The Conversations

Last June, I asked myself, and indirectly many of you, a simple question: What does it mean to choose well? I chose quotes to find answers: In short reflections and small acts of awareness.

Every time we prepare for an interview, doesn’t this happen? We stop being about what we believe and become more about what would sound “right.”

There’s a particular silence that follows achievement. You’ve done the thing. Got the score. Finished the project. Even received the compliment.

Some questions don’t scare students. They have quick, rehearsed answers for those. Grades? Sorted. Activities? Done. Which university? They’ve got that line ready too.

Most days, I used to write my to-do list. Few hours in, people gave me their list of my to-do items. And then your stakeholders want you to tell them their to-do items?

We all compare. We’re wired to. Marks we score. Scholarships we win. Followers we gain. Sometimes, even happiness!

I used to think guilt came from big failures. But some of the deepest ones come from small choices. Ones that felt reasonable at the time.

Who am I when no one’s watching? This week, we looked at six moments where emotions pull us in different directions, but also quietly show us the edges of self and identity we’re all trying to figure out. Sitting with these emotional pairings reveals more than we give credit to.

Think of a classroom or a workshop. The teacher or facilitator asks, “Any questions?” Silence.

Ask my 12-year-old son. If it’s something he wants to avoid, his answer is always: “Five minutes,” “Tomorrow,” “I’ll do it, Mom!”

Take something as everyday as choosing a car. The heart says: get the one with the sunroof, great music system, maybe the colour that makes you smile.

To feel resigned isn’t always giving up. Sometimes, it feels like you are present, playing along, but only physically. Mentally, you have already left the game.

The core teaching of the Bhagavad Gita we are all familiar with says: “You have the right to your actions, not to its fruits.” A line many of us nod to, but few truly follow.

When we first started setting up college campus help desks in 2014, a question kept popping up: “How do I write my Statement of Purpose?”

This week, we reflected about desire and direction. And, the mumble in-between we often ignore or push away.

Near Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, there’s an ancient Baobab tree, around 500 years old, called the Hathiyan ka Jhad.

“Na kankse vijayam krsna, na ca rajyam suk hani ca.” I do not desire victory, Krishna. Not the kingdom. Not even happiness.

Chess today is one of the most popular sports in India. Thanks to years of dedication and the incredible talent emerging from every corner of the country.

There’s an old 1980s National Award-winning Tamil movie by director Visu called “Samsaram Adhu Minsaram.”

Not so long ago, before Google and Apple Maps became the norm, we would roll down our window and ask: “Which way to go?”

For centuries, civilizations have flourished on the banks of rivers. They built homes, communities, and cultures around a steady, reliable source.

“Ab kya?” A simple everyday question that holds so much power and meaning. It’s as much about what comes next as how we have been deciding all along.

Walk into my living room some day, and you would hear loud laughter, a musical quiz, a car review, or a deep, serious debate with my 12-year-old.

It’s not always the unsure who feel vulnerable. Even the most confident know that feeling too well. Being seen comes with its own weight.

Have you ever wondered how just a few ragas, a fixed set of notes, and time-bound rules can still create such freeing music?

In these times of screens and scrolls, we have come to mistake visibility for fame. We notice the face before we remember the name or follow the voice.

We all love our independence, the autonomy and clarity of doing things our way. The comfort of setting our own pace and the pride that says, “I did this.”

Or simply hiding under the multiple roles you carry, the smiles you offer, and the tasks you keep ticking off?

I wasn’t trying to finish anything this month. I just wanted to publicly share the idea of choice, again. This is the second year I’ve done this.

I wasn’t trying to finish anything this month. I just wanted to publicly share the idea of choice, again. This is the second year I’ve done this.