Pun

Q: What does a general relativist say?
A: “It’s all in the metric.”

Q: What does a linear algebraist say?
A: “It’s all in the matrix.”

My Memories of Sir Anthony James Leggett

Sir Anthony James Leggett passed away on 8 March 2026. It felt like a personal loss to me.

I don't know when was the first time I came across Prof. Leggett. I am certain that I knew the name from my master's studies but started reading up on his work during my academic exile. During those years, I was consuming physics rather aimlessly after deciding to part ways with theoretical particle physics. At some point, I encountered his work on quantum mechanics at macroscopic scale. I found it fascinating. I started working through his paper, "Quantum tunnelling in a dissipative system." 

In 2019, I was going through a very dark period in my life. I reached out to him for advice in August of that year. He wrote back with a detailed and thoughtful response. His words restored my confidence, and his kindness meant a great deal to me. I will always be grateful for that. I still follow his advice.

One thing he wrote to me was: 

"First, I do not think that your apparently not very stellar grades in your course work to date should depress you unduly; perfect grades on examinations which basically test one's knowledge of standard textbook material are in my view not very indicative of future success as a researcher, it is much more important that you know how to ask your own questions."

After starting my PhD at the Technion in November 2024, I wrote to him again in December. He replied once more, wishing me success in my studies.

I took the course "Introduction to Systems with Macro Quantum Properties" in the winter semester of 2025. In the course presentation, I presented his foundational work on the subject  — work I had first read during my exile years, back when I had no clear direction. Revisiting it then felt like witnessing a long arc slowly coming full circle.

Time is a flat circle

On 16 September, at around 2 AM, I was going through the "Sent" emails in my Gmail to look for a report I had sent during my master's. I couldn’t find it, but what I found instead pleasantly surprised me.

On 13 April 2014, I had sent four papers by David Mukamel to my friend—he must have requested them. One of the papers I sent was the same one my advisor suggested to me in relation to the project I am working on this January.

I’ve seen this kind of thing happen many times in my life—people and ideas resurfacing after years. It feels like a long arc slowly closing, reminding me how strangely time weaves things back together.

वक़्त करता है परवरिश बरसों

हादिसा एक दम नहीं होता

~ क़ाबिल अजमेरी

Self-written Jokes

I used to compose jokes once in a while. I like my jokes, but I've forgotten many of them. This is an attempt to catalogue a few.

Joke #1

Q. When a hangman's job is hanging and he goes to his supervisor to plead for another chance, what does the supervisor say?

A. I will not give you a long rope.

Joke #2

I have a joke on m-RNA but I can't translate it.

Joke #3

I have a joke on energy and it matters.

Joke #4

Q. Which the favorite water sport of a communist?

A. sCuba Diving

Joke #5

Q. What do you call a trustworthy bar?

A. ए'तिबार

Joke #6

Warning: QFT Non Vegetarian joke.

Q. What do you call the process of finding keema in Keema Paratha?

A. Lamb Sift

PS: I will keep updating this post once I remember my old jokes or compose a new one. (Joke 2 and 3 were composed in July 2021 during  "I have a joke" mania on Twitter)

Logarithmic Potential and My Poor Sleep

I had scheduled a meeting with my advisor for 19 January, Sunday. I had to cancel that in the morning. I was feeling drowsy. On the clock, my sleep time was a little over 7 hours but I was feeling exhausted.
I guess now I know why. The logarithmic potential has been used to model sleep-wake transitions during deep sleep. I had been reading up on various applications of logarithmic potential in the week preceding 19 January. Somehow, it affected my sleep !

I am partly kidding !

Valley of Flowers, Finally !

 After 11 long years, I finally managed to visit the Valley of Flowers National Park. As fate would have it, the plan worked out in a way that I managed to do the trek on 12 August, my birthday ! I would consider this as my gift to myself.

I had recounted in this post, my misses till 2016.  At some point, I am going to visit the park again. The trek is a little tricky and certainly more difficult than the Kheer Ganga Trek. The best part about the trek was that the weather was kind to us. It rained only a little on our way back to Ghangria while returning from the park.

The above photograph is near the entrance of  the Valley of Flowers National Park.

जीने वालों से कहो कोई तमन्ना ढूँडें
हम तो आसूदा-ए-मंज़िल हैं हमारा क्या है 

- महमूद अयाज़

PS: I lost my favourite Nike cap after the trek. It was with me for more than 10 years.

When Messi Won The World Cup

When Gonzalo Montiel slotted in the final spot kick, Messi fell to his knees, and Leandro Paredes was the first to hug the undisputed GOAT. The redemption was complete. More than a billion people wanted Messi to lift the World Cup. That desire came true exactly a year ago, on 18 December 2022.

I have been a fan of both Italy and Argentina in international football. As a 10-year-old, I watched Italy lose to France in extra time by a 'Golden Goal' in Euro 2000. In 2006, I watched Italy win the World Cup against France. I guess that was the first time I saw a team I was rooting for win a major trophy in any sport. The feeling was surreal. My brother was supporting France, though! The Indian cricket team had yet to win any major trophy in my lifetime.

By the time I started seriously following European football and Barcelona, Messi was an upcoming superstar. My loyalty toward Barcelona naturally translated into strong support for Argentina at the international level.

The 2010 World Cup was the first time I seriously cheered for Argentina. The team was being coached by the legendary Maradona. They had a collection of talented individuals and were expected to perform well. When Argentina was drawn against Germany in the round of 16, the clash was expected to be competitive. What unfolded on 3 July 2010 was pure carnage. Argentina were humbled 4-0 by Germany.

There was a great buildup to the 2022 World Cup. Argentina came to the tournament after winning Copa América and the Finalissima. La Albiceleste were the favorites to win the World Cup. Then came November 22, 2022. Argentina was playing Saudi Arabia. I was at my office, working and watching the match. Argentina was up 1-0, courtesy of a penalty. I went out to have lunch, and I saw, at Pizza Hut, Saudi Arabia score a goal (first or second, I don't remember). Argentina had lost 2-1. It was devastating.

The next game against Mexico was not progressing according to Argentina's wishes. I was tense too. I took out my Argentina jersey—the same one they wore in the final of the 2014 World Cup. A few minutes later, Messi scored! I had found my superstition. After that game, I took a shower before every match, wore the same set of clothes, and sat in a particular position in my chair in my dorm room. I didn't shave or cut my nails throughout the entire tournament. I shaved the night Argentina finally became World Champions.

Argentina won the last group game against Poland quite easily. The round of 16 tie against Australia was going well until about the 70th minute. In the final moments, the game made every Argentina fan a bit edgy. In the end, Argentina set up a quarterfinal clash against the Netherlands.

Argentina had defeated the Netherlands on penalties in the 2014 World Cup semifinal. However, these records hardly mattered. It was supposed to be a tough game. Messi's world-class pass to Molina and his subsequent conversion put Argentina ahead. With a 2-0 lead by the 80th minute, Argentina was cruising in the semifinal until some last-minute heroics from the Dutch forced the game into extra time. Argentina won on penalties again. Croatia was soundly defeated in the semifinal.

The clash for the crown was on 18 December 2022, with Argentina taking on France, the defending champions. France had eliminated Argentina from the 2018 World Cup in the round of 16.

On 18 December 2022, I left my office at 3 PM. The match was to begin at 5 PM Israel Time. I came to my dorm, took a shower, wore the same clothes, and made tea. I refused every offer to watch the game in various public screenings on campus. I was adamant about watching it alone in my room, sitting in a particular position in my chair.

And the game began. Argentina took the lead through Messi's spot kick after Ángel Di María was brought down on the left edge of the box. Nerves had calmed, but Argentina needed at least one more goal to firmly establish control over the game. The second goal was magical. Messi's sublime left-foot flick rolled the ball toward Julian Alvarez, who spotted Alexis Mac Allister running in the French half beyond their defensive lines. Alvarez passed the ball to Mac Allister, who had enough time to look up and spot Di María running unmarked toward the box from the left. He passed it to Di María, and—GOAL!

Argentina was now 2-0 up, and the game seemed to be in their control. Argentina's defensive lines had completely shut out the French attack, and they had zero shots on target. At this point, I received a message from a friend: "So, it's finally happening." And it was happening.

But what came next was unimaginable. It was to turn out to be the greatest World Cup final of all time.

France scored one goal through Mbappé's 80th-minute penalty kick. I became nervous, closed the lid of my laptop, and stepped out onto my balcony to smoke a cigarette. In the quietness of the surroundings, I heard a loud 'YES,' followed by a cheering shout. I suspected it was coming from a lone French supporter somewhere nearby. In a hurry, I stepped into my room, started my laptop, and scattered a handful of cigarette ash on the keyboard. France had scored again, making it 2-2. My heart was pounding. I switched off my phone, put down the laptop's screen, and went to bed. I wasn’t in a position to watch the game any further, and I didn’t want any calls or messages about it. I could hear my heartbeat lying in bed, covered in a quilt in that dark room.

The next time I got up to watch, the regular 90 minutes plus stoppage time was over. I watched the highlight of Messi's 97th-minute on-target shot being pushed above the bar by Lloris.

I did talk to a friend during the break, and he urged me to watch the game. I couldn't. I went to bed again. The next time I had the courage to watch, Mbappé was getting ready to take a penalty. I hurriedly looked at the scoreline: 3-2 in favor of Argentina. Mbappé scored that penalty, and I went back to bed again. Another friend called and urged me to watch the penalty shoot-out. By the time I opened the laptop to watch it, Messi was running in to take the first penalty. He scored, and I sat in my chair to watch the rest. And as it was written in the stars, Argentina won.

I shouted, cried, and talked to friends. My pulse was back to normal. I was relieved.

I made some tea

Picture Credit: Internet