Entrepreneur Stories
Stephen Hawking And Life Lessons To Learn From Him
As the world mourns the loss of one of the most pioneering men, Stephen Hawking, in the tech and science world, we take a moment to remember all the great things he has done. Diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also called Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS,) a rare health condition which promised to cut his life short, Professor Hawking offered more to this world than just an Oscar winning movie. While we mourn the loss of perhaps one of the greatest scientists, creators and thinkers of this world, here are a few things we could learn from this man.
1. Curiosity does not kill the cat
Why did Hawking reach such great heights, you ask? Because he never stopped asking questions. “I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions. Occasionally, I find an answer.” Not everything is impossible and once you realise that, the world is your oyster.
2. Knowledge is best used when shared
Information, when kept inside, is of no use to anyone. Why else would Stephen Hawking’s book, A Brief History of Time, be so popular despite its extremely complicated premise? Funny fact, Hawking’s publisher told him readership would be cut in half for every equation in the book, so Hawking included only one: E = mc².
3, Time is the most precious thing
For someone whose life expectancy was supposed to be only 24 years, Hawking worked hard to make sure every minute of his life was used to create something great. Despite being impaired in more ways than one, Professor Hawking proved time and again that life can give us great things if one is brave enough dream and believe.
4. Never be idle.
There is always something that needs to be completed. Find what you like and make it your driving force, your passion. When you enjoy doing something, it is no longer work. Don’t just keep the hands busy, keep the mind active as well. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. An active mind also helps to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s. So stay busy and the world never ceases to be amazing.
5. Principles make a person strong
Your principles are your driving force in life. Without them, you are an empty shell rather than being a complete person. Stick by them and your life will always be meaningful.
6. Always think of the future
The doctors concluded he had only 2 years to live after diagnosing with ALS, however, Professor Hawking believed in the future and never gave up on his dreams. Regardless of being confined to a wheelchair, he is still considered to be one of the brightest minds in the field of science and technology who broke through many barriers and conducted ground breaking research.
7. Aggression is our worst enemy
Professor Hawking has said aggression is a person’s worst enemy. “The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression.” He noted that the act of aggression may have had its advantages in surviving the “caveman days,” but it now poses a threat to humanity. According to Hawking, empathy works a long way in establishing lasting relationships.
8. Humour is important
Despite being plagued with so many disorders through his life, Hawking never gave up on humour. In fact, he has made jokes on his appearances in various television shows such as The Simpsons, Futurama, Stargate Atlantis and The Fairly Oddparents and Star Trek.
9. Have superheroes as idols
Everyone has real life idols. Professor Hawking taught us that real life idols are boring and that you should have superheroes as your role models. Hawking’s idol is none other than Superman, because, as he puts it, “Superman is my hero because he can do whatever I cannot do.”
10. Never give up
If there is one last take away from Stephen Hawking’s illustrious life, it is to never, ever stop trying. Give up and nothing seems possible in life. If he had given up right when he was diagnosed, then the world would have truly lost one of the greatest revolutionaries.
Gone but never forgotten, Stephen Hawking’s demise will leave a vacuum in the field of science. But his research throughout the years has given physicists and cosmologists of today a path forward.
While there has been continuous growth in the Indian non-profit sector, many organizations have fallen behind on governance. A founder who completes Section 8 registration obtains a legal entity, a board, and a defined mission. However, operating that organization in a manner that will meet the expectations of the regulators, banks, and donors is the difficult part.
Government statistics tell the story of these regulatory lapses. According to the government data, there were 21,983 cancellations of NGOs over the last year, with 91.3% of the cancellations being due to failure to file annual returns. Active FCRA-registered NGOs also fell from 29,022 in 2015 to 14,466 as of September 2026.
Late Filings are the Main Reason NGO Registrations Get Cancelled
The cancellation statistics show that organizations mostly lose their registration because of the failure to file on time, and not because of anything of grave concern. Other legal violations resulted in only 0.4% of cancellations, and the rest are attributed solely to lapsed filings.
This is because small and volunteer groups often don’t have an accountant on staff, and no one is dedicated to checking for due dates. Therefore, a late return becomes a lost license a few cycles later.
Why Board Oversight Often Falls Short in Small Nonprofits?
While directors, minutes, and regular meetings are necessary for a Section 8 company, in practice many boards consist of the founder and two relatives or colleagues who sign anything placed before them. Informal decisions are made, and minutes are written afterwards to match. This continues until the bank, an auditor, or a CSR partner requests proof of expense approval.
If the board, no matter what its legal structure is, is unable to keep any log of its own decisions, it has a governance gap.
Section 8 Company Compliances That Often Get Missed
The statutory calendar is not long, but it carries strict deadlines. Section 8 company compliances include:
- At least one board meeting every six months, with minutes kept
- Annual AGM without exception
- A first-year statutory audit report
- Annual filings with the ROC and director KYC
- Income tax return in ITR-7 along with separate FCRA returns if foreign funds are received
Failure to take all of these into consideration results in penalties. In fact, for organizations holding an FCRA registration, failure to file the required returns can lead to suspension or cancellation of that registration under Section 13 of the FCRA, 2010.
What CSR Funders Expect from Nonprofit Financial Records?
Data from the MCA shows that CSR spend increased by 17% to reach a record ₹40,794 crore in FY 2024-25. This means that more corporate money is available to nonprofits than before. Usually, the corporate funders require a Darpan ID, Form CSR-1 filing, 12A and 80G registrations, and utilization certificates to grant capital.
When nonprofits combine project funds with general funds or cannot demonstrate that funds are being spent on a specific project, they generally fail to reap the benefits of this even if their programme work is good.
Why New FCRA Rules Add Pressure on Nonprofits?
The rules are also changing. On 22nd June, 2026, the government implemented changes in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, introducing new compliance requirements for organizations receiving foreign funds. The proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was tabled in Parliament during the Monsoon Session, suggests the establishment of a Designated Authority that would assume foreign donations and assets created with foreign funds upon the termination of the registration. Organizations with poor records and no documented processes are the most susceptible to changes such as these.
Practical Steps Toward Stronger Nonprofit Governance
A compliance calendar that is owned by a named person, a board that meets and records minutes, an advance appointment of an auditor, and funding from more than one source mitigate most of the risks listed above. Registration creates the structure, but governance is what makes or breaks the organization’s ability to remain alive in five years.
In the past, purchasing eyewear in India was a highly regional activity. You entered a local optical store, selected a frame from a dusty wall, waited for someone to verify your power, and hoped the total cost wouldn’t be too exorbitant. There was little choice, little transparency, and little any justification for considering eyewear to be anything other than a medical necessity.That was altered by Lenskart.
Peyush Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, and Sumeet Kapahi founded Lenskart in 2010 in response to a question that many people disregarded: why was purchasing glasses still so difficult? Glasses are a personal item. People are concerned about the price, the quality of the lenses, and how the frames will seem on their faces. Because of this, selling eyewear online became challenging. In response, Lenskart did not make consumers pick between online and offline buying. It blended the two.
Before making a choice, customers may now browse frames online thanks to the company’s introduction of facilities like virtual try-on, home eye tests, and home trials. However, it also established physical locations where clients could obtain eye exams, try on frames, and get assistance from qualified personnel. This “online plus offline” strategy turned out to be one of its main advantages.
The more unexpected action took place in the background. Lenskart did not wish to rely just on local optical stores, importers, and overseas manufacturers. It started to have more control over the chain itself, including designing frames, manufacturing lenses, operating stores, and overseeing delivery. Lenskart benefited from what is known as vertical integration in three ways. First, by eliminating middlemen, it could maintain lower prices. Secondly, it might have closer control over quality. Third, as a frame style gained popularity, it could respond more quickly.In Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, Lenskart currently runs a sizable automated production facility capable of producing up to 50 million pairs of glasses a year. The company made 4 million lenses and 6.4 million frames internally in India in FY25.
In India, its expansion continued. Lenskart paid over $400 million to acquire the bulk of the Japanese eyewear company Owndays in 2022. Through the acquisition, Lenskart gained access to a number of Asian markets and gained knowledge from a more developed retail environment. Lenskart recorded operational revenue of ₹6,653 crore by FY25, a 22.6% increase over the previous year. However, Lenskart’s revenue isn’t what makes it intriguing. Glasses, a product that consumers often only purchase when they have a problem, were transformed into an inexpensive, technology-driven, design-driven shopping experience.
Due of its online frame sales, Lenskart lost. It prevailed because it eliminated the anxiety associated with purchasing eyewear online and then constructed stores for the times when clients still required human assistance.
The conclusion is straightforward: consumers don’t give a damn if a company operates online or offline. Convenience, assurance, and value are important to them. Businesses that integrate all three typically succeed.
A decade ago, the success of a startup was measured largely by its ability to raise capital. Today, a different metric is gaining importance: the ability to generate meaningful exits for investors. Large stake sales by early backers are becoming increasingly common, not because growth opportunities have disappeared, but because India’s startup ecosystem is entering a more mature phase where capital is expected to complete its full cycle from investment to returns.
This evolution is particularly significant for consumer brands that have successfully blended technology, retail, and strong brand-building. Companies that were once viewed as high-risk startup bets are now attracting institutional investors capable of absorbing large transactions. Such developments indicate that these businesses are no longer being valued solely on future potential; they are increasingly being assessed on operational performance, market leadership, and long-term profitability. In many ways, investor exits are becoming a validation of a company’s ability to create lasting enterprise value.
The broader implication extends beyond a single company or investor. Successful exits encourage more global capital to enter India’s startup ecosystem because they demonstrate that liquidity opportunities exist at scale. As more venture-backed companies approach public listings, secondary transactions, or strategic investments, the focus of founders and investors alike may shift from chasing headline valuations to building durable businesses. The next chapter of India’s startup journey will likely be defined not just by the creation of unicorns, but by the creation of companies capable of delivering sustained returns to all stakeholders.
Common Governance Challenges Faced by Nonprofit Organizations in India
How Lenskart Made Indians Comfortable Buying Glasses Online
