This CEO never went to gym, but now has set up one at home amid lockdown

Manoj Adlakha, CEO, American Express Banking Corp India, is using the time under the lockdown to do something he has never done before — go to the gym, albeit the quasi one that he has made at home.

“For someone who has never gone to a gym before, that’s quite an achievement,” Adlakha says, adding that he meets his 10,000-steps challenge daily.

For his work-from-home setup, Adlakha has chosen a bright corner of a room.


“There’s a big desk that’s right beside a window. Looking at the plants outside helps me when I get a little worked up and the view also relaxes my eye,” he says.

While the long duration of the lockdown has had Adlakha feeling a bit unnerved by the lack of stimulation, he does look at the benefits of working from home. And a big one for him is a little more shut-eye. “I usually wake up at 5 am. The one luxury that I have been enjoying during this time, has been to snooze my alarm a few times before I finally say hello to the world at 8:30 am — guilty indulgence,” he says.

While the first half of Adlakha’s work day includes a daily video call, brainstorming, sharing updates and so on, the second half is packed with global calls and meetings.

When he’s not busy with work, Adlakha is spending time with his loved ones. “While both my boys are away in California and we continue to stay concerned and connected virtually, it’s a boon to be able to have conversations over lunch with my parents and my wife.”