Self-Respect

When I took on my first major assignment in the police service – as the Police Commissioner of Trivandrum City – I got a lot of unsolicited advice. A common one was, “Be very careful! The politics is very dirty and many people will be out to get you.” Apparently, the...

Embracing Abnormality

When I landed at Wharton, the constant refrain I heard was – “MBA is all about networking. So build connections and make friends.” Academics and learning seemed to just be a sideshow. But unfortunately, as an introvert, I hated networking. Even while serving in the...

Intuitions

During my stint as an investor, once the CFO of an Indian conglomerate came to our office with his team. They were looking for funding since their businesses were not doing very well. During the discussion, just to see how clear their thinking was, I asked the CFO,...

Prioritizing Health Over Career

I first went to a gym in class 12th, for three days. And then, I quit. After many false starts, in 2009, I finally nailed the habit. For the last 12 years, I have been working out regularly despite the occasional ups and downs of life. Here is what changed. Until...