24K hits. Feels better than 24 carat metal. My journey of being an entrepreneurial narrative hack through 9.5 years of writing quips, image making, anecdotes, articles, anthro-poetry across eight countries across three sub regions of Asia.

I was told many a time when I started that I cannot write and cannot succeed in doing much in life. Put downs keep the josh going.

I have since gone on to speak on international tv (BBC, Al Jazeera to Bangladesh TV) to seminars to having been quoted from The Guardian to SCMP to Forbes. I have written for Huff Post and New Indian Express to The Tilak Chronicle where I write a weekly column.

Gratitude to all who have spent time reading my work for the past decade.

Picture abhi baaki hain mere dost.

#writing

There is no real decolonisation sans economic heft. Otherwise it’s only virtue signalling that fills up libraries. China can hold its ground even after the mess and aggression’s against India and other neighbors as it has the money.

@suketumehta ‘s brilliant book on migrants/immigrants.

‘Jaikishan Heights’ in Queens, New York gave me a chuckle.

And the chapter on African migrant taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi is fascinating, and hard hitting. There should be more work on African migrants in the Gulf.

Raining Investments for Mukesh Bhai.

#UAEinIndia

Clearly the conception and lived experience of national history is not uniform. Pre British era histories are complicated. One place’s hero is another place’s villain.

Reading The Anarchy by William Dalrymple, Page 72

Have re-read this incredible resource over the last decade to find new insights, or reaffirming old observations regarding the desi Khaleeji experience with local sponsors, the subtle disadvantage in everyday lived experience. Andrew Gardner’s work never feels dated. #gulf