Anuradha Sridharan

  As 2025 draws to an end, it feels like the right moment to pause and reflect on the milestones achieved, the joyful moments cherished, and the challenges faced along the way. Like every year, my heart is filled with gratitude for the many blessings God has bestowed through people and experiences. I am now nearing the final milestone of my MSc Yoga programme. The second and third semesters went well, and the deeper learning and meaningful interactions made the journey truly memorable. I will certainly miss the structured learning and academic rigor that this programme offered. The final thesis work remains, and I hope to complete it in the first half of 2026. 2025 also marked the year I began teaching online Yoga classes. It was a deeply satisfying experience to plan each session and gradually incorporate varied asanas into the practice. However, I had to pause the batch as they clashed with the busy morning routine of preparing lunch boxes on time. I’m hopeful that in 2026 I’ll b...

In 2020, I wrote about my experience with a brain-training app called Elevate , which I found incredibly engaging. At the time, I shared five reasons why it had completely hooked me. Five years later, in an era where apps grab our attention quickly and then fade just as fast, I find myself writing about the same app again. My daughter and I are still using it—so much so that we upgraded to the premium version. Over time, we reached the highest difficulty levels in most of the games. Eventually, our interest dipped slightly. My daughter wanted to keep her streak alive, so she began playing with minimal effort, just enough to maintain it. About three months ago, Elevate introduced a new feature called Leagues. It was a simple leaderboard system where the top ten players advanced through tiers such as Bronze, Silver, Gold, Ruby, and Diamond. This immediately reignited our interest. We found ourselves eagerly playing games across Math, Reading, Memory, Writing, and Speaking categories. It...

One of my most favorite books is " Value of Values " by Swami Dayananda Saraswati. In the first 25 pages, the importance of values and how they impact our everyday life are so beautifully explained.   Our actions, emotions, decisions, and life priorities all trace back to our values. Understanding values brings clarity, reduces confusion, and supports better decision‑making. Why Values Matter Values shape behavior: What we do is determined by what we value. Awareness of values brings clarity: Knowing your values helps resolve confusion and align decisions. Values must be chosen, not imposed: Only self‑chosen values can be truly assimilated into one’s life. Values are universal in content but context‑dependent in application. How We Relate to Values 1. We apply values more strictly to others than to ourselves Example: We demand refunds when we receive less than we paid for, but rarely report when we receive more than we paid for. 2. Going against our own values crea...

January 9th, 2016 — the day I stepped out of my comfort zone. I still remember my very first food stall at a lake santhe. After spending years fascinated by food and nutrition, I finally decided to share that passion beyond my family. My menu was simple but heartfelt — fingermillet idlis, barnyard millet sweet pongal, and rajamudi rice savory pongal. Millets were far from “trendy” back then, but the joy I felt that day is still unmatched. That experience pushed me to start a small home-based catering service for my apartment community. Every weekend, I’d brainstorm menus, shop for ingredients, and cook with full focus — that “in the zone” feeling I cherish. Orders were few initially, mostly from a couple of kind senior citizens. But I persisted. Over time, I added podis and thokkus, and slowly, appreciation grew. Of course, there were also the occasional digs — “Why would a BE/MBA do such menial work?” But honestly, those comments only made me more resilient. 2017 — the world of pack...

Is reading scriptures something to pick up only after retirement? Are stotras and kirtans meant solely for the elderly? Many of us unconsciously assume this, and that belief stops us from encouraging teenagers and young adults to explore spirituality early in life. The early working years are filled with pressure, deadlines, and expectations, leaving little time or mental space for inner work. And even when the desire is there, social norms often dictate what is considered “cool,” steering us away from practices that nourish the mind. There is also a feeling that one needs life experience and emotional maturity to truly understand spiritual wisdom. That is true to an extent, but it shouldn’t become an excuse to postpone the journey. Bhartrhari’s Vairagya Shatakam , a profound collection of 100 verses on detachment, offers a gentle yet powerful reminder on when this pursuit should actually begin. In Verse 75, he lays out the ideal time with striking clarity: “As long as this body is ...