After 17 hours on the train, we finally reached Mangalore. From here, we took a taxi to Manipal. It was already past midnight when we reached my sister’s apartment. Anyway, I’m glad she has reached the campus safely. Manipal is not a tourist destination. This is where my sister and few hundred other Malaysians study. I stayed there for 3 days, preparing...

They said all great journeys begin with a small steps and Tiruchirapalli (or Trichy) is more than a small step. Remembering the name itself is no small feat. Luckily it has a nickname or else I will end up calling it “teeroo-chappatti” or something like that. Stepping on the soil of this great nation means a lot to me. It was a dream came true and a...