How many ex-Microsoft employees are needed to light-bulb the change? The answer: Two. The catch? The two must be brothers! This is a story of two brothers, their family and friends and a bold experiment that people like Mahatma Gandhi and Margaret Mead would have been happy about. Abid Ali and Shabbar Hussain grew up in a middle class Indian family. Like many smart kids they became software engineers, became star performers at Microsoft, got married, had kids, built homes, nurtured f... read full story

The evening before the retreat, I was looking at an Excel sheet given to me by some ladders that had the flow of the retreat planned to the last minute. It had details of which volunteers will welcome the participants, which ones will take care of the thaalis, teeka, heart pins, diaries and pen. Which one will sit with the sound console, and which one for the podium. Two volunteers sat up till 2 am to finalize on the participant list and coordinating with last minute sign ups. Teachers, ... read full story

[Lesson From serving at a 10 day Vipassana course in Tamil Nadu.] Wake up call The alarm goes off at 3:45am. I bolt out of the bed and into the bathroom. I open the tap to wash my face, the water is ice cold. I had been in Bangalore this time of the year but had never woken up this early in the morning. I bundle up with three layers of clothing, pick up the brass bell and open the door. A blast of cold wave hits me and I almost step back into the room. The 4am gong goes off from the medita... read full story

It's an edge that many have battled with. Over the last century, private enterprise has created value for society in immeasurable ways. But there's no arguing that an over-emphasis on the bottom line can lead to externalities that end up damaging eco-systems. How does one balance basic human values with the tools that enterprise brings us? Ragunath, shares 'Eight Tenets' that can help us ask check the efficacy of our decisions.  _____________________________________________... read full story