MellowDrama

Dear Netra You are about to turn 5 and I have started to plan a party for your birthday. The first one probably in the actual meaning of the word. We will have a theme- purple- the colour you are obsessed with. Asked anytime about anything that you would like to have on any occasion, you dole out a list and then add “in puddple”. It doesn’t matter to you that Disney intended Cinderella to wear a pink gown, you want her on your cake in, yes, puddple. You even have the birthday song ready for the theme- Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday Netra Sood, Purple Flower. May God Bless you, purple flower Netra Sood. I once asked you what you wanted to become when you grew up and your answer was a purple butterfly. Both your father and I have asked you many times the reason behind this fondness for colour puddple and in your reply you have pointed out the simple fact of life, which I have just gripped. To answer our question, you always say- because I like it. There are no further explanatio...

I have known Prerna Uppal since my days at ANI. So that tells you that she has been there and done that as far as TV news is concerned. Add to that the fact that she has also worked with CNN-IBN as well. Not just that. She has worked in every sphere of print - be it writing for a newswire, a magazine or a newspaper earning bylines and winning friends wherever she has gone. Her stories have been featured in Chicken Soup series and having read them I must say, they do warm up your heart and make you feel light as only chicken soup can. She wields a mighty pen and has during her stint with various media houses has done many stories on a wide range of topics. Now a days, she is busy combining her love for cooking, writing and exploring the world at her blog besides holding a full-time job (Phew!). When an opportunity at ChilliBreeze arose to write in an aptly titled column- Interviews that matter- I did not have to think hard about whom to interview. Ladies and Gentlemen, here i...

It was a fine evening when a green package arrived at my door step. I was super excited as I tore it open and found a treasure inside. The treasure- the books – were sent by the Bangalore based publishers Pratham Books who were encouraging people to conduct a story telling programme on the World Literacy Day. And with just that much I became a Pratham Books’ Champions . The book reading was to be conducted on September 8 which fell on a Saturday. I had decided to conduct the story telling session at my house and had duly called up all the mommies around me, who I knew would be and should be excited by the prospect of a story session. Though the day had dawned bright and gay, by the time evening arrived, the rain gods seemed a wee bit unhappy. That, however, did not dampen the enthusiasm that had built inside the Sood household with the husband helping with shifting the furniture to make ample room for jumpy kids and Netra donning her brand new lehenga to essay the role of Sushee...

The cast and characters of the following tale and true, alive and kicking ass somewhere. *********************** The year was 2003. I had finished a Masters degree quite painfully and boarded a bus to Delhi. Delhi has had an impact on my life which remains unparalleled in every sphere. I attribute it to the age factor. I was young, a dreamer, an idealist and contrary to when I came to Delhi, when I joined the YWCA, I was a happier soul, having shed the presents from the past to an extent. When I came to Delhi I brought with myself a grumpy-ness and heaps of frustration, both of which my eldest massi and her family bore out with an impeccable smile. The things that I picked up while staying with them bore fruit later in life when I sat down to contemplate my life. As I sit down to write this, I am amazed at my naive-ness or should it be called foolishness, I known not.I did not come to Delhi with any dreams. I came because I wanted to get away from Chandigarh and because I was...

It's your time to visit Melbourne NOW But let me tell you about the holiday I dreamt of and how Deserve a holiday, yes I do. Melbourne I am getting a call Why else would I be dreaming of Little penguins tapping their happy feet, after all? If it ain't for the Great Ocean Road that beckons Why would I dream of clear water, Nature's wonder the Twelve Apostles And some heritage All at once? I am the one for some quiet time But hey! I would not mind Being on my feet, to taste, toast and soak the Fed square May I also offer a tribute to the moving pictures in sight? Oh! hark now I hear the exhibition space calling to me Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi here I come. Get me a ticket, put me on the tram Or a shuttle if you please The city lanes call and I must obey I have to see the architectural wonders on my way Next fly me in a big bright colourful balloon as over the Murray, awaits another dream Fly me high and higher still so that I may learn to l...

Did a post on the Importance of being organised for the website edunjobs.in some time back. This post was inspired by the success of a certain person I have known for years. This person firmly believes that patterns replicate in the different spheres of life. He firmly believes that his organisational skills have played an important role in upping his career as a manager besides A class training at an A class management school. I found an interesting infographic, part of the post, resourced from the website greatist.com Hope you enjoy!

I wrote a few articles for a website a few months back. Unfortunately that project had to be stalled but I hope it picks up pace. In the meantime I got busy with The New Indian Express column on food and am thoroughly enjoying it. In between there have been prizes from twitter, a few books, which have been highly entertaining. Getting back to the writing for the website edunjobs.in , I really liked what I was doing there. Some of the articles had been created curating stuff from the Internet. So here is one sampling of such work which is a personal favourite of sorts. Hope you enjoy!