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The Agony And Ecstasy Of Experiencing Cherrapunji's Living Root Bridges
The rains make me sing. When low-lying clouds pregnant with water burst open their bellies to quench the thirst of parched lands, I can't help but twirl barefoot on the road with my arms open, feeling...
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A Dispassionate Portrait of Kalam's Legacy
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was not the best engineer India has ever produced. Nor was he the most erudite of its 13 presidents. But he was undoubtedly the most-loved person to have ever...
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How We Stopped The Massacre Of Animals At Gadhimai
Photo credit: Kuni Takahashi/AP Images for HSI "The ending is the beginning, and the beginning is the first step,..." -J. Krishnamurti The bloody trail of the world's largest animal sacrifice in Nepal...
View ArticleParenting And The Lessons I Learnt From My Children
Parenting is a befuddling, bittersweet journey. When you start out, you are the sole providers, care givers and opinion makers in your children's lives till they watch cartoons and have friends that...
View ArticleWhy I do not review books for free
Recently, an author with a book fresh from the press sent me review request. Came down straight to the point in a two-line mail - "Where should I send you a copy". No, he did not ask me what the...
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There Is No Real Mitigating Circumstance In Yakub Memon Case
Death penalty is a polarising issue. But in India, the debate is more academic. In 68 years since Independence India has hanged only 52 convicts. These includes killers of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira...
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Of Media Sources And Their Reported Reliability
Back in the eighties, there used be something called the 'Foreign Hand'. On the political terra firma, every second riot or disturbance was attributed to this invisible 'Foreign Hand'. Today, social...
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Why Car Seats For Kids Should Be Mandatory In India
On car rides, like many Indian families, my husband would drive while my daughter (now 2 ½ years old) would sit restlessly on my lap. Then when the time came for her to go to playschool, we decided to...
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Smart Supply Systems Are Key To Solving Global Food Crisis
There is no doubt that there exists a global food crisis. Across the world, 795 million people suffer from hunger -- defined as a painful sensation from want of food! This pain afflicts more than 525...
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The Best Punishment For Sreesanth And Co
Well done BCCI. Yes, I have gone ahead and praised the BCCI. Feels weird, but this time they have undoubtedly made the right decision. Despite the Delhi High Court dropping the spot-fixing charges...
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Reliving My Memories Of The Kuwait Invasion
August 2, 2015 spells 25 years since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Wars were fought, a dictator brought to his knees and lives torn asunder ever since. As expatriates caught in the crossfire of two...
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What Eulogies Say About The Human Condition
I've often wondered about a particular phenomenon that almost always happens when someone passes away - the RIPs, the outpouring of positive sentiments and praise for the departed individual. What...
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The Magic Wand of Gratitude
The full moon in the month of Ashadha is celebrated as Guru Purnima. It is an occasion to be grateful for the wisdom that life has offered. When you see how wisdom has transformed your life, it's...
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Hiking On The Path Of Life: The Role Of A Guru
The Solitary Trek The trek up the mountain was fantastic. Clearly a less travelled path, it was nearly taken over by spring blossoms, shoulder-high grasses and bushes. Beneath the growth, the path was...
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I Let My Daughter Groom Me For A Week: Here's What Happened
Her school was out and my blog had technical problems so I needed some time to fix it. This led to a small experiment that has now become a pleasant habit and a sweet bond. Since I needed time to work...
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Remembering Kalam, A Most Beloved Public Fugure
I do not recall when I first met late Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. One early encounter was when I saw him stand outside Prime Minister I.K. Gujral's room, waiting to get some files signed. Gujral later told...
View ArticleBumping Into Adam Gilchrist
It was late in the afternoon on a Friday. The lounge at Adelaide airport was abuzz with people like me, racing to get home for the weekend. However, my flight home had been delayed by an hour. So I got...
View ArticleCan India Lead The Global Fight Against Child Labour?
The setting -- the base of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C -- was perfect to launch the Meet Up For Childhood Freedom. As the symbol of the anti-slavery movement watched over, a man in a white...
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Animal Slaughter Ban At Gadhimai: What We Must Do Next
When I first heard about the Gadhimai Festival in Nepal I could not believe that an event which was synonymous with grotesque animal killings could actually be referred to as a "festival". As I read...
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Sunshine In Copenhagen
The sun goes with us wherever we Indians go - or at least I proved this to be right on my recent trip to Copenhagen. Till a few days ago I was staring at the Accuweather symbols of cloud and rain...
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