Shresht

Mechanical Engineering graduate. A die hard Real Madrid CF fan. Loves to travel.

[Sunil Chhetri @chetrisunil11]

It takes a lot to be a stakeholder in Indian football. It has been like that for some time now. But when everything around looks like it will crumble, you bank on family to hold on to each other. And more often than not, it is the elders in the house that you turn to, for assurance. All of you at the TATA Group, through TFA first, and then @JamshedpurFC, have been one of our pillars.

To know that Jamshedpur has folded first team operations is a punch to the gut. The players and staff will be without clubs, and they might find one by the end of it all. The League will have a team less, but the season will go on. However, not having the TATA group involved in the top tier of Indian football - that would be a disaster with no alternative.

I understand that some tough decisions in sport are down to what makes sense in the board room. But I can only request and hope that the think tank at TATA picks their heart over head and reconsiders this call. It might be a poor business decision, but it will be the one Indian football needs the most at this hour.

[UEFA @UEFA]

Statement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National AssociationStatement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National AssociationStatement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National AssociationStatement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National Associations

[Indian Football @IndianFootball]

A date for the history books. 🇮🇳🤝🇧🇷

[Ajeet Bharti @ajeetbharti]

The thing is no one is even seen trying. As I have stated multiple times, Pradhan will go and some random person will come. Minister is a figurehead in the systems like the one Modi is running. Every thing is managed at PMO level, so make Prahlad Joshi the minister, won’t change a thing.

They had 12 years to prioritise education, get good guys with academic credentials to gather and plan something that would change India forever. They continued Congress’ stupid system, proudly claiming they haven’t changed a thing.

In these 12 years we would have had the opportunity to train a new set of teachers to teach a new set of curricula and lay foundation for ‘Amrit Kaal’ or ‘Viksit Bharat’ in the real sense of the word.

However, the master of acronyms at @PMOIndia, convinced @narendramodi that a nation of stupid groups of people need the same mugging up and vomiting system of education. Whatever the fuck happened to their talks of Macaulay screwed up our education system.

All the time @BJP4India spokespeople would bark at length about how Congress destroyed India with colonial education and history. The question is what the fuck did you guys do? All the bullshit of RSS and BJP saying education and culture define a civilisation!

I have little to no hope. First time, it could be attributed to inexperience, second time we could say miscalculation, but the same thing the third time is a disastrous negligence.

[Narendra Modi @narendramodi]

HIGH POWERED TASK FORCE on examination reforms under the leadership of Shri Nandan Nilekani constituted.

@NandanNilekani

[Abhi🛰️ @infinitipill]

Republic is supreme.

[Toni Kroos @ToniKroos]

Football won

[AI Evolution @AiEvolutio58513]

Perplexity founder, Aravind Srinivas, shares the one piece of career advice from Sam Altman he never forgot:

[Satya Nadella @satyanadella]

https://t.co/vLmiBKTtX3

[Shiv Aroor @ShivAroor]

Only thing offensive about this photo is the Cheetah copter. Uncles/incels/wannabes should be furious over how the Army has failed to replace Cheetahs for 20 yrs!
Last month, a Maj Gen had a narrow escape in a crash.
But no, they'll fulminate over young love in a new world.

[KJS DHILLON🇮🇳 @TinyDhillon]

You want the young officer to sacrifice his life for the love of the Nation, but you don’t want him to express his love for his fiancée.

In the Army we say ‘Youngster nahi karega, toh kaun karega’.

If you can not find a fault in his professional capabilities, don’t do this nuktachini for such a pure gesture of love and belonging.

Military equipment has been on display during many ‘Know your Army’ exhibitions around the country. The students and non military personnel have clicked pics with it showing pride and love for the Army. So, please don’t bring in the national security angle into this.

Let the young soldier do his national duty with pride and honour 👍

Jai Hind 🇮🇳

[PIB India @PIB_India]

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is pleased to announce the introduction of a scheme for induction into the Technical Branch (Officers Cadre), allowing eligible candidates to apply based on their Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) scores.

Under this new initiative, candidates possessing a valid GATE score will be eligible for direct shortlisting for testing at the Air Force Selection Boards (AFSBs). Selection will be based on merit, effectively exempting these candidates from the preliminary written examination, such as the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT). The GATE Score scheme will be applicable exclusively for induction into the Technical Branch. The AFCAT will continue to serve as the standard admission test for induction into all branches of the IAF, including the Technical Branch.

Read here: https://t.co/RKp1dirnTN

@IAF_MCC

[VatsRohit @KesariDhwaj]

Pakistan Army and Tactical Brilliance - Nah! Its plain old stupidity.

Recently @ShekharGupta wrote a piece on the tactical brilliance but strategic stupidity of the Pakistan Army since 1947.

For a very long time, even I believed in this theory.

But when I started re-reading the military history and other ops (I had frankly forgotten a lot of stuff), I realized that this is a very charitable explanation which we extend to what is actually repeated stupidity at play by the Pakistanis.

We do this because we can't seem to digest or accept that someone can be repeatedly so stupid. So, we name it tactical brilliance.
---
"Yes Sir, Three Bags Full, Sir".

As they say, Pakistan doesn't have an army, the Pakistan Army has a nation. PA and its generals are not accountable to anyone. Only potential threat is an internal coup from some other general. Thats it.

So, when plans are finalized within the GHQ in Rawalpindi, there is no-one to provide a counter-view.

A steeply hierarchical organization coupled with a zeal to get even with the 'Kaffir' 'Hindu' 'Baniya' India is a very dangerous cocktail which does not allow critical appraisal or feedback.

So, if the big man and his coeterie says GO, everyone simply follows the order.
---
'Phat Ke Flower'

What follows from the above is the first thing you realize when studying the overall war objectives of Pakistan is that there is no thought given to "What-If Scenarios".

Pakistanis make these simple, straight-forward and linear assumptions, and the whole war plan is predicated on this assumptions holding ground.

There is no stress-testing - There is no 'What-if' scenario assessment. Pakistanis are so cocky about their reading of geopolitics, Indian politics and strategic scenario, and Indian military capabilites and leadership, that they simply don't factor for scenarios apart from the rosy pictures they've built inside their heads.

The moment they counter an alternate scenario and see the script running contrary to what they had gamed (more like dreamed about), they have the proverbial 'Phat ke flower' moment.

And you'll find them running around headless chicken.
---
Kargil - Crown jewel of Pakistan Army's Stupidity

A lot of serious and casual commentators say that the Indian Army did not see Kargil coming inspite of the intelligence warnings.

My counter-question is this - What was Kargil and what should've the Indian Army foreseen coming?

It is known that the Northern Command did run a table-top war-game where Pakistan Army incursion into the Kargil Sector was envisaged by a red-team (Brigadier level officers from Northern Command).

But it was considered as not possible because given the terrain, logistic requirement and Pakistani+own troop disposition, it was simply not sustainable.

But what was the thinking from Pakistan Army's side?
---
Living in La La Land

(1) The Nuclear Shield: They assumed Pakistan's nuclear weapons would completely deter India from launching a major conventional military counter-attack.

(2) Localized Indian Response: They believed India's military reaction would be weak and restricted strictly to minor infantry skirmishes along the LoC.

(3) International Intervention: They expected the international community to panic and force an immediate ceasefire, freezing the captured territory in Pakistan's favor.

(4) Plausible Deniability: They assumed the world would believe the intruders were local Kashmiri freedom fighters rather than regular Pakistani soldiers.

(5) Choking Siachen Supplies: They believed occupying the heights would permanently cut off India's vital NH 1D highway, forcing India to abandon Siachen.

(6) Total Secrecy as a Strength: They assumed keeping the plan hidden from their own Air Force, Navy, and Prime Minister would ensure tactical success without consequence.
---
Even enthu-cutlet defense crowd on X will tell you that all of the above assumptions are pure fantasy and have no relation to the reality as it exists on ground.

I mean, just one change in Assumption (2) [Massive Indian localized retaliation with arty support and Indian Air Force being brought into picture] meant that the whole plan went for the toss!!!

Forget that India had alternate Manali-Leh route to supply Siachen and Ladakh Sector or India could've widened the conflict by crossing LOC at its own area of chosing (which was actually planned and troops put in place in Kashmir for this option).
---
In the end, I again ask - What was Kargil?

It was a fundamentally flawed plan at land-grab to bring about a major change in the alignment of LOC and AGPL with far reaching geo-political consequenes but which was based on iffy assumptions, none of which held in the end, leading the Pakistanis to suffer another humiliating defeat.

So, what was tactically brilliant about occupying un-guarded areas across LOC on Indian side when in the end it led to all-around failure?

As I said earlier - We need to call out the Pakistan Army actions for what they are - plain old stupidity, and not flatter them with terms like tactical brilliance!
---
Before I close, let me circle back to an earlier question - What did the Indian Army not envisage when it came to Kargil?

- First, purely from military logic, the Indian Army was absolutely correct in its assessment that no operation in Kargil is sustainable by the Pakistanis given myriad of factors.

- The mistake it did was to assume that Pakistan Army will think on rational lines with rigorous military logic.

- That it will initiate ops based on fundamentally flawed assumptions and in the process, initiate hostilities and war.

- Having committed itself to an ops without thinking through the whole scenario, Pakistanis ended up suffering another humiliating retreat and defeat.

- But we paid the price in 500+ bravehearts to clean up the mess.

- Any opportunity to harm India is to Pakistan Army what a shot of drugs is to a junkie - consequences be damned.

[Shresht @shreshtha_kumar]

😝

[THE SKIN DOCTOR @theskindoctor13]

Friends,

I had not seen the UPSC results because I had not given the exam. But today someone posted the result PDF in a whatsapp group. I opened it and realised I too have been selected as Rank 1.

All those efforts, late nights, mental breakdowns, and uncertainty, yet still holding on while monitoring the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, have paid off.

Victory celebrations will be organised today. Media friends are cordially invited. Friends and acquaintances are requested to bring gifts and money for the victory celebrations, but not to call me or visit me after I assume office. I will not meet or talk because I will be busy cleaning up the system from within and bringing positive change to people's lives.

My message to aspirants is to keep focused. If your eyes are not fixated on the target, no amount of coaching or effort can make you succeed.

[Sundar Pichai @sundarpichai]

We trained a new flood forecasting model designed to predict flash floods in urban areas up to 24 hours in advance.

To help address a flash floods data gap, we created Groundsource: a new AI methodology using Gemini to identify 2.6M+ historical events across 150+ countries.

We’re open-sourcing this dataset to advance global research, and urban flash flood forecasts are live now in Flood Hub to help communities stay safe.

[neural nets. @cneuralnetwork]

whenever i face failure in my life, i order taco bell and watch this speech

[Gems Of Replies @GemsOfReplies]

Continue in replies

[barkha dutt @BDUTT]

Good morning 🙏

Go to the stopwatch on your smart phone.

Press start.

Wait for 32 seconds.

Press stop.

Now ask yourself:

What could you do in that time?

Brush your teeth?

Have a shower?

Wear your clothes?

Have a cup of coffee?

None of the above?

Then ask yourself:

Would you be able to make a life or death decision in that time?

Would you WANT to make a life or death decision in that time?

Well, that is apparently the amount of time that the pilots on the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight AI 171, from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, had.

From take-off to crash.

32 seconds.

If one has ever peeked into the cockpit of a modern aircraft, then I guess one would comprehend the difficulty even more.

Because people have been talking about and analyzing the videos of that horrible crash.

Expert airmen and air women.

Flyers with thousands of hours of experience.

And they are still unable to definitively state what might have gone wrong.

After more than 30 hours.

They can’t figure it out.

Bird strike?

Dual engine failure?

Incorrect take-off configuration?

Flaps not correctly deployed?

Landing gear not retracted in time?

Hydraulics?

Nah, they just can’t say.

Not yet, not with certainty.

Not without the flight data recorder and the voice recorder, they can’t.

And yet, those poor pilots in that fated cockpit didn’t have 30 hours.

They had the luxury of a full 32 seconds.

To decide.

With certainty.

What in their modern, highly complex airplane, with millions of little knobs and gizmos and gadgets and dials, had actually gone wrong.

What should they do?

Not what should they speculate, but what should they actually do?

Because once they had figured out what had gone wrong, they still had to fix it.

All in a grand total of 32 seconds.

And not 32 seconds of peaceful thinking.

But 32 seconds of horrible frantic thinking, scrambling for ideas, running through mental checklists in the blur of seconds, racking through their brains for everything they had learnt in flight school and thousands of hours of flying, checking, scanning, altimeter, airspeed, stick shaker, what’s going on, why, why, why, with sirens and warnings likely blaring in the background, knowing that what they decide could impact their lives as well as the lives of another 240 souls on board, shit, 240 souls, why, what, how, will I see my baby.

I pick up my own smart phone.

Flick on the stopwatch.

Start.

Let it run to 32 seconds.

What must it be like, then, to know, with utmost certainty, possibly around the 15 second mark, that this was it?

That these would be the last few precious seconds of my life?

To know that things were hopeless, beyond fixing, to press that button on the radio and say those last words:

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.

Hopefully some day we will know.

Some of the answers at least, I hope.

Of what went on in that cockpit.

What went wrong with that aircraft.

Why did it fall slowly out of the sky?

And hopefully once we know, airlines around the world will scramble to fix things.

To fix airframes, or equipment, or crew, or ground staff or whatever went wrong.

So that these 32 seconds never happen again.

Tonight, before your head touches that soft comfortable pillow, close your eyes.

And say a little prayer.

For 32 seconds.

Better still, pick up that smartphone, yes, the one with the smartwatch, and call someone.

Someone you love.

And let them know.

You love them.

Because life is fragile.

And who knows.

One day, we may only have…

32 seconds.

-Written by a Pilot !

[Shresht @shreshtha_kumar]

Good one!

[Sundar Pichai @sundarpichai]

@Musafirr_hu_yar I have been wondering this too:)