Popcorn Brain, Kutti Series and Tamil Nadu's First Micro-Drama Platform ❤️

Digital Snacking vs. Mindful Feasting

The “Kutti Series” Era is Born!

A paradigm shift in story-telling!

#newspaperinlearning #kuttiseries #freemium

I guess this is our fourth consecutive post on ‘story-telling’ in a row! 😊Call it sheer coincidence or fortuitous coincidence! 😊

Well, just this morning I happened to read an article in today’s The Times of India, Chennai Edition, on the media giant Sun TV Network launching Tamil Nadu’s first micro-drama platform called KadhaiShorts to capitalise on the popularity of short-form mobile video, and quite interestingly, they have also christened it as “Kutti Series”.

This news forebodes oops signals a major shift in story-telling, and on how entertainment is being produced and consumed today.

Added, these “Kutti Series” are vertical videos specifically shot to fit a phone screen without having to turn it sideways, with episodes lasting just two minutes.

What intrigued me the most was the mention of the phrase, “high-frequency digital consumption”.

Well, “High-frequency digital consumption” (HFDC) is a term that describes how modern audiences watch media on their mobile phones - in many short, repeated bursts throughout the day, rather than sitting down for one long session.

It’s like the difference between having one’s dinner at the dining table, and grazing mindlessly on snacks all through the day, 24x7. 😊

In short, the ”Kutti series” content is tailor-made exclusively for people to binge-watch while commuting, waiting in a queue, or between tea breaks, catering to the addictive nature of video reels!

Added, this micro-drama series shows us beyond doubt that attention spans and viewing habits have permanently changed, thus necessitating the birth of such micro-drama platforms!

Still curious, I wanted to know their business model, and found out that, KadhaiShorts borrows their entire business model from the hook-and-paywall method, wherein the platform gives away the first 10 to 15 episodes of a series for free to build emotional investment. Right when the viewer is hooked and desperate to see what happens next, the paywall pops up! Freemium, they call it!

Interestingly, Sun TV’s KadhaiShorts is not an isolated phenomenon that’s happening only in Tamil Nadu. It’s part of a massive global trend that was pioneered way back in China with apps like ReelShort, and it has become a rage and contagion across the world.

Because the gratification quotient in such “Kutti Series” is instant and constant, the brain’s expectations for “stimulation” only keeps rising everyday!

As a result, the lovely realities of everyday life - those lovely tea-time conversations, engaging lunch-time discussions, rewarding travel-time interactions, relaxing stroll-time conversations - begin to feel “terribly slow” and under-stimulating!

Popcorn Brain

Dr. David Levy, a renowned computer scientist terms this phenomenon as “Popcorn brain” to define an overstimulated brain that jumps rapidly from one thought to another, much akin to popping kernels, caused by excessive screen time and digital notifications. Such popcorn brains are wired to crave instant and constant excitement, making real-world activities feel terribly slow, boring or frustrating!

This fragmentation of attention, destroys the capacity for sustained focus, owing to such high-frequency digital consumption. And hence, such sustained “Popcorn brain” conditioning is capable of altering the ways in which the younger generation engages with the real-time world.

As a result, real-world achievements like learning a new skill, mastering a new language, building a robust career, acquiring a difficult skill, or forging a deep and lasting relationship – goes for a toss!

Coming back to the concept of dining on food over dinner vs grazing on snacks all day –

When we graze on snacks all day - 24x7, the food is consumed too quickly leaving no time to be truly tasted or appreciated. There is instant gratification yet it is a fleeting gratification, resulting in a symptom called anhedonia - a frustrating inability to feel pleasure from normal, low-stimulation activities like a quiet stroll or a meaningful conversation over coffee.

On the other hand, a prepared meal for dinner involves cooking and serving – thereby making the meal more satisfying. It shifts the mind from thoughtless consumption to mindful appreciation!

It’s time we wake up from this snacking-all-day aka grazing-all-day habit, wherein we consume such mindless content 24x7!

It’s time we hit the brakes on consuming such instant gratification-oriented short-form content!

Instant & constant doses of low-quality, mindless 24x7 grazing, can never substitute for the deep nourishment of a lovely dinner!

So let’s resolve to give the ‘SUN’ feast of ‘digital snacks’ a RUN for their money, and celebrate the ‘SLOW’ feast of dinner in real life!

If you wish to indulge yourself in practising digital minimalism or digital detox, you may want to read our past post HERE.

The Japan Model for Keralam? ❤️

India’s First Govt Department for Senior Citizens

Keralam Shows the Way!

#newspaperinlearning #literarygerontology #ageing

I happened to read a very insightful article in today’s The Times of India, by Sreemol on the establishment of India’s first dedicated government department for senior citizens in Keralam, to proactively manage its rapidly ageing population.

The state has the highest share of people aged above 60 years, and that’s only set to go up. Rising healthcare costs to growing concerns around loneliness, the challenges are cut out for the new dept under the Cong-led UDF, which had made it a poll promise, says Sreemol.

In fact, Keralam has become the first state in the country to have woken up to this reality of providing care for the elderly.

The key dynamics driving this change are as follows –

Keralam is experiencing a massive demographic shift driven by a declining birth rate and high youth migration.

Senior citizens already make up 23% of the state's voting demographic, and their overall population share is projected to hit 23% by 2036.

Experts warn that within 10 to 15 years, deaths in Kerala may exceed births, creating a society where many elderly parents are left living alone.

The new department aims to build community-based support - like geriatric clubs and resource groups - to ensure seniors remain socially connected, purposeful, and valued.

To build a sustainable system, the newly elected UDF government plans to study Japan’s highly successful eldercare framework.

So what’s the Japan Model?

WHAT JAPAN DOES

1. A mandatory public insurance system for citizens aged 40 and above. Covers 70% to 90% of institutional, home, or community care costs based on individual needs, shifting the financial burden away from families

2. Prioritises local care over prolonged hospital stays by integrating medical care, nursing, housing, and livelihood support within neighbourhoods

3. Nationwide blueprints that legally mandate local municipalities to construct senior day-care centres, specialised nursing homes, and support hubs

4. Coordinates public employment offices to provide tailored jobmatching, re-skilling, and flexible placement programmes for retirees who want to keep working

5. Uses nationwide screening tools to catch early signs of decline, funding community fitness and social initiatives to delay the need for intensive nursing care.

[New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Canada, too, have dedicated departments for elderly people, quotes the author]

Dignity in old age is not only about pensions and hospitals, but also about companionship and a society structured to keep the elderly engaged, she further notes.

Again, “the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members”, said Mahatma Gandhi.

Even as Keralam lays down the blueprint for India’s care economy, it sends a clear and urgent message to the rest of the country, especially to Tamil Nadu, to establish such government departments for the elderly, where every senior citizen remains visible, valued, and profoundly connected!

PS: You may also want to read our past posts on Ageing and Society in our past blogposts below.

1. “The Elderly vis-à-vis the Youth”, an article by Shri R. Nataraj IPS, reviewed on our blog, dated 13th July 2021, HERE

2. “Kerala faces the threat of turning into a huge old-age home”, blogpost dated 25th October 2023, HERE.

3. “Blue Zones & Ageing”, on our blog dated 4th Nov 2023, HERE. 

4. “RBI’s Call for Urgent Reforms: Elderly Population Hits 19%”, on our blogpost dated 25th January 2026, HERE. 

5. “Sunset Years? Tamil Nadu is Ageing Fast”, on our blog dated 9th February 2026, HERE

Wait! So James Bond Was Indeed a Real-Life Guy? ❤️❤️❤️

OMG! So was James Bond a Real Guy?

Ian Fleming & Patrick White | Striking Parallels

#onhisbirthdaytoday

28th May 2026

Well, I was quite intrigued to observe the striking, uncanny parallels that exist between Ian Fleming - the creator of James Bond and Patrick White - Australia’s first and only Nobel Laureate in Literature!

Both shared the exact same birthday, were born just a mile apart – in London, and both served as WWII intelligence officers!

What’s more? Both were great bird lovers! 😊

And guess what? It was Ian’s love for birdwatching that led him to the creation of the iconic fictional British secret agent James Bond!

Now to that story -

Once when Ian Fleming was trying to think of the most unremarkable name for his new fictional spy hero, he happened to glance at his own personal copy of a definitive field guide titled, Birds of the West Indies. Quite curious, he simply lifted the book to check out the name of the book’s author – it was an American ornithologist named James Bond.

And that’s how Ian Fleming borrowed an actual living person’s name “James Bond” - an American ornithologist and an expert on Caribbean birds.

Well, then, and that’s how the iconic James Bond was born! 😊

Over to Patrick White –

Even Patrick White was a great bird-lover. His work frequently engaged deeply with birds, natural landscapes and bioregional elements of Australia. Moreover, he frequently used native Australian birds as powerful literary symbols in his work.

To top it all, both were legends in their own right – having left a great impact on 20th-century literature. White explored profound existential, spiritual, and post-colonial themes and ultimately became the first and only Australian to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1973.

Ian Fleming, on the other hand, not only pioneered the modern spy thriller but also a technique that was famously known as the “Ian Fleming Effect.”

So what is the Ian Fleming Effect?

The Ian Fleming effect (coined by author Kingsley Amis) is a literary technique where the author uses highly fantastical or melodramatic elements and passes them off as routine everyday occurrences or realities. For example, Fleming makes use of specific brands of cars, cigarettes, or watches just to add to the authentic feel of his scenes, that many critics referred to them as “thrillers with built-in commercials”.

Why did Ian Fleming use such precise details?

Fleming felt that, by using such precise details, real brand names, and real-life facts, he could make even highly unbelievable scenarios feel so realistic and authentic to his viewers.

I would like to close this blogpost with something I so love about Ian Fleming – his commitment to his craft! (Something that I’ve heard from Yann Martel also about his meticulous writing commitments, when he was HERE at the Jaipur Literature Festival, 2019)

It seems, every year, Ian Fleming would take a two-month vacation from his job at The Sunday Times (January and February) to retire to his sylvan estate called Goldeneye in Jamaica where he committed himself to a strict, self-imposed routine and schedule. 

Goldeneye Estate, Jamaica [Image Source: Wikipedia]

It was with this exemplary dedication, commitment and consistency that he wrote all his 14 James Bond books! He wrote for about three hours every morning, threw the manuscript in a drawer, went for birdwatching in the afternoon, and maintained this exact routine for over a decade, completing a first draft of a new novel each year before returning to London.

The takeaway?

Creating the world’s most iconic spy wasn’t a miracle that sprouted all of a sudden from thin air! It took years of disciplined daily routine, and er… um… devoted birdwatching too! 😊

Two authors committed to their disciplined daily routines, sharing one incredible birthday!

Tells us the lovely truth that, some of the most extraordinary achievements are born from disciplined daily routines and a consistent commitment to the chosen craft – whatever the craft may be! 😊

PS: On an added note - in December 2013 Ian Fleming Publications and the Ian Fleming estate presented their new logo which is so emblematic and representative of the legend’s life and living! 

The logo features Ian Fleming’s signature and a golden Jamaican Hummingbird (the hummingbird is the national bird of Jamaica). Also the house is called Goldeneye and hence the golden colour! 

When the Most Powerful Person in the Room is the Storyteller ❤️

How a Storyteller Conquered the Corporate World

Making the Summer Intern as the Hero / Heroine

#newspaperinlearning

Quite often we have this perception that, storytelling is something that’s confined to literature or the movies.

In this article in today’s Times of India, Nidhi Alexander applies a storyteller’s creativity to the corporate world.

[On an aside, this blogpost vibes so well with our past two posts on storytelling!] 😊 

In fact, the article redefines storytelling! 

Nidhi feels that a brand is not just a logo or a product, but a narrative!

A narrative that continues to “live in the minds of people”.

So who is Nidhi Alexander?

Nidhi Alexander is the Chief Marketing Officer of Hexaware Technologies – a company with an annual revenue of Rs. 13,400 crores. She has been associated with Hexaware since January 2020.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in arts (honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

In this article, Nidhi shares the secret behind her transition from a deadline-driven television journalist to the Chief Marketing Officer at Hexaware.

And what is that secret?

Her mastery of storytelling, she confesses, has helped her to conquer the highly technical corporate world.

Or in other words, her ability to craft a compelling narrative!

And what Nidhi Alexander did here is quite an inspiration for all of us as well.

Instead of lamenting on what she lacked, she focused on her core strength – her ability to craft a story and her innate understanding of how stories live in the minds of an audience!

And through this unique skill of hers, she was able to successfully dismantle the age-old myth that a specialised degree is a necessary criteria for success in the corporate world.

Where did she apply this unique skill of hers?

During her tenure at Infosys, she was tasked with building InStep, their global internship programme. This was a chance to prove her strengths – her strength at crafting a story!

So what was the story that she had crafted?

Well, the “story” that she had crafted wasn’t a cliched tale. Instead, it was an experiential narrative - a story in which the participating interns actually lived and experienced the story for themselves!

And what was the setting to her story?

Infosys!

She positioned Infosys as the setting - not just as an outsourcing destination, but as a premier, cutting-edge global technology hub.

The story was about bringing top-tier heroes and heroines into the “heart of an Indian technology company” to do rewarding work.

So who were the protagonists?

Her narrative so beautifully framed the interns as highly sought-after talent – the heroes and heroines of Infosys. In short, they weren’t just summer interns! They were handpicked future leaders.

And the resolution?

Well, the climax of this story happens when the interns went back to their respective home states or nations. Because they were treated as real heroes and heroines, rather than temporary workers, they naturally transformed into “brand ambassadors.”

And so when they returned to top universities around the world and shared their experiences, Infosys was able to create a “steady year-round campus presence worldwide.”

In short, by making the students the heroes and heroines of this narrative, Nidhi ensured that they would tell the Infosys story long after the summer internship had ended.

Indeed, a powerful reminder on how creating a meaningful, experiential narrative for students can help elevate an institution’s global presence!

As Nidhi’s journey proves, the most powerful code that an industry can create isn’t Python or Java! It’s the story that they make their people to believe and experience!

I would love to end this post with a memorable quote from Steve Jobs –

The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values, and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.

On a related note, you may want to read the inspiring story of how Phil Knight, the founder of the world-famous Nike brand of shoes, had crafted his own impressive “brand narrative”, and made it a winnable “story” for his customers, on our past blogpost from eight years ago, HERE on our blog.

We Are Not Brands to be Optimised | The Beauty of the Unfinished Story ❤️

We Are Gloriously Unfinished Beings 

Why Our Truest Stories Defy Neat Endings

#newspaperinlearning

26th May 2026

I happened to read a very interesting article in today’s The Times of India by Santosh Desai titled, “What’s Your Story?”

I am quite surprised to note that this article has a lot of parallels with our blogpost yesterday, (HERE) on the Unbearable Soullessness of the BOThor.

A perfect companion piece? 😊

Both articles seem to lament the mechanisation and the loss of “soul” in modern storytelling.

To Desai, “storytelling” - particularly in business, branding, and social media (like LinkedIn) - has become a manipulative and manufactured tool rather than a genuine form of expression.

Brands need to tell their stories. Individuals’ lives must follow a storyline. Startups must create stories to tell prospective investors. Even ideas need to be dressed up as stories if they want to circulate.

Humans are hence increasingly mechanising their own lives and stories, and as a result, we are faking authenticity, he feels.

While yesterday’s blogpost critiqued AI for “creating” writing that is completely devoid of the lived experience, Desai warns us that humans are starting to write and live like emotionless, calculating machines! (optimising and tuning stories only for outcomes!)

So what then is the true purpose of stories?

Santosh Desai believes that a great story should ‘open up’ possibilities, acknowledge human complexity, and leave us slightly disturbed or ‘unfinished.’ It should be an organic exploration of reality.

I would like to reiterate on the phrase, ‘open up!’

Santosh Desai then highlights the difference between the two kinds of stories.

Says he -

There are two kinds of stories. Closed stories and open stories.

A closed story is designed to arrive at a point. It is created to make us feel a specific way. It begins with an intention and moves toward a resolution! There is no doubt about what the message is. Most contemporary storytelling sits here.

An open story works differently. It does not aim to land at a specific point. It makes us linger on and on. You do not come away with a settled conclusion but with a feeling of being disturbed, of having something get unsettled.

An open story is a worm in the mind, wriggling uncomfortably long after the story is over.

The difference is not just about endings. It is about who wields authority in the interaction.

In a closed story, authority sits with the teller who wields the narrative skillfully. The audience’s role is to ooh and aah at the right moments.

In an open story, authority is shared. The listener participates in making meaning.

Open stories are not easy to circulate. They prod rather than comfort.

Interestingly, most Indian epics tell open stories, which allow for interpretation, discussion and disagreement. Many actions described in these stories sit on a moral hinge, leaving room for debate for a society to question what its values really are.

A great story opens up possibilities. One travels elsewhere from where one returns differently. A great story moves us, not just in terms of emotion but in terms of perspective. We see the world through someone else’s heart, and we are just a bit different as a result.

Think of the story as a form of reorientation. Of something that allows us to acknowledge complexity by understanding it in human terms. It gives us a way of reaching for things without grasping them fully. It expands our sense of how things might be, without insisting that they are so. A great story allows us to stay unfinished by refusing completeness. At its best, a story is a rope tossed into the future.

At their core, then, the difference between an open and a closed story comes down to control versus collaboration.

In other words, it is the difference between a guided tour on a fixed track and being dropped into the wilderness with a compass.

A closed story is engineered for a specific outcome. The author acts as the supreme authority, carefully orchestrating the plot, characters, and emotions to ensure the reader arrives at a predetermined destination. There is a clear moral, the loose ends are tied in a neat bow, and the audience’s role is simply to consume the message.

To Santosh Desai, modern “personal branding” stories are entirely closed ones – “Buy my product” types, and hence leave no room for the reader to reach a different verdict.

Take for example, the story of the Hare and the Tortoise in Aesop’s Fables, which is a good example of closed stories. The story literally ends with a stated moral so the reader cannot possibly misinterpret the point.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol also, though a masterpiece, is a closed story. Scrooge is bad, he is shown the error of his ways, he becomes unequivocally good, and Tiny Tim lives, and the moral message is handed directly to the reader.

However, an open story mirrors the messiness of actual human existence. The author creates the world, sets the characters in motion, and then steps back, forcing the reader to participate in creating the meaning. They are ambiguous, often ending without a neat resolution, leaving the reader with lingering questions or moral friction.

An open story respects the intelligence and the “inner life” of the reader, allowing them to project their own lived experiences onto the narrative.

Take for example, Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, wherein after spending the entire novel recounting a fantastical tale of surviving on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, the protagonist offers a second, bleakly realistic, and brutal version of the story. He then asks, “Which story do you prefer?” The author never confirms which is true – and the reader is forced to choose.

The same is the case with the Mahabharata – and most of the Indian epics which are fiercely open. The lines of dharma (duty/righteousness) are constantly blurred. Even the “righteous” Pandavas use deceit to win the war, and the aftermath is filled with sorrow rather than pure triumph. It forces the listener to constantly debate what is right and wrong.

AI Writing and corporate storytelling are examples of closed stories, simply because, machines and marketing algorithms are only capable of producing closed stories. They optimise for “engagement” and “clarity.”

Only a human, writing from a place of genuine, messy authenticity, has the courage to leave a story open.

Organically human!

I would love to end this post with a beautiful quote by Alice Munro –

A story is not like a road to follow... it’s more like a house. You go inside and stay there for a while, wandering back and forth and settling where you like!

So the takeaway? 

We are not brands to be optimised – but wonderfully messy, deeply complex humans, and our truest stories always remain gloriously unfinished!

That’s because we are a work-in-progress! 😊

You may want to read our past blogpost from nine years ago - dated 4th January 2017 - on how to Think in Stories! Yes, Think critically, deeply and sensitively in stories, HERE on our blog. 

The Unbearable Soullessness of the BOThor | & The Need for Coining New Words ❤️

The Rise of the BOThor & Our Sense of Us!

#newspaperinlearning

I happened to read a very insightful article in the Editorial page of The Times of India, Chennai Edition.

What makes this article super-interesting is the fact that, the writer seems to have coined a new word – BOThor!

BOThor is a portmanteau word of Bot + Author, and it so perfectly encapsulates the soulless, lifeless, and automated nature of AI writing.

By combining BOT (a word associated with mechanical, soulless automation) with AUTHOR (one that traditionally demands deep human insight and lived experience), the writer seeks to highlight the inherent contradiction in AI literature, thereby justifying the addition of a brand new word to the vast repertoire of the English language.

So what pray, necessitates the coinage of a new word?

Well, there are quite a lot of factors. Let us take up just three of them for the sake of this blogpost. 

Firstly, when an invention, innovation or a new concept emerges, a new word is usually coined to name it. Terms like internet, web, software, download, malware, or smartphone didn’t exist until the rise of technology demanded the coinage of these words.

Secondly, our reality is always in a state of flux. It keeps evolving constantly. And as human behaviour and social norms evolve, we need new vocabulary to describe these new dynamics. Words like texting, following, ghosting, mansplaining, or doomscrolling came up in the past decade, to capture these new, felt experiences and shared experiences.

Thirdly, when we realise that there isn’t an exact word for expressing a particular feeling or concept, then we tend to blend existing words together to fill the void. For example, hangry (hungry + angry) or podcast (iPod + broadcast), or brunch (breakfast + lunch).

In this context, on an aside, I quite remember one interesting incident that had happened way back in the year 2003, in my I BA English Literature class. We were discussing the need and the importance of coining new words. And quoting Orwell, I said that, we need hundreds of new words every passing day to reflect the nameless things happening in our minds, in all their aura. I had then gently exhorted my students to come up with new coinages, to describe these new experiences.

Those were the days when neither students nor professors had mobile phones on us, you see! 

So after some brainstorming, one particular student - Ivan Antony John surprised us all with a lovely word.

Sir, I’ve coined a word!

Great, Ivan. What’s the word?

It’s Soulistic, Sir.

Woww! So what does Soulistic mean?

It’s a portmanteau of soul + holistic, sir. It could mean a holistic response to something that we perceive through our senses, he said.

This google report says that the word became popular in 2010s. But Ivan had coined it way back in 2003. However, sadly, back then, in 2003, Ivan did not have the proper platforms to propagate and make popular his new coinage. Quite curiously, I looked up google to see if the word soulistic has been documented. And it says, that the word has become popular after 2010!

So what is Ivan doing now? 😊

He is now the CEO of a company, and just recently he shared with me the lovely news that he has been honoured at The Oberoi, Bengaluru, on being awarded the title of the city’s most influential business leaders! 

OMG! 😊Dear Ivan, we are proud of you!

Coming back, 

In fact, if we look up the synonyms for the word LOVE, we rarely find perfectly matched synonyms.

So I don’t have any other option but to use the same word for different states of emotional responses.

I LOVE my dog.

I LOVE chocolates.

I LOVE my country.

I LOVE my soulmate.

I LOVE English Literature.

I LOVE Shakespeare.

I LOVE Ilayaraja’s music.

I LOVE pizza.

I LOVE birding, etc.

I don’t seem to have a variety of equivalents or synonyms for the word LOVE, to suit it better to each of the contexts. 😊

That’s hence, George Orwell, in his 1940 essay titled, “New Words,” emphasises on the need for coining new words.

That is one reason why Orwell says that, language has miserably failed our inner lives.

He asks –

Is there anyone who has ever written so much as a love letter in which he felt that he had said exactly what he intended?

He further argues that when we try to communicate profound internal states, the clumsiness of our existing vocabulary forces us to “falsify” our true feelings. Hence, without an option, we tend to fall back on imprecise metaphors or cliched expressions that never quite match the vivid reality inside our heads.

And that’s why he asks academia to deliberately keep inventing new words to describe the “nameless things” happening in our minds.

Lovely, ain’t it? 😊

Nameless things happening in our minds, that are yet to get the right words to describe them all.

To conclude then, the English language is a living, breathing ecosystem, and we are at a great need to constantly coin new words - known as neologisms - simply because our old words can’t always carry the weight of our new, newer realities! 😊

So when do we coin a new word?

Simple! When we feel our old words are not capable of carrying the weight of our new, newer realities.

To sum it up then, the article foregrounds something very relevant to literary beings.

What happens when words are generated by a system with no body, heart or soul that hasn’t felt glory or despair?

That’s a hollowing of one of the deepest forms of human connection. Bot hors (that’s bot plus author, in case you asked) are very, very bad news for our sense of us,

says the writer.

And that’s why, beware of BOThors.

Furthermore, storytelling is quite inseparable from human consciousness. Let AI not render them apart!

Chennai Admission Trends 2026 | The Rise of AI and the Decline of Basic Sciences ❤️

Looking Beyond the Bounds of Tradition | How AI is Reshaping College Admissions in Chennai

#Future-ReadyStudent

25th May 2026

#newspaperinlearning

I happened to read an insightful article in today’s The Times of India, on the significant shift in student preferences at arts and science colleges in Chennai.

It is indeed very surprising to see how emerging technology courses are overshadowing traditional academic subjects this year, and specialised programmes like BSc Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, and Cyber Security are getting incredibly popular this year.

The article also points out a steady decline in admissions for the traditional science programmes - such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Botany – for which Colleges are struggling to fill their seats. Many colleges report having only filled 60% to 70% of their capacity for these subjects.

However, Commerce and Humanities subjects have shown a stable demand this year.

Commerce (BCom) remains the most preferred path overall, though there is a noticeable shift toward specialised versions like Corporate Secretaryship and Honours.

Additionally, humanities and social sciences like BA English Literature and BSc Psychology are also seeing high demand.

College principals across city colleges attribute this trend to students seeking more modern, job-oriented skills. In addition, the delay in engineering admissions and NEET (medical) counselling have caused many students to hold off on joining basic science courses.

The article highlights the fact that, today’s college applicants are highly in favour of specialised, future-ready degrees like AI and Data Science over conventional science programmes.

You may want to read the “Top Five” UG Programmes of 2025, HERE on our past blogpost.

The Joys of Reading & Writing | & Our Priceless Local Treasures! ❤️

A Date with Two Vibrant Young Writers ❤️

#reflections

A Passionate Diarist and the Youngest Author in India! ❤️

24th May 2026

Today, we had a lovely get-together - a lovely rendezvous that we had planned at such short notice but proved a rewarding one for all of us!

Indeed, it was such a joy to catch up over lunch with my cousins, nephews and nieces in a long time.

We also had with us our lovely cousin Mr. Raja Monsingh, who was once India’s Youngest Author way back in the year 2008.

I remember having invited him for a guest lecture to our students in MCC, on 24th January 2008.

So now flash-back to 24th January 2008 –

A nine-year old child prodigy had just published his first book and the Press was all agog interviewing him for days on end, about his book.

24 January 2008 - S -220 Class, MCC

And so it was, that I had invited him to one of my classes, to talk to our students on ‘Books and Writing’.

The little master came sharp on time, accompanied by his proud Mom, Dr. Shubha.

24th January 2008 - Students congratulating the Little Master Raja Monsingh

After Mr. Raja Monsingh’s engaging talk, the students had a rewarding time of interactions with him.

The questions poured forth in quick succession and Master Raja Monsingh tackled them with consummate ease.

When asked, who was his greatest inspiration, he promptly replied, “My Mother!”

But when one student asked him, how much percentage of his success he owed to his mom, he started thinking for quite a while, and calmly replied, “20 per cent”. 😊

When asked, what was his goal in life - when he grows up, - he casually remarked, “That we can think of when I grow up.”

You may want to read the full interview on our past blogpost on 24 January 2008 HERE on our blog. 

Fast-forward to ten years later in the year 2018 -

And the little master Raja Monsingh is now a grown-up gentleman. And what a great achievement he has done in less than 10 years from thence on!

Mr. Raja Monsingh, today!

He has started a foundation called Thaagam Foundation through which he feed hundreds of stray dogs, stray cattle, and destitute human beings, who live on the verge of poverty and deprivation. They have also partnered with a lot of voluntary organisations in the cause of the voiceless.

The Foundation - His Brainchild! 

I was so happy to see his Foundation’s brochure that says,

“Founded in 2018, Thaagam Foundation operates with unwavering commitment to 100% transparency. Our non-government organisation focuses on improving lives across three key areas: uplifting the underprivileged, promoting animal welfare, and preserving our environment. We provide comprehensive support to the homeless, bring joy to orphanages, rescue stray animals, and engage in environmental conservation…”

So happy to note that their Foundation has helped in desilting lots of dumpyard lakes in and around Chennai for the past many years now revitalising water storage in these catchment areas.

So proud of you Mr. Raja Monsingh.

Then I had an extensive time of interactions with my favourite niece Ms. Phia.

Our regular readers woulda been quite familiar with Phia, a voracious reader and writer, whom we had interviewed seven years ago, HERE on our blog.

Fast-forward to today -

Currently, Phia is pursuing her Law Degree in Chennai. Over lunch today, we discussed her current reading, her novel writing, her diary writing etc.

“So what are you reading these days, Phia?” I ask her.

“Rufus uncle, I am literally devouring Toni Morrison these days. I’ve been reading her novels one by one these past months, and I find her quite amazing!”

So which of her novels is your favourite, Phia?

Promptly comes the reply, The Bluest Eye, Rufus uncle.

Are you still into writing your diaries every day?

With a resounding ‘Yes’, she says, ‘Yes, I do, Rufus uncle. Ever since Dad gifted me a diary during my childhood days, I’ve been continuously indulging myself in writing my daily diary every day without fail”.

“Great! Do you see any palpable difference in your writing style today, when compared to your past style of writing, Phia?”

Phia's lovely collection of books at home! (2019)

“Well, Yes! Looking back, I’m also able to trace how I’ve evolved over the years in what I capture in my daily diary entries. Back then, the things I wrote sound a bit childish, especially when I read them today, and today I feel my writing today sounds a tad bit more responsible, and grounded in yet another mode of reality! And guess what? I’ve started writing essays, and hence temporarily I’ve put on hold my novel writing,”

says Phia.

“Phia - the books that you read – do you prefer reading the soft copies or hard copies of the book?” I ask her out of curiosity.

“Always the hard copy, Rufus uncle. Of course I order those books through Amazon or Flipkart and stack them neat amongst my little library collection,” she adds.

“So what happened to your love for Michelle Obama’s Becoming, that I saw you reading, seven years ago?”

Oh yes, Rufus uncle. I’ve even read her latest book titled, The Look, which was released last year. It’s a lovely illustrated memoir that explores her fashion evolution, the meaning of her clothing choices, and her personal style journey, and I’m eagerly waiting to read her upcoming book as well, says Phia.

After interacting with Monsingh and Phia, I turn to my sister Susan Paul and tell them proudly about how voracious a reader, their Susie Aunty has been, ever since her childhood days.

Dr. Susan Paul currently (an expert in the Japanese language) heads the Department of History at Stella Maris College, Chennai.

To the far left is Dr. Shubha, my maternal aunt, (Chithi) who had christened me - Rufus :-)

Then, my brother-in-law Mr. Vinodh, took us all upstairs to show us his vast library collection. He said it had taken him more than 10 lakh rupees to set up this library, and he has opened it up to a few of his friends to make use of these rare collections.

Felt so happy to be in the company of bibliophiles!

Indeed, a rewarding day in every way! 😊

PS: This second part of the blogpost is a lighthearted addition to whoever wants peacefulness and wholesomeness to their Sunday evening, especially for nature lovers or anyone who enjoys bird-watching! 😊

Well, yesterday, we had a rewarding time of fellowship in Mala aunty’s home in Ranipet, Vellore. I was so surprised to see birds of all hues, lining up in such large numbers to most of their houses in the vicinity.

Especially, it felt so heartwarming to see the return of the house sparrows, so beautifully taking their turns at the ledge for their share of the pie! And what started as a quiet munch for the bulbuls, soon turned into a bustling bird buffet of sorts.

I was so in awe of this noble gesture! You may want to watch the cute video on our vlog HERE. 

Let’s take some little time to share food and water with our feathered friends and our local animals - dogs and cows – that would be a beautiful reminder of the joys of dwelling in peaceful coexistence and interconnectedness with our neighbourhood’s unique local wildlife – our priceless local treasure!