Some people you don’t just meet—you grok. That is, you understand them intuitively, at a level deeper than mere words. That’s how I felt in my correspondence with Prof. Ashutosh Tewari, Chair of Urology at Mount Sinai and, as many now know, father of Apoorva Tewari Ramaswamy.
Our exchange was brief, but something about his tone—measured, and surprisingly human for someone navigating the twin tornadoes of high-level medicine and political proximity—struck a chord with me. He seemed like someone who had seen a great deal, and understood even more.
I’d also like to thank Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy, someone I’ve come to respect for his clarity, audacity, and willingness to speak into uncomfortable spaces. You don’t have to agree with someone 100% to recognize strength of conviction—and Vivek has it. I admire how he’s carved his path through biotech, business, and now public life without shedding the sharp edges that make him distinct. He reminds me of the sort of student who might argue passionately in class, but always with purpose—not noise.
And while we’re on the subject of public figures I grok, Mr. Donald Trump has always struck me as someone whose heart, at least in the context of India–Pakistan tensions, is in the right place. His view—that the conflict isn’t just recent or tactical, but abiding, rooted in centuries of hostility that can sometimes feel impossible to bridge—rings true. There’s a blunt, sometimes jarring clarity to that assessment. And oddly, it carries a certain compassion: an understanding that some wounds are deep enough to shape generations, and can’t be papered over with diplomatic small talk. That’s not fatalism—it’s realism. And in geopolitics, that matters. I might as well add here that my focus, generally speaking, is to avoid making enemies, if at all possible.
So, thank you, Prof. Tewari—for the note. Mr. Ramaswamy—for being unapologetically yourself. And Mr. Trump—for showing, in your own way, that peace is worth striving for, even when it seems out of reach. I’m not a urologist or a political insider—but I notice things, even if I don't agree with you people on all things political. (In any case, my focus over the years has always been policy and not politics).
Gxis la revido! (Trans. : "Until later!")
Anand Manikutty
Author of Q City | Architect of KonektoCRM | Formerly @Oracle