Starbucks’ Indian-origin CEO on his mother: ‘I am who I am and where I am because…’ | Trending

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan shared a heartwarming post on LinkedIn about his mother’s influence on his life. He expressed that his mother’s passing left a “big void” in his life, but her memories and teachings continue to “live on inside him”. Starbucks’ Indian-origin CEO Laxman Narasimhan (left) and his mother Bhama (right). (LinkedIn/Laxman Narasimhan) In a blog, the 56-year-old executive shared that his mother, Bhama, instilled faith in him for all religions despite being a Hindu. “She said choose any path, there’s many that lead to God. No place for hate. Only space for love and kindness,” wrote Narasimhan. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! He stated that his mother was the “lighthouse” for him. Narasimhan shared that despite losing two children and her husband the age of 48, his mother remained the backbone of their family. She dedicated her life to children, working as a kindergarten teacher for many years. During his growing-up years, Narasimhan’s home in Mumbai and Pune was always filled with children who came to his mother for extra help, many of whom became his close friends. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mother-son lived together and created sweet memories. “I ran a company and cleaned the house. She made me meals, and we played Rummicube together and watched Indian TV serials.” Narasimhan, who was previously the CCO of PepsiCo, mentioned that his mother taught him to “look at the bright side always”. “She was the life of every party. She knew how to make people feel instantly comfortable. She had more friends in the communities we lived in than we did,” he further wrote. He also talked about the bond that his wife and mother shared: “My wife and mother had an unbelievable relationship right to the end. She loved my wife like the daughter she once had. My wife gave so much over 27 years to take care of her for right to the end.” The CEO of Starbucks mentioned that he learned the meaning of “living a life of duty” from his mother. He added, “She moved in to live with us in 1997 and never left our side, helping us raise two amazing kids. She stood them through thick and thin- like she did for me- walking the streets of Bombay to the various scholarship houses to collect the money they said they’d give me while I studied in Philadelphia. Our difficult financial situation did not stop her from asking me to go to study- and she watched as I sold my car and one of the three paintings my father left me to take a bet and go to America.” He concluded his blog saying that “mothers do incredible things,” and it was his first Mother’s Day without her. Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crick-it, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Quizzes, Polls & much more. Explore now! : The Big Picture’, a fresh segment in HT’s talk show ‘The Interview with Kumkum Chadha’, where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch Now! Get Latest Updates on Trending News Viral Video, Photos from India and around the world