'Down to last few thousands': Ankur Warikoo reflects on surviving on mother’s ₹1,000 salary

Ankur Warikoo, known for his insightful content on entrepreneurship, took to social media to share a deeply personal memory from his past. 

In a post on X, Warikoo recounted a period in 1995 when his family was thrown into financial chaos. "I was 15. Papa had just lost his job. We were down to our last few thousand in the bank. He went to the bank to withdraw 10K. On his way back, someone robbed him of it," Warikoo revealed.

The incident plunged the family into a spiral of debt and desperation. Warikoo vividly recalled the daily hardships—debt collectors at the door, his parents skipping meals, and the harsh reality of surviving on his mother's modest salary of ₹1,000 as a primary school teacher. 

It was a time that tested their resilience and forced them to confront the stark divide between chaos and stability.

Warikoo also recounted a critical moment when his father was offered compensation for their house in Kashmir, which had been destroyed. Accepting the compensation meant relinquishing any hope of reclaiming his childhood home, but it was a decision driven by necessity. 

"That money would save us. And it did," Warikoo reflected, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the sacrifices made to ensure the family's survival.

Warikoo shared his perspective on the role of money in life. He emphasized that money's true value lies not in the material wealth it can buy, but in the stability it provides. "That is the purpose of money," he wrote. "Not to buy happiness. Not to buy growth. Not to buy things. Not to buy status. Instead, to buy stability. Respect money for the stability it provides. Instead of becoming a slave to the addiction it offers."

Warikoo's candid post resonated with with many, prompting reflections on the balance between financial stability and the pursuit of wealth. 

One user wrote, "I don't have money right now, and can totally understand and relate to the stability money provides. And yes, 90% of us would become slaves to it."