Ad copy

I Don’t Take the Far Right Turn Every time I exit Mumbai from the northern edge— at Ghodbunder Junction—this thought returns. Straight goes towards Vapi, Daman, and eventually Delhi. The far right points towards Pune, Goa, and further south. On the road, it’s just a turn. In life, it’s a reminder. As an entrepreneur, I’ve faced politics at almost every stage of my journey. Not ideology—politics of power, exclusion, neglect, and quiet disrespect, even inside so-called professional spaces. Years ago, I was invited—almost compelled—to attend an event in Pune. It started badly. Very late-night flight tickets from Delhi were booked, leaving almost no time to rest before the event. The event was at Hyatt Pune. All guests stayed at the Hyatt—except me and a female team member. At the last moment, we were told there was “no availability” for us. No notice. No explanation. We were shifted to a budget hotel on Pune’s outskirts, far from the venue. Then came the worst part. The hotel had only one room available. We were told no other rooms existed and nothing could be arranged. No escalation. No effort. We were made to stay in the same room. This was not a choice. It was negligence—unacceptable in any professional setup. The conditions were terrible. The food was unsafe. The drinks were bad. The female team member couldn’t eat there and went to a friend’s place. I stayed—and paid for it physically. I suffered symptoms close to food poisoning and took nearly a week to recover. Logistics failed again. Pickup was delayed and disorganised. After the event, we were asked to pay for the stay ourselves, which we did. I formally expressed serious dissatisfaction. The event had no agenda, no structure, no outcome. Famous media and advertising names were present, but without purpose, even influence is meaningless. It felt less like a professional invitation and more like a political exercise where inconvenience was normalised. This does not define Pune. Cities are bigger than incidents. A Pune visit is happening again—soon. But it left a memory. So when I think of politics—of any kind— I avoid the far right turn. I stay straight.