N. Raghuraman's column: I have learnt two wonderful lessons from the all-in-one species!

1. Whether the temperature outside is in single digits or it is raining torrential – one of his rules was unwavering: when the alarm clock went off long before 5 am, never press the alarm (snooze) button after that. She would wake up in the dark and fix her bed first. But there was something that kept them moving – filter coffee, the smell of which would wake up the rest of the family, especially the father. That was his protein shake. Like modern mothers, she would put on her 'workout gear' – I mean, she would lift the saree above the ankles, tuck it into her waist and head to her 'gym'. Yes, his first gym exercise in the 1960s and 70s meant sweeping the verandah and making rangoli, which would make the house look brighter. After this, his 'sit-down exercises' would begin – chopping vegetables, cleaning rice and preparing breakfast for the whole family. She recorded all this on her Instagram — in a 15-paisa inland letter to her mother. I started 'following' her when she was in her 20s. I was one of his 6.2 million followers. You read that right. He had six followers — parents, four adult siblings, two children — me and my sister. A total of 6.2 people who admired him. I said 'million' because every person in this world was worth millions to them. This is where I got my first lesson on why good leaders get up early in the morning. It's not just for productivity, discipline, or success—but to take control of your day. They don't press the 'snooze' when the alarm sounds, they don't check the phone's notifications as soon as they wake up, and their mind is never tired. They choose silence for inner peace; Pray to strengthen your resolve; And keep your body active in the early hours of the morning to work better and of a different quality. 2. Many of you may have heard that shrill chirp at some point or another when watering plants in the garden. The same thing happened to me. I leaned over and saw that there was a small flock of newborn chicks. They were trembling and their eyes were not open. Three little ones, adjacent to each other, unaware of the surrounding world. I watched them for several weeks. His mother would come at regular intervals. She didn't go too far from them, so as to keep an eye on them. When a large bird or suspicious animal appeared around, it would call out to me in a loud voice and I would run to chase them away. I also started putting food near the tree. She would eat, but she would go out to feed her children and catch insects. Maybe that was his 'protein shake'. One day he inspired them to jump out of the nest. One of the children jumped up and landed safely after a little flight. The other wobbled a little. The third stayed in the nest the longest. His mother seemed to be quietly telling him, "Come on, you can do it." And then they all flew away. That was my second lesson. Watching them, I realized that we often believe that life rests entirely on planning and control. We make lists, prepare budgets, but those who dare to leap into the unknown world like those hummingbirds, find success. Marrying a stranger, moving to a new city with him, starting a relationship, having children, and then finally taking a job to support the husband—every moment of it is like jumping out of the safe nest of parents and onto some unknown land. Life is determined less by who we hold onto, and more by what risks we take and the courage to leap into the unknown. The trap is that women of all species are nothing but an all-in-one personality in themselves. No wonder we celebrate their existence. Happy Women's Day.