Category: Blogs

I call my dad a few times every day, via video or audio. Each time we speak for at least half an hour. After exchanging our customary, warm greetings, we usually discuss mundane things, such as weather and food – breakfast or lunch or dinner – depending upon the time […]

What is the meaning of life? Ask Krishna, a Delhi-based, home bound, 17-year old, Year 12 student, nephew of the author, with whom the author caught up, on May 19, 2021, via a video chat. No amount of ‘wise’ words, assurances, reassurances or philosophy could help the author to bring […]

I am 58 but how does it matter if I live to 85 or 95 or not? What changes between now and then, will the quality of my life improve and be better than what I have lived so far? A longer life does not necessarily mean a better life. […]

Yes, I dared to run. I wanted to make a positive difference. I had absolutely no experience in active politics, but I still ran. I had confidence in myself; I believed I could do it. And I did it, I ran the full race. I tried my best. I ran […]

Elections are festivals of democracies. The festival of March 2021 WA state election started on 24 February 2021. The festival culminates on 13 March 2021, the Election Day. A long and hard election campaign I kicked off my election campaign about six months ago — in early September 2020 — […]

The first step was extremely painful. I limped and looked up helplessly at the winding and rising path ahead, which teased and challenged me. In that moment, I could have surrendered and given up my walk. But something very familiar happened in that moment, yet again. An unseen force took […]

When we talk about our rights, we must also talk about our responsibilities. Demanding rights without shouldering responsibilities is sheer carelessness and a dangerous recipe for strife. In a targeted world order of stability and peace, and coherence, bilateralism must prevail and be promoted over unilateralism. Giving must take precedence […]

In life, there are times when life puts a sudden brake on the pace of our life itself, such as when we are forced to confine ourselves to the walls of our home, for example, in a lock-down during the current pandemic; or when we are not able to venture […]

A poem in Urdu about helplessness of humans, with English translation. Helplessness Numerous complaints and questions I have for all; Astonished I am with You and displeased with myself. I feel haplessly desperate but to whom shall I complain? You are invisible; if I could meet You, I would demand […]

As children of Mother Nature, which nourishes and nurtures all life whilst also being destructive and merciless, humans are complex bundles of the good, the bad and the ugly, appearing in constantly varying proportions of these three basic characteristics. Our situation and circumstances dictate which one of these characters becomes […]