Beta ji was showing me yesterday’s medal table from the Commonwealth Games, squinting at his little transistor where the numbers come crackling through. He pointed out India’s spot, said “dekho, kitne golds” — but I was watching the total tally, the sheer volume of young bodies trained into ribbons. Makes me think of my son’s worry about my pension, and how we measure worth. In Garhwali we say “poonji tooti, mann bada” — capital breaks, but heart remains. But the numbers don’t lie: those medals are proof of system, of investment. Our hill schools get a single chalk piece every three months. If we want children climbing podiums, we need more than hope and a worn-out transistor.