In 1998, we went for our first counter-insurgency patrol in Nagaland very excitedly. We were a bunch of IPS trainees attached to an army unit fighting militancy. Unlike in the Police Academy, the dangers here were very real. So we put on heavy bulletproof vests and...

Years ago, during my first startup, I took a shared office space in Bandra (Mumbai). Every morning, on the way to work, I would see a retired-looking person (in his early sixties) idly sitting in his house by the window, with some jazz music playing in the background....

I knew an IPS officer who had cultivated the reputation of being a ‘crime fighter.’ And he did that by chasing petty criminals at night. But alas, all he was doing was the job of a head constable. Admittedly, he was good at it but that is not what he was hired for....

During my childhood, since my father was in the armed forces, I ended up moving cities and schools a few times. And whenever I started a new school, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. In the first few days of a class, if I raised my hand to answer a question, I kept...

You need a non-zero failure rate. And here is an experience of mine to prove that. In the second year of my MBA, as I was selecting my courses, I was faced with two options: Option A: Take a quant course that I could easily ace. Option B: Take up a course on...

During my MBA, a college classmate visited us in Philadelphia. He seemed happily settled in the US, doing a conventional tech job at a bank, drawing a $90k salary. His was a predictable job, with no growth prospects. Every year, his salary would go up by a few...

Years ago, we visited my wife’s aunt in California. When we opened her fridge door, it felt like the whole world came tumbling out – it was so jampacked. And that was not it – they had another industrial-scale freezer in their garage which was just as packed. In fact,...

If you have ever been in a rut, you know what it feels like -- nothing is satisfactory, yet nothing changes. Life is unhappy. Days just go by and nothing much gets done. You set goals and resolve to change 'tomorrow,' but alas, 'tomorrow' is just a repeat. It is as if...

Before my wife leaves for her office, I usually ask her, “How is your day looking?” And her typical response is, “Really bad. Whole day meetings!” Even though she heads her team and has full autonomy, she has little control over her time. And she is not an exception –...

On a vacation near the Gujarat frontier, I went for a morning run with a BSF (Border Security Force) company commander. He was so fast that running with this former commando literally took my breath away! In fact, every morning, I would see him leading his men for the...

When did you last read a newspaper editorial? No, seriously – tell me. I am not sure you remember because I certainly don’t. In fact, I doubt if I have ever read them end to end. Since the invention of the printing press, millions of trees have been felled to print...

Today, the access we have to stellar books, podcasts, videos, and blogs is mind-boggling. And yet, if we are not careful, it can quickly become a feel-good swamp. Most of the content we consume is about building a better life -- e.g., building skills, inculcating...

All it takes is 3-6 months to change your life. Here is what you need to know: 99% of the things that make us happier, healthier, and more prosperous are simple but hard. However, our mind seeks things that are complex but easy. Here are some examples. Instead of...

When I went to Ahmedabad, I was a bit frustrated about how difficult it is to maintain your fitness routine when traveling. But I then remembered how Mr. Atul Karwal, my former training officer in the IPS, prepared for his Everest expedition right here in Ahmedabad –...

The following have a common underlying causative factor: 1. Vulnerability to cults and conspiracy theories. 2. Fundamentalism – religious, political, or economic. 3. Superstition. 4. Prejudice – racial, religious, anti-outsider, anti-immigrant, etc. 5. Vulnerability...