It was his first TEDx speech.

He rehearsed yet another time on the way to the venue. A lot of people knew about his achievements already. This was his chance to let them know the story behind it – the pain and hardships he had to undergo to make it happen.

“Not every seedling becomes a tree! Dreams don’t just fructify out of thin air. They need intense effort, discipline and dedication. They need a lifetime of sacrifice. Stuff that people with broken spine simply cannot manage.” He looked at himself in the mirror in the car and felt a sense of pride creep into the corner of his lips. Continue reading →

Should I do it? Would I be able to live with the guilt? I thought to myself.

My mind wandered to the day when I first met her.

I work as a consulting neurologist and movement disorder specialist here. It would have been just another day in the hospital, but for this particular case.

Adhira was referred to me by our neurology resident Dr Kumar.

Continue reading →

Part I

I received a memo from head office today. It makes me nervous.

They have marked Surya homes private limited as a red-flagged account and have asked me to prepare a report for the Central Fraud Monitoring Cell.

Making it worse is the fact that this case will be directly reviewed by our Deputy General Manager, Mr Bharat, a long-timer in the bank known especially for his honesty. Continue reading →

“ஏன்டா! உனக்கு இதெல்லாம் தேவையா? படிச்ச பையன் தானே நீ!”

“இல்ல சார், இந்த ஒரு தடவ விட்டுருங்க சார், தெரியாம பண்ணிட்டேன்!”

“என்னடா தெரியாம பண்ணிட்ட?! விசயத்த பாத்தா ரொம்ப ப்ளான் பண்ணியில்ல செஞ்ச மாதிரி இருக்கு? இதுக்கு முன்னாடி மாட்டியிருக்கியா?”

Continue reading →

“Why don’t we start at the beginning?” the psychiatrist told me.

Hesitatingly, I began my humiliating tale.

A couple of days ago, I visited the nearest SBI branch. I went and stood in front of the “single window operator”.

She appeared busy. Continue reading →

“You’ll soon be with someone you truly love,” her friend read the fortune cookie aloud after snatching it from her.

She tried to smile, but her inability showed as she snatched it back and stashed it away. She turned her face towards the window and wiped a silent tear. They all turned silent. Continue reading →

“Which idiot is calling me at 2am?”, he muttered annoyingly as the phone rang, piercing the silence of the night.

“Hhhelloo?”

“Listen to me carefully, Simon. Don’t waste time trying to understand whats happening now. There’s been a murder… your best friend Vishal is dead. Dress up immediately. Go to 14th cross and locate a brown coloured Maruti Omni. They are running away. Go now… gooooo”

“Whhh, whoo is this!?”

Dead tone. The person on the other side hung up.

He called Vishal immediately.

“The number you are trying to reach is switched off”, an automated voice answered.

“Smitha, Smithaaa, get up! Get up!”, he nervously shouted.

“What is it? Another emergency case?”, Smitha woke up annoyed by her husbands sudden action. “It’s time you quit your police job!”.

“No, this is serious. Someone called me and said Vishal is dead. His phone is switched off too. I need to go and check.”

“Ah.. that guy! Might be a prank of his. Or another attempt to create content for another novel that no one wants!!”

“Smithaa, don’t waste my time. There was something strange about that voice. It didn’t sound like a prank call. Oh, Smithaa, there’s no time. I am leaving now.” Continue reading →

It was dark. The rain poured like there was no tomorrow. The river, like an angry wife, displayed its tantrums in full flow.

A lone candle cut through the darkness.

The Coracle Man sat in his filthy hut on the riverbank. As he had always done for the past 35 years, he awaited patiently for passengers to ferry across the bank.

Continue reading →