Love reading, watching podcasts , interviews, documentaries ,humanity. Review books. Retweets and likes are not always endorsements.
Joined August 2009
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Lali retweeted
Meet Madam Jeanne Louise Calment, who had the longest confirmed human lifespan: 122 years, 164 days. Apparently, fate strongly approved of the way she lived her life. She was born in Arles, France, on February 21, 1875. The Eiffel Tower was built when she was 14 years old.
When she was 85, she took up fencing, and still rode her bike when she reached 100. At the age of 114, she starred in a film about her life, at age 115 she had an operation on her hip, and at age 117 she gave up smoking, having started at the age of 21 in 1896. She didn't give it up for health reasons; her reason was that she didn't like having to ask someone to help her light a cigarette once she was nearly blind.
Jeanne retained sharp mental faculties. When she was asked on her 120th birthday what kind of future she expected to have. Her reply, "A very short one."
Here are the Rules of Life from Jeanne Louise Calment:
"I'm in love with wine."
"All babies are beautiful."
"I think I will die of laughter."
"I've been forgotten by our Good Lord."
"I've got only one wrinkle, and I'm sitting on it."
"I never wear mascara; I laugh until I cry often."
"If you can't change something, don't worry about it."
"Always keep your smile. That's how I explain my long life."
"I see badly, I hear badly, and I feel bad, but everything's fine."
"I have a huge desire to live and a big appetite, especially for sweets."
"I have legs of iron, but to tell you the truth, they're starting to rust and buckle a bit."
"I took pleasure when I could. I acted clearly and morally and without regret. I'm very lucky."
“Being young is a state of mind, it doesn’t depend on one’s body. I’m actually still a young girl, it's just that I haven't looked so good for the past 70 years."
At the end of one interview, the journalist said, "Madame, I hope we will meet again sometime next year." To which Jeanne replied, "Why not? You're not that old; you'll still be here!”
I hope you enjoyed this little story and it inspires you to not take life too seriously, and live a little like Jeanne. And please remember growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.
Lali retweeted
Before she became a Bachchan, Jaya was the eldest of three Bhaduri sisters, growing up in a Bengali family in Bhopal.
Her father, Tarun Kumar Bhaduri, was no ordinary journalist. He travelled with Chambal’s dacoits, documented their lives and wrote an first hand account novel.
Jaya called him her hero. Her mother, Indira, was deeply religious, while Tarun was not. Yet he never allowed his daughters to disrespect their mother’s beliefs. A quietly progressive man, he refused to treat daughters differently from sons.
Jaya’s sisters are Rita and Neeta. Rita married actor Rajeev Verma, the familiar face who played Salman Khan’s father in Maine Pyar Kiya. He was an architect before acting, and the couple share a love of theatre. They have two sons, Shiladitya and Tathagat. Rita is also associated with Bhopal’s theatre scene.
Jaya’s roots were shaped by a journalist who believed in fearless thinking, independent daughters and living life on one’s own terms. That legacy deserves its own frame.
Guess the name of the novel his father wrote based on the dacoits
Of Chambal?
🤖 Made with AI
Lali retweeted
At changi airport :
> Checked google maps to find my way to the hotel
> Ar the exit crossed from left to right
> At the bus stop found a board mentioning which busy to take and fare (ex: bus stop information board)
> Got on the bus, paid ~3 SGD to reach my stop
> Walked 400m to my hotel
And here in india people are happy with no end to end connectivity, no footpaths, garbage filled, half-assed debris lying infrastructure.
Lali retweeted
When he tumbles down the stairs, I honestly can’t stop laughing. I showed this to a 15-year-old who had never heard of Peter Sellers or The Pink Panther, and when she saw this scene, she nearly peed herself laughing so hard!
Lali retweeted
Me esborrachei de rir deste texto (autor anônimo):
Estou numa idade em que cuidar da saúde virou um esporte radical.
Se como açúcar, a glicose sobe. Se como sal, a pressão sobe. Se vejo o preço dos remédios, sobem as duas.
Se bebo água, vou ao banheiro a cada cinco minutos. Se não bebo, fico desidratado. Já estou pensando em colocar uma televisão no banheiro e assumir aquilo como sala de estar.
Se como, engordo. Se não como, fico fraco. Se como só salada, fico triste. E, se fico triste, como.
O médico mandou ouvir meu corpo. Fui ouvir: é só reclamação. Parece reunião de condomínio.
Se faço exercício, no dia seguinte preciso de ajuda para sentar. Se não faço, preciso de ajuda para levantar. Estou pagando academia para descobrir de qual jeito prefiro sofrer.
Se durmo muito, as costas doem. Se durmo pouco, viro um zumbi. Se durmo de mau jeito, passo três dias olhando para a esquerda.
Aliás, descobri que é possível se machucar dormindo. Antigamente eu tinha que cair de bicicleta. Hoje basta escolher o travesseiro errado.
Se tomo café, não durmo. Se não tomo, não funciono. Meu organismo está igual carro velho: demora a pegar e, quando pega, ninguém sabe o que está fazendo aquele barulho.
De manhã, eu já não acordo… eu ressuscito. Primeiro abro os olhos, depois confiro quais peças vieram junto. Sento na beira da cama e espero o sistema reconhecer os joelhos.
E a memória? Está ótima! Só não lembro onde deixei.
Outro dia entrei num cômodo e esqueci o que ia fazer. Voltei para lembrar e esqueci de onde tinha vindo. Aproveitei que estava em pé e fui ao banheiro.
Mas precisamos levar a vida com leveza. Ficar sozinho e sem conversar não faz bem.
Comentei isso com o micro-ondas e a torradeira enquanto tomávamos café. Os dois concordaram. A torradeira até ficou emocionada e pulou o pão.
Com a máquina de lavar eu não converso mais: ela distorce tudo e depois fica dando voltas no mesmo assunto.
A geladeira é fria, mas reconheço que é a única que acende quando me vê.
O ferro de passar é muito esquentado. O forno também. E o aspirador só aparece para sugar a minha energia.
Meu melhor amigo agora é o sofá. Ele me acolhe sem fazer perguntas. O problema é que depois não quer me soltar.
Então vamos rir enquanto ainda lembramos da piada!
Quanto às fases da vida, adotei uma classificação bem simples:
Até os 50, a gente faz planos.
Depois dos 50, faz exames.
Depois dos 70, compara os resultados com os amigos.
Depois dos 90, pode comer o bolo inteiro: quem quiser reclamar vai ter que chegar até lá primeiro!
E agora vou encerrar porque levantei para fazer alguma coisa.
Se alguém souber o que era, me avise.
Lali retweeted
"Don't travel by air" is modern Marie Antoinette justice.
A 700% fare hike isn’t market dynamics; it is predatory duopoly enabled by DGCA’s calculated silence.
The government refuses to cap fares, airlines loot passengers, and the highest court mocks the common man’s right to equal protection.
When citizens approach the constitutional court against cartelisation, judges casually dismiss Article 14 with one-liners.
Is our judiciary protecting citizens from price-gouging, or shielding corporate aviation cartels?
Plea regarding extremely high airfares mentioned before #SupremeCourt
Counsel: The airfares have increased to 700%. It is an essential service. Violation of Article 14.
J Vikram Nath: Don't travel by air. Next case.
Lali retweeted
He has received all three prestigious civilian honours: Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan.
He is one of the very few individuals in India to have received all three. Just imagine that for a second.
He has received honorary doctorates from 55 universities across the world.
He has authored 25 books and published 284 research papers.
He went on to lead 40 research laboratories as the Director General of CSIR, one of India's largest scientific research organizations.
He's none other than Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, one of India's most celebrated scientists, who has played a significant role in transforming India's position in global research and innovation.
But what makes his journey even more inspiring is where it all began.
He lost his father when he was just 6 years old. His mother worked extremely hard to raise him, and there were times when even getting two meals a day was a struggle.
He walked barefoot to school until the age of 12, studied under streetlights, and his mother once had to borrow just Rs. 21 to pay his school admission fees.
Despite all these struggles, he ranked 11th in Maharashtra in his SSC examinations. He almost gave up further education because of financial difficulties, but a scholarship of Rs. 60 per month from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust helped him continue his studies.
He went on to complete his PhD and build a successful research career abroad. But in 1976, he chose to return to India and joined the National Chemical Laboratory at a salary of just Rs. 2,100 per month.
When he became the Director of NCL in 1989, the laboratory had not secured a single US patent in 39 years.
At a time when Indian laboratories were largely focused on copying foreign technologies, he wanted India to develop technologies that even the world's biggest companies would want to buy.
And he made it happen. Under his leadership, NCL went on to build research partnerships with global giants like General Electric and DuPont.
He also played a major role in challenging US patents on India's traditional knowledge, including turmeric and basmati rice.
Even today, in his 80s, he continues to champion affordable innovation and support young Indian innovators developing technologies that can improve millions of lives.
His philosophy has always been that it is not the power of the budget that matters, but the power of the idea.
From a child whose mother struggled to arrange Rs. 21 for his education to a scientist honoured by 55 universities across the world, his journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
If there has to be an epitome of inspiration for every young Indian who dreams of achieving something big despite limited resources, it has to be him. :)
Watch the full conversation only on The India Opportunity Show. Link in comments.
P.S. The India Opportunity book is out now! Grab your copy on Amazon. :)
Lali retweeted
Recalling #IndiraGandhi on the 42nd anniversary of her tragic assassination today. I had the honour of meeting her, as President of the @StStephensClg students union, in 1974 and later interviewing her, first in early 1975 for a Swiss youth magazine (see pic), and then twice, at greater length, after her electoral defeat in 1977, for my doctoral dissertation on her foreign policy. Despite my fierce opposition to the Emergency and the occasional authoritarian excesses of her rule, her tragic assassination in 1984 still felt like a profound personal blow. It took something vital away from our democracy that the political fate of our Prime Minister should be determined by bullets and not ballots.
It is difficult to single out one landmark moment in such a consequential life, but I would hail her triumph in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, in which she acted with moral clarity to liberate millions, ended the world’s largest refugee crisis and rewrote the map of the subcontinent. 🙏🏼 प्रणाम and 🕉️ शांति !
Lali retweeted
She was given a middle name ‘Priyadarshini’ by Rabindranath Tagore whilst studying at Tagore’s Visva-Bharati, Shantiniketan
#IndiraPriyadarshiniGandhi
19 November 1917 - 31 October 1984
Lali retweeted
After 14 years as the Netherlands’ prime minister, Mark Rutte stepped down in 2024 with a farewell as humble as his reputation.
No elaborate ceremony, no motorcade, and no dramatic departure. He simply climbed onto his bicycle and pedaled away.
Known for regularly cycling throughout his time in office, Rutte ended more than a decade of leadership in the most fitting way possible: just a former prime minister riding off on his bike.
Lali retweeted
I have never understood this eagerness to tear down an anticipated film before it has even released. The glee with which people wait to pounce on its flaws is almost gladiatorial— as if they are in an arena, waiting for blood.
Don’t like the idea? Don’t watch it. Watch it and dislike it? Move on. Let others have their own experience.
This desperate need to pre-emptively declare a film terrible, or a massive flop, even in the name of “saving you money” is pathetic. It’s the crabs-in-a-bucket mentality: if something innovative dares to rise, let’s drag it down before it even gets a chance to fly.
Lali retweeted
Yes, they met again. RGV later clarified the misunderstanding in person with Aamir, saying they resolved it with no bad blood left. Aamir invited him to a 2008 premiere, they joined a 2020 virtual Rangeela reunion, and in 2025 RGV shared a fresh photo of them together, calling him his “RANGEELA man.”
Lali retweeted
It happened at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, where Danny Denzongpa and Jaya Bhaduri became friends for life.
Originally called Tshering Phintso Denzongpa, Danny became fodder for mispronunciations when he introduced himself during orientation. His classmates mangled his name, and it became the punchline of every joke for the next few weeks. One day, however, Jaya got up and said, "Why not call him Danny instead?"
That changed everything, and always for the better.
Their bond extended beyond the classroom. Danny recalled Jaya as always protective of a friend.
Lali retweeted
एक-दो दिन पहले एक वीडियो देखा, जिसमें कोई मंत्री जी मंच पर दलेर मेहंदी जी से जिस तरह बात कर रहे थे, उसे देखकर बहुत दुख हुआ।
मैं दलेर जी को बहुत सालों से जानता हूँ। यह भी जानता हूँ कि पिछले कुछ समय से उनकी तबीयत ठीक नहीं रही है। मंत्री जी, आपको उनकी प्रस्तुति से शिकायत हो सकती है। नाराज़गी भी हो सकती है। लेकिन सबके सामने मंच पर जाकर इस तरह उन्हें अपमानित करना ज़रूरी था क्या? यही बात उनसे अलग बैठकर, इज़्ज़त से भी तो कही जा सकती थी।
एक कलाकार अपनी मेहनत से जो पहचान और सम्मान कमाता है, उसके पीछे पूरी ज़िंदगी लगी होती है। दलेर जी ने पिछले तीस-पैंतीस सालों से अपने गानों से हम सबको ख़ुशी दी है। उस योगदान की कुछ तो क़द्र होनी चाहिए।
दलेर जी, मैंने आपको हमेशा एक नेकदिल, प्यार बाँटने वाले इंसान के रूप में जाना है। जहाँ तक मैं आपको जानता हूँ, आप शराब भी नहीं पीते। आपको यह सब सहना पड़ा, इसका मुझे बहुत अफ़सोस है।
अपनी इंडस्ट्री के साथियों से भी कहना चाहूँगा—जो लोग दलेर जी को जानते हैं, वे अपनी बात ज़रूर रखें। उनके साथ खड़े हों। किसी के अच्छे स्वभाव के बारे में, उसकी इंसानियत के बारे में अपने अनुभव से दो शब्द कहना भी बहुत मायने रखता है। ऐसे वक़्त में एक साथी के लिए इतना तो हम कर ही सकते हैं।
दलेर जी, आप बेहतरीन कलाकार हैं और उतने ही प्यारे इंसान भी। अपना ख़याल रखिए। भगवान आपको अच्छी सेहत दे। मेरा प्यार और सम्मान हमेशा आपके साथ है। 🙏❤️
Lali retweeted
Kolkata as a City and Bengal as a State loves to read. In Kolkata, at 11 pm u will find a bookstall outside a pub and both have their customers. In Bengal, Saraswati Puja is celebrated more than Laxmi Puja. BJP thugs throwing away books tears the heart of every Bengali
