A Reflection on the Jagannath Rath Yatra There are festivals that delight the senses. There are festivals that preserve tradition. And then there are festivals that quietly transform the human spirit. The Jagannath Rath Yatra of Puri belongs to this rarest category. Every year, amid the roar of conch shells, the chanting of countless voices,Continue reading “When God Comes Out to Meet Man”
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The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XII
Letter XII: Epilogue (Part II): When the Final Whistle Blew My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, Some weeks ago, when the FIFA World Cup had only just begun, I started writing these letters simply to answer some of the questions that I imagined might arise in your young minds. Why did the whole world becomeContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XII”
The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XI
Letter XI: Epilogue (Part I): When the Final Whistle Blew My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, Well, my dear grandchildren, we have reached the end of the journey we began some weeks ago. When I wrote my very first letter, the World Cup had only just begun. We did not know who would become champions. WeContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-XI”
The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa – X
Letter X: Amazing Records and Wonderful Achievements My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, Over the past few letters, I have told you about football, the World Cup trophy, the tournament itself, its greatest heroes, magical moments, remarkable stories, and even the technology that now helps referees make fair decisions. Before this World Cup comes toContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa – X”
The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-IX
Letter IX: Football’s Greatest Stories My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, By now, you have learnt how football is played, how the World Cup began, how the tournament is organised, who some of its greatest heroes have been, and how modern technology helps referees make fair decisions. But the World Cup is much more thanContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-IX”
The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VIII
Letter VIII: When Technology Joined the Beautiful Game My dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, In my last letter, I told you about the referee and how an English referee named Ken Aston invented the yellow and red cards. I also promised to tell you how modern technology now helps referees make difficult decisions. This isContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VIII”
The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VII
Letter VII : The Referee’s Whistle — Keeping the Game Fair Dear Parth, Viyanka, and Veyd, The stadium is packed. The crowd is roaring. A player races towards the goal. Suddenly, a sharp whistle cuts through the noise. Everyone stops. Twenty-two players look towards one person—the referee. Why does one whistle have the power toContinue reading “The World Cup: A Primer from Grandpa-VII”
Lindsey Graham: Beyond the Tariffs
The death of Senator Lindsey Graham has attracted more attention in India than the passing of most American legislators ordinarily would. The reason is not difficult to find. Graham had, in recent years, become one of the sharpest critics of India’s trade practices and among the strongest advocates of punitive tariffs against Indian exports. HisContinue reading “Lindsey Graham: Beyond the Tariffs”
What Remains – The Grace of the Years
(The following message was written for the Golden Jubilee Reunion of my IAS batch, which entered the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in July 1976. Unable to attend the reunion, I shared these reflections with my batchmates. While prompted by a very personal occasion, the thoughts themselves seem to me relevant to anyoneContinue reading “What Remains – The Grace of the Years”
Global Platforms, Local Passions
As the FIFA World Cup moves towards its grand finale, billions across continents are once again participating in one of humanity’s greatest shared spectacles. For a few exhilarating weeks, geography seems to dissolve. Fans from Buenos Aires to Bengaluru, from Lagos to London, celebrate the same goals, debate the same refereeing decisions, and watch theContinue reading “Global Platforms, Local Passions”
scribo ad LX 