A friend recently asked me which digital payments app I was using. When I told her, she promptly asked, “Why not use BHIM, our very own Indian app?” I admitted I didn’t know much about it. “Well, let me introduce you to someone you’ll enjoy meeting.” That someone was Dilip Asbe, MD & CEO of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Dilip kindly agreed to come over for a chat. That conversation was illuminating, to put it mildly. We all know the payment apps we use every day. PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, BHIM… But think of them as trains running on a railway network. NPCI provides the tracks. And what an extraordinary railway India has built! In September, UPI alone processed over 2,400 crore transactions. That’s more than 80 crore transactions every single day! India is now the world’s largest real-time payments market. A true global force multiplier. And Dilip has been one of the key people behind that remarkable achievement. His mind is buzzing with plans to build more ‘railroads’ that will enable new apps in wider financial spheres. But here’s what struck me most about him. Not the scale of his achievement. Not his knowledge of the technology. His humility. Dilip is well known in financial & technology circles. But I met a man with no airs, no sense of self-importance & seemingly little interest in the spotlight. Just immense pride in what his team has accomplished & a genuine sense of privilege at being able to serve his country. I also learned that his mother was a teacher. Perhaps I’m biased, but I’ve always believed that mothers who are teachers have a special knack for instilling values that last a lifetime. And I couldn’t help wondering if that explained something about Dilip’s grounded personality. People like him derive their satisfaction not from being seen, but from seeing their work make a difference. Thank you, Dilip, for the conversation. And for reminding me that ambition & humility can indeed travel together on the railroad to success. And I’ve switched to the BHIM app now! #MondayMotivation

There are many who find it difficult to fall asleep. Learn ‘yoganidra’ , the famous Indian practice to fall asleep. Sit down in a comfortable chair just before sleeping, close your eyes, place arms on the knees. Breath deeply, hold & exhale slowly in 4-7-8 counts. If you are lying just close your eyes and follow this. After 4-5 deep & slow inhalations and exhalations in the rhythm mentioned, you will feel relaxed. Move the pupil of your eyes to the left & then to the right slowly, (eyes remain closed). Then rotate your pupil in a counter clockwise way slowly & then rotate clockwise. Repeat 3/4 times. Your eyes have a close relation to your cerebellum & you disrupt the proprioception (the knowledge where you live in space) circuits,& you fall asleep quick. Many can’t believe it when they wake up only the next morning.

India needs about 18 to 20 lakh senior housing units right now. Organised supply is about 21,000. India has nearly 15 crore elderly, heading to over 32 crore by 2050. Only 18% of seniors have health insurance, and over 78% have no pension. Only 18 medical colleges have a full geriatric department. If you're planning for your parents or yourself, these numbers say the system won't be ready in time. If you're building a business, this is one of the biggest gaps I've written about.

India needs about 18 to 20 lakh senior housing units right now. Organised supply is about 21,000. India has nearly 15 crore elderly, heading to over 32 crore by 2050. Only 18% of seniors have health insurance, and over 78% have no pension. Only 18 medical colleges have a full geriatric department. If you're planning for your parents or yourself, these numbers say the system won't be ready in time. If you're building a business, this is one of the biggest gaps I've written about.

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The amount of energy that gets wasted in India just following up and chasing people to make sure that they do their job is mind-boggling. What's your experience been?

🚨 If you're caught using mobile phones in speaker mode or talking loudly in trains, you could be fined up to ₹1,000. If you keep doing it, you might even face six months in jail or a fine of ₹5,000. - Southern Railways.

Long before the morning whistle sounds and well after the last train reaches its destination, they are out on the lines. Walking mile after mile under scorching sun and heavy rain, tightening every fitting, checking every joint, and safeguarding the iron veins of the country. A heartfelt salute to our track maintainers—the silent force turning danger away and making millions of safe journeys possible every single day. 🇮🇳🛤️ ⁠#IndianRailways #UnsungHeroes #RailSafety #SouthCentralRailway #BehindtheScenes @RailMinIndia

This week's E-paper is online and free; read here and share - mylaporetimes.com/epaper/MTO…