Author Archives: rgeeta

Dhansak: Ingredients like sambhar, but not the sequence

Posted on September 6, 2015 by rgeeta

10 July 2015 A sketchy summary, just to remind me that it ain’t as complicated as it seems. Basic steps: Pressure cook Dal mix + Veggies mix + masala; mash it all up Saute in ghee whole garam masala, onions … Continue reading →

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New ICMR head

Posted on August 26, 2015 by rgeeta

At a time when headlines are dominated by the news about the how and why of resignations of directors of Indian Institute of Technology, Film and Television Institute of India, and, who-knows-what’s-in-store for Delhi University, why did such few news outlets … Continue reading →

Posted in Science | 1 Comment

Revolution in education?

Posted on August 25, 2015 by rgeeta

Check this again 19 February 2016. The Allahabad High Court has ordered all government servants to send their children to government schools. Apparently Justice Sudhir Agarwal believes that this is the only way to improve the schools. An informative blog … Continue reading →

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A fake snake caterpillar

Posted on August 22, 2015 by rgeeta

A recent study shows the bare minimum mimicry that you need to evolve so that you can fool potential predators. The study was conducted by John Skelhorn, Grace G. Holmes, Thomas J. Hossie and Thomas N. Sherratt, and published in the Journal of Behavioral Ecology. Carl Zimmer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodiversity, Science | 1 Comment

Know thy postman (and lineman, etc)

Posted on August 18, 2015 by rgeeta

14 June 2014 Here I am, in my usual post-lunch stupor, at my mother’s house in Chennai. My cell phone rings. Cursing, I pull myself up and reach for the phone and squint to read the caller’s name. “Civil Lines … Continue reading →

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Chennai Water and Sewerage Board

Posted on August 18, 2015 by rgeeta

8 July 2015 Time to renew the water tax card. Uma went yesterday but the line was long and time was short, so she put it off until today. Go at 9 am, she told me, that’s what they told … Continue reading →

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Dilli o Dilli, Or, The World of MTNL

Posted on July 26, 2015 by rgeeta

24 July, 2012 I grew up in a pre-liberalization India where the public sector ruled. Things changed, of course, and the transformation of Chennai Telephones (?) to BSNL was unnoticed by me because I had left Chennai and India by … Continue reading →

Posted in Dilli o Dilli, Red Tape aka Governance | 1 Comment

Panju-Harajuku

Posted on July 24, 2015 by rgeeta

2 March 2013 I am in Kamla Nagar, have just got the new Airtel SIM card that, everyone assures, will usher me into a new level of connectedness, a veritable new avataram; now I look for a place to eat, … Continue reading →

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Dilli o Dilli, Or, I KNEW that North India was a different country

Posted on July 24, 2015 by rgeeta

14 July 2012 Dilli o Dilli Or, I KNEW that North India was a different country Moving is not to be taken lightly anywhere. But in Delhi, it takes on a whole other dimension. Having moved to a different flat … Continue reading →

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Wah re wah, MCD*!

Posted on July 24, 2015 by rgeeta

12 December 2012 On Monday, on my way to work, I saw a dead dog on the pavement just beyond Patel Chest Institute and before Geology. Sad, I thought, and walked on. And assumed that someone would do something about … Continue reading →

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