I am in Ayodhya today—the city of Ram. A place of faith, devotion, and destiny. And today, by a twist of fate, is also my wife’s birthday.
As I stand here, taking in the atmosphere of this historic place, I think back to the day I first met her—years ago, at a speech I gave at Barclays Wealth.
That speech wasn’t about how to make money. It was about something more important: how to protect people.
Most people assume that wealth is all about numbers, about accumulating more, about the relentless pursuit of growth. But true financial security is about protection—shielding people from bad decisions, from uncertainty, from the kind of mistakes that can wipe out a lifetime of hard work. That’s what I spoke about that day. And in the audience, unbeknownst to me, was the woman who would become my wife.
She listened. And something clicked.
Now, I’m no Lord Ram, but if there’s one lesson from the Ramayana that applies far beyond mythology but is reality, it’s this: Some things are worth fighting for—not for wealth, not for power, not for personal gain, but because they matter.
Lord Ram didn’t fight for gold or a throne. He fought to save Sita. He fought for honour, for righteousness, for something greater than himself.
And today, in an age where politics, finance, and power seem to revolve around who can amass the most rather than who can protect the most, that lesson is more relevant than ever.
The Crisis of Leadership: Who is Protecting Us?
If you look at the world today, whether in the UK, India, or anywhere else, the same question keeps coming up: Who is fighting to protect the people?
- Are our political leaders focused on saving pensioners from a looming retirement crisis or just saving their own seats in Parliament?
- Are they defending national industries from foreign takeovers that weaken domestic control, or are they selling them off piece by piece?
- Are they ensuring that the next generation has access to opportunities, or are they setting up economic barriers that make it harder for anyone who isn’t already wealthy to succeed?
It’s easy to chase short-term gains. It’s much harder to stand for something bigger.
When I think about finance, about politics, about leadership, I think about that speech at Barclays Wealth. I wasn’t there to push another investment strategy. I was there to tell people the truth: Your wealth isn’t just about what you make—it’s about what you protect.
The same applies to a country. A nation’s success isn’t measured by GDP alone. It’s measured by how well it protects its people—their pensions, their jobs, their security, their futures. And yet, across the world, governments are failing this most basic test.
The Fight Ahead
Ayodhya stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and the long arc of justice. It took Lord Ram 14 years in exile before he could return and set things right. Nothing worth fighting for comes easy.
So, as I reflect today—not just on the woman who became my Sita, but on the world we live in—I ask myself: Who is fighting for us? Who is standing up for the people who need protection?
This is not a call for political ideology, but for a return to basic principles:
Leadership that safeguards rather than exploits.
Policies that protect long-term prosperity rather than chase short-term gains.
A financial system that helps people build security, not one that profits from their failures.
And for all of us—whether in business, politics, or daily life—a reminder that the best things in life are not the ones we accumulate, but the ones we protect.
To my wife—the best investment life ever made for me—Happy Birthday.
And to everyone else: May you find, fight for, and protect what truly matters.