For Bengaluru-based Arpitha Rao, a visit to the bank recently was not just about completing a financial transaction. It marked the end of an eight-year journey of managing an education loan, building a career, navigating motherhood and taking financial responsibility for herself and her family. After repaying her Rs 43 lakh education loan, Rao decided to take her three-and-a-half-year-old son along to the bank to close the account. She wanted him to witness the milestone, hoping that the experience would teach him the importance of earning, financial independence and building a life on his own.Sharing the experience in a detailed LinkedIn post, Rao explained that her journey had been very different from that of some of her former classmates at the Indian School of Business (ISB), many of whom managed to repay their education loans within two to four years. For her, the same goal took eight years of consistent effort.
Financial independence came early in her life
Rao revealed that her father stopped supporting her financially when she was 18. During her college years, her sister helped her with pocket money and continues to be her support system whenever she needs assistance. She started earning at 22 and became financially responsible for herself and eventually her family. In her LinkedIn post, she explained that she did not have the financial cushion or family support that some of her classmates enjoyed. She was responsible for managing her expenses and supporting her family while also repaying her education loan.What began as a loan of Rs 26 lakh eventually grew to Rs 43 lakh. The repayment continued alongside her professional journey, which included career changes, new opportunities and financial challenges. “I had a very different starting point,” she wrote, explaining why her repayment journey took longer than that of some of her classmates.
Eight years of career changes, setbacks and rebuilding
Despite the financial responsibilities, Rao continued working across the impact consulting sector. She shared that she had worked with three organisations: Sattva, Intellecap and Sagana. Her professional experience covered several areas, including education, gender, climate, energy transition, circularity and the broader impact ecosystem. Her work involved advising funders and organisational leaders.However, her journey was not limited to a straightforward corporate career. She also tried entrepreneurship, experienced a failed venture and faced difficult partnerships. These experiences taught her lessons about choosing the right founding team and rebuilding after setbacks. Motherhood brought another major financial challenge. Rao revealed that she experienced approximately a year without income around the birth of her child.She also shared that the startup she was working with did not pay her six months of maternity benefits. This period affected her finances significantly, but she continued working towards clearing her loan. Reflecting on the years, she wrote that she had built, rebuilt, changed directions, taken risks and continued earning despite the challenges.
Why she took her 3.5-year-old son to the bank
For Rao, taking her son along to close the loan was an intentional decision. She wanted him to understand the significance of the moment rather than simply hear about it when he grew older. “I wanted him to be there,” she wrote in her LinkedIn post. She hopes he grows up understanding the value of earning, financial independence and having the courage to build his own life. However, her son appeared to have a slightly different highlight from the bank visit. While his mother was celebrating the closure of an eight-year financial commitment, he was fascinated by the security arrangements.“For him the highlight of the entire trip for my son was getting to touch the real gun carried by the bank’s security guard,” Rao wrote, adding a laughing emoji. The amusing incident brought a lighter moment to an otherwise emotional milestone.
From becoming debt-free to building her own practice
With the education loan finally repaid, Rao described herself as debt-free and ready to enter a new phase of professional and personal independence. She shared that she is now building her own coaching and advisory practice. She has also created a six-week learning programme for impact professionals interested in developing skills in impact consulting, investing, impact finance, profile positioning and writing. Through the programme, she hopes to help professionals build stronger careers by developing practical skills and improving their understanding of the impact sector.Looking back at her eight-year journey, Rao described it as a period filled with professional experiences, difficult decisions, financial responsibilities and opportunities to grow. Her LinkedIn post was not just an announcement about repaying a loan. It was also a reflection on how different people’s financial journeys can be, depending on the support systems and circumstances they begin with. For Rao, the Rs 43 lakh repayment represents more than becoming debt-free. It marks eight years of persistence and the freedom to begin her next chapter on her own terms.
