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By:

Kaustubh Kale

10 September 2024 at 11:37:15 pm

Fast Today, Prosper Tomorrow

AI Generated Image Navratri is a time when devotion, self-control, and celebration come together. For nine days, people across the country observe fasting, prayers, and rituals with discipline and faith. But beyond the spiritual significance, Navratri also carries valuable lessons for our financial lives - especially in how fasting and sacrifice mirror the principles of investing. Fasting as discipline When we fast, we consciously give up indulgence. It is not just about avoiding food; it...

Fast Today, Prosper Tomorrow

AI Generated Image Navratri is a time when devotion, self-control, and celebration come together. For nine days, people across the country observe fasting, prayers, and rituals with discipline and faith. But beyond the spiritual significance, Navratri also carries valuable lessons for our financial lives - especially in how fasting and sacrifice mirror the principles of investing. Fasting as discipline When we fast, we consciously give up indulgence. It is not just about avoiding food; it is also about training the mind and body to resist temptation. The same applies to investing. In a world full of instant gratification, whether it is the latest gadget, a fancy car, an expensive lifestyle or a luxury holiday, real wealth creation requires the discipline to sometimes say, “not now.” Just as fasting strengthens willpower, disciplined investing strengthens our financial health. Sacrifice for a greater good Navratri fasting involves small sacrifices today for spiritual growth tomorrow. In investing too, we often have to sacrifice some short-term pleasures to secure long-term prosperity. Choosing to invest a bonus instead of spending it entirely, or increasing SIPs using a portion of every salary increment instead of allocating the entire increase towards expenses and new liabilities, may feel like a sacrifice initially. But these small decisions, repeated over many years, can accumulate into significant future wealth and financial security. This is the very essence of delayed gratification. Patience and consistency Navratri fasting is not observed for just one day. The discipline continues throughout the nine days. Similarly, investing is not about one lucky trade or one successful investment. Wealth creation requires staying the course month after month and year after year through regular investing, sensible asset allocation and the power of compounding. There will inevitably be periods when markets test our patience. But just as discipline during Navratri is maintained throughout the festival, financial discipline must continue through both good and difficult market conditions. Balance and moderation Fasting during Navratri is not about starving. It is about moderation, restraint and mindful eating. Investing too should not be about extremes, neither reckless risk-taking nor excessive conservatism. A well-planned portfolio spread appropriately across assets such as equity, debt and gold can provide both growth and stability. Just as moderation keeps the body healthy, balance helps keep our finances resilient. The bigger picture Ultimately, Navratri fasting is also about purification of the body, mind and soul. Investing, in its own way, requires purification of financial habits: moving away from impulsive spending, unnecessary liabilities and short-term thinking towards purposeful saving and wealth creation. This Navratri, as you observe your fast with devotion and discipline, also resolve to bring the same qualities into your financial life. After all, both fasting and investing ask us to give up a little today in pursuit of something greater tomorrow. (The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor. Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605.)

Trailblazing Bureaucrat

Pearl Noronha
Sep 27, 2025
2 min read

The nine days of Navratri celebrate goddesses who embody strength in different forms; valour, compassion, creativity, austerity, devotion, justice, protection, forgiveness and wisdom. In our annual Navratri series, we celebrate the lives of nine women who strive to build happy and safe spaces for themselves and those around them.


PART - 7


Name: Sujata Saunik | Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra
Name: Sujata Saunik | Where: Mumbai, Maharashtra

In June 2024, Maharashtra appointed Sujata Saunik as Chief Secretary, the first woman to hold the position in the state’s 64-year history. Her achievement resonated beyond breaking a glass ceiling.


Sujata’s journey into public service began in 1987, when she joined the Indian Administrative Service. Over the next three decades, she worked across a wide spectrum of responsibilities, including public health, finance, education, social welfare, and disaster management. Her assignments were not limited to Maharashtra; she also served in national institutions such as the National Disaster Management Authority and the Central Social Welfare Board and represented India in United Nations missions in Kosovo and Cambodia. Each of these roles added depth to her understanding of how governance systems must function—not only efficiently, but inclusively, reaching the last person in the queue.


Her academic background gave her a strong foundation for reform. A gold medallist in history from Panjab University and later a Takemi Fellow at Harvard School of Public Health, she blended scholarship with practical action. This mix of intellectual rigour and hands-on experience shaped her approach as an officer: disciplined, data-driven, yet sensitive to human needs.


Sujata’s rise to the top was not without obstacles. Twice she was overlooked for the post of Chief Secretary, first in 2023 when her own husband, Manoj Saunik, was chosen, and again in early 2024 when another senior officer was appointed. For many, such setbacks might have been disheartening, but she chose patience and professionalism over disappointment. When she finally assumed charge in June 2024, her appointment became symbolic not just for women in administration but for anyone who believes that persistence eventually earns its place.


Her leadership style has been described as strict yet nurturing. Colleagues see her as a no-nonsense officer, firm in her expectations, but also willing to mentor and guide younger officers. One of her first initiatives as Chief Secretary was to make cabinet meetings paperless, introducing iPads for ministers and moving towards a more transparent, technology-driven system. While the change may appear procedural, it reflected her larger vision: governance that is modern, efficient, and accountable.


Sujata’s appointment was historic not only for her own achievement but also as part of a larger milestone: for the first time in Maharashtra’s history, three All India Services posts are held by women. Alongside Rashmi Shukla, the state’s first woman Director General of Police, and Shomita Biswas of the Indian Forest Service, Sujata led the administration as Chief Secretary, sending a powerful message that women are not merely participants in governance but are shaping its very direction.


Beyond titles and reforms, Sujata’s story is one of resilience and inclusion. It shows that genuine progress in governance lies in empowering people, building trust, and creating opportunities for the often unseen. She embodies this spirit, proving that discipline and compassion can transform a state.


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