A review of a pre-globalization society as determined from Maine Pyar Kiya

Civilized cultures existed in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Similarly, intelligent life-forms existed in South Asia before the proliferation of cable television, cineplexes, shopping centers, cell phones, and the Internet. Using the cultural keystone Maine Pyar Kiya, I have attempted to painstakingly piece together details about the life of the "common person" as he or she lived in … Continue reading A review of a pre-globalization society as determined from Maine Pyar Kiya →

How to treat non-lethal bullet injuries: lessons from Bollywood movies

Abstract: There is currently insufficient detail on how to perform emergency surgery for ridiculous bullet wounds that result from confronting Hindi film villains in everyday situations. Therefore, a clinical survey was undertaken with the purpose of identifying acceptable medical procedures compliant with known Bollywood practices. Two case studies presented here demonstrate that despite identical etiology, disparate … Continue reading How to treat non-lethal bullet injuries: lessons from Bollywood movies →

How to write an application letter in Indian English

Pappu Patligali, our perennial hero, recently moved to India after spending years abroad working on various IT projects. Pappu studied in English-medium schools before completing his engineering degree from a state engineering college in Karnataka. In school, Pappu enjoyed reading novels written by Enid Blyton, but was not thrilled with studying English. He didn't know … Continue reading How to write an application letter in Indian English →

Worst Valentine’s Day gifts in India

Valentine's Day is almost upon us. I know there is a big fuss in India over whether anyone should be allowed to celebrate it because it is a foreign import. Me? I personally draw the line at World Toilet Day (even though it is for a good cause). As a public service, I've gone out … Continue reading Worst Valentine’s Day gifts in India →

Shri 419: the Nigerian scam

Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code has given us a lively term for cheaters - the "420". If however, you search for "419," you will find that this number refers to a section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria dealing with various types of advance-fee fraud. Why does this matter to you? Well, you've … Continue reading Shri 419: the Nigerian scam →

Five important questions technology can’t answer

An hour-long internet outage today made me feel ashamed of myself. I was ashamed because I felt helpless without the connection even for the short period of time. While a vast proportion of humanity lacks basic amenities such as clean drinking water, nutritious food, and proper shelter, I've made my life so complex that I … Continue reading Five important questions technology can’t answer →

Bt brinjal bharta – a saga of lau and whylence.

I couldn't fail to be amused. India's Environment Minister Jayram Ramesh calls for the introduction of a genetically-modified insect-resistant crop plant dubbed the Bt brinjal and the nation goes crazy. First, I owe my global readers an explanation. What is known in Indian English as the brinjal is also known elsewhere as the eggplant and the … Continue reading Bt brinjal bharta – a saga of lau and whylence. →

Quotas for the underprivileged in the Bollywood Hindi film industry

There was a rather peculiar question in the All-India Pre-medical and Pre-dental Entrance Examination a few years ago. The question in the biology section asked if children of doctors were genetically inclined to become doctors themselves. I am sure that there were some students who filled in the "b" or "c" circle with their No.2 pencils for all … Continue reading Quotas for the underprivileged in the Bollywood Hindi film industry →

Monkeys can do math so let them solve the oily bamboo problem

A research article published this week in the prestigious scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences caught my attention. Two German scientists report that monkeys have the brain structure to learn and apply basic mathematical rules. Chartered accountants and theoretical physicists thought they were unique, but now this article shows that non-human monkeys … Continue reading Monkeys can do math so let them solve the oily bamboo problem →

Pappu can’t bake… because there are no ovens in Indian homes

You may have heard the story before. Clueless desi chap fresh off the boat from India (or any other country in the South Asian subcontinent) arrives in the land of frozen pizza and burritos. He enrolls in graduate-level classes, rents an apartment with a few other clueless guys from his homeland, and finds some "hand-me-down" … Continue reading Pappu can’t bake… because there are no ovens in Indian homes →