Mumbai-based community platform looks to reshape how retirement and ageing are viewed through learning, wellness, and social participation.
Retirement today is increasingly being viewed as a transition rather than an endpoint. As more Indians remain active well beyond their traditional working years, the question of how people spend their post-retirement lives is gaining attention.
Mumbai-based WalkAbout is addressing this shift by creating opportunities for adults aged 55 and above to remain socially, mentally, and physically engaged.
WalkAbout focuses on life after 55.
WalkAbout emerged from DevalDelivala’s observations of ageing in different countries. Having spent time in the United States, Delivala noticed that many older adults there continued to work, travel, exercise and pursue interests independently. She felt that Indian society often takes a different approach, with people frequently becoming dependent on their families after retirement. Her experience eventually led her to build a platform focused on what she describes as “active agers,” rather than defining people primarily by their age.
The venture began in India as GetSetUp, an online learning platform, in 2021. It later became WalkAbout India, focusing specifically on adults aged 55 and above.
Learning, finance and entrepreneurship.
WalkAbout’s activities cover several areas that can become important after retirement. Its finance-focused programmes cover subjects such as financial planning and will writing, while its entrepreneurship initiative targets older adults interested in developing business ideas. The startup’s accelerator runs for 12 weeks and covers practical subjects including pricing, pitching, licensing, payments, digital marketing, legal compliance and customer journeys. Participants can eventually present their ventures at a Demo Day.
The broader idea is to recognise that older professionals bring years of experience, industry knowledge and networks, even if they may need support in turning a business concept into an operating venture. Physical and mental wellbeing form another part of WalkAbout’s approach. Its programmes include strength training, yoga and other exercises, alongside an athlete programme for older sportspeople.
The platform also addresses loneliness and the loss of purpose that can accompany retirement, bereavement or changing family circumstances. Discussion-based activities provide participants with a setting to talk about personal experiences and challenges.
WalkAbout also emphasizes activities that may have been overlooked in earlier generations, including music, dance, art, crafts, poetry, and languages. Its social programmes include online and offline activities, some led by older adults themselves. The platform has also introduced activities such as pickleball and cognitive games designed to encourage social interaction and mental stimulation. WalkAbout’s model reflects this changing understanding of later life, placing purpose and participation alongside traditional ideas of retirement and leisure.
