నా ఆలోచనలు मेरे विचार My Thoughts

‘My Thoughts’ is now available on a single page. (Effective 6th October 2024)

‘The goal is the same as the motto: Our world can be a much better place to live in. The medium: Various disciplines and their applications.’

‘Other than as an author and an editor, my earlier efforts, the present, and the future work will reveal whether I will be known for insights in science, as a novelist, poet, humanitarian, environmentalist, historian, economist, linguist, academician, philosopher, and/or for interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary breakthroughs…’

‘Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, Rudolf Virchow, Theodor Schwann, Matthias Jakob Schleiden, Alexis Carrel, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Paul Ehrlich, Ana Aslan, Rachel Carson, Ferdinand Cohn, Francis Crick, Jeanne Villepreux-Power, Alexander Fleming, John Maynard Smith, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Edavalath Kakkat Janaki Ammal, Dorothy Hodgkin, Charles McFarlane Inglis, Rosalind Franklin, Modadugu Vijay Gupta, Sunetra Gupta, Katalin Karikó, several young and elderly biologists, and breakthroughs in biological sciences continue.’

‘William Petty, Adam Smith, Karl Marx, Alfred Marshall, John Maynard Keynes, Milton Friedman, Jan Tinbergen, Joseph Schumpeter, Daniel Kahneman, Vernon Smith, Amartya Sen, Jayati Ghosh, several young and elderly researchers, and economics sciences continue to evolve.’

‘I have much more to do, and I will do it. Yet the countdown has started. Children and youth are the future. Creating a better and safer world is our responsibility.’

‘Human rights and humanitarian laws can complement each other.’

‘We need a lot of inventing. While we invent and find new solutions, we need to ensure that today’s solutions don’t become tomorrow’s problems.’

‘On Bangladesh, I communicated to the government way back in 2020. Let’s hope that peace and stability are restored. I have nothing more to say at this juncture.’

‘I don’t have to necessarily use words like peace advocator on bios. SDGs include many goals such as peace, environment, disarmament, and gender equality.’ Same goes with a conscious citizen.’ ‘The world can be a much better place to live in’ is a broader view.

‘Collective nuclear disarmament is good for the world.’

‘The reaffirmation of a commitment to a world free of weapons of mass destruction by the lower house of Parliament while paying tributes to victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings on 6th August 2024 is welcome.’

‘I have nothing to lose if nuclear disarmament doesn’t happen. I support it because I feel it is good for the world. No one is claiming that it is easy for governments. Yet when you object to others having them and when many nations have taken action in favour of a nuclear-weapon-free world, it is imperative for those with nuclear weapons to take the initiative and get rid of this headache once and for all.’ When diplomacy doesn’t work, one needs to be candid. This is real-time action.

‘Just a note that there is something called gratitude. Further, lives are precious and are not tradeable.’

‘Just because one cares for people and the world doesn’t mean that one is sad at all times. Be sensitive. Stay happy and healthy.’

‘One should never give up on life and take any drastic action. Never do that.’

‘Lives are precious. Researchers, environmentalists, those involved in rescue missions, and media will do their part, yet governments of the Indian subcontinent must come together to solve the environmental crisis.’

‘Some social media posts do not imply that one is only available online or one is limited to online humanity. I do a lot of walking at all times. Always available on the ground. Always accessible. This is true in Bhilai. The same was true in Hyderabad, Chennai, and any other place that I have been to. The same will be the case if I come back to Hyderabad or, for that matter, any other new place in the future.’

‘Just add ‘cy’ to diploma, and it becomes diplomacy.’

‘When ‘can’ and ‘did’ come together, it becomes candid.’

‘Lives are precious.’ (I am a human being first; everything else follows.)

‘Civilisations have evolved and will continue to evolve.’

‘Yesterday was history. Today will be history tomorrow.’

‘In general, there are various forms of research works, such as those based on concept, case study, or secondary data; those based on surveys, samples, or questionnaires; those that focus on proving a hypothesis with an initial review of existing research or literature; those comprising trials or tests in case of scientific research; and those that include empirical techniques, or a combination of the aforementioned, amongst others.’

‘Research may facilitate corrective action, encourage further research, help find solutions, or suggest solutions.’

‘Some titles may provide an impression that they are introductory in nature. However, final titles may have subtitles.’

‘What will be my magnum opus?’

‘Create or find your own path. Nothing is impossible.’

Effective 21st September 2024, all sections in the ‘Nonfiction Junction (Continued)’ page are now part of the ‘Nonfiction Junction’ page with all sections intact.

One essay is now part of the ‘Telugu Junction’ page, and the other will be in Hindi. Further changes, if any, wherever considered appropriate, will be based on editorial discretion.

Nonfiction: In general, while some works usually require citations or references as per the standard practice or in-house guidelines, many topics do have completely original works. The focus is on nonfiction originals as well (here as well as in the mother tongue section).

I am not getting into translations. I may speak about a book in the respective language upon its release. I may communicate in case of any change.

I may have to wear the detective hat (in research as well as in the literary world). One may have heard about Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes and our own Byomkesh Bakshi. In the real world, I came across some (not so authentic) stories of possible Russian (Soviet) spies in the town way back in the school days.

Disclaimer and Contact pages now stand merged. (29th September 2024).

‘About’ and ‘Inspiration’ pages now stand merged. (6th October 2024).

‘On human rights: It is the primary responsibility of the respective governments across all nations to ensure human rights. Further, governments have ratified treaties and conventions. In an ideal world, no one should be required to speak about it.’ (7th October 2024)

‘Why do humanitarians and humanitarian organisations need to continuously ask or request governments to end conflict or discard nuclear weapons? Government representatives meet people from fellow countries, shake hands, and gesture namaste or aadab. Governments have voted in favour of UN resolutions to prevent further tests and have made statements (although after a lot of effort by humanitarians and diplomats) on not using weapons of mass destruction and have supported their elimination. This is about not going back on the word and proceeding towards implementation.’ (7th October 2024)

‘When someone talks about disarmament, it doesn’t mean that one is against the scientific community. Absolutely not. The intent of the scientific community is to protect and safeguard their nation against any form of present or future threats. Yet, this is true for every country. We can certainly have a nuclear, biological, and chemical weapon-free world. Countries can avoid conflicts, which are resolvable through dialogue. APJ Abdul Kalam himself said that “war is never a lasting solution for any problem.” We will always require the scientific community. We can use our talents and skills for solutions for a better world.’ (7th October 2024)

‘I wanted to do only a few books because writing is more than a profession for me. Writing without a purpose is like a body without a soul. The decision to do more books is a relatively recent one. Quality is an important aspect. ‘More books are not necessarily equal to quality’ is a likely scenario only if done in a relatively short duration.’ (7th October 2024)

‘There is some expectation of change in the lending policy of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), particularly in terms of surcharges that are levied on delayed payments over loans to countries in the near future. While this is required, there are some concerns about reforms in the overall lending policy. As such, proposals under consideration for a vote should be transparent in the larger public interest. (8th October 2024). Due to the significance of the matter, I provided consent for my name as a signatory to an open letter to the IMF on the need for significant reform of the rate of charge and surcharge policies. https://bu.edu/gdp/2024/10/10/open-letter-to-the-international-monetary-fund-board-of-directors-on-the-need-for-significant-reform-of-the-rate-of-charge-and-surcharge-policies/ (Updated 10th October 2024). The open letter is available here as well: https://ipdcolumbia.org/publication/open-letter-to-the-international-monetary-fund-board-of-directors-on-the-need-for-significant-reform-of-the-rate-of-charge-and-surcharge-policies/ A detailed op-ed by Joseph Stiglitz was published in ‘The Financial Times’ (11th October 2024). The IMF has since released changes in the policy.’

‘Today’s saplings are tomorrow’s trees applies to everything else and not just to nature. It’s the choice of nations in conflict across the world whether they decide to sow seeds of peace and love or that of violence and hatred. I still care, yet action is in their domain.’ (10th October 2024)

It’s unfortunate that children are the most affected due to war and conflict. The future of an entire generation is at stake wherever there is conflict. Children are the future. Hence, the need for nations to have a humanitarian approach and resolve things across the table wherever possible to ensure a good future for future generations.

Nobel Peace Prize 2024 to the organisation that works at the grassroots level again highlights the fact that nuclear weapons can be disastrous, and we are better without them. I hope world leaders as well as people in India, neighbouring countries, and across the world will take note. This is the victory of all those who support nuclear disarmament. The practical accomplishment of a nuclear-weapon-free world requires action by all concerned. I hope the world will achieve it too.’ (11th October 2024).

All things are not in our control. What can I do? The answer is some more initiatives in children’s literature in Hindi and Telugu in due course, if possible. Committed to saving lives during my stay in this world as well as when I am no longer here.

Good to find that some work is going on in many stations in Chhattisgarh as well as Andhra and to find some new stations in Andhra as well. However, efforts should be made to minimise inconvenience to passengers. Connectivity to small stations is important. When one travels in the daytime, one can witness the fascinating Eastern Ghats in Odisha and our evergreen fields in Andhra.

Even today people recall how my father used to help others. When people do good, they get blessings. Those blessings can sometimes save lives. For me, he was a sensitive yet strict father who used to take an oral test after appearing in school tests. Today is his anniversary. He continues to be an inspiration.

When it comes to developments in the town, my mother is sometimes more updated than me. It was her birthday earlier in the week. All young and elderly should be aware of developments in their surroundings. Something that I will remember to do even when I enter a different phase of life.

We all love Hindi in Bhilai, irrespective of our mother tongues and irrespective of whether one is young or elderly. What anyone else thinks doesn’t really matter. Here comes the corollary. The message is that one should try to learn and love the respective language voluntarily wherever one is. It’s good to be multilingual. It’s good for the country. What is common for Bhilai and railways is multilingualism. Hence, the name My Junction. When one is on a train, one will find people from different regions of the country travelling together, and the same is true for Bhilai, where people from all regions of the country with different mother tongues stay together. That’s why it is known as mini-India.

Reading books is a good habit. If you haven’t read any recently, pick up one from your favourite bookshop or online store. 

‘Consider dropping books rather than missiles so that everyone wins. Books have an online-only edition too. This is the latest trend.’

‘Greatness and simplicity are virtues.’

‘All good causes should always be possible.’

‘Science can be used for the prosperity of humanity as well as for the development of the country and the world.’

Racism and double standards are prevalent. A nuclear attack by any country is terrorism and genocide. Stop preaching to other countries of the world and get your house in order.

I just got an idea why the war between two countries in Europe is still on in the last few days. Mistrust needs to be addressed otherwise they are not living lives even though alive. This is not normal.

It may have appeared weird about stalking by those involved in war, yet whatever I wrote was true. Thank you. Our world can be a much better place to live in.

This site is only for those interested in literature and sciences/humanities/languages and absolutely not for those indulging in war, power struggles, homicide, discrimination between lives of children, civilian rights violations, and those who have forgotten basic moral sciences. So the gist is you are not welcome to this site unless you change your ways and introspect.

The endeavour will be to ensure that this site is child, young, and elderly friendly.

No book release info on social media in the current global scenario. The sanctity of effort on causes needs to be preserved.

On 25th October 2024, renowned Indian scientist Rohini Godbole passed away. I saw one of her tweets, where she wrote a few years ago, ‘I am learning how to retweet as I am new to the game.’ Another example of simplicity and greatness.

With continued conflicts and suffering in various regions of the world, my mind is a crowded place when the theme is prosperity for all. With prayers for all those who are suffering, I hope that people in decision-making roles will show wisdom.

Letters on various topics suggest that one can contribute to the country and the world by being constructive as well as with ideas and suggestions. Right now, the focus is my stated mission of languages, literature, science, health, and social sciences. With regards to books, as mentioned earlier, writing is much more than a profession to me, and writing without a purpose is like a body without a soul. As mentioned in the disclaimer, all books are my ideas. If there are going to be any co-authored works in the future, obviously it will reflect on the cover and all relevant places in those works. All works will have ISBNs unless it is not required. The standard practice is to mention the ISBN on the Title Verso page and the back cover. The Title Verso page contains the copyright information as well.

Book release information will be available on the home page with details on the relevant book page.

In all places, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Beware of cybercrime. Phishing mails, phishing calls, phishing messages, phishing job offers. The other day I received a call that said we have sent a notice to you; press this number to know more. I received some mails wherein I was informed that I have been shortlisted for a position. There can be exceptions. However, in general, always remember that unless one has applied for that position, one is unlikely to be shortlisted.

Some talk is going on monopolies: As far as sciences, literature, and humanities are concerned, the fields are so vast that there can be no monopoly.

‘In the creative field too, there is a lot of hard work and planning involved. Sometimes one has to replan one’s work, consider factors such as time of release, or constantly come up with new ideas in line with one’s stated purpose. With me working on various languages, the effort involved is huge. So working long hours is normal. The gist is that still one has to stay fit, fulfil responsibilities, and allow free time for creative thinking and new ideas.’

‘The same is true for businesses and organisations too. With due respect, when one says that employees should work for so many hours per week, it is easy to say that for something you own and that too without any job guarantee. One can say that we pay good salaries, which is nice, and one must. At the same time, employees themselves need time for wellness; the elderly and children of your employees require quality practical time. Anyways, even if one takes the example of small shop owners in India, people work 365 days a year even on holidays in some way or the other (planning, reducing or expanding, changing design with changing trends, stock replenishment, etc.). Many organisations in India still work six days a week. Even in the case of a five-day week, people work for more hours than the actual timings. Indians are working harder than they actually should.’

‘If some countries want to fight, let them. Even a good neutral suggestion of ‘a meeting amongst concerned nations, namely Iran, Israel, and Palestine,’ is considered in a negative way. Same was the case for Ukraine and Russia a few weeks ago. Countries can’t seek care and yet won’t listen to the sane voices from across the world. What else can one do from a distance? We can only hope that better sense prevails. Let them take responsibility for their own actions. Many are not bothered regarding the situation in Gaza, Lebanon, or the Israeli hostages, or the Israel–Iran conflict because many are busy with their own lives. The sane voices that one hears from across the world are going out of their way to communicate. These countries are not going to do any favour to the world by finding solutions and keeping peace in their region. It’s their duty for their own good and for the well-being of people of their region. One last communication by me to these countries on the Twitter/X platform.’

One should not mix up peace and disarmament with crime and terrorism. When one advocates peace, it means an urge to understand different opinions or perspectives. Disarmament means the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and arms control. Disarmament is much broader than just nuclear disarmament. There are many international conventions and agreements on various aspects.

Stereotyping is a serious concern in India and across the world that needs redressal. It’s disappointing that it has nothing to do with education or lack of it.

Cybercrime is a growing threat. I wrote many write-ups and white papers for EC-Council Hyderabad on various information and cybersecurity aspects in 2010 and 2011. A paper submitted for a conference at SIIMS, Khadki, Pune, in 2017 and published in a journal has a dedicated section on Cyber Security. A chapter titled ‘Internet Banking: A Regulatory Perspective and International Experiences’ in the book Internet Banking: Multi-dimensional Perspectives, 2008, ISBN: 97881314119342 (all aforementioned are listed in the publication section in the About Page) discusses cyber threats as well. Having worked at ICICI in 2006 and 2007, I am aware of various threats. This is not a new topic for me. As in the case of any other subject, getting acquainted with new developments is normal.

In general, those not on the Twitter/X platform can’t see my reposts/retweets. Thus, in some cases, people may miss the context of a post.

The ‘International Humanitarian Law’ is clear that civilians cannot be targets in case of conflict. One of the common rationales is that some civilians provide shelter to people with ill intentions. While this can be correct to an extent, the problem here is of generalisation, and hence the mass killing of innocent people, which is called genocide, cannot be justified. If there is a deeper reason, it needs redressal. One should understand that nations have to comply with Geneva Conventions and various agreements, else our international system of coexistence will collapse. There is no justification for terrorism either. Growing up in India at an early age of our existence, people of my generation came across the news of the assassination of two Indian PMs, one CM of Punjab, terrorism in Punjab and Kashmir, the attack on our then PM during a visit to Sri Lanka, the assassination of leaders in Sri Lanka, and even in Pakistan. Terrorism is a menace and doesn’t help any cause.

In all places, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

One can get inspiration from children as well as the elderly alike.

As mentioned on the home page, ‘A profession has its place, and humanity has its place, and one need not look at everything from the same prism.’

We all travel. Obviously, selecting topics based on interests is normal. Not all yet; most of my travels have been to fulfil responsibilities. Mixing my travels and projects/suggestions for improvement doesn’t make much sense. All means of transport have benefitted. Everything has its own place.

Citizen journalism has its place. There is a brief note that I had prepared earlier for a reputed Indian institution. I will share it in an appropriate section or page in due course. No one can stifle the voice of the public, yet it includes various perspectives and what is appropriate. There is some nuisance on the social media. Yet only a minor percentage of the population is active on public social media. Those who make trivial comments are usually politically affiliated. It is a problem with the political environment that those in it have themselves created. I understand that choosing to be a public representative is not easy. Not everyone can have that initiative. Yet, it is a position that is gifted via vote by the electorate. Hence, if one is not prepared for citizens’ views, one is free to leave the position and sit at home. First, try to be responsible, maintain discipline, and behave appropriately. No one is indispensable.

In answer to a question about what you wish to achieve in twenty years in my institution by a faculty, I replied that I would take up India-Pak relations, and I did. It’s an irony that the two countries are not on good terms, yet both have good relations with the UK, Portuguese, French, and many others (nothing wrong with that). Where there is a will, there is a way. It’s a bigger goal. I wish to see improvement in relations between the two countries during my lifetime. Advocating good relations doesn’t imply supporting illegal or terrorist activities. Just like we have good relations with our neighbours in our localities, we should have good relations with our neighbouring nations. It is a little complicated. It’s like a difficult puzzle (of course, things in reality are more complex) that we can solve. Kashmir is an internal matter and relations with Pakistan is a family matter between India and Pakistan. Yes, there have been setbacks, yet there must be effort from both nations. One way to improve a situation between two countries is peace and dialogue. Another way is to justify war. Even in the event of war, nations involved may have to come across the table for some reason or the other. It is not just about which country is more capable. With war, nations sow the seeds of hatred, which stays on for generations. (17th March 2025)

I started definitions on the home page from November 30, 2024 onwards. Now we have a separate page for Definitions. I will share words and scientific terms before providing definitions. It’s an out-of-the-way effort to provide definitions in various languages. One may have noticed delay in adding definitions. Usually, one will find definitions within a few days. There are some standard rules that I need to ensure and satisfy myself whether it provides the intended meaning before a description appears on the site.

Everyone has a motto, said or unsaid, spoken or unspoken. Here the importance is on literature, disciplines, and languages and how that can be for used for the greater good and what I wish to encourage. Everyone is entitled to have their own motto. Based on my experience and knowledge, it will just take a few minutes to change Literary Junction to Asian/Indian languages and European languages Section/Junction as well as Nonfiction Junction to Asian Studies/Junction, Sciences, Economics Sciences, European Studies/Junction, … and still retain the motto.

Let this page relax. Stay healthy at all times.

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Updates regarding languages are available in the language section below.

The written words were, are, and will continue to be powerful.

Book releases on the way.

Nothing to prove to anyone.

Happy reading in the times ahead.

Lives are precious.

‘Stay healthy at all times.’

‘Many disciplines: Prosperous nation, health and welfare of humanity, protection of biodiversity, and solutions for a better world.’

‘The goal is the same as the motto: Our world can be a much better place to live in. The medium is language.’

‘Styles of writing, in many languages, have evolved over various centuries and are categorised accordingly. While retaining one’s originality, it’s good to be aware of them.’

‘It is important to preserve vulnerable as well as endangered languages and explore the possibility of reviving extinct languages.’

‘Mitakaha means one who speaks less in Chhattisgarhi.’

Grass is known as emārh in Maithili. ‘Maithili is easier for many who know Hindi. However, words in Maithili have different spellings.’

‘ਡੇਰੇ is the Punjabi word for camp and is the first title.’

‘আবাদ,’ pronounced Ābāda, is the Bengali word for plantation.’ Hindi, Urdu, and Bangla are non-official languages at the United Nations.

‘Rabindranath Tagore: RNT. Here is another RNT with a humble effort.’ In his words, ‘Who are you, reader, reading my poems a hundred years hence?’

Another connection with the great Rabindranath Tagore is that the administrative campus of the university in Indore is on the RNT (Rabindranath Tagore) Marg and is known as the Nalanda Campus. I remember standing in long queues in those days to pay exam fees.’

In Telugu, the object comes before the verb. While vowels are known as అచ్చులు (Acchulu) in Telugu, consonants are known as హల్లులు (Hallulu). Telugu is the fourth most spoken language in India.

When it comes to Telugu, my mother is an avid reader. Some years ago, I encouraged her to write on many occasions, yet she was not so inclined. So I said, Ok! If you are not keen, I will write. That’s how the process started. చరిత్ర సృష్టిద్దాం.

Taking forward from the aforementioned, apart from books, many children’s books and monthlies with novels are available as well in Telugu. An elderly person known as Dora used to supply them all across the twin cities of Bhilai and Durg on his bicycle. Much later in the 2000s, when he was ageing, he ensured his presence near a well-known temple and made them available to the Telugu population here. Even in Hyderabad-Secunderabad, if the circulation was less, there was always a possibility of getting a copy at a book stall in Secunderabad Station, or Rathifile Bus Stop, or on the stalls (on the left side while exiting) near Nampally Station. There were some reports of damage to some press houses, including those who develop school books, during the recent flooding in Vijayawada (not all news makes it to social media). You are unlikely to find this info on Twitter/X or other platforms. I hope the government will support those affected. (15th September 2024).

‘The canvas is wide in terms of the work that I wish to bring to the fore in my mother tongue, Telugu, and hence a page. 29th August is Telugu Language Day, which is observed on the birth anniversary of poet Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy. 9th September is Telangana Language Day, which is observed on the birth anniversary of poet Kaloji Narayana Rao. I will strive to extend the number of works in Indian languages wherein I have listed only one work to three to five in due course. Hindi is easier for me, and there is scope for more work in due course. (14th September is Hindi Diwas.). In line with my motto, I will strive to announce works in other mentioned language families soon.’

‘भोर से दिन की शुरुआत होती है। दिन की शुरुआत होते ही हिंदी की भी शुरुआत हो जाती है। जब शाम होती है तब भी हिंदी जागी रहती है।’

भोर हिंदी में एक शीर्षक है.

‘Multilingualism is common amongst people in Dravidian states. Again, Bhilai has a multilingual population and is known as mini-India. So expect the best.’

‘The owner of the place that I stayed in Urapakkam was from Neyveli. They were happy that despite long power cuts initially, distance from the workplace, and my frequent travels later on, I stayed at the same place and maintained it well while I was working with OUP in Chennai. The owner’s family came, stayed with me on my last day, took selfies, and ensured that I had a hassle-free travel. I was the first in the building, followed by two other Tamil families who were always cordial.’ அப்படியா! ஆம் Yes.

‘இந்த ரஜனியின் கவனம் இலக்கியம் மற்றும் புத்தகங்களில் உள்ளது.’

‘I had some great teachers at BNS, Sector X middle school, St. Thomas College, as well as elderly neighbours in the township and my father’s colleagues. If any of them comes across this website, the expectations will be high in Malayalam.’

‘നല്ല എഴുത്ത് സൃഷ്ടിയുമായി വരാൻ ഞാൻ പരമാവധി ശ്രമിക്കും.’

‘As I stayed in Tamil Nadu, I know the importance of the Tamil language there. In Malayalam, one can find substantial initiatives in publishing literature. When I started the language journey, I was curious about Kannada. I studied the contributions to Kannada literature. My discovery made me extend what was initially a small effort to something much bigger. There have been some initiatives in Tulu. Yet there are endangered Dravidian languages such as Oraon, Kolami, Kodava, and Toda where there is scope for the written work.’

So ‘ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ.’ changed to ‘ನಾನು ಕನ್ನಡ ಮತ್ತು ಇತರ ಭಾಷೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅನೇಕ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಕೃತಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ.’

‘Malvi is the language of the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh. There have been attempts in the recent years to preserve and encourage literary works by authors and proponents of the language.’ This language is different from one with a similar name in use in Punjab.

‘I haven’t been to Gujarat yet. However, the owners of the place that I stayed while pursuing a master’s in Indore were Gujaratis.’ Indore has a Malvi–Marathi–Gujarati culture. Agra-Bombay (AB) Road was just a street away, and hence the first title in Gujarati. કોઈ અનન્ય કાર્યની અપેક્ષા રાખો.

‘As my father knew Konkani as he had worked in Panaji, I used to enquire regarding the Konkani language during my younger days. Many have made considerable contributions to Konkani literature in various scripts.’

‘In Odia, there is a lot of existing work on science-related themes. My endeavour is to contribute on other themes.’ My neighbours speak Odia, and the family next to them speaks Marathi. Further, an entire stretch behind my house is of Bengali families. That’s why Bhilai is unique and wonderful.

It’s not necessary that everyone has an interest in literature or awareness or understanding of the effort involved. Hence, I don’t have a habit of discussing my work or projects.

‘There is preference to active voice in Assamese.’ There are some insightful linguistic studies on the language.

‘It is important to preserve all languages and literature, and hence the attempt, which I conceptualised a few years ago. If the only intent was sales and marketing, I would have just focused on one or two languages.’

‘चुनौतियाँ तो होंगी ही। आप अपने क्षेत्र में जो भी अच्छा प्रयास कर रहे हैं, उसे पूरे दिल से करें। प्रयास भले ही अच्छा हो, उसे करने का तरीका भी सही होना चाहिए।

The last page or the back cover in some titles will have a note on the idea behind choosing a topic.

‘Britishers and Europeans invested time in learning Indian languages. Many works are available. Americans invest in learning languages in countries wherever they have their forces. We should learn other languages of the world, yet we should show interest in our languages as well. We are fortunate to have so many languages.’

When one is a first bencher, the probability of a chance to read a chapter or a portion of it in school is high. Reading and writing evolved as a hobby along with keeping notes and writing essays. Reading comprehension eventually became a favourite. One of the essays was on the 1997 South Asian Currency Crisis. I still have it. I have a decent collection of dictionaries and grammar books. I had this Oxford pocket dictionary, which I always used to refer to. In the early 2000s, there was a message board on the website of The Indian Express, expressindia (now it redirects to Indianexpress), wherein readers had the option to comment on various topics. Later on during the MBA farewell, the title given to me by juniors was ‘Kitabein bahut si padi hai tumne’ (you may have read many books) because I was in the library most of the time. I had no clue back then that I would have something to do with formal publishing.

Coming back to languages, the ‘Central Institute for Indian and Foreign Languages’ was on Shivam Road, Hyderabad (a locality I have been visiting since childhood days and stayed later on while working in Hyderabad) before being converted to a university with a campus in Tarnaka. Over the last few decades, it has become common in Hyderabad that someone or other in many families has moved to, is studying, or is working in the US. On the other hand, people from other regions move to Hyderabad and other metro cities. When the Covid and lockdown happened, there were local news reports that many people in Bhilai and CG were stuck in Europe or were returning back to India. That was a revelation. Coming to Andhra, there are slight variations in dialect from the North to the South. While I am a pucca West Godavarian, my first job offer was from an insurance company in Vizag that I had applied to when I was still studying. My parents advised me to continue with studies. Later on, I went for an exam for Vizag Steel. It was a summer season, and the fan above me was not working. Two decades later, I experienced a déjà vu moment during a recent exam. Fortunately, it was taken note of, and fans in the room started working after some time. There are exceptions, yet most of the Telugu-speaking people in Bhilai are from Vizianagaram and nearby areas, Vizag, and Rajamahedravaram. I can’t comment on the possibility of a formal career in Andhra at this juncture. As an author, one observation is that while there are many avid Telugu literature readers in AP as well as TS, people don’t talk about it much. While my preference is for ebooks, I do keep track of print publications. In Hyderabad, one can find bookshops in the Abids area. In Vizag, I recently visited one of the bookshops in the Dabha Gardens area (the other area known for books was closed as it was Sunday), and I got the impression that the city has many book lovers. Back in Bhilai, earlier, Sector 6 and Sector 10 were known for bookshops. Nowadays, one can find many shops across various localities that cater to the academic needs. For me, the satisfaction from the work that I do is the primary motivation.

One of the observations by some linguists is that there is more use of colloquial languages in writing. Retaining the glory of formal languages is an important factor.

Long back, I appeared for one job interview in Hyderabad. After my intro, this gentleman asked me As you had studied in Bhilai, my first question is which country collaborated with India for the Bhilai Steel Plant? I replied, ‘Soviet Union.’ He said no, it was ‘Germany.’ I said I have been living there, and I know for sure it was ‘Soviet Union.’ He insisted it was with Germany. Then we moved to other questions. So wherever you are, I hope you are doing good. My answer is still ‘Soviet Union,’ and one can cross-check.

‘When it comes to non-Indian languages other than English, German and Russian were always in the scope of intended work. Then, there was some work related to exam questions in Korean in one of the organisations (EC-Council) that I had worked for. Then came French. Much earlier in school days, the first Olympics that I heard about was the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Earlier, Seoul was the host of the 1986 Asian Games as well. Later, the world witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Before reunification, there was separate representation for soccer from East and West Germany. The death of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung made headlines in 1994. Many of my generation might have studied the French Revolution in the history books. In summer 2015, I met a French traveller while on a visit to Nagarjuna Sagar Dam via a to-and-fro bus service run by Telangana Tourism. Again at that time, there was a boat service by Andhra Tourism from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam to Nagarjunakonda. He was keen on knowing about the place. Yet we had nothing much to communicate other than a smile, a hello, bonjour, “Did you like the place?,” and “That’s so nice.” Hence, it is important to know languages and even converse in them. If one has listened to the first podcast, it begins with greetings in many languages. Coming back to Nagarjunakonda, the island has a museum wherein one can gain insights on the Buddhist civilisation, which once existed in that region.’

Many youngsters do learn. The CBSE curriculum has a provision to opt for those languages. Enough resources are available to learn various languages otherwise as well. During the last (monsoon) session of Parliament, an independent member from Haryana advocated for courses by the government at economical rates. I was actually looking for the statement by the Minister of External Affairs on Bangladesh after the all-party meeting. I missed it, and I came across this as well as other topics.

Sign languages have an important place as well. I recall the news for the hearing impaired on DD. Despite having a dish antenna, my place still has the old DD antenna as a symbolic gesture.

English: At ICFAI and EC-Council, American English was in use. At OUP, it was obviously British English. Spellings as well as references to various things differ in both versions. Further, we have the Chicago Manual of Style as well as the Oxford Style Guidelines. The Oxford comma is a serial comma that is used before the conjunction ‘and’ when more than two words or items appear in a list in a sentence.

The British and the Americans are allies even though Americans had put an end to the British supremacy. This is true at least for the last century. So when I went to Chennai, I found that OUP and the US Consulate are next to each other, besides the Gemini Flyover on the Mount Road. I used to reach for work early in the morning to find these long queues outside the US Consulate, which extended to the other side of OUP. Some used to wonder how this person was getting an easy entry before realising it’s another building and pertains to OUP. My question to the US Consulate is, Why do you make people stand outside when arrangements can be made inside?

There are many dialects of the English language, such as Aboriginal, Birmingham (Brummie), South Wales, East Anglia, Neo-Nyungar, Australian Standard, Liberian Standard, African American Vernacular, Saint Lucian, and Newfoundland, among others.

There is something in the Hyderabadi air and Andhra wind; I become a more proactive human being (online/offline), not just a writer. Anyways, I am proactive.

There is a new entry in Dravidian languages, namely the ‘Kui’ language (6th October 2024). It is spoken in Odisha and the eastern region of the country. Interestingly, Kui is a Dravidian language yet written in Odia (which is an Indo-Aryan language) script.

There is a new entry in Indo-Aryan languages, namely the ‘Halbi’ language as an endangered language (7th October 2024). It is in use in Central India, including the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. A recent initiative in the language is by a teacher in the region who has developed some works in this language.

Children’s literature mentioned earlier will include comics. Smiles are the only thing that I want to see on their faces. While Spider-Man, the Adventures of Superman, Marvel, Tintin, and Archie, among others, were popular in English, we had our Indian comic books, such as Chacha Chowdhary, Champak, Super Commando Dhruva, Akbar and Birbal stories, Nagraj, among others. Some of them were available in local libraries and shops. There was an option to purchase or take them on a rental basis for a short duration in those days. In Telugu, there were storybooks for children such as Chandamama and Balamitra. Some are still in circulation. I have already included some works for children in Telugu as well as some other languages. Comics will be considered for inclusion. For the younger generation and different age groups, books in various genres, including travel and science fiction, are in the works in Indian languages.

Book releases on the way.

Happy reading in the times ahead.

Lives are precious.

‘Stay healthy at all times.’

‘If one delves a little deeper, one will find an interesting connection between nature and languages.’

‘Many languages: One nation. Many languages and nations: One world. Language: Spirit and medium of communication of the human civilisation.’