In Praise of Roger and Rafa
Begin Again
The last 30 days have been eventful. I have been posted as the Assistant Collector of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district (Telangana) on 24.05.2019, a day after India elected its new union government. As I completed one month in the district, I reflected on my stay here and asked myself: What has been my learning in the past one month? After… Read More »
[Video] Bharat Darshan
When our group of 18 IAS trainees began our Bharat Darshan journey, I wondered if it was going to be a mere transit from place to place. After visiting 15 odd states and travelling 20,000 km, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Near the Sino-Indian border, staying with the Army made us witness the tough life of our… Read More »
UPSC Interview: The Final Frontier
That morning I woke up earlier than usual. Not because my alarm went off, but that my subconscious was acutely aware that something special awaited me: It was the day of my UPSC interview. I got out of bed, freshened up, did some push-ups and sit-ups to get the heart rate pumping. After the workout, soaking in that… Read More »
Roger Federer: An Obsession
I remember the day I became a fan of Roger Federer. It was the 3rd of July, 2005 and Federer was playing Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final. I did not follow tennis back then, and my knowledge of the game was limited to collecting and memorising random facts for quizzes. I was aware that Sampras and Agassi… Read More »
My Favourite Books of 2018
How I picked my next book has always been a matter of impulse or accident. Sometimes I’d find myself at an airport with time to kill, so I buy a book. At times I see a lady at a coffee shop deeply engrossed in a novel and her accidental smile while reading it compels me to read it.… Read More »
Gratitude
As I look back on the year gone by, I can’t be thankful enough for 2018. Professionally and personally, it’s the best year I’ve had. In Dec 2017, if I were given a chance to script my 2018, I don’t think I’d have had it any better. What did you learn in 2018? Can you describe it in… Read More »
A Milestone and A Thank You Note
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to start a blog. Whenever I thought of it, I used to be gripped by a strange sense of timidity (and lethargy) to pen an article and put my thoughts in public. UPSC success finally gave me the readership and the motivation to overcome my reluctance. It was five… Read More »
Why Conversations Matter
Last week we had a parliamentary debate at our academy, LBSNAA. The motion of the debate was: Right to equality implies preferential treatment for the disadvantaged. It was a highly combustible topic, yet brilliantly argued by both sides based on logic, reason and evidence, and never ad-hominem. To watch the teams not pull any punches and mock, denigrate… Read More »
10 Days to Mains: Don’t Be Intimidated. Be Inspired.
The centre court at Wimbledon is a remarkable place. Throughout Wimbledon’s history, on the day of the finals, this hallowed arena has been witness to something extraordinary. Many young, promising players who were expected to win the title simply buckled under the searing pressure. They were just too intimidated by the occasion. On the other hand, the place… Read More »