On Shah Rukh Khan's sixtieth birthday today there are volumes written literally everywhere on his stardom! Main point of his success as a star is his charm and the vulnerability that he portrays on screen. I was never a fan of Shah Rukh, but after watching his off screen presence and interviews, he does come … Continue reading Tribute to Shah Rukh on his Sixtieth Birthday
Category: Musings
Blending In: Fieldwork Strategies for Researchers
How does a researcher doing fieldwork blend into the surroundings and not appear conspicuous? I learned a lesson. One cannot change one’s looks and background. But one can be courteous and genuinely accept the culture of the people.
Randy Pausch, ‘The Last Lecture’: The Parent Lottery
I read Randy Pausch’s ‘The Last Lecture’ on a flight. The lecture was on achieving your childhood dreams. He wrote ‘I was born with a winning ticket, a major reason I was able to live out my childhood dreams’. He beautifully describes how he won the ‘parent lottery’ as he got the best, most encouraging … Continue reading Randy Pausch, ‘The Last Lecture’: The Parent Lottery
Railways: In Cinema and Building Architecture
The History Literature Festival, 2024 was held in Pune, India during February 9-11. The format of this festival is to bring to the public books and discourses on the history of common everyday life. Among various themes discussed, such as the history of cinema and music, there was a fascinating session on the Railways in … Continue reading Railways: In Cinema and Building Architecture
A Thousand Full Moons: My Mother at 84
When I said I would be in Kochi for my mother’s 84th birthday a friend of mine said ‘it is a very important birthday to celebrate. At 84 a person has witnessed a thousand full moons’. Wow, what a wonderful concept and sure enough the day before we saw the thousandth moon. To be healthy, … Continue reading A Thousand Full Moons: My Mother at 84
The Maharaja Plays Delinquent Again
Is it possible to fly directly from Ahmedabad to London on Air India and Etihad? Read about our adventurous flight to London, direct but hopping airlines!
Gender and breaking the glass ceiling
Sanchi Stupa: Main gate
Main gate of Sanchi Stupa Symbols of the Ashoka Emblem, Lion The local guide at the Sanchi Stupa tells us the stories that the carvings on the main gate tell us On the side pillar of the main gate the entire body of Lord Buddha is depicted. Listen to our guide.
Land Titles for Women in India
Research and statistics in developing countries has shown that few women own land. Few women have their names on land records. But something we observed today made me wonder what was going on. RCPS Act 2013 to lay down an obligation upon every public authority to render public services within the prescribed time limit and … Continue reading Land Titles for Women in India
Millennials at Work and at School
Millennials: If the schooling and university systems were able to provide the millennials with the confidence to take the step of re-negotiating the contract, we are in a safe place in the future of work. But, unfortunately this is not the story for the majority of the millennials. The harassed seventeen year old student might not make it to this envious position of ‘quiet quitting’.
Elippathayam: The urban rat-trap
Urban foxes: are they ‘fantastic’ or a growing menace?
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/15/urban-foxes-are-they-fantastic-or-a-growing-menace
This article reminded me of my blogpost on animals and humans encroaching each others urban spaces. Amusing story on animals invading their natural habitat, the urban spaces.
We were sleeping peacefully in our home in the prestigious IIT Delhi campus after an exhausting day of travel and partying! I woke up suddenly feeling that someone was lightly running over me! I sat up and felt around, but there was no one or anything! My partner slept peacefully! I fell asleep again and then it seemed like someone was running a hand over my hair! I sat up with a jerk and looked around again. No one and nothing to be seen. This time my sudden movement woke my partner! “What is it?” “Don’t know, may be a rat?” “Turn on the light lets see.” So on come the lights, obviously there is nothing. We look in all corners of the bed, lift the sheets, look around the room. Nothing to be seen. “Perhaps I was dreaming!” We turn off the lights and I start to think. Am…
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