Its a strange feeling, this thing called goodbye.Not the kind you say at airports—those are often filled with soggy handkerchiefs and promises to stay in touch, which evaporate faster than a politicians promi
Wednesday, 25th February, 2026
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Bob’s Banter
This Saturday, Ive been asked to speak to a gathering about my book DARE.Now, youd think Id strut in with a PowerPoint presentation, a rehearsed TED Talk tone, and the swagger of someone whose book has changed-
Every now and then someone tells me with eyes wide and voice reverent, You know, that national leader is old and still works twelve hours a day!I nod solemnly, as if theyve just informed me that said leader is
The ceasefire was announced a few days ago, but looks like we're still playing in the sandpit of war.Yes, the sandpit, that noisy little patch where toddlers toss sand, build wobbly castles, and fight imaginary-
So there I was, on a noble mission—to buy a loaf of bread. Simple, humble, unassuming bread.I marched confidently into the grocery store like a soldier on assignment. And then it began.The assault.Not by the
Thank God for the retaliatory strikes. Because if they hadnt happened, Im quite sure we wouldve seen war break out—not at the borders, but at the local tea stall near your house. Yes, between Sharmaji, who su-
Was speaking last evening to a man whose wife is an army officer, posted somewhere near the treacherous snow-dusted stretches of Kashmir. He looked like a calm man, not the kind you'd expect to betray his emoti
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Exactly two years ago, I found myself descending into the bowels of the earth—into the underground city of Derinkuyu in Cappadocia, Türkiye. A vast subterranean labyrinth, carved out of volcanic rock, where
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It begins, quite innocently.You've had a delightful evening at your friends place. Good food, warm conversation, possibly a brief skirmish about which cricket team is truly in transition, and now its time to he
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There was wailing next door. Not muffled sobs but full-throated, guttural wailing. My wife looked up from her tea, her eyebrows knitted in worry. Somethings happened, she said.I nodded. Death in the family, I w
I often wonder what went through Moses' mind as he stood with the Red Sea in front and the sound of furious chariot wheels behind. Maybe he scratched his beard thoughtfully—because let's face it, if ever ther
Every morning, as the sun peeps over our confused democracy, a silent war begins. Not at our borders, not in Parliament, but in the palm of your hand — yes, that unassuming rectangle known as your smartphone.-
The peepul tree that towers over my house and garden had been shedding its leaves with a reckless abandon only nature can afford. For days, I watched, sipping my morning coffee, as the once-proud canopy thinned
Were brought up on Hollywood movies showing brave firemen sliding down poles, racing to their gleaming engines, sirens wailing, and gallantly charging into burning buildings to rescue helpless kittens and terri-
So, this morning while sipping my sugarless coffee (doctors orders; doctor being my wife), I kept reading all the horror that has just happened leaving twenty- six dead. And of course, the usual statements from
I almost choked on my morning porridge today. No, not because of cholesterol warnings, but something far more indigestible—Inspector Tukaram Kurundkar. The man, suspended for allegedly murdering a woman he wa-
Its becoming an almost daily occurrence now—the news of another young person, full of potential, choosing to end their life.Not long ago, I sat across from a friend of mine, a respected psychiatrist, and aske
The Readers Digest had a story thats stayed on my mind.Not because it was dramatic, or tear-jerking, or filled with grand revelations, but because it was simple, painfully true, and quietly powerful.It was abou-
They say theres something different in the air every Good Friday.The sun dims a little more than usual, the birds go quieter than normal, and even the wind, that old gossip, hushes itself—perhaps remembering
I once had a friend—charming fellow, always first to raise a toast and last to leave the room. The kind who knew just what to say, when to say it, and whom to say it in front of. Everyone liked him. So when s
