Heroes Without Headlines
There’s a certain kind of magic in talking to ordinary people. Not the kind who wear capes, but the kind who wear aprons, helmets, or binoculars slung casually around their necks. They don’t ask for attention. Yet, they grab it—not by making noise but by making sense. My hairdresser, for instance, lives with a quiet →
My Word Of The Year for 2025
Motion, no matter how small, creates momentum. Stride forward, and let each step shape the path ahead in 2025. That’s my message to myself. →
Trapped in Feedback: A Day in the Life of Ratings and Reviews
It started as a regular day. A taxi ride to the airport. Smooth. No complaints. As I got out, the driver smiled. “Please rate your ride,” he said. I tapped a number on my phone. Simple enough—or so I thought. Next stop—the airport restroom. I washed my hands and reached for a towel. An attendant →
Between A Million And A Billion
A few weeks ago, I was in a coffee shop, catching up with an old friend. It was one of those moments when life feels paused. The aroma of coffee and the low hum of conversations hung in the air. My friend, ever buoyant, declared with dramatic flair, “I’m so happy you’ve embraced entrepreneurship!” I →
When The Sky Falls
Three or four Fridays ago, I was taking a stroll. It had been a tough day, and the →
Horlicks Whirled Wide
Mind Your Language, the old British sitcom, was a personal favourite. Actually, it continues to be. In one scene, the teacher, Mr Brown, asks Juan Cervantes, the Spanish bartender, “What’s unique to Britain?” Juan fires back with a quick, savage reply: “Speak English!” It’s funny and true. English is a British export, but different parts →
Choices and Consequences: India’s Journey
After reading the post on Independence Day, a good friend wrote a long text listing everything that was wrong with the country. It was easy to agree with all that is wrong. We disagreed on what needed to be done. And when we got to listing the ‘why’ of the state of affairs, our gulf →
The Choices of Independence
The usual scene unfolds. The flag is unfurled. Rose petals fall. Haven’t seen that anywhere else in the world. Kurta pajamas, mostly white. Flags pinned on, fluttering in the breeze. A crisp speech. The same ‘Patriotic’ songs echo. Kids perform to them with moves adapted from Bollywood. Adolescents enveloped in a certain busyness that befits →
Thank God For Dosa
Kerala paratha? A flashback to my early professional life—years I could have spent differently. Filter coffee? That’s Mum. The smell of bread? Raja Barley, a bakery in Madurai. Crabs? Pier 39, San Francisco. Churros? San Gines in Madrid. Crisp dosa? Aiyappas in Matunga. Black coffee? I’m in Brisbane. Toast? Singapore. Kulcha? Amritsar. Pomfret? Calicut. Salads? →
Embracing Grey
The rain brings life to a spectrum of emotions, reminding us that most of life is a beautiful blend of grey. The thick black coffee is an exception. →
Distraction
After getting somewhere, I walked further to a place where I could be left alone with Charlotte lake. Almost as a reflex action, my hand cradled the phone and clicked a picture. It was when I examined what I had clicked, that I first saw him. →
