BIRTHDAY

I've always been the person behind the scenes.

The one planning birthdays. Organising surprises. Hunting for the perfect gift. Bringing people together. Creating moments that made someone feel special.

Truth be told, it was usually me doing things for others. Very rarely was I the one being surprised.

But on 23rd December 2017, that changed.

A dear friend from the UK called to wish me on my birthday. We had always shared the same zest for life, so when he said he had a birthday gift for me, I had no idea what to expect.

"I'd like to buy you a domain name," he said.

A domain name?

It certainly wasn't the most conventional birthday gift I'd ever received.

Then came the question that would unknowingly change the course of my life.

"What do you want it to be? If you could build something of your own, what would it be?"

I hadn't thought about it before.

So I did what we rarely allow ourselves to do in the middle of busy lives—I paused. I looked inward.

What was the one thing that had always brought me joy?

My mind wandered to all the birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations over the years. I remembered the excitement of searching for the perfect gift, curating little details, and imagining the smile on someone's face when they opened it. I realised that the process of gifting had always made me just as happy as the person receiving it.

"I think... gifting," I finally said.

There was a brief silence.

"Perfect," he replied. "Now tell me... what are we going to call it?"

I hadn't planned for that question either.

And yet, almost instinctively, the answer arrived.

Gift of the Present.

There was no brainstorming session. No notebook filled with ideas. No branding exercise.

Just a name that appeared in a moment of complete honesty.

That domain name became the first chapter of what is now Gift of the Present.

I don't think my friend simply gave me a website for my birthday. He gave me a reason to believe that something I loved could become my life's work.

Today, Gift of the Present is more than a business. It is a celebration of thoughtful giving, meaningful relationships, and the beautiful moments that connect us.

Looking back, I realise that day wasn't the beginning of a business.

It was the beginning of a lifetime of creating moments that people would never forget.

And that, to me, is the true gift of being present.

Thank you Raj.