Jairam Sridharan, Managing Director and CEO of Piramal Finance, has caught the internet’s attention after sharing what happened when he completely disconnected from work and the digital world for 16 days. In a LinkedIn post, Sridharan revealed that he returned to 3,000 unread messages, 2,000 emails and hundreds of missed calls, but also realised one important thing: “Everything in the world has carried on just fine without me.”
“Returned to 'normal life' yesterday night, after a 16 day break. Per my usual custom, for these 16 days I did not access email, didn't pick up any calls, stayed away from WhatsApp, didn't engage in any social media chatter, didn't watch the news ... Basically avoided anything that could remotely bring me back to 'work mode'. Dedicated the time fully to family and friends and our time together,” the CEO wrote.
Sridharan said that when he finally checked his phone and inbox after the long break, he found thousands of unread WhatsApp messages and emails, and hundreds of missed calls, including a few from his boss and the company’s partner. He also discovered that several important developments had taken place while he was away.
“May's month end drill came and went. My absence made no difference. RBI made some big ticket policy announcements on the forex side. Rupee is still at 95 though. Oil, however, seems to have fallen below $100. I don't know why, but let's not look a gift house in the mouth, shall we?” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“May's month end drill came and went. My absence made no difference. RBI made some big ticket policy announcements on the forex side. Rupee is still at 95 though. Oil, however, seems to have fallen below $100. I don't know why, but let's not look a gift house in the mouth, shall we?” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Sridharan also said during his break, a friend also went through an important and distressing life event, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL 2026, and the road outside his house was dug up. However, he said that the biggest takeaway from the experience was much simpler. “Everything in the world has carried on just fine without me,” he wrote.
Reflecting on the break, the CEO said that disconnecting completely comes with certain sacrifices, but the benefits outweigh the costs. “Device and interruption free time does entail some costs, some sacrifices. But the ability to be 100% present with your family for two weeks? Priceless,” he added.
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How did social media react?
The post struck a chord with special media users.
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “At a time where distractions are all around us, being able to switch off completely for that long and getting the time for yourself and family, feels like a superpower!”
“yes, unplugging has a cost but it’s measurable and recoverable. The benefits, on the other hand, are intangible and irreplaceable. Maybe the real lesson is not just taking these breaks once in a while, but normalizing boundaries even in ‘regular mode’,” commented another.
“What stood out to me is that your absence didn't stop the world, but your presence likely meant everything to the people you spent those 16 days with. In a culture that celebrates constant availability, being fully present may be one of the most underrated forms of success,” wrote a third user.