Sarika Nanda: When Retirement Became a Return to the Classroom 

Some people count down the days to retirement. Sarika Nanda counted up the subjects she hadn’t studied yet. 

After 39 years of service at the State Bank of India and then rising to the rank of Assistant General Manager, overseeing 28 postings across the country, heading five branches and three business cells, most people would slip into rest mode. Sarika did the opposite. She enrolled for a new degree. 

Her subject of choice? Economics. A discipline she had quietly dreamed of studying for years, always deferred, always nudged aside by the next urgent meeting, the next transfer, the next responsibility that couldn’t wait. 

“Retirement became an opportunity to reconnect with my passion for learning and fulfil a long-cherished academic aspiration.” 

A Girl Who Always Loved to Learn 

The seeds of this love were planted early. Growing up, Sarika was consistently among the top students in her class. Books were not just tools; they were companions. She didn’t just love learning herself; she shared it, tutoring younger siblings and neighborhood children, weaving in lessons about values, discipline, and attitude alongside academics. 

Sarika Nanda with her classmates during her school days  

Her childhood dream was vivid and grounded: to be financially independent by age 21. Stand on her own feet. Support her parents. “Education, hard work, discipline, and sincerity,” she says – these were her compass points, and she never put them away. 

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A Career Defined by Movement and Grit 

Joining SBI at a young age, Sarika’s career was anything but static. Twenty-eight postings across India meant constant uprooting, new cities, new teams, new challenges. Her husband, a civil servant, had his own transferable postings. Together, they built a life across geography, held together by family, planning, and an extraordinary amount of mutual support.  

Yet through every move, through bustling city branches and demanding administrative roles, through her final assignment leading a 36-member Cyber Crime Cell that ran round-the-clock, including weekends and national holidays – she never stopped studying. 

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A small snapshot of her wonderful career life 

Two MBAs. A postgraduate degree in Sociology. Certifications from two IIMs. A diploma in Commercial Arts. All completed while working full-time. “I have always believed in continuous learning and self-improvement,” she says simply, as though this was the most ordinary thing in the world.  

The Farewell That Said Everything 

When Sarika finally retired in July 2025, the farewell she received was unlike anything she had anticipated. Colleagues, seniors, juniors, and support staff, from the guards at the entrance to the top-level executives gathered with heavy hearts. There were tears. There were words that no performance review could ever capture. 

A small snapshot of her wonderful career life 

“The real success in life lies in the relationships we build, the values we uphold, and the positive impact we leave on others.” 

That moment crystallized something she had sensed all along: that a career is not just a series of targets met. It is a string of people whose lives you’ve touched; mentored, counseled, encouraged, and steadied. That realization, she says, remains one of the proudest of her life. 

Back to the Classroom – With Fresh Eyes 

Choosing Online Manipal and Manipal University Jaipur for her post-retirement studies wasn’t accidental. She was drawn to the structured curriculum, the quality of faculty, and the flexibility that online learning offers. The university’s roots in South India — a region she associates with academic rigor, discipline, and an abiding respect for education – sealed the decision. 

She had no hesitation about online learning. Having completed several digital courses earlier in her career, she moved into the format naturally. If anything, she embraced it: the freedom to study from home, at her own pace, without a meeting threatening to spill into class time, felt like a luxury she had earned. 

Sarika Nanda during EKAM 2026 at SMU campus 

And her classmates? Many of them are young enough to be her children. Some almost the age of her son — who, at one point, was pursuing his own MBA simultaneously, from a different college. She recalls the experience warmly: the energy young learners bring, the fresh perspectives, the spirited discussions. “The younger students have always shown me a lot of love and respect,” she says. The feeling, clearly, is mutual. 

What Lifelong Learning Actually Means 

For Sarika, learning was never about collecting credentials. It was never performative. It is, at its core, a way of staying alive in the world — curious, engaged, and growing. “Every experience, every interaction, and every subject teaches us something valuable,” she reflects. 

Sarika Nanda with her family 

She speaks of learning the way some people speak of prayer or morning walks: as a daily practice that keeps the mind clear and the spirit steady. It keeps her away from what she calls “unproductive activities.” It keeps her positive. It gives her purpose. 

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Her aspiration for the future is one of the most quietly beautiful things you’ll hear from a retiree: “I would like to leave this world with a book in my hand, either preparing for an examination myself or teaching and guiding someone else.” 

Her Message to Anyone Who Thinks It’s Too Late 

If you’ve ever told yourself that you’re too old to learn something new, to go back to school, to start over in any way — Sarika has a direct, unhurried response for you. 

“Learning has no age limit. With age comes maturity, discipline, patience, and practical experience — which often makes learning even more meaningful and enjoyable.” 

She wants to be a voice for senior citizens — not one that soothes or flatters, but one that challenges. Retirement is not an end. It is, for those willing to see it, an extraordinary opening: time, finally, to pursue the dreams that were always waiting for.   

Sarika Nanda’s story is not about extraordinary talent or rare luck. It is about a woman who made a quiet, daily choice to keep learning — through 28 transfers, two MBAs, a demanding 39-year career, and now, a brand-new chapter. It is a reminder that the most remarkable lives are often built not in great leaps, but in the steady, sincere, unhurried pursuit of what matters.