I think a significant change came in my life after I joined our business in 2017. I started going to work with my baba. I saw a different side of his personality. In his place of business he was this boss whom everybody obeyed without even questioning him. The obedience his employees had for him was not out of fear but out of respect and love. He had a different aura around him. His simplicity, his love for his work, his attitude towards his employees and customers was what made him very special. He was his happiest self when he was in his workplace. I was in awe of his popularity among people as well as places associated with his trade. I learned many things from him. He was so happy when I joined his business. He distributed sweets and welcomed me with open arms to his workplace.
I joined our business on 7th June 2017. That very day I knew that I was being trusted with something my father built from scratch. He started this motorcycle dealership on 14th March 1983 with merely 5 employees and when I joined our business it consisted of more than 40 employees. I had never imagined that baba would be so liberal. Motorcycle dealerships are mainly run by men and it’s a fairly men dominated trade but here I was a 24 year old girl new to this trade, was being accepted by few and rejected by many. I saw this feminist side of baba where he proudly introduced his daughter to a business where being a girl I still face many challenges. My respect for baba increased that day when he said that business/trade only knows a proper businessperson it has nothing to do with gender. He tried to teach me many virtues, some I tried to learn and some I am yet to master. He knew to be calm even when the situation was way hard to deal with. He listened to others, was a calm observer. He calculated big numbers with ease, not using a calculater which amazed many. He loved physics, the subject in which he did his graduation. He used to say there is physics in everything. He knew a lot about motorcycle mechanisms and machines in general. He had mastered his trade yet was never greedy for more. His eyes would sparkle with pride when he narrated his story of struggle and success. I would never get tired of listening to my hero’s achievements and kept on asking him questions which he always answered. I was so lucky that I got these five years with him. His presence made me confident. I knew no matter what my baba would be there for me. No matter how big my mistake was he never gave up his hope on me. He would scold me a lot because of my lack of patience and immaturity in dealing with personal/professional matters but at the same time loved me for being stubborn and headstrong even in bad siuations.
I dedicate my first blog to my baba. My father was beautiful inside out and I consider myself blessed to be his daughter.