Last Christmas!

     It was evening, and I was sitting calmly on a bench in the corridor outside the operation theatre on the fifth floor of a high-tech hospital. My acquaintance was inside, undergoing a hysterectomy. The tissue removed during the surgery would immediately be tested for chromosome/DNA defects, making the next few hours particularly crucial. The corridor was almost entirely white. The walls and ceiling were white, and the polished floor reflected the lights above. The surroundings were bright, clean and orderly, yet the atmosphere was filled with utter silence. My associate's husband and sister were sitting a little away from me. She had been given anaesthesia, and the surgery had begun. Naturally, we all were concerned, but I decided to occupy myself by reading a chapter from Journey to Eternity on my Kindle. I began reading, page by page. Every now and then, I noticed nurses moving hurriedly in and out of the operation theatre. The hours seemed long, and all we could do was wait. 

Then came a moment I have never forgotten.  In the middle of the surgery, I saw my associate walking towards me. She appeared as a complete person, dressed in her usual white-blue salwar kameez. Her curly black hair framed her face, which looked radiant and glowing. She wore a lovely shade of lipstick. She walked elegantly, with a gentle smile on her face. Her sister was standing outside the operation theatre, but my friend did not look towards her. Instead, she walked straight towards me. I was surprised. How could she be here when she was undergoing surgery? I looked directly into her eyes, as though silently asking her, “How come you are here?” In that brief exchange of looks, I felt as though she was responding, “I just came to see you, Ma'am.” There were no spoken words. Yet, the moment felt like an exchange, a quiet acknowledgement between the two of us. I observed her distinctly. Within a few seconds, her figure gradually faded away. I immediately realised that something unusual had happened. I stopped reading. My mind registered what I had just witnessed. She was inside the operation theatre, under anaesthesia, undergoing a life risking operation. At that moment, I began wondering whether, for those few seconds, had her heart stopped and she managed to come out in non-physical form. Was it possible that, at a critical moment during surgery, something had happened that I could not explain? I don’t have any explanation, I only knew what I had seen and how distinctly I remembered it.

After some time, a nurse came out and showed us the tissue that had been surgically removed. We were momentarily taken aback. We returned to our bench and continued waiting for the operation to be completed. About an hour later, the expert doctor called us and explained that the surgery had been successful. However, the test results indicated genetic abnormality, and advanced therapies might be required as the next step in treatment. The news was difficult to absorb. Her husband broke down in tears, and her sister was also deeply distressed. We knew that another challenging phase of treatment would wait ahead for her. Yet, amidst the worry, my mind kept returning to that brief encounter. Had she somehow come to see me for a few moments while her physical body was undergoing surgery? Had I witnessed something beyond the ordinary? I could not answer these questions then, and I still cannot establish what caused the experience. I could not share it with anyone for almost a year. I felt that people might find it difficult to believe, and I was not prepared to explain something that I myself could not fully understand. So, I kept the experience to myself.

Over time, I have continued to reflect on that evening. I have wondered about the relationship between the physical body and consciousness, and about experiences that seem to fall beyond the boundaries of our everyday understanding. I cannot establish whether her consciousness had separated from her body. But despite a year has gone, I prominently remember seeing her walk towards me. I remember the expression on her face, we exchanging a glance and a message without speaking a word. That evening, in a hospital corridor filled with anxious waiting, I experienced something that is staying with me long. It left me with questions about consciousness and the limits of what we understand. I share this experience not to convince anyone to believe what I believe, nor to offer an explanation that I do not possess, but simply to narrate something that happened to me as I experienced it. Some moments pass in seconds, yet remain with us for years. And some questions continue to live quietly within us, asking neither for acceptance nor rejection.

An ordinary day!

 

One Such Day of Pitrupaksha

As always, I hurriedly pulled my gate shut and stepped out of my apartment, hoping to find an autorickshaw. I was waiting at a corner of the road when I heard a tall, fair, old man asking for the same location where my college was.

Just then, an autorickshaw came towards me. I called out to the uncle and asked him to join me in the shared rickshaw. As he sat beside me, I felt a strange yet gentle, fatherly warmth.

When we reached his destination, he carefully got down with the help of his stick. Before leaving, he affectionately said, “Thank you, madam,” and gave me a sweet smile.

That smile struck a chord within me, and I went to college with a strangely happy feeling.

In the staff room, I noticed that two of the senior professors had coincidentally worn the same type of shirt. I clicked their picture, and they were equally happy to be photographed. After that, I got busy with my usual schedule.

The day passed.

On my way back home, I found myself sharing an autorickshaw with an old lady. I did not allow her to sit in the corner because I was worried that she might lose her balance. We squeezed in together and comfortably reached near my bus stop, from where I had to walk for about twenty minutes to get home.

On the way, I met two of my papa’s friends. I stopped, spoke to them for a while, and very politely bid them goodbye.

A little later, as I reached a lane behind my home, an old uncle looked at me, smiled and asked, “So, when did you shift, beta?”

I knew he had mistaken me for someone else, but there was such gentleness in his smile that I simply replied, “Long back, kaka.”

He insisted, “But last time you stayed here when I visited your home.”

I then smiled and said, “Kaka, I think you are talking about someone else. I don’t think we have met before.”

He looked at me curiously.

I added, “Your smile is very nice. That is why I smiled back at you.”

He seemed genuinely pleased to hear that.

“Beta,” he said, “this is what ultimately counts in life. All the riches that money cannot buy are what finally give us happiness. Stay blessed.”

And I walked home.

Now, as I was about to sleep, I began putting together all the little happenings of the day, one by one, just like jigsaw.

And suddenly, it struck me.

Perhaps papa keeps meeting me in the form of someone or the other.

He was as loving and gentle as all the old men I had met that day. There was something familiar in those smiles, those affectionate words, those little moments of care.

Isn’t Pitrupaksha, in some way, about meeting and vibing with our ancestors and dear ones in forms we may not always recognise?

Or do I need to validate this feeling through Western standards, through a movie like Coco and several other movies from other continents that speak of that time of the year when our loved ones from the other world are believed to feel an urge to connect with us, be with us and bless us?

Maybe some experiences do not need validation.

Maybe they simply need to be felt.

And perhaps, on one such day of Pitrupaksha, papa found his way to me through a few smiles, a few strangers and a few familiar feelings.

Zero Risk Does not Exist

 

A lot of things in life carry a risk.

The Gmail account you created.
The information you shared on social media.
The photographs sitting somewhere in your digital world.
The files stored on your drive.
Your visibility on online platforms.
The payment you made online.
The money sitting in a bank.
The medicine you took because you trusted the label.
The vaccine you allowed because you trusted the system.
The painkiller that travelled through your bloodstream.
The food you ate believing it was safe.
The water you sipped assuming it was clean.
And then there are the risks that don't even come from the outside of you.
The thought you kept buried and allowed to keep releasing cortisol.
The borrowed money you haven't returned, and the mere thought of it that keeps haunting you.
The unfinished task sitting quietly at the back of your mind.
The relationship you broke and may never be able to repair.
The decision you regret.
The opportunity you missed.
Even something as ordinary as walking down a street, sitting in a motionful vehicle, on a blind turn, or eating a meal prepared by someone else carries some degree of uncertainty.
So, tell me honestly: is everything we do completely risk free?
Of course not!
We try to reduce risk. We take precautions. We check, verify, protect, ensure, sanitize, secure and think twice. And we should. Being careful is wisdom.
But zero risk is not a realistic condition of life.
Sometimes, in our attempt to protect ourselves from every possible risk, we accidentally protect ourselves from living too.
We stop posting the photograph because someone might judge it.
We stop making the reel because someone might comment.
We stop travelling because something might go wrong.
We stop celebrating because the world is not perfect.
We stop enjoying a beautiful moment because we are busy calculating every possible consequence.
And this is where I feel we need a little balance.
Even when it comes to using AI tools such as ChatGPT, for transforming our photos, reasonable privacy precautions  “Improve the model for everyone” option off in Data Controls, which means our information is not available to train its models. Temporary Chat mode being on is another boon to the process. 
So yes, be aware. Be sensible. Protect your privacy. Take precautions.
But don't let the existence of risk become an excuse to stop experiencing life.
This is not to advocate any kind of technology but Life was never designed to come with a zero risk guarantee.
Just because the air is a little foul, we don't stop breathing.
Just because the road has traffic, we don't stop travelling.
Just because a photograph can be judged, we don't stop making memories.
We learn to live wisely despite uncertainty.
Make that reel.
Take that photograph.
Have that cup of tea.
Laugh with your people.
Paint something.
Travel when you can.
Celebrate the small wins.
Notice the sunset.
Enjoy the ordinary Tuesday that may one day become a precious memory.
Take reasonable precautions, yes.
But don't spend your entire life trying to eliminate every possible risk.
Because sometimes, the biggest risk is being so busy protecting yourself from life that you forget to live it.
Small moments often become the biggest pages in our memory.
So breathe.
Live.
Enjoy.
Be reasonably careful, but don't be afraid of living.

“ऑफ द डायस”

काही माणसं ते स्वतः जे आहेत त्यापेक्षा कितीतरी वेगळी अशी आभासी प्रतिमा जगासमोर का उभी करतात? हा प्रश्न मला खुपदा पडतो आणि त्यांच्या सोबतची लोकं ही प्रभावित झाल्यासारखे दाखवतात, किंबहुना प्रभावित होत ही असतील.

एक विशिष्ट category ची माणसं, व्यासपीठावर किंवा दहा लोकांमध्ये असताना आदर्श वाटतात; पण प्रकाशझोतातून थोडे खाली उतरले की त्यांचं व्यक्तिमत्त्वं जणू पूर्णपणे बदलून जातं. मंचावर असताना त्यांची शब्दसंपदा अफाट असते, भाषा अत्यंत समृद्ध असते, आत्मविश्वास ओसंडून वाहत असतो आणि व्यक्तिमत्त्वाची झळाळी सर्वांनाच भुरळ घालते. ते प्रेरणादायी भाषणं करतात, मिळालेल्या पुरस्कारांचा अभिमानाने उल्लेख करतात आणि आपल्या यशाचा देखावा सुंदर रेखाटतात. 

पण व्यासपीठावरून खाली उतरताच चित्र बदलायला लागतं, रंग ही अनोळखी वाटू लागतात. 

त्यांची वागणूक, देहबोली, बोलण्याची ढब, आवाजाचा सूर आणि शब्दांची निवड इतकी बदलते की समोरचा माणूस स्वतःलाच विचारू पाहतो, 

"आत्ताच मायक्रोफोन हातात घेऊन इतकं प्रभावी बोलणारी व्यक्ती हीच आहे काय?"

मला यापेक्षाही अधिक आश्चर्य एका गोष्टीचं वाटतं,

असं दुहेरी व्यक्तिमत्त्वं सतत जगण्यासाठी किती प्रचंड मानसिक ऊर्जा लागत असेल!

स्वतः आपण खरे कोण आहोत, लोकांसमोर स्वतःला कसं दाखवायचं आहे, या दोघांमधील अंतर किती आहे आणि ते अंतर कायम टिकवून ठेवण्यासाठी सतत स्वतःलाच आठवण करून देत राहणं, हा सगळा मानसिक व्यायाम किती दमवणारा असेल ना!

यासाठी केवढी स्मरणशक्ती, किती मानसिक ताकद आणि मेंदूतील पेशींचा किती तो विफल वापर होत असेल!

इतका मानसिक 'कार्डिओ' आपण नेमका कशासाठी करतो? 

तोही अशा गोष्टीसाठी ज्याचा आपल्या मानसिक आरोग्याशी काहीही तसा सकारात्मक संबंध नाही आहे. 

फक्त लोकांचं लक्ष वेधून घ्यावं, तेवढ्या त्या क्षणापुरते कौतुक मिळावं, टाळ्यांचा कडकडाट व्हावा, कानांना ते सुख मिळावे, लोकांनी आपल्याभोवती तेवढ्यापुरतं फिरावं, वा वा करावी….एवढ्यासाठी?

मित्रांनो, या टाळ्यांची किंमत मात्र फार मोठी असते बरंका!

जेव्हा आयुष्य हे एका अभिनयात बदलतं तेव्हा मनात कायम तुलना होत असते. आपल्यापेक्षा अधिक प्रभावी, अधिक यशस्वी, अधिक लोकप्रिय किंवा अधिक प्रसिद्ध अशी एखादी व्यक्ती नेहमीच असते. मग आपल्या प्रगतीचे मापदंड आपल्या स्वतःच्या प्रवासावर आधारित राहत नाहीत; ते इतरांच्या यशावर अवलंबून राहतात.

तिथून सुरू होतो एक न संपणारा त्रासदायक प्रवास, 

सततची तुलना...

अबोल स्पर्धा...

स्वतःची प्रतिमा टिकवून ठेवण्याची धडपड...

आणि मानसिक थकवा.

त्याचा शेवट कशात होतो?

एका नव्या स्पर्धेत...

नव्या मापदंडात...

अस्वस्थेत...

आणि हळूहळू मनःशांती हरवत जाणाऱ्या आयुष्यात.

आपला मानसिक विकास, आपल्या ऊर्जेची दिशा कोणती आहे, यावर अवलंबून असतो.

जर हीच ऊर्जा आपण स्वतःच्या मूळ स्वभावाचं जतन करण्यासाठी आणि आपल्या आत दडलेल्या सकारात्मक गुणांना विकसित करण्यासाठी वापरली, तर त्याचे परिणाम कितीतरी अधिक समाधानकारक आणि लाभदायी असतील.

शास्त्रीय भाषेत सांगायचं झालं तर, ऊर्जेचा तो वापर अधिक ऊर्जाक्षम (thermodynamically feasible) ठरेल.

आणि त्याहून महत्त्वाचं म्हणजे, तो आपल्याला अधिक शांत, अधिक समाधानी आणि अधिक अर्थपूर्ण जीवनाकडे घेऊन जाईल.

मग प्रकाशझोतात असताना एक स्वभाव आणि प्रकाशझोतापासून दूर असताना दुसराच स्वभाव का?

आणि हा प्रश्न केवळ एखाद्या समारंभाचा किंवा मंचापुरता सीमित राहत नाही.

हा प्रश्न आहे आपल्या दररोजच्या 'मी'चा, आपल्या मूळ अस्तित्वाचा.

बहुधा म्हणूनच गुरुतुल्य माणसं सांगून गेली आहेत,

"सर्वात महत्त्वाचा प्रकल्प म्हणजे 'मी' नावाचा प्रकल्प आहे."

स्वतःला पूर्णतः समजून घेणं, स्वतःवर सकारात्मक काम करणं आणि स्वतःचा स्वीकार करणं, यापेक्षा मोठी गुंतवणूक दुसरी कोणतीही असू शकत नाही.

आणि त्यानंतरच निसर्गाने आपल्यामध्ये गुंतवणूक केलेल्या ऊर्जेचा योग्य, सुजाण आणि अर्थपूर्ण नियोजन करून वापर होईल, ज्याला आपण “energy channelling” असं म्हणतो. महत्वाचे आहे की “सो हम” ची जाणीव करून घेऊन त्याला जपणे.

It’s Not the Person; It’s the Pattern

Humans have a pattern in their behaviour, these patterns become their identity which could be soothing and empathetic or could even be empowering, confusing and signaling to something we aren’t aware about. Sometimes unhealthy behaviour does not look dramatic or dangerous in the very beginning. It may quietly surface up in everyday conversations with friends, family members, colleagues, or partners. Many people experience such situations without even knowing the names of these patterns. Understanding them calmly can help us build clearer communication and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings or headache. 

One such behaviour is gaslighting, where a person repeatedly makes someone question their own memory, feelings, or understanding. For example, someone may say, “You’re imagining things,” or “That never happened,” or “you never told me” even when the other person clearly remembers it. Over the time period, this can create self-doubt. A better approach is respectful disagreement without dismissing the other person’s feelings.

Blame shifting is another common habit. Instead of accepting responsibility, a person quickly blames someone else for the situation. It is similar to a student forgetting homework and immediately blaming traffic, friends, or family. Accepting mistakes may feel uncomfortable at first, but it usually solves problems faster and builds trust.

Some people unknowingly worsen conflicts by fanning the flames during a difficult situation or if someone is angry over something. Additional, untimely information, taunts during arguments can make small issues much bigger. Like adding oil to a small kitchen fire, emotional reactions can spread quickly. Calm communication often works better than emotional escalation.

Bread crumbing happens when someone gives assurance but avoids clear action. They may send occasional verbal commitment messages or promises without really implementing them. It feels like being offered tiny snacks when one is expecting a proper meal. Healthy relationships usually involve clarity and dependable actions.

Love bombing may initially feel very flattering because it includes excessive praise, affection, gifts, or attention. However, when it is used only to quickly gain temporary trust or emotional control, it becomes unhealthy. Like watering a plant too much in one day instead of caring for it steadily over time, extreme intensity can become overwhelming. Genuine relationships usually grow gradually and naturally rather than through overwhelming intensity.

Triangulation occurs when a third person is unnecessarily brought into a conflict to create jealousy or competition. Usually authority or admin does this to bring in the insecurity. Statements such as, “Others understand my work principles better than you do,” can increase insecurity instead of solving the actual issue. Honest one-to-one communication is usually healthier.

Another confusing pattern is “word salad,” where conversations are made so disoriented and disorganised that the listener feels mentally tired and confused. Many unrelated topics are mixed together until the original issue is lost intentionally. It resembles untangling a box full of earphone wires where every thread leads somewhere different Simple and clear communication is usually more productive than emotionally exhausting conversations.

Defensive victimhood is seen when someone immediately acts hurt or victimised whenever their behaviour is questioned. Their common sentence is “I am always targeted” Instead of discussing the issue calmly, the focus shifts completely toward comforting them. While everyone deserves empathy, accountability is also important in healthy relationships.

Stonewalling, often called the silent treatment, happens when someone completely shuts down communication. Taking time to cool down is normal, but prolonged silence used as punishment can create emotional distance. A simple statement like, “I need some time before we continue,” is often healthier.

Scapegoating occurs when one person is unfairly blamed for larger problems. This can happen in families, workplaces, or friend groups. Blaming only one person may temporarily reduce tension, but it doesn’t solve the real issue.

Smear campaigning involves spreading rumours or selective stories to damage another person’s reputation. In the age of social media, this can happen very quickly. Responsible communication and fact-checking are important before speaking negatively about others. This is often done out of jealousy or egoism. 

Hoovering refers to attempts to pull someone back into a relationship or situation after they have tried to step away. Sudden emotional messages, promises of change, or dramatic gestures may appear after a long period of unhealthy behaviour. Sometimes relationships genuinely improve, but meaningful change is usually shown through steady actions over time rather than temporary emotional intensity.

The good news is that awareness to such behavioral patterns itself is a strong first step. Most people are capable of improving communication when they recognise unhealthy patterns. Kindness, cautiousness, accountability, honest conversations, and respectful boundaries can make relationships healthier and more peaceful in everyday life.

Smart Powerpoint Presentation Skills

Powerpoint Presentation Etiquettes 

What is PowerPoint etiquette?

Effective PowerPoint etiquette focuses on communicating with the audience in easier ways, respecting the time factor and their reception. A well designed presentation supports the speaker, improves understanding, and creates a lasting academic impact.

Need for PowerPoint Etiquette

1. Ensures clarity in communication of complex ideas.
2. Avoids information overload for the audience.
3. Enhances academic professionalism.
4. Supports structured and smooth delivery.
5. Improves audience engagement and retention.

Preparation and Planning

1. Practice mock presentation to maintain proper timing.
2. Arrive early and check equipment such as projector, audio, and lighting.
3. keep a backup copy in a storage device and email.
4. Organise content in a logical sequence.

Slide Design Principles

Content

1. Follow the five by five rule (a slide should have no more than 5 lines, and each line should have less than 5 words).
2. Limit the amount of text to minimum on each slide.
3. Use key points instead of full sentences.

Font and Readability

1. Use simple fonts such as Arial or Calibri or TNR.
2. Maintain minimum font size of 24 for body text.
3. Ensure readability from the last row.
4. Don’t make it very flashy, b/w is suitable combination. 

Make it pictorial 

1. Prefer images, charts, and diagrams over long text.
2. Use visuals to simplify complex data in story form.

Some consistency 

1. Maintain the same background, color scheme, and font style with slide numbers with good contrast. 
2. Use a uniform template throughout the presentation.
3. Put additional data or calculations at the end in the form of hidden slides, if required during discussion. 
4. Keep some full length references ready for the question answer session.

Avoid Distractions

1. Mostly avoid use of animations and transitions.
2. Avoid sounds and unnecessary multimedia.

Delivery Etiquette

Engagement with Audience

1. Maintain eye contact.
2. Use appropriate body language, never show your back and face the audience instead of the screen.
3. Be humble, respectful and learned during defence. 

Use of Slides

1. Do not read directly the slides.
2. Explain charts and graphs clearly with interpretation in simplest language.
3. Use slides as support, not as a script.
4. Highlight the important findings or observations.

Time Management

1. Respect the allotted time.
2. Balance explanation, divide time for every slide and  progression.
3. Keep a flow and connectivity when you transit from previous slide to the next.

Conclusion

A well structured PowerPoint presentation enhances both teaching and learning. By maintaining clarity, simplicity, and professionalism, students can communicate ideas effectively and leave a meaningful impact.

DNA to Data

Nature to Tech-feature

     History tells us that discovery often lies rooted in ancient culture and nature. Many technological innovations are inspired by natural phenomena that serve as the original source of ideas. Some of the world’s best inventions have emerged from biomimicry, the practice of learning from nature’s designs.

Engineers developed nanorobots that mimic the helical movement of bacterial flagella, enabling them to navigate complex human blood vessels for targeted drug delivery. Velcro was invented after observing how burrs clung to a dog’s fur, revealing tiny hooks that could grip fabric loops. Airplane wings and gliders were designed after studying the wings of birds. Wind turbines were inspired by the structure of humpback whale fins. The design of the Japanese bullet train was modified after observing the kingfisher’s long beak, allowing it to move from tunnels with minimal noise. Even the portable toilet iThrone mimics how plants draw moisture from soil and release it through leaves, evaporating most human waste without energy. Antivirus software draws inspiration from the human body’s defense mechanisms, detecting and neutralizing digital threats. Organic electrochemical transistors are used to trap ions, mimicking the long-term plasticity of biological synapses in human brain. 

Even social media algorithms reflect patterns similar to human mental processing.

But what exactly is an algorithm?
An algorithm is a finite and ordered set of well defined instructions used to solve a specific problem or perform a calculation. It acts like a recipe that takes input, processes it, and produces an output. Algorithms form the backbone of computer programming and logical decision making.
Interestingly, human thinking itself follows a natural sequence similar to UPDCA:

1. Understanding or observing the situation
2. Planning a course of action
3. Doing or implementing the plan
4. Checking and evaluating the results
5. Analysing and interpreting feedback to see whether the purpose is served and to what extent. 

The human mind processes situations in a structured, algorithmic manner. Artificial intelligence programming is inspired by this very intelligence. Yet AI represents only a fraction of human capability. Human intelligence carries dimensions gifted by nature such as intelligence quotient, emotional quotient, spiritual quotient, social quotient, and adversity quotient.

Although artificial intelligence has a long journey ahead, it has undeniably simplified many professional tasks. However, the original source of structured thinking, creativity, and wisdom remains the human mind, deeply connected to nature.

In the end, perhaps every invention is not merely a creation but a rediscovery. Nature has always been the silent teacher. Technology only translates what nature has already perfected. And the human mind remains the most sophisticated algorithm ever designed.