Inspired by Satish Kumar

Peace-pilgrim, life-long activist and former monk, Satish Kumar has been inspiring global change for over 50 years. Aged 9, Satish renounced the world and joined the wandering Jain monks. Inspired by Gandhi, he decided at 18 that he could achieve more back in the world and soon undertook a peace-pilgrimage, walking without money from India to America in the name of nuclear disarmament. Now in his 80s, Satish has devoted his life to campaigning for ecological regeneration, social justice and spiritual fulfilment.

Satish founded Schumacher College as well as The Resurgence Trust, an educational charity that seeks a just future for all. Satish Kumar is the author of Radical Love

Satish Kumar, B for Good Leaders summit 2024, Amsterdam

WHY MY FATHER WAS IN BUSINESS?
 - By Satish Kumar

“His motivation included making his customers his friends. Furthermore he always had time for his family, for himself, for walking, for music and for his spiritual practice. He was never too busy with his business!”

My father Hiralal was a businessman. He dealt in jute. He visited farmers, stayed with them, dined with them, played cards with them and bought jute from them. After the price was agreed, jute was transported to his warehouse by a long line of bullock carts. As soon as the jute was delivered the drivers of the bullock carts would be invited to a lunch of basmati rice, lentils sauce and vegetables together with yogurt, papdums and pickles. My father and my mother were generous hosts. 

After a simple acts of processing Hiralal sold the jute to those craftsmen and women who in their workshops transformed the jute into hessian products like sacks, mats, bags and carpets.

My mother once told me about the business practices of my father. She said that Hiralal kept his business small. He dealt with 20-25 farmers from whom he bought the jute regularly and  about the same number of customers to whom he sold it, also regularly. She remembered that a customer had advised Hiralal to enlarge the business but my father replied, “I want to know my farmers and my customers personally. At the moment I have about fifty growers and artisans with whom I deal regularly. If my business becomes bigger I will loose that personal touch!”

“But by expanding your business you will make a larger profit,” the customers said. 

“But I am not in business simply to make profit”, your father replied, “Of course I need to make a modest profit in order to balance the books and stay solvent, but there is more to life than just ever increasing financial gain,” Hiralal continued, “there is an optimum income which is necessary to meet my and my family’s physical and material needs. Of course I want to be comfortable and not be worried about meeting my day to day expenses, but beyond that optimum financial gain more money doesn’t bring me more happiness.”

“If you are not in business to maximise your income and profit then why are you in business?” asked the customer. 

“ I am in business to make friends!” said your father. The customer was astonished by this answer, “ but surely the purpose of business is to increase your income and enlarge your wealth.

“ Not for me!” your father answered, “Making a profit is only a means to an end, the end is the enrichment of human relationships. The highest form of human relationship is friendship. Therefore I am in business to make friends.” 

“If friendship is your  purpose then can you not have friends without doing business with them?” asked the customer. 
 
“I don’t put friendship and business relationships into separate compartments. Because of business I need my farmers and my artisan customers. And they need me too. We are providing a livelihood for one another. And at the same time we are friends. We know each other and we take care of each other. In time of need, or difficulty we support each other. We are members of a small human community.” your father replied.

My mother added, “Hiralal had two things in his mind while doing business; first, finding right livelihood. We all need to work to live. Good work is good and necessary for a healthy body and healthy mind. Good work is also necessary to meet the needs of our families and ourselves. But for your father there was a second purpose and that was to serve the community. He had a sense of service behind his business activity. His motivation included making his customers his friends. Thus for your father earning a living, serving the community and making friends was all of a piece. Furthermore he always had time for his family, for himself, for walking, for music and for his spiritual practice. He was never too busy with his business!” 

“And he did all that with very low impact on our planet Earth.” I commented 
 
“That is absolutely true. After all the Earth is the eternal source of our lives. The Earth nourishes us all equally, without any discrimination. So, for your father caring for his community of friends and helping farmers care for the land were two aspects of one reality. For him there was no separation between humans and Nature, between people and the planet,” my mother remembered, “Hiralal followed Mahatma Gandhi’s dictum that the Mother Earth provides enough for everyone’s need but not for anyone’s greed!”