A Scientific Invitation I Regret Accepting

A few months ago I gave an invited talk at Vivekananda Institute for Professional Studies (VIPS) in New Delhi. Here's the link to a recording of the same: https://youtu.be/rmwShd0EALI

And the very next day an old friend from my IIT Mumbai days calls me after years and gives me an earful (it's really weird to be scolded once you've been a prof for some time!) about not being careful enough with where I allow myself to get invited.

After getting my ears chewed off, I was asked to read this article: High court dismisses Delhi BJP candidate SC Vats’s application to hide news of rape accusation (caravanmagazine.in)

I suppose the article above featuring their chairman is open to interpretation as all matters have not been settled in the courts yet, and your conclusions might well be different from mine. I respect that totally. Mine lead to a decision to stay away from VIPS.

Sorry, I'll be more careful in the future.

No further comments.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall!

I invite you to see this video: Pakistan need 14 runs from 11 balls against india | 2004 | WHO GONNA WIN - YouTube

These two overs of Indian bowling and fielding don't just exemplify excellence in the field, they also underline another point. And here's how you see it:

Note down the names of our cricketers who bowled these overs, those who took catches, those who saved runs in the field, and those who ran in to celebrate each wicket and eventually the victory.

These few minutes of cricket teach us more about what it will take to become first world than a thousand political speeches.

Nothing more needs to be said.

But let's underline the point just made with one more video: Irfan Pathan Hat-trick vs Pakistan - YouTube

Observe carefully that players of different religions as well as regions are playing together absolutely comfortably and are completely united as a team. Result: We dominate.

This is how this country is, and this is how it will stay. India will NEVER be a Hindu Nation or an Islamic Nation or a Christian Nation or a Buddhist Nation or a Sikh Nation. We are, and will stay, firmly secular. Those who want to live in religion-centric countries are welcome to emigrate to other parts of the world.

The central identity here is simply going to be: Indian. That's it.

(Note: As you reflect on the post above, bear in mind that I have supported the present government every time they acted to cancel minority appeasement freebies (Haj Allowance, PM Iftar Parties, Triple Talaaq). But from 2019 onwards their speeches and IT Cell actively spread hatred against ordinary Muslim citizens. Not only can this not be allowed, it is fundamentally nonsensical. To understand this better, I invite you to read: Strike a Pause: Why Push Away Muslims? (strike-a-pause.blogspot.com))

No Dress Rehearsals!

Remember always: There are no dress rehearsals in life. You are already on the stage and the play is on 🙂. You have to be 100% mindful, 100% alert, 100% committed, moment to moment, as you play your part.

The moment to act is now. The time is now. Whatever it is that you wish to do with your life, the time to start working towards it is now. Right now.

Silence

I would soak you in silence,
If only you would let me.

Bhutan's Highest Paid Civil Servants

Did you know that the highest paid civil servants in Bhutan are teachers and medical staff?

I invite you to read this article: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/web/in-bhutan-teachers-medical-staff-will-now-be-highest-paid-civil-servants-5776604/

There is tremendous long term wisdom in this decision! These are the seeds one must sow for development in its true sense. This is how a society starts evolving in the right direction.

Netherlands' Invisible Bike Lanes

Have a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1l75QqRR48

They need to play this on the big screen at every climate meeting just to set the tone. This, to me, is the first collective step we need to take to cut down fossil fuel consumption.

I would absolutely love to see Indian cities taking this up!

Making Relationships Work

Strange thing this.

People spend their whole lives trying to make relationships/marriages work.

Ought to be the other way around!

Your relationships/marriages/friendships should be making your life work.