Living Beyond Success…

“We have to be good all the time. We cannot afford not to be.” -  The Royal Navy Way of Leadership by Andrew St George.

Human development is a layered journey—beginning with the values instilled in childhood and evolving through education, professional life, and personal introspection. At each stage, the individual absorbs, questions, and refines their understanding of the world and their place within it.

Upbringing begins at home. Parents impart family values—love, discipline, honesty, and respect—through teaching, example, and emotional presence. Children learn not only by instruction but by observing behavior, absorbing conversations, and engaging with digital media that now permeates daily life.

As children enter school, they encounter a broader social framework. Teachers, alongside academic instruction, introduce values like fairness, cooperation, and civic responsibility. School becomes a training ground for navigating relationships, rules, and societal expectations.

Teenage years bring self-awareness and a desire for independence. Adolescents begin to challenge the values they've inherited, comparing them with personal experiences. This phase may involve rebellion, but it also sparks ambition. Many focus on academics, recognising that success in examinations leads to admission in prestigious institutions and opens doors to careers in engineering, medicine, law, or other fields. This pursuit is not merely personal—it reflects the aspirations of family and society.

Achieving professional success is a moment of pride—for the individual and their family. It is the culmination of years of effort, sacrifice, and resilience. The confidence gained through professional accomplishments fuels further growth. Financial stability enables the fulfilment of family responsibilities—from education and healthcare to housing and social commitments. This phase brings a sense of fulfilment, dignity, and societal respect.

Upon entering the professional world, individuals encounter a new value system shaped by organisational goals. In business, profit is paramount. Innovation, creativity, product development, marketing, and employee satisfaction are valued—but often secondary to financial performance. Professionals undergo training that emphasises Management by Objectives (MBO), aligning personal goals with organisational aims. This alignment is crucial for career advancement and organisational development.

Yet, this environment can challenge one’s internal value system. If a professional has cultivated clarity through reading, mentorship, introspection, and purposeful living, they remain grounded. Their values act as a compass, guiding them through ethical dilemmas and competitive pressures.

Professional life is a significant chapter—but not the final one. Beyond success lies the deeper question: How do I live meaningfully? Eternal values—love, gratitude, empathy—become central. These values enrich personal life and empower one to uplift others.

Recently, a U.S.-based acquaintance of mine—who had risen to a senior leadership position in a global credit risk firm serving infrastructure, aerospace, and maritime sectors—chose to take voluntary retirement. In a remarkable shift from corporate life, he now helps visually impaired children to learn. His journey stands as a testament to how enduring values—compassion, empathy, and service—can lead not only to profound personal satisfaction but also to meaningful societal contribution.

True fulfilment comes not only from what we achieve, but from what we give.

Professional success builds pride. Personal values build a legacy.

Success is a milestone. Meaning is a journey. Let us live beyond success!

Walk Straight, Walk Firm

Leadership does not always begin with talk. Sometimes, it begins with walk. 

How you talk and how you walk both plays a vital role when you are in a leadership position.

While walking, keep your back straight, your head high, and your gaze forward. This posture doesn’t just signal confidence; it expands your vision. When the spine is upright and lungs are open, the breath flows in rhythm.

Move in rhythm. Let your arms swing naturally—stretched below, moving forward and backward in sync. Walk fast and steadily, but never in a hurry. Each footstep should land firmly, as if marking your commitment to the path ahead. This pace saves time, yes—but more importantly, it signals focus. Observers sense that you have important tasks to accomplish and that you walk with purpose.

Speak while walking, but don’t stop. Colleagues may interact with you. Respond with warmth—a brief glance, a few words—but maintain your rhythm. Leadership is not about stopping to explain; it’s about moving forward while remaining accessible.

Know you’re being watched. Your walk is a silent speech. Students, peers, and strangers observe your posture and gesture. They draw inspiration from your steadiness. Walk as if you are entrusted with something greater… greater than yourself!

Wear shoes that support your stride. Good footwear matters. Brands like Skechers, with its heel offer a subtle spring, help you move forward comfortably. Feel the pressure on your toes; it propels you forward. Let your shoes become silent allies in your journey!

Practice daily. Exercise keeps your posture upright and your stride strong. Walk on a track, walk with awareness, walk with pride. Over time, walking becomes not just a habit, but a mark.

I had the privilege of walking alongside great leaders from academia, industry, and politics. Those are the moments of pride. But more than those, I remember my daily walk through the 500-foot corridor of my institute. Back straight. Head high. Eyes forward. I knew it would inspire my students and colleagues. And it did. One of my students recently reached out, recalling how my walk inspired him.

So when you walk, walk with pride.

Pride in your integrity.

Pride in values.

Pride in walking the talk.

Dr. Mahendra Ingale @Pune on Oct 24, 2025

(Value Based Leadership, Publishing soon)

आठवणींच्या लाटांवरून...

१.

शाळेत असताना, मुंबईला सहल गेली होती .

मी जाऊ शकलो नाही.

"नाराज होऊ नकोस... तुला पुढे मुंबईला शिकायला जायचं आहे,"

हे शब्द हृदयपटलावर कोरले गेले.

२.

मुंबईत आलो तेव्हा—

जुहू बीचचा किनारा असलेला समुद्र माझा होता.

आताही आहे—तेव्हा अधिक होता.

दूरवर समुद्राला भेटणारे क्षितिज माझं होतं.

आताही आहे—तेव्हा अधिक होतं.

स्वप्नांना आकार देणारे Bhavan’s आणि SPCE आवडले.

स्वतंत्रतेचं पहिलं पाऊल हॉस्टेल अधिक आवडले.

स्टर्लिंग आणि एक्सेलसिअर थिएटर आवडले.

इंग्रजी सिनेमा बघायला येणारे लोक अधिक आवडले.

दिल्ली दरबार आवडले. व्हाइट चिकन अधिक आवडले.

छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज टर्मिनल आवडले.

सामान आवरत गाडीचा शोध घेणारे प्रवासी अधिक आवडले.

नंबरनुसार धावणाऱ्या डबल डेकर बसेस आवडल्या.

त्यात बसून आणि उभं राहून प्रवास करणारे लोक आवडले.

आभासी विश्व निर्माण करणारी फिल्म सिटी आवडली.

तेथे लीलया वावरणारे कलाकार अधिक आवडले.

वानखेडे स्टेडियम आवडलं.

विक्रमवीर क्रिकेटपटू अधिक आवडले.

३.

मंत्रालय आणि विधान भवन आवडलं.

त्या समोरील आमदार निवास अधिक आवडलं.

मलबार हिलवरील बंगले आवडले. 'वर्षा' ही आवडला.

त्यात रहिवासी येतात, जातात—म्हणून अधिक आवडला.

समुद्राच्या लाटांशी खेळणारं गेटवे ऑफ इंडिया आवडलं.

त्या समोरील ताज अधिक आवडलं.

अरुण साधूंचं ‘मुंबई दिनांक’ आवडलं. ‘सिंहासन’ अधिक आवडलं.

जॉनी वॉकरचं ‘ये है बंबई मेरी जान…’ आवडलं.

त्यातील वास्तव अधिक भिडलं.

काही चेहऱ्यांची, काही बिनचेहऱ्यांची माणसं येथे भेटली.

बिनचेहऱ्यांची लोकलमध्ये जास्त भेटली—ती ही आवडली.

४.

मुंबईने प्रेम दिले, लाटांनी खेळविले, क्षितिजाने स्वप्नं दाखविली,

तरी येथे का थांबलो नाही?

चेहरा हरवून, बिनचेहऱ्याचं होऊ असे वाटले म्हणून थांबलो नाही का?

थंडगार, मऊशार वाळूवरून चालताना हा प्रश्न पडतो,

आणि त्याचं उत्तर समोरील समुद्रासारखंच असतं—

गूढ, खोल, आणि सतत बदलणारं!

महेंद्र इंगळे 

Speak Your Own Words, Not of Others

Leadership today isn’t about commanding followers. It’s about walking together—where every step is shared, and every voice matters.  In meetings, public forums, or moments of crisis, you may be surrounded by colleagues—some with greater responsibility or longer tenure than you. Yet in that moment, you carry the voice of the organization.

So what should you speak?

Speak your own words.

Not borrowed jargon. Not rehearsed brilliance.

Not words to impress. But words that belong to you.

And words that people understand.

Speak the language of your colleagues—with your own words.

Your message should be clear, audible, and honest.

No exhibition of vocabulary. No performance of intellect.

Just clarity, conviction, and care.

Look through the eyes of those listening.

Don’t stand above—but with them. Sometimes behind them.

Don’t just inspire—challenge.

Don’t dominate—support.

And when you speak, let the audience know who you are.

Not through titles or achievements, but through the tone of your voice,

the temperament of your presence,

and the honesty with which you share your experiences.

Speak not just with your voice—but with your eyes.

Let your hands and shoulders, your cheeks and chin, carry the message too.

Let your presence say: “I am with you.”

When you invite people to take on a challenge,

your words should carry the weight of assurance:

“I stand behind you. And I will walk with you.”

I’ve practised this for years. And the results have been remarkable.

I spoke with my own words, with earnest zeal.

And my colleagues responded.

They withdrew from association elections to support a shared vision.

They worked late hours—even during Diwali—to meet the scholarship disbursement targets.

They rose to challenges.

During a thunderous downpour, I saw a woman colleague take charge during a hazardous transformer explosion on campus-umbrella in one hand, the other raised with calm, commanding instructions.

Leadership is not a costume. It’s a posture. It’s a presence.

It’s a promise—delivered through every word.

Hence I reiterate: Speak your own words, Not of Others

Dr. Mahendra Ingale @ Pune on Oct 23,  2025

(Value Based Leadership, Publishing soon)

#SpeakYourOwnWords  #ValueBasedLeadership #HowLeadersWalkAndTalk #LeadershipWithPresence #InspiredByExperience #MahendraWrites

Dear Teacher,

 Dear Teacher,

You are an English teacher in a prestigious government institute.

Feel proud of it.

You have worked—and continue to work—with committed people.

Feel proud of that too.

Soon, you will earn your Ph.D. and be titled Dr.

But remember: Dr. is not merely a title.

It is a responsibility.

A great responsibility.

Dear Teacher, Marathi is your mother tongue.

And I know you love it as I do.

You learned English as part of your school curriculum.

You studied grammar—perhaps not for joy, but to secure good marks.

You might have used Wren & Martin or other such books.

Grammar has its own technicalities, its own discipline.

There are norms.

What you speak and write should be easily understood by others.

You toiled. You burned the midnight oil.

And somewhere along the way, you may have developed a love and flair for the language.

Your pursuit of a Ph.D. is a testament to that journey.

Keeping these thoughts in mind, I’ve written a blog: Unread, Yet Unshaken!

You may go through it—if not for grammar, then for a smile.

And lastly, feel proud that you’ve worked with someone who upholds values like freedom, equality, fraternity, love, and gratitude…

And who loves his students and teachers with sincerity.

Just fun. Just reflection.

With Warm Regards

Unread, Yet Unshaken!

Hearty congratulations to Mr. László Krasznahorkai, Nobel Laureate in Literature 2025. I read the review of his work in Saturday’s Loksatta. Mr. Nikhilesh Chitre’s review is as intellectually demanding as the book itself—yet educative, elaborative, and worth reading. Congratulations to him!

Still, I choose not to read the book.

Why? Because I am an optimist.

The world is burdened with real problems—poverty, injustice, the downtrodden deprived of health and education, deceit, depression, communal strife, dirtiness, pain, and sorrow. This is reality. One cannot escape it. But one can strive to address these issues within one’s own boundaries, in one’s own capacity, and through the role one has assumed. That is my belief.

I have penned a book in English, and I have used a full stop after every sentence, respecting the grammar I learned from 'Wren and Martin'. I have not written sentences that stretch across 300 or 400 lines without a full stop. Hence, I will not read Mr. Krasznahorkai’s book—out of respect for the grammar that shaped my language.

Likewise, I will not read 'Mother Mary Comes to Me', the Booker Prize-winning novel by Ms Arundhati Roy. It is a bestseller. Congratulations to her!

But my mother did not beat me. She did not torture me. She loved me. Not only my mother, my parents, my teachers, my students, my friends, and my colleagues, they all loved me. I am still filled with that joy!

So I will not read 'Mother Mary Comes to Me'.

What difference does it make?

It does make a difference.

I am optimistic.

It is not just about what I don’t read- it’s about what I choose to live by.

And finally, Mr. Krasznahorkai and Ms. Roy will not mind that I choose not to read their books, just as they are not obliged to read mine!

Dr. Mahendra Ingale @ Pune on Oct 14, 2025

( Engineering Heart Beats, Publishing soon)

#Optimism #Literature #Reflections #EngineeringHeartBeats #WrenAndMartin #Gratitude #BoundariesAndBeliefs

Remembering Mother Narmada!

We planned a visit to the ‘Statue of Unity’ at Kevadia in Gujarat—a towering tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, rising more than 220 feet into the sky. But as always, the journey held its own surprises.

My wife and I set out in our Hyundai i20, without much planning. I enjoy driving—not just the motion, but the freedom. We stopped wherever the heart nudged us: for tea, snacks, photographs, and conversations with strangers who felt like old friends. It was a pleasure trip, light and spontaneous.

We had lunch at Rajpipla, and on the advice of locals, proceeded to Garudeshwar for the night.

Garudeshwar is no ordinary place. It is sacred ground—where Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, known lovingly as Tembhe Swami Maharaj, left his mortal body for heavenly abode. It lies on the path of the Narmada Parikrama, and every Parikramavasi bows here.

Years ago, I had attended a lecture by Shri Jagannath Kunte, who completed his first Narmada Parikrama and later wrote Narmade Har Har!, a book that fascinated me. Since then, I’ve felt a quiet pull toward the river—a silent attraction that words cannot fully explain.

That morning in Garudeshwar, we woke early and walked to the Narmada Ghat, adjacent to the temple and samadhi of Tembhe Swami. The atmosphere was steeped in serenity. Mother Narmada flowed gently, as if in meditation. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft glow on the wide stone steps of the ghat.

And then, something touched me!

As I stood before the river, I remembered my own mother, whose name was Narmada!

A wave of emotion rose within me. I felt as though I was receiving darshan of my mother once again, after years. 

She was a woman of quiet strength—hardworking, content, never demanding anything from anyone. 

I remember her like the ‘Samai’ in our ‘Devghar’—silently glowing, spreading its soft light. 

In That Light, We Lived! 

In That Light, We Progressed!

Mahendra Ingale @ Pune on Oct 13, 2025

(Engineering Heart Beats, Publishing Soon)