The thought balcony

  An Encounter with Jai- an illusion of safety  We were in Ranthambore, Zone 6 of the National Park. Our guide, Pooja, told us there were four tigers in this zone—Jai, Badal, Noor, and Lakshmi—two males and two females. Hearing their names itself made the forest feel inhabited, almost intimate. But nothing prepared me for what followed. We encountered Jai resting right on the road. It was unbelievable—a very different kind of experience. There we were: gypsies, canters, humans everywhere. I suddenly became acutely aware that every time we enter a national park, we are risking our lives. Yet the irony struck me—we assume the danger is ours, when in reality, it is their space we intrude upon. Jai lay there, asleep. He opened his eyes lazily, noticing one gypsy, then another, then two canters—nearly fifty to sixty people in total. There was even a toddler crying, completely unaware that he was sitting just a few feet away from a tiger. I was zapped—caught between fear and...

  The Great Power Play: Where Do We Stand? Power—whether political, economic, or psychological —has always fascinated humankind. Every individual aspires to rise high enough to influence decisions, shape narratives, and dictate terms. That’s human nature. In governance, this instinct materializes through political parties—groups formed on shared beliefs and interests. On paper, it’s simple civics. In reality, it’s an intricate web. We call ourselves democratic. We vote with care. We choose wisely. Yet, despite the promise of representation, citizens often remain caught between conflicting interests when two opposing parties shape the nation’s discourse. The ruling party pushes its agenda; the opposition challenges it. While criticism keeps the ruling bodies in check and drives them to work harder, the motivations are rarely altruistic. After all, human beings, by nature, gravitate toward self-interest. Zoom out to the global stage, and the power play becomes even more pronounced. ...

 The Restless Middle: Between Who I Was and Who I’m Becoming There comes a stage in life — somewhere in the quiet bend of midlife — when the mind stops running on autopilot. Things you once accepted without question suddenly demand answers. Habits you’ve carried for years begin to feel heavy. And the routine that once brought comfort now asks for reinvention. For the last few months, I’ve been sitting with this restless feeling. It’s as if I’m pushing myself to do things I don’t always want to do, while also dreaming of what’s next — the next idea, the next adventure, the next chapter. It’s funny because I’ve always been the one to try something different — always exploring, creating, stepping into new spaces. And by grace, so much has come from that instinct: the Reading Club, the promotion, the recognition, the love from students, opportunities that showed up simply because I said, “Let’s give this a try.” Then there are my students — they’re living proof that passion multiplies....