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Best Letter

The Extra Mile

The story of Varun Chandran was mesmerising. His journey from an obscure nook in India to setting up an established business in five countries shows us that, through grit and determination, anything is possible (From Farm To Fortune, June 5).

Even in the 21^st century, people’s mindset towards those less fortunate than themselves has not changed at all. Exceptional academic scores and good looks rule the top positions in any organisation. Why does the world believe that only those who have better brains or good looks can bring in more sales or turnover?

If one does not perform well academically, it does not mean he or she will be a failure in any other field. The world’s best in this example is Bill Gates. He himself declared he was bad at academics. But look what he achieved: founder of one the world’s top-notch companies and a self-made billionaire.

Varun Chandran is one such shining example. Not only has he overcome life’s most difficult situations, he has even gone the extra mile, to bring out the hidden gems out of his own native place, and make them part of his company, Corporate 360.

He has demonstrated how to run a company which values talent and not academics, family status or religion.

A salute to all the wonderful people like him who bring about a remarkable change in this world through their hard work and determination.

Thank you wknd., for bringing us such amazing stories, and I look forward to more!

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Congratulations on your winning entry, aneena sanooj! We’ll be in touch soon.

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An Epic Issue

So it starts the same as every Friday morning… I wake up late, and the sight of wknd. clears the clouds in front of my eyes.

The cover appears quite catchy, with the theme The Art of Ageing Gracefully (June 5), while the little picture of the Fiat 500L (which is quite a young car) provides a contrast to it. I’m turning 36 soon, and the ageing story is of significant relevance to me.

Just the previous evening, I had my monthly dose of cinema indulgence with Tanu Weds Manu Returns. And I am suddenly compelled to think this issue is tailor-written for me (Bollywood; Double Happiness). As I move on with a sense of purpose on the issue, I happen to notice a winning opportunity with Canon’s 

‘Click to Win’ contest (What’s Hot). I’m driven by the prospect of winning, offset against the background of me getting a bit older. It’s driving me to challenge this notion that ageing means losing your drive, your physical and mental alertness, and having to accept the status quo. I am restlessly waiting for the cover story to unfold and consolidate my belief that all of this is absolutely untrue and that there are many examples that prove it.

That’s when Life is For Living opens in front of me. It’s a bit brutal on me, as I have a tendency to regret missed opportunities, and blame failures on the “what ifs”. But I have to propel myself forward — age does not matter and the “what ifs” don’t either.

And that is when the cover story heroes turn up — Bruce Springsteen, Diane Lane, Robert Downey Jr., Julianne Moore, all living legends and much older than I am.

My takeaway from the article is that you have to start thinking and acting in a way which pushes you ahead every single day. Every day, we age a little more, and with this we have the opportunity to fight, to win, and most importantly experience achievements which are not tied to age in any way.

Gurpreet Saggu, by email

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A Mature View

We live in a society that is obsessed with its fear of growing old, that looks upon the coming of old age with sadness and regret. This fear of ageing has contributed to a denial of reality.

Businesses view this fear as an opportunity to sell ‘anti-ageing’ products and services, in turn encouraging us to think of ageing not as a part of the human condition, but as a problem to be solved. It was heartening to read the views (True to Their Greying Roots, June 5) that not everyone looks at the ageing process with rebellion. Some accept their twilight years with grace. I think of ageing as a ‘breakeven’ process. It makes us more authentic and enables us to break away from the endless quest of trying to fit into a ‘box’. Another positive side is that after years of investing time and energy in our dreams, we finally get to see the benefits — whether it is our own achievements or the joy of seeing our children achieve what we couldn’t. To have all this and more with the addition of a few wrinkles and grey hair is still a good &bargain; not a problem to be fixed using adv-anced cosmetic solutions. It is our attitude that we need to change as we grow old, not the physical signs of ageing. Let us not give up our quest for learning as we grow older. Because the more we learn, the more it helps us to be better equipped to face reality — that is, if we are fortunate enough to grow old...

Beena Jose, by email