A Childhood Shaped by Responsibility

Born in1960 in Maharashtra’s Wardha district, Shrikant Kalkar lost his father at age 11. Raised by a single mother on a modest pension, he learned radio repairing to support the household while still topping his class and later earning a district-level scholarship. Financial constraints pushed him toward Commerce over Science, a choice that didn’t stop him from topping his college and Pune University in Advanced Accounting and Auditing.

A 39 Year Career Built on Curiosity

Shrikant joined the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) as an administrative assistant, later completing his LLB and clearing the Licentiate, Associate, and Fellowship exams of the Insurance Institute of India to become a Class 1 Officer. In 1993, he became one of India’s early database administrators on Oracle technology within LIC’s investment department, building deep expertise in share trading and investment analysis just as Indian markets were opening up.

His career spanned audit roles across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa, divisional management overseeing digitisation (Enterprise Document Management System) and ULIP launches, and a three-year posting as Senior Assistant Director at IRDAI in Hyderabad, where he contributed to modernisation of IT systems and grievance redressal system for policyholders. He later led a sales training centre in Nashik, mentoring top-performing insurance agents and development officers of LIC until his retirement in 2020.

Family, Resilience, and a New Purpose

Both of Shrikant’s sons excelled internationally - one topped his M.Tech at IIT Madras before moving to Japan. Now he is Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University (USA). The other son studied in Russia and Germany. With his sons abroad and his wife occupied elsewhere, retirement during the pandemic brought unexpected loneliness. Rather than withdraw, Shrikant cleared the NISM mutual fund distributor exam with 92% marks and began offering free coaching to graduates for Mutual Fund distributorship and to undergraduates for clearing IRDAI examination to become licensed insurance agents.

Finding Community Through Marzi

Seeking connection, Shrikant first volunteered with Sukoon Unlimited as a “Saarthi,” offering financial guidance and companionship to fellow senior citizens. When that initiative transitioned, he joined Marzi as a Mitra for three months in late 2025, taking daily calls from senior citizens who wanted conversation, advice, and a patient listener. “They want to speak something, I was a listener, and sometimes I was also giving advice,” he recalls.

Life in Nashik: Purpose Beyond Retirement

Now settled in Nashik for its affordability, climate, and warm community, Shrikant’s days remains full. Mornings begin with puja, rooted in his belief in karma, followed by volunteering with local senior citizen groups, helping with hospital visits, religious gatherings, and the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Afternoons are devoted to free financial literacy lectures for insurance agents and mutual fund distributors, drawing on decades of share market expertise to guide others through volatile times.

Despite managing pre-diabetes and laughing about skipping his planned early-morning yoga, Shrikant stays deeply engaged with spirituality, astrology, and continuous learning. Financial security built through years of disciplined investing, he says, has freed him to give back generously of his time, knowledge, and companionship to India’s senior community.

Conclusion

Shrikant Kalkar’s story is a reminder that retirement doesn’t have to mean stepping back; it can mean stepping forward into service. Through platforms like Marzi, seniors like him continue to find purpose, connection, and the joy of helping others well into their golden years.