Working from Ladakh
Few memories in life are etched on forever. Working from Ladakh for a month would be one such memory for me. I had been to Ladakh earlier, albeit as a tourist but living away from Leh city, in a village called Choglamsar with a Ladakhi family in their home was a different and a beautiful experience. A newly set up university wanted by help, as a Chartered Accountant, to set up internal and financial controls. Sounds boring? No ways! Thanks to the Naropa Fellowship which aims to develop leaders who will work towards the development of the Himalayan belt.
Imagine walking to office across sights like these:
The Choglamsar Agling road had just been declared a national highway and I could see streetlights being put up. The Stok (famous for the Stok Kangri trek) loomed in the background, the Indus flowed along the path I walked and stray cattle grazed lazily around the road. Well, I didn’t walk this road every day (due to my fear of Dogs) but the drive was equally mesmerizing.
The majestic mountains, the flowing rivers and the cool breeze provide the best environment to work from. For one month, I just never felt tired or drained of energy. But if I needed a break from work, then Leh had too many cafes. What more does a coffee lover want?
One thing you would appreciate after living in Leh is the availability of a seamless 4G network anywhere you want. In the office and the home, I would have access to a working 4G connection only at few spots! However, that was the trade off for the unpolluted air that I got to breathe in.
Ladakh is isolated and barren. It wears this lifeless look and thus the people there have colorful festivals. The Hemis festival was full of colours and people!
Like an entrepreneur’s path, many roads of Ladakh are uncharted and are less taken. However, you never know which beautiful surprise awaits you at the next turn.
Another road less taken by the tourists is the one that goes to Tso Moriri. Now 3 idiots made Pangong Tso world famous and I had been there in 2017! But Tso Moriri is way more beautiful, in my personal opinion. A better drive, fewer tourists and a this:
If only you could take a month off and work from any place you like, you would get a much needed change. Ladakh is one of the most beautiful places in India and nestled away in the laps of the Himalayas, it is devoid of the rush, stress and pollution of the cities we live in. You truly cannot get enough of Ladakh, you go there once more and you see more!
Well, this time apart from the breath-taking views that Ladakh offers, I got to see how finances work in Ladakh and implemented internal controls keeping in mind the sensitiveness of the people who have zero corporate exposure. The Naropa Fellowship is a wonderful attempt at developing leaders who can take the Himalayan regions to the path of self sustainability and growth.
