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First published in The Hindu, 31 Aug 2025 Many of us grow up feeling we’re lacking in one or more ways. Our sense of inadequacy may stem from multiple sources. We may not be smart enough, fit enough, fast enough, funny enough, rich enough, popular enough or…
Vinod is organised and attentive to detail. Every evening, he makes a to-do list for the next day that includes both personal and professional tasks. Being punctual, he estimates how much time various jobs may take and schedules some buffer…
First published in The Hindu, 2 August 2025 In an earlier piece in this column, I had discussed the pleasures and benefits of rereading a book. While it’s fairly easy to decide whether you want to revisit a book, a…
So far, in this column, I have covered curiosity, creativity, compassion, composure, communication, ecological consciousness, and responsible citizenship. That’s a total of seven skills or competencies that are not given adequate emphasis by most mainstream schools. Though this column is…
A friend once attended a family function at my house. Though she did not interact with my relatives, she got to observe them from a distance. After that event, she told me that my cousin, whom she only saw, but…
First published in The Hindu, 5 July 2025 You wince at the set of differential equations you need to solve. You barely understand the topic, and you have to plough through a whole page of them. You are tempted to…
First published in Deccan Herald, 17 June 2025 Though teachers interact with children daily, there are many aspects of a child’s universe that teachers aren’t privy to. The home context of children is an elemental force that shapes them in…
First published in The Hindu, 1 June 2025 For many of us, an internal judge resides within our heads and is busy from morning to dusk. Both trivial and significant events get parsed into categories of ‘good’ and ‘bad.’ If…
Swati is an engaged and efficient worker, whose boss appreciates her work ethic and professionalism.While she is a values member of the team, on aspect of Swati’s personality irks her colleagues and boss. For every step of a project, Swati…
First published in The Hindu, 3 May 2025 The musician bows reverentially as the audience breaks out in deafening applause. As they rise to give him a standing ovation, the maestro bows even lower, as if seeking their blessings….
Aruna Sankaranarayanan is the author of Zero Limits: Things Every 20 Something Should Know. She was the Founder & Director of PRAYATNA, a centre for children with learning difficulties in Bengaluru & Chennai for 22 years.