As we begin a new year (and possibly a new decade!), here’s a brief look back at what 2019 had to offer:

Visit places, new and old – While we did not do as much traveling as I would have liked (:-)), I still managed to see quite a few new places – Pench, Shivanasamudram, Talakadu and Annamalai Tiger Reserve – while revisiting some places I had last been over a decade ago – B.R. Hills and Ahmedabad. Most of all, I enjoyed spending a couple of weeks in my hometown, Mumbai, showing my kids some of the landmarks of this unique city.

Bird-watching – I have been watching birds for well over 35 years now, and this year was a good one. Highlights include observing over 90 species over 4 days at Pench, spotting ‘lifers’ at Ahmedabad and Attakatty, and reconnecting with my old bird-watching group in Bangalore. I ended the year with my e-bird checklist showing 163 (with 149 in 2019 alone).

Healthy lifestyle – While my journey to a healthier lifestyle started in 2018, I managed to stay focused on this in 2019. I have tried to make healthy eating, exercise and yoga a part of my daily life and do feel that it’s been beneficial.

Teaching – Again, while 2018 was the year I started teaching, I was lucky to have more opportunities to teach in 2019. This also enabled me to revisit Ahmedabad and the IIM-A campus.

Consulting – 2019 was the year when I expanded my consulting business. I was lucky to work with some exciting brands and great founders.

Writing – I started consciously focusing on writing in the second half of the year. It is something that I have been wanting to do for a while now, so I am glad I finally gave it serious attention.

Reconnecting with friends – I was fortunate to meet and reconnect with a lot of friends in 2019, from my student to working days. This will definitely be one of the highlights of the year.

Spending time with my kids – My kids are growing up fast, and I have been extremely fortunate to have spent some good quality time with them this year. And I am very grateful for that.

So as I look forward, on this first day of the new year, I hope to be able to do more of each of the above.

Here’s wishing everyone a very happy 2020!