Suddenly two old men in our country, reaching the age of seventy-five seem to be dreading giving up power and post.

Retirement for the two has suddenly become the dreaded “R” word. They, who once thundered, “Everyone must make way for the young!” may soon be filing petitions for “extensions,” “special dispensations,” and even divine exemptions. Oh yes, one has already likened himself to a god.

But before discussing these two, here’s the truth: your attitude to retirement shows your attitude to your job.

It’s as simple as this: Were you building an institution—or just building a throne for yourself?

Let me take you away from the two gentlemen and give you two very ordinary cases, where I was an observer at very close quarters. In fact, I was involved in both the scenarios:

Case One: A society chairman in Mumbai. Now this man thought beyond himself. He started a cricket league—not for just the men with pot bellies and paunches, but for women, children, everyone. A colony league that became a roaring success. The youngsters begged him to remain as their chairman.

He smiled and said, “My joy will be to come after ten years, sit on the sidelines, and watch this continue.” Today, thirteen years later, the league still thrives.

That, my friends, is legacy. That is building an institution.

Case Two: A religious magazine editor. When he was politely told at seventy-five, “Time to retire,” the old man went berserk. He removed the poor priest who suggested it, maligned the successor-in-waiting, and clung on like fevicol to his chair. Finally, when old age and failing health caught up, the magazine collapsed. He left behind not a legacy, but a gravestone.

Spot the difference? One left behind laughter, cheers, and cricket balls flying into balconies. The other left behind bitterness, suspicion, and silence.

And that’s the question: What are you building?

If it’s yourself, then retirement will feel like execution. You’ll fight, fume, and cling to your post like a cat on a hot tin roof. You’ll throw tantrums, invent conspiracies, and make sure nothing survives beyond you. Because deep down, you know the truth: when you go, everything goes.

But if you’ve built something bigger than you—a community, a country, a culture—then retirement is joy.

It’s sitting at the edge of the field, watching the game go on, smiling because you know it no longer needs you.

So, dear leaders, editors, chairmen, presidents, and prime ministers, and chair-clutchers of all kinds—don’t wait for the day when your walking stick is stronger than your grasp on power. Step aside before that.

Because retirement isn’t about leaving. It’s about seeing what stays.

Here’s the final test: if you fear retirement, you weren’t building the institution at all.

You were just building yourself…!

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