The Fine Art of Blogging

 I started blogging around 2008 or 09, with a push from Hari, who was already a blogger. Over the years, it has not dimmed- my enthusiasm for blogging, I mean.

I also have an increased readership among humans and bots, as a helpful reader pointed out when there was a sharp rise in viewership as per Google Analytics. Well, I don't mind it one bit/byte. (intended)

Ok, so this is my 200th blog post for 2025. And it's not even New Year's Eve. So I am going to enjoy this double century.. having once played cricket, I know it's value.

Thanks to all the readers- especially the human readers, for keeping me going by reading and occasionally commenting. I met one reader who told me she was unable to comment. Not being technically competent to solve that problem, I am happy that she reads the blog.

Hopefully interesting things will keep happening, and I will keep writing about them. Happy Reading, and writing, if you are also a writer.

As a bonus, you can take a look at the two latest interviews on my Youtube channel- links below. With Ananya Nandi De and Natasha Kothari.

https://youtu.be/AQwHBrxButc

https://youtu.be/Gpe3yD27_Lg

The Curious Case of Indigo Airlines

 Ok, not sure where this will go, but the outrage is palpable. And warranted. Next to the Indian Railways, Indigo airlines probably ferries the most people around India as a single entity- just a guess.

And guess what? They don't have enough pilots. They are not owned by the government, so there's no hiring freeze. And they have been growing by choice, expanding the number of flights (and planes) like crazy. 

But pilots? Not really. Incredible? Maybe. But who will bell the cat, as they keep saying.

Well, if you are in deep slumber or sleep-walking with blinders on the rest of the time, you need a wake-up call. 

So, after boasting about how they are so wonderful, caring and customer-friendly, a Laxmi Bomb ( Diwali cracker) went off, and their Utopian world came apart in one fell swoop. Around 1000 flights were cancelled in a day, for 'operational' reasons. Someone please do a brain operation on their top management. 

Similar disasters are waiting to happen in the over-digitised world, according to me, a sceptic. Let's see..

Sugar- A Friend or a Villain?

 Sugar has probably replaced many villains across years- oil, additives and so on.

Is it really the villain it is made out to be?

My household always had sugar in our tea, about 2 or 3 cups a day. Or coffee. Most of my aunts lived to be 80 or older, including my mother. They did have arthritis in some cases, but hardly any problems related to sugar intake.. no diabetes.

Apparently, our brain requires some amount of glucose for its functions. Sugar can also provide that, along with other foods, in my view. As long as we don't overdose on it, sugar may not be any more of a villain than many other harmful things we ingest. I am not sure artificial sweeteners are good for us, though they are a big industry and lobby.

What do you think?

Losing a Friend

 Did not expect to write this so soon. But then, that's life. I lost another Golfer friend- the second this year. He was a part of the Fabulous Four who toured Kodaikanal with me, and was witness to my first Hole-in-one there, in 2014. Prof. Ravi Gadgil, a genial soul who stayed Single, but was friends with many, passed away on December 5, today at Nagpur. He had worked in B to B Marketing in the U.S. and India, and taught Sales with great aplomb at IMT Nagpur to several batches.

Pics are a great way to remember our good times.

Our first trip out to Kodaikanal

At Centre Point in 2018

Air Force Club, Nagpur- above and below

Alumni Meets

en route Kodikkirai with Vijayakumar

Putting, and posing.. Munnar

A larger group of alumni, Hyderabad. Shuchi Bhatnagar is third from left.

Monopoly Madness - Airline Industry

 If you are a near-monopoly, you care less and less about the customer. The govt. is usually a monopoly, and we know how it 'serves' its customers. But this one is about Indigo, which has reached its nadir with a fiasco so bad, it has nowhere to hide.

For one which micromanages passenger movements and makes them stand in line for 20-25 minutes just to board a flight, to one which cannot estimate its own pilot requirements! What a Fall, as Mark Antony would have said.

Short term solutions are OK, but in the long run, a couple of viable alternatives have to emerge, or else trains will become the preferred mode of moving around.

Also a severe penalty for this nonsensical situation is needed, to compensate for the disruptions in many lives.. maybe a fare cap!

The Con Academy

 After hearing about the great success of the Khan Academy, I thought of this brilliant thing - The Con Academy.

It will be the ultimate con job.

It will promise to get you into an IIT, or IIM, or on the Moon if you prefer. Why, even the Sun, for that matter. 

The only exception- it won't find you a match.. we don't want to eat into the business of Dating Apps, as a policy.

All you have to do to achieve your dream is to deposit some money into a numbered account in Switzerland. Once the deposit is confirmed, you will receive detailed instruction on what you have to do to get there.

We will have tie-ups with NASA, Elon Musk for space Odesseys. And tie ups with Maths teachers and ex-IIM faculty (like the Founders) for cracking the JEE/CAT. But they will only offer Q and A on Zoom, after you have studied for 72 hours a week, for 72 weeks.. by the, we hope the Swiss bank account will swell like the Ganges or Bramhaputra in spate, and we will be at some corner of the globe that's difficult to reach.. and gyarah mulkon ki police will not be able to trace us.. nor will the Jamtara scammers.

How's that for a business idea?

The Art of Public Speaking

 I am amazed at how many people find it difficult to speak to a large audience, and don't know it! Maybe I have attended too many seminars, conferences and so forth, and I should stop..

Maybe I sound as boring to those who are forced to listen to me, but maybe not.

I try-

to keep it brief. That is a relief for most :) Most people can't hold an audience for more than 10-12 minutes.

to keep audience level in mind. I must admit I was out of my depth when addressing school students once or twice.

to use everyday stuff like films, or film songs to make it more palatable. 

to talk about the topic/event as far as possible, but use humour or analogy if I can.

to prepare if I have the time to do so, and write points down on a piece of paper, even if I don't look at it.

Not sure I always succeed, but sometimes, I think I do.