Six-year-old Shiven misses a shot, bursts into laughter, and insists on a rematch. His father, Nishant Chaturvedi, plays along, equal parts coach, playmate, and cheerleader. Later, the two walk back home, their conversation drifting from school stories to what sandwich they should make. 

In the kitchen, tiny hands carefully spread butter while Nishant slices vegetables. They sit down to eat, sharing bites, smiles, and the kind of unhurried presence that often slips through the cracks of adult life.

This is what Nishant’s days look like now.

A former corporate leader with over a decade of experience, Nishant stepped down from a high-responsibility role in early 2025 following an organisational restructuring. What followed wasn’t a pre-planned life decision but something far more organic — a shift that slowly turned him into the primary care giver at home, while his wife, Vibhuti, took on a more demanding professional role.

“Parenthood is not a role you support from the sidelines; it’s something you live, fully and equally, every single day,” Nishant tells The Better India.

How it all began: Two careers, one decision

Both Nishant and his wife Vibhuti come from small towns, he from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, she from Ambala in Haryana. They met in Delhi during their early careers as lawyers, sharing something as simple as a cab ride that eventually led to a life together.

Their professional journeys took them to Hyderabad, where they built their careers and welcomed their son in 2019. For years, their life followed a familiar rhythm, two working professionals balancing careers and parenting with intention and care.

Nishant’s corporate journey was deeply fulfilling. Working with global pharmaceutical companies, and later with Novartis and, more recently, with Sandoz, he found meaning in the impact his work had. But in late 2024, a global restructuring changed everything. His role and that of his team were made redundant.

For Vibhuti, the news came as a shock. For a moment, it felt unreal. But that feeling didn’t last long.

She chose to lean into trust instead of fear.

“I knew this wouldn’t define him,” she shares. “I’ve seen his journey, his capability. This was just a phase; we would figure it out.”

What neither of them anticipated was how this phase would reshape their home.

Around the same time, Vibhuti stepped into a new role, one that demanded long hours, intense focus, and, often, weekends at work. Without sitting down for a formal discussion or dividing responsibilities on paper, their lives adjusted on their own.

Nishant began taking on more at home. Slowly, naturally, almost without announcement, he became the one........

© The Better India