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Prepaid Death, Unlimited Love: A Lesson from a Crematorium in Pune

It was 3:00 PM at a large crematorium in Pune.
A 35-year-old corporate executive, Rohan (name changed), Vice President of a leading software company in the United States, had just landed from America. With an expensive laptop bag in one hand and Ray-Ban sunglasses on his face, he walked hurriedly toward the funeral ground.
His father, Sadashivrao (75), had passed away the previous night.
Rohan kept looking at his watch. His return flight was at 6:00 PM. An important meeting awaited him the next day.
Everything had been arranged by a local cremation service agency. The pyre was ready. The rituals were organized. The priest had completed the initial rites. The body was prepared.
Rohan glanced at his father’s face. A couple of tears rolled down his cheeks.
Then he asked calmly:
“Is everything ready? I need to leave soon. I have to catch my flight.”
The Bill That Was Already Paid
The agency employee handed Rohan a file.
“There is no bill,” he said.
“It has already been paid.”
Five years earlier, Sadashivrao had visited the cremation service office. He had deposited ₹50,000 in advance and made all arrangements for his own final rites.
His only concern?
“Make sure my son doesn’t suffer inconvenience.”
He had left behind a letter.
Rohan opened it with trembling hands.
A Father’s Letter
“Dear Rohan,
I know you are busy. Your career matters. I raised you to conquer the world.
Don’t disturb your life for an old man’s body.
I have already arranged everything.
If you can come, good. If not, I have no complaints.
Just one request —
When I used to drop you to school, you never left my hand.
Today, when you light my pyre, your hand should not tremble.
Hurry back.
— Papa”
The cheque book slipped from Rohan’s hand into the mud.
He fell to his knees.
“Daddy… I’m sorry.”
For the first time in years, deadlines didn’t matter. Meetings didn’t matter. Promotions didn’t matter.
He stayed all night beside the burning pyre.
Because in that moment, he understood something profound:
A SIM card can be prepaid.
A father’s love cannot.
The Real Crisis of Our Times: Success Without Presence
At SkillCouncils.com, we celebrate career growth, global mobility, digital transformation, and professional excellence. We write about industry demand, employability, leadership pipelines, and international placements.
But stories like this force us to pause.
In today’s hyper-competitive world:
  1. Flights are urgent.
  2. Meetings are critical.
  3. Careers are “time-sensitive.”
  4. Parents become “scheduled visits.”
We talk about “Work-Life Balance,” yet many of us are living “Work-Work Imbalance.”
Rohan made crores. He built global credibility. He earned titles.
Yet in that crematorium, he realized he had become poor in the one currency that truly matters — presence.
What This Story Teaches the Skill & Corporate Community
1. Career Growth Should Not Cost Human Roots
As professionals in the skill development ecosystem, we train youth to:
  1. Get placed
  2. Earn better
  3. Move abroad
  4. Compete globally
But do we also train them to:
  1. Stay emotionally grounded?
  2. Value their parents?
  3. Balance ambition with gratitude?
True success is not just economic mobility — it is emotional maturity.
2. Parents Invest Without Expecting Returns
Sadashivrao prepaid his own funeral to reduce inconvenience to his son.
That is the psychology of parenthood:
  1. They sacrifice silently.
  2. They plan for your comfort.
  3. They minimize their own needs.
And often, they expect nothing — not even time.
A father who once held your finger to help you walk… eventually becomes someone who waits for your call.
3. The Illusion of “Important Meetings”
There will always be another meeting.
Another deal.
Another promotion.
Another quarter target.
But there will not be:
  1. Another father.
  2. Another last goodbye.
  3. Another chance to stand beside the funeral pyre without regret.
Time is the only resource that does not offer extensions.
A Message to Young Professionals & Skill Leaders
If you are:
  1. Working abroad
  2. Running a startup
  3. Managing tenders and government contracts
  4. Leading a training organization
  5. Building a corporate career
Pause for a moment.
Ask yourself:
  1. When did I last sit with my parents without checking my phone?
  2. When did I last thank them?
  3. If something happened tomorrow, would I regret my priorities?
Skill Development Must Also Teach Values
As India builds its skilled workforce for global markets, we must remember:
Skills build careers.
Values build character.
The future of work is not just Artificial Intelligence, Automation, or Global Mobility.
The future of humanity depends on empathy.
The Final Reflection
Rohan understood too late:
“Prepaid” can apply to services.
It cannot apply to relationships.
A father’s love is unlimited.
No currency in the world can repay it.
No professional milestone can replace it.
No corporate title can compensate for absence in the final journey.
Before You Close This Article…
Call your parents.
Sit with them when you can.
Support them when they age.
Stand beside them in their last journey — not because it is a ritual, but because it is gratitude.
No matter how big you become in the world…
Never become small in front of the people who made you who you are.
— SkillCouncils.com Editorial Desk

Building Skilled India with Values, Vision & Responsibility 



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