An Indecisive Indian

There are some institutions whose greatness is so well-established that speaking of them feels almost presumptuous—like carving initials on a mountain that has stood for centuries.  Shakespeare’s words through Antonio in The Tempest ring true when one steps into a place shaped by momentous history yet vibrant with purpose: “...what’s past is prologue, what to come In yours and my discharge” .  And yet, reverence and futility notwithstanding, some experiences demand to be shared, if only to express heartfelt gratitude. My visit to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) at Anand, Gujarat, on 24th April was one such experience—a humbling and inspiring journey through the corridors of excellence, innovation, and ethical nation-building. I must, therefore, pay my respects to the timelessness and majesty of the institution. NDDB was set up under the visionary leadership of Dr. Verghese Kurien and its committed team continues the great work. Mr. SS Gill from their HR wing had ki...

        The romance, the recalls Indian Railways (IR) is far more than a mere transport network. It is a national habit, a moving theatre, and, for millions, a treasure trove of memories. For nearly 175 years, its steel ribbons have carried people across geography and history, linking distant towns and weaving strangers, sometimes for just a few fleeting hours, into one another’s lives. A train journey here is rarely just a means to an end. The journey itself assumes primacy over the destination, unfolding as an unscripted spectacle of comedy and suspense, romance and heartbreak, unexpected kindness and, occasionally, spectacular rudeness. Every Indian treasures a railway memory, especially the childhood battle for a window seat, where the metal bars framed the nation like a grand, unending documentary unspooling before eager eyes. Then there are the mesmerizing horizons of a boundless India, shifting from stark, haunting desolation to the vibrant chaos of packe...

Ta-da! And now, for the next act in the theatre of the absurd. Indian Railways (IR) is now galloping boldly into the brave new world of Hydrogen and Hyperloop—a world where physics bows to press releases and engineering is powered by emojis. The media, true to form, has inflated these nascent initiatives to Himalayan proportions, as if Hydrogen will waft us to net-zero overnight and Hyperloop will have us zipping from Dadar to Dhanbad in ten minutes flat. My venerable great-uncle Shakespeare and my ever-acerbic chachā (uncle) Ghālib, nestled in their celestial lounge (complete with shisha bar and poetic banter), looked upon this spectacle with bemused disdain. Unexpectedly, they did not argue. They merely sipped their ambrosial cocktails and watched silently, minds aflutter with verse and vinegar. But worry not, dear reader. Thanks to my inter-dimensional, divine WiFi, their mental murmurings pinged directly into my brain—a cosmic WhatsApp chat, if you will. And so, I present to you t...