Retirement Is Not About Slowing Down

Murli’s Mantras

• Start saving early and be consistent throughout your work life

• Money will give you peace of mind and help pursue your passions later

• Never stop being curious and keep the urge for learning alive to remain active

Mumbai-based Murli Sundrani, a retired business director of a medical technology company, does not fit the stereotype of a retiree. When he retired in 2019, two years earlier than scheduled, his life didn’t become slower like that of other retirees; it became more active.

His retired life is a blend of disciplined financial choices, relentless curiosity, and efforts to fulfil dreams he had set aside earlier due to paucity of time. At 63, Murli speaks with the energy of someone who is still discovering the world. He shows that curiosity need not fade with age; instead, it can flourish more freely when there are no responsibilities.

What makes him stand out is that he refuses to settle into the narrative of slowing down after retirement. He says, “You decide what you want, and then you curate your own life. You design your own pathway.”

What Keeps Him Busy

Murli took a U-turn to his student days to pursue courses and certifications that interested him. “I retired early to finish my studies. I like to learn new things. Through studies, I get to understand something new and different, meet like-minded people, and keep myself grounded.”

Besides pursuing his PhD, he stays busy with diverse pursuits: learning how to play the flute, trekking regularly, directing Youth Services at Rotary Club, and running a medical technology consultancy. Plus, he travels extensively with his wife Reetu, 57, to fulfil a lifetime passion.

Studies: In the past 3-5 years, he has completed his Master’s degree in Psychology from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), a certificate course in food and nutrition, and a certificate course in road safety from the National Safety Council of India.

“I chose Masters in Psychology because I always wanted to understand the dynamics of why people do what they do,” he says.

He then went on to pursue a course in defensive driving and in 2024, enrolled himself for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in road safety from Nirwan University in Jaipur and is now a certified coach and trainer.

His interest in road safety took its roots from one of the companies he worked for, which used to provide road safety training to its employees.

“I teach people how to be safe on the road in spite of all the chaos and provocation around you,” he says.

Trekking And Travelling: Murli loves trekking and goes to the hills in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which is close to where he lives in Thane, around twice a week for practice.

On average, he goes on one long trek every year. “I did Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib, Uttarakhand, in 2025, Jungle Trek in Chhattisgarh, in 2024, Brahmatal, Uttarakhand in 2023, Ali Bedni Bugyal, Uttarakhand in 2022, and Dayara Bugyal, Uttarakhand, in 2020.

His passion for trekking is naturally associated with his love for travelling. He has travelled to more than 20 countries, including France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain, during his job and 16-18 countries post-retirement. “I travel a fair bit both within and outside India to explore off-beat destinations. It is something my wife and I have taken up very passionately. We want to see the world and explore all that we have always wanted to see.”

While doing that, the couple ensures they immerse in the local culture. Their longing to learn about new cultures and connect with people led them to less-travelled countries, too. “In October, we went to the Balkans: Serbia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, and Kosovo. In April 2025, we went to eastern Europe—Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, and Poland, and in December 2024, we went to Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Estonia.”

The Power Of Smart Savings

The primary reason why he is able to live the life he had always dreamt of is because he was a disciplined investor. “I learned about the power of compounding very early,” he says.

He has been saving ever since he started working in 1986. Initially, he put his savings in only recurring deposits (RDs), but around 1994, he began investing in mutual funds. He recalls, “I was in marketing and I had friends in finance. They told me about mutual funds and systematic investment plans (SIPs).”

But as a smart investor, he didn’t depend on his friends alone. He consulted a financial planner, while researching about mutual funds and different sectors, and increased his investment in equity mutual funds. “That was more from a long-term perspective. I invested a decent amount, and then I stayed put in those companies. And fortunately, my portfolio is doing fine.”

Two years before his retirement, he doubled his contribution to Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) to build a large retirement corpus.

Based on his knowledge of the healthcare sector, he also selected a few healthcare stocks. “I was in a pharma company, so I knew which was a solid company,” Murli adds.

One of the decisions that benefitted him was delaying his house purchase. “I realised that if you buy a house very early, you get into the equated monthly instalment (EMI) trap pretty early. As you don’t have enough at an early age, you rely on loans, but then you make a compromised choice.”

For him, money is a tool for having peace of mind and living the way you want at retirement.

Planning And Protection

When it came to retirement planning, he organised his assets only six months before it was due. He consulted a financial advisory firm which prepared a plan for him, taking into account his savings and goals. They tied each goal, such as travelling, buying a vehicle, etc., with the money needed for it and the required amount and avenues to invest it. His two daughters were married and settled by then.

“They planned it all. I took their advice and just implemented it. I was already actively investing in mutual funds, so retirement planning was more for my gratuity and PF-related amount, which I was to get after retirement.”

He says that his savings were enough and the planners were happy. “They were happy that I started early. I invested lump sums whenever I had the surplus.”

On protection, he admits to having done a mistake. “My mother’s health insurance is something which I miscalculated. Actually, when I was in the job, the entire family was covered under group insurance. After retirement, the insurer avoided it or whatever, but the policy lapsed. I went to them and they said that now they were finding it difficult to insure the 88-year-old.”

Now the policy covers only him and his wife. His mother, 91, is not covered. His mother lives with him and, fortunately, is fit enough to manage everything on her own when he is out on trips. Murli himself is pretty fit and has never had to use his employer-provided health insurance.

And what is the secret of his fitness? He says, “To me, it’s commonsensical but people stuck in a corporate life often forget life’s simple tenets. Have adequate hours of sleep, at least seven hours a day, have your meals on time, and be physically active for at least one to one-and-a-half hours every day. I go walking, I do my yoga, I go for trekking.”

As for his financial fitness, he believes that disciplined saving habits during one’s work life forms the basis of financial independence in later years.

versha@outlookindia.com