Roopa's Ramblings

Sarees are not just for mothers in law : Laila Tyabji Sambalpuri and Maheshwari sarees Am back after a long break, as work spiralled, and a family wedding in Kerala called. However, this piece of writing has its roots in three people totally unrelated to each other but pushing me to pen. A classmate from… Continue reading

My better half was cleaning out a cupboard this morning as part of an ongoing effort to decongest our immediate surroundings and move to the sublimely minimalistic lifestyle both our children effortlessly embrace. And out popped a yellowed spiral bound yearbook from the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen for the 30th International course in Health… Continue reading

Koppa gate turning 9 am – Pangemia shade Flowers like snowflakes While summer heat strikes Bengaluru to midday highs nearing 37 degrees centigrade, I am ever grateful to the early architects of the city who, like our age-old emperors, the Mauryas and Mughals (or so my history school books stated) planted trees along the wide… Continue reading

Sonam Wangchuk on day 18 of fast As I write this blog on Sunday evening, I am listening to a webinar supporting the fast unto death undertaken by Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakhi innovator, educator, environmentalist. It is being hosted by Vikalpa Sanga, and the fact that over 500 people (many representing organisations) were tuned in on… Continue reading

I was astonished to receive a communication from our Honourable Prime Minister in my inbox on 15th March and would like to humbly respond as one of the 140 crore Indians that inspires and motivates him. As a doctor-teacher in my sixth decade, a product of a Punjab -Tamil Nadu marriage educated in Mumbai, and… Continue reading

It has been a while since I sat down and wrote a blog, sufficiently long for some commiserating phone calls enquiring after my health! However, it has just been a stretched patch at work and home; but the creative juices have been overflowing in the mind, and there are stories to share. Bangalore is going… Continue reading

Our meeting point – the clinic in full swing Our clinics with the communities of the villages around Anekal are always a Pandora’s box. As I set off on my cycle, a couple of times a week; to be picked up by the ambulance down Banerghatta road, there is no indication of what the day… Continue reading

I once attended a public PhD defence; where, typically in a public health, the candidate has to present a piece of independent research to a panel of eminent scholars, all experts in various fields related to the subject matter being presented. After the forty-five minutes of listening to hypothesis, methodology, data and conclusions, I was… Continue reading

Wordsworth’s Daffodils It has been a long weekend, with some stepping down in my outside world from the frenetic pace of the last two weeks. And yet the inner world whirls faster than the speed of light, images of memories from the past, as the poet Wordworth would say – “flash upon that inward eye”… Continue reading

Members of our Constituent assembly –circa 1949 It is the 26th of January and 75 years ago; India, after gaining independence from British rule declared itself a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic, republic state after adopting the Constitution on 26th November 1949. Strains of “Saare jahaan se acha……”in Lata Mangeshkar’s melodious voice; a song that seems… Continue reading