Lifestyle & Reflection

I am not afraid of death. What unsettles me is the slow erosion of dignity that often precedes it. As the years advance, I find myself thinking less about the inevitability of dying and more about the quality of life that remains before it. Death is certain and honest. Prolonged suffering, dependency, and loss of autonomy are not—and it is these that quietly trouble me. Death does not frighten me because it is inevitable. Growing older does. It is the only certainty that bind

A New Year reflection from a life shaped by effort, error, endurance—and hope Photo courtesy Pixabay The New Year arrives every January with noise, loud celebrations, and urgency. Fireworks crackle and light up the sky at midnight. Resolutions shout. Tipplers sway to the numbing rhythm of the music. Calendars turn with a sense of command—as if life itself must obey the reset. Happens every year. However, at this stage of my life, I welcome 2026 differently. I sit quietly and

“Self-learning begins the day we stop learning to please others and start learning to understand ourselves.” There was a time when I believed education arrived neatly packaged—classrooms, syllabi, examinations, and certificates forming its outer shell. Like most people of my generation, I grew up equating learning with attendance, obedience, discipline, and grades. My father’s career in the Air Force ensured that discipline wasn’t limited to school alone; it followed us home

As someone who has spent decades setting up automobile and auto-component plants and training engineers at all levels, I’ve come to realise that the true foundation of quality goes far beyond machines, methods, and metrics. In this article, I share a perspective shaped heavily by my Japanese mentors and my years on factory floors. Quality Is Not Just a Process—It Is a Behaviour Throughout my career, I have managed everything from building new manufacturing units to leading te

“When illness begins to speak louder than your own thoughts, you start searching for a quieter language to live in. I found mine in a single syllable—Om.” There are days when the body feels like a storm system—unpredictable, heavy, pulsing with its own weather. Some mornings begin with fatigue, some nights with fear, and some evenings with a quiet ache you can't quite name. And somewhere in the middle of all this, someone tells you: Chant Om. It sounds too simple, almost nai

By Lantern Bookshelf News Desk Introduction: Beyond Religion, Into Daily Living In the global assessment of 2025, “Hinduism” is no longer discussed merely as one of the world’s major religions. It is increasingly recognised as a way of life — a living civilisation offering timeless guidelines on wellness, ethics, sustainability, physical &  mental health, relationships, and community harmony. Around the world, millions are embracing elements of this Dharmic  lifestyle withou

Moms will be Moms. Doesn’t matter who you are. Here is some Mom talk. Issac Newton’s mother — “But did you wash the apple before eating it?” Archimedes’s mother — “ Didn’t you have any shame running naked in the street? And, WHO is this girl Eureka???” Thomas Edison’s mother — “Of course, I am proud that you invented the electric bulb. Now turn it off and get to bed !!!” Abraham Lincoln’s mother — “Now that you have become President, for heaven’s sake, get rid of that shabby

I have always believed that every morning offers us a fresh start, a new promise. My day usually begins with a quiet walk around the society garden where I live —surrounded by trees, the soft rustle of leaves, the cheerful chirping of birds, and flowers smiling in full bloom. Their fragrance carries stories if you pause long enough to listen. Most days, I carry a book with me and settle under the morning sun to read. It was during one such morning that a small incident change

“Some birthdays stay with us not because of gifts, but because of the love that shaped them.” Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 72. And since I am a man, I suppose I enjoy the rare freedom of stating my age plainly and proudly! In the morning, while chit-chatting with my wife, I found myself drifting back to the way my mother celebrated birthdays. Those were simpler times — sometimes painfully simple. We managed to gather enough for meals, and that was that. Savings were n

A reflective essay on the peace and clarity found in early mornings — how silence at dawn teaches us presence, patience, and gratitude.