CHILD IS PRECIOUS

WHERE IT BEGAN EIGHT YEARS AGO

2026-10-20T21:06:50.998+05:30

WHERE IT BEGAN EIGHT YEARS AGO

TRAVANCORE FRESH SUPERMARKET

VANDITHADAM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

DAUGHTER IN HER AMMACHI'S SAREE

2026-10-19T16:54:56.065+05:30

IN HER AMMACHI'S SAREE

FAMILY GETS TOGETHER

2026-10-19T16:52:29.953+05:30

FLOWERS IN THE GARDEN

2026-10-19T16:50:31.139+05:30

TARGET

2026-10-19T16:34:08.816+05:30

Target unprecedented and extraordinary goals

When a problem troubles everyone, then the solution should also cover everyone

It will be an injustice if small and easy goals are set.

Target unprecedented and extraordinary goals

Be driven by a desire to learn continually

No incidents should be considered a waste of time or energy

Be guided by humility

Learn to rise up when you fail

When people oppose you learn to understand them

Never be driven by ambition but by mission

Every crisis must be a test of your patience

Excerpts - Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses Viksit Bharat Sankalp Sabha in Delhi

FLOWERS GREET TRAVELLERS ON ROAD

2026-10-19T16:28:47.059+05:30

FLOWERS GREET TRAVELLERS ON ROAD

GRANITE JUBILEE

2026-10-19T16:23:40.702+05:30

A granite jubilee is a hypothetical or symbolic name for a 90th anniversary or 90th milestone.

Key Milestones Compared

Silver Jubilee: 25 years

Golden Jubilee: 50 years

Diamond Jubilee: 60 years (or 75 years)

Platinum Jubilee: 70 years

Oak Jubilee: 80 years

Granite Jubilee: 90 years

Centenary / Centennial: 100 years

Because reaching a 90-year mark for a human lifespan or a traditional institution is rare, the term is largely theoretical.

ANOOP IN JAPAN

2026-10-19T16:13:27.393+05:30

ANOOP IN JAPAN

FISHING BOATS AT NIGHT - VIZHINJAM PORT - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - ARABIAN SEA

2026-10-19T16:11:14.265+05:30

ARABIAN SEA

FISHING BOATS AT NIGHT - VIZHINJAM PORT - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Sashidhar Jagdishan MD & CEO HDFC BANK

2026-10-19T15:44:17.183+05:30

Sashidhar Jagdishan

When specifically asked why he chose not to continue for a third term, Jagdishan said: “I think, sometimes after 31 years, one need to also start to look at life outside of the institution that you have nurtured, you have grown with. It is a personal call.”

CONSISTENCY IS MOST IMPORTANT

2026-10-19T15:41:16.331+05:30

For a teacher or for one in management, consistency is most important.

One in management does not mean mere managers alone. You are in management wherever you are - managing a host of tasks

For that, you have to be on a constant drive.

Drive to improve yourself.

You have to relentlessly refine yourself.

It is in essence the upgradation of your knowledge level.

You have to learn to absorb failures as well as heaps of abuses flying at you.

You have to convey really well what you wish to tell others or unveil.

Be ready to retract whenever needed.

But have in mind

Mao Zedong always.

"Two steps forward, one step back."

WARREN BUFFETT BECAME WARREN BUFFETT

2026-10-15T12:35:54.324+05:30

Warren Buffett became Warren Buffett

Because he knew when to buy

And when to sell

Because he knew

What to buy

And what to sell

Warren Buffett became Warren Buffett

Because he was firm

Not to flaunt his wealth

Because he never went

To take too much out

Modesty was his virtue

And listening was his forte

PERFORMANCE ALONE MATTERS

2026-10-15T12:16:56.114+05:30

You have to set standards.

You may not be getting any younger.

But you can always be better equipped to handle everything you come across

You have to churn out well wherever you are

Your job is to tackle what is in front of you.

Performance alone matters

That's the point you have to consistently prove.

PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING

2026-10-13T10:16:13.660+05:30

Let me take a leaf out of cricketer Abhishek Sharma (The Times of India Sports folio 13October2026) and transpose that to the. young, their education and their growth.

Preparation is important. Detailed preparation allows you to sustain the gains you make in overall development.

Training in testing situations grooms you. You have to anticipate the challenges ahead and work on them. When you prepare, be ready to meet the uncomfortable, head on.

That kind of preparation keeps you battle ready and prevents surprising failures or unexpected pull backs.

Plan to counter what unexpectedly comes up. Allow yourself to be tested when you prepare for the exams. It helps you face the exams and testing times well.

You have to be prepared to respond to all kinds of questions that could be thrown at you. You must be willing to stay away from your comfort zone and refuse to be cocooned there.

Design your preparations to make you uncomfortable. It creates a mindset where surprises fail to surprise you.

Allow yourself to be in tough situations as you prepare.

When you prepare deep like this, nothing would deter you from savouring success.

TRAVAILS OF AN ATHLETE

2026-10-12T18:15:36.329+05:30

No one knows the travails an athlete goes through to compete at the highest levels and win laurels.

The athlete ignores the pain to achieve his/her lofty aims

Victory doesnot come easily.

We see an athlete participating in the event only for a short time in the stadium.

But the hard work and the grind behind it is inconceivable.

ABSORB

2026-10-11T22:09:27.297+05:30

When a young man or young woman enters an industry, the challenges are many. You are absolutely raw. You must have been a good student to reach that far. But textual knowledge or practicals in the college never equip you to align with the varied demands that confront you..

Graduation in engineering or medicine or management or in any other discipline, does not assure that you know everything. It's a rude awakening. You find you know very little.

You must possess a mindset that prompts you to keep learning. That alone transforms you.

Remember, the paper on which you write is always white. What you put on it makes you a colourful personality.

In essence you have to learn to shed and to absorb

OLE, OLE, OLE, OLE, MESSI, MESSI

2026-10-10T17:19:30.945+05:30

After the final whistle. Messi's eyes glistened as his teammates gathered around him, applauding.

A rumbling chorus of "Ole, ole, ole, ole, Messi, Messi" rose from the stands as tens of thousands of fans jumped as if in worship.

A barrier at midfield proclaimed him "Eternal Captain."

The Argentine soccer federation turned Tuesday's (6th October 2026) game - Messi's 208th - into a farewell billed as "the last tango." Players from 1978, 1986, and 2022 World Cup winning squads returned to see him off.

"It feels like an era ending, knowing he won't play for the national team anymore," said Valentino Ruso as headed to watch the game on TV.

What was otherwise an unremarkable friendly against the West African nation, Benin, became a moment, the soccer crazy country had long dreaded.

When 39 year old Messi bid farewell to international soccer after 21 years, 126 goals, two Copa America titles and a World Cup Championship, scoring a penalty and setting up Argentina's other two goals for a 3-0 victory over Benin, Argentina was facing a once unimaginable reality - a national team without soccer great Lionel Messi.

After the match, Messi spoke to the crowd.

"There are a lot of emotions, a lot of things going through my head. The first thing I think about is my old man," bringing alive the memory of his dear father who recently passed away.

He continued.

"The truth is, I'm talking more than I ever have. I don't want to leave here. I don't want to leave this field."

"It was a huge source of pride for me to wear this shirt all this time, for more than 20 years. Not coming anymore is going to hurt a lot. I swear, I'd love to keep coming my whole life, because playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you."

When Messi won the third World Cup title for Argentina, it was a moment to cherish.

On Tuesday night in Buenos Aires, there was another one to remember. It was arguably one of the greatest and most emotional farewells in football history.

Neymar puts it succinctly.

"It's not just Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you did for football. Thank you for making me love football even more. It was an honour to have played against you and even more so to make history by your side."

The Times of India, 8th October 2026

"This is going to hurt a lot - Both Messi and Argentina Left Confronting The Inevitable As Day Arrives When They Must P0art"

AI use, ups homework scores, but slashes exam marks:study

2026-10-09T22:41:40.031+05:30

Yesterday evening I witnessed a spectacle. Our grand daughter was working out model question papers while preparing for exam today. Then we saw her Amma admonishing her as she was doing it with the help of data from the mobile phone/ internet. The mother was telling the daughter unless she used her brain she wasn't going anywhere.

Today (09.10.2026), I came across exactly it's reflection in The Times of India.

The title read, "AI use, ups homework scores, but slashes exam marks:study."

It is based on a report prepared by a World Bank team led by Gaurav Nayyar

"The World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intellgence."

'LLM Users Show Lower Cognitive Effort"

LLM (Large Language Model) is a type of artificial intelligence, built on deep neural networks designed to process, understand and generate human like texts.

Manash Gohain articulates.

1. Evidence cited by World Bank suggests that unrestricted use of generative AI can improve what students submit as classwork.

2. But it weakens what they actually learn.

3. Tools such as ChatGPT can reduce the mental effort through which reasoning, writing and knowledge are built.

4. A study revealed that with the use of AI, homework scores improved even as students spent less time on assignments. At the same time monthly in-class examination scores had fallen.

5. The evidence points to both opportunity and risk in education. If students outsource the learning process to AI, it would be problematic.

6. Those who used LLMs for research displayed lower cognitive effort. However mental effort had declined even when output quality improved.

7. Students given unrestricted AI access also performed worse later when the technology was withdrawn.

8. It is warned that if students use AI to complete homework, the "productive struggle" central to learning can disappear.

9. It potentially weakens foundational skills in reasoning and writing.

10. It does not argue against AI in education.

11. The finding is, " AI can augment human capabilities. But it must not replace the processes through which more advanced skill are acquired.

12. As the demand for workers with AI skills grows, new occupations may emerge.

YOU HAVE MORE TIME ON HAND THAN YOU PERCEIVE - DHONI TO SHAI HOPE

2026-10-09T16:09:58.487+05:30

A sane advice.

It's applicable to most.

Generally we feel the time on hand is limited and we fail.

We blame time.

But it's our inefficiency that causes our failure.

We never admit it.

We never realise it.

നിങ്ങൾ കരുതുന്നതിനേക്കാൾ കൂടുതൽ സമയം നിങ്ങളുടെ കൈവശമുണ്ട്

എന്ന ധോനിയുടെ ഉപദേശം ക്ഷമയോടെ പിന്തുടരാനും അന്തിമലക്ഷ്യം ചെറിയ ഘട്ടങ്ങളായി തിരിച്ച് ആസൂത്രണം ചെയ്ത് വിജയം പിന്തുടരാനും സഹായിച്ചതായി ഹോപ്പ് പറഞ്ഞു

മൊഹാലി: ഇന്ത്യക്കെതിരായ മൂന്നാം ഏകദിനത്തിൽ വിജയിച്ചതിന് പിന്നാലെ ഇന്ത്യയുടെ മുൻതാരം എം.എസ് ധോനിയുടെ വാക്കുകൾ ഓർത്തെടുത്ത് വെസ്റ്റിൻഡീസ് ക്യാപ്റ്റൻ ക്യാപ്റ്റൻ ഷായ് ഹോപ്

ഇന്ത്യക്കെതിരെ പുറത്താകാതെ 162 റൺസ് നേടിയ ഹോപ്പ് വെസ്റ്റിൻഡീസിനെ അഞ്ച് വിക്കറ്റ് വിജയത്തിലേക്ക് നയിച്ചു.

When India was ahead 2-0 in the one day cricket 3 match series against West Indies, the former Indian Captain M.S.Dhoni gave the following advice to Shai Hope, Captain of West Indies.

"You have more time on hand than you perceive."

It worked.

Scoring 162 not out,Shai Hope took West Indies to a 5 wicket victory over India.

To achieve, he says he had followed the target patiently. Further he had split the target to several small pieces and smoothly charted the ride to eventual success.

Pratheekshakal avasanikkunnidathu prayatnam ningale vijayathilethikkumennu shai hope lude Kaalam orikkal Koode theliyichu

Where hope fades, effort leads you to victory. Time has once again proved this dictum right, through Shai Hope, the West Indies cricket captain. He led the West Indies fight back after two losses against India in the three match series in one day cricket.

COLLEGIUM SYSTEM - APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES - SC & HC - JUSTICE DIPANKAR DATTA OPINES - JUSTICE SC SHARMA CONCURS WITH THE SOLICITOR GENAERAL

2026-10-08T07:59:56.627+05:30

Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma were on the bench at the Supreme Court of India. They were hearing the petition on the validity of the law on appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) by a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, a Cabinet Minister and the leader of the opposition.

Collegium system

While perusing the arguments forwarded by the parties, Justice Datta, took note of the oral argument made by the Solicitor General drawing a parallel with the Collegium system and stated that this argument has a bearing on the integrity of the institution. “Though not too relevant for the purpose of giving an opinion on the question of whether a reference is called for, which is presently under consideration, his reference to ‘Judges appointing Judges’ seeks to revive an old criticism and, unwittingly, travels beyond the present lis.”

Even though the issue of judicial appointment was not connected to the context of the present matter, however, Justice Datta, deemed it fit to address the issue stating that, “The first instinct too, while writing this opinion, was to be reticent and let such criticism pass. But, on a second thought, it is realised that the judiciary cannot always be at the receiving end.”

Views of Justice Dipankar Datta

The observations were part of his separate opinion in a split verdict on the legality of a 2023 law on appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners and on the executive participation in the Collegium Deliberations for judicial appointments to the High Courts and the Supreme Court

1. The collegium system remains the most viable option for safegaurding judicial independence, despite its "opacity and imperfection"

2. The deficiencies of the collegium could not justify the ushering in of executive participation in collegium deliberations.

3. Judiciary had been relegated to playing second fiddle to the executive in appointments because of the way collegium recommendations were cleared by the Government.

4. The opinion expressed, "Judges appointing judges," was a myth, taking cognisance of the manner in which Government cleared the collegium picks.

5. It was the executive that wielded decisive control and held the reins over appointments at every stage.

6. Referring to Governments's argument that the judiciary had an exclusive say in judges' appointment, he articulated, "Judiciary cannot be at the receiving end," and devoted six pages to the issue.

7.It was further stated that, "Relevant observations in response need to be made, lest silence be misunderstood as a tacit acceptance by the court of such unworthy criticism in circulation."

8. The executive wielded decisive control and held the reins at every level

9. It has become fashionable to blame the collegium for every infelicitous choice, conveniently forgetting that aberrations were exceptions and not the norm and that no system could guarantee infallibility of human choice.

10. The oft repeated phrase that 'judges appoint judges' is a myth, which people have been fed by vested interests through motivated narratives. If the recommendations of the Collegium of the Supreme Court were binding in nature, the same would certainly have been implemented in their entirety. Unfortunately, the records tell a different story.

11. A sweeping generalisation is that the collegium acts as a law unto itself, overlooks the consultative process envisaged under the constitution and the intrinsic role of the executive - both at the centre and in the states.

12. It is undeniable that the collegium system has occasionally faltered and iits functioning has not been entirely free from aberrations. However, vociferous criticism, by itself, does not offer an alternative. While the absence of an outsider may invite scrutiny, executive supremacy cannot be the cure. Criticism may be abundant, but a viable substitute being conspicuously absent, the deficiencies cannot be used as a justification to usher in participation of the executive in the Collegium deliberations.

13. The constitutional quest is not to transfer the primary from one organ to another, but to preserve institutional independence through checks and balances.

14. What is most worrying and needs attention for remedy is that the sanctity of a collegium resolution is lost each time the executive implements it selectively, approving majority of those recommended while withholding at least one. Undeterred by such piecemeal approvals and regardless of the fate of those not cleared by the executive, the collegium chooses to proceed, to avoid a head-on conflict with the executive, left with a hobson's choice to keep the institution running.

15. What it thereby averts, arguably, is a constitutional crisis. But the question is how long can this state of affairs continue if such a selective implementation is allowed to acquire the character of an accepted practice?"

Views of Justice S.C.Sharma

1. SG Tushar Mehta's submission was "not a criticism of the collegium system or regarding the role of the executive in the appointment of judges."

2. It was a submission to the effect that if the constitution bench had held the presence of outsiders in the collegium as violative of the doctrine of separation of powers, a similar independence should be read in the executive and the rules framed under Article 324 be not declared void on the ground that it does not have an outsider in the selection committee or the executive predominates it.

3. The SG had based his argument on the judgement in the National Judicial Appointments Commission case, where a constitution bench held that the presence of even the law minister in the collegium for appontments of SC and HC judges would violate separation of powers.

4. Building upon the constitutional principle, the submission of the SG was that a corresponding degree of constitutional independence must be recognised for the executive as well as the legislature.

5. The SG submitted that the committee constituted under rules framed under Article 324 deserves to be declared legal though dominated by members of the executive.

The Times of India
24 September 2026

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CONVERSES WITH CAPTAIN SMIT MACHCHHAR

2026-10-07T06:37:50.885+05:30

Benjamin Netanyahu: Captain Machchhar, I want to thank you for your extraordinary courage. What you did saved many lives. You are being admired in Israel, in India and around the world. I wish you a speedy and complete recovery. Please tell me—how did the incident begin?

Captain Smit Machchhar: Sir, it had been a normal flight. At one point, the co-pilot said that he wanted to pray. That was not unusual, so out of respect I kept looking forward and gave him privacy.

Captain Smit Machchhar: After about four or five minutes, I suddenly felt a very heavy blow to the back of my head. At first I thought something catastrophic had happened to the aircraft. Then the blows continued, one after another, and I realised that the person in the cockpit with me was attacking me.

Benjamin Netanyahu: And you were already badly injured at that point?

Captain Smit Machchhar: Yes, sir. My vision became badly blurred. At the same time I realised the aircraft was pitching sharply downward. I tried to stop him and also tried to get the cockpit door open so that help could come in.

Benjamin Netanyahu: How were you able to open the cockpit door?

Captain Smit Machchhar: From inside, the door has a mechanism that can be opened by turning the knob. My colleagues outside were trying to enter the code, but the co-pilot was preventing them from getting in. I managed to reach the knob and open the door once, but he closed it again.

Captain Smit Machchhar: Later I was lying on the cockpit floor. I could hear the aircraft rushing downward and people screaming. I felt that I had one final chance. I gathered whatever strength I had left, pushed myself toward the door and opened it again. People outside were ready. They came in, overpowered the attacker and helped regain control.

Benjamin Netanyahu: Your courage and your judgment under such impossible conditions are remarkable. You saved so many lives. What you did goes far beyond one flight—you showed extraordinary human courage.

Benjamin Netanyahu: I would be honoured to welcome you to Israel. I would also like to invite you, together with my friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to take part in our next Independence Day celebration. You are a hero to the people of Israel, to the people of India, and to people around the world.

Captain Smit Machchhar: Thank you very much, sir. I am grateful for your words. I would also very much like to meet the Israeli doctor who helped me immediately after the incident. He saved my life.

Benjamin Netanyahu: You will be welcomed with open arms. Please concentrate on your recovery. You have our respect, our gratitude and our best wishes for a full recovery.

Captain Smit Machchhar: Thank you, sir. I truly appreciate it.

HUSBAND TO WIFE

2026-10-07T06:34:38.397+05:30

Though it's an advertisement in The Times of India on 01.10.2026, the letter makes sense.

BANK STRIKE PROPOSED AND AFTERMATH

2026-10-07T06:29:38.648+05:30

Quiet funny.

A bank strike was proposed for three days - the last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of September 2026

It was withdrawn on the eve of the day the strike was set to begin.

The demand was implementation of 5 day week like in RBI etc along with other longstanding issues.

First they made them work on Sunday that was a holiday. Then they were made to work on the proposed strike days.

Net result they worked for four days whereas they had to work only on three days.

Now the govt is going to abolish the 5 day week for everyone. It's going to be a seven day week.

Rotation could mean the key holders might be tied up on all seven days.

Just my guess

TURNING DEFICIT TO DIVIDEND

2026-10-05T16:16:59.361+05:30

Sharmila Mona Sinha was the third daughter.

In a society where the arrival of a son was treated as family dividend and another daughter as deficit, she absorbed the message early. She wanted to do something about it. She recalls,"I wanted to be a boy and do what boys did."

Last week, she entered the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York - the cradle of the American Women's Right Movement.

She is the second woman of Indian origin to receive the honour after Indra Nui, former CEO,Pepsico.

She absorbed from her grandmother who showed her that challenging status quo was not alien to her family - the grandmother had helped to organise women during India's freedom movement.

She was in the corporate world after graduating in Economics from Smith College in Massachusetts and after an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Over time, Sinha began wondering whether the tools she had acquired in business could be deployed for a different kind of return. Rather than abandoning the language of capital, management and organisational efficiency, she brought it into philanthropy and social change.

Her worldview was shaped by her childhood where she could never shake off the feeling that her parents would have preferred a son, not a daughter Number 3. The care she received was no less than for her sisters, yet Daughter Number 3, as a kid, internalised her parents' ",disappointment."

She is a rarity for the strides she has made. But her words will have struck a chord with the women of the world.

She now works for women. She toils to eliminate discriminating laws affecting women and girls.

Her story offers an Indian lesson about the evolution of feminism. Her Hall of Fame induction is more than another accolade for a prominent philanthropist. It is a long distance answer to the question that confronted the girl in Calcutta.

What might that "wrong" daughter become, if nobody put a ceiling on her?

Four decades later, the answer is inscribed in the National Women's Hall of Fame.

The Times of India 05.10.2026 and its editorial 06.10.2026

UPENDRA MACHCHCHAR, FATHER OF CAPTAIN SMIT MACHCHCHAR

2026-10-05T15:44:44.085+05:30

Upendra Machchchar reflects.

"The cuts are deep and he is in terrible pain. But when leaders of nations speak to him, he gathers himself and responds with remarkable calm.

As his family we know what lies behind that calm. the stress is immense. But the God who saved him will also decide the course of his life ahead.

Right now, we are one hundred percent positive God will do what is best for him."

For Upendra, the question that keeps returning is what made his son open the cockpit door despite grievous injuries.

"What happened shocked us. But it's his intrinsic nature to place others before him that made him do what he did."

The Times of India, 05.10.2026