Questions For Parag Shah's Awakin Call (July 1)
ServiceSpace
--Rahul Mehta
3 minute read
Jun 19, 2017

 

Our dear Paragbhai is scheduled to be on Awakin Call on July 1. And I am putting together questions for this call, titled 'A different kind of ROE.' Would love your help - please share your question as a comment on this post :) 

My list :

- Could you take us through the initial part of your life - your upbringing as being born in the diamond business that you inherited. Any childhood memories that came to define the way you look at life - your association with you family / extended family 

- Your got married to Mitaben and your two sons - Siddhant and Sumit were born. We all know of your bond with your sons - your daily calls with them no matter which geography you are in. It was very touching to read you mention about Mitaben's role in bringing up Sumit as 'the act of kindness you will never forget or never be able to comprehend in totality.' I would like to hear about your journey with each other, and as parents.  

- The first of the two events you mention as your inspiration in the Five Questions is how you realized the emptiness of ownership, as it meant in the material world. Could you tell us more about what triggered that realization ?

- What was the seed for the school (Fountainhead, Surat, India) ? How involved are you in the running of the school?  

You are also passionate about teaching. Currently you are engaged with the Auro University at Surat, a management school that keeps values in the center. Tell us more about your engagement with the students there 

- Some of us know that you are also an organic farmer. Yet another facet of yours is your interest in architecture and design. Very few of us could do so many things and yet do them so well. How do such multiple interests converge in your mind ? Does it not get too overwhelming to manage so many different things at a time ?

- One cannot talk about you without also talking about your coming across J Krishnamurti's life and his commentaries on living. The Servicespace community has benefited greatly out of this - for instance, with the Tuesday morning Awakin Dialogues. How did Krishnaji's life shape your journey? 

- From Krishnaji's collection of quotes, could you share the one/s which left you with a deep impact?

- Another of your gifts to the community has been your involvement with the Laddership circles both globally and here in India. I have heard you talk about how any social change is incomplete without inner transformation. And how Laddership circles create a space to focus within, as much on the inner spectrum as much as the outer .....

- No conversation with you is complete without a Mulla Naseeruddin anecdote. We can never have enough of them. So, please :) 

Everyone has a special Paragbhai story. Here is mine - 
I once asked him how do you find time to do everything you want to, despite the pressures of running a multi-million dollar business. In his inimitable style, Paragbhai asked me back, " 'Who owns the business?' If I own the business, then it should be easy to allocate my time to what I like. Of course, its different if the business owns me.

Please add your questions, or your personal stories either as a comment to this post, or just email me. Grateful :) 

 

Posted by Rahul Mehta on Jun 19, 2017


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