We have all grown up watching the famous Raymond ads, haven't we? Well, the man that started 'the complete man' revolution is now metaphorically incomplete.
Hailed as one of the richest men in India, Raymond owner Dr Vijaypat Singhania who once dressed many an elite in India is reportedly broke and at a 'hand-to-mouth' existence because of his own son.
Yes, you read that right.
Left alone and broke!
The man who built Raymond (started in 1925 in Thane, Mumbai) into an elite's go-to apparel company handed over his company to his son Gautam. But is left penniless and all alone today.
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Dr Singhania lives by himself in a rented row house in South Mumbai's upscale Grand Paradi society. But this is perhaps the only 'luxury' he can now afford.
The once 'richest man' reportedly gave up all his shares worth Rs 1,000 crore worth to his son Gautam. But his lawyers claim that the son is squeezing every penny from Dr Singhania and has even taken away his car and driver.
"They are trying to squeeze him"
Senior Advocate Dinyar Madon who is representing the 78-year-old former tycoon in a fight against his son told a daily, "They are trying to squeeze him (Dr Singhania) now. All his perks - like a car and a driver -- have been taken away."
Madon also added that Gautam was "driving him out of everything."
"This kind of litigation should not have come to the court at all"
Apart from Gautam 'squeezing' everything from his father, Dr Singhania is also fighting for duplex space in a high-rise in Mumbai. The said building named JK House in Malabar Hill, Mumbai, should have been divided between Dr Singhania and his family as well as his late brother's wife and their two sons.
But the advocates fighting for Dr Singhania claim that all four duplexes have allegedly been taken over by Gautam (his counsels also fighting it out in the court). Surprisingly, when the matter to the courts, Judge Girish Kulkarni slammed both parties.
"This kind of litigation should not have come to the court at all. It should have been settled," the court observed.
The result of this fight is yet to be seen, but the tussle between this famous father-son duo is a grim reminder of the state of our society.
India is also ageing fast
Recent reports suggest that as many as 8.6 per cent of our country's 121 billion population is over 60 years, and the numbers are only increasing.
In fact, the data released by the Ministry of Statistics says that overall number of people aged above 60 has increased " to 35.5 per cent — from 7.6 crore in 2001 to 10.3 crore in 2011."
These numbers sure make it critical for the younger generation to be more proactive when it comes to caring for our elders. And let's not forget, they make fantastic friends to their grandkids.
3 things only grandparents can teach
- They have an emotional connect: While parent provide emotional support to their kids and may not want to have their parents babysit their children, it is the emotional connect and safety that a child feels with his/her grandparents that no nanny or teacher cannot provide. Parents may have to be strict or disciplinarian at times and children may not share all of their feelings with them, but with grandparents, kids are more at ease.
- They are more relaxed: Having seen so much of the world and with a lifetime of experience, grandparents may not sweat the small stuff and this rather ‘cool’ attitude can only be passed on from a grandparent to his/her grandchild. Grandparents can lend a wider view of things, which can help kids solve many problems.
- They're willing to invest time: Perhaps one of the best things about having a grandparent is the amount of time they are willing and happy to invest in their grandchild. While most working parents work hard to make ends meet, their kids can be looked after lovingly by their grandparents, if they so desire. This means that they kids grow up in a loving family environment.
Read: Importance of grandparents in a child's life
(All images courtesy: Instagram)
