Which core are you from?

Maninder asked me as I boarded his Uber taxi from DSOI (Defense Services Officers Institute) on saturday evening.

He spoke with a slightly heavy English accent after having greeted me with a warm Namaste.

I told him I was here for dinner with a Col friend and I run my own business.

I asked him about his heavy accent and he shared his story.

He was in the Philippines for 10+ years, having established a business in financial services with a cousin who was a Philippine citizen.

The business was flourishing in early 2020 when Maninder came back to India with his wife and small kid to spend some time with his family in Patiala.

Covid struck and they got confined to India.
Meanwhile his visa expired.

His cousin refused to sponsor his visa and took control of his stake without paying a rupee and he lost everything.

He was shattered but decided to start afresh in 2021.

He went to Australia on a study visa – he also drove an Uber and worked in Indian restaurants all these years to make some extra money.

Simultaneously, he applied for an Australian PR.

He said his application was on track but some rules got changed a few months back which derailed his PR process.

He was devastated and came back to India this March, having lost time and money all these years.

He now drives an Uber and says is longer ashamed to do so – if he could do it in Australia, he may better do it here with pride.

He asked me about my work and I shared about my Leadership/ Sales training and my real estate venture in Mohali.

He says in fact Uber is helping him interact with people like me – he’s exploring new ideas every single day.

We were about to reach the destination when he said – “Sir, I am going to be 3rd time lucky, and this time in my own country”

I wished him the very best as I got down from the taxi and bid him goodbye.

Never say die!

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