Madhosh Kiye Jaa: 2026

Ghostwriting

If I were a ghostwriter, who could I write for?

Based on their spoken language, most politicians could do with my services.

Some academicians as well, because based on evidence from conferences or seminars, they don't seem to know where to stop.

Regulators from the education sector who speak as if they have changed the world. They haven't.

People who have conquered the world- not factually, but on Linkedin. I can always talk about how they did so, in the ghosted book.

Any more ideas, please let me know.

I have contemplated retirement, often. Of course, life does not always turn out the way you think it will. So it was that I came to work in Kolkata. But circumstances have forced me to relook at life's priorities. And it is very likely that I will soon retire from full time work.

It gives you enormous freedom to think, and indulge.. in things that you could only dream about, and occasionally partake of. This may include some travel, some reading, some Golf, meeting people at various places, or in town, doing new things, and listening to music. Of course, family responsibilities, as they are, will be a part of it too.

I am of course, open to occasional forays into teaching if there's any demand from an institution. But mostly, not admin. positions that are devoid of student interactions.

Pune will be the base, or adda- not the Bong version, but the Marathi or Hindi one- as far as I can tell. Mumbaikars, beware. You might see more of me in the months to come!

It has been good while it lasted, through corporate jobs in Advertising and Market Research, and teaching through my Ph.D. to post-Ph.D. days, in the US first, and then in India.

Some great colleagues and students who turned into friends along the way, are my billion-dollar wealth.

Some Easy ways to Evaluate Learning in AI Age

We talk about AI as if it's a villain. But plagiarism has been around long before AI happened. So what does a professor do now, to make out what's original learning from a student in his class?

There are many ways, I would think. Some of these could be

-a Viva or oral test instead of an assignment which if it is take home, will almost certainly involve the use of AI.

-argumentative questions which require some justification of a stand taken on a controversial subject/situation, even in a case study

-ask for original stuff that AI cannot produce.

-ask students to write something in class- not just in an exam, but regularly. If the class is large, it could be a group assignment.

-assign an AI analysis exercise where they get info from AI and then critique it for what it leaves out, or what students can add to it. Can be done in class.

Innovation in pedagogy/evaluation is always possible, to check a student's learning.

Doubling the Joy- Unusual Meetup

Sayantani Saha is an alumna from IMT Nagpur 2010-12 batch of MBA and works in Kolkata at present. Ananya Ghosh is a Ph.D. candidate at St. Xavier's University, whom I met at XLRI first in 2023, and then when I came here to work. I didn't imagine that they would know each other, but coincidentally, they do. And Sayantani spotted a pic of Ananya with me, and recognised me in it! So we finally met over a long lunch and conversation, at Cafe Miami in New Town. The ambience was great, and the food too, but the catching up and banter about their lives and mine, was the best. Some pics-

Smileys- Collection of Smiles- Part 2

Proof of the pudding is in the smiling. Some more from my collection over the years-

Sapna Patni, first pic, and

Tanmeet and Alisha, second

Naveen Das, Kolkata book fair

Rimjhim at her place

Ekkirala and Vaishali at IMT

Alum meet in Mumbai, IMT

Radhika, Park in Mandu

Ganesh, and Tamros Mondal, IIM Indore

Shreyashi at my office, Indore, and Siri Adi in Kharghar

Potential Quizzes

What/Who comes to your mind, when you see these words?

1. The Skull Cave/Col. Worobu/Guran

2. Gestures Hypnotically

3. Ina Mina Dika

4. Chupke Chupke Raat Din

5. Ek taraf uska ghar, ek taraf maikada

6. Gori tera gaon bada pyara

7. Ye kya ho raha hai?

8. Bindiya chamkegi, choodi khankegi

9. Woh kagaz ki kashti, woh baarish ka pani

10. Made in India

11. Shola jo bhadke dil mera dhadke

12. Hum kale hain to kya hua dilwale hain?

13. Tu auron ki kyun ho gayi?

14. Dil mein ek lehar si uthi hai abhi

dialogue

1. Mogambo khush hua

2. Peene ka pani alag, gutter ka pani alag

3. Behno aur bhaiyon..

4. Lilly, don't be silly

5. Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi, naamumin hai

6. Babu moshai,...

7. Ek chutki sindoor ki keemat tum kya jano.

8. Ye kya ji, goda chatur, goda chatur?

9. Pushpa, I hate tears.

10. kkk..Kiran..

Pronunciation- we are Like This Only

We pronounce English words exactly as we like- influenced by the Mother tongue, is many cases.

For instance, Telugu chaps usually pronounce the d in Bridge.

Marathi people think the Pen is a Pain.

Odiyas confuse the Boss with the Bus.. and Xavier becomes Jhabier.

The Bongs think the Heart is Hurt. And Award is aa-word.

Tamils pronounce Money as Mani- the na is the hard one.

Mallus are Zimbly too much, and gulp if someone else goes to the Gelf.

In some parts of the North, they study in an Iskool, isn't that cool?

But the best is a friend from Bihar who completely changed Voluptuous to Bholuputus.. can't beat that!

What People Might Do on Valentine's Day

A bit early, but the day is not far away! So, imagine what the following would do, and where they would be on Valentine's Day.

Donald Trump- He would love to take over Greenland, Poland, any land where he can spread some love!

Putin- He believes in communism, and so loves all equally. Ukraine ho ya Afghanistan. Will try and prove it too.

Sherlock Holmes- he would go out in search of True Love- more difficult than all his other assignments put together.

Hercule Poirot- he would just be his charming, old-world self.

SRK- short for Shah Rukh Khan. He would love to sign autographs for his million admirers.

Salman- his search is unending, because he occasionally beats them up.. lovingly, of course.

Road Romeos- would be locked up in a safe place! With no Juliets in sight.

Tour of Kolkata Schools

JIS is a sponsor of Saraswati Pooja Awards given to schools. I represented the university and went to 5 schools starting with APJ in Salt Lake, to Taki Multipurpose school for Boys, Sanskrit Collegiate School, Jadavpur Vidyapeeth and Little Memorial School in Garia. A highlight was that we were accompanied by two celebrities- Soham Chakrabarty, actor, and Jose Baretto, former Mohun Bagan football star from Brazil who lives here.

Barreto presents an autographed football to the principal of Taki Boys' School, Raja Bazaar

Jadavpur School, a well-run govt. school.

Below-Little fella having fun, Little Memorial School, Garia

Young ladies who look after the little ones.

A selfie with my partners in crime.

Above- At APJ school, I told them about Mandrake and Phantom, my childhood heroes

Below- Jadavpur Vidyapith

Confucius- A Favourite

I find the pithy sayings attributed to him- rightly or wrongly- quite interesting.

One of them we used to cite among our friends-

"When hungry, eat. When sleepy, sleep."

Some more I picked up from a blog-

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.

If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?

Bangalore Visit 2026 Jan

One of two achievements- met my grandkid from an adopted daughter- Shatakshi Tripathi. She opened her eyes to make eye contact too! One of the cutest kids ever! Bonus, I met my fb friend and Shatakshi's mother- for the first time. And her dad. Varun, Shatakshi and Katyayani, the new kid on the block, below.

Achievement 2. Stayed with Rimjhim and Dheeraj at their place in doddabommasandra near BEL, Vidyaranyapura area. Also looked at the surrounding areas including a lake, GKVK in the Agricultural University premises, and a couple of eateries. Tripti Thindi was one, I think.

Milind Chalisgaonkar and wife Anjali came over one of the days. They are in L and T Raintree, not far away. (in pic below)

On a walk by the lake..selfie training helped!

Also went to the Bengaluru Habba and watched Kaushiki Chakraborty perform along with Shatanu Moitra. The venue was a former jail, and this is what the Watch Tower looks like (behind me and Rimjhim)

Kaushiki on stage (above)

Achievement 3. Met Manoharan and Pandu Naik, former colleagues at IFIM/PESIT.

Manoharan also did his Ph.D. with my guidance at VTU. (pic below- Church Street)

Bhagwan Dada- A Most Unlikely Hero

Not sure I know his full name. He was simply known as Bhagwan Dada. The only film of his that I remember is Albela. More so, the music in this film, by C. Ramchandra. There is a string of great songs, with Shola jo bhadke, dil mera dhadke being an example.

But this is more about him. In an era where heroes were fair, tall, and well built, he was none of these. Portly would describe him as well as a few other adjectives. But he carried himself with such confidence, that you forgot about your expectations of what a 'her' ought to look like. His dance steps were iconic, and copied later by big actors. His chemistry with Geeta Bali, his heroine in Albela, added another dimension to the enjoyment.