From Roots to Rise: A Father’s Lesson in Real Education

by Dr. Abhishek Gilara

A few years ago, my son returned to India after completing his schooling in London. He was on a four-month break before starting college in the USA. Many would see this as a time to relax, to enjoy privilege, or to bask in comforts. But I saw it as an opportunity—a window to plant the seeds of real-world learning.

I told him clearly: “No favors. No shortcuts. You must earn your own experience.” He had to approach companies or individuals on his own to secure internships—no father’s phone call, no influence, no special arrangements. I even asked him not to stay in our home city. He worked in two different states, adapting, adjusting, arranging his own stay, and learning from the raw fabric of life.

But the learning didn’t stop there. Once he returned, I told him to sit with the artisans in our factory—not in the air-conditioned office, but at the workbench, with his hands, eyes, and ears open. I wanted him to feel the dust, the sweat, the rhythm of creation. Then he had to sit with the peons, the storekeepers, the dispatch team, the junior-most staff—and truly understand the beating heart of a company.

Why? Because success without humility collapses. Knowledge without grounding drifts. I didn’t want a boss—I wanted a builder. If you want your children to fly, teach them first how to walk barefoot. Because only those who know the ground beneath can truly touch the skies above.