I cherish this time of the year. For those who had a terrible past 12 months, the start of a new year rekindles a missing spark, offering hope, motivation, and positivity. For those who had a great time, the new year offers hope of something even better. In that sense, a new year offers a unique opportunity. No… Read More »
In 2024, I read some incredible books filled with enriching ideas ranging from personal productivity to public administration, quantum physics to mega infrastructure projects. Due to the generative AI revolution, many predict that the importance of reading and writing will diminish significantly. I strongly disagree. I am convinced that reading and writing will become even more essential in… Read More »
Some years ago, I briefly held the charge as a Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) for an important infrastructure project. The concerned officer was on leave and I was to hold the fort until he returned. I was new to the service and hadn’t had any experience with land acquisition. My knowledge on the subject was shallow, limited to… Read More »
Every now and then, when I find myself in front of the TV with some time to spare and don’t really know what to watch, I watch bits of Interstellar. It’s been 10 years since the film’s release , but the grandeur, the dazzle, and the profound sense of awe that I felt when I first saw the… Read More »
I recently came across an interesting quote on Twitter: “The best performers are not consistently great, but they’re great at being consistent.” (Brad Stulberg) It got me thinking and I have realised that any meaningful, life-defining endeavour comprises of the following traits: These small actions, taken in isolation, do not amount to much. But over time, what they… Read More »
This is a perennial question I get asked the most. And it’s understandable too. Many aspirants who begin their Civils preparation are clueless about this exam’s demands and most cannot simply afford to go to Delhi and take coaching. There are a lot of doubts and misconceptions regarding whether to take coaching for Civils Services. So let me… Read More »
Is the job of an IAS officer impactful? Can an officer bring about change for the better? When we think of transformative change, we often envision a rapid and dramatic impact during an officer’s tenure. We all aspire to make a significant, positive difference in our domain, but it’s essential to recognise that immediate results are not the… Read More »
The AI revolution is here. Generative AI products across audio, video, image, and text are being developed at an astonishing pace. The current AI revolution marks an important milestone in humanity’s unrelenting march in the digital realm. First came the Internet, then the smartphone, and now AI. I am convinced that developing an Artificial General Intelligence that has… Read More »
Today, I rode a bicycle. The moment I got on it, I remembered that the last time I rode one was almost 18 years ago. It had been a long time. In my school days, I used to own a Hercules AXN. During the time, it was the latest and the most expensive one around. My bicycle was… Read More »
During my stint at Google, I was really impressed by how much of the company’s decision making had been data driven. From the founder’s vision to an employee’s OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), metrics are used to assess performance, measure progress and help every employee make objective decisions. On the other end, working for the Government made me… Read More »