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 »
Back in 2020, I maintained a 100-day workout streak. Each day I would find time to ensure that I don’t break the chain. My fitness improved and I felt great. Then life happened, had other responsibilities to take care of and as a result, I took a long break from exercising. Consequently, I put on weight, felt lazy… Read More »
December might be just another month on the calendar, but perhaps this is the only time we take a pause from our hurried lives and reflect on the year gone by. This contemplation gives us a chance to relive the happy moments, feel proud about our accomplishments, regret the opportunities not taken and, of course, plan for the… Read More »
Of late, I have been spending a lot of time observing trees. It doesn’t matter whether I walk, run, or drive on the road, my eyes inevitably follow the trail of trees on the side, making me marvel at the height, shape and the majesty of every big tree I see. Being part of Telangana ku Haritha Haram… Read More »
In a turbulent, uncertain year filled with terrible news all around, books have been a great source of comfort for me. They were the escape from the reality of lockdowns and persistent pandemic news cycle. Readers of this blog know that I lean mostly towards non-fiction and this has been the case with 2020 as well. One habit… Read More »
A couple of years ago, as I was lunching with a friend, he asked me a simple question. If all life started with one simple organism, how did so many complex species evolve? By this time, I had already begun studying Anthropology (my Optional subject), so he naturally assumed that I should be able to handle such basic… Read More »
Greetings on the successful completion of FC and Phase- I. Do you feel that your time at the academy just flew by? Not surprising. That first walk into the campus, the arduous trek to a nearby hill, the odd nap in the lecture hall, the lovely meal at the Officers’ Mess. And the jokes and the laughter with batchmates over a warm cup of coffee under an overcast sky. What a journey!
On a casual evening in July 2019, I announced publicly that I was going to write a book. When I made the announcement, I had not written a single word or a sentence for the book. Heck, I didn’t even have a clue about the book’s title, the cover, the table of contents or the topic I was… Read More »
Every year, on the 21st of April, India celebrates Civil Services day, to commemorate the famous address by Sardar Patel to the first batch of civil servants of India. In the speech, he called them the Steel Frame, as a reference to an enduring structure meant to build and protect a young nation. “India observes National Civil Services… Read More »
The following is an interview with Shri Deepak Gupta about his new book, ‘The Steel Frame: A History of the IAS.’ Sir joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1974, and among his many accomplishments, he is known for his leadership role in driving the ambitious National Solar Mission. Besides his distinguished career in the IAS, he also served as the… Read More »