On My Mind

I have heard it a lot. It's all over movies, books, podcasts and WhatsApp forwards. Life ought to be enjoyed. Wake up, seize the day, Watch the sunset, go hiking! It all feels inspiring and transcendental. Anything out of the routine must be good, I suppose.  But I must admit, I just don't get it. It doesn't do the trick, or I may not be cut out for it. I have gone out with friends to watch the sun rise or set innumerable times. There are always murmurs of the extraordinary beauty of the phenomenon. If some lake or sea is on the horizon, the excitement levels are off the charts. And there, I feel like a UPSC topper being asked about tips and tricks to clear the exam. I can act like I know what's happening, but that's a facade we all like to collectively believe in. It might feel that I have an agenda against the sun, but my numbness isn't limited to the sun. I am trying to figure out why I should be amazed by the clouds. The planes have taken me over them, lit...

Few things in life satisfy the soul like food or playing super mario. I believed success would have the same effect, but successful people tell me they also feel empty. However, while they crib, their eyes lighten up with the intensity of Rohit Sharma's on spotting a short ball. Though not as good as super mario, cribbing is perhaps one of those few things. And the ambitious person I am, here is another attempt at chasing success! The district administration is a widely complex web of rules, judgments, and an overwhelmingly huge number of precedents. There are endless departments, some of which one learns about through newspapers. Having said so, few are important at any given time. This depends on the priorities of the government. As a young trainee, it was challenging to identify such departments. After pondering it for many nights, I finally came up with the 'Snacks Index' to measure the importance of any particular department. The snacks served at an essential departmen...

Alexander the great was ambitious. Unlike those who postpone greatness, he went knocking on the door himself. He conquered the known world at an age when most of us were trying to figure out which company we should work for. At 20, he was coronated as the King of Macedonia. At 22, he defeated King Darius III of Persia. At 25, he founded Alexandria, and by the age of 30, he had reached India's borders and defeated King Porus. At 32, he was DEAD!   Despite what the many self-help books suggest, the lesson is simple enough for even a resident of Hall 3, IIT Kanpur, to understand. You don't have to be in a hurry to achieve anything good. Evolutionary Biology and medical advances have been kind to our species. Not making use of them would be an insult to the many pioneers of the field and God.    We should use the extended life span granted to us and postpone our tasks. Rather than doing things immediately, we must rest and rejuvenate ourselves. Research suggests that "sleep h...

Some days are good, and some days, I don't remember. I am sure all of them must have something of note, though. That's the district training in a nutshell. Since I last wrote about my field training, a lot has changed globally. India crashed out of T20 World Cup, the central government presented its budget, and we even celebrated Pathan. However, the quaint town of Kakinada has taken a vow to stay within 20° C ± 1°. I have no complaints, in any case. It keeps me sane. Besides, some rants have to be left for the summer.  In the intervening period, I have been trained in many departments. When I visit them, I usually invite two kinds of reactions. Few officials welcome me with open arms. They love sharing their wisdom and solutions to existing problems with me. They make an effort to ensure I actually understand the nitty-gritty. A few others hate that I disrupt their routines. They are set in their pattern, and any divergence makes them uncomfortable. Getting information out fro...

Ever since he joined IIT Kanpur, Madhav wanted to attend the talks organized for the students. These talks are typically delivered by accomplished people. Madhav was quite fortunate. Only after two months of beginning college, he would listen to the inspirational Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the only Indian citizen to travel in space. Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma inspired a generation of people to pursue their dream. He was all over the media. More importantly, it wasn’t just him who benefited from his work. The Indian Space program received a boost, and several kids wanted to become astronauts. ISRO also found itself receiving attention from talented scientists. This is the legacy of Rakesh Sharma! On the contrary, do you know Madhav, the listener? Have you heard of him? No?  That's the point. I don't remember him even though I studied with him. I don’t know where he is. I have absolutely no clue what's he doing with his life. Winners are speakers. Winners talk and share ...