I pen down these words on the last day of the Financial Year. Yesterday was the last day for Vijay, my friend who has handled my Finances for my entire working life. The relationship was more a professional than a personal one. We grew up together in business terms – both having started from scratch around the same time in their lives. The time spent together was quite high at the start, but as our respective businesses grew, the meetings grew shorter and less frequent. Yet every meeting was a learning opportunity for me. More than the profs at IIM Calcutta, Vijay my real guru in Finance. Whatever I know today about Balance Sheets, P & L accounts and Statutory Audits is thanks to our friend.

Last June Vijay reduced his visits to his office. By Oct, he had stopped completely. We knew he was unwell. A man of few words, he was not the one to discuss his medical problems. Yesterday I realized that he had lost a battle with lung cancer. Cancer preps you for death. Vijay knew that his time was coming. Rightly, he chose to spend most of it with his family.

Death is inevitable. The only thing variable is what causes it. What would you do if you knew you had a few more months to live? I remember Rajesh Khanna and Anand. Vijay was like that. Till 15 days ago, he was busy giving advice to his clients from his bed at home. Good professional advice – and without letting any of them being bothered about his own intense personal battles. I went for the last meet with my friend to Vaikunth yesterday night. Everyone I knew who was his client had landed up.

When a friend your age dies – and you are still on the right side of sixty, it sets you thinking. What is the best way to honor death? Will my kids inherit something more than my wealth from me? What all do I need to do before my time comes? What social impact can I make before that? I am going to hunt for the answers this Financial Year, Vijay.