A year ago, on this very date, I wrote about completing my first year after superannuation, my first year of the second innings, or Free Innings as a friend put it! I remember writing it with a mix of uncertainty, curiosity, and quiet hope. I did not know then how the year ahead would shape me personally, professionally, and emotionally.

Today, as I look back at the one year period from 1st February 2025 to 31st January 2026, what overwhelms me is not the volume of activity, but the depth of meaning each engagement carried.

If the first year of the second innings was about finding my footing, the second year has been about finding my rhythm.

Roots, Choices, and Silent Convictions

My decision to shift base to Bhubaneswar, taken earlier, continued to reaffirm itself through this year. Being closer to my parents, especially my father in his nineties, navigating dementia with quiet dignity, or my mother managing the burden so graciously, has taught me lessons no classroom or boardroom ever could.

There is a different kind of success in simply being present.

There is a deeper leadership in choosing family over convenience.

And there is profound peace in knowing that some decisions, though questioned by many, are right because they are human and humane.

Technology, once again, proved to be a great enabler. Distance did not dilute engagement; in many ways, it deepened it.

The Book and the Journey Beyond Pages

April 2025 marked a deeply emotional milestone, the release of my first book, Plain Speak Management: Insights from Life’s Lessons. I am thankful to many, who showed up to express their support for this maiden venture of mine. Foreword by Harish Bhat , endorsements by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., SHRM-SCP , Anuradha Razdan Suresh Narayanan Dr Amit Bhalla Prabir Jha played a huge role in shaping the book and delivering it. Presence of Gurudev Sri Anish Ayush Gupta, HFIMA Dr Amit Bhalla along with my family members and both young and seasoned friends during the launch facilitated by ever passionate Mohit Gupta was a huge confidence builder.

But what followed was far more humbling than the act of publishing.

Over the course of the year, I had the privilege of personally handing over the book to leaders, thinkers, institutions, and friends across the country. Each handover turned into a conversation. Each conversation turned into reflection. And each reflection reaffirmed my belief that ideas gain meaning only when they travel beyond the author. Would remain ever thankful to Hon'ble Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan jee Hon'ble Governor of Odisha Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati jee, Hon'ble CM of Odisha Shri Mohan Chandra Majhi Jee Chief Minister's Office, Odisha Hon'ble, Hon'ble MP enigmatic Shri Shashi Tharoor , Prof Prof. V Ramgopal Rao Jee among many others for their time and appreciation.

This journey found a symbolic closure on 28th January 2026, when I shared my thoughts on the book at my alma mater, BITS Pilani, during the Lit Fest in august company of other BITSian Authors Harish Bhat Shri Baskar Ayer Ms. Neha Goel Ms. Saumya Prakash in presence of the Group VC Pilani Prof. V Ramgopal Rao Dean Alumni Relations Arya Kumar and other faculty and students of BITS, Pilani.

Some circles don’t just close; they quietly bow in gratitude. And they give you inspiration to continue further!!

Classrooms that Continue to Shape Me

Teaching remained a deeply enriching pillar of this year. Engaging with students on Business Ethics at #IIM Mumbai, Human Capital Management and Ethics as a Strategy at #IIM Shillong and Agile Leadership for the Future of Work & Workplace at #BIMTECH, Noida have been both energizing and humbling.

In every classroom, I was reminded that ethics is no longer a chapter, it is a compass; that agility is not speed, it is sensitivity and that leadership today is less about authority and more about authenticity.

The students, sharp, questioning, values-conscious, often taught me much more than I taught them.

Reflections with Ranjan: Conversations that Stay

What began as an experiment has now become a habit of the heart.

Completing 75 episodes of Reflections with Ranjan has been one of the most fulfilling journeys of this year. Conversations with diverse voices reaffirmed my belief that wisdom does not belong to hierarchy; it belongs to honesty.

Two episodes remain particularly close:

• The 50th episode with Patti P. Phillips, Ph.D. , a conversation on impact, measurement, and meaning.
• The 75th episode with Ayush Gupta, HFIMA , reflecting the energy and clarity of a new generation. https://youtu.be/UriMWfqyzuc

Each episode reminded me why listening is perhaps the most underrated leadership skill.

Mentoring, Start-ups, and Quiet Progress

Mentoring start-ups continued to be a source of quiet satisfaction. Watching founders  like Vaibhav Kaushik , Nilesh Jain, Jainul Abedin thinking so clearly, stumbling so courageously, and growing so responsibly, has been deeply fulfilling for me.

Not all progress needs applause. Some of the best growth happens quietly, steadily, and with integrity.

Leadership in Reflection: Coal India Directors’ Retreat

One of the most meaningful institutional engagements this year was the Directors’ Retreat with Coal India Limited, curated and delivered by #HridaySe Consulting, the entity, which came to life during last year.

It reaffirmed a belief I hold strongly: leadership transformation does not begin with frameworks, it begins with reflection. When senior leaders pause, introspect, and reconnect with purpose, organizations begin to shift organically.

I was extremely fortunate that Gurudev Sri Anish Jee lent his support to this initiative and engaged with the leaders of Coal India’s subsidiaries drawn from all across the country. Personally I would remain ever thankful to Dr. Vinay Ranjan, PhD , the dynamic and progressive Director HR of Coal India for his #Confidence and #Trust.

Gratitude, Growth, and the Road Ahead

This year has felt full, at times hectic, often intense, yet quietly fulfilling. It has gently reshaped how I see relationships, inviting deeper empathy; how I approach work, with a wider lens; and how I embrace life, with greater acceptance.

It has also offered its share of pauses; moments of introspection and unspoken realisations. One begins to notice, almost in passing, that some with whom one once stood firmly during days of strength, may drift away, their memories growing faint. And, just as unexpectedly, others, who were helped or supported sometimes without intent or expectation, perhaps probably as a matter of habit, become steadfast, even when one can no longer alter the course of their lives. Such is the quiet order of things, a truth best understood when accepted rather than questioned.

As I bow my head in gratitude, to the Almighty, my parents, my family, my friends, my students, my colleagues, and every fellow traveller, I pray not for comfort, but for continued opportunities to learn, experience and give back.

The ‘free’ innings continues.

With humility.

With purpose.

And with faith.

#Gratitude #SecondInnings #LearningForLife #Ethics #Leadership #GivingBack