#71 - Notes on Technology, Tennis and Stranger Things
Education Coffee is 2xWeekly Newsletter on People, Ideas and Culture.
In each edition of this newsletter, I will share some inspiring web resources that I have curated after hours of research to ensure that you have the best education coffee in your inbox. In upcoming editions, I will focus on sharing insights, notes and realizations that I gather from people, ideas, books, films and podcasts.
1. Learning from People
Vani Kola is the Founder and Managing Director of Kalaari Capital, one of India’s leading early-stage venture capital firms. Since 2006, they have raised 850 Million and funded 110 startups. You can find their full portfolio here. She is a proponent for India’s digital opportunity to create next-gen large scale companies, which will scale globally. She had a 22 year career in Silicon Valley before she became an investor. In this podcast interview she discusses what she looks for in startups and her journey as a venture capitalist in India.
2. Learning from Ideas and Questions
I love reading newsletter archives and come across a lot of gems whenever I do so as a reader. I found this article on James Clear’s website (the Atomic Habits guy) where he spoke about the difference between average speed and maximum speed.
His basic thesis is that what you do consistently over a long time is more important than what you do really well on one day. Here is a quote from the article titled, ‘What is Your “Average Speed” in Your Life, Your Health, and Your Work?’
The truth is, anyone can get motivated and push themselves for one day, but very few people maintain a consistent effort every week without fail.
The important thing isn’t to judge yourself or feel guilty about having a lower average speed than you would like. The important thing is to be aware of what’s actually going on, realize that it’s within your control, and then embrace the fact that a small, but consistent change in your daily habits can lead to a remarkable increase in your average speed.
In your health, your work, and your life, it doesn’t require a massive effort to achieve incredible results — just a consistent one.
3. Learning from Books, Websites and Blogs
I came across this report from the venture capital firm, Kalaari Capital with some fascinating statistics on the adoption of technology in India between 2016 to 2024. This report released in 2024 is titled Decoding Digital India. You can read the full report for free on the Kalaari Capital website. This visual from page 4 of the report shows you how things have changed significantly in this country over an 8 year period.
Here is a short quotation from page 13 of the report that describes how three major development from the public and private sector fuelled this growth in the country:
This growth has been significantly fueled by key technological and infrastructural developments, notably the rollouts of initiatives like Jio, Aadhaar, and UPI. Jio’s entry into the market, offering affordable internet access, has been a game changer, providing the digital infrastructure necessary for startups to flourish. Aadhaar, the biometric identification system, has streamlined verification processes, aiding in the development of fintech and e commerce platforms. Similarly, UPI’s introduction revolutionized digital payments, making transactions seamless and boosting consumer trust in online services.
4. Learning from Films, Videos and Shows
Stranger Things is a really good show. I just finished Season 2 and cannot get enough of it. I love science fiction and fantasy and this series is a perfect combination of the two. It is set in a small town. The kind of town where nothing seems to happen. Until the Hawkins Research Lab sets up base there. The lab performs scientific research for the United States Department of Energy but also secretly experiments with the paranormal and supernatural, sometimes with human test subjects. They have inadvertently created a portal to an alternate dimension they refer to as the Upside Down, whose presence begins to affect the residents of Hawkins in unusual ways. In this interview with Netflix the Duffer brothers discuss how they created a 25 page mythology document to make the Upside Down world more mysterious and unknowable. Here is an image of one of the characters meeting a monster from the other world from last evening.
The residents of Hawkins now have to face the consequences of the actions of the rogue scientists as creatures from the Upside Down realm slowly start entering their world and taking their loved ones away from them. The residents decide to fight back and save their town. A group of kids and a psychokinetic girl who was experimented on in the lab are the first ones to take action to save their town.
5. Learning from Podcasts and Music
This is a podcast from the VC firm, Blume Ventures. The co founder Karthik Reddy interview the 15 time grand slam winning Indian tennis player and business person, Mahesh Bhupathi. I love the stories from the court and his emphases on financial security for the athlete post their career. Here is a short description from the show notes on the website,
This episode provides insights into what it takes to achieve global success and excel on the world stage. Mahesh shares his journey from a young tennis prodigy to a Grand Slam champion, offering valuable lessons applicable to both sports and business. His experiences and perspectives on talent development, overcoming challenges, and transitioning to entrepreneurship provide inspiration and practical advice for anyone aiming to win beyond boundaries.
Thank you for reading this edition of #EducationCoffee. I look forward to writing weekly editions of this newsletter this year. I hope to continue to share resources that will add value to your life. You can also review the archive of Education Coffee for free at this link (70 past newsletters).
Please do send me your thoughts and resources on any edition of this newsletter through email at abhishekashokshetty@gmail.com, Linkedin or on twitter @AbhishekShetty_. You can find my work online at my website. If you would like to read pieces in the future please do consider subscribing to this newsletter by clicking the button below. I love taking these discussions forward on those platforms and look forward to hearing your feedback.
Abhishek Shetty