February 1, 2026

Dear Colleagues

Spring is in the air, though it has been rather unseasonally cold in this region. Here is another round of random reflections for your perusal.

1. Basant Panchami is a spring festival in this region; associated with harvesting of bright yellow mustard flowers and other grains. It is also celebrated as the day of Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, learning and education. In recent times, worship of Goddess Saraswati has witnessed some decline; any guesses?
2. One of the most expensive real estates for global corporations is Gurugram, just outside Delhi in India. I had several occasions to visit various locations in Gurugram this past month. I found it dusty, filthy, with no pavements or drainage. How come corporates are throwing New York style money on office property in Gurugram? What is invisible?
3. I recently bought some stuff from a multinational company supplying telecommunication hardware. One of the pieces was defective, not doing what it is supposed to. I went on to complain and ask for help, only to be encountering an aggressive Bot. I was told to press several option buttons, none of which had listed my problem. The Bot then told me to exit and try again. I could not be transferred to a real human agent, because my problem did not fit Bot’s algorithm. I had to rely on informal self-employed network of service men to explain my problem, solved in 12 hours!
4. Bustling old city of Nizam, Hyderabad, has grown phenomenally. Malls, restaurants and other consumption stores are now in abundance. Expansion of the city boundaries resulted in massive sales of rural land. Much of the agricultural land is now converted to concrete structures, including some posh farmhouses of the rich and famous. And ex-farmers now have lots of cash to transform their lifestyles!
5. In the land of Biryani (Hyderabad), this dish has several avatars. The main food is comprised of rice and some meat (mostly chicken or mutton). But the style of cooking and combination of spices create vastly different textures, tastes and flavours. And which combination tastes superior depends on the palates of the eaters!

Stay well, sincerely

Dr. Rajesh Tandon

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