L to R: Hemnish Joyekurrun, Naheed Jadhakhan and Ali Joomun
As Mauritius prepares to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday, 31 May, three fathers from Intercontinental Trust Ltd (ITL) reflect on what modern parenting means today — from shared responsibilities and emotional presence to supporting the women who hold families together.
Their stories reveal a common thread: fatherhood has evolved far beyond the traditional role of provider. Today’s fathers are more engaged, emotionally available, and committed to building strong partnerships at home while balancing demanding professional careers.
A New Generation of Fathers
For Hemnish Joyekurrun, fatherhood is about being fully involved in everyday family life.
“Gone are the days when a father’s primary responsibility was simply to be the breadwinner,” he explains. “Today, fathers are expected to be emotionally present and actively involved in daily childcare — bathing the children, preparing meals, helping with school activities.”
Working as a Senior Manager at ITL, Hemnish believes children thrive when both parents are equally engaged. Together with his wife, whom he has known since university in 2009, he has built a parenting approach grounded in teamwork, trust, and mutual respect.
For him, a parenting partnership is not simply about dividing tasks, but about building a stable and supportive environment where both parents contribute equally to their children’s growth and wellbeing.
“It is about supporting one another, communicating openly, and understanding that both parents play an equally important role in a child’s upbringing,” he says.
Their mornings revolve around caring for their two young daughters — from bath time and brushing teeth to preparing lunches before school. Hemnish says these routines, while seemingly simple, are some of the most meaningful parts of his day because they create moments of connection before work begins.
“With two young daughters, teamwork is essential,” he explains. “We have naturally fallen into a rhythm that works for our family.”
Despite the demands of a senior leadership role, he makes family routines a non-negotiable part of his schedule.
“When I am home, I am truly home,” he says. “The morning routine with my daughters anchors my day and reminds me of what truly matters.”
Balancing professional responsibilities with fatherhood requires planning, discipline, and clear priorities. Hemnish explains that he consciously works to stay organised and efficient so that he can remain mentally present for his family after work.
“Maintaining that balance is not always easy,” he admits. “But having a supportive spouse and clear priorities makes a big difference.”
He also credits ITL’s flexible and supportive culture for allowing him to remain present as both a father and professional. Whether attending parent-teacher meetings or working from home when his children are unwell, he says the company understands that employees have responsibilities beyond the office.
“I am fortunate to work somewhere that genuinely understands employees are whole people with lives beyond the office,” he says. “Having an environment that values work-life balance encourages fathers to be more present at home while still remaining fully committed at work.”
Partnership Without Keeping Score
For Ali Joomun, a Senior Relationship Manager at ITL, modern fatherhood is rooted in presence, partnership, and adaptability.
Importantly, he describes a parenting partnership as one that is built on consultation, honesty, and supporting each other through the realities of family life.
“It means recognising that my wife and I are a team, not a hierarchy,” he says. “Parenting partnerships are about filling gaps without keeping score.”
Ali reflects on how expectations of fathers have shifted significantly from previous generations. While fathers once focused primarily on financial provision, today they are expected to participate deeply in their children’s emotional and everyday lives.
“It’s about showing up at school events, helping with homework, and handling bedtime routines,” he says with a smile. “We are expected to know if our kid prefers dhal puri over farata — and honestly, that’s a beautiful evolution.”
Together with his wife, Rukayya, both of whom work in financial services, Ali raises their two sons with the support of extended family. “My mother-in-law has been an incredible support — honestly, she’s a huge part of why things work at home, and we’re very grateful for her,” he says.
Rather than rigidly dividing tasks, the couple focuses on encouraging independence in their children while remaining actively present and engaged.
“I reject the idea that balance means perfect equilibrium every single day,” he says. “Some days work demands more, other days my children need me more. The balance is strategic, not daily.”
As a self-described family-oriented person, he prioritises shared moments such as breakfast and dinner together, despite the pace and demands of corporate life. He also believes fatherhood has strengthened his leadership and professional capabilities in unexpected ways.
“The patience, creativity, and problem-solving I practice at home translate directly into my work,” he says. “Being a father helps me become an even better professional.”
Ali recalls one particularly significant moment when ITL demonstrated meaningful support for employees, balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. When one of his children experienced a health issue, the company allowed him to work flexibly from the clinic while prioritising his son’s wellbeing.
“True support is not just about policy on paper; it is flexibility in practice,” he says. “ITL did not make me choose between being a professional and being a father.”
For Ali, that level of understanding makes all the difference for working parents striving to succeed both at home and in the workplace.
Parenting as a Shared Journey
For Naheed Jadhakhan, modern fatherhood is about being fully invested in the everyday rhythm of family life.
“It’s no longer about just providing for the family,” he says. “It’s about being an anchor within it.”
Naheed believes the role of fathers has evolved significantly over the years, moving from traditional expectations of financial provision toward deeper emotional involvement and active caregiving.
“We’re expected to be emotionally present and deeply hands-on from day one,” he explains. “It’s not about ‘helping out’ or babysitting your own kids — it’s about being fully invested in the late nights, emotional milestones, and quiet everyday moments of growing up.”
For Naheed, parenting partnership means functioning as a true team where both parents feel equally supported, heard, and valued.
“It is a quiet understanding that neither of you is walking this path alone,” he says. “A great partnership is built on mutual respect and recognising each other’s strengths.”
He describes raising his son with his wife Nouzhat as a “joint adventure” shaped by flexibility and constant collaboration. Rather than keeping strict roles or schedules, they naturally adapt to each other’s needs and responsibilities.
“We don’t really keep a rigid checklist,” he says. “We just flow into whatever needs to be done.”
From navigating busy mornings to bedtime routines, Naheed says the key is ensuring that their son always feels surrounded by love, attention, and stability.
“If one of us is having an incredibly demanding day or just needs a moment to breathe, the other steps in naturally,” he explains.“It’s all about balance and flexibility.”
As Head of Technology Implementation, Naheed acknowledges that his role requires significant focus and energy. However, he believes being intentional with his time allows him to give both his career and family the attention they deserve.
“When I am at work, I am completely dialled in and committed to my team and our goals,” he says. “When I am home with my son, I bring that same level of enthusiasm and presence to him.”
Rather than viewing career and family life as competing priorities, he sees them as equally important parts of his identity.
“It’s not about choosing one over the other,” he says. “It’s about making sure both my career and my family get the absolute best version of me.”
Naheed also highlights the importance of workplace trust and flexibility in helping parents succeed professionally while remaining active caregivers at home.
“The level of trust and flexibility we have here makes a massive difference in managing day-to-day life,” he says. “It’s incredibly rewarding to work in an environment where you are empowered to excel as a leader and thrive as a parent at the same time.”
Honouring Mothers: A Shout Out to Those Holding the Family Together
Beyond sharing their experiences as fathers, each of the three dads took a moment to honour the women who stand beside them every day — the mothers who bring strength, patience, warmth, and stability to their families.
For Hemnish, Mother’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate a partnership that began long before parenthood.
“To my wife — my partner since those university days back in 2009 — thank you for being an incredible mother to our daughters and an amazing partner throughout our journey together,” he says. “Watching her care for our daughters every day makes me even more grateful for the life we have built together.”
Ali also paid tribute to his wife, Rukayya, acknowledging the quiet sacrifices and unwavering dedication she brings to both family life and her career.
“Thank you for making it all look effortless,” he says. “I see you return from long days at work, exhausted, yet still find the energy to put our sons first, to check on them, comfort them, and fill our home with warmth. You make life easy for us, but I know it is not always easy for you. That is what makes you extraordinary.”
For Naheed, his message to his wife, Nouzhat, centred on gratitude for the love and positivity she brings into their home every day.
“Thank you for being the absolute heart and soul of our home,” he says. “The patience, warmth, and boundless love you pour into us and our family every single day inspire me more than you know. You make the chaotic days beautiful and the good days even brighter. I couldn’t ask for a more wonderful partner to walk through life with.”
Their words reflect a broader truth about modern family life: while parenting today is increasingly shared, the emotional strength, resilience, and care that mothers provide remain at the heart of every home.
This Mother’s Day, the fathers of Intercontinental Trust Ltd remind us that behind every thriving family is a partnership built on appreciation, teamwork, and love.
