Reunions have been a longstanding tradition, particularly college reunions. Graduates from batches that are over 70 years old often attend their golden reunions with the same enthusiasm as they did for their silver jubilee meets. The primary difference is that due to their advancing age and health concerns, they are typically accompanied by spouses, not just to keep them engaged but to assist them with mobility and medication.
Despite the passage of time, the dynamic of college friendships tends to resurface, with alumni rekindling the playful camaraderie of their youth as they reconnect after decades. However, this article focuses primarily on the more recent trend of reunions among former colleagues from the workplaces they shared.
For active professionals, organizing such gatherings presents significant challenges due to their busy careers and family commitments. While platforms like WhatsApp have made virtual meetups feasible, for retirees, these reunions offer a valuable opportunity to reconnect and reminisce. This contrasts with past eras; for instance, an individual’s retirement in the early 1980s typically involved a smooth transition to a quieter life, with occasional correspondence via postcards from a select few close friends.
Today, retired professionals seem to have embraced the concept of organizational reunions, with no fixed schedules—they may convene twice in three months and then not again for years, or engage in occasional out-of-town gatherings. Some groups even meet nearly two decades after their professional paths diverged.
However, a key distinction exists between college reunions and workplace reunions. College comrades share deep bonds formed through shared experiences such as classes, exams, and social activities. Conversely, gatherings of former colleagues often lack this parity; when peers convene—be it among managers, sales teams, or service teams—they typically find themselves on a similar socio-economic level. The competitive edge has lessened, fostering comfort and acceptance among individuals who have reconciled their career trajectories. As a result, peer reunions can be filled with good-natured humor often directed at former supervisors. Financial considerations for these events are generally manageable for attendees.
In contrast, the planning of an ‘all members’ reunion can introduce complexities. A series of meetings held recently in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi highlighted these intricacies. Reports from these gatherings indicated disparities in expenses; while the Bengaluru meeting featured a casual menu, costing approximately ₹400 per attendee, the Delhi and Mumbai events were far more elaborate, with attendees facing costs of ₹3,000 and over ₹4,000 respectively.
These variances raised concerns about equity, particularly for less affluent colleagues potentially unable to afford the more extravagant events. Historical practices within organizations, such as collective contributions for weddings, further illuminate this issue. In a previously structured setting, contributions often began with higher-ranking members, inadvertently pressuring those with limited financial means. An adjustment was made to alleviate this concern, ensuring that contributions began with lower amounts, promoting comfort among all employees.
In discussions with former colleagues regarding the reunion costs, some expressed resistance to the critique of opulence. A former regional boss even offered to cover expenses, a gesture intended to alleviate financial burden but potentially complicating equality among attendees. It was noted that participation in Mumbai and Delhi outstripped that in Bengaluru, which some argued rendered the cost issue moot.
As the author reflects on these gatherings, he embraces the uncertainty of social dynamics while looking forward to an upcoming meeting with former classmates that promises to be substantially more economical than the previous larger events.
S Giridhar, a founding member of the Azim Premji Foundation, highlights the evolving nature of such social interactions among retired professionals and the implications for inclusivity within these gatherings.
Published on April 27, 2026.
