Roshan Radhakrishnan's Blog, page 55

Do not lose sight of who you are destined to be #1000Speak #Bullying

Growing up in a childhood that was divided between Dubai and Kannur, I was never introduced to the concept of bullying. Though I had a dunce-like personality that any bully would usually covet, I had great friends around me and no shortage of love.I had even lesser encounters with bullies during my days as a medical student when I think about it. If anything, the closest to anything like ragging I encountered in those days involved me voluntarily walking into a train compartment filled with d...

The need to meet up with old friends

Being a doctor is no picnic. It is a life where people come to you when they are suffering physically and mentally and we have to deal with that sorrow alongside other factors that I honestly wish no one had to go through when they enter our doors – poverty, loss and even impending death.
The really good doctors can dissociate easily, not allowing the pain and suffering to hang on to them. That is a necessity if you are going to hold on to your sanity, really. With 80 – 100 working hours in a...

Burning the boats

How many times have you stared at something that seemed unattainable and heard that familiar lament of “what if” within your mind? How many times have you wished you had the guts to break free from everything that defines you and just go for broke, laying your heart, soul & life on the line?Sometimes you do not realize how close to the unattainable dream you were until you have all but lost it. You look around you and see all the little noises that make up your day – the waiter who serves...

Book review: The Guardians of the Halahala by Shatrujeet Nath

Let me start by stating the obvious.The Guardians of the Halahala is unlike any book you have read in the Indian historical fiction genre till date. The beginning of a trilogy, it effortlessly combines religion, legend, history and even one of the most iconic characters from our fables, bringing a unique perspective to their story.
It all begins with one of Lord Shiva's most iconic moments - one that requires not just the devas and asuras but also Lord Vishnu to work beside each other. The chu...

What if you gave me a chance to be God?

What if you gave me a chance to be you? 
What if there were no shades of grey in us - just white and more pristine white?
What if like the rest of the animals on this planet, there were no rich or poor?
What if the worst evil we were capable of was saying no to third helpings of dessert?
What if leaders fought their wars over chess sets and allowed human beings and innocent children to live? 
What if we could actually strive for world peace and attain it instead of preaching about it beh...

Book review: Twists of Fate by Dr Priyanka Naik

The Dr Priyanka Naik I know as a fellow blogger would write lovely poetry that was filled with such wonderful visual imagery. So when she told me her debut book was being released, my interest was definitely piqued.



Twists of Fate begins in Mumbai, a city which over the course of the novel comes alive through the eyes and viewpoints of not just the author but her protagonists as well. Sharvari Joshi, Nandini Muzumdar and Parizaad Sethna are three colours of a rubik’s cube that form the heart o...

The World is Not a Bad Place #1000Speak

In spite of everything that you read in the newspaper, I need you to believe in one thing – the world is not a bad place.
I see so many of your shoulders slump when you talk about the way things are today. You are worried about terrorists and fanatics, persecution and poverty. You look at one another with suspicion even though you have never met each other in real life. There are daily reminders of blood spilled and heinous crimes committed and you say “This world is such a horrible place to l...

Love in the time of lockdown

If you have ever been blessed enough to have been in love, you know how wonderful a feeling it can be.

This incident happened many a decade ago when mobiles were non-existant and Chandrakanta was still the most popular show on television. It was a time when Titanic had just waltzed in and out of theatres and hand written love letters on scented stationary was still fashionable. It was also a time of political unrest in my dear old God's own country with the usual tirade of attacks on party wor...

When Doctors follow the plan

I was lost.I could not come to terms with the absurdity of all that was going on in India. Suddenly, caring about fellow Indians and being compassionate was resulting in me being called various expletives. Not caring about a person’s religion or my own personal grudges while treating patients – something we are supposed to do as doctors – suddenly was a bad thing.
A newspaper seller could be arrested because ‘the newspaper’ had something that was offensive to somebody else. A comedy roast cou...

Why India will probably have to give the World Cup back #WontGiveItBack

With less than a fortnight to go for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to start, there really is no way to avoid discussions on India's chances at the World Cup. Having watched their recently concluded tour of Australia and even 2014's tour of New Zealand, it is really hard to be optimistic, I must say.

Going in as the underdogs and with minimal chances may bring out the cornered tiger in some teams (Imran's 92 WC team) but it would take quite a leap of faith to see the present Indian squad repli...