Lone Singh

It’s been a while since I wrote.

Look around your office.
I mean it, really stop thinking for a moment. Come into the now, and just look around.

What do you see?
Bosses, not Gurus.
Machines, not human beings.
Co-workers, not friends.

People just working as a matter of fact.

Ever wondered why we are all running in the same race?
Just performing our daily jobs, for what ?
Is it just to put food on the table?

Why?
What created this kind of environment?
What led to such a disconnection?

I’ll tell you.
Generally, in the office environment, you find that there is a lack of support, guidance, and true knowledge-sharing from leadership.
Somewhere, leadership stopped being about mentorship. It became a game of control, a fear that if knowledge is passed on, the learner might replace the teacher.
That fear killed growth.
Leaders started guarding what they knew, forgetting that a true leader isn’t afraid of imparting knowledge, they take it as a responsibility.

Leadership became about achieving targets, not about building strong teams. Unfortunately, they were groomed in a system that valued results over relationships.

They were groomed in a system which actually valued results and not  relationships or building strong teams, and now they are just following the same pattern they are conditioned with. 
But I want to ask you…… Why?
Why would anyone choose to lead through fear and control?

What would you get from that, other than a paycheck, accompanied by monotony, pressure, and insecurity?

When I planned my organisation, I wanted it to become a living Gurukul……not just a workplace.

No no no—don’t go there. No ashram, riverside, or open field types. 
And no havans and mantras being recited here.
But the essence, the soul of it…the Gurus and Shishyas concept….

Gurus, the Leader, imparting their knowledge to their teams, Employees – the Shishyas. The leaders here are not to control or dominate. Instead, they believe in giving space to employees to perform, to show their creativity and more than that, a space to fall and rise up again.

Remember your school days?
The teachers didn’t withhold knowledge, they shared it.
They ensured every student had a chance to grow. That’s the model we follow.

At SATIN, we don’t see knowledge as power, instead we see it as a responsibility. Whether it’s a one-on-one mentoring, or hands-on training, we’re building people.
Because we know, when the foundation is strong, the person standing on it becomes unshakable. When the roots are deep, the tree doesn’t fear the storm.

And when that happens……they don’t need to be micromanaged.
They don’t wait for direction.
They become self-driven,  ready for challenges and ready to lead.

Just like we asked silly questions in school…
Here, curiosity is encouraged. Ideas, big or small are welcomed. Every question is seen as a doorway to growth.

Leaders don’t withhold their knowledge
Instead, using that wisdom, they guide the team, mentor them without any ego or competition. Here, we believe in building our team by providing training to anyone and every one by imparting knowledge and experiences. 
Because, when you replace fear with trust, control with co-creation — people transform.
They’re no longer afraid to speak up.
They don’t just complete tasks, they take initiative.
They don’t just survive,  they build.

 As I always says : 
“NAUKRI KARNE MAT AANA YAHAAN….”
  Don’t come here for a job.
  Come here to become alive.

 At SATIN, innovation is not a department — it’s a mindset.
 A by product of trust, learning, and growth……and it’s a GURUKUL…

And the best part? It has a ripple effect.

Real leadership is contagious.

I mentor my team.
They mentor theirs.
And the energy travels  from top to bottom building a culture of shared growth.

Because here, we don’t manufacture machines.
We build leaders.

Lone Singh broke the toxic cycle,  where insecure bosses created insecure managers… 

That ends here.

 So here’s a thought I’ll leave you with:

What kind of energy are you passing down to those around you?
Are you building Gurus……or just a designation?

For generations, women faced financial barriers so high, they might as well have been guarded by dragons in ties. Traditional lenders in their wisdom, decided women without collateral were invisible applicants.


And when these women needed money?
Oh, they had an option—the Sahukar.
You know, the friendly neighborhood moneylender who charged interest so high, you’d think he was secretly funding his own private island!

No one—absolutely no one—stood up for rural women. It was a financial boy’s club where the rich got richer.

Then, like a plot twist in a daily soap, Microfinance Institutions(MFIs) arrived. And guess what? They actually trusted women.
No collateral? No problem.
They provided small loans to women wanting to start businesses.

The result?
Pure magic!!!

Women who once hesitated to ask for money for a saree are now entrepreneurs—running tailoring shops, dairy farms, and grocery stores. But is it just about money? Or proving that women are more than aloo puri and a tidy home? (Which, let’s admit, are superpowers too!)

This isn’t lip service—it’s real empowerment.

Financial independence isn’t just earning, it’s confidence, self-worth and self-respect. Society often misses this shift, but ask any woman who got a MFI loan—it’s not just about money, it’s about empowerment.

Picture a rural woman.
Does she splurge on luxury? No.
She flips the script, builds a business, and improves her family’s lives.
Because guess what?
Women aren’t delicate glass—they’re tempered steel.

For years, MFIs have been the financial equivalent of that “determined daughter-in-law”—the one the family calls too outspoken but who actually benefits everyone.

Yet, some still see MFIs as villains. Why? Are we afraid of empowered women? Critics argue they charge high interest and create debt traps, but let’s see the bigger picture—unlike traditional lenders, MFIs take the risk.

They offer structured repayment plans, financial literacy programs, and support—something Sahukars never did. Women once shut out of finance now access credit, yet some still see the glass as half-empty.

Would they rather return to an era where a woman’s only option was a Sahukar and a never-ending debt cycle?

Without access to funds and MFIs, millions of women would still be trapped in financial dependency. Women’s empowerment would just be a slogan.

Should we keep criticizing institutions driving change or finally acknowledge them as true enablers of financial independence?

A woman who stands on her own feet isn’t just empowered—she’s an asset.

While the world debates, MFIs continue transforming lives. It’s time to stop demonizing institutions enabling financial freedom and start recognizing the silent revolution happening in villages and small towns.

For thousands of women in India, MFIs aren’t villains—they’re lifelines.

And let’s be real—sometimes, you just need a lifeline that doesn’t judge your credit score or your questionable taste in sports teams.

Happy Women’s Day!!!

.Lone Singh.