Gokulam Apartments Retiree and Wife Start Home Food Service in Bengaluru

Rakesh Kumar, a retired manager from a local petrol pump living at Gokulam Apartments in Bengaluru, and his wife Radhika have started preparing home-cooked meals for their neighbours, turning their post-retirement routine into a community food service. The venture has enabled the couple to build new friendships in the society and maintain financial independence while their children work demanding schedules in tech jobs.

The venture began after retirement brought an unexpected disruption to Kumar's daily life. Kumar said he felt displaced for nearly a year after retiring before finding ways to build a new routine, take up hobbies, and establish connections with fellow residents in the apartment complex, where many elderly parents live alongside their families.

Radhika prepares the meals while taking specific requests from residents across the complex. Kumar said his wife is an exceptional cook and that neighbours in the society have responded enthusiastically to her cooking. Running the venture has allowed the couple to stay actively engaged and cook regularly while continuing to spend time with their grandchildren.

Kumar emphasized that staying self-reliant is critical during retirement years. "We must not be dependent on our children. The idea of having them is not a retirement plan. They have their goals to achieve and we have our own. It is our responsibility to provide the best to our children to face the world, while sharing our wisdom when required," Kumar said.

He added that adapting to life after full-time work requires deliberate effort. "The world is technically fast now, people are frustrated, no one has the time for anything. In such a world, one must find a way to deal with uncertainties and connect with nature, which would bring them peace," Kumar said, noting that personal choices make all the difference.

The couple's approach comes amid broader demographic changes highlighted in the India Ageing Report 2023 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS). The report noted that India had approximately 14.9 crore people aged 60 and above in 2022, with the figure projected to reach 34.7 crore by 2050, accounting for 20.8 percent of the population and making financial security, purpose, and daily engagement essential for retirees.