Seniors of India Inc remain young!

In our households, it is usually seen that senior working members, retire after, say 60 to 65 years of age. Well, there are many who take a voluntary retirement at a very age too! But there are many in India Inc, the very senior members who despite nearing 70 years of age, are only talking about working more, seeking extensions.

One such person is Azim Premji; he turns 70 this month and he is seeking a two-year extension as executive chairman and managing director at the company's annual general meeting slated for July 22. Another senior is Lupin’s  Desh Bandhu Gupta and he too is seeking a 5-year extension at the AGM on 23rd July.

Kirpal Singh, 89, who heads Dolphin Offshore Enterprises as chairman, is the oldest executive head currently. Other include PRS Oberoi of East India Hotels (86years) , Prathap Reddy of Apollo Hospitals (83 years), GVK Reddy of GVK Power ( 78 years), Onkar Kanwar of Apollo Tyres (73 years), N Srinivasan of India Cements (70 years). Khorakiwala of Wockhardt, Adi Godrej and KP Singh of DLF are some of the other stalwarts who continue to actively steer the company ahead, seeking extension year, after year.

But the senior most member is undoubtedly, the grand old man of India Inc, BK Birla – father of Aditya Birla and grandfather of Kumara Mangalam Birla. He is 94 years of age; though not actively involved in the day-to-day running of his companies, he remains coherent and a great support to his grandson.

These are the legends of our time and we should learn and soak up as much as we can from these seniors. Their lessons will become invaluable as we too age one day. Expereince only gets better as we age, so does wisdom.