Urmimala Abhilash

Been mostly unsuccessful in trying to grow my own plants here in a different country. After a few heartbreaks, decided to make my own. Creating a series of endangered Indian plants. Wish me luck Ghost Orchid (Epipogium Aphyllum) Eastern Himalaya #paperflower #indianbiodiversity

Long before the ocean, my grandfathers, both farmers, taught me how to truly care for the Earth. During childhood holidays in their villages, I learned the rhythm of living lightly on the land. They grew their own coffee, spun twine from coir, served meals on plantain leaves, and thatched roofs with coconut fronds. They taught me to bathe the dog in a stream, graze the cows, and heal wounds with chewed touch-me-not leaves. Soil was fertilized with dung, and breakfast was sourced simply by uprooting yam or tapioca, or chopping down a raw jackfruit. They operated with absolute harmony and zero waste. Years later, in 2011, I was handed command of a vessel with two simple words: "All yours." The skipper handing over the helm and I were atop Sugarloaf Mountain, overlooking our yacht moored at the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro. It was late February, staring out over the River of January. Passed from one captain to another, the Mhadei had only grown sturdier over time. She was shipshape, rigged, and ready for an ocean crossing. I made passage from Rio to Goa via Cape Town, and a year later, slipped my moorings for a 151-day solo, non-stop circumnavigation. Out there, the portholes were windows to the most majestic, real, and raw images of planet Earth. It was the most adventurous of days, the most tumultuous of nights, the busiest of times. It was the slowest of times. Surrounded by absolute isolation, I realized I was not separate from nature, but a part of it, in a truly non-dualistic manner. In many ways, the yacht's track around the world mirrored the Earth's orbit around the sun. We lacked the luxury of making port to take on fresh stores. We survived entirely on what was stowed below decks. Over those 151 days, the sea dictated the same hard truth my grandfathers lived by: less is actually more. That unassisted circumnavigation taught me to measure and protect every inch of rigging, every ration, every drop of freshwater in the tanks, and every amp in the battery banks. Making landfall to resupply wasn't an option, but failure. Anyone can solve a problem with infinite money and supplies. True leadership requires executing with finite resources and actively husbanding them. #EarthDay2026 #Sustainability #Circumnavigation #Execution

@SandeepUnnithan Om Shanti 🙏

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Smt. Nirmala Mohan Samant beloved wife of Captain Mohan Narayan Rao Samant, MVC. She left for her heavenly abode today, surrounded by her family. Nirmala tai was a gracious and kind soul who touched the lives of everyone around her with her warmth, dignity, and quiet strength. She will be deeply missed by her family, and all those including me, who had the privilege of knowing her. Om Shanti Sadgati. (Here receiving the first copy of #OperationX in June 2019, three months after Captain Samant’s passing).

BREAKING: JD Vance just told the Pope to be careful when opining on theology. The Pope. The head of the Catholic Church. The Bishop of Rome. The man whose institution has been the authority on Christian theology for two thousand years. JD Vance — who converted to Catholicism in 2019 — is telling the Pope to be careful about theology.

This is awesome news. You’ve convincingly earned the right to challenge the reigning FIDE World Champion, Ju Wenjun later this year. Congratulations Vaishali… We’ll be cheering for you right through to the championship and we know we’ll be cheering you home as champion, too. With Gukesh defending the World Championship title and Vaishali challenging for the Women’s crown, 2026 is shaping up to be the most extraordinary year in Indian chess history! 💪🏽🇮🇳 Graphic courtesy @ChessbaseIndia

RETWEET if you stand with Pope Leo against Donald Trump!

Pope Leo XIV is not ‘woke’, nor a Marxist, nor a progressive, nor a leftist. The Pope is simply a Christian. When he defends the poor and the innocent, he is following the Gospel. When he denounces injustice, he is imitating Christ. When he speaks for the poor, he is repeating word for word the Sermon on the Mount. Those who are angry at him are not fighting with Pope Leo XIV. They are fighting with Christ. Because it was Jesus who said: ‘Whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me.’ Rejecting the Pope for being merciful is not something a Christian does. The problem is not that Leo XIV has strayed from Christ. The problem is that some have strayed so far from the Gospel that they no longer recognize it when they see it.

@theUdayB @ReallySwara Happy birthday! Warm wishes from all of us 🤍

To the most endearing, exasperating, affectionate, argumentative, reckless, resolute daughter - whose deep commitment to principles & values dear to her, often drive me up the wall, even as I am humbled by her tenacity in the face of advancing adversity..MHR Pagli @ReallySwara

@megirish2001 @BindraManjot @37VManhas Wish you a blessed birthday Ma’am, may you continue to inspire and heal others through your grace. Love and regards

Although it is not a day I celebrate any longer, deeply touched by the innumerable good wishes, messages and calls... Thank you @37VManhas and each one of you for your kindness. I feel blessed 🙏

Massive respect for the UAE government, Armed Forces and civil defence which protected the residents of the UAE during this conflict. Thousands of drones, hundreds of ballistic missiles and scores of cruise missiles were fired at us by Iran, with air defences intercepting the vast majority of them, minimising loss of life and property on the ground. Food, water, and everything else is plentifully available till date, proving wrong the outsiders who predicted that air defences and supplies would both run out a few days after the conflict began. Our life proceeded with minimum disruptions. A bad day in the UAE is still better than the best day in most other places . 🇦🇪

“A whole civilization will die tonight,” said Donald Trump. Here is Pope Leo’s full response from Castel Gandolfo tonight. Once again, a moral compass.

@Resistwoke_ @abhilashtomy Marriage isn’t a competition. It isn’t always about keeping a scorecard. “Goals” can be very subjective to a person. To some it might be the dream of achieving something spectacular. To another, it might be the joy of simply having loved & held fort when everything was vulnerable

@abhilashtomy You are lucky to have her. There is no doubt she will laugh it (off) There are thousands of women who will go any length for their husband's goal. They make it their own and have zero complaints or regrets. They will do it again. Beauty of womanhood. But my comment was for you.

You are the wrong person in this marriage. You use her for your goals. You may love her but you don't prioritise her. It's all about you and you are grateful that she supports you. She doesn't deserve you. Now turn it around and make it about her. Will you?

@ycabonifacio The faith and dedication of my Filipino brothers and sisters in the Church here in the UAE, throughout the year has been an inspiration for me.

In the Philippines, most Filipinos have no work by Maundy Thursday until Easter Sunday to attend Holy Week events. It’s such a beautiful thing. MAHNN I LOVE BEING CATHOLIC ABSOLUTE BANGER 10/10

Eastern India’s Maritime Heritage This article was posted on the website of Meluha Maritime as a run up to the IFR that was conducted in Vizag in February 2026. The article is being shared here for wider readership. In this article, Cmde Srikant Kesnur explores the rich maritime heritage of Eastern India, where ancient ports such as Tamralipta and the Kalinga coast once connected the subcontinent with Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka across the Bay of Bengal. Supported by thriving river systems and natural harbours, these seafaring networks enabled vibrant trade, cultural exchange, and the spread of ideas, leaving a legacy that continues to shape India’s maritime identity today. Read the entire article on Meluha Maritime: meluhamaritime.com/post/eastern-i… @srikantkesnur @zwerubae @indiannavy @IN_HQENC @IN_WNC @IN_WesternFleet @IN_HQSNC @InNwc @IN_HQMNA @IN_GNA @IN_GDD @IN_KTKNA @kirtitejas @arjuniyer002 @sankkulkarni @BanerjiAnuttama @SaheliJNU @poojasbhatnagar @harshshah0904 #MaritimeHistory #EasternIndia #IndianOcean #MaritimeHeritage #BayOfBengal #Kalinga #Tamralipta #SeaTrade #IndianMaritimeHistory #IndoPacific #MeluhaMaritime

I am no stranger to criticism and have learnt, over time, to absorb it without losing focus. That is part of public life. What is harder to accept is the steady erosion of civility in our discourse. Disagreement is essential; derision and vituperative, personal slander is not. A confident society does not fear dialogue—it conducts it with balance, clarity, and respect. As for me, I follow the teaching of Sri Ramakrishna and his advice: “forbear, forbear, forbear.” That has guided me through my life’s journey.

He won. No shots fired. Just the courage of faith.

MESSAGE I wholeheartedly endorse the powerful appeal for peace made by the Holy Father, Pope Leo, during his Palm Sunday Mass. His call for the laying down of arms and the renunciation of violence resonated profoundly with me, as it speaks to the very essence of what all major religions teach. Indeed, whether we look to Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism or any of the world's great spiritual traditions, the message is fundamentally the same: love, compassion, tolerance, and self-discipline. Violence finds no true home in any of these teachings. History has shown us time and again that violence only begets more violence and is never a lasting foundation for peace. An enduring resolution to conflict, including the ones we see in the Middle East or between Russia and Ukraine, must be rooted in dialogue, diplomacy and mutual respect — approached with the understanding that, at the deepest level, we are all brothers and sisters. I urge for and pray that the violence and conflicts may soon come to an end. DALAI LAMA 31 March 2026

† Palm Sunday in UAE 🇦🇪 Thousands at Catholic mass - unshaken by conflict, united in faith, praying for protection of our second home 🙏🏽

@nicksummy @EmilyLJudd @ianmiles 200,000 parishioners. Multiple masses. The seating capacity is 1200 in St Therese’s hall alone. So yes, thousands.

@EmilyLJudd @ianmiles Thousands? Looks like there are about 300 people here.

@DrEliDavid Absolutely. The best.

Mohammed bin Zayed, the only Arab leader with a spine made of steel and moral clarity second to none 🇦🇪

The UAE creates on what it has. They build on sand and create life and communities. Others erase forests and hills to create urban deserts. The difference speaks for itself. When you have vision, even sand is enough.