Anupama Bijur

My old account got hacked, so here I am again. Former journalist. Now, an evangelist for personal finance at PeakAlpha Investments

[Kiran Manral @KiranManral]

"The conversation around hair loss post chemotherapy is almost like it is just an unfortunate side effect, something like the incessant nausea and fatigue, a mere inconvenience that can easily be managed with a scarf or a cap or a wig.

But hair is not merely hair.

For many of us women, hair is femininity, sexuality, youth, identity, vanity, familiarity and self-esteem all entangled in one biological accessory. It is the one thing we spend years learning how to manipulate into becoming the version of ourselves we recognise. We condition it, we colour it, we blow dry it, we tie it, we pin it back, we let it loose. We know which side to part it on, to suit our face structure. We know how it misbehaves in humidity. We know which haircut works with our face and which one makes us look vaguely like a mushroom head. We know what our hair looks like when we are all dressed up, when we are ill, when we have just woken up, when we are going somewhere important, or just running out on an errand. We have different hair for different settings.

And suddenly, one morning, there is nothing there."

https://t.co/Dr61DU9n6Z

[NWMIndia @NWM_India]

Almost every #protest or movement unwittingly has one enduring image which becomes the photograph through which millions understand the entire movement.

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

#Bengaluru monsoon. Light rain, heavy pothole splash. #rain

[The Seeker @TheSeeker268]

It's a shame no major film has been made about Biju Patnaik. He lived a life that sounds almost fictional:

In 1938, he flew his entire wedding procession by aircraft to Rawalpindi for his marriage to Gyanwati Sethi (who became the first Indian woman to hold a commercial pilot’s license, and the couple later flew daring missions together.)

While serving in the Royal Indian Air Force (including as head of Air Transport Command), he secretly ferried freedom fighters like Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Aruna Asaf Ali to their hideouts. He also airdropped 'Quit India' leaflets to Indian troops while evacuating British families.

The British once jailed him for transporting nationalist leaders and distributing anti-British literature but also honored him for bravery in evacuating civilians from Japanese-occupied Burma.

During WWII, he flew daring missions delivering arms and supplies to Soviet forces in Stalingrad, and over the treacherous 'Hump' route to China in
support of Chinese Nationalist forces against the Japanese.

In July 1947, he and his wife flew a Dakota into Indonesia, landed on an improvised airstrip while evading Dutch anti-aircraft fire, rescued Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir, refuelled using abandoned Japanese fuel, and flew him safely to India via Singapore.

A couple of months later, during the Pakistani invasion of Kashmir, he airlifted one of the first Indian troops into Srinagar.

The same year he founded Kalinga Airlines, one of India's earliest private airlines.

As Odisha CM post-1962 India-China war, he secretly visited CIA headquarters at Langley to forge a covert India-US partnership against China, which led to the Aviation Research Centre (ARC) at Charbatia, which supported U-2 recon missions over Tibet.

He was also a legendary administrator and statesman, laying much of the foundation of Odisha's industrial empire (mines, ports, heavy industries etc).

When he passed away, Indonesia observed 7 days of state mourning. Russia observed 1 day. He remains the only person in Indian history whose body was draped in the national flags of 3 nations - India, Indonesia, and Russia.

Few public figures have left such a footprint.

His extraordinary life needs to be brought to the big screen.

[Kayezad E Adajania @kayezad]

Mumbai rents. Bengaluru traffic. Delhi pollution. Many Indians are quietly trading all of it, for a smaller city. But what does the move actually do to your finances?

@RijuMET runs the numbers in this week's cover at @ET_Wealth

[Kayezad E Adajania @kayezad]

Missed your insurer's 90-day deadline to submit claim documents?

The Bombay High Court says that's not enough reason to reject a genuine claim.

A must-read by @Preeti__Kul in this week's @ET_Wealth.

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Summer of 2026.

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Surviving April in Bengaluru: It's not hot enough for an AC yet. Also, the rains are almost here...

[Prasanna K @prasanna_says]

actually Bangalore lost its cool no matter what the weather folks say...

The daytime max barely moved since the 1980s. But it's hotter than 30C for MUCH longer

Heat stress lasts longer: used to get cooler by 4:27 PM → now HOT till 5:54 PM

The night used to cool down below 22°C and we used to recover — now hours per night under 22°C — shrank from 3½ hours to 48 minutes!

No wonder I'm cranky and exhausted in the mornings!

40 years of ERA5 hourly data →
https://t.co/2kI7Ui3lEo

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Such a privilege & joy to be singing with Amb @NMenonRao and this wonderful community that she's brought together - The Silver Songbirds, a seniors' choir that performed in Blr on April 12. With @Soundarie leading us, this choir has been an anchor in these turbulent times.

[Nirupama Menon Rao 🇮🇳 @NMenonRao]

It was a joyful occasion indeed!

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Alzheimer's, aging and social architecture - what's important for the brain health of our aging parents

https://t.co/GX67eu3KAv

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

After 50, winging the wing tip eyeliner everyday. Because longsightedness is a pain.

#eyeliner #wingtip #makeuptutorial

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Random sock pairing season is now officially open in Bengaluru

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

The credit for this pranic / panic healing idea goes to Anindita Mitra who when I told her I had signed up for a pranic healing course, replied, "Bijur, you do pranic healing. I only have time for panic healing."
So no offense to any pranic healers here. Enjoy the word play.

[Mint @livemint]

#PersonalFinance | Portfolio management and asset allocation lessons from the Mahabharata

Download the app now to stay updated in real time!

(Priya Sunder writes)

https://t.co/zgDZ1j3UUK

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Another day and another auto driver asking where I'm from? I should start charging a discount for every question. But I'm too chuffed that my Kannada got certified by a #Bengaluru auto driver.

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

No one's thought of broom taxis? So much untapped witchcraft going to waste.
#bengalurutraffic

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

"The Jargon Olympics Leaderboard: 'Blue sky thinking' is killing it with 12 points and 'thought shower' is a close second with 9 points."

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

Read this in high school as a story in our Hindi text book.

[Sam Dalrymple @SamDalrymple123]

The opening lines of one of the most powerful short stories ever written.

[Anupama Bijur @BijurAnupama]

" I'm waiting for the 6 7 emoji. Perhaps then I'll understand what it means."

And it's a happy coincidence that the @NewYorker newsletter has something on 6 7 by @iancrouch