Shiv🅰️z

if A.Raja had a convent accent, liberals would have held him as the next Nani Palkhivala

Agree. I've been in $ASTS since it was $NPA. I still hold the vast majority of my shares and I don't comment much because $ASTS is a long term holding. I just don't watch it every day as I'm here for the destination not the journey. That said, here's my thoughts for Monday:

Did anyone in your family ever read Reader's Digest? That little magazine was always around - on the table, in the bathroom, tucked in a drawer. Short stories, jokes, and advice you somehow always read. Who remembers it?

Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan discovered nearly 4,000 theorems and equations, original and revolutionary. Some of his findings were so advanced that they remained unproven for decades after his death. He also foresaw several ideas that later emerged in modern mathematics and physics, including modular forms, string theory, and black hole cosmology.

I started watching the movie "Thaai Kizhavi" on Hotstar the other day, which is set in the heart of Tamil Nadu, I encountered a very unfamiliar name for a character. The character's name was "Pennycuick" Now in a land where language is an emotional topic where people sever relations, friendships and even give their lives for Tamil, a Scottish first name for a Tamil guy seems a little out of place. Some may even call it a blasphemy. How an odd Scottish Surname, whose origins lay in the town town of Penicuick near Edinburgh, became a symbol of pride and honour, 8000 kms away on the other side of the globe in Southern Tamil Nadu, is an amazing story. It is a story that also tells you the real meaning and purpose of life. It makes you understand that all the worldly things like power, prestige, position and money that we crave for, is just a mirage that we are chasing. The real glory lies someplace else. And it starts with one man. John Pennycuick (1841 - 1911) John Pennycuick was born in Pune in the year 1841, as the fourth son of Brigadier John Pennycuick, a soldier in the British army. However at the age of 8, a great tragedy befell him and his family. In 1849, in the second Anglo Sikh War, his father and his elder brother Alexander, were killed in action fighting the Sikhs in the battle of Chillianwala. When a kid sees his father and brother killed by the natives they are supposed the rule, the normal course of action is to grow up into a into a rabid Indian hating racist white man, who would have spent the rest of his life cursing India. But John Pennycuick was a better man than that. He wanted to do something that would leave a legacy behind him. And luckily for Tamil Nadu, he did. If you have ever seen a physical map of India, you will see a contiguous mountain range that separates Tamil Nadu and Kerala. These are called the Western Ghats. Now the Western Ghats, despite all their beauty and splendor, have one small problem. If you had been attentive in your sixth standard geography class, you would have known that Kerala receives most of its rain from what we call the South West Monsoon winds, which flow in from the Arabian sea. Most of the lush, beautiful, God's own country poster type greenery, is because of the abundant rainfall provided by these winds. Unfortunately, despite being in close proximity to Kerala, Tamil Nadu gets almost zero benefit from them because of these imposing ghats The problem is acute especially in the districts of Theni, Madurai, Dindigul and Ramnad. In Geography, we call it the Rain Shadow region. In the mid 19th Century, the British recognized this problem. They understood that their rapidly growing cities of Cumbum, Theni, Madurai, Ramnad etc, could not be supplied by the miniscule waters of the Vaigai River. They needed to do something drastic, to avoid a catastrophe. Their solution was the River Periyar in today's Kerala. They thought, if they could divert that river with a dam and a tunnel, and make those waters flow into the River Vaigai, the entire area from Theni to Ramnad could be transformed from an arid wasteland to an agricultural heaven. They even finalized a site at the confluence of the River Mullai and Periyar. They called it, the Mullaiperiyar dam. Unfortunately, this was not a computer game where two clicks and one prompt could build a structure that would divert the water. This was real life. And in the 1800s, real life was infinitely more difficult what it is today. The first proposal for this dam came from the Maharaja of Ramnad in 1789. Realizing the cost of the dam would be greater than the total value of his kingdom, he gave up Then the British tried their luck in 1850. But when the first teams saw the malarial swamp and the pestilential land that they had to live in, they turned around faster than Pakistanis in front of an Indian army battalion. Between 1860 to 1882, four different proposals were sent for the construction of this dam, but each time it was rejected citing impracticality, affordability, lunacy and sometimes, all the three. Then came a Certain John Pennycuick. Serving as an officer in the Public Works department, in 1887 he landed in this desolate area to take charge of building the dam. First problem he faced was the access to the site. The entire dam needed 80,000 tons of limestone and motorable roads, cranes and automobiles were at least 40 years away. So he built a ropeway and then used bullock carts to transfer the limestone to the dam site. Then there was the issue of diseases, especially Malaria. He stumbled across a local arrack that ostensibly prevented it. Pennycuick issued them to all the labourers working on the dam. They were high, happy and malaria free. Slowly, the dam started taking shape. But then the biggest issue was the River Periyar itself. It realized that someone was trying to control it. So it started rebelling. It blew away all the coffer dams that were trying to restrain it. And when this flooding happened once to often, the British guys decided that it was time to cut their losses and run. They stopped funding for the Mullaiperiyar dam. But Pennycuick was not the one to stop at trifling issues like stopping of funds. He sold his wife's jewelry and personally funded the rest of the dam. And finally in 1895, the dam and the tunnel needed for diversion, was ready. Through the 173 feet dam, 3000 ft above sea level, and a 1.5 km tunnel cut thru the mountains of western ghats, 3000 cusecs of water finally flowed into Vaigai. The water problem of Theni, Madurai and Ramnad, was finally solved. Today the Mullaiperiyar dam, irrigates more than 2 lakh acres of farmland. More than 50 lakh people directly depend on it, either for agriculture or drinking water. The districts of Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga and Ramnad, have transformed from arid regions with frequent draughts to agricultural hotspots. In the last 125 years it has benefitted. directly or indirectly. more than 100 million people. It has made Theni, Madurai and Ramnad the cities that they are today. One dam, built by the vision and perseverance of one man, 131 years later, is still benefitting generation after generation John Pennycuick could have taken the easier path in life. He could have gone back to Britain and lived a lavish comfortable life. He could have hated us Indians for killing his father and brother. He could have been a bitter man for the rest of his life. But he didn't. He decided to do benefit the land that he didn't even belong to. He wanted to alleviate the lives of people who were not even from his actual country. He wanted to bring succour and happiness to a lot that probably hated him. He built the dam despite knowing he would neither be recognized for it, nor benefit from it financially. He helped very same set of people who were responsible for the deaths of his father and brother. What he did, transcended race, religion, caste and identity. It towers above stuff like region and language Today Pennycuick isn't just a name in Theni district. It is a matter or pride and honour. Their bus stand is named the John Pennycuick bus stand. People, as shown in the movie, are named Pennycuick. There have been thousands of rich men in Theni and Madurai after Pennycuick. There have been hundreds of leaders, politicians and officers who have trod on that land. But none inspire the following and regard that Pennycuick has, 115 years after his death. John Pennycuick proves to all of us, that you can earn money, buy cars, build houses, go to Universities abroad and float thermacol sheets on rivers, but respect and legacy, is the ultimate currency. Because in 2026, you don't remember the MP / MLA of Madurai / Theni. You don't remember their Ivy league degrees. You don't remember their family legacy. You don't remember their mansions and money. They are all forgotten in the sands of time. But you have and will always remember, John Pennycuick. P:S: Today, we talk about North India / South India, Hindi / Tamil etc. Sometimes I wonder what would Pennycuick from heaven feel about all of this. P:P:S: Once when someone asked why Pennycuick was doing this idiotic stuff, he said ""I am going to be only once in this earthly world, hence I need to do some good deeds here. This deed should not be prorogue nor ignored since I am not going to be here again"

What is bothersome is that none of the opinion polls have been able to pinpoint the full depth of Vijay’s popularity. Here we are, assuming the battle is between the AIADMK and the DMK. And yet, we get daily reality checks from everyday people who are super clear about their vote for TVK. So where does the truth lie? Is TVK an urban phenomenon? A party of the young and the restless? A minorities-only rainbow coalition? The darling of the lower middle class and the poor? No one has been able to accurately gauge their impact. That’s the brutal reality. The more one talks to Vijay’s supporters, the more one gets the feeling they are a determined lot. Let’s see what surprises are in store on April 23.

White people party: Ford F150, GMC, G Wagon, Lexus, Cadillac, BMW Desi party: Tesla, Tesla, Tesla, Tesla, Tesla, Honda Odyssey, Tesla, Tesla, Tesla

So far, based on my interactions with auto drivers over the last 40 days, all 10 out of 10 drivers below the age of 35 have unanimously said they will vote for TVK Vijay, and some of them are first-time voters. If youth turnout is high, Vijay could prove to be the dark horse in this election.

Sir, there is a Govt Hospital in Tamilnadu, everywhere near u, for ailments such as 'simple fever'. In villages there r PHCs. In cities, towns there r upgraded UPHCs near ur house. You will get immediate, dignified treatment, tests and drugs( if deemed necessary ) free. When my close relative developed life-threatening neuroglycopenia recently, I got him admitted to Govt Royapettah Hospital. The treatment was prompt, & carried out in the middle of the night by highly qualified superspecialists. I personally feel all Chennaites shd visit Govt Kalaignar Hospital, atleast once as a visitor, to appreciate the warmth of the reception, the luxurious interiors, aesthetics, the kind staff,& the nature of inpatient & outpatient treatment. Personally feel it is at par or better than any 7-star private hospital in Chennai.

if TN was a company, I'd have bought shares of it with all my liquidity! 🚀

AI is frying people’s brains. Uber drivers have always been my barometer. In finance, in life, in politics, and in moments of global tension. Two rides to the airport recently showed me just how bad it’s getting. First driver was a Muslim guy. Very nice. We start talking about Iran. Then Israeli politics. I told him straight up I disagree with a lot of Israeli politics. He immediately relaxed and the conversation opened up. Then we get to the Epstein files. I tell him what I know. He nods along and says of course he knows everything about it. Then he asks me if I know why the Iran war is happening. I ask why…. He says because of the Epstein files. I say alright, I understand the theory. People want attention diverted from it. Then he goes further. He says he is shocked I have not seen the real reason. Trump slept with his daughter. Yes. That is what he told me. He knows Trump slept with his daughter and is bombing Iran to hide it because it was in the Epstein files. I leaned forward and told him that is not real. He said brother it is there. You just have not seen it. I asked again to make sure he was serious. He was dead serious. His whole circle believes it. Messed up right? Second ride. Turkish driver. You all know I am Greek so that is always interesting. I ask his name. We start laughing immediately. Good energy. He says Istanbul. I say Constantinople. We go back and forth joking. He says I look like Turkish actors. I tell him they look like me. I tell him he is probably Greek and should check his DNA. We even talked about how Western Turkey and Greece would probably be extremely similar societies if politics disappeared. Great conversation. Then politics comes up. Again I say I disagree with a lot of Israeli politics. He gets comfortable. Then Iran comes up. He looks at me and says something that backs what I see on X. He says Israel is leveled. I say no it is not. He says yes. Completely destroyed. Like Gaza. The media is hiding it. I asked him multiple times because I thought maybe he meant heavy damage. No. He believes Israel is completely destroyed and the media is covering it up. The videos he saw online convinced him. Wild huh? Two separate drivers. Two different backgrounds. Two completely different lives. Both absolutely certain about things that simply are not real. AI images. Edited videos. Influencer propaganda. It is creating parallel realities. How do you question wars, governments, or geopolitics when millions of people are operating on fabricated information? That is a serious problem.

Woke up to this bhajan by this North Indian group. Earlier group chanted the 'Purusha Suktham'. This is the essence of Tamilnadu. All are Bharatiya and rooted to culture. Unfortunately, the local govt is atheist.

The alcohol industry has lost $830 billion in 4 years because Gen Z is not drinking

How did Sai Baba, a Sufi saint, come to be worshipped by Brahmin priests and with Sanskrit chants?

I have spent 10 years going to every village in Salem district preaching Bhagwad Gita, every evening. Bhajans, kirtans, prasadam... That too in Dravidian heartland. So many black shirts were sent by their organisation to challenge me and mock Sanatan Dharma. End result atleast a dozen black shirts are full time devotees in our temple Thousands have stopped eating meat. So bring it on