A 64-year-old intern went viral. Is India retiring its smartest talent too soon?

A viral video of a 64-year-old intern has reignited debate over retirement in India. As people live longer and healthier lives, should retirement become a choice instead of a fixed age? Experts say the country's untapped silver workforce could become one of its biggest economic and social strengths.

In Short

• Viral 64-year-old intern shines spotlight on India's forgotten silver workforce
• Millions want meaningful work after retirement but opportunities remain scarce
• Second careers could help seniors, businesses and India's economy thrive

When a Mumbai startup introduced its newest intern earlier this month, social media expected someone fresh out of college.

Instead, it met a 64-year-old man.

The now-viral video, shared by Hobby Tribe founder Joshua Salins, showed the senior intern working alongside colleagues decades younger than him. Far from being treated as a novelty, he was praised for bringing "priceless knowledge of building and scaling companies" while helping shape the team's culture.

The comments poured in. Many compared him to Robert De Niro's beloved character in The Intern. Others pointed out that curiosity clearly doesn't retire at 60.

It was a heartwarming story. But it also opened up a much bigger conversation.

What if India is retiring millions of capable, experienced people while they still have plenty left to give?

LONGER LIVES, SHORTER CAREERS

For generations, retirement at 58 or 60 was seen as the natural finish line. It made sense when life expectancy was lower and physically demanding jobs were the norm.

That world is changing.

According to the World Health Organization, global life expectancy has increased by more than six years since 2000, while the number of people aged 60 and above is expected to more than double from one billion in 2020 to 2.1 billion by 2050. People are not just living longer. Many are spending those extra years in better health.

In India too, average life expectancy has risen dramatically over the past few decades, crossing 70 years. Someone retiring at 60 today could still have another two decades or more of healthy, productive life ahead.

Yet, for many knowledge workers, 58 or 60 is still treated as a full stop.

India often speaks about skill shortages and the need for experienced leadership. Yet every year, thousands of professionals with decades of industry knowledge leave the workforce simply because they reach retirement age.

At a time when companies are searching for mentors, consultants and specialised talent, the country's silver workforce may be one of its most underused resources.

As Neelabh Shukla, Chief Business Officer at Careernet, points out, a large segment of India's professional workforce remains intellectually engaged well into their late 60s. Retirement at 60 made sense in a different era. In today's knowledge economy, the ability to contribute depends less on age and more on adaptability, skills and experience.

THE SILVER GAP: WHO WANTS TO WORK, WHO ACTUALLY DOES?

The demand is already there.

According to Careernet, around 73 percent of older Indians say they would like to work after retirement, yet only 23.1 percent actually do.

That represents millions of people with decades of accumulated knowledge sitting outside the workforce.

"The barriers are both structural and cultural," says Shukla. "While around 73% of older Indians express interest in working after retirement, only 23.1% are employed after retirement. That is a massive pool of willing, experienced talent sitting on the sidelines, not by choice, but because the system is not built to retain them."

Gaurav Sharma, CHRO at True Balance, agrees that many organisations still see retirement as an end rather than a transition.

"Many organisations still see retirement as the end to formal workplace contribution, instead of a transition into project-based, advisory, or coaching-based roles," he says.

He says retired professionals are often limited to consultancy or freelance assignments, which only partially taps into their expertise, even as businesses increasingly need specialised knowledge and leadership experience.

WHAT OLDER WORKERS BRING THAT TRAINING CAN'T

Experience is often described as something that cannot be taught. But what does that actually mean?

According to Sharma, it means decades of judgement earned through real-world challenges.

"Employees who are in their 60s bring considerable experience that is not easy to replicate through formal training alone," he says. "They demonstrate a long-term perspective, stronger resilience and judgement."

"They also act as great mentors, helping in strengthening decision-making, transferring institutional knowledge and developing future leaders," he adds.

That kind of experience may become even more valuable in the AI era.

LinkedIn's 2026 Labour Market Report found that 75 percent of companies globally believe people skills are becoming even more important as AI reshapes work. Technical skills can be learned. Judgement built over four decades cannot.

Shukla believes senior professionals also bring something else that organisations often underestimate.

"Professionals in their 60s bring pattern recognition: the ability to assess risk, anticipate cycles, and make calibrated decisions under pressure because they have navigated multiple downturns, leadership transitions, and market shifts," Sharma says.

He adds that they also bring relationship capital, institutional memory and a deep understanding of industries that no onboarding programme can recreate.

Young employees bring fresh ideas and learning agility. Experienced professionals bring context. Strong organisations need both.

RETIREMENT ISN'T JUST ABOUT MONEY

For many people, work is about far more than a monthly salary.

It provides routine, purpose, friendships and a reason to get up every morning.

Research from around the world has linked abrupt retirement, especially when it is not by choice, with higher risks of depression, loneliness, cognitive decline and poorer physical health. Losing daily structure and meaningful social interaction can be far harder than many expect.

Sharma says retired professionals often face multiple challenges at once, from rising healthcare costs and fixed retirement savings to "depression associated with retirement."

Second careers, mentoring roles and project-based work can therefore become more than employment opportunities. They can help people retain purpose, confidence and social connection long after formal retirement.

THE RISE OF THE SECOND CAREER

Retirement is also becoming a chance to start over.

The second-career trend is already taking shape globally. An AIER survey from the US found millions of Americans have attempted career changes after 45, with nearly six in ten saying the move finally allowed them to pursue their passion rather than simply earn another pay cheque.

Many retirees are not looking to return to the same job. Around the world, older adults are increasingly choosing second careers, consulting work or entrepreneurship, often using short courses or new skills to move into fields they never had the chance to explore earlier.

India has the ingredients to do something similar. Flexible online learning, industry certifications and targeted skilling programmes could help experienced professionals refresh digital skills or move from operational roles into consulting, mentoring, coaching or advisory work.

As Shukla points out, demand for experienced professionals is already growing in areas such as healthcare leadership, financial services, corporate governance and strategic technology roles.

"The demand exists; what is missing is the formal infrastructure to effectively channel and leverage it," he says.

TURNING THE SILVER WORKFORCE INTO AN ADVANTAGE

This is not just a social issue. It is an economic one.

Countries such as Japan and Singapore are already encouraging older adults to stay economically active through flexible employment and phased retirement models as populations age and labour shortages grow.

India faces a different demographic profile today, but the lesson is still relevant.

Ignoring a willing, experienced workforce while talking about talent shortages is difficult to justify.

Companies that build structured second-career pathways, formal mentoring programmes and advisory roles can preserve institutional knowledge instead of watching it disappear at retirement. They also gain experienced decision-makers who can coach younger teams while helping organisations avoid costly mistakes.

Sharma believes the mindset itself needs to change. "The future of work will be defined by continuous learning and capability, rather than just chronology."

SHOULD RETIREMENT BE A CHOICE?

None of this suggests retirement should disappear.

Many people look forward to it and deserve the chance to slow down after decades of work. The bigger question is whether retirement should become a choice rather than a hard stop, especially for knowledge-based professions where experience often grows more valuable with time.

Instead of treating retirement as an exit, companies could increasingly view it as a transition into mentoring, consulting, coaching or project-based work. That allows organisations to retain experience while giving professionals the flexibility many of them actually want.

Perhaps that is the biggest lesson from one viral intern.

Age and curiosity are not opposites. Sometimes they arrive together.

And perhaps there is one final twist to this story. Just as many Gen Z workers dream of retiring early and escaping the corporate grind, India's silver workforce may be preparing for an unexpected comeback.

The youngsters might be logging off.

The veterans may just be logging back in.

- Ends