Blog

There are evenings when conversation lingers like the aftertaste of cardamom tea—subtle yet insistent. Last night was one of them. Eminent chemist and my long-standing friend, Dr. S. Chandrasekhar, hosted some of his dear scientist friends, and I had the honour of being one among them. The day was doubly special, it being his father-in-law’s 96th...

I graduated in Mechanical Engineering from G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT) in the 1970s. I stayed there for ten years, earning a master’s degree and working as a teaching associate, before joining DRDO in 1982. During this period, I developed a profound respect for agricultural science and formed many lasting...

There is a vast amount of literature that attempts to address the problems of unhappiness, and every sect and cult promises solutions to its adherents. Sufferings, miseries and conflicts, however, refuse to go away. Ask anyone in a mall, park, or sitting in front of a television and you're likely to meet someone in search of happiness. Even the...

In recent years, Hyderabad, India, has indeed established itself as a burgeoning hub of innovation, particularly in the fields of technology, biotechnology, and entrepreneurship. I have been living here since 1982, when, barring defence laboratories in its southern outskirts and a few legacy institutions, it was a sleepy town, which people...

I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and pursued a master’s in design at GB Pant University. I then spent 15 years at DRDO working on missile hardware. Afterwards, I explored biomedical materials, with a focus on civilian spinoffs. Nearly half of my career has involved interdisciplinary work. I primarily worked with doctors and...

On May 1, 2019, I began a journey that I could not have anticipated would change the way I see myself as a writer. It was not born of ambition or grand design but of inspiration. Gopi Reddy and his wife, Tanya, nudged me toward blogging as a form of expression. Tanya went a step further and built a website for me—a modest but enduring home where...

I have been blessed with the friendship of Manher Sameer. We met at GB Pant University in 1974, where I was pursuing my graduation in Mechanical Engineering, and where Sameer joined the Mechanical Engineering program after completing his graduation in Sciences from the adjacent College of Basic Sciences and Humanities. So technically, he was a...

Leaving DRDO in 1997 was a leap of faith for me. I had spent 15 years working with missiles, developing India’s first titanium air bottle and facilitating the industry interface for the indigenous production of astronautical-grade aluminium alloys, as well as AKASH missile airframes. By creating a special stainless steel to make an indigenous...

Darning, known as Rafookari in Hindi, is an umbrella term for a mending technique used to repair holes or worn areas in fabric or knitted materials by weaving a new piece of cloth or thread into the existing material. Often done by hand, this practice was prevalent in the past, and as a child, I recall seeing it used to extend the life of...

For most people, the pursuit of happiness is the purpose of life. All actions and thoughts are fuelled by the desire to be happy. No one wants to be unhappy, yet unhappiness and dissatisfaction are prevalent. Perhaps serving others can be one’s higher purpose, leading to deep satisfaction rather than fleeting happiness. Two brothers I met are...