LBW

Reading slowly, drinking quickly

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

Most people drink slowly and read quickly. I am the opposite. I savour the writing and gulp the toddy. As the saying goes, it’s all a matter of taste. And, of course, the two should be done independently, preferably drink in the afternoon and read at night. What else is old age and retirement for?

Publishing textbooks, the Gujju way…

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

In early 1976 I got my first job. It was in a publishing house. I was appointed as what is now called a commissioning editor. My remit was economics and management. One important part of the job was to find authors who could write textbooks for undergraduates. This involved visiting universities all over India. It

Japan, India: A study in contrast

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

Last month, after our trip to Japan, many people were curious to know what struck my wife and me the most about Japan. My wife is way too diplomatic to answer such direct questions. But I have no such inhibitions and quickly replied, “Speed breakers. There are none in Japan whereas here, even in a

Guests and gripes

TCA Srinivasa Raghavan

Inconsiderate guests come in all ages, shapes and sizes. As you’ve done I’m sure, I too have seen my share of them over the last 70 years and decided to construct an ‘ Annoyance Index’. Just like how Prannoy Roy had constructed a misery index on NDTV, based on heat and humidity. The higher each

Words World

Reporting it like it is

Sandhya Rao

Integrity and objectivity appear to be deserting the media, but there is hope yet. Some fifty years ago, an Indian

Queen bees can sting sharp

Some scary portraits from real life, a request to bookstores, and looking forward to a new year of great books.

At home with nature

Sandhya Rao

Be part of an extraordinary, immersive experience of living in harmony with nature, and observe the consequences of mindless development.

Running and the art of being

Sandhya Rao

While we lament the demise of the sporting spirit, let us pace along with two mind-bending books for willing souls.

Away from home

Sandhya Rao

A travelogue-cum-memoir and a novel; both experiencing and evoking ideas of identity and otherness at this time in different ways,

Health & Fitness

Avoid muscle atrophy & cognitive decline by walking

Gita Mathai

We started at the bottom of the evolutionary scale as quadrupeds, walking on all our fours. As our brains evolved, we became bipeds, walking on two limbs. This freed our arms for other activities and contributed significantly to the development of intelligence and civilisation. Although walking is a natural skill,

Numbers that matter

Many people are dissatisfied with their body image. They frequently tell their physicians that they are “too fat” or that their “shape is wrong.” They usually hope, with medical help or a miracle, to lose weight from specific parts of the body, such as the thighs, hips, arms, or stomach.

Go Green

Let clean air be our responsibility

Preeti Mehra

Only if citizens play their part can we ensure healthier AQI levels. Diwali is over months ago and, yet several cities in the country are suffering from acute air pollution. What does that mean? That air pollution is not a passing festival phenomenon as people used to think and dismiss

Look out for the tell-tale signs of tall tales

Preeti Mehra

There is a saying: “You can fool some of the people all the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” Unfortunately, some individuals believe they have mastered the art of deception and think they can get away

Climate adaptation is the new mantra

Preeti Mehra

We must adapt ourselves for the future and be resilient enough to face climate change. When you can’t reverse it, you must adapt to it. That is what the world has come to believe as climate change wreaks havoc and countries are pushed into standing up and recognising that something