground level in India, has now made way for an overtly softened version of me. But I do sometimes long for the older me.