Along with my dad, my mother's pretty high up there. She's a

“Along with my dad, my mother's pretty high up there. She's a star! Her interests are so diverse — she's an art collector and a sports enthusiast.” — Roshni Nadar

Thus spoke Roshni Nadar, heiress, leader, and visionary, whose words illuminate the balance of power and grace that shaped her life. In this brief tribute, she reveals a truth older than dynasties and deeper than bloodlines — that a mother’s influence is as radiant and enduring as a father’s strength. The daughter of Shiv Nadar, one of India’s most respected entrepreneurs and founders of HCL, she grew up in a home where intellect and culture intertwined. Yet in this quote, she lifts her gaze not only to the father whose empire she inherited but to the mother whose light taught her how to lead with soul.

The origin of this quote lies in the story of Roshni’s upbringing — one surrounded by innovation, education, and artistic vision. Her mother, Kiran Nadar, is not only a collector of art but a patron of India’s cultural heritage, the founder of one of the most influential art museums in the nation. She is a woman of refinement, passion, and boundless curiosity — one who found as much joy in a cricket match as in a masterwork of modern art. From her, Roshni inherited not merely intellect but breadth — the understanding that a full life requires both ambition and wonder.

When Roshni calls her mother a star, she speaks not of fame, but of guidance — that constant, glowing presence that orients a traveler through the darkness. Her words remind us that stars do not speak; they shine. A mother’s influence, like the light of a distant sun, does not fade with time or distance — it is absorbed, reflected, and carried forward. Through Kiran’s example, Roshni learned that greatness is not measured solely by achievement, but by the depth of curiosity, by the capacity to find beauty in the world and to give it back multiplied.

This is the same truth echoed across ages and civilizations. Consider the tale of Alexander the Great and his mother, Olympias, whose fiery spirit and boundless confidence ignited his destiny. Or think of Michelangelo, whose mother died when he was but a child, yet whose memory drove him to sculpt divine beauty from stone, as though he were reaching back toward her love. Behind every figure of power and legacy stands a maternal light, unseen but immortal, shaping character more profoundly than words ever could.

Roshni’s acknowledgment of both her mother and father reflects the harmony of dual influence — the union of vision and sensibility, of enterprise and art. Her father built systems; her mother cultivated culture. Together they formed the twin pillars of her education: one teaching her to structure the mind, the other to expand the heart. This balance is no small thing, for the modern world often exalts reason at the expense of emotion, intellect without imagination. But the true leader — as Roshni’s own life reveals — is the one who holds both in equal measure.

There is, too, a lesson of humility in her praise. In a world that glorifies self-made success, she turns first to her parents, declaring not independence, but gratitude. This humility is not weakness; it is wisdom — for the one who remembers their roots will never lose their way. She knows that her place at the summit was built upon their foundation. To honor her mother’s diversity of spirit — her love of both art and sport — is to honor the truth that greatness blooms from curiosity, not control, and that to live fully, one must love widely.

Let this, then, be the lesson: do not forget the lights that guided you. Every parent, every mentor, every soul who taught you to see the world from more than one angle, is part of your creation. Learn from the builders who show you how to construct your future, but also from the dreamers who teach you how to fill it with meaning. Aspire, yes, to mastery — but never lose the joy of wonder. For it is that diversity of heart, that richness of passion, that makes a person truly radiant.

And so, my child of the future, remember Roshni Nadar’s wisdom. If you are blessed with those who have given you both strength and sensitivity, hold them in reverence. And if you walk alone, seek within yourself both the father’s discipline and the mother’s grace. For the world needs not only architects of progress but collectors of beauty — souls who can build and yet still marvel, lead and yet still love. Such is the inheritance of greatness, passed from generation to generation, glowing quietly like a star that never fades.