Archive of thoughts!

With life's personal share of ups and downs, over which one doesn't have any control as they surprise you (such as losing loved ones), and require you to simply "adapt" with your preferred mechanism, I feel that chosen experiences truly surprise you with their permanent effects. Today, on a random, lazy Saturday afternoon, after listening to a very random podcast, I found myself thinking about my scuba diving instructor who was bitten by a shark during his experience (a story he shared with me during our meeting). This led me to ponder, 'What are some of the things I have voluntarily undertaken that have really shaped me or hold very fond memories due to the experiences attached to them?' And I felt like writing! Sometimes, you enjoy randomly reading your own old writing, penned in the moment, to relive the same adrenaline rush and also to remind yourself of who you are and that you need to add things to your list. It's very common to let days, months, and

Lost in the labyrinth of marketing and branding,  I find myself pondering: what's the right approach in matters of belief? Writing this, while suffering from ambivalence between a marketer brain and a consumer brain, adding layers to this conundrum.  Coming straight to the point.  I have recently been to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi and noticed something interesting in their langar hall. If you zoom in to the image, you will see a message on the thali and a brand logo: "Kripya khaane se pehle sabun se haath dhoyein" , followed by the Lifebuoy logo. (Ref image 1 attached below) I was stunned and confused to see that. Unilever’s CSR has been a bandwagon from quite some time now!  Not first of its kind, this was precisely the messaging Unilever did on rotis during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in 2013 (Ref image 2 attached below). If we go by stats, close to 1 lac people eat langar in Gurudwara Bangla Sahib daily. From a content marketer and brand manager mind, I feel t

Almost 20 years since I have been menstruating. 8 years of professional experience! In my 8 years of professional experience, the topic of menstrual paid leaves has become a significant part of the conversation. Not once in these years have I felt my team/manager failed to understand when I CLEARLY said I need an off because I am on my periods. No elaborate explanations, no unnecessary questions asked in return. One thing I can surely say, for me, choosing this way of authenticity was the best. It was much easy, respectful and righteous. I NEVER FELT MORE EQUAL!  Yes, I will agree that this left many in an uncomfortable spot, many times. Many were taken aback with my direct approach that I am not covering it with flamboyant gestures pertaining to “girls' problems”, bowed down heads, awkwardness, etc. Many felt it was easy for me because I am that personality who talks straight (sadly, not able to have my emotional talks till yet). Clearly, it has been, Me be Me, You be You.  Yes, i

A whole generation worked to empower women but forgot to teach men how to live with empowered women. Let’s take a moment to question our very basic conditioning. An opinionated woman is termed as modern and strong-headed by a man (obviously, it comes with negative/uncomfortable connotations). However, an opinionated man is always seen in the light of being witty and wise by a woman (with whom everyone is in awe). Needless to say, there are exceptions but, I am here voicing what a major chunk of people thinks, and I have experienced. For instance, a loud woman is seen and judged under many radars but, when a man creates a ruckus, he is termed as just aggressive. We all know the difference between being loud and aggressive. This goes down to many micro levels of dysfunctioning with our upbringing, conditioning, societal representation and whatnot. Without a doubt, we are moving to a more liberated world (politically? Nahh! ) but clearly, this shift is not jiffy and comes with its struggl

Its a System! Can an enormous amount of avocado be damagingly unsustainable and right amount of polythenes be hugely sustainable? Vegan almond milk is the cause of damage to the bee population with monoculture farming of soya. So, is almond milk sustainable or is burger really unsustainable? For some, these might be two, unlike comparisons. But, THINK, prick your heads hard. Sustainability is the new bandwagon, think beyond what brands and culture preach. Sustainability is commercialised in our generation. We are changing our consumption habits. Businesses are adopting more sustainable solutions for our lifestyle, keeping up with the trend. Will this help? Maybe, in future. But, right now? NO. The hard reality is living healthy doesn’t come at a cheap cost! A bowl of salad will cost thrice than a plate of roadside momos. Hence, living sustainable and healthy is something that not everyone can afford if we go by brands. Do you already agree with me? Wait, hear me out more! The notion of

Everyone is utilising this time to learn something new and make future plans. But, are we observing, introspecting and learning from what is happening around? Yesterday, I woke up to news alert, “Earth finally fixed largest ozone layer hole above the Arctic, Healing 1 million square km”. Indeed, it was a Good Morning. Then, we have a daily dose of animals chilling on streets, fresh air to take in, improved Ganga and Yamuna quality and Delhi living its best April weather for decades. "Life isn't just about taking in oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide," came from the mouth of  Malala Yousafzai. Will this persist once the lockdown is over? As it was not out of human efforts but a pandemic that pushed everyone inside their homes. The irony lies in the fact that it's for our own good, yet we see protests. It’s not about divine intervention always! This lockdown has busted our bubble of being a Superior Race. As we sit and enjoy the pleasant unpolluted air, read