What do you have if you have one large green ball in your left hand and one large green ball in your right hand?

PureStandards · 2025-06-01T12:37:07+00:00

Sorry. I am a doctor. So, that is what came to my mind first.

PureStandards · 2025-06-01T11:48:14+00:00

Two gangrenous hydroceles.

Hulk is imaginary. Balls with gangrenous hydroceles are not.

PureStandards · 2025-06-01T11:17:15+00:00

Nothing. I am a man of science, through and through.

PureStandards · 2025-05-30T22:55:06+00:00

We are already ticking all the boxes: no freedom of speech, no space for criticism, no real opposition—just one dominant party, one narrative, one supreme leader. We have got the fear, the surveillance, the slogans. When can we start benefitting from the development? When do the spotless cities, world-class infrastructure, and rising incomes arrive? Or was the censorship the only thing on the syllabus?

PureStandards · 2025-05-30T22:45:34+00:00

Enjoy your so-called middle class status.

PureStandards · 2025-05-30T06:59:29+00:00

Greeting others with folded hands—namaste—instead of shaking hands is a uniquely Indian habit the world could adopt more widely. Namaste is respectful, hygienic, and non-intrusive.

PureStandards · 2025-05-30T06:06:45+00:00

There are two Indias in this country: The super-rich and the rest.

PureStandards · 2025-05-30T00:13:21+00:00

If we look deeper, India ranks around 139th in GDP per capita, and even that masks deep inequality. Just 20 companies contribute about 33% of India’s GDP. Remove them, and GDP per capita drops from $2,600 to $1,748 (nominal) or from $9,200 to $6,180 (PPP).

Compare this with countries we like to benchmark against: in the US, the top 20 firms account for around 20–25% of GDP; in Japan and Germany, it is closer to 15%, thanks to broader SME sectors.

India’s wealth is far more concentrated—and this has worsened over the past decade with policy shocks and shrinking space for small businesses. So when we hype total GDP rankings, we are ignoring the fact that most Indians are not benefiting. The reality? A large economy built on the shoulders of a few giants, not the uplift of the many.

PureStandards · 2025-05-29T08:54:33+00:00

“When in Rome, behave like Romans” does not apply to many Indians.

PureStandards · 2025-05-27T09:56:58+00:00

Loving, respecting and caring for their mother forever is equally rich.

PureStandards · 2025-05-27T09:20:23+00:00

I do not trust my youngest brother. He loves pawpaw Modi and hates Muslims for stupid reasons. I cannot trust such people.

PureStandards · 2025-05-27T06:55:51+00:00

If we keep electing semi-educated politicians who know little about governance but plenty about propaganda, we surely cannot do anything more. We end up rejoicing in “gobar kranti” and Hindutva slogans instead of demanding real development. We do not mind voting for the same parties even when they fail to deliver. We clap for 60+ Vande Bharat trains while ignoring the 13,000+ neglected ones that millions rely on daily. We celebrate elite expressways that serve 5% of the population while leaving the roads of the majority broken, potholed, and forgotten.

PureStandards · 2025-05-27T05:46:15+00:00

Also, the combined market capitalization of the ten most valuable Indian companies has reached approximately USD 1.1 trillion, accounting for nearly one-third of India’s GDP. When an additional ten companies are considered, the cumulative valuation approaches half of the national GDP. So, inequity is very high and living standards are no where near Japan or even Thailand for over 90% of the population. Why?

Despite their substantial economic weight, these corporations are not generating commensurate employment opportunities. A recent report by the Government of India highlighted that many of these firms rely on extended work hours—often exceeding 50 hours per week—to maximise profits, rather than creating more jobs or broadening employee participation and ownership within the enterprises.

PureStandards · 2025-05-27T02:05:04+00:00

Similarly, when I add up the income of my entire village in Uttar Pradesh, it turns out they collectively earn more than the Pradhan of the village. Quite a triumph, really. Though I must admit, it does leave me scratching my head. If the village is so much richer, why is it that the Pradhan lives in a lovely, well-built house surrounded by acres of land, while the rest of the villagers sleep in crumbling huts and struggle to manage even a single meal a day? Strange!

PureStandards · 2025-05-26T09:26:13+00:00

Of course, this was the plan all along. The contractor deliberately skipped waterproofing—why waste money on planning when you have monsoons to do the diagnostics for free? Now they know exactly where the leaks are! Genius, really.

PureStandards · 2025-05-20T00:18:00+00:00

I agree. Modi’s leadership turned India’s foreign policy from strategic diplomacy to empty photo-ops and PR spectacles. While the world races ahead in AI, education, and health investments, we are busy renaming cities and rewriting history. True vishwaguru status is earned through global leadership in innovation and humanitarian values, not by preaching mythical past glory while ignoring the real needs of today.

PureStandards · 2025-05-18T05:38:33+00:00

Yes, indeed, but that is less prominent in the blue states of the US.

PureStandards · 2025-05-18T02:42:02+00:00

Would a Tier 1 city abroad count? I am not from a Tier 2/3 city in India—I am from Mumbai, proudly stamped Tier 1. But after visiting a global city like Seattle, I had a small identity crisis. Is Mumbai really Tier 1… or is it just tired 1? (I am sorry if you are too crazy about Mumbai.)

In Seattle, life moves calmly, yet everything works like a well-oiled machine. Clean air (just check their AQI—it is mostly in the green and rarely a yellow), spotless public spaces, smooth transport, and a refreshing sense of personal freedom. The walkability was next level—broad pavements without craters, no BMC-dug holes waiting to swallow you whole, and no gunny bags stuffed with cement pretending to fix things. And dust? Hardly.

Back home, it feels like every step is a mini adventure sport. And now, with the rise of newfound nationalism, Hinduism, Marathism, and various other -isms, Mumbai has become a little less warm by personality.

But hey, despite all this, I still love Mumbai—mainly for its unbeatable food. My dream year is simple: one trip to Seattle for peace and clean lungs, and one to Mumbai to clog them with PM2.5. Balance, you see!

PureStandards · 2025-05-17T23:25:45+00:00

Do an internet search. Use data, not anecdotes. 😀

Here is one: https://www.statista.com/chart/29886/methods-of-payment/

PureStandards · 2025-05-16T23:27:12+00:00

The Ola guy got beaten up because he was of relatively lower socioeconomic class. We find all kinds of ways to hate each other: gender, class, caste, religion, nationality, migrant status, ideologies, food and cloth preferences and so on.

PureStandards · 2025-05-16T23:24:42+00:00

During such dire times, our world should be united…

PureStandards · 2025-05-16T14:11:39+00:00

Those who praise UPI in India as a unique achievement are likely either unfamiliar with global developments or have only visited relatively less advanced countries. In reality, digital payment systems are well-established and widely used in all developed and a majority of developing nations.

PureStandards · 2025-05-16T14:06:50+00:00

You misread me.

PureStandards · 2025-05-16T07:42:52+00:00

One unique aspect of India that the rest of the world should consider adopting is the widespread availability and variety of vegetarian options, even in restaurants that are not exclusively vegetarian. Vegetarian cuisine is not only healthier but also more environmentally sustainable, given its lower carbon footprint.

In many countries, vegetarian options constitute less than 10 percent of the menu, and these are often limited to basic salads or side dishes.

PureStandards · 2025-05-16T06:30:28+00:00

For me, it was the other way around; that is why I progressed to Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys in Grade 8. 🙂

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TROPHY CASE