July and Self-Discovery

July has always been a very eventful month in my life. I’ve had many challenges come my way and I’ve turned them into achievements and adding a new dimension to myself. And, surprisingly, all of the challenges have taken me beyond my comfort zone traveling down the path less travelled. Over the years I’ve managed to replace the traumatic images from July of 2011 with pleasant experience and achievements. Here is a quick look back at the last eight Julys of my life and how I turned myself from a cyclist to an athlete.

The first challenge

In July of 2011, I underwent a corrective heart surgery to reroute an anomalous pulmonary vein that eloped to the wrong side of my heart. Post-surgery, doctors advised me against lifting heavy weights or pushing my heart into extreme sports.

No guarantees for a quality job?        

Despite charging 2.2 lakhs for rerouting the rouge vein, Doctors at Manipal Hospital didn’t give me a year guarantee on the procedure. In October of 2011, I decided to test the quality of their job by cycling 55 kms in the Loire Valley, France. A year later, I cycled 120 kms at Acadia National Park celebrating my first anniversary with my friends Paul and Stephanie.

With no quality issues, I decided to purse cycling more seriously and kicked started the next phase of my journey by participating in the CRX Ride for World Heart Day cycling 45 kms from Adyar to Mahabalipuram.

Turning a sport into vacation

“A man on a thousand-mile walk has to forget his goal and say to himself every morning, 'Today I'm going to cover twenty-five miles and then rest up and sleep.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

In July of 2014, Stephanie and I trekked along the Austrian Alps (Salzkammergut) for a week covering over 200 kms in 5 days. The Salzkammergut stretches from the city of Salzburg (birth place of Mozart) eastwards along the Alpine Foreland and the Northern Limestone Alps to the peaks of the Dachstein Mountains. We camped by turquoise water bodies and ascended the peaks of Alphs to visit the world’s oldest salt mine of the Habsburg Monarchy (A UNESCO World Heritage Site).

Intoxicated by nature, I furthered my explorations from foot to wheel. In July 2015, I cycled along the Atlantic Coast in Portugal from Lisbon to Faro in the South covering 500 kms and reaching the southernmost tip of Europe. Not only did I discover the beauty and the history of the coastline that once played a key role in slave trade, but also tested my commitment to the sport of cycling.

Exploring National Parks and wildlife

Sometimes, endurance is more psychological than physiological and my explorations in 2016 and 2017 equipped me survival skills to be vegetarian in a fish-eating nation and coexist with animals in wilderness.

In 2016, I teamed up with my colleague Balaji and my friend Vijay for another memorable expedition to explore Japan, a stunning Island country, home to Mount Fuji, Buddhism, Arashimaya Bamboo forest, Geishas, superfast bullet trains, Sushi and many more. Over two weeks days, we crisscrossed the Island nation of Japan on superfast trains and explored cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, etc.) on foot averaging 15-17km each day totaling to 200+ kms and losing 5 kilos in 15 days.

If Japan taught me survival skills in a predominantly pescatarian nation, South Africa taught me how explore the wilderness and have a close experience with a hungry lioness, face-off with male elephant in musth and being chased by a protective mother Rhino and her calf.  Paul and I ascended a kilometer-high Table Mountains of Cape town replacing my agoraphobia with panoramic views of the breathtaking coastline, intoxicating vineyards and lush Kristenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

Conquering horizontally

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” goes the African Proverb. Along with Shivaji, I joined a trekking group to explore hillocks and beaches of Gokarna and peaks of Karnataka (Tadindamol – 1.7km in height). Among the group of 20 hikers, I managed to reach the top ahead of the rest. Somewhere along the way I asked myself why not improve my lung power and start conquering the planet horizontally?

We both registered for Bengaluru10K and trained for 2 months to complete 5K in under 30 minutes and finished at 6^th and 12 positions respectively in the 35+ age category.

What’s for next July?

Scars are not signs of weakness, they are signs of survival and endurance. ― Rodney A. Winters

As I head back to my annual medical examination this month, I’ll proudly tell my physician how I turned myself from a cyclist to an athlete and lost 8 kilos. So, for the next July story, should I aim for 10K, Ironman challenge, Skydiving, bike to Ladakh or trek in the Himalayas? Who wants to partner with me for a self-discovery and self-transformation trip?

Goodbye Grandpa

There are some people who can predict their end and my maternal grandfather, Kadiramangalam KV Nataraja Iyer was one of them. Twenty years ago, while teaching me the basics of astrology, he shared the insights into the planets combination that will take away his breath. He also let me into secrets about my own life and accurately predicted my surgery, while many popular astrologers in the city denied or never saw it coming.  

Every time I informed him of my visit, he would be sitting in the verandah (thinnai) eagerly awaiting my arrival. He would fill the refrigerator with fruits, while my grandmother prepared lip smacking snacks. But this time the recliner was empty and I was welcomed by pin-drop silence. As I entered, I found him lifeless on the floor; both his thumbs and toe fingers were tied together to prevent rigor mortis. My cousins told me that he had breathing difficulty post dinner and his end was very peaceful; I could see that radiating in his face.

He had enormous wisdom and never required Robin Sharma’s “Who Will Cry When You Die” to guide his life journey. He networked with people like a sales guy and used his contacts to help people find employment, syndicate marriages and help families in distress. Wherever he visited, he would go around to meet relatives and friends and ensured he kept the relationship warm and cordial. Whenever there was a death in the village, he would be the first one to pay his respects. He would comfort the family and extend physically and material support to them. Many at times, when orphaned elderly died he would perform their funeral.

His deeds earned his so much goodwill that within 12 hours after his demise posters cropped up all over the village condoling his death.The landline kept ringing constantly and people expressed their sadness and recalled his qualities with gratitude. Those who came to pay respects be it his relatives, classmates or those benefited from his generosity fondly recalled his acts of kindness and compared him to Karna in Mahabaratha.

While the funeral rituals where happening, Panditji asked me for a dhoti to tie around my grandfather for his final journey. As I rushed to get a new one from my suitcase I was reminded of the clothes he stitched for me at National Tailors” at Mayavaram every summer vacation. He also got me my first dhoti and introduced me to Khadi.

Despite being a school dropout (discontinued at Grade 6), he opened multiple schools in neighboring villages and sat on management committees of colleges to ensure education was fair and free. He had a strong sense of financial intelligence that learnt through his life experience. He diversified his investments (gold, financial instruments, property) to manage risks. Every time a grand child was born, he would open savings schemes that would mature around the time the child was ready to get into college. Honestly, I’ve never seen someone who understood the value of money and relationships in life better than him.

I may have earned multiple degrees from around the world, but the lessons I learnt from him are precious and continue to guide me in life. He taught me how to write letters and the art of building relationships when I was young. Long before I joined MBA, he taught me the time value of money, importance of saving and introduced me to financial instruments like Kisan Vikas Patra and Insurance Policies. He also taught me value system, importance of being a custodian of culture and follower of tradition and how to make personal wealth useful to society and earn good karma. In short, he was someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart.     

His healthy lifestyle made him live for 86 years without any major ailments and illness. He rose early and went to bed early living true to the adage, "Early to rise, early to bed makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. He walked 5 miles every day to oversee his paddy fields and filled his diet with lot of fiber and little carbs.  

When I left the village house after his funeral, I conspicuously felt his absence. Usually, he would pack the boot of the car with vegetables and would walk to the temple at the end of the street to break a coconut to ensure our journey was safe. Today, the boot was empty, temple wore a deserted look and grandfather was not at the end of the street. As I drove away, I recollected his life lessons and promised to pick up the mantle from him and carry on his tradition of selflessly giving and serving people.

Of all the grandchildren, I spent maximum time with him and exposed myself to his wisdom and values. This eulogy has given me an opportunity to reflect on my years with him, express my gratitude and share my grief and learning with you.

The Queen of Indian Cinema Passes Away...

 

What is common between the King of Rock N’Roll Elvis Presley, six time Grammy-winning pop legend Whitney Houston, and India’s female superstar Padmashri Sridevi Kapoor? All three of them met their fate in a mysterious way in the bathrooms and tested positive for drugs and alcohol. For many of us who grew up hearing their music and watching their movies and modeled our lives after their success, this news came as a shocker leaving us in a whirlwind of denial, pain and disbelief. Are superstars fragile and less gutsy?

India’s Meryl Streep

Sridevi started her acting career at the age of 4 and went on to act in 300 movies in the last 50 years. As a childartist she acted in all South Indian languages and by the age of 13 (in 1976) she did a leading role in Mundru Mudicchu opposite to Kamal Hassan and Rajnikanth that got her more visibility and opportunities in South Indian Cinema.

 

At the age of 14 she worked with some of the best directors in Tamil Cinema including K. Balachander, Barathiraja and Balu Mahendra.  She won her first Filmfare Award in Tamil for 16 Vyathinile for playing a rural girl (Mayil) and at 18 she won Tamil Nadu State Award for her performance in Moondram Piram for essaying a girl suffering from amnesia. She is the only actress to have paired up maximum number of movies opposite Kamal Hassan (27 movies) after Sripriya. Also, Kamal is the only hero to have paired up with her in maximum movies.

 

She debuted in Hindi Cinema in 1979 while she was still a reigning queen of South Indian Cinema. It is her performance in Himmatwala opposite to Jeetendra that got her recognition and more opportunities. Soon she became a sought-after heroin and paired with all the superstars of Hindi cinema including Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Mithun Chakraborty, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor and Amitab Bacchan. She was the only heroin to do half-dozen double roles and the only one to pair up with both Dharmendra and Sunny Doel (father and son).

 

Even in Bollywood, she worked with all the star directors including Ram Gopal Verma, Shekhar Kapur, Yash Chopra and Pankaj Parashar. Her dance in Naagina, imitation of Charlie Chaplin in Mr. India, to a twin role in Chaalbaaz all earned her accolades in the press including Filmfare awards.

 

Though she acted in all four south Indian languages, but it was Hindi cinema that catapulted her to becomes India’s female superstar. In 1996, she did Devaragam, a bi-lingual with Aravind Swamy and bade goodbye to Malayalam Cinema.

Her comeback

Sridevi stepped out of Indian cinema in 1997 to start a family and played her role as a dedicated wife and mother off the silver screen. After her comeback to cinema in 2012 she started taking up roles that mirrored real life issues and represented the struggle of a doting wife and a protective mother. In 2015, the Queen of Indian cinema came back to Kollywood as Queen Yavanarani and thrilled Tamil audience after a gap of 23 years.

In her comeback movie English Vinglish in Hindi she captivated audience with her performance as a middle-aged woman trying to learn English, earn respect of her family members and bring back the spark in her marriage. In her last movie Mom in 2017, she displayed intense emotions as a step mother trying to bond with her rebellious daughter and seeking justice when she gets raped.

If her marriage to Boney Kapoor was failing, couldn’t she have borrowed lessons from Sashi (English Vinglish) or if she had a difficult relationship with her daughters Jhanvi and Kushi, couldn’t Devaki (Mom) give her much wisdom and confidence? Wasn’t it time for her to be a protective mom to her daughters and guide them to be successful in their life? Why did Sridevi decide to call it quits?

The bathtub Hall of fame

Though she was a director’s delight, she was called a journalist’s nightmare. She was an intensely private person, who rarely spoke to media or shared about her life or her inspiration. As a result, journalists are now speculating her death and media is rife with rumors with possible theories.

Sridevi may have never copied another artist’s performance, but she did when she ended her life in the bathtub. It is hard to believe that an artist who carefully crafted her career and carelessly ended her life in a bathtub.

We still love and miss you Sridevi. Hopefully, Jhanvi will grow up to be more gutsy and brighter version of you.

 

 

Padman, a Bollywood cinema teaches lessons on Change Management

Though Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world”, but he never told us how difficult it is to bring about that change at an individual level. And recently, as I sat through a 150 minute-long Bollywood movie Padman, I realized how this is a brilliant example of a change management, how it can go awry and awkward, and also how change managers go through a horrible time implementing a change.

The protagonist, Lakshmi Chauhan essayed by Akshay Kumar is very sensitive to women’s needs and questions the age-old practice of quarantining women during periods. And, when he notices his newly married wife Gayathri use a soiled piece of cloth instead of a clean and hygienic sanitary pad, he tries to convince her to switch. Unfortunately, the steep price of sanitary pads thwarts his efforts to get Gayathri to switch. Soon, Lakshmi goes on to create a cheaper version of sanitary pad and becomes a self-appointed messiah for educating women to change. In a society where men talking about women’s periods is considered taboo, Lakshmi is meted with a strong opposition by the larger society, which eventually costs him his marriage.

Watch the movie trailer:

As a PROSCI certified, change management professional, this movie reminded of the famous 5-step ADKAR model we prescribe to clients for successfully implementing and managing change.

Why and where did Lakshmi fail in his effort?

• Firstly, he fails to understand the need to create Awareness highlighting the need for a change
• Secondly, though he strongly advocates the use of pads, he doesn’t go about seeding the Desire to change in women and explain “what’s in it for them”.
• Thirdly, he didn’t go about systematically sharing Knowledge on why they needed to switch. Also, he failed to use women change agents in a rural society where a male talking about menstruation hygiene and sanitary pads is considered taboo.
• Fourthly, he never analyzed why women resisted and villagers abhored his efforts. Moreover, he didn't measure their Ability to change and come up plans to diffuse resistance and recognize with Rewards/incentives to switch.
• Lastly, he was a self-appointed change manager and didn’t have a sponsor or village leaders to support him.

After being out casted by his mother and siblings, scorned by his in-laws and villagers, Lakshmi feels like a loser. His good intentions were misunderstood and he became a self-made villain sabotaging his relationships and ruining his marriage. Nevertheless, he doesn’t give up on his ambition to bring about change in the society.

A gentle breeze enters Lakshmi’s life through a sponsor, Pari essayed by Sonam Kapoor. From infusing confidence in him to motivating him to participate in a competition to get much needed capital and visibility and scale up his ambition, Pari turns into a sponsor and a change agent. She kills the taboo by getting women to educate their clan and empower them to be change ambassadors and entrepreneurs bringing success to Lakshmi’s ambition. Finally, her efforts get much needed recognition and visibility to Lakshmi and helps him clear his sullied image in his village and rebuild his relationship with his estranged wife and family.

Change management is not an easy profession and you can be a Superman if you carefully review Padman's mistakes and remember the key lessons including the importance of considering cultural aspects while implementing a change program and how to go about diffusing resistance. If you are a change manager, don’t miss watching this educational cinema and use it as a case study to sell change management to clients and prospects.

Reprogramming Your Life At The Divine Life Society

In this digital age both devices and humans are very much congruent. As much as devices, humans too need touch, love and care (TLC) and need to connect to a trusted source to upgrade/rewrite their internal operating system and re-purpose/reprogram their life. So, where does one find much needed TLC and a trusted source for this re-purposing exercise?

Guru for the mankind

Realizing the need to serve humanity afflicted by disease, desires and ego, a visionary by the name Dr. Kuppuswamy decided to take the path less travelled to reach Rishikesh in 1924. He transformed himself to Swami Sivananda leaving behind his medical profession for spiritually to emancipate humans eternally stuck in the cycle of birth and death like a hamster running on a wheel.

In 1932, he started the Sivananda Ashram; in 1936 the Divine Life Society and the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy in 1948, all with the aim of spreading the teachings of yoga and vedanta. Swami Sivananda’s teachings crystallized the basic tenets of all religions, combining all yoga paths into one – the Yoga of Synthesis which he summed up with, ‘Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize’. His own life was a shining example of the ideal wish to spread his message of love and service.

Where do we head?

The Divine Life Society aka Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh offers a great opportunity for people to defragment their internal hard disk, upgrade their operating system and clean-up their lives. Inmates at the ashram are expected to follow the twenty tenets of Swami Sivananda. Though it may sound simple to read, it takes time to make that a part of your routine and lifestyle. And staying at the ashram for a week to 10 days is a great way to re-program our lives.

Up before the birds

Life at the ashram begins at 4 am and one can see the lights go up in Kutirs (inhabited by Swamijis). The main shrine complex consisting of a Shiva Temple, Bhajan Hall and Sivananda Samadhi is the epicenter of activity. They are all open at 5 am for people to come in start their routine with meditation, one of the tenets of Sivananda.

Going gaga over yoga?

Right across from the campus, on the main road connecting Haridwar and the hills, is a complex encompassing Sivanada Hospital/Clinic that was started in 1934; it continues to treat people for free. And they recently concluded an eye-camp treating over 300 patients with cataract and other eye-defects from nearby towns. In the same complex is a Yoga Studio against the backdrop of the Ganges and the serene mountains. Free yoga classes are conducted each day of the week (except Sunday) from 6 am to 7 am and even if you forget your yoga mats, don’t worry.

Service begins at 5.30 am

For those who strongly believe in seva and karma yoga, the Annakshetra (Dinning Hall) offers a great opportunity. From cutting vegetables, wiping washed utensils and cutlery, handing over plates and cups to serving the hungry inmates there is plenty to do and derive happiness from serving others.

 

Resetting our palette

The food served at the ashram is well balanced with proteins, carbs, fats and fiber. It is devoid of mustard, vegetable oil, hinge, garlic, onions and is very much sathwik and in line with what Sivananda has outlined in his book Health and Diet.

Breakfast opens at 7 am and we are served hot idlis or Pongal along with a cup of tea. Lunch begins at 11 am and we are served rice, rotis, subzi, sambar and buttermilk. On festivals days and special occasions, there is some luxury and we get served pooris, vada and sweet (payasam, kesari). Evening tea is served at 3 pm and dinner consisting of rice, roti, dal and subzi is served at 7pm. A small chant is done prior to each meal. No breakfast is served on Ekadasi day. In line with Sivananda’s teachings on being self-reliant and the ashram expects you to clean your plates, cups and glasses after each meal.

Shiva Temple and Bhajan Hall

Though Shiva is the main deity, the sanctum contains a Krishna idol made of black marble, Rama Parivar, Ganesha and Ganga Maa all made of white marble. At 5.30 am each day public is offered a chance to do ablutions to the Shivalingam. An elaborate abhishegam is performed every morning at 6 am followed by by aarati and parasadam distribution at 6.45 am. Every evening there is Lalitha Sahasranama Parayanam followed by aarati and parasadam distribution at 6.45 pm. Besides the sanctum is a yagna shala where havans are performed every morning starting at 6.30 am. You can participate in the havans by visiting the Cash Office next in the hospital complex across the ashram.

If you are fond of nama japa the hall adjoining the temple, Bhajan Hall, is the place for you. The Krishna worshipped by Swami Sivananda adorns one side of the hall, while a granite status of Karthikeya adorns the other side. On the inside walls of the hall you will see pictures of saints from across India.

Satsang - Twice a day

Swami Sivananda entered mahasamadhi (left his physical body) on July 14, 1963. Beside the Shiva Temple, they’ve constructed a temple for Swami Sivananda by installing a Shivalinga over his samadhi. Ablutions are done at the samadhi in the morning and even public is given a chance to participate. Vishnu Sahasranamam is chanted daily in the morning and on Pournami (full-moon) Ashtakshara mahamantra is chanted from 7 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 7pm. Key dates for 2017-18.

Swami Vimalananda, President attends satsang every day for an hour at 11 am where he speaks on topics like Bhagavad Gita, importance of sadhana, Nama Japa, Karma yoga, etc.  The Samadhi of Swami Sivananda is kept open all day for the benefit of those tourists who walk randomly into the ashram.

Similarly, in the evening there is Bhagavad Gita chanting at the Samadhi after dinner followed by satsang by one of the Swamijis on Bhagavad Gita. From time to time visiting artists also perform at the Samadhi. Here is a performance from Krishna Das and a flautist.

Rest and Reading

Amidst the busy schedule from 4 am till 12 noon and again from 4 pm until 9 pm, there is time for a nap and some reading. A small book store between the Samadhi and Shiva temple is open from 9 am to 12 noon and again from 3pm-5pm and sells books written by Sivananda and discourses of his disciples. I picked up a Health and Diet, Yoga Divine Life, and What Becomes Of The Sould After Death for my afternoon read. You can download some of his books here.

Congregation and Contemplation

   

Across from the ashram campus (descend 100 steps) along the banks of the Ganges is Sivananda Ghat. It is a safe place to take a dip in the Ganges and offers a great view of Ram Jhula and the opposite bank. Don’t be surprised to see animals and birds come down from time to time to quench their thirst, yogis practicing yoga and Sadhus reading scriptures.

Also, early mornings and late evenings are great time to mediate on the banks of the Ganges. On special days, Sivananda Ashram holds Ganga Aarti at 5.30 pm in the evening. Though this is not as elaborate as the one held at Parmartha Niketan, but it is done with utmost devotion.

If you need some noise and contact with humanity you can walk along the Ganges till Swami Dayananda Ashram to the west and Laxman Jhula to the east. Also, you can visit temples on the Swargashram side (Rameshwar Mandir) (opposite bank of the Ganges) and in the city of Rishikesh (Chandreshwar Mandir, Venkateshwara Mandir and Chandrmoulieshwar Mandir built and maintained by TTD).

Are you ready for a reset?

At various stages of life our needs and wants change. Some of us get less materialistic and more metaphysical as we age. We seek solitude and ask the simplest of questions – who am I? and end up with a profound answer that changes not only our outlook on life, but also alters the course of our life. Swami Sivananda Ashram is one such place that resets your life and alters its course. This is the only place where you can learn to Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize. Repeating this routine at the ashram over a week to 10 days is enough to reprogram your operating system and re-purpose your life. The Divine Life Society also organizes a 2 month intensive Yoga Vedanta Course for this who would like explore further on Vedanta.

Book your stay now!

Rooms at the ashram are very basic, yet comfortable. Each room will be provided with a cot, pillow, cupboard and an attached toilet (western) and hot water. You are expected to bring your own blankets. Book your stay by writing to generalsecretary@sivanandaonline.org and remember to read and follow the rules. Though the ashram doesn’t charge you for food and accommodation, but  donate liberally.

How to get to Rishikesh and the ashram?

If you are flying, Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun is the closest and there is good connectivity from New Delhi. A taxi ride from the airport to the ashram costs 1000 Rs.

If you are taking a train, Haridwar is the nearest railway head. Plenty of busses and tuk-tuks ferry passengers to Rishikesh each hour.  A taxi ride from the airport to the ashram costs 1000 Rs. 

Viceroy's Heart and not House!

I watched Viceroy's House, a movie about India-Pak partition. Some of the details shared in the movie wasn't part of our history text books, but convinces you of the capitalistic intent for the partition. Yes, history is written by victors.

We rarely hear good things about Viceroy Mountbatten and his wife Lady Edwina, but movie shows them in a completely different light. Yes, movie showed the Viceroy's Heart more than his house.

Mountbatten is forced to implement a divisive solution and engages in a showdown with Radcliffe, whose line is supposed to have partitioned the two nations. While Lady Edwina ensured people in refugee camps were fed and medical services were provided to elderly and children. 

In all a million people died and it is the largest migration (14million) in the history of mankind. 70 years have gone by, the wound is far from healed and we continue to inflict more on each other. Just a loud thought, what would have happened had Jinnah been assassinated instead of Gandhi? Could we have avoided the partition? Did you know the they Hindu-Muslim conflict was planned to keep India's Soviet leanings under check. Watch the movie to find out by whom and for what.

The New-age Tughlaqs

We’ve all heard history repeats, but do we know imbeciles are also reborn? Before I talk about the current crop of imbeciles, let me remind you of one of India’s famous emperor (pun intended!) Muhammad Bin Tughlaq who ruled Northern part and Deccan region from 1325 to 1351 AD.

 

Now let’s come to the new-age Sultans who are presently governing the USA and India and bear an uncanny resemblance to each other and the famous Tughlaq. 

1. Both Trump and Modi belong to the far right parties who are conservatives, who treat their wives like slaves, impose sanctions on abortions, oppose LGBT community and incite violence along caste (Hindu-Muslim) and racial lines (White Supremascist-Blacks).
2. One says Make in India and the other says Make America Great Again!
3. Rather than building on the foundation laid by their predecessors, Modi disbanded Planning Commission, while Trump took down global warming related content from EPA website and also pulled out of Paris Climate accord.
4. Both of carry a long list of controversial appointments and sacking of those who disagreed with them. Modi started with State Governors to RBI Governor, Vice Chancellor (Nalanda University), Foreign Secretary, Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) chief, TRAI Chairperson and Supreme Court Judges. While Trump on the other side made controversial appointments including his son, daughter and son-in-law; CEOs in his manufacturing council quit and a never ending list of those who were asked to step down including Surgeon General, FBI Director, White House Press Secretary.
5. Both these egomaniacs started their election campaign on Twitter and continue to be hyperactive on it. Modi on one hand wishes world leaders on their birthdays and condemn tragedies, but fails to speak up when there is lynching and caste related violence at home. Trump on the other hand openly trolls journalist, celebrities and also announces his policy decisions on Twitter without consulting his team of advisers.
6. Modi’s demonetization and draconian Aadhar and Trump’s ending of Obamacare and visa ban created national panic and widespread wretchedness.
7. Modi spends most of his time visiting countries, while Trump squanders his time at golf courses
8. Finally, Modi’s bear hugs are an amusement to world leaders, while Trump handshakes are national embarrassment.

Now that you’ve seen uncanny resemblance of these new-age Tughlaq’s to one another, let’s remind ourselves of the misery brought about by twenty-five years of Tughlaq’s rule to people and the nation. History remembers Tughlaq a crazy Sultan who killed millions by shifting the capital back and forth from Delhi to Daulatabad, levying agricultural tax in the year of famine and replacing gold and silver coins with copper and crashed flourishing trade and so on.

Don't you know how history will remember these two jokers?