It was a Friday evening, the worst day and time to do a road trip halfway across the city. But it was a special day, and there was a dinner on the calendar. We booked a cab, and got the wheels on the road around 7:30 PM. I was riding shotgun, and was on a work call for 20 minutes, from the time I got in. We had a good 75 minutes more to go.

The Discovery

I had logged into the call through my phone, and I had immediately pulled out my laptop after the call, to send out some follow-up notes. While I was at it, I dashed off some responses to a few other messages. Once done, I shut my laptop, and the cabbie asked me a question that no one has ever asked me before—‘Do you have a reading disability?’

I went, ‘I have a visual disability, not a reading disability.’ He then explained that he has dyslexia, and he asked that question because he could hear my screen reader through my earphones—call it a public nuisance on my part. He wanted to understand more about screen readers that could be of use to him, given his condition. He went on to explain that wherever there’s access to the internet, there’s no problem as there are quite a few browser plug-ins and apps that are useful. The challenge was when there was no internet or Wi-Fi connectivity, and he had to work offline.

My partner, who’s a special educator by qualification, stepped in to suggest a few ideas, and we guided him to contact the Xavier’s Resource Center for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC), which started as a resource and advocacy centre for visual disabilities, but further branched off to support all kinds of disabilities—they would not only have updated knowledge on the latest apps and solutions, but they would also have training courses to build necessary skills. We then got chatting about AI, and how the natural language conversation is way better than static screen reader voices. I then broke down the use cases of a screen reader, and an AI LLM. The former is tasked with communicating, helping you do your work. The latter is built as a conversational interface, helping you get the work done. The static, machine-like delivery of a screen reader and the natural modulation of an AI voice each reflect that difference in how they were envisioned and built. I won’t be surprised if traditional screen readers also evolve with a three-way conversational interface—speech-to-text, speech-to-speech, text-to-speech. He wasn’t a fan of the screen reader voices, and found them too synthetic to retain his attention.

The Business Model

He was a third-year engineering student from one of the premier engineering institutions in Bombay. His college hours are from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and he drives an Uber Black for the rest of the day, and full-time over the weekends. He had started a side venture with a couple of friends, building AI and IoT solutions for small-to-mid-scale manufacturers. I got very excited, and we got chatting on the different revenue streams, how they store data, and what upstream services they can unlock once they have an MVP going. It reminded me of the early days of this Larsen & Toubro story that I’d worked on.

His rationale for choosing the ‘Uber Black’ segment vs others was very interesting. He looked at it as a networking platform for his business. He had picked up his first two clients through Uber rides, along with a supplier in China for some of the sensors. It was great to see how he was wiring his network, which a lot of people would think of doing, when they’re fresh off an MBA course, or thrown into a long corporate shower.

The Long Way Home

He was very engaged in our conversation, so much so that he was willing to drive down the same distance across the city, to pick us up after our dinner. However, we took another cab back, because our original cabbie was too far away by the time we left. The Uber algorithm didn’t push for more engagement, but I kept replaying the conversation on the drive home. I’ve had many conversations where people would either have an over-the-top outpouring of inspirational grace, or be curious about what I do, and how I go about it. This felt different. Beyond his hustle and differentiated thinking, what struck me was that he didn’t hesitate to ask, was eager to learn, patient to listen, and showed intent to explore. The traffic was steady through our journey, but the conversation made the theory of relativity feel real.

Listen Up

Ventura Highway by America, from their 1972 album, Homecoming. The song that always puts a smile on my face. Maybe it’s the pleasant guitar harmony at the start, or it’s just the easy lyrics taking you down the scenic landscapes.

You can check out my Trove Of Tunes—a curated Spotify playlist, here.

Cheers,

Shri

It was a Sunday well spent. The summer sun ran its routine, and stayed with us through the day. As the last stop before returning home, we visited a quaint café. The café was quiet—possibly because we were the only occupants when we walked in. It had a couple of interesting ramps at the door—narrow, short, and steep, making me wonder about the balance of functional use and aesthetics.

The Conversation At The Other Table

Outside, the sun was setting somewhere, as we were nursing our Americano and Cortado, to the peaceful, non-intrusive bustle of staff and kitchen. A mother and her kid walked in after some time. The kid could have been somewhere in the five to seven age bracket, maybe even younger. They sat down, and they were chatting like friends. They were waiting for a few more people to join them, but didn’t wait to order.

The mother showed the menu to her kid and asked her to choose. When the staff came around to take the order, the kid confidently gave her order directly to the staff. How often do you see an adult hand a child a menu and let them order? Or let them speak to the staff without prompting?

After the mother placed her order, the staff asked her if any of the dishes needed to be prepared in Jain style. She didn’t understand the question in the first go, so the staff repeated it, but she still didn’t understand. We were the only other occupied table at the café, and my partner helped out the staff by rephrasing the question.

She got it the third time around, and apologised to the staff. Seeing that, the kid immediately asked her mother why she was apologising. The mother calmly explained that it was because she was unable to understand what the staff was saying, and so couldn’t answer the question. There are instances where an apology is warranted, but not honoured. Then there are instances like this where it’s not really needed, but slips out of habit. Maybe she apologised for taking up the staff’s time. Maybe she saw her lack of understanding in the first go as a minor failure. Maybe it was just out of habit.

What stood out was the kid’s attentiveness—noticing the apology, and asking why it was needed at all. And the lady’s willingness to answer the question honestly, rather than keeping it for another day. Later, their friends came along, and the lady at the table felt so at home in the café that she ran to the door to welcome and hug her friends as they walked in.

Listen Up

Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good) by Zambian-born Zimbabwean singer Rozalla, from her second album, ‘Everybody’s Free’, released in 1991.

You can check out my Trove Of Tunes—a curated Spotify playlist, here.

Cheers,

Shri

It was maybe 2016 or 2017. I don’t remember when I met her in person, but I do remember it was post-lunch, around 3 PM in our office in Gurgaon. It was her first day back in the office after her treatment, and she had her innate warmth intact. It’s five years today from that terrible, terrible Friday of 2021, and time has held the line on our unfinished conversations.

A Window To Many Things

We never used to have a schedule for our conversations. Once in a while when I would call her, she would end up talking continuously for the most part. There would always be this moment in these calls when she would be apologetic for highjacking my call for her stories and just venting out. I never had any reasons to complain then, but now I complain of the absence of it.

The conversations were timely, the catching up was the need of that hour, and just checking in on each other was something that came naturally to both of us. I used to often ask her to be more frequent on X (formerly Twitter), and she would always deflect that by taking pride in being frequent on Facebook.

I travelled a good part of England and Finland, walked through the terminals of a few international airports, learnt a bit about Assamese wedding traditions, heard her commentary on the songs playing in her condominium during Indian festivals, and would hear about her occasional cravings for Delhi Chaat and Masala Dosa; all through her Facebook News Feed.

Peace And Hope

I often cringe at the word ‘inspiration’—something I never told her she is. Because she’s way beyond that. She’ll always be someone whom I’ll look up to, for that authenticity, for the optimism, for her warmth, and above all for that real manifestation of ‘what I mean is what I say, and what I mean and say comes from what I am’.

It’s five years today, and it’s still hard to process the fact that the toughest fights can drift away in a matter of minutes and seconds. Seeing the impending end is very different from feeling and processing it. I’d like to think of this void in real life as a manifestation of connection of a different kind—something that rests in my memory, wakes with my routine thoughts, and breaks into a happy acknowledgement just like that.

We’ll be on a call again, and as always I’ll be all ears. Can’t wait to catch up on our unfinished conversations. Till then, rest for real, my dear friend.

Listen Up

Mediterranean Sundance from the 1980 San Francisco live recording by Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, and Paco de Lucía—reflective of you—full of life, positivity, improv with a touch of mischief and humour.

It started a little over six months ago. After a few years of just obsessively thinking, deeply hoping, and casually spreading the word, a couple of friends became the world that conspired to make this a reality. It may have been a couple of years, or maybe a couple more, I’ve been wrestling with this nagging conversation with myself to hit the gym and focus on getting fitter.

Sometime in June 2025, A couple of friends and I were returning from another friend’s 40^th birthday celebrations, and one of them popped the question, ‘Why don’t you consider joining a gym?’ Now, it wasn’t just the two voices in my head fighting each other out. There was a real voice outside that added to the conflict or the chorus. She added that she’s happy to keep following up with me till I acted on it. My issue has never been converting my will to action, turning inertia into momentum, but it’s just been about finding the right personal trainer. We both let the conversation hibernate in the Bombay rains. Sometime in the first week of October of 2025, I reached out to the same set of friends again to check if they knew of anyone who’s a personal trainer, and would be interested in taking up a gig to train me. Looking back at it, I don’t know why I didn’t ask them earlier, or reach out to different gyms in my vicinity for the same. I guess it was to be October, it was to be 2025, and so it was. My friends reached out to their trainer, and he was happy to give it a try, and take a bet on me. And so, here we are, months later, keeping the rhythm going.

Fussy Me Or Fitter Me?

I was keen on a personal trainer for a couple of reasons.

1. For guiding me through the exercises through a combination of touch-assisted movements and conversations. If this is the first piece of mine you’ve chanced upon, or the first time you’re getting to know me, here’s a quick disclosure detour. I’m visually impaired—to the extent of 100% blindness in both my eyes, with only some light perception left to grace the routine. I’ve had this condition since my birth, but if there’s any moment I’m looking straight into your eyes while talking to you, treat it as a happy accident. I’m neither reading your mind, nor am I hit by a miracle for the ages. Sometimes, I can see through you, but no one does that only with eyes wide open.

2. For pushing me to the edge of possibilities, and stretching me day after day. I was looking for someone who would never settle for the bare minimum, but keep challenging the previous best. I think this need and urge to push myself stems from years of defending people’s perception of what I can do, and my forever restlessness to do more.

Working Out By Figuring Out

My fitness coach is the founder of Tabbar Goregaon, and he has been in the fitness space for years. However, he started off with hotel management by qualification and profession, went on to bite the corporate bug with an MBA, but lunged into the blend of physical fitness and entrepreneurship very soon. We’ve been meeting almost every week for three, and at times four sessions of sixty minutes each since October 2025. Through the course of the past months, I’ve learnt of names of equipment, which were part alien to me before. A physical workout is not physical alone—it calls on every inch of mental presence and resolve to ensure every rotation carries the right form till the end.

Just like any relationship (personal, vocational, professional or interest driven), honest and consistent communication is critical. We started off our engagement by me clearly stating my fitness goals. It was building the 2 Ss—strength and stamina. I didn’t look at any numbers, didn’t set any targets, but only focused on being regular and honest. My commitment to myself and my coach was just to show up and do the work. We then aligned on what’s the best mode of demonstrating the body movements. Some were easy to pick up with verbal cues. Some required him to assist by holding my hands/legs to explain the angles, and some had me touch his knees, hips and elbows to get a hang of the posture—especially during the initial days of squat variations. Everyone’s method of learning would be different, and I’m sure someone else would pick up some of these in completely different ways.

Every Start Leads to Discovery

There were times when I’d get something in the first go, and some of them like the kettlebell swings took a lot more repeat takes than I’d liked. We don’t just keep counts and see the sets drift by. He’d keep telling me the specific points each exercise is meant to address, and I’d continue to marvel at how the simplest of movements can lock and unlock a part of the body. I had often heard about the stretching routine in every sport, but in the initial weeks, I got to experience the true value and relief that it brings. I never knew human muscles have heads, a farmer’s walk is a cardio routine, and I’ll have a list of exercises that I’m not a fan of—push-ups, lateral raises, and battle rope. Who’d known the value of a resistance band as a strong exercise apparatus! If not for this gym routine, I would have never come to realize that squats, lunges, and burpees are not hard, and they’re some of my favourite sequences.

More Than Just Working Out

Our conversations are not limited to exercises alone. We continue to exchange a lot of notes on music. With a ton of newer artists and albums to sample. I have to say, I’ve been at the receiving end of a lot of good recommendations—Greta Van Fleet, The Strokes, Empire of the Sun, etc, and I’d geek out on Jeff Healey, David Gilmour, Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the likes. We both agree that Eddie Vedder is bloody hard to understand when he sings, and the ’70s and ‘80s music wears a happy smile during an intense workout. Through our conversations, I learnt of the connection between Diwali and the sixth guru of the Sikhs from the 17th century, about Jalandhar being one of the leading exporters of sports and gym equipment from India, and recently, about plant-based proteins in chocolate flavours. We’re excited about the growing Gin culture in India, and Linkin Park’s new era with Emily Armstrong.

My coach started Tabbar Goregaon with all his savings over the years. He has deep knowhow on the intricacies of the human anatomy in motion and its endurance. They cater to people of all ages, some of whom have been their frequent subscribers for years. There’s a good blend of respect and rigor that shows up every single day, at this small corner in my neighbourhood, and I’m only glad to continue being its benefactor.

Listen Up

Walking on a Dream from the album of the same name from 2008 by Empire of the Sun. These lines nicely sum up the rush of my Tabbar routine.
‘We are always running for the thrill of it, thrill of it

Always pushing up the hill, searching for the thrill of it

On and on and on we are calling out, and out again

Never looking down, I’m just in awe of what’s in front of me.’

You can continue to check out my Trove Of Tunes curated in a Spotify playlist by clicking here.

Cheers,

Shri