Umar Akhter believes that true respect has nothing to do with titlesit’s about actions, empathy, and the courage to treat everyone as equals. In a professional world still wired around hierarchy and formality, Umar Akhter chose to challenge the deeply ingrained “Sir” culture that dominates Indian workplaces. His story isn’t just about leadership at Koskii, the brand he co-founded, but about redefining what respect really means in the modern workplace.
Umar Akhter began his career in software, working across countries including Canada and India, where his 18-year journey taught him that mutual respect thrives best in an environment free from rigid hierarchy. He recalls an amusing yet telling incident from his early days in Canadawhen he and his Indian colleagues called a senior client “Mike Uncle.” For them, it was a natural gesture of respect, but for Mike, it felt oddly misplaced. The cultural mismatch was small but symbolicit showed how titles and habits often interfere with authentic human connection.
That lesson stayed with Umar Akhter through his years in global organizations like Thoughtworks. There, he experienced something rarepeople addressed each other by first names, regardless of position or seniority. It was not disrespect; it was equality. The focus was on collaboration, accountability, and shared goals, not the verbal rituals of deference. “Respect wasn’t in the title,” Umar Akhter says, “it was in showing up, standing by each other, and delivering when no one was watching.”
But when Umar Akhter left his IT career in 2016 to join Koskii full-time, he encountered a completely different atmosphere. The company was still growing, mostly managed by store and floor staff who instinctively used “Sir” as a default term of respect. Every conversation, every call began and ended with it. What Umar Akhter noticed, however, was how this seemingly harmless habit quietly created invisible barriers.
He observed how the “Sir” culture fed subtle hierarchies and unspoken insecurities. When one person was addressed as “Sir” and another wasn’t, egos stirred, comparisons began, and divisions crept in. Feedback slowed, and open dialogue diminished. For Umar Akhter, this wasn’t just semanticsit was about company culture, communication, and ultimately, growth.
So he made a radical decision: abolish “Sir.”
“No one calls me ‘Sir,’” Umar Akhter announced. “My name is Umar. Just Umar.”
Of course, change doesn’t come easy. The next day, he heard, “Umar Sir!” again. Old habits die hard, after all. But slowly, through consistent reminders and humor, the team adapted. “Umar Sir” became “Umar Bhai,” and eventually, just “Umar.” What seemed like a small linguistic shift began transforming the company’s energy. Conversations grew more authentic. Team members spoke more freely. Ideas flowed without hesitation.
Umar Akhter had unintentionally started a cultural revolution within Koskii. It wasn’t about eliminating respectit was about replacing conditioned respect with genuine respect. And to make the transition fun, Umar Akhter and his team introduced the now-famous “Sir Charge” rule: anyone who called someone “Sir” had to pay ₹500.
The “Sir Charge” soon became a running joke across teamsa symbol of Koskii’s evolving identity. In a few minutes of conversation, someone could easily rack up “fines” worth thousands, though they were rarely collected. Instead, guilty team members often compensated by buying ice creams or snacks for their colleagues, turning discipline into shared laughter.
Today, the “Sir Charge” isn’t just a ruleit’s a ritual at Koskii. It represents a deeper philosophy that Umar Akhter lives by: culture is not enforced, it’s lived. Respect cannot be demanded through hierarchy; it’s earned through trust, consistency, and example.
Under Umar Akhter’s leadership, this philosophy has not only shaped Koskii’s internal culture but also its brand ethos. The company’s atmosphere reflects a sense of belonging, where everyonefrom a new joiner to a senior leaderfeels valued for contribution, not designation. Umar Akhter often emphasizes that respect rooted in titles is fragile, but respect rooted in authenticity is unshakable.
His journey reminds us that leadership is not about being addressed a certain wayit’s about being remembered for how you made people feel. Umar Akhter leads not by hierarchy but by humanity, showing that confidence doesn’t require distance. It thrives in connection.
The Koskii culture now carries this message across every team and every store: that being part of a “team” means leaving behind the formalities that separate us. When people communicate freely, when feedback becomes natural, and when hierarchy takes a backseat to collaboration, real progress happens.
Umar Akhter’s belief is simple yet profoundrespect isn’t spoken, it’s shown. It’s in how we listen, how we support, and how we stand by each other when it counts. His decision to challenge a cultural norm didn’t just reshape a company’s language; it reshaped its mindset.
No “Sir.”
No “Madam.”
Just people, united by purpose.
Through Umar Akhter’s story, we see how true leadership doesn’t need titlesit needs courage. Courage to question habits, to make change playful instead of painful, and to prove that a workplace built on equality can also be a workplace built on excellence.
In a country where hierarchy is often mistaken for order, Umar Akhter is a reminder that respect doesn’t flow from positionit flows from participation. By removing “Sir,” he didn’t remove honor; he made space for honesty.
And in doing so, Umar Akhter gave Koskii something more powerful than hierarchyhe gave it harmony.
