GAURAV

CA,CMA, passionate about history, cricket, excel and fountain pens !

[Aaditya Aanand @biased_human]

I live in Bengaluru. I leave for badminton every day at 6:40 am. The court is 5 km from my place. In the morning, it does not take more than 10 minutes.

I took the HAL Old Airport Road. Friday morning, the roads were empty. I was riding at roughly 60 km/h. There was a truck about 150m ahead of me, moving slowly in the left lane.

I planned to overtake it from right. I throttled my FZ, and just when I was 50-60m from the truck, it made an abrupt cut to the right.

My heart missed a beat and my reflexes took over. I applied both brakes with full power. Yamaha bikes have crazy braking. My bike stopped 4-5 metres short of the truck.

I was about to curse the truck driver when I saw a Zomato delivery guy on his Yulu, riding on the wrong side. The truck driver had made an abrupt cut to save him.

No wonder India is the road accident capital of the world. Nobody gives a f*ck about rules. If you ride a two-wheeler, pray for your life.

[Reads with Ravi @readswithravi]

This book is hilarious and on point. Instead of cliché positivity affirmations, it is a collection of sarcastic and realistic affirmations.

Here are 10 of my favorites:

[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.

[Wholesome @wholesome_X_]

Life is more beautiful when you have friends who know how to be friends.

[Shekhar Kapur @shekharkapur]

What happened if someone chiselled a nose on just one of the sculptures wrong ? Did the whole temple need to be carved out again? Yet, they did not get it wrong .. how?

Carved downwards out of a single piece of rock , with no tools other than hammers and chisels ..

.. detail of carvings and sculptures within the temple are not just exquisite , but absolutely precise and accurate in form and in geometry.. from top to bottom

.. that’s a mystery greater than the mystery of the Pyramids of Giza…

The system of mathematics in ancient India came down from our scriptures and formed the basis of a lot of our music ( Taal ) , art and architecture, .. our Philosophy was not linear .. but circular .. where the finite met the infinite again and again in concentric circles .. like how the Universe is ..

The closest modern science now comes to it is what we call Quantum computing , Quantum entanglement . The theories on which Google has built the ‘Willow’ .. the words fastest Quantum Computer.

The British changed our education system and made it linear. The colonizers did not have any understanding or knowledge of Quantum .. we did .. but over time of colonisation.. we lost the knowledge and Wisdom ..

.. yes, Wisdom too .. for knowledge without Wisdom is dry , with the true and wider meaning squeezed out of it .

No wonder that when the greatest Indian Mathematician of all time was asked how he solved some of the most perplexing questions that all the greatest physicists and mathematicians in world were unable to solve ..

Ramanujan replied ..

..’My Devi comes to me.. ‘

#ElloraCaves #India #AncientMathematics #Upnishads #Architecure #Quantum #Willow #Wisdom #QuantumComputers #PyramidsofGiza #Ramanujan #AI #colonization #vedicculture #MyDeviComesToMe

[BhikuMhatre @MumbaichaDon]

Erling Haaland 🙌🏻

Is he real?

[Jon Erlichman @JonErlichman]

On this day in 1994: Amazon founded.

[Sagar @sagarcasm]

The world will never forget this 41 year old wall

[Dr. Julie Gurner @drgurner]

Such a cool thought this morning by physicist Alan Lightman:

"Being alive at all is the most extraordinary stroke of good luck any of us will ever experience."

It is your responsibility to not waste this miracle.

[Sundar Pichai @sundarpichai]

Love this re-imagining of America’s founding using Docs, Gmail, Calendar and more from @GoogleWorkspace. Really puts the history in version history :)

[Peter Frankopan @peterfrankopan]

I love the World Cup. But the older I get, the more I realise it's about far more than football: each tournament tells us something about empire, migration, identity, power and the changing world. So: a few quick thoughts ! 1/5

[England's Barmy Army 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🎺 @TheBarmyArmy]

Benjamin Andrew Stokes.

Captain. Leader. Legend. 👑

[GAURAV @deshpandegau]

@RyanHoliday Here me: bookmarking this to read for later :'(

[The Kaipullai @thekaipullai]

For the last 15 years, I've always had one dream and desire which was to make Indian history interesting for everyone.

In that time period, I have tried writing blogs, long-form posts, stories and threads, to do exactly that.

Some worked, most didn't. But with every post, I always had this nagging question.

Why is Indian history always taught with a tunnel vision. Why is it so fragmented?

Why do we always learn things from the perspective of one empire, kingdom, king or invader.

Why do we never see an all India view of history?

I mean most of us struggle if we are ever are asked this question

1. What was the true extent of the Mughal Empire at its peak?
2. Who were the Cholas' contemporaries in North India?
3. While Muhammad Ghori was fighting the Second Battle of Tarain, who ruled Thanjavur?
4. While Harsha ruled Kannauj, who ruled Assam?

I have always wished there was a simple way to see the political map of India for any year in Indian history.

I have always wished there be a place where

1. One Could Select any year and instantly see who ruled every part of the Indian subcontinent.
2. One could Discover the important events that happened in that year
3. One could select a time period, say 1700 - 1947, and see how the Indian subcontinent evolved in that period.
4. How did one tiny red dot in West Bengal, from a tiny red dot in Europe, somehow came to rule an entire subcontinent of 400 million people,

For years, that idea remained just an idea and a dream because

1. I didn't know how to build a website.
2. I couldn't afford to hire someone who could.

Then Claude Came along.

Thanks to generous support and heavy lifting by Claude, over the last few months, that 15-year-old idea is slowly transforming into a reality.

And today, it has reached a position, where I'm excited to share with all of you, the first sneak peek of https://t.co/6ph2s9Zzl9

It is my attempt to create an interactive historical atlas of India that lets you travel through time and explore the political history of the subcontinent, one year at a time.

This is my attempt to make history interactive and fun.

I'd love to hear what you think.

[Krishnan Srinivasan @Sastha93883062]

Years ago each sivan temple in Thanjavur Jilla had a dedicated Kurukkal. They lived in Agraharam,took care of the presiding deity, did nithyapadi poojai, 4 kala poojai,6 kaala poojai,as the case may be.
Each Vaishnava temple had a dedicated Archagar. They followed the agamam,performed thirumanajanam on Thirunakshathram etc., Mahasamprokshanam,Samvathsaram were done as per the tradition.
Over the years,due to many reasons, the situation has changed.
Today in and around Kumbakonam,Thanjavur side you have one Kurukkal servicing 6,7 or even 8 temples.
The impact is two ways.
1. In order to sustain a living the Kurukkal has to accept,serve all of those temples
2. The Dharma Karthas have sought the support of Kurukkal to perform oru kaala poojai atleast.

Just think about 10 -12 years down the line.

Why is that Archagars,Sivacharyals,Kurukkals,Bhattars are the deprived lot?

One Sivacharyal in Vadapathimangalam cycles at his old age to go to the temple. Widower,has a daughter who is widow ( with her daughter )

Another Archagar in Pancharamashethram,has a metal plate in his left leg,still performs his daily poojai in Ramar Koil.

Another Kurukkal,despite Asthma problem ( wheezing ) in Sithanvazhoor continues his Koil poojai living in the same Agraharam.
Another Kurukkal says he is getting monthly Rs.62..from the TN Government in Alagaputhur,Near Nachiarkoil.

The Kurukkal in Sethanipuram Sivan koil writes about his wife 's insulin,medical needs every month,seeks support.

The Kurukkal in Thirukarukudi receives Paddy yearly once..he is my friend.

The Kurukkal in Masilamaneeswarar koil,Kadichambadi gets paddy.

....the Kurukkal's case in Avalivanaloor sivan koil is the same case.

The Kurukkal in Padagacheri sivan koil survives ( his sister and he )because of his Karnataka Government hotel pension..not getting any support other than the tea,coffee,dosa,food from his neighborhood. In Padagacheri,swami Neivedhyam is from other community lady.

All the above information is verified.

Aren't we here to deepdive into this sad state of affairs?

If not now,never.

[BLACKCAPS @BLACKCAPS]

"It's a team I love and it's so dear to my heart"

Thank you for the memories, Kane 🖤🤍

[BLACKCAPS @BLACKCAPS]

One of our greatest ever, signing off.

Kane Williamson has announced his retirement from international cricket effective immediately.

Head to https://t.co/Pm8RiU65zt to read more.

[Sachin Tendulkar @sachin_rt]

From the time I started playing cricket, Kane Williamson has been one of the most technically compact and magnificent batters I have seen. Balance, timing, and that trademark calm at the crease came together to make his batting one of the most consistently pleasing sights in world cricket. A thorough gentleman and a true role model for youngsters.

His retirement will probably be received with unexpected relief in more than a few bowling camps. Wishing him luck and success in his next chapter.

[ChessBase India @ChessbaseIndia]

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is the Champion of Norway Chess 2026! With an incredible win on demand against Vincent Keymer in the final round, Praggnanandhaa wins one of the strongest tournaments of the year scoring 18/30 points, 2 classical wins against World no.1 Magnus Carlsen, and an incredible 4-game Winstreak to finish the event!

A huge congratulations to Praggnanandhaa, his team and his family- this is undoubtedly the biggest achievement of his career so far, and what a way to get there!

Graphic: Anmol Bhargav
#chess #norwaychess #Praggnanandhaa

[Lost Temples™ @LostTemple7]

No matter how difficult life becomes, never giving up.