Hardship as a Training Ground

During my training in the Indian Police Service, we had to do a long route march in scorching sun, with a rifle and backpack. What was the point of that? Similarly, if you go for any hardcore military training such as for commandos, they won’t give you a precision...

Unsung Heroes

When I joined the Indian Police Service, my seniors told me about a Rambo-like officer, who would be out patrolling at night, catching criminals. They told me, ‘He should be your role model.’ After all, that is the kind of officer one gets to see in movies. But years...

Zig-Zag to Success

Once, while heading to lunch with a Wharton classmate who was a sailing expert, I asked her, ‘If a boat needs to sail DIRECTLY against the wind, how would it do that?’ She explained the trick: You can’t sail directly against the wind. But you can...

How to create real value

During my stint with the Indian Police Service, I once got an assignment with barely an hour of work daily. It was a welcome breather after a long back-breaking assignment. Naturally, I would leave the office at 6 pm. My boss, on the other hand, would sit in the...