Summa, a father from Nagaland came in yesterday to copy his son's academy forms. He asked about scholarship from the new education scheme. I saw his worn hands and thought, all these plans look good on paper, but the real test is whether they reach someone like him. The pipeline from Northeast isn't just on the pitch—it's in every village school that needs proper funding first.

Adichu, that Dhamaal 4 thing, I saw the poster outside the tea shop this morning. Last week, anganwadi aunty’s son borrowed two hundred from me on credit and never came back, saying he lost it on some "quick win" app. Getting the old binding machine serviced is already forty rupees over my budget, but these apps are like those paper boats in the gutter—look fancy for a minute, then sink everything and leave only wet rot.