Article 371 (A) of the Indian Constitution grants the people of Nagaland autonomy over their land and natural resources. While the state is full of resources, it is rather odd that the notable infrastructure project in the State is the Doyang Hydroelectric Power Project, located on the waters of river Doyang.  It is also ironic that during my visit, I experienced a lot of power cuts and noticed a lack of water supply in Nagaland. Why is that? Some say it is because of the moody monsoon, while some think, it could be the dam. 

Northeast India has plenty of rivers. The North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) is the organisation that is spearheading exploration of hydropower potential in the region. In this episode, I survey the area surrounding the river Kopili and the Khandong and Umrong Dams in the autonomous district of Dima Hasao in Assam. Why is the water of this river acidic? What has the construction of two dams meant for the people of Dima Hasao and the adjoining areas?  Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/@Peoplenovate

In this short episode, I walk and talk with the CEO of Bharat Ingenuity Foundation, a charitable organisation, focussed on improving human development indicators in remote regions. Their current big focus is on waste management in Dima Hasao – an autonomous district in Assam. In this episode, we talk about the first waste disbursal facilitated by the organisation - from Umrangso’s golf field to Dalmia Cement Factory, who will use this waste in their kilns. 

The village of Mayong, situated in the Morigaon district of Assam, is known as the land of black magic. In this short docu-episode, I set out to explore what is the witchcraft and black magic of Mayong all about. Was it real? Is it real? Is it something to be embraced or to be scared about? I join the Karbi tribe in the celebration of their annual harvest festival, Dehal, and discuss their beliefs and practices. Close to the land of magic, is India's first semi-conductor test and assembly facility. Will it influence the future of Mayong or will it be influenced by it? Check out the Youtube version: https://www.youtube.com/@Peoplenovate

What happens when Anurag (a neuroscience PhD student), Ninad (a building science engineer), and Abhinav (an AI engineer) come to my all-inclusive table to discuss their immigration journeys? They serve the Sciencepresso Martini! In this mini-reunion with my schoolmates, we discuss the realities of building a career abroad - the motivation to cross seas, the challenges, the compromises (personal and professional), the decision-making matrix and whether all that glitters is actually gold! We also discuss Anurag, Ninad, and Abhinav's experience of studying in an all-boys' school and seeing it convert into a co-educational space - what did they think and what I thought they thought. This martini on my first roundtable has influences from Assam, USA, and the Netherlands. Listen in. 

History is witness to the fact that discoveries of minerals have changed the course of nations. The discovery of oil in Digboi by the British colonial empire was one such event that gradually altered the economic and political landscape of Assam. In this episode, I survey two (of the four) oil refineries in Assam: the Guwahati Refinery (India's first public sector refinery); and the Numaligarh Oil Refinery (also known as the Assam Accord Refinery).  I also survey ONGC's Assam Assets and the nearby town of Nazira, which I think is still waiting to reap the benefits of the boon of oil in Upper Assam.  

Urban flash floods are a regular occurrence in many cities around the world, including Guwahati. The twist is, that Guwahati is blessed with wetlands, who in theory, serve as a natural water reservoir aiding flood management. However, the wetlands of Guwahati have suffered in size and quality over the years, owing to encroachments and poorly managed dumping practices. Under Guwahati's Smart City vision, Assam has earmarked investments for the development and restoration of Guwahati's interconnected water streams. The question is: will we achieve the result? In this episode, I explore the state of development around the Brahmaputra Riverfront, Deepor Beel (wetland), Borsola Beel (wetland), and the lost river, Bharalu.

What does a community of weavers do when it discovers that duplicates are flooding the market and damaging the reputation of their local handloom products? They secure a trademark. This is exactly what the people of Assam’s silk village, Sualkuchi did. Famously known as “Manchester of Assam”, the village is known to produce three types of Assamese silk – Muga (the Gold Silk), Eri (the non-violent or the ahimsa silk), and Pat. A big challenge for the community has been its journey to acquire legal protection for its products, in light of the imitations (imported and/or made in different regions of India) circulating in the market. In this episode, I visit Sualkuchi to know more about its journey. Listen to me interview weavers, learn the types of test performed by the testing laboratory on silk and grapple with the past, present and future of Sualkuchi.

Where is the smallest inhabited river islet in the world? The glory belongs to Umananda and it is located on the River Brahmaputra in Assam. Famously christened as the "Peacock Island" by the British, the islet is a good starting point to understand the biodiversity of Assam and North East India: a region that is diligently advancing in its journey towards sustainable development. 

Is "mindfulness" the magical solution to all our problems? Is there an over-emphasis on "mindfulness" of an individual? Can an individual in-fact resolve a problem on their own, or does it call for "changefulness" - both within an individual, and the bigger system that they are a part of?

A lot has been said and written about meditation and its supposed benefits. Some believe in it, some don't. I have found meditation useful throughout my journey - from school days to the present - including in creating psychological safety.  In this episode, I discuss how and why meditation helps. I neither understate its benefits, nor overstate it. This is a realistic commentary on what should better be advertised as a mindfulness technique. 

Imagine having moved heaven and earth to achieve your goals and then have all of that held to ransom as a result of careless words, better known as rumours or gossip? Many young people will find themselves at the receiving end of gossip or rumours in professional, personal, and social settings. While most of these will fade, they pose significant challenges to one's psychological safety. In this episode, I discuss some techniques that can help one navigate a minefield of gossip.

Can journaling help achieve psychological safety? I can't speak for others, but for me, writing and journaling are useful tools for cultivating and maintaining psychological safety in professional, social, and personal settings.  In this episode, I discuss the power of paper and pen and four journaling techniques that have helped me: No-Filter Journaling, Staircase Journaling, Vision Journaling, and Identity Journaling. So if you are keen to explore the power of journaling, this episode might be the motivation you need.  For latest news, subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter at peoplenovate.com. 

In this episode, I discuss how rooting activities in a "why" has helped me create psychological safety.  Many organizations, authors, artists, etc., have stated the importance of using "purpose" as a north star in setting goals and standards. I amplify those discussions in this episode to emphasize the collective benefit of well-being, inclusivity, and efficiency that this approach offers both on an individual and organizational level.    I am now reading extracts from Simon Sinek's "Start with Why", which I first read about two years ago, to complement the points I am making on psychological safety and purpose. 

In this episode, I discuss psychological safety. How comfortable do you feel being yourself and voicing your opinion? Does it make a difference when you can do this vs. when you can't? What is the level of risks you are willing to take when you feel safe taking those risks? And what happens when you operate in the fear of retribution? Psychological safety is closely linked to acceptance, belonging, risk-taking, and overall growth and progress. In this episode, I discuss the basics—what psychological safety feels like, how it influences us, and how we can start identifying its presence and absence. 

In this episode I discuss the elite challenges of moving abroad - some elite stereotypes. How do you speak such good English? Why do you not know how to ski? What is Assam? Why do you need to plan an EU travel so far in advance? What - you didn't have a concept of networking drinks in India? I address these in a laid back rapid fire round. And I am sure I haven't addressed all of them. 

In this episode, I discuss the two significant skill development hurdles that greeted me when I moved abroad—the need to be curious and the need to adapt. I break down my Indian law degree and discuss the curiosity I felt when answering questions about how difficult it was to get through an Indian law school and eventually crack the training contract interviews. My degree was not local, but did that really matter? 

In this episode, I discuss the structure of National Law University Delhi and how it facilitated both my access to and bagging of a magic circle training contract. I also discuss my misgivings about moving abroad, and why I finally decided to make a shift from East to West.  

In this episode, I discuss my east-west shift from Assam to Delhi, where I became a National Law University Delhi student. My legal education is one of the most pivotal points of my life, transforming my thinking, aspirations, and potential. But what was it like moving from Assam to Delhi? How do Indian students get into law schools? How competitive is the process? And how do you cope with being a first-generation lawyer in an elite law school in India? I continue to read extracts from Ryan Holiday's book "Courage is Calling".

In this episode, I start tracing my journey of becoming an East-West Lawyer. My journey began when I chose to become a first-generation lawyer while I was a bright-eyed student in Assam. Not many people around me could understand why I was choosing to do law when I could become a doctor, an engineer, or what India loves most, a civil servant. So why and how did I choose law? I had to conspire to make my law degree happen. I continue to weave into this episode extracts from Ryan Holiday's book "Courage is Calling."