Life through a glass of wine!

As a passionate STEM educator, I have had the good fortune of teaching kids with diverse backgrounds, spanning a huge spectrum of ages, from preschoolers to adults pursuing masters' degrees in engineering. And trust me, teaching each age group has been a challenge in itself, and I have learnt a lot along the way. I have had the support of some brilliant teachers, and each day I aspire to be like them. Teachers who are adored by children, teachers who create magic in their classrooms, teachers who persevere, who give a part of themselves every time they teach. These teachers strive for excellence, and tirelessly work towards making every student in their class understand and experience the joy in learning. And in this journey, I have learnt a few things that I would like to share with you. Of course, your opinions may differ from mine, be sure to tell me yours! 1. I am yet to find a student who is completely incapable of doing math I make this statement after having

जीवन के व्यापार में, दाम लगाकर बढ़ना सीखें, दर्द छुपा मुसकाना  सीखें, सर्प का दंश पी जाना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें । बिना वजह ही हँसना सीखें, बिन मदिरा के उड़ना सीखें , बिन साथी भी जीना सीखें, गिरकर आप संभलना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें। बिन आवाज़ भी लड़ना सीखें, परिस्तिथि को अनुकूल करना सीखें, कभी उसमें ढलना भी सीखें, बिन ढोल जश्न मनाना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें। मस्तिष्क और मन का द्वंद्व हो जब, मस्तिष्क को आप जिताना सीखें, मन में जो उठे तूफ़ान, उसमें ना बह जाना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें । क्रोध और विलाप में ना हों लुप्त, ऐसा धैर्य रखना भी सीखें, प्रतिशोध की ज्वाला से, खुद को आप बचाना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें। बिखरे हो जो रिश्तों के मोती, पिरोकर माला बनानी सीखें, यदि मिले शीश झुकाकर अमोल प्रेम, अहम् भुलाकर झुकना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें। अंत नही होती एक हार, आस्था ऐसी रखनी सीखें, हरी दर्शन हो सब में ही, ऐसी प्रीत लगाना सीखें, एक हुनर ऐसा भी सीखें।

You, yes you... the one posting angry social media posts about Delhi Golf Club being classist. Does your domestic help eat in the same glossy china as you do? Who are the steel plates in your kitchen cabinet for? Oh, for the poor ones who come from outside? You never know what kind of germs they are bringing, right? What with their dismal living conditions, poor access to sanitation and hygiene, and widespread contagious diseases. Your rich visitors are clean as heaven, aren't they? Oh, and how does your brain justify to itself that ₹1000 is pocket change when you buy movie tickets, but the same amount becomes enormous if you have to pay the medical bill of one of your workers? And I'm very sure the young maid who looks after your child while you have dinner at a fancy restaurant almost never gets to enjoy a hearty portion of the same meal with you. Maybe it's just the money talking. Research claims that the richer you get, the meaner you become. Having wealth makes you

When I first read the news of a 27-year old PhD student taking her own life at IIT-D , I felt tears prickle my eyes. I didn't know her personally, and yet I could feel the pain she might have felt, what might have compelled her to take this extreme step. I suddenly thought, "You know, this might have been me..." At that time, I didn't know that she was being harassed for dowry (as is being alleged by her parents), but I knew the kind of stress that research scholars at premier institutes are under, having been one myself. I will not make any comment about her personal life, as I'm not qualified to do that, but I definitely will highlight some issues faced by doctoral students, which, I first thought were the likely reasons for her suicide. Graduate students pursuing a doctorate degree pay a very heavy price for attaining that degree, and only someone who has been in the system can understand that. No one wants to talk about this price. It is just widely acc

For those of you who don't know, I have also been blogging on HuffPost India. You can check out my work here . Some of my recent posts are - RECIPE: Eggless, Whole-Wheat Mango Cake For A Healthy(Ish) Treat  10 Reasons To Quit Bad Writing Today  10 Things I Learnt While Trying To Eat Healthy  If A Tweet By Sonu Nigam Can Divide Us, Then We Should Really Worry  I hope you like my work here too! Love, H

If you are a selfie enthusiast, you may have often found yourself in awkward or life-threatening situations. Here are a few precautions you must take so that you can happily pursue your adventurous pastime. 1. If you intend on taking selfies while walking, make sure you aren't heading towards the stairs or the end of the cliff. 2. If you are taking selfies while facing backwards on the escalators, take note that they might end sooner than you think. 3. To avoid being beaten up in a movie hall, please switch off the selfie flash when the lights in the hall dim. 4. Remember to gloss over the tiles behind you. Almost everyone can recognise a public bathroom. 5. When taking selfies in the shower, ensure that your naked butt isn't visible in the mirror behind you. 6. Be careful how much you contort your face. You might be resembling an animal more than yourself. 7. Employ safe practices when taking selfies in a moving car. You do not want to fall out the window or hit

I am, and always will be a staunch feminist. But I am also traditional in many ways, rooted and God fearing. And as I grow older, I see the lines between the binary blurring, with many more shades of grey than just fifty. It is difficult being a woman in India, but it is not easy being a man either. And while feminism is a great ideal to pursue, we must not forget to acknowledge the good men who stand by us, and help us in our fight for gender equality. I have, for long, been itching to write my views on feminism, but given that there are so many written already about it, I feel this is something that takes precedence over it. We feminists don't acknowledge our men enough. And that is not nice of us. It doesn't do us much good. I was raised by two very educated parents who were working full-time. We always had the luxury of a cook and a cleaner at home. My mother, though a good cook, was not expected to spend long hours in the kitchen. If the cook was on leave, everyone pi

March has typically been a high significance month in my life. It has always brought with it trials, endings and new beginnings. Sometimes, the trials of March would mark the completion of one thing, which meant the beginning of a new one-progress-as you may call it. Like when there was a change of class or a place of work. At other times, these trials of March brought with them intense grief and hopelessness. Like the time when you lose someone you love deeply, or when you decide to give up on a cherished endeavour, and the vast emptiness of life stares at you unblinking. The knowledge that things will never be the same hereon, and the fear of the deep void that you may plunge into without them. One March forever filled my life with joy, when I got to know that I was going to be a mother, and a big scare when I almost lost it in a freak accident. March always brings out the most contemplative, philosophical side of me. This year too, it seems, will be no different. A part of me is

Love is, in my understanding, one of the most universal of languages. It is something that every creation of God understands. Even your plants respond when you talk to them lovingly everyday. It is the basis of all life, and apart from hope, it is the one thing that really makes the world go round. And yet, love is often the most misunderstood of all emotions. It is sad, how people are often driven to the edge when their love is not understood. I find it strange, how in the name of man made things like religion, caste, 'border', 'honour', 'sexuality', the purest of emotions dies a cruel death. How is it that people do not see love that is overflowing, brimming, bursting at the seams, waiting for the moment when love will unite. Pure, unadulterated love. How is it that love is called dirty? It is the most natural of all emotions. The first thing that a child experiences when it is held by its mother. Yes, there are perverts and paedophiles and sociopaths. Bu

Guess I must be a bad wife, For I don't know how to cook, But I can be quite a delight, With a coffee and a book. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I just don't like to dust, But if your folks are coming to town, I'll do it if I must. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I ain't got no sanskaar, But I can tell you the engine specs, Of our latest car. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I can't tie the perfect saree , But I can tell you that you won't get bored, If you come with me to a soiree. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I'm not always in the mood, I won't mind if you want to go instead, Bar hopping with your dudes. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I really like my wine, But it makes me all giggly and fun, You won't hear me whine. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I like to wake up late, But I can make an exception dear, If you will take me on a date. Guess I must be a bad wife, For I can't dress to the nines, But I&

As Aamir Khan's Dangal goes out and about breaking more and more records by the day, there is this thing about the movie that has been nagging me for a while now. Let me just start out by saying, I totally looooved watching it. It is a cleverly made movie that uses all your emotions in just the right way to make sure that you are thoroughly engrossed, and living each moment of the film. Not to mention the amazing soundtrack. Yeah I totally did soil a few handkerchiefs, stood up for the National Anthem and gave a rousing applause when Geeta won(No, I'm not ashamed of expressing myself in public). It is evident how much effort has gone into the making of this movie. The fights appear authentic, and the village scenes real. Each and every person involved with the making appears to have put in his/her bit in making this movie worth a watch. And it does a good job sending out the message that girls are no less than boys. A father standing up to an entire conservative village fo