Unraveling History: Himachal Pradesh’s Driest Winter in Over a Century

Himachal Pradesh is going through its driest winter in over 100 years, beating records from 1901. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says we’re facing a massive 99.7% drop in January rainfall, way more than the 1996 record of 99.6%.

The typically snow-covered mountains and valleys have transformed into barren grasslands. Beyond the aesthetics, the absence of rain and snowfall is presenting serious challenges for the state’s agriculture, tourism, and water resources.

Apple growers, in particular, are facing the consequences, as the essential moisture provided by winter precipitation is absent. The effects of this weather anomaly are expected to stretch into the summer months, potentially leading to a drought-like situation.

Tourist spots like Manali, Dharamshala, and Shimla are losing their snowy appeal, and winter sports lovers are having a disappointing season without those snow-covered slopes.

Amidst these challenges, the state’s water resources are also under threat. The scarcity of winter rainfall raises concerns about water availability in the upcoming summer months, exacerbating the existing strain on water supplies.

But here’s a historical twist: Similar dry conditions happened back in 1901 and 1996. Now, as we connect the dots and attribute this to global warming, it makes me wonder, what was the cause back then, over 100 years ago? If anyone holds insights or knowledge about the historical backdrop, don’t hesitate to drop your thoughts below!
Let’s unravel this historical puzzle together.

This was first published on my personal Instagram page.

#HimachalDryWinter #HistoricalMystery #ClimateChangeImpact #NatureCuriosity #GlobalWarmingEffect #TourismImpact #WaterScarcity #ClimatePuzzle #SustainableSolutions #SnowlessSeason #CommunityInsights

AI on the Airwaves: Discussing the Future of Technology on All India Radio

🎙️Spoke on All India Radio’s Janvani phone in program this morning, delving into the world of artificial intelligence. A unique experience, ticking off a bucket list item! 📻

🌐 The radio’s nostalgic charm and wide reach struck a chord. Surprised to get a caller from as far as Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The discussions centered around AI’s impacts and the need for a regulatory framework.

🤖 As someone in the tech realm, I firmly believe we can’t rewind technological progress. Instead, we must focus on education and awareness to navigate the AI landscape. Let’s empower people to discern between authentic and fake content.

📚 Advocating for large-scale programs, especially in schools, to equip both the young and the elderly with the skills needed to embrace the AI era wisely.

This was first published on my personal Instagram page.

#AIOnAir#TechTalks#RegulatingTech#EducationForAll#MediaAwareness#NavigatingAITogether#TechInsights#RadioDebut#AIInSociety#DigitalImpact#DigitalLiteracy

Exploring Innovation: Insights from the Himalayan Startup Trek 2023

Last month, I attended the Himalayan Startup Trek 2023, organised by The Catalyst at IIT Mandi, an event focused on encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, especially in Himachal Pradesh. I’ve been actively involved with Catalyst in various roles, such as selecting and mentoring startups.

This year’s event was a landmark, with over 500 startup applications competing for cash prizes. I had the honour of being a jury member for the “Build for the Himalayas” track, where we evaluated around 20 startups. Eventually, we recognised three exceptional startups with cash prizes for their innovative ideas.

What stood out were the startups I encountered during the event. They offered a wide range of innovations, from eco-friendly initiatives to D2C brands promoting Himalayan recipes. For instance, one startup was working on sustainable solutions using hemp plastics, while another, located in Siachen, promoted Ladakhi cuisine directly to consumers, helping local entrepreneurship. We also discovered a simple yet impactful product created by a Kashmiri entrepreneur from Anantnag, designed to aid apple tree growth, showcasing the practicality and creativity promoted by this event.

Catalyst is now considered one of India’s top incubators, providing essential mentorship covering various aspects, from technology and finances to business strategies and investor connections. Interactions with stakeholders, experts, investors, faculty members, and students provided valuable insights and connections, further enhancing the experience.

Reconnecting with old regular friends at HST led to meaningful conversations and exchanging valuable insights and ideas. Overall, the Himalayan Startup Trek is a significant platform for promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the Himalayan region, emphasising connections and supporting promising startups.

This was first published on my personal Instagram page.

#HimalayanStartupTrek#CatalystAtIITMandi#StartupEcosystem#BuildForHimalayas#HimalayanEntrepreneurs#StartupMentorship#NetworkingInHimalayas#SustainableStartups#InnovationInHimalayas#HimalayanConnections

Adipurush, An Exciting Mythical Adventure Kids Will Love

Adipurush received a lot of negative reviews and criticism, but my experience with the film was quite different. Last weekend, I was looking for a kids-friendly film for my kids when Adipurush came to mind. My elder son, on the other hand, had already been influenced by the prevalent hatred surrounding the film. The film received negative reviews on social media, the news, and newspapers. Dialogues, Lord Ram’s portrayal, Lanka’s dark colours instead of gold, and Hanuman ji’s portrayal were all criticised.

Though we had our doubts, my family and I ultimately decided to give Adipurush a shot. Instead of going along with the prevalent opinion, we decided to approach it with an open mind. As we settled down to watch the film on OTT, we had a delightful surprise. Adipurush proved to be an engrossing and entertaining film experience.

I was especially amazed by how my kids, who had watched Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana on TV during the Covid lockdown, became absorbed in the film. The music fascinated them, and their questions about the characters led to lively conversations. Having one’s interest ignited in the tale and its characters is in my opinion, the film’s primary goal.

Adipurush, I believe, was created particularly for a younger audience rather than adults.  It bridges the gap between the generations by presenting our age-old myths and legends in a modern, relatable language. 

Rebuilding Himachal Pradesh: Lessons Learned from the Devastating Monsoon Season

This year’s monsoon season hit Himachal Pradesh hard, leaving a trail of devastation in our beloved state. Destroyed homes, washed-out roads, and tragic loss of life have marred our picturesque mountains and natural beauty. This crisis forces us to rethink our approach to development, safety, and the immense power of nature.

In urban areas like Shimla, things are complicated. Overpopulation and unchecked construction have made us vulnerable to disasters. We must reconsider our development strategies and prioritise safety.

Structural engineering is crucial. Properly assessing a building’s load-bearing capacity is essential for safety. Holding individuals and organisations accountable for safety lapses is necessary.

Policy-wise, the legalisation of illegal structures through fines sets a dangerous precedent. We need to rethink these policies and encourage rule compliance.

The shortage of manpower in government departments leads to inadequate oversight, not just in Shimla but across the state.

New townships must be planned responsibly, considering safety and sustainability. The example of New Shimla, with just one entry/exit road, is concerning.

It’s not just cities; rural areas also suffer from landslides and devastation. This raises questions about larger issues like climate change. For many, mountains have always seemed invincible, but recent events remind us of nature’s power. We’re small and vulnerable in the face of natural forces.

As the season changes, we must not forget those who lost everything. It’s time for accountability and positive change. Together, we can create a safer, more sustainable Himachal Pradesh. The Aapda Raahat Kosh 2023 is here to assist in the recovery efforts after the devastating monsoon rains.

I urge everyone to join hands and support the victims as they try to rebuild their lives.

This was first published on my personal Instagram page.

#HimachalPradesh#NaturePower#PolicyReform#ClimateChange#MonsoonDisaster#HimachalCrisis#UrbanizationIssues#StructuralIntegrity#BuildingSafety#TownshipDevelopment#RuralDevastation#ClimateCrisis#CommunitySupport#HimachalStronger#MountainLife#ProtectOurEnvironment#SafetyAwareness#AapdaRaahatKosh2023

Harmonizing Traditions: The Enchanting Performance of Indian Ocean Band at Kangra Valley Karnival

Recently, I had the joy of attending the long-awaited Summer Festival, now known as the Kangra Valley Karnival, in Dharamshala. After the challenges of the pandemic, the atmosphere was delightful, and this time, the talent level surprised us, featuring both local gems and popular stars!

But what truly stole the show was the mesmerising performance by the Indian Ocean Band. Their soul-stirring mix of modern and classical music left the audience in awe. With every note they played, meaningful lyrics evoked a wave of emotions and wonderful memories.

The Indian Ocean Band, famous for their special mix of modern and classical music, was a big deal during my college days. I cherish the unforgettable memory of sitting down with them when they visited IRMA campus for a performance.

Over the years, the band has seen some members leave and new people join. However their music continues to be enduring, captivating audiences with soul-stirring music that bridges the old and the new.

Here is my recommendation for those who haven’t listened to their songs. Go check out “Ma rewa tharo paani nirmal” on Youtube/ Spotify.

This was first published on my personal Instagram page.

#Dharamshala#HimachalPradesh#HillStation#MountainViews#CultureAndHeritage#KangraKarnival#SummerFestival#IndianOceanBand#SoulfulMelodies#ClassicalAndModern#MythologyInMusic#Nostalgia#MemorableMoments#DharamshalaDiaries#MusicFestival#LiveMusic#FestivalVibes#FestivalFun#HimachalTourism#TravelToDharamshala#ExploreHimachal#InstaMusic#InstaFestival#InstaHimachal#InstaTravel#IRMA

The Humble Shepherd: Lessons in Knowledge and Kindness

Recently, during my visit to Bir with a few friends, we found ourselves captivated by the awe-inspiring para-gliding site of Billing. As we watched the paragliders gracefully soar into the sunset, our eyes wandered towards the nearby pastoral land, where sheep grazed peacefully. Intrigued by the scenic beauty, we decided to hike towards a higher spot offering a better view of the magnificent Dhauladhar mountain ranges behind.

Upon reaching the vantage point, we discovered a quaint bench to rest upon. The sky was full of Paragliders, the last bunch taking off for that day as dusk began to settle, casting a warm glow over the landscape. Then, an old man, a shepherd, appeared before us. He wore a coat and a traditional Pahari topi, and his face bore the signs of life under the sun. With a warm smile, he initiated the conversation, asking us where we were from. One of my friends, Amit, replied, “We are from Dharamshala.” The old man responded, stating that we had travelled from a far-off place.

The shepherd delved further. “What do you do?” he asked. Amit replied, “I am in the army.” The Shephard astutely remarked, “You must be a Subedar by now.” Amit corrected him, stating that he held the rank of Colonel. The old man’s eyes widened, realizing that Amit had a significant post as an officer. The Shephard continued the conversation, asking about Amit’s posting location. Amit mentioned being stationed in Assam, to which Chatru Ram Ji exclaimed, “Ah, they have tea gardens there. I hear they are much larger than the ones in Bir.”

Intrigued by this shepherd’s knowledge of faraway lands, I took the opportunity to engage him in conversation. I inquired about his name, to which he humbly responded, “I am Chatru Ram.” I then asked him about his age, and with a playful smile, he suggested that I subtract two from eighty. He was 78, and he affirmed with a warm expression. Eager to learn more, I asked him about his travels. As a shepherd, he had traversed the entire Himachal region, parts of Punjab, and the bordering areas of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan with his flock of sheep. Travelling and herding were his way of life.

Perplexed by his extensive knowledge of Assam, I questioned Chatru Ram Ji’s source of information. He replied, “Wherever I go, I meet new people and engage in conversations. It is through these interactions that I learn.” This struck a chord within me—learning does not solely occur within the confines of classrooms; it is omnipresent, awaiting discovery through everyday experiences. Chatru Ram Ji, with his weathered face and innocent eyes, became a living testament to this profound life lesson.

Curiosity still burning, I inquired about the size of his flock. With a sense of pride, Chatru Ram Ji revealed that he owned approximately 300 sheep. Astonished, my friend Amit couldn’t resist asking about their market value. Chatru Ram Ji calmly replied, “Around Rs. 15,000 each.” Quick mental calculations revealed that his flock was worth a staggering Rs. 45 lakhs.

However, as we bid farewell to Chatru Ram Ji and began our journey back to Bir, we couldn’t help but acknowledge that the richness of his knowledge and warm-hearted nature made him a truly wealthy man.

Reflecting upon our encounter with Chatru Ram Ji, we couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the depth of wisdom we had unexpectedly encountered in a chance meeting. This humble shepherd, who roamed the forests and valleys, possessed a wealth far more significant than material possessions—knowledge and a genuine, kind spirit.

Chatru Ram Ji left an indelible impression on us, reminding us that learning is an ever-present opportunity waiting to be embraced in the most unexpected places.

Looking Back at Where It All Began – A Decade of Life & Adventure in Dharamshala

I remember that day in the winter of 2011 when a truck carrying our belongings reached Dharamshala. It was the end of January, that time of the year when days are short. It’s a long way from Shimla to Dharamshala, and it was dark by the time we started unloading the truck. Thankfully, it was not raining – quite unlikely for a place like Dharamshala where it rains almost every other day.  

For me, a long journey had come to an end – a journey which had started thirteen years back and had taken me to various parts of India for education and work. Along this journey, I have made many friends, acquaintances and gathered wonderful experiences. However, there was always this thought in the back of my mind that one day, the circle will be complete and I will be back in my hometown. 

While my old journey was now complete, here I was – embarking on a brand new one. Unlike the previous one, where the path was clearly laid out, this one was full of uncertainties. It required me to chart my own course from scratch. Thankfully, I had a partner with me – my wife Shilpa. Even though she had lived all her life in a city, she supported the idea of following an entrepreneurial path in the mountains. 

View of Dhauladhar mountains from NIFT Kangra campus.

GreenKrafts – Experiment with a Bamboo Handicrafts Venture 

The first idea that we dabbled in was a bamboo handicraft venture. The Kangra region in Himachal Pradesh has an abundant supply of high-quality bamboo, cane and natural fibers. However, creating items that earned an attractive premium required highly skilled workers. To bridge the skill gap, we set up workshops for local artisans and hired design professionals and trainers. 

But mobilizing the local workforce turned out to be a challenge. Even after several months, our workshops were largely empty. We also realized that to succeed in this market, we would need to have a deep pocket to invest generously in marketing and branding – clearly not something we could afford at that stage.

This way, the first year of our stay in Dharamshala went by, without much financial success coming our way. However, we refused to give up. We truly believed that better days were ahead of us, and as they say – where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Collaboration with Srijan 

Around the beginning of the 2012, I reconnected with an old friend, Rahul Dewan. Rahul is a technology enthusiast and a passionate entrepreneur spearheading Srijan Technologies, a thriving IT firm in New Delhi.

Though I didn’t have a background in tech, Rahul and I seemed to connect  and began to toy with the idea of setting up a software development centre in Dharamshala. The idea of delivering IT from the mountains (where even basic internet connectivity was a challenge) seemed like an exciting prospect, especially since this was happening way back in 2012.

Simultaneously, we also began to look for a senior IT Lead who would spearhead the tech side of things. As luck would have it, I chanced upon Krishnan, an IT veteran with over two decades of experience. An avid mountaineer, he had moved here from Bangalore to live in the mountains. All three of us felt the synergy brewing between us. One thing led to another, and we soon set up a partnership.  

In the initial days, Srijan Technologies provided us with clients as well as 4 Engineers from their team in New Delhi. Within three years, we grew the business and employed a team of 20+ Engineers. Most of them were local hires, who were brought in as interns and groomed them to become world class engineers. While we didn’t clock the kind of exponential growth that is typically sought-after in IT, we fared well considering the lack of talent and resources in a Tier III hill-town like Dharamshala. 

Meanwhile, like me, Shilpa too made a small breakthrough in her career. Her newfound job as a faculty member at a local institute was somewhat engaging, if not financially rewarding. She soon became the institute’s administrator. It helped her to cope with loneliness as well, since friends and socializing were still largely absent from our lives.

In hindsight, those years were a crucial stepping stone for us. By dabbling in these initiatives, we were building a community of like-minded professionals along the way. We were also getting a pulse of the place and the people, which came in handy later on. 

Startup 3.0  – Development Logics

Having tasted success with Srijan, I was eager to channelize myself in more avenues by joining hands with local organizations and initiatives. Somehow I was not able to find that space in Srijan. After several conversations with the firm’s leadership, I decided to step back from the engagement in mid of 2014. This time, Shilpa and I decided to come together as co-founders instead.

Earlier, Shilpa and I had not considered becoming partners in any professional initiative. This was largely because we didn’t want to bring work to our home. But here in Dharamshala, senior workforce with leadership qualities are hard to come by. Bridging this capability gap required us to join hands.

Our first business opportunity came when Vishal Sood, a close friend of mine, offered us business to setup a chat support team. Slowly over the years, we have built expertise in field of web development and digital marketing. We now offer product development and staffing services in IT.

Currently, we are offering IT services to clients in the U.S., Ireland, Australia, and India. In 2018, we setup a firm in the US to offer IT services. The firm was started with a Scott Allen, an American friend who lives in Dharamshala. The US firm started acquiring customers in early 2018. We have been successful in rolling out an enterprise-grade product in the VOIP domain over the last 3 years.  Couple of months back we started a dealership with a large US telecom company, which took almost a year and half to formalise.

The second business we took forward was Vayudoot, an internet service. With this our vision was to bring high-speed, low-cost, and uninterrupted Internet connectivity to remote areas. In Dec 2015 we got a license to run Internet Services from Department of Telecom. Initially, we procured Internet bandwidth from upstream telecom operators and distributed it to the last mile network. In 2019, we partnered with BSNL, a government run utility to provide high speed internet over fiber.

Today, from powering schools and financial institutions in remote areas to facilitating e-governance in villages, Vayudoot has grown steadily despite the challenges in the Telecom industry. Our fiber network is spread over a radius of 40 KM. My furthest customer is a bank branch which has no other ways of communication. An hydel power project depends on our network to send real time data about power generation to its HQ.

In these Covid times, while employees of many businesses are working remotely, the Internet services team has always been on the ground. Many colleagues contracted COVID, yet nobody left the post. Everybody realises that the Internet is an essential service today – especially so when we are extending coverage to hospitals and vaccination centres. Supporting people working from home or students taking classes.

The pandemic turned out to be a major stumbling block for the surge in growth that we were aiming at. Acquiring B2B clients in the tech space requires spending significant face-time. Many of the networking events that I had attended in India and abroad in the past had translated into a real business. But this option got closed after the onset of the pandemic in 2020. 

By God’s grace, the technology-services sector is not among the worst affected by COVID-19. We are immensely grateful to have retained all our clients through these tough times, along with a few new projects coming to us along the way. Some of our clients have been working with us for the past 7 years.

Beyond Work and Business – Co-developing the Community

With all the ups and downs at the work front, our hearts have always been set on being enablers and change agents for the community around us. We are fortunate to have been able to manifest this in various ways. 

Kangra Arts Promotion Society

One of the earliest community initiatives that we worked on was the Kangra Arts Promotion Society (KAPS). The society was setup by Mr B K Agarwal, a senior IAS officer and Dr Akshai Runchal.

KAPS is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the local artwork of the greater Kangra region in Himachal Pradesh. This is achieved through galleries and exhibitions as well as commissioned work. Over the last few years, we have worked with the KAPS team to improve the model by introducing high-quality training workshops for next generation of artists. 

Our focus has been to ensure that the paintings retain the unique local flavour but are also of top-notch quality that gains acceptance in domestic and export markets. We have further pushed for a change in the compensation model for artists so that along with earning a fixed income, they are able to charge a higher premium as well on their art pieces. 

Dharamshala International Film Festival

Another initiative that I have been volunteering for since long, is the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF). Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam – who are filmmakers and longtime residents of Dharamshala – had come to our office back in 2012 with the idea of giving the Himachali community a taste of alternative world cinema. Their idea instantly resonated with us and since then, there has been no looking back. 

Today, DIFF is one of India’s leading independent film festivals that draw in celebrities from the film ecosystem in India and beyond. Our association has grown from strength to strength over the years. My team and I contribute voluntarily during the festival.

Global Shapers Community

When the World Economic Forum reached out to me to help set up the Dharamshala Chapter of their Global Shapers initiative, it was like a dream come true. The Global Shapers Community is a network of young people driving dialogue, action and change. For me, this was an excellent opportunity to enable and empower the change-makers of today and tomorrow. 

I have been helping Global Shapers to identify local youth and foster leadership skills to prepare them for contributing to public good and welfare services. It has been a great experience through and through. It helped me to connect with the younger generation and form lasting friendships with like-minded people.

Catalyst – IIT Mandi Tech Incubator

As a technology business incubator started in 2016, Catalyst has emerged as one of the leading incubators in Himachal Pradesh and in the Himalayan region within merely 5 years of its existence. It is also among the more active incubators in the country. Through the visionary leadership provided by IIT Mandi, Catalyst has created a startup-friendly support system to ensure that the ideas of tomorrow don’t die. I have been associated with it as a member of the Board of Governors. Meeting budding entrepreneurs and listening to their stories, helps me to remain motivated and to keep moving on this journey. 

NIFT – Kangra

Sometime in 2018, I got a call from NIFT Kangra to take up a course in Personality Development. Someone close had recommended my name. Initially, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take up a teaching position. However, I was keen on getting this experience as well. Somehow I felt this was an opportunity to not just teach but to learn. 

Overcoming Challenges: The Best View Comes After the Hardest Climb

All of this is not to say that life here has been a bed of roses. If anything, it has been the opposite. 

At a time when people were flocking to the cities where opportunities, technology, and networking thrive, we had decided to go backwards. A missing entrepreneurial ecosystem, a sub-par workforce, and the sheer lack of opportunities in Dharamshala made our journey particularly difficult. We had to pave the way for things to happen and take shape – often one brick at a time. 

In the early years, for example, we invested significantly in training the local youth only to be disappointed time and again. Dharamshala is not perceived to be an IT hub, and fades in comparison to Bangalore or New Delhi. We had to compensate for it by doubling down on our marketing efforts and keeping our operations lean. We consciously avoided taking the typical startup route of securing funding. Instead, we bootstrapped our way through the journey. This slowed our growth to some extent. But then again, not having investors breathing down on our neck has been a blessing during the pandemic year. In addition, we don’t have any business debt so that’s an added bonus as well. 

Our biggest challenge continues to be sales. The second biggest challenge is finding the right people. While we are able to hire people at junior levels. We haven’t been able to find senior talent, especially for the consulting business. If you or someone in your network is looking for IT services, please do connect with me.

The ISP business has seen huge changes. The big telecom companies are fighting a price war, therefore the margins have squeezed a lot. 

Despite this, what makes me proud still is that we have managed to create employment in this area and beyond in the tech domain. We have survived this journey with support from our friends and well-wishers. The road ahead is not easy. However, we will continue to move forward. After all, the best view comes after the hardest climb, and we have miles to go before we sleep.

6 Questions on Caring for the Elderly That We Need to Ask Ourselves

In India, until just a few decades back, a large family living together under the same roof and sharing food from a common kitchen was a common sight. Today, joint families are on the verge of becoming an endangered species. Among the many implications of this trend, one aspect that stands out to me at a personal level is what it means for the ageing and the elderly.

Taking care of each other has always been a given at our home. My late grandmother, who recently passed away, lived with us till she was 99 years old. Over the last few years, our lives had sort of come to revolve around her. We also have similar fond and cherished memories of being with my grandfather till his last breath. 

But that does not mean that the many reasons why people choose to live in nuclear setups are lost on me. Nor does it imply that I am some kind of an expert on senior care. My simple realization is this – the experience of looking after the ones who once looked after us is largely a matter of following our heart.

You cannot fake it, and if done with selfless intent and without any expectations, it can be truly gratifying. On the other hand, the process of watching them age, wither, and one day, leave behind nothing but memories and photographs, is a humbling experience. It puts into perspective our own changing bodies and minds, our inevitable ageing process, and the physical and emotional dependencies that sooner or later come with it. 

Earlier, I had considered turning this blog into a series of tips and suggestions on caring for the elderly. But, then I changed my mind. For those interested to become better caretakers and companions for senior citizens in their family, community, and beyond, there are plenty of such articles on the internet.

Instead, I would like to raise a series of questions that have often occurred to me along my journey with my grandparents. I believe that whether you are in a position to help your elderly family members or not, these are questions that you will relate to at a human level. 

1. If ageing is natural, why is it so hard to see it happen to your loved ones?

On the face of it, the passing of time seems like such a natural phenomenon.

Since the day we are born, we start ageing. The process is usually enjoyable as we progress to youth and then reach the mid-mark. After that, as we age further,  it tends to become a bit scary and unpleasant. We all know the tell-tale signs – greying hair, shrivelling skin, loss of senses, cognitive failures, disabilities, various health conditions, and so on. These are more or less known to us. Yet, watching it from close-up, while someone in your family starts to degenerate and weaken right before your eyes, is one of the hardest things to do. 

My grandmother was active and healthy until a little over a year ago. We were so used to seeing her happy and fully functional that when the change suddenly came in the form of illness, getting bed-ridden, experiencing hearing-loss, and later, the loss of her vocabulary, it was too painful to watch.

One part of it was the feeling of helplessness – the sheer pain of not being able to help her in any way. The other aspect was realizing that she was fully aware of her own degeneration and that it was unknowingly eating away at her sense of feeling alive, confident, and happy. 

My learning is this – even if you know it all, you cannot prepare yourself for this moment before it arrives. You will probably have to just wing it, and whatever pain comes along the way, you will have to live with it with grace and acceptance, reminding yourself every moment that their pain is probably much, much bigger than yours.

2. Is physical care enough for the ageing?

This is another question that often tugs at my heart. 

Is it enough to ensure that they are well-fed, rested, clean and hygienic, and under high-quality medical care? Or is there more to it?

Some of the aspects that we often tend to overlook are things like companionship and adding meaning and value to their lives. It is one thing to have a nice cup of tea, for example, but it is another thing to share it with your grandson. It is one thing to undergo routine blood tests – it is another thing to have your granddaughter hold your hand while the needle pierces your skin.

A key cause of depression among the elderly is the feeling that they have nothing more to offer to the world or to the people around them. Up until 2018, my grandmother took care of our kids while my wife and I could focus on work. It was extremely beneficial for us, but more importantly, it gave her a feeling of belongingness, meaning, and contribution.

3. Can good and holistic care guarantee anything?

The simple answer is this – no, it cannot. But knowing it doesn’t stop us from letting our hopes run high.

By God’s grace, and with support from everyone around us, we were able to take excellent care of my grandmother for several decades. It was mostly a joyful experience. But over time, it sort of made us forget that no amount of care, companionship, or love could stop age-related degeneration in her and eventually – death

When the inevitable happened, we initially struggled a lot to accept the new reality. Then, as she began to deteriorate and her health and wellness began to slip through our fingers, we realized that we no longer had any control over it. It was then that we began to pray for her suffering to end instead. 

It’s not a journey that you can possibly imagine without going through it yourself, but in the end, it made me realize how little is truly in our control.

4. Do we, as a nation, have adequate infrastructure to make life comfortable for the elderly?

I can’t stress this enough. There is only so much that you can do as a son, daughter, grandson, or granddaughter. Beyond the capabilities of an individual or even that of an entire family, we need to have the right kind of technology and infrastructure to make life easier for the ageing and the debilitating.

India is still too far behind when it comes to having innovative and effective solutions for her elderly population.

Challenges like reduced mobility, impaired cognitive functionality, and loss of senses are still largely unaddressed – i.e. there is not enough technical support for the elderly to live a relatively full life despite these conditions. There are hardly any community-building initiatives for senior citizens. Geriatric care is still limited to the economically privileged and/or the socially privileged. 

It makes me wonder – if the process of growing old and nearing death is so terrifying and scary for those blessed with money and family support, how much harder is it for those who are stripped of these things?

One can only hazard a guess.

5. Is the tradeoff worth it?

Fair warning – this is a very subjective question.

Deciding to be there for your ageing parents and grandparents is a life-changing decision. You will probably stop having your own space, your freedom gets somewhat curtailed, your career choices become limited, and your finances can easily go for a toss if you are not careful. 

But is the tradeoff worth it? For me, it is. It gives me a sense of alignment with the full circle of life and more importantly, it lets me sleep with a clean conscience. But for those who are still sitting on the fence, here’s my humble suggestion – give it a try before you reject it outright. You may be pleasantly surprised.

6. Do we really understand old age?

I don’t know the answer to this question. But I think that that’s what makes it so enigmatic.

No matter how much we love, respect, or care for the elderly, old age will always remain a puzzle, or at the very least, a black-box to me.

Sometimes I think I have cracked it, but now I know better. 

And when my time comes, I hope that I can face it with the kind of grace, strength, and compassion that I often saw in my grandparents. It’s a lofty goal, but it’s also one that’s incredibly empowering. Perhaps one of that many advantages of being next to your loved ones as they age is to feel somewhat reassured that if they could do it, so can you.

Rising up to the challenge – How we launched 3 applications within a few days for Himachal Pradesh’s rapid pandemic response

As India geared up to fight COVID-19 and the country-wide lockdown came into effect in March 2020, it was a sudden jolt to individuals and businesses. Adapting to remote working and virtual collaboration was (and is) no cake-walk. But for us at Development Logics, being in the grips of the pandemic was much more than just adjusting to the new normal. It was almost like a battle-call.

The State of Himachal Pradesh, where we are headquartered, announced full-fledged curfew on the end of March 2020. But essential service providers and people in emergency situations still needed to travel. This essentially meant that a portal to request, approve, and download Curfew Passes was required on an immediate basis. In close collaboration with the IT Department of the State Government of Himachal Pradesh, we built the Curfew Pass application that went live in just 24 hours. It facilitated the generation of e-pass as a valid permit to move within the State.

When the application was first launched, we were receiving around 7 applications per minute. Towards the end of the lockdown, we were receiving over 100 applications per minute. Thus, this was not just another app that we built – we had to attain high scalability and a stable back-end that could cater to millions of requests and app sessions under extreme timeline crunch.

There was no time to plan a project of this scale and magnitude. But, we weathered the storm by rising up to the crisis and with the aid of dedicated officials from the Government. We would like to acknowledge the contribution by Mr. Rohan Thakur, then Director IT, Mr. Rajeev Sharma, Additional Director IT, Mr. Anil Semwal, Joint Director IT, from the government of Himachal Pradesh for their relentless support, inputs, and encouragement. They were available to us with full commitment whenever we needed them to make critical decisions as product owners, and this made the journey an easy sail. The impact of this project was incredible and that made our team work harder than ever to make life easier for the people of our state.

The applicants needed to fill a form stating the reason for travel, details like timeline and information about anyone accompanying them, identification details, and so on. The applications were automatically sent for approval to the district officials, and on approval, an SMS alert was sent to the applicant. On one hand, it was a moment of pride for us to have been able to contribute in making lives easier for our people. On the other hand, making this feat possible in remote working mode was no easy task. But then, we were just getting started.

Tracking the quarantined population and contact tracing for those affected by COVID-19 was next on the cards for the State Government. Within merely 5 days, we launched the COVID Quarantine App in collaboration with the IT & Health departments of the Government of Himachal Pradesh. The project was the brainchild of Mr. Nipun Jindal, Special Secretary Health Dept, Govt of Himachal Pradesh who deserves a special mention here. The app was loaded with powerful features to track and trace the location of those in quarantine, assign a healthcare worker to each quarantined patient, send automated notifications to healthcare workers in case of quarantine violations and emergencies, and enable administrative staff to easily update data from the back-end. It has successfully tracked nearly 65,000 people and 6,200+ health workers till date. With this we also setup a dedicated help desk, for responding to queries of health workers and people being quarantined.

Given the critical nature of the situation, it was of utmost importance to create an information hub for COVID-19 where people at large could easily access the quarantine app, curfew pass, COVID-related dashboards, updates on new orders by the Government of Himachal Pradesh, and more. This was also essential to have in place as quickly as possible to counter the spread of fake news and de-stress the public. We showcased all pandemic-related information by building a single Government e-portal for COVID-19. This, too, went live in a matter of 4-5 days.

Each of these projects further evolved rapidly during the lockdown. Daily meetings on feature updates & logic changes were held to keep up with the changing requirements of the people and the State. We also took stock of the limitations we faced along the way. The apps were primarily built for Android phones, which means that non-android users lost out on some of the benefits. People without smartphones could not be served with these solutions either. The quality of sensors and inaccuracies in geolocation data were other stumbling blocks we had to workaround. It was not the best solution we could build, but then we were working under tight deadlines. Thankfully between the Department of IT and us, we found another team at Tagbin, which built version 2 of the quarantine app, helping us improve the location tracking features. Would like to thank Saurabh and Ankit from Tagbin for taking up this challenge.

Each member of our team came forward to ensure that the projects are implemented in time. We also collaborated with external teams like the state data center teams and government bodies at a whole new scale due to the sense of urgency involved. Would like to compliment Hitesh and his team at the state data centre for their relentless support in keeping the infra cranked up to achieve the scale we were staring at.

And yes, timely intervention from Rupika, who helped optimize resources for these applications, making the whole experience breezy for the end users. Over 1,00,000 curfew passes were issued in just over a month from the total of 4,00,000+ applications that were received. Accurate movement of live data and high scalability were a few of the aspects that we had to keep up with on the go. It has been an exciting phase for us to juggle these high-priority projects steered forward by the IT department of the State that is progressive and willing to adopt new ways. It was encouraging to see our story being covered by The Tribune India and The Times of India, and we look forward to going onwards and upwards from here in the service of people, communities and organizations.

I would like to thank Rohan Thakur, the then Director IT for reposing trust in our team. There are few bureaucrats who walk the talk. We connected during the Global Investors meet with regards to the IT policy of the state. He actually took that discussion to another level by giving a small upstart in Himachal an opportunity to work on such critical projects. Learnings from here will be of immense value to us and hopefully pave the way for more IT companies to set up base and collaborate with the state government.

In the end I would like to mention the effort put in by my colleagues at Development Logics. Anirban, Vijith, Ramya, Deepti, Pankaj, Mukesh and Yogesh for spending countless hours building these applications and then supporting them since the last couple of months.