Tarun Varshney's Blog

Ups and downs in my brother's marriage.

2026-10-11T12:06:05.771+05:30

I reached the banquet hall in my city at 3pm to see the arrangements. We were the organisers while the bride with her family, had to come to venue from a different city. I talked to the venue owner, he handed over rooms' keys to me. I talked to caters to check - evening snacks are aligned as bride's family and relatives were about to reach at 4pm. Some rooms we opened, and our relatives and family members occupied them. Some rooms and one big hall, we left closed, to be given to bride's family and relatives. I double checked with beauty parlour, car decorator, and dhole wale. Car decorator confirmed for 3am. Beauty parlour confirmed 5pm appointment. Dhole wale confirmed for 7pm. Things look fine and under control. By 4pm every one from our family and relatives were present at banquet hall but there were no sight of bride's family and relatives.

My dad told me that they (bride's family and relatives) are running late so possibly by 4:30pm they would reach here. We waited, and waited, they reached around 5:30pm and all of sudden chaos started. Everyone finding it difficult to find the space in rooms. I myself was handling with my dad, and everyone was coming to me and dad, where is the room? First time in my life, I was managing a marriage, and felt getting 50 people settled in the rooms at the same time, was a tough task. But slowly, things get settled down and people found their feet in the rooms. After 20-30 mins, there was a silence. At 6pm, I received call from the beauty parlour, I asked them to wait.

My dad invited them to get ready and have snacks so rituals can be started. We came to know that bride's family had to do one ritual before tilak ceremony. In a moment, we saw things will be delayed. My dad and bride's dad had some discussion and decided to do things quickly. I helped them in doing their ritual so we all don't loose time.

Time was 7pm and caters started arrangements for dinner at 8pm. I saw some more people have gathered in the hall including my friends. It was the time when tilak ceremony started and bride went to beauty parlour. I saw that dhole wale appeared next to me. I asked them to wait but they said, they have to leave by 10pm. I took them in confidence that their work will be done by 10pm only. I went to check car as in place of ghodi, my brother had to do entry via car with dhols. Car was dusty in the parking so had to get it cleaned. I asked a boy there to clean it. Then, I came back to tilak ceremony.

In the hall, people coming to me and congratulating. I was asking them to have dinner and some here and there talks.

At 8pm, tilak ceremony was over and my brother went to his room with his friends and started dressing. Photographers followed him. In next two hours, I was meeting people, taking them to have food, checking status from everyone etc.

The clock logged 10pm but bride didn't come from beauty parlour. I checked with them, they said, your appointment was from 5pm to 8pm and she came at 7pm so we have to adjust her with other appointments. I still asked them the possible time but they didn't commit for any time. They only said that we have 3 more bridal makeup appointments after her from 6pm to 9pm and 8pm to 11pm. Dhole wale told me that they are leaving, they have to go. I somehow requested them to wait for 1 more hour and offered them delicious food. They got convinced. I checked car, it was cleaned.

We waited and waited till 12am when bride came from beauty parlour. By this time, all local relatives, friends were left. Some relatives went to sleep. Hall was looking almost empty. I had to call people in the hall to show some crowd. Then, we did groom's entry with car and dhol. We danced a lot but felt that we are already late so allowed rituals to take place. I with my wife and some relatives took my brother up to stage. Near stage dhole wale went crazy and kept drumming, we all family danced again. Then, bride did entry with dhol and her relatives. We then let dhole wale boys leave.

At 1am, varmala happened with photography on the stage. Then, they had food. Then, bride-groom went to upper floor for phere. All of sudden, I felt unbearable pain in my feet, maybe because of dance or maybe because of shoes. So I had to go into my room for rest. I called my dad that I'm taking rest for 1 hour, if anything very urgent then call me. I removed my shoes and laid-down. Still the pain was unbearable to me. My wife gave me foot massage. I started feeling relief in pain and don't remember when I felt asleep.

At 3am, my phone rang, it was car decorator, he arrived. I went down to parking and instructed him - to decorate. He took 1-hr to decorate. In the meantime, rituals were still going on. I was so tired by now (4am) and felt sleepy. So went to my room and slept again.

At 6am, my dad called me that get all stuff packed and send to home. I had tea and arranged stuff in 2-3 cars to send home. Also, helped people to go home. Cars came back to pick more stuff, aligned them again. At 9am, I with my wife, we brought together my brother and his dulhan (wife) to house in car. My dad and my two uncles followed us in other car. They were the last people who came home.

When a girl said 'pagal hai kya' to me.

2026-10-06T15:53:02.665+05:30

I recently received a collaboration message from an Instagram account called feralforpages. The opening message praised my book and sounded genuinely excited to read it. Since I receive hundreds of similar messages every month, I usually don’t respond to all of them. Many come from fake or faceless accounts, but this one seemed genuine, so I replied politely and considered the collaboration.

Unfortunately, there is a growing trend where some people are less interested in reading books and more interested in making quick money. They create so-called bookstagram accounts and send the same promotional message to hundreds of authors. They ask for a few hundred rupees, usually excluding the cost of the book, and promise to post a review. But the real question is: do they actually read the book? Many of these accounts post faceless reels without a voice, while some don’t even make reels and simply upload carousels. This makes it difficult for authors to know whether their work was genuinely read and reviewed.

To fellow authors, please be careful before accepting such collaborations. Don’t choose a creator simply because they have followers or send an enthusiastic message. Look at their content carefully. Do they actually talk about books? Do they show genuine engagement? Do they appear on camera or use their voice to share their thoughts? These small things can help you identify creators who are genuinely passionate about books rather than those who are simply looking for easy money.

In the age of AI, anyone can create a convincing-looking book review or write an attractive caption without even reading the book. That is why authors need to be more careful about whom they trust with their work. A collaboration should be about genuine reading, honest opinions and meaningful support for authors, not just collecting money. If you are an author, take a moment to verify a creator before agreeing to a paid collaboration. And if you have experienced something similar, share this message so other authors can stay alert too.

Follow the discussion on Instagram for this post here.

This should've been done in 3 days.

2025-08-31T23:17:00.007+05:30

When I was Sr. Software Engineer and working in an MNC during 2011, my task delay was suddenly put under a spotlight. We were running behind but not because of laziness or lack of effort. There were delays from other teams, unclear requirements, and changing priorities. Still, I was asked to explain myself. I calmly walked through the reasons, hoping facts would help. They didn’t. The mood in the room stayed tense.

Then my team lead spoke but instead of support, he blamed. “You have 3 years of experience, this should’ve been done in 3 days. He said it loud, in front of everyone. I stayed calm and replied, “You have 9 years of experience. Does that mean you can do it in a day?” The room went quiet. People were surprised, but for the first time, they got the point.

Experience helps, but it doesn’t make someone a superhero. It doesn’t remove delays, fix unclear goals, or handle every challenge alone. We often think more experience means faster results but real experience means knowing how to deal with problems, not avoid them. Most delays happen because of broken systems or poor planning, not because one person failed.

If you’re a leader, remember this: trust grows from support, not pressure. Blaming people in front of others doesn’t fix anything, it just makes them feel worse. The best leaders ask questions, listen, and help solve problems. Delays will happen in any project. What really matters is how we talk about them and how we grow from them.

1500 test cases - an impossible deadline.

2025-06-13T12:58:00.009+05:30

Have you ever been asked to complete six days of work in just two—without the team size required to do it? That’s exactly what we faced while working onsite in the U.S. with a client, just days before a high-stakes mobile app release. The client suddenly requested that 1,500 test cases be executed within 2 days. Under realistic conditions, this would need at least 15 QA engineers. At the time, we had a team of only five offshore QA engineers. We quickly calculated that even if the team pushed their limits, the most they could deliver was around 700 test cases in that timeframe. Clearly, we had a major gap. Escalations followed. Deadlines loomed. The pressure was on.

Initially, the instinct was to push harder—ask the team to stretch, maybe even work overtime. But even with maximum effort, the numbers didn’t add up. That’s when our onsite team—myself, my manager, and two colleagues—chose to take a step back. Instead of throwing more effort at the problem, we decided to rethink the problem itself. We took a deep dive into the test suite and found exactly what we suspected: many test cases were redundant, overlapping, or irrelevant to the current build. By regrouping related cases, eliminating duplication, and filtering out low-impact scenarios, we were able to reduce the test suite from 1,500 to 500 test cases, all without compromising core test coverage.

This was a game-changing move. With the leaner and more focused test suite, our offshore team was now well within capacity. They executed all 500 test cases within the 2-day window—no overtime, no burnout, no shortcuts. Quality wasn’t sacrificed; in fact, our focused approach led to more precise and meaningful test execution. The client was satisfied, the release stayed on schedule, and the team walked away energized instead of exhausted. What looked like an impossible situation became one of the most efficient testing turnarounds we’d ever been a part of—all because we prioritized optimization over effort.

The biggest takeaway? When faced with tight deadlines and limited resources, the answer isn’t always to push harder—it’s often to think smarter. Too often, teams default to effort-driven solutions without first examining whether the work itself is as efficient as it can be. By stepping back, reassessing priorities, and streamlining processes, you can unlock solutions that not only save time but also preserve team morale and ensure delivery quality. In our case, what started as a high-stress crisis ended as a clear example of how smart execution outperforms sheer effort—every time.

NRI’s car broke down in Indian traffic.

2024-10-15T20:49:00.019+05:30

In 2017, after returning from the United States, I found myself struggling with the daily chaos of Noida traffic. The noise, the confusion, and the lack of rules felt overwhelming. From potholes to wrong-side driving, it all made me question if coming back to India was the right decision. Every day while driving to and from work, I used to calm myself with music, podcasts, or phone calls, though it didn’t always help. There was too much happening on the road — people, construction, broken streets, and vehicles parked anywhere. But amid all the frustration, I also experienced small moments that taught me big lessons about patience and kindness.

One evening around 8:30 pm, while driving home, my car suddenly jumped almost a foot in the air and landed with a loud burst — the front-right tyre had burst after hitting a hidden pothole. It was dark, and I quickly pulled the handbrake. Thankfully, no car hit me from behind. A man in another car stopped, ran to me, and asked if I was okay. I signaled that I was fine and thanked him. He asked again if I needed help, and when I said no, he left. That simple act of care stayed with me. I managed to move the car to the roadside with help from a nearby person and found a mechanic after an hour. The kindness of a stranger reminded me how much a small gesture can matter.

In another incident around 7:30 pm, my car refused to start at a red light when it turned green. People behind me began honking and shouting. I panicked, but slowly turned on my emergency lights. A beggar watching everything came and offered help for ₹100. I agreed. He, his wife, and children helped me push the car to the side. It was heart-touching to receive help from someone who didn’t have much himself. I called Justdial, but most mechanics refused except one who asked ₹1000. I waited. Many vehicles passed by, ignoring my request for help. Finally, a cab driver stopped, agreed to help for ₹500, and jump-started my car. The whole situation taught me that help can come from the most unexpected people — even those who have very little.

A third incident happened again around 8 pm, when my car stopped in the middle of traffic. By then, I had become used to such issues and didn't panic. I turned on the emergency lights and sat on the divider, calling mechanics. Within 10 minutes, a man stopped and helped push my car to the side. It reminded me again how a stranger’s simple action can bring relief in a stressful moment. A mechanic arrived in half an hour, and after some bargaining, we agreed on ₹600 to fix the issue. All these experiences in Noida traffic, though stressful at the time, taught me valuable lessons about staying calm, asking for help, and most importantly, being kind to others in need — just like those strangers were to me.

15 mins late, still got highest marks.

2024-10-12T08:31:00.009+05:30

During my first year of engineering, I had an important internal exam scheduled in the morning. I started from home on time and took an auto to the local bus stop. Everything seemed fine until the bus I boarded broke down midway. The driver asked everyone to get off while he tried to fix the issue. I requested him to return my ticket money, but he refused and told us to wait. I waited for about 15 minutes, but there was no sign of the bus getting fixed. Realizing that I was getting late for my exam, I decided not to wait any longer and looked for an auto instead.

Many autos were passing by, but they were either already full or had only one or two seats, which got occupied quickly by other passengers from my bus. I kept waiting and watched 6 to 7 autos leave without getting a seat. It was frustrating and stressful as the clock was ticking. After waiting a while, I finally found a small space in the back of one auto where I could barely stand. I grabbed the chance and got in. The auto kept stopping at several places along the way. I politely asked the driver to go faster since I had an exam, but he didn’t listen. I kept praying silently, hoping to reach the college on time.

I reached the college gate 10 minutes after the exam had already started. Without wasting a second, I began running towards my exam block with all my strength. I was completely out of breath, but I didn’t stop. People were staring at me as I rushed in. Just outside the exam room, I was stopped by the college director who was taking a round. He asked why I was late. I couldn’t answer immediately as I was trying to catch my breath. After a few seconds, I managed to say that the bus met with an accident. He calmly advised me to start earlier next time and wished me good luck. I nodded and quickly entered the room to start my exam, already 15 minutes late.

When the results were declared, to my surprise, I had scored the highest marks in that exam. I could hardly believe it. That day taught me a powerful lesson: even if your day starts badly or doesn’t go as planned, it doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. It’s about staying determined, keeping faith, and doing your best in whatever time and situation you have. A rough beginning doesn’t mean a bad ending – sometimes it makes your success even more meaningful.

Good things will happen to you.

2024-10-02T10:23:00.030+05:30

A few months ago, three ladies came to my house with a pamphlet about a ‘Shrimad Bhagwat Katha’ event happening in our society. The pamphlet showed six women’s names as organizers, but only three had shared their bank account details for receiving donations, called ‘chanda.’ When they came, one lady greeted me saying, “Hello bhaiya.” I replied politely. Another lady asked me to switch on my door light because it was dark outside. I agreed and turned on the light so we could see each other clearly. Then, one of them told me about the seven-day religious event and invited me to join any day I could. I said I would try to attend one of the days, but not all seven.

Just as I was about to say thank you and close the door, one of the ladies pulled out a receipt book and asked how much money I wanted to give as a donation. I was surprised and asked why they were asking for money when they were the organizers. She explained that the money was for the service of God and would bring benefits. Another lady then added that good things would happen to me if I gave a donation. I told them that if they gave money on my behalf, more good things might happen to them instead. I thought to myself, why do they need donations when they planned and arranged everything on their own? They decided the dates, the time, and the place without asking anyone. To me, this felt wrong because true devotion should come from your own willingness, not pressure to pay money.

This kind of situation is not new in my experience. In my previous house, a man used to come weekly asking for donations for an Old Age Home. Others ask for money in the name of Gaushaala (cow shelter), child education, or poor girls’ marriages. I believe only a few people are genuine in their work. Many misuse the trust people have in these causes and have turned it into a business. They offer promises like good luck or blessings in return for money. People are hopeful and want good things in their life, so they end up paying, thinking it will bring them happiness or success.

The truth is, God does not look at the amount of money given, but at the true intentions behind it. If you are organizing any event or charity, you should do it according to your own capacity, without expecting donations from others. Giving should come from the heart and without pressure. It’s important to stay aware and careful when approached for money in the name of religion or charity. True faith and good deeds do not need to be bought. We should remember this and avoid being misled by false promises that turn spirituality into a business.

Brother, bicycle, train - a narrow escape.

2024-10-02T07:26:00.015+05:30

It was just another childhood evening. I was in 12th standard and my younger brother was in 10th. Like most days, we were both riding our bicycles to somewhere, trying to avoid being late. As we approached the railway crossing, everything seemed normal. There were no signals or alarms, and we didn’t see any train coming. In a hurry, I decided to cross the tracks. My brother was right behind me. But just as I started pushing my cycle across, I heard a loud sound — an EMU (local train) was approaching very fast. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly pushed forward, not even thinking. I just wanted to get to the other side safely.

As I reached the other side of the track, the train zoomed past behind me, shaking the ground with its speed. In that moment, a wave of fear hit me. I turned around slightly but couldn’t see my brother. He wasn’t beside me. He wasn’t in front of me. He wasn’t behind me. My mind went blank. I had seen him begin to cross right after me, but now I couldn’t find him anywhere. I was frozen with fear, unable to move. Thoughts rushed through my head — had he stopped? Did he fall? Was he caught by the train? Those few seconds felt like hours. I was too afraid to even look back fully, because I feared the worst.

And then, just like that, I heard his voice. “Chal bhaiya, late ho rahe hain” (Come on, brother, we are getting late), he said, calmly riding past me on his bicycle. I was stunned. I didn’t know whether to cry, laugh, or shout at him. Relief flooded through me. I quickly started riding beside him again. We didn’t talk for a few moments. We both knew how lucky we were to still be riding our bicycles that day. The train was gone, but the fear stayed in our hearts. After some time, we looked at each other and said the same thing — “We’ll never do this again.” We meant it. That moment had taught us something we would never forget.

Later, I asked him, “Why did you cross the tracks even though the train was coming?” He gave a simple but powerful answer: “Because you crossed, so I crossed.” That reply stayed with me. It showed how much he trusted me. He didn’t think for himself in that moment — he just followed me. That day taught us both a lesson we didn’t learn in school. No matter how late we are or how empty the tracks look, life is more important than anything else. We were lucky to get a second chance. Many people don’t. Since that day, whenever we see a railway crossing, we always stop and wait, no matter what. Safety is always more important than speed.

The speech I wrote in 15 mins - book launch.

2024-08-09T11:28:00.014+05:30

It was November 2018, and I was full of excitement at the Gurgaon Literature Festival. I was waiting for my turn to go on stage and launch my first book, The Ineligible Millionaire. Everything felt like a dream. But suddenly, I noticed something that made me nervous. Every author who went on stage before me gave a long speech before launching their book. I had no speech ready! My excitement quickly turned into stress. I saw some authors standing near the stage with white papers in hand, possibly reading their notes. I thought to myself, “Why didn’t I prepare something? What will I say in front of everyone?”

I quickly pulled out my phone and opened the Notes app. Ideas started coming to my mind, and I began typing whatever I could. Just then, the event coordinator came to me and said I’d be called in 20–30 minutes. She asked if I had my speech ready. I smiled and said, “Yes,” even though I didn’t. She also told me, “If you get stuck in English, feel free to speak in Hindi too.” I nodded and kept typing as fast as I could. I managed to write a small speech in about 15 minutes. But when I read it, I realized it was too short — barely a minute long! I tried to add more, but my mind was going blank.

Soon, my name was announced. I walked up to the stage with my phone in hand. I placed it on the podium so I could glance at it if needed. I started speaking, but somewhere in the middle, I forgot a few words and quickly looked at my phone for help. Thankfully, the audience was patient. I delivered my one-minute speech, and to my surprise, people clapped. That moment made me so happy and proud. It was short, it was sudden, but it was real — and it was mine.

Speech: A very good evening to all of you. It's a big day because this is my first book 'the ineligible millionaire'. The journey of the book was not easy at all. It took me 3 years to write this book and get it published. First I thought to finish it in 3 months but the process to pitching publishers, getting rejected, reworking on the story took me 3 years of time. I would like to thank my friends who read my manuscript and gave a wonderful feedback. Also, I would like to thank team Invincible, everybody worked hard in last 5 months. This is a 10-year long journey of a man and his dreams together who slowly discovers something else he is destined for after a near death experience. Thank you once again all. Hope you'll like the book.

Homeopathy saved my finger from surgery.

2024-05-01T08:08:00.014+05:30

Year 2016 - I was in Tustin, California. One morning I woke up and realised that tiny finger of my left hand had no movement. I saw a big gap between ring finger and tiny finger. Also, I realised there is stiffness in my left hand palm. I thought may be something which can be fixed by oil massage so I started doing oil massage of my left hand (fingers + palm) everyday with mustard oil. But things didn't change even after a week. I tried some of suggestions given on internet e.g. putting towel across elbow while sleeping, doing some exercises but no luck.

In the end I had to visit physician, he suggested to visit neurologist. I took appointment and visited where neurologist did x-ray and showed me report. He told that you have 'Cubital Tunnel Syndrome'. Ulnar nerve entrapment occurs when the ulnar nerve in the arm becomes compressed (squeezed or restricted) or irritated. The ulnar nerve is one of the three main nerves in your arm. It travels from your neck down into your hand and can be constricted in several places along the way, such as beneath the collarbone or at the wrist. The most common place for compression of the nerve is behind the inside part of the elbow. Ulnar nerve compression at the elbow is called cubital tunnel syndrome.

The treatment he suggested was elbow surgery. Also, suggested some exercises and towel to put across elbow while sleeping. I was taken a back after hearing surgery. I came home and then I talked to one of my colleague whose father was practicing homeopathy in India. She connected me with her father over a phone call, he asked me some questions. He suggested one medicine which was couriered to me at my place.

I took one tablet as prescribed by him. For about 3 weeks, I saw nothing. In 4th week I started seeing some movement in my tiny finger. But no progress after that. We were in 7th week and I was very impatient that no further results are coming. He advised me to be patient as we have to wait for next dose. As 8th week passed, he suggested me to take one tablet. It took nearly 10-12 weeks, some exercises, two tablets, towel across elbow while sleeping every night, to recover. I still thank my friend and her father who saved me from surgery.

When I brought my CPU to college lab.

2024-04-25T17:00:00.014+05:30

It was final year (2008) practical exam of my engineering (B.Tech). We (project team) developed one project which we had to give demo to external examiner. We tested the same project in college computer lab two days before and it was working fine. But somehow it was giving errors when we tested in morning on the day of practical. We tried for 2-3 hours to fix but no success. We all panicked when we heard that in 30 mins examiner will come to our group.

I recalled that same project is there at my home in my PC and it was working fine in morning as I did practice on it to give demo. So I and my friend got idea to bring our home PC to our computer lab and show project demo from that CPU. But the problem was: my home was 45 mins drive away from college by road. We somehow convinced our faculty that our project is not working so we need to go home for correct code. We got permission and we borrowed 2 hrs of time.

I and my friend went to my home on bike and brought my CPU to college lab. Then, we connected it with monitor and ran the project. Overall it worked fine, except one issue - one of the user entered value was not inserting in db. This issue I couldn't catch in morning. We were trying to fix but in few minutes we saw examiner coming towards us as we were the only group who was left now.

Seeing no solution, I immediately set hardcoded value in code, resulting same value to be inserted every time irrespective of user input. And, we (team) all agreed to enter those values only while giving demo. Demo started and God saved all of us that day. We were lucky that the examiner didn't put much attention on that use case. He was very much impressed with the overall work we did, he appreciated us next to our HOD.

My wife's first birthday after marriage.

2024-04-24T19:00:00.025+05:30

Feb 2020: We (I & my wife, and 4 more people who were on the trip) reached back to our hotel at 6 PM approx. after doing Skiing in Auli. We all sat together for a cup of tea and started chit-chat. Here, everyone was planning for a bonfire. They said, "we'll sit till 1-2 AM" but I was worrying to cut the cake and edit the final video. I needed time for that. We took a break and joined back at the bonfire at 8 PM approx. with some music and snacks. Two hours had passed and everyone was still interested in the Gupshup and, not stopping at all for the coming hours. Somehow I managed to wrap up the bonfire and started with dinner.

At dinner, we all were continuously cracking jokes and telling all funny stories of their lives. The time was running, and nobody wanted to go to sleep. Even I was enjoying but I had to get things to happen at midnight (12 AM) so I started saying 'Let's wrap up guys, we need to left 6 AM in the morning so we should sleep early else we couldn't spend more time on 'Vishnu Prayag' and other stops. We all went into our rooms at 10:30 PM approx. When you want something to happen from your heart, the universe comes into the picture and let people think that they should sleep now.

I immediately got into my work: edits to video, making sure she shouldn't get any clue. I checked in the hotel if they have a TV which can be put in the room and I can render video on the screen but it couldn't happen. So mobile was the only choice I had. I called up the helper boy at 11:30 PM silently. She was still observing my behavior, maybe she knew something is fishy. But, it didn't stop me.

I switched-off her phone without telling her so that nobody can call at 12 AM. We cut the cake at sharp 11:45 PM and I gave her a gift. She liked it very much. We did a little chit-chat. Immediately, I went to sleep and same suggested to her as we had to wake up early. Everything was silent for few minutes and, she thought we are done for the birthday celebration. So she went to sleep. Hardly, 2 minutes left in 12 AM which I was waiting for. It was the time, I left the bed and set up my phone on a tripod stand to show her the video.

When I asked her to look at my setup, she had no clue. Her eyes were full of surprises. She was trying to understand what will happen next. The moment I played the video, she didn't move at all. Her face was full of blushing blossoms. I wanted to make her first birthday (after marriage) memorable, something different, what she always wanted.

I almost drown into 8ft deep water.

2024-04-20T17:00:00.025+05:30

It was year 2015 and I just moved to an apartment in Tustin, California for my new job. In society, there was a swimming pool. Half was 4ft deep and half was 8 ft deep. In Los Angeles, I used to live in a society where swimming pool was of max 5.5 ft deep so I used to do swimming at very basic level (just diving here and there for couple of seconds in one breath). In Tustin, I started spending evening time in swimming pool at the side where water was max 4 ft deep. There was no border in swimming pool from 4ft deep towards 8 ft deep.

One day, I didn't realise that I crossed 4ft deep area and when I was short of breath I tried to put my feet on surface and stand up for breath but surface was not there. I got panicked and tried my hands to wave people standing there shouting 'help' help'. I could see an American boy standing there in pool looking at me and doing nothing. I was dipping down and coming up. I believe it went for 8-10 seconds or more, I'm not sure. But it was really terrified feeling.

After sometime, I saw my friend caught my hand and pushed me towards area where water was not deeper. By the time I had water in my mouth and nose. I was hardly able to breath. A thought ran in my mind that my life is over. I saw other person standing in 4ft area pulled me and I got my life. It took me 15 minutes to calm down.

Later, my friend told me that seeing me in 8ft deep water, they were unable to realise that I was struggling to breath. The only reason, he came for my help was: he knew I can't swim and he was shocked what I was doing in 8ft deep water. Then, he realised that something is wrong with me and he came for help.

Our car broke down in Gujarat.

2024-04-14T17:00:00.010+05:30

Dec 2023: I was with my family on 10 days Gujarat trip. That day we were going from Diu to Ahemdabad by taxi. On the way, our driver realised that fan stopped working. He stopped the car and saw the problem. On the way we stopped at a garage to get it checked. They said problem is with fan and fan require to be changed. They didn't have fan so they tried to fix the fan in such a way we can reach safely to Ahmedabad.

The workshop mechanics were working. In the mean time, our driver checked if we have Maruti Suzuki service center near by so we can get fan changed there. He found nearby service center in Bhav Nagar. Then, he told all of us that we might reach bit late to Ahmedabad as we have to go via Bhav Nagar, get this fan fixed.

The workshop mechanics were still trying but couldn't fix the fan. So they put some patch work to make car reach our destination. We started for Bhav Nagar. By the time we reached Maruti Service Center, all workers were left for the day. We again got stuck. This time, our driver parked car next to a restaurant so we can have some snacks and do relax till fan issue get resolved.

It was 7pm. Our driver made some phone calls and around 30 minutes later 2 mechanics came on the bike, checked car, removed fan from car, took fan with them to their workshop and told us that they will be back in 30 minutes. We had dinner done there at restaurant and time was 8:30pm. We waited, waited, and, waited but they didn't come. We were restless and trying to make phone calls to taxi agency and all. Around 9pm they came with fan, I think it was new fan but when they tried to install it, it couldn't. They said they need some part so they went to workshop again and asked us to wait for 15 mins.

This time, they came back around 9:30pm, they fixed the fan, and we started to Ahmedabad from Bhav Nagar around 10pm that night.

Our unhygienic hotel room in Somnath.

2024-04-11T17:00:00.005+05:30

Dec 2023: I was in Gujarat with my family for 10 days trip. We started from Dwarka in morning and reached Somnath in evening. We skipped Porbandar as we were running late. We saw laser light show and did darshan at Somnath temple. After that we spent some time in shopping and had our dinner there in market. I called up to hotel and told them that we'll do check-in around 11pm. He said, no issues. But we got late and reached our hotel around 11:30pm in Somnath.

We had booked two hotel rooms, one room was fine but the other one was not clean at all. There were cobweb on walls. Bulbs and mirror were not clean, having dust. AC had dust on it. Bedsheet and pillows were also not clean. Bathroom taps, mug, bucket all stuff could be seen completely not touched by cleaning staff at all. It pissed us off. When I talked to the Hotel staff, they said we have this room only available now. If you want we can upgrade you with additional amount. When I asked why you have had very good pictures of room than the room actual is on booking website. Then, he replied - these are old pictures and we have to update.

I called up booking company, it was around 11:45pm and we all were tired. Booking company said, sorry sir, what can I do at this time in night, let me talk to hotel staff. When I asked, it is whom responsibility that the actual room is way inferior than it shows on website. He said they are updating sir. On this I said, there is no issue if you have less facility and average services. Cleanliness should be taken seriously. I shared him room's dirty pictures as a proof so he could understand why we were not happy. Later, booking company provided me one discount coupon for new booking to fill up the inconvenience we have had.

It was all mess. We all were tired. A few minutes later, a cleaning boy came to our room, time was around 12am and he cleaned up bathroom, changed pillow covers, bedsheet, blanket in front of us. At that time, we were not in a position to look out for other hotel options, it was late and we all were too tired. Also, we had to look after baby. We turned off lights and slept. Hardly having any energy to have arguments as well with hotel staff.

Please book Hotel Shyam in Somnath at your own risk.

I had to change smelling hotel in Diu.

2024-04-10T17:00:00.022+05:30

Dec 2023: When we reached our hotel in Diu, we didn't expect rooms to be smelling. It was very hard to stay in those rooms for 1 minute also. All the walls had seepage and at some places on the walls, plaster was gone. Bed sheets were smelling too so chairs in the room. When we checked with hotel staff, they said they don't have better rooms than this as repairing work is going on.

We had baby with us so considering hygiene we decided not to check-in to that hotel and requested hotel owner to get our booking cancelled and refund amount. He understood the situation with baby that rooms are not in good condition to stay with baby.

We went to nearby hotels and checked a few but didn't like rooms. Our driver suggested that there is one good hotel we should check, prices may be little higher but you'll be comfortable. Also, he told us that beach is nearby where all water activities happen. So we drove the car and found hotel really good. They gave us some discount as we said prices are higher. After negotiation, we booked only one room (prices were higher) for 4 adults, 1 child and he provided additional mattress in the room on additional 1,000 rs.

Fortunately, we got our amount refunded from the previous hotel.

A stranger gave me his biking gears in Ladakh.

2024-04-09T19:00:00.013+05:30

July 2021: It was our day 3 in Ladakh and we were at our hotel gate in Leh with other bikers, waiting our bike to be arrived to start the trip. As I mentioned in other article that we got our bike arranged at very last moment as our initial booking for Ladakh trip was by traveller and later we requested for bike. We were happily waiting for our bike with other bikers but after discussion with others we realised that everyone has come up there with bike riding gears e.g. riding knee guard and elbow guard. A few had jackets as well.

We got worried as we had to ride in Ladakh under various unfavorable conditions. I checked with my guide/captain as well as local coordinator but they had no availability with them. I went to hotel reception area, seeing if hotel staff can arrange it locally on rent or purchase. Beyond my expectation, I met hotel owner there and I came to know that he is biker since ages.

When I told him our condition, he agreed to help and took out his biking gears: knee guards, elbow guards, helmet and gave to me under only one condition that I'll return to him once I'll be back from trip without breaking any of them. I was so happy, what else is required when you find such people. He wished us good luck and safe ride.

Our guide arranged one helmet for my wife and we were good to go.

Our taxi trip converted to bike trip in Ladakh.

2024-04-08T20:46:00.014+05:30

During June 2021, I wanted to book 7 days Ladakh trip by bike but my wife was uncomfortable and insisted for trip by traveller. So we ended up booking 7 days Ladakh trip for Jul 2021 by traveller. On day 2, when we were at Gurudwara Patthar Saheb, we saw Aakash and Bhavna there (they were part of bikers group, we all stayed in the same hotel), they came just now and were parking their bike. We requested them if they can give us their bike to ride for some time as we'll be back by the time they'll come out from Gurudwara. Thanks to them, they agreed.

We got the Himalayan bike and started our bike ride in Leh. We drove the bike for about 30-40 mins. This was the time guys when we both felt that the Ladakh tour should be on bike, not in the car. We handed over their bike to them and started thinking about how to change our trip from car to bike.

Once we were back from trip that day, I met local coordinator and I requested him if he can arrange a bike for us on the last day (day 6). He said, he'll try but was not sure as there was a shortage of bikes.

In the evening while having dinner with bikers in our hotel, we found our local coordinator there and he gave me an option: do the rest of the tour on bike or in Xylo as bike is not available for just one day. I immediately said 'yes' to him but he again said he will try as there is shortage of bikes in Leh.

After dinner in hotel, we were discussing with all possible persons to get a bike for us. Aakash and Bhavna helped us to get on bike tour by insisting with local coordinators and requesting them to arrange a bike for us. We slept at night where we were not sure about the next day trip to be on bike or in Xylo.

Next day, after breakfast, I received a call from our local coordinator and he confirmed that the bike is coming for us. We (I, Aakash, Bhavna, Diva) cheered for it and went to the local market quickly to buy stuff needed. I purchased hand gloves and a neck warmer while Diva purchased a scarf. Both things you can see in our vlogs.

Our 10-day Gujarat itinerary was not good.

2024-04-05T11:00:00.019+05:30

I had family road trip to Gujarat for 10 days in Dec 2023 (4 adults, 1 child). Once we back from the trip, we realised that Ahmedabad doesn't have much to do more than half a day, you can cover major attractions in 2nd half of the day. So our 10th day was kind of free, we visited only Akshardham. So in short, we could visit Gandhi Ashram, Vintage Car Museum, Akshardham temple, Atal Bridge, Sabarmati River Front between 12pm to 10pm timings on day 1.

We could cover Shashan Gir easily on day 6 as travel to Shashan Gir from Somnath and stay in Gir then travel from Gir to Diu on day 7, stay in Diu and continue same journey from next day. But problem was: SOU was closed on Monday and we didn't want to travel it on the day of flight as there are very high chances to get late. Or on day 1, Rani Ki Vav and Modhera Sun Temple as they are near to Ahmedabad. We could directly leave for SOU on day 1 but as we know flights are not reliable during winters so we avoided anything outside Ahmedabad.

Considering all possibilities, I analysed what could have been better in terms of itinerary so I figured out some pointers. I'm writing what actually we did on the day and what could have been done better. We could easily cover Sasan Gir.

Actual Day 1 -> Delhi to Ahmedabad flight in morning, check-in to hotel then local sightseeing: Gandhi Ashram, Atal Bridge, Sabarmati River Front, Vintage Car Museum
Better Day 1 -> Delhi to Ahmedabad by flight in morning, check-in hotel, visit Rani Ki Vav, Modhera Sun Temple, Sabarmati River Front, Atal Bridge, night stay at Ahmedabad

Actual Day 2 -> Little Rann of Kutch (Wildass sanctuary)
Better Day 2 -> Little Rann of Kutch (Wildass sanctuary), night stay near Little Rann of Kutch

Actual Day 3 -> Left hotel at 6 am and drove to Dholavira (Hadappa City, 35 km route water both side, Rann Of Kutch), drove towards Jamnagar, reached at 12:30 am - This day will be hectic.
Better Day 3 -> Leave hotel at 6am, drive to Dholavira (Hadappa City, 35km route water both side, Rann of Kutch), drive to Jamnagar, night stay at Jamnagar

Actual Day 4 -> Jamnagar to Dwarka, visited Nageshwar Jyotirling, Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukmani Temple, Sunset Point at beach
Better Day 4 -> Jamnagar to Dwarka, visit Nageshwar Jyotirling, Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukmani Temple, Sunset Point at beach, night stay at Dwarka

Actual Day 5 -> Bhet Dwarka, Dwarka to Somnath (dropped Porbandar as we running late), watched Laser Light Show, had quick snacks like pao bhaji etc then reached hotel at 11 pm, hotel rooms were not clean, somehow spent night there.
Better Day 5 -> Bhet Dwarka, Dwarka to Somnath (on the way Porbandar if have time), laser light show at Somnath Temple, night stay at Somnath

Actual Day 6 -> Geeta Mandir, Bhalteerth Mandir in Somnath, drove to Diu (didn't like hotel at all, smelling hell like seepage and changed new hotel), spent time on beach near hotel, had done Jet ski, ate Chana Zor Garam
Better Day 6 -> Geeta Mandir, Bhalteerth Mandir in Somnath, drive to Sasan Gir, night stay at Sasan Gir

Actual Day 7 -> Gangeshwar Temple, INS Khukri Memorial, INS Khukri Actual, Diu to Ahemdabad (car broke down, fan stopped working), drove to Bhav Nagar to fix car, had dinner there then drove to Ahmedabad
Better Day 7 -> Visit attractions in Gir then leave for Diu in 2nd half, reach Diu by evening and spend evening at Diu beach, have water activities and chana zor garam, night stay at Diu

Actual Day 8 -> Ahmedabad to SOU (closed on Monday), returned late in evening, happy new year happened in car only, reached Ahmedabad at 12:30 am
Better Day 8-> Diu fort, Gangeshwar Temple, INS Khukri Memorial, INS Khukri Actual then drive to Ahmedabad, night stay at Ahmedabad

Actual Day 9 -> Ahmedabad to Modhera Sun Temple ,Rani Ki Vav reached around 10 pm, so tired,visited Manik Chowk, ate Rabdi, liked it, drank kashifal juice, hated it.
Better Day 9 -> Ahmedabad to SOU (closed on Monday), night stay at Ahmedabad

Actual Day 10 -> Local Ahmedabad, Akshardham, River Front, Ahmedabad to Delhi flight in night, flight got delayed 30 mins, we reached Delhi.
Better Day 10 -> Gandhi Ashram, Vintage Car Museum, Akshardham, Ahmedabad to Delhi flight in Night

On my last day, my Cisco team gave me treat.

2024-04-04T11:00:00.010+05:30

It was year 2017 and I was working at Cisco office, San Jose on payroll of HCL Americas. There were all Indian people in my team. My manager, my teammates, and some people from other teams as well. On my last day, my manager came to my desk and helped me understand the process. No one in my team was aware about my last day there as I was moving back to India. Everyone was surprised to hear this news looked at me - are you serious? why you hide this from everyone of us? At this point, my manager calmed them down saying, he is going for something good. So everyone thought that it is about marriage (which was not true as nothing was finalized at marriage front) and the next question was when will you come back? I said, 'I don't know as I'm moving for uncertain period.'

It was hardly 3-4 months and everyone was like a family. I felt embarrassed that I didn't tell anyone. I had my personal reasons and professional as well not to share as my employer was still doing a few things that were in middle and my reporting manager at Cisco had to confirm about my last working day.

After a few here and there discussion, my reporting manager left. Time was 11am. At 11:30am, my team members told me that they are going out for lunch and I have to join them. I agreed. We went out, had wonderful lunch, captured photos, talked about each other and many more. When time came for payment, I pulled out my credit card, all of them said, 'we are Indian so it is our duty to give treat so do not worry. Neither you have to pay nor you have to split bills as people do here.'

I recalled my 2 incidents in Los Angeles where I was invited for lunch but had to pay my bills [Split bill]. There I felt that we as Indians never do split if we're inviting someone for lunch/dinner/breakfast.

Our planning for 10-day Gujarat trip.

2024-04-03T07:17:00.019+05:30

We traveled Gujarat for 10 days as family road trip (4 adults, 1 child) in Dec 2023. We kept itinerary flexible so if we get late at some point, it doesn't affect other spots. Also, we had to keep in mind that we are traveling with a baby and with baby things get delayed due to multiple reasons. In that way, we had to sacrifice Sasan Gir.

Day 1 -> Delhi to Ahmedabad flight in morning, check-in to hotel then local sightseeing: Gandhi Ashram, Atal Bridge, Sabarmati River Front, Vintage Car Museum. [Stay - Hotel Volga, Ahmedabad]

Day 2 -> Little Rann of Kutch (Wildass sanctuary) [Stay - Little Rann Resort, Dasana]

Day 3 -> Left hotel at 6 am and drove to Dholavira (Hadappa City, 35 km route water both side, Rann Of Kutch), drove towards Jamnagar, reached at 12:30 am [Stay - Click Hotel by Suba, Jamnagar]

Day 4 -> Jamnagar to Dwarka, visited Nageshwar Jyotirling, Dwarkadhish Temple, Rukmani Temple, Sunset Point at beach. [Stay - Hotel Holiston, Dwarka]

Day 5 -> Bhet Dwarka, Dwarka to Somnath (dropped Porbandar as we running late), watched Laser Light Show, had quick snacks like pao bhaji etc then reached hotel at 11 pm, hotel rooms were not clean, somehow spent night there. [Stay - Hotel Shyam, Somnath. Book at your own risk, very unhygienic room. Read my experience here: I had to change smelling hotel in Diu.]

Day 6 -> Geeta Mandir, Bhalteerth Mandir in Somnath, drove to Diu (didn't like hotel at all, smelling hell like seepage and changed new hotel), spent time on beach near hotel, had done Jet ski, ate Chana Zor Garam [Stay - Rasal Beach Resort, Diu]

Day 7 -> Diu to Ahemdabad (car broke down, fan stopped working), drove to Bhav Nagar to fix car, had dinner there then drove to Ahmedabad. [Stay - Hotel Volga, Ahmedabad]

Day 8 -> Ahmedabad to SOU (closed on Monday), returned late in evening, happy new year happened in car only, reached Ahmedabad at 12:30 am. [Stay - Hotel Volga, Ahmedabad]

Day 9 -> Ahmedabad to Modhera Sun Temple ,Rani Ki Vav reached around 10 pm, so tired,visited Manik Chowk, ate Rabdi, liked it, drank kashifal juice, hated it. [Stay - Hotel Volga, Ahmedabad]

Day 10 -> Local Ahmedabad, Akshardham, River Front, Ahmedabad to Delhi flight in night, flight got delayed 30 mins, we reached Delhi. [No Stay, back to Delhi]

I saved ₹1,00,000 on our 10-day Gujarat trip.

2024-04-03T06:57:00.012+05:30

It was October 2023 and we were looking for our next trip. Yes, we just came back from Nanital trip and were so thrilled with the experience that we wanted to travel again. We thought to decide it during Diwali holidays but due to some responsibilities, things didn't workout and we had to postponed it for year end holidays. We then started asking for quotes from travel agencies.

Some said, they don't operate in Gujarat. A few said the locations you want to cover in 10 days would be difficult, you should make it for 12 days. Somehow after talking for 2 weeks we couldn't finalise on any trip agency. One thing which happened in our favor that by doing some research over internet, we finalized our itinerary.

One option which came to our mind that we plan it by ourselves and do all booking like we did in Nanital. We didn't see any issues in Nainital. But here I was little worried and my wife too. As it is 10 days long trip, that also far from home, with a baby. My brother-in-law and his wife were also planning with us so we all were trying to find best option - asking known people.

After so much chaos, we ended up that at least book flights and then see for taxi and hotel by ourselves or by tour agency. Flight ticket prices were increasing day by day. Two days ago same tickets were priced for 38,000. The day I booked, it costed us 45,000 for 4 adults and 1 infant. It helped us clearing some thoughts about going or not going. By booking flights we are sure that we are going Gujarat.

Next we have to see taxi and hotels. I contacted with so many taxi agencies in Gujarat and asked for quotes. Only 5 responded - 1 not operating, 2 asking more personal details, 2 gave quotes. I talked to both of them and 1 looked convincing to me so I finalised it immediately and gave advance booking amount. Advance amount of 1000 rs., Cost 33,000 rs. for 10 days for 3000 kms, 300 driver allowance per day and 10 rs. per km assuming avg. run of 300 kms per day.

This was the time when we realised that it is not tough and we can plan it by ourselves. The only thing which is left was hotel bookings. We started looking but couldn't find any in Dwarka as per our itinerary. So we shuffled it and shifted Dwarka for next day. On day 1, now we were not going Little Rann of Kutch, we were doing local Ahmedabad. On 2nd day we were going Little Rann. Same for SOU, we found it is closed on Monday so shifted it a day prior.

One night I and my wife were thinking about hotel bookings, how to do - by ourselves or by agent? We decided to take a risk of not knowing local area etc. We booked all hotels for 10 days sitting on my laptop that night. Quotes we got from travel agencies without flight for 4 adults, 1 child => 1,60,000 rs. (only hotels and tour via taxi). Taxi we booked in Rs. 36,000, Hotels we booked in 30,000 rs., Total => 66,000 rs. We clearly saved almost 1,00,000 rs. here.

Our total expense: 4 adults, 1 child => 1,53,000 rs.

Food, sightseeing/activity tickets, shopping - 20,000 rs.
Taxi - 30,000 fare for 10 days for max 3,000 kms, 300 per day driver allowance, 2,000 (toll), 840 parking - 36,000 rs.
Flights - Delhi to Ahmedabad round trip (4 adults, 1 infant) - 45,000 rs.
Hotels - 52,000 rs.

I lost my bag at Delhi airport.

2024-03-29T13:42:00.020+05:30

Recently, I did 10 days Gujarat trip with my family on new year holidays [Dec 23 - Jan 24]. When we reached to Delhi airport from Ahmedabad around 11:30pm, we didn't know that this winter night is going to be nightmare for us. We booked cab for home but when reached home, we realised that one bag is missing. We checked cab thoroughly but understood that it was left at airport (not sure inside or outside).

I and my brother-in-law took decision to go airport around 1am by our car. Fog was there and we were driving very carefully. On the way, we stopped by Delhi police officer - we showed him driving license, car documents, flight documents, car boot etc. Also, told him that our bag is left there and we are going back again to airport. He nodded that we can go but also told us, you'll not find your bag. It is too late. We didn't bother by his comment and drove car to airport.

At airport, my brother-in-law were looking at cab pickup point and I asked CRPF standing there, they confirmed that no bag was left there unattended. It could be inside. At arrival gate we asked security, they confirmed that one bag was left here. They confirmed our id and flight tickets then gave bag to us. Security incharge was surprised that we came back from home for a bag, he said you could come in morning. I said we didn't know whether it is inside airport or outside so can't take risk.

It was 3:30am when we reached our home with bag, again drove in fog and slept peacefully. This is how our Gujarat trip ended.

She paused, he impressed - hired.

2024-03-29T13:42:00.013+05:30

Back in 2011, while working at Tech Mahindra, I was given a new responsibility — to help interview and hire candidates for an upcoming project. I teamed up with a friend for this task, and we were excited to be on the other side of the table, selecting future team members. As we interviewed one candidate after another, I made it a point to ask each person one simple question: “Why do you want to join Tech Mahindra?” Most answers were polite but predictable — “good company,” “learning opportunity,” “career growth,” and so on. But one answer from a young woman stood out and completely changed the tone of the interview.

When I asked her the same question, she confidently said, “Sir, Tech Mahindra is my dream company. Since the day I took admission in B.Tech, I’ve always imagined myself working here.” Her passion sounded impressive, so I decided to test the depth of her answer. I asked, “What if you get an offer from Google?” Without a pause, she replied, “I’ll prefer Tech Mahindra over Google.” I was surprised by her confidence and asked her to explain why. That’s when things started to shift. Her reasons for rejecting Google and choosing Tech Mahindra became weak and a little silly — something like, “I like the name,” or “It feels like home.” Slowly, she started running out of logic, and eventually, she went completely blank.

Later in the day, a boy came in for his interview. He was calm and honest. When I asked him the same question, he smiled and said, “Sir, I know the kind of knowledge I have right now won’t get me into Google. But if, somehow, I do get a Google offer, I’ll happily take it and drop Tech Mahindra. However, today it’s Tech Mahindra that has shortlisted me, not Google. So right now, my heart is with Tech Mahindra.” His answer wasn’t flashy or sugar-coated. It was balanced, thoughtful, and most importantly — real. Just like the girl, he was technically strong, but his honesty left a lasting impression.

In the end, we had to pick only one candidate. And yes — we selected the boy. Not because the girl was less skilled, but because the boy showed maturity and sincerity. He didn’t try to impress us with unrealistic praise. He respected the opportunity while being honest about his ambitions. In hiring, especially for a team-based environment, honesty and self-awareness matter as much as technical skills. That day, I learned that the best answer is not always the most flattering one — it’s the one that reflects truth, clarity, and humility.

I struggled to find battery for my $1500 laptop.

2022-01-10T13:32:00.022+05:30

It was the year-end of 2016 and I was in California (United States of America) for work. I had my office laptop which was sufficient for little personal needs. As I was aggressively working on my first novel 'The Ineligible Millionaire' during that time, I realized to have one personal laptop for my personal work which I can leave as it is while leaving for office and resume from the same place after office hours. I had one laptop with me in India (purchased in 2010) which I didn't carry with me to the USA as it was being used by my younger brother. So I decided to buy a new laptop for me with the latest configuration in which I can do video editing, photo editing, and coding.

I started looking for options and I found Microsoft Surface Book very interesting to me. I purchased it but in two days I realized its ease-of-use is completely different from the ease-of-use they showed in commercials or on launch events. I felt uncomfortable while using it so I returned it.

After this, I looked for other options and HP Spectre 360 series drove my attention. I tried the 13-inch model but found it a very small screen for my use so went ahead with the 15-inch model. It was a new model launched recently with a high-end configuration 500GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2GB Nvidia graphics card, i7 10th Gen Intel processor, 2-in-1 15.6" 4K touch screen display with a pen and the model name was 'HP Spectre x360 15-inch'.

In Jan 2017, I ordered it online for $1500 and received it in a week. I was very impressed with the model and comfort of use. I received a 1-year warranty on the laptop. Everything was working fine then in May 2017, I had to move to India due to some personal reasons.

I worked a lot on this laptop since I was in India where I used it for editing my videos & pictures, creating graphics, and coding. I didn't see an issue with the laptop till Mar 2021. During Mar 2021, I saw a slight bulge in the touchpad which meant battery swelling. The touchpad has come out a bit from the bottom. I continued working as I didn't know at that time, it's because of the battery. In Oct 2021, I saw an issue with speakers, the sound was breaking and it used to drop in every 3-4 seconds. I managed my work with earphones. A few days later, my left-click, right-click stopped working on the bottom of the touchpad. Also, the battery swelling issue had grown and could be seen easily. As a result, battery backup is stopped. I could power on my laptop only on the power supply, not on battery backup because the battery stopped charging.

I didn't want to take any risk so I visited the HP Support center in my city immediately. They said, "this model is discontinued and we can't help with anything, Sorry." Seeing no support from them, I contacted HPSupport on Twitter, they also said, "We don't have parts (battery, etc.) for this model as it is an obsolete unit."

A similar unit was launched in India during May 2018, you can see here: https://www.amazon.in/HP-Spectre-15-6-inch-Screen-Memory/dp/B07DSCTV73

HP has launched a new model for Spectre x360 15" convertible here: https://www.hp.com/in-en/laptops/2-in-1s/spectre-x360-15-convertible-laptop.html

In Nov 2021, I contacted some of the computer vendors in Nehru Place, New Delhi via phone and asked them if they can arrange a battery for me. It was not available with them but they assured me to revert in a week.

I tried with some local vendors if they can arrange HP battery KBO6XL for my laptop and found it in stock at one HP showroom in my city. The cost staff told me 7,000 INR including GST with a 6-month replacement warranty. I was not in a position to bargain though I tried but failed. I had to buy it at any cost. So I ordered and staff assured me delivery in 3 days. I received the battery in two weeks and they replaced it. It worked but showed charging 255%. The staff asked me to wait for a day and get the battery fully charged and fully discharged once. I did that but there was no backup if the power was unplugged.

I went back and raised my concern, the staff saw an issue with their battery and assured me of a replacement. The replacement never came, they kept giving me excuses for about a month and it pissed me off. They refunded my money and said that this battery is not available at all in India.

Also, I haven't got any response from the computer vendors of Nehru Place, New Delhi yet so I contacted them again but the response was to wait.

Seeing no solution for two months, I again contacted HPSupport on Twitter in Dec 2021 and asked if they can arrange a battery for my laptop? They said, "battery KBO6XL is not available." I requested them to find a solution so they created a ticket/case and shared the case ID but no response for two weeks.

One day I received a phone call from an HP support executive and she offered me a 20% discount on any new unit I purchase in compensation for the battery part I'm looking for that is not available with them. I asked them if they can check with HP US, they said 'no' and asked me I need to connect directly online on the HP US portal. I tried that as well but I failed to raise a query as I get errors when I put my India address with the model name.

I raised my concerns on LinkedIn as well to all senior people of HP but no response there as well. Seeing no solution I connected with my friend, living in California, and asked him to check with local HP support there. No solution there as well.

I contacted computer vendors of Nehru Place, New Delhi again on phone but no luck. At last, I decided to visit Nehru Place, New Delhi by myself. I visited there with my brother, and after enquiring to multiple shops I found my battery. It cost me 5200 INR with 6 months of replacement warranty.

Now, you must be thinking that why am I telling you this boring story? It's not about the product you are buying, it's about after-sales support from the maker. It could be a car, phone, computer, printer, or anything else. Every maker should focus on after-sales support even if the product is discontinued in the market. That's what makes a difference among brands.

There is no guarantee that the laptop model you are buying today, after seeing impressive commercials or getting influenced by influencers, could become an obsolete unit tomorrow and the maker stops support for that. You will be stuck in the middle as parts may not be available. Be careful if buying any new model of laptop, especially from HP.

Products mentioned in this article:

HPSpectre x360-15inch-4KUltraHD-TouchScreen-Inteli7-16GBRAM-512GBSSD Laptop <= click to buy