-
Of dogs and boys
I believe that the commercialization of medical care and education are the two major causes of social corruption and breakdown of values in our society. How we were unable to transfer the wonderful values we grew up with to our own children, remains a mystery to me. It is not that there were no corrupt…
-
First Breakthrough
Integrity for me has always been an all-or-nothing value. Like the famous quote, ‘You can’t be slightly pregnant,’ I believe that you can’t be slightly dishonest. But of course, you must be willing to pay the price for your convictions. I got a reputation in the market for being completely inflexible on ethical matters. The…
-
Ramadan 101 – for those who want to learn about Islam
Fasting drives home the very essence of Islam i.e., submission to Allahﷻ. We fast because Allahﷻ ordered us to do so. We fast because Allahﷻ said so and we submit, lovingly and willingly to His Will.
-
Mentor, memories, legacy
I learnt the meaning of consideration, kindness, sensitivity, manners, social graces, and hospitality. And all these and more, I learnt by seeing them in action. That to me is the true meaning of mentoring. And Aunty Mohini lives on in my heart as my first and greatest mentor.
-
Hyderabad Public School and other matters
We were taught to distinguish fact from fiction and allegory and to draw lessons. We also learned to laugh at ourselves and to have a good sense of humor. This seems to be in short supply currently with people taking themselves far too seriously and carrying their sense of offence on a hair trigger. Such…
-
A factory, Karpusamy, and a Masjid
My learning in this incident of the bulldozer was the fact that to build credibility it is important to be able to lead from the front. You do not have to do people’s jobs for them. It is not even desirable to do that. But you do need to demonstrate that you know what they…
-
No pain, no gain
In this whole incident the one thing that is not logically explainable, but an essential part of leadership is the willingness to trust your inner voice. When you do that, you enter a state of grace. It is a state where you do things that you did not know were possible. You will find yourself…
-
Loneliness Kills
Life has now come full circle for our generation. We, who left our homes, cultures, countries and families and lived and worked in alien environments. It is now time to consider our own relevance to the next generation. Do they need us? Can we communicate with them? Do they understand us, and do we understand…
-
Leadership is about living your values
One cardinal fact of plantation life always took its toll – nothing in planting life was private. If you took a bribe, its exact amount, who gave it, and for what, was the subject of much conversation in the bazaar. If you refused to be corrupt and lived a life of honesty, that also became…
-
It’s not about Sri Lanka
Those who were killed in Sri Lanka were my dear ones, because anyone who is killed because of his/her religion, race or nationality is my dear one. So, I will speak. I will raise my voice. And I will do it, even if I am alone. Especially if I am alone. It is very important…