Tag Archives: Puneetinder Kaur Sidhu

First used in 1913 as war jargon, the term Bangalored referred to the process of blowing up wire entanglements by a Bangalore torpedo. This explosive-laden tube was invented in the city, hence, the name. In more recent times, it refers to people in the US who have been laid off because their jobs have been outsourced to India. Specifically Bangalore, the Indian equivalent of Silicon Valley, because it has been the primary beneficiary of this move. Read on, however, to discover the author’s take on this term.

“Do they yawn…

The Starbucks Experience is a blend of home-brewed ingenuity and people-driven philosophies; the same philosophies that have made Starbucks one of the world’s “most admired” companies, according to Fortune Magazine. Management consultant Joseph Michelli reveals through his book that this admiration is not misplaced. With an exclusive access to personnel and resources, he sets out to discover the company’s inimitable success story.
Starbucks’ roadmap of matchless accomplishments has been charted by its employees, called partners, who create the special experience that brings a customer back repeatedly. This personalised experience, in…

Vaidehi is the pen name of noted Kannada writer Janaki Srinivasa Murthy. She is hailed by critics and readers alike for her prolific short stories, poems, plays, biographies and translations. Her deep and compassionate understanding of the inner world of women allows her to meaningfully mirror the ordinariness of their lives and yet, eloquently depict their resilience in the face of sorrow and poverty.
Gulabi Talkies is a compilation of twenty of her short stories written through the eighties and nineties with pastoral South India as a backdrop. Edited by…

Get over it, and get on with it, urges Asif Jalal, author of some of the most inspirational contemporary writings. An earnest endeavour to address Muslim teenagers plagued with complexes, his book attempts to assist impressionable minds in dropping anchor towards the pursuit of a more meaningful life. As a student, the author himself dealt with many puzzling, often demoralising issues ranging from religion to career options. More recently, while serving out his posting as Superintendent of Police, Lahaul Spiti, he found himself with a lot of time to introspect.…

A grand old mansion, Five Queen’s Road, once owned by an Englishman in the fashionable pre-Partition Lahore, is at the heart of the author Sorayya Khan’s book by the same name. She deftly weaves family saga and national history in this moving account of political upheaval and migration. Defying logic, misgivings, good sense and advice, Dina Lal, a die-hard Lahori, purchases said house in 1947 from its departing owner, despite the carnage on the streets. He refuses to leave his beloved Lahore for presumably safer environs. Hoping to shield himself…

Shimla has long been at the forefront of India’s colonial history, largely credited to its beautiful landscape and cool environs. A small town rich with events, architecture and memories, Shimla still hasn’t lost its enviable charm. Much has been said, written and shared, about this wonderful town which is a halfway city by now, although, increasingly threatened by an overflow of tourists. It is no wonder then that an endless wealth of writings on Shimla is simply waiting to be packed neatly into read-worthy treasure chests.
Minakshi Chaudhry’s anthology Whispering…

Mathew Vincent Menacherry’s debut novel, Arrack in the Afternoon, is the story about Varghese, a failed and drunken poet, who in a rare moment of sobriety decides to end his life. But, miraculously escapes from under the wheels of the truck he throws himself at. Karan, a conniving con man (read marketing guru) spots huge potential in the act and takes Varghese under his wings. Thence begins the fun. Through unscrupulous media manipulations and carefully orchestrated PR stunts, Karan cultivates Verghese into Vargi Baba, a celebrity god man. The social…

Mending Souls is an account of how a polymer scientist from BITS, Pilani, as alumnus and faculty, metamorphosed into America’s very own Sikh poster boy. He has inspired millions of people to balance their material and spiritual worlds by following Guru Nanak’s message of Oneness. Meet Ratanjit Singh Sondhe: variously a speaker, author, consultant entrepreneur, radio and television personality. A versatile persona, indeed; one who has justly earned his internationally renowned moniker—Mr Stress Free. Arriving in America to complete a doctorate, he changed plans midstream to try his hands at…

Last weekend, I finally undertook a long overdue, ennui-ridden, housekeeping exercise. My half-hearted attempt at dusting and re-arranging lofty sections of storage nearly had me knocked out cold by a hardbound, 800-page tome. (No, not Sacred Games). In fact, this particular one, by the looks of it, had been around a long, long time. Its pages, yellowed and brittle, gave out that certain musty smell which only the passage of time accords to paper, with a little help from muslin-wrapped mothballs. The book was titled ‘Recipes of All Nations’ compiled…

“It looks to me that we need a second vision for the nation, just like the one we had when we were actively pursuing our freedom movement against alien rule. At that time the spirit of nationalism was very strong. This second vision that is needed for making India a developed nation will once again bring the spirit of nationalism to the fore.”
Spirit of India is former President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s latest book. It presents a selection of his views expressed on some very interesting, relevant, oftentimes irreverent…