Lifelong Learning, New Bonds Shaping An Active Retired Life

Rajagopalan’s life story is a testimony that ageing is what we make it to be. Through continuous learning, perseverance, and openness to new connections, this 70-year-old man from Chennai shows that each phase of life can bring a renewed sense of purpose and joy.

Born in the coal mining area of Jharia in erstwhile Bihar (now Jharkhand), Rajagopalan's early years were filled with loss and change. Then, his family relocated to Madurai, and it was his mother's unwavering belief in education that shaped his future trajectory.

“We are self-made individuals,” he recalls, and credits his mother for his success. The upbringing and the struggles shaped his straightforward approach to life. It also shows how he introduces himself: “In Tamil culture, we don't usually use surnames, so Rajagopalan is my name,” he says.

At first, financial struggles shifted his engineering dreams. However, he kept chasing his love for science and earned a Bachelor of Science in Special Physics from Madurai. “I was fascinated by physics, and I earned my degree in special physics,” he recalls, reflecting on the educational background that helped him take on various roles in the future.

Hard Work Opened Doors To A Career Abroad

He began his professional journey with a well-known automobile company, where he saw significant growth during his 16 years there. 

“When I joined, there was no motorbike company,” he says, adding that he was part of the company's formative expansion years.

Rajagopalan's career path later led him to a couple of other companies in India and abroad. In the mid-1990s, he ventured to the Middle East to work as a marketing manager and later as a marketing research consultant. 

“I used to work with big audit firms,” he says. It took him to over 20 countries, he adds while talking about his international career experience. He conducted market research and feasibility studies for various governments and multinational companies. He says: “Dubai is a very happening place. It was much easier for companies to set up shop there and cover the entire Middle East region.”

Throughout his working years, family remained the cornerstone of Rajagopalan's life.

Breaking The Stereotypes

After retiring in 2020, instead of slowing down, he took on a new role as a homemaker, allowing his educator wife to pursue her career.

“I get up at 5:30 in the morning, help in preparing breakfast and lunch, drop my wife off at school, come back, and start my stock trading,” he describes his current daily routine, showing his adaptability and willingness to redefine traditional roles.

It was during this phase of reinvention that Rajagopalan discovered an online community platform that would expand his social circles and reawaken dormant passions. What began as a discounted social lunch organised by the platform blossomed into meaningful connections.

“I thought that it was quite a bargain, and I would get to meet a lot of new people; there were a total of 16 of us. I was the only odd man out. One of the females asked me if I was in this group,” he recalls of his first community gathering. “I looked at her and said that I hoped. All of them are good friends now. We keep in touch with each other,” he says.

Nurturing Friendship And Relationships Ultimately Nurtures You

Through the platform, he rediscovered joy in long-neglected hobbies, including writing poetry, singing, and championing the causes of others. He even participated in the platform's Singing Star Competition, making it to the finals. But perhaps most valuable to him are the friendships he has formed. "The best moment is meeting all my new friends. What is better than that? Meeting new faces, making new friends, it's wonderful. I'm telling you honestly, it comes from my heart. It's beautiful. And they're all very lively people."

Rajagopalan challenges conventional narratives about ageing. As he demonstrates, each stage of life can be characterised by resilience, community building, and reinvention. His journey reminds us that later years are not defined by limitations, but by the connections one forges and the passions one pursues.

Getting older is a journey rather than a destination, one that can be filled with learning, growth, and meaningful human connection at every turn.

This article is contributed by GetSetUp team