A sporadically updated log about what I’m doing, reading and thinking about
Updated on 08 September, 2026
Work and Projects
Last week, I joined Pixxel to build their brand strategy and storytelling arm. Space tech has been on my list of industries to venture into for a while now, and it’s the kind of translation work I love most: taking something technically complex and consequential and building the language, narrative, and systems that let more people understand what’s now possible and why it matters. It also marks my return to the startup world, which I’m thrilled about.
That means I’ve wrapped up my time at PhonePe after 2.5 years. This was my first at-scale company; my 2024 shift from tight-knit team of 35 to a sprawling 6 floors of ~8000 people invoked a mental and almost-physical vertigo. The scale was such that, no matter how long I stayed at this company, I would never know everyone personally. Eventually, though, I settled in and did work I was really proud of, and in ways I surprised myself by.
I’m grateful that there were a lot of people who’d reached out to me in the hopes of working together. As someone with an amoeba role, side doors and genuine conversations are the most fruitful ways of getting work that I’m excited for and the partnering company really needs done. I haven’t submitted my resume and filled out a job application form for a long, long time, thanks to the kind of people I’ve been able to make friends with.
I had a lovely farewell from close colleagues, and was gifted a bag-full of books from Champaca by Rahul, who has had the pleasure (or displeasure? haha) of being my boss and super-boss for six years. I’ll soon share more on where I’m headed next, but for now I’m on a two-week break. More on how that’s going below :)
Play
On Kindred Spirits, I wrote about the idea of friction, and friction-less experiences being the great definer of our times. I have many favourite paragraphs, and this is one of them:
Striving and struggling—friction—is fodder for meaning, because it demands investment. It needs you to get your hands dirty, worry away at challenges like a horse on its bit, throw your presence and energy into the current moment. A lot of things are meaningful not despite the friction, but because of it.
I took a short solo trip to Mysore, mostly to stay at this heritage hotel I’ve had my eye on for ages. It was an incredibly relaxing trip—Mysore is so wonderfully walkable so I got a lot of steps in while soaking in the warmth and sunshine of the city. It also gave me a chance to try out the new Vande Bharat trains, and that was a really novel experience. I’ll write more about my trip in a separate post.
I’ve been reading steadily. I’m currently halfway through the Neapolitan Quartet by Elena Ferrante. I can’t understate what a heart-rending, meaningful, impressive feat these novels are. I know I’m going to be so sad when I’m through with them.
I finally upgraded my personal laptop from the 2018 MacBook Pro to the 2026 MacBook Air M5. Although my Pro was working valiantly despite its years, the difference in speed is light and day. My plan is to set up the old laptop as a home computer for my mom, who occasionally uses Excel and email for her library volunteer work.