Do You Love Me

 Until death do us part?

Mathew Anthony

just now

October 21, 2026

Last evening, unusually, I had time to myself to do what I hadn’t done in a long time. Watch a movie. Not in a movie theatre; a low-fare airline ticket would be cheaper. But on the smallest screen, a mobile phone, then upgraded to a laptop when the movie got interesting, at zero marginal cost; devices and the internet connectivity are paid for.

On my YouTube feed, ‘Shadowlands’ popped up, a Richard Attenborough’s movie starring Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. A true story about one of the most famous Christian writers of our time, C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Screwtape Letters, and, of course, Mere Christianity, that David Brooks, a New Times Columnist, in a recent podcast on Spirituality with Fr James Martin, claimed he was gifted 300 copies by well-meaning Christians when he converted from Judaism to Christianity.

Joy Gresham, played by Debra Winger, an American Jewish divorcee and poet, with an 8-year-old son, Douglas Gresham, writes to C S Lewis, alias Jack, played by Anthony Hopkins, and asks if she could visit him in Britain as a fellow writer. Jack invites her over and meets her in a downtown club.

C.S. Lewis, a “stooped, balding, professorial gentleman, in shabby clothes, and nicotine-stained fingers”, a confirmed bachelor and an Oxford don, stays with his brother, Mony, in Shadowlands. He is smitten by Joy Gresham’s verve, astuteness, and boldness, in contrast to his own diffidence. Invited to a gala evening at Oxford, a colleague of C S Lewis, haughtily proclaims men are superior to women upon meeting Joy Gresham.

Joy responds, prefacing her remark with cultural differences between Americans and the British, and asks how she should perceive the remarks: “As an insult to her womanhood or plain stupidity on his part?” Lewis gently steers Joy away from the mummified don to meet other guests, barely maintaining his own professorial veneer, as the inquisitor squirms at the comeback.

Lewis marries Joy Gresham in 1956. She is 17 years his junior. Their marriage is a civil one, a technical marriage, to enable Mary Gresham to live in Britain. They live independent lives. Lewis is in Shadowland, the estate, living with his brother, Mony. And Joy lives in town with her son. The community think they are having an affair. Unknown to them, they are married, but live as religious at a platonic level of contact.

Then Joy is struck with fourth-stage cancer and collapses in her home. Lewis takes charge of her well-being. In her suffering, they discover their love for each other. Lewis proposes to her on her hospital bed, and they have a sacramental marriage where the vows are pregnant with meaning, unlike when two healthy youngsters marry. The vow is a happenstance.

They say facts are stranger than fiction. When Lewis proposes to Joy, the vows are literally playing out in their life. “For better, for worse”. “For richer, for poorer”. “In sickness and in health”. “Until death do us part”. It did. Four years later, her son was 14 years old, when Joy Gresham died, leaving Lewis a widower with a stepson, Douglas Gresham, who became the rightful owner, when Lewis died four years later, of his Intellectual Property rights and royalties from his books and speaking engagements.

Douglas Gresham turned out to be a fine boy and an adult, with an eclectic career. A student of agriculture who became a farmer. At 18 met 21-year-old Merrie. It was love at first sight. Chased her all over the continents to marry her eventually. They have four biological children and one adopted child. They lived in Tasmania, Australia, and now in Britain. Douglas held multiple jobs, including broadcaster and fireman. Now an anointed preacher of the Gospel with multiple charities to address the needs of the least of the brethren.

Their marriage was a paragon of virtuous family life. Douglas, a Christian in the mould of C S Lewis, his stepfather. Then he sinned. He had an affair with a young girl he was counselling. It shattered their marriage. A marriage of minds became a marriage of minefields.

A marriage is tested by infraction. “Do you love me?” When asked, the automatic response is, “Of course, I love you.” “For better, for worse?” It is true until it is not. What is love? St Thomas Aquinas said, “To love is to will the good of the other”. In what circumstances would we ordinarily think good of the other? When it is mutual.

What happens when it is not mutual? When Gresham Douglas deviated from his matrimonial commitments to stay faithful to his wife Merrie, it was not mutual. Was it? No, it was rejection by one of the other.

Two people became one flesh when they took the vow. Do we become two flesh again because of the infraction? No. Until the Catholic Church dissolves the marriage on proven grounds of infidelity. Annulled by the one who blessed the marriage. In a registered marriage, there is a contract, not a sacramental blessing, involving Jesus Christ, the spiritual groom, who cements the marriage. The diocesan Bishop is persona Christi who blesses and can annul the marriage.

When C S Lewis asked if Joy Gresham loved him and she said, yes, “Until death do us part.” So did Merrie and Douglas Gresham and stayed true to the vow despite hiccups.

Peter betrayed Jesus. After His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter thrice, “Do you love me?” to observe the three-fold Jewish custom of forgiveness. Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”. (Jn 21:17)

If we love someone deeply, is the love predicated on good behaviour? Or is it sacramental? Jesus demonstrated unconditional love by giving up his life, so that those who persecuted Him, then, and even today, are saved when we accept Jesus as God and Master. We, the married couples, will know when we have a Douglas/Merri Gresham situation if we respond in love.

- Mathew Anthony

A Master Class in Management

 A lifelong learning course in one book - the Bible

Mathew Anthony

just now

October 19, 2026

Fifty-two years ago, in what was arguably the greatest sporting moment of the 20th century, Muhammad Ali regained the world heavyweight championship by scoring an eighth-round knockout of the supposedly invincible George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire. “The Rumble in the Jungle”, as it has come to be known.

The fight had everything: the two best heavyweights, the mysterious locale, incredible action, and a storybook ending. However, this showdown is also remembered for the winner exhibiting ‘ring genius’ in the sport’s long history.

Before “The Greatest” found the punches required to cement his legend, he drained Foreman of energy and strength by placing himself in incredible jeopardy. Against an opponent with 37 knockouts in 40 straight wins, the challenger stood with his back to the ropes, feet planted, and subtly defused the lethal bombs coming his way. Rope-a-dope was the ring strategy.

I witnessed this strategy in a video of a table tennis match. One player kept lobbing the ball to have it smashed back 18 consecutive times, ‘draining’ the smasher. Then, in four swift returns, the game wrapped up.

In tennis, a forced error happens when a player makes a mistake in responding to an opponent’s play. A ‘forced error’ reflects the opponent’s skill to win the point. A ‘forced error’ is enforced through aggressive net play, psychological pressure, and speed and angle variations.

Some of the proud religious law-keepers and Herod’s men were sent to trap Jesus in His talk. They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know You are true. We know You are not afraid of what men think or say about You. You teach the way of God in truth.

To soften Jesus into lowering His guard, they began with flattery that happened to be the truth. The law-keepers took pains to emphasise, repeat, and speak loud enough for Herod’s men to hear. To force Jesus into an error. Human intellect vs divine wisdom.

Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or not pay?”

We know “Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Ps 121:4) Jesus knew how they pretended to be someone they were not. Jesus called a spade a spade.

He said to them, “Why do you try to trap Me? Bring Me a small piece of money so I may look at it.” They brought Him one. He asked them, “Whose picture is this? Whose name is on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.” Then Jesus said to them, “Pay to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar. Pay to God the things that belong to God.” They were surprised and wondered at Him. (Mk 12:13-17)

Immigration officers are like the religious law-makers of Jesus’ time. Their mandate too is to trap, not a legal immigrant like Jesus (“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn 1:14)), but an illegal one.

They read the person before they examine the papers. A well-crafted application is admittedly correct but has discreet omissions that were not asked for. “Ask no questions, tell no lies”. But a person’s intent to deceive unravels in tell-tale signs. His sweat glands act up, and his eyes refuse to engage. An extended engagement, whether in chess or at a tennis match, builds pressure to force an error. A prized skill for an immigration officer.

The Bible is a master class in management. We see it play out over four thousand years and is sworn by those who have achieved success in their life, ethically. Zig Ziglar, a renowned life coach, wears the Bible on his sleeve. He says, “Woe to me if I do not proclaim the Gospel in my talks on Salesmanship.”

There are sheep, and there are shepherds. The Bible is the interplay of these two entities. It starts at the very beginning in Genesis. God was the Shepherd. It was God’s responsibility to find the pasture for Adam and Eve. As the Creator, He had to lay down the rules. Adam and Eve transgressed the rule and were cast away to find and cultivate their own pasture, “By the sweat of your brow…” (Gen 3:19)

The founder CEO of a company works hard to find pasture, the market for the product, where his employees are shepherded to bear fruit. There are rules. Stray from the rules, and you will have to find your own pasture to graze.

Just as there is one God. There is one CEO. Only schizophrenic companies have two CEOs. Each is still a CEO of his domain. In Jesus’ case, God was the chairman, and his rightful heir the CEO.

As CEO, Jesus first job was recruitment. In a highly competitive market, the best talent, the lawmakers, were taken by a competitive company whose values clashed with the company, the Catholic Church, that Jesus was building. Not that Jesus would have them even if they were available. Jesus created a three-year training program to create a talent pool.

It was not arbitrary. It was Vision-led. Bring salvation to souls lost in the ocean of deceit ruled by Lucifer, the fallen angel. The Mission: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” (Mk 16:15). The Values: The Beatitudes (Mt 5:2-12): be like the least of the brethren they were to shepherd.

Empires built on Aristotle and Plato’s philosophy lasted centuries but ultimately collapsed. But Jesus’ assurance to Peter has already lasted two millennia. “And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Mt 16:18). No man-made empire or institution can ever hope to replicate God’s Company, the Holy Catholic Church for all people of goodwill.

- Mathew Anthony

Why Do We Die?

 Because we have contempt for good counsel

Mathew Anthony

just now

October 18, 2026

Approximately 60 million people die globally each year — about 164,000 per day, or 1.9 per second. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause, accounting for nearly 30% of all deaths. Cancer is the second largest cause at 17%. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) collectively account for over 74% of all global deaths, reflecting ageing populations and lifestyle factors worldwide. Road injuries are a leading cause of death for young adults aged 15–29.

People die for many reasons. Since 2014, when Yemen tipped into civil war, the country has become one of the most desperate places on earth. GDP per person has fallen by 58%. Most families cannot survive without foreign aid. More than 2m children under five are malnourished. Yet the Houthis, the Iran-backed rebels who are one side of the conflict, fight on. They care little about governing and extort enough money to keep their war machine humming.

Bosnia-Herzegovina earlier, and large swathes of Africa where genocide is routine as part of ethnic cleansing. In a minor way, it is also true in the Global South for reasons of caste, gender, and religion.

The Old Testament is replete with idol worshippers being wiped out, and in the New Testament, the persecution that Christians faced in Rome and continue to face where they are a minority. Yes, being a minority in a majoritarian state is unsettling. Yet people choose to stay. It is home to them. Elsewhere, they will be refugees or potentially deported.

What is home? It is where the family is. It is where the community is. It is where the farm is, the economic engine, in a manner of speaking, that feeds the family, provides a roof over heads and food on the table. The community ensures continuity. Marriages occur among like-minded people with common beliefs and cultural systems. There is security in numbers.

In times of grief and distress, the community coalesces to provide support and mitigation. It can also rise in defence of the other. “When Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they pursued the invaders as far as Dan.” (Gen 14:14). Those who can mobilise become leaders. They express the collective concerns. Perceived prophets lead where the state declares that the religious text will be the constitution. Iran and Sharia Law are an instance.

The news of sickness or death draws a pause and a pallor of sadness. Phones buzz and the chat room bursts with activity. At this point, the ones who know are busy attending to the person. No one really knows since no one is telling.

The closest relatives are in denial. They do not want to accept the bad news. They hold out hope of a mistaken identity or a mistaken diagnosis. Reality dawns; acceptance follows; the buzz resumes; the next steps are determined.

Until the press release, so to speak, hits the wire, misinformation has already spread. There are multiple versions afloat. Chinese whispers are at play. The most distorted version reigns because it is the ‘newsiest’. Difficult to say what is tragic. The bad news or the badly mauled news.

A store owner in our layout died. He was well-regarded, in his mid-thirties, married, with two young children. He materialised wherever help was needed. I heard the news on the community chat group. I felt sad that a life was snuffed out in its youth. I did not choose to enquire what happened. I was confident the details would filter through, some imagined and some documented. The last thing one wants to do is ask the grieving family or get it wrong.

A few days later, I heard it all as an eavesdropper. Like Jesus listening in on the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. (Lk 24:14-16)

Of the pair talking outside our kitchen window, one knew all that happened to the man who died. The other wanted to know all that happened. A jaundiced liver inflamed by alcoholism. The curse of alcoholism was following the man’s spouse. Her father too was an alcoholic. She was a witness to her father’s drinking bouts and abuse. The spouse was willing to excuse every misdeed, even permitting her husband to eat what was religiously forbidden.

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Lk 24: 18, 25-27)

The man is dead, leaving behind a store, spouse, and two school-going children. As mentioned, he was helpful, but also careless with money. He lent to help, or for usury; we would not know. He bought a car to be one with his middle-class customers, residents of the layout who bought from his store. But he could not pay rent on the store or restock when supplies ran out.

What makes us do what we do when our better self tells us to do otherwise? Why do we not listen to the prophets God sends us? The man who died was counselled by his landlord, who even overlooked the rent not being paid, and also by ‘the man who knew what happened’. The curse took its toll.

Jesus took our burden upon Himself that we may be saved. Now the children and spouse will bear the burden of one who would not listen to good advice. Do we see ourselves in this man who died, who would not listen to good counsel? Do we too hear but not do?

- Mathew Anthony

Why Wait for the Obituary?

 Be nice when they are alive

Mathew Anthony

1 minute ago

October 17, 2026

I leaned over a hard armrest to pick up a cable on the floor to plug into my dying laptop. I almost died. Pop goes the weasel! is a popular nursery rhyme. I should know as a granddad. My ribs did not quite make that sound. If they did, I would not be ‘all fingers and thumbs’ on the keyboard. I would be punching with my index fingers and doing no better.

My daughter once commented that I was self-deprecating in my communication. She warned of false humility. Just like you, I reached for the dictionary to ‘pop’ the meaning of ‘deprecating’. What do you think? Is being deprecating of oneself false humility? Or being one’s true self?

It also reminds me of someone else who commented on this discussion and said that if someone is deprecating of himself or herself, he or she has every reason to be. I said, ‘touché’. See, it was not false modesty. I have no achievement to speak of. My daughter was now saddened and confused. Is my dad really the great guy she thought I was, or I wasn’t? We shall leave it for my obituary. People always say good things. My daughter, too, will be forced to. She won’t be deprecating. What is over might as well be done with.

Why wait for the obituary? Why can’t we say nice things all the time, even if it feels forced and ingenuine? St Paul says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes 5:16-18)

How do we pray persistently? Monks do it. They pray 24/7, even in their sleep, while copying scrolls, and eating. The Carthusian brothers live together in isolation and do not speak to each other for days except on designated days.

So can we, but it is not recommended if you prize your job or want to keep your friends. What should you do to keep your job and have friends? Always be nice, affirmative in your words, be encouraging, offer to pray, not to advise, for our advice will be fraught with our sinfulness.

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom 3: 22-24)

Life is fickle in its certainty. One moment you are Arnold Schwarzenegger, feeling fit as a fiddle. Then your rib is fiddling the hard armrest, not music to the ears, I can guarantee you. Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom 5:20)

The unexpected offence on my ribs filled me with the worst of fears. I know of a person who injured his ribs, which punctured his lungs, and had to be put on life support. I hear someone sneeze, and I am dashing to the bomb shelters. But the Word says where there is offence, grace abounds. I offered my tiny-weeny suffering in unity with Jesus’ bone-shattering agony, in a manner of speaking, for we know from the Word of God that “Not one of His bones will be broken.” (Jn 19:36)

In life, most things are relative. If I own a bicycle, an upgrade for me would be a motorised two-wheeler. For Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, an upgrade will not be a Boeing Dreamliner, but a rocket to spend the weekend with friends to get away from the hoi polloi. Suffering too is relative. There is physical, mental, emotional, psychological, financial, and social suffering. Ask community members to rank suffering; our own suffering will rank #1. Really? More than Jesus’ suffering?

Given what is happening in the world, the Catholic Church, the only beacon of hope, seemingly, has begun to place enormous stress on marriage preparation, for it is observed only in the breach. A family is the microcosm of society. If the family is failing, so is the society. We don’t need hard statistics. We can see it in our own communities and know it is endemic, worse than Ebola or Covid-19. While there are vaccines for diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and germs, what is the remedy for a marriage on the rocks?

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Mt 16:18) Jesus could well be speaking of the Sacrament of Marriage. To pick just one of the five vows those who are married in the Catholic Church have taken:

“For better, for worse”: The couple accepts the full range of human circumstances. Marriage is not conditional on happiness. This phrase rules out “irreconcilable differences” as grounds for abandoning the vow. The verse “For better, for worse” encapsulates the other vows: “For richer or for poorer”; “In sickness and in health”; “Until death do us part”; “To have and to hold”.

If there is ‘infidelity’ in marriage, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us: IV. Offences Against the Dignity of Marriage - [2381] Adultery is an injustice. He who commits adultery fails in his commitment…compromises the good of human generation and the welfare of children who need their parents’ stable union.

On discovery of infidelity, the mind is in turmoil, and the tongue loosens. Egregious advice floods in. There is talk of revenge. The only worthy advice is “surrender to God”. Recall the marital vows taken at the altar of God. Do nothing to vitiate the matter. Seek a place of ‘peace’ to pray. Make it God’s problem, not yours. Focus on the love you have left in your life. The child or children. Think of their welfare. In it there is wisdom. In it there is privacy. In it there is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:7).

Tough but recommended. In all forms of failure in our lives or with the unexpected. We are called to be righteous in these trying times - to do the will of God, not ours. No matter what. “For better or for worse”: This phrase rules out “irreconcilable differences” as grounds for abandoning the vow.

- Mathew Anthony

The Grace that Produced the Fruit

 Never asked, always given

Mathew Anthony

5 minutes ago

October 11, 2026

Those of us who have been slightly short of being brilliant, i.e., did reasonably well in all other subjects but were falling short in one or two, were given grace marks and ‘pushed through’ and promoted to the next class.

That is true, or should be true, in the spiritual world. As human beings, we are fallible. King David was fallible. The account begins in 2 Samuel 11:1-2, during the springtime when kings typically went to war. However, David remained in Jerusalem while his army, led by Joab, besieged the Ammonite city of Rabbah.

One evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of his palace. From there, he saw a beautiful woman bathing. Her name was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men. Wrong place. Wrong time. But grace can push us through.

Imagine we have been called to the wedding banquet by the King himself. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ (Mt 22:4) Did we go for Holy Mass today? Did we attend the family rosary?

Not everyone can lay out a feast like a king or a billionaire can for their son’s wedding. We expect nothing but the best. Since the invite is from the king or the billionaire, we know we must dress our best, not to stick out in the silken crowd. Do we know what feast God has laid out for us? God, the creator of the king and the billionaire, whose do we are so keen to attend? God holds out such an invitation every day? Do we perceive it? Do we value it?

We calculate the worth of the gift we offer to the bridal couple. It should be commensurate. We cannot come through as beggars. We count the days to the event. We socialise the invitation as a badge of honour. Is being Christian a badge of honor? Do we socialize it? Do we go to God as beggars or sons and daughters of the King of kings?

In contrast, for the wedding reception of the son of the help in our home, we automatically discount the spread we can expect. Why do we do that? We know what we pay the help at home and perhaps her economic situation. We will produce excuses to wiggle out of the invite. We will even lavish a cash gift to fund part of the expenses. Assurances are given with no intention of keeping. The invitation is shoved into a corner. Out of sight. Out of mind. Is that our attitude to the Sacraments of the Catholic Church too? Do we believe the Catholic Church has nothing to offer for the status we enjoy in our society? Is the Church only for those in need?

Unknown to us, the help’s son was a brilliant engineer who worked overseas. His wedding reception had the who’s who of the tech world. The reception was in a seven-star hotel. The engineer’s father is a rickshaw puller. He and his mother saved every penny they earned for the son’s education until scholarships sped him on his way to academic success and a remunerative career overseas. He bought a house for his parents in a gated community. But they expressed their discomfort staying there on their own. Where would they park the rickshaw, their lifeblood? It would be odd to go to work in the neighbour’s house? They continued to live in the slum area where they had always lived. There they were among their own. There they had respect. Above all, they continued to do what they were doing when raising their child. In that life, grace produced fruit. The gated community was just that ‘gated’. Cut off from real life.

To them, more precious than material blessing was the mystery of the priceless grace. A gift bestowed on them by a benefactor who also gave them their loving son and now daughter-in-law. They knew grace is given, not asked for. It is not of human making. Their life was difficult. Anyone who has been on a rickshaw ride in Kolkata, pedalled by a man withered by age, the puller’s only source of income to put food on the family table, will know what that life is.

Such is the life of many in our country. Yet despite their difficulties, they are joyful. They don’t despair despite their condition. They want the opportunity to work. The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard. (Mt 20:1-16). Even if it is to pull a rickshaw or to work in a home where the owners ironically can barely afford their salary. It is an opportunity to earn by the sweat of their brow to have a shelter over their heads, clothes on their body, warm food to eat, and a place to sleep, raise children, in a loving, open, chatty community, all who are alike in joy and misery.

Despite their son’s wealth, they knew they were in the right place at the right time in the slum among brothers and sisters, not strangers. Each one knew the others’ family history. There was nothing to hide. No one was eyeing their true wealth: fraternal peace and the joy of living.

They had good health and a good spirit despite the rigour of making that small living. They had a prince of a son, who was not disturbed that his parents preferred to live where they did and did not aspire to a gilded cage. It was not a matter of shame for him. They loved him, and he loved them. He had married a sweetheart from his slum days who had the same rags-to-riches success materially, but spiritually she still cherished the friends she made in childhood who she supported with her newfound wealth.

Wealth did not change this family. They were better for it. They were humbled by their good fortune. They were grateful for the efforts of their parents and benefactors who got them there. They chose the battlefield to slumber. They did not have a concept of an off day. Every day was spent at work, with family or doing community service with the poor. To remind them where they came from and who got them where they were today. The grace of God.

What is a mystery to them and to some of us when we think about where we were and where we are today. It is the same question. Why were we chosen to be showered with this grace? Why did providence consider us to be elected for this grace? Because he called, and we answered? “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Mt 22:14)

- Mathew Anthony

Digital Storytelling To Build The Institutional Brand [Full Day Workshop for Academics - Agenda]

 

September 11, 2026, 9.30 am – 4.30 pm

Four Sessions of 75 minutes each with Tea and Lunch Break

PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore

Mode: Classroom, Group Seating

No. of Participants: #40

 

Participants seated by: 9.15 am

CURTAIN RAISER: 9.25 am

Appendix I – Video and Scripts for Review and Learning

***

KICK-OFF: 9.30 am – 9.45 am

Prof (Bala) Balasubramanian

• Workshop Protocols

***

Documents provided are taken as read [Clarification, if any]: 9.45 am – 10.00 am

• House Rules: Recall Test
• Workshop Sessions Overview

Appendix III – House Rules

***

Session 1: Positioning & Story Arc for Academic Authority

Duration: 45 minutes | 10.00 am – 10.45 am

Learning objectives:

• Clarify your unique positioning and value proposition.
• Understand the story arc that makes academic content compelling.
• Begin mapping your personal brand narrative.

Learning outcomes (by end of session):

• A refined one-sentence positioning statement.
• A personal brand story outline (past–present–future).
• A list of 3–4 content pillars with subtopics.

In-session exercise:

• Positioning clinic: Participants rewrite their positioning statement 3 times, each time making it more specific.
• 1 Member from each team relates and justifies their positioning statement [30 Mins]
• Story arc mapping: 10-minute free-write: “A moment in my teaching/research that changed how I see my field.”
• Another Member from each team relates the story arc and the structure [30 Mins]

Appendix IV – Facilitator Core Theme for Series / Committed Column – “The Human Condition Resolved by the Renewal of the Mind” [15 Mins]

• Platform: https://mathewanthony.substack.com/publish/post/214258584;
• Article Summary: To validate that the article was AI-friendly to summarise, for review of intent and revision accordingly, and for SEO, AEO, and GEO: https://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/geo-vs-aeo-vs-seo-whats-the-difference-and-how-to-optimise-for-all-three.html
• AI Gen Podcast of Article Content https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/spaces/urn:aaid:sc:AP:f6647b10-5338-4161-8246-e4ac040afa00/artifacts/urn:aaid:sc:AP:03d81ca1-ac2c-54b1-a748-e31649d75cf0 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/loyalty-guest-everyone-invites-nobody-seats-head-table-srinivasan-kmikc/  is an example of a Subject Matter Expert speaking about his industry and differentiating his company's Customer-Capital loyalty services. Written with panache and a laugh-a-minute to make a serious pitch. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drshradhakanwar/, a faculty member at Jain University. However, her latest post is 4 months old. For this reason, I advise building a body of work and releasing it periodically in a sequence - like a serial - to build a community interested in the message.

https://substack.com/@technoclast?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=79ze1 Arun Chearie @technoclast. Arun has been in the Data & AI domain for close to the last 2 decades, specialising in Banking, Financial Services & Public Sector. I design & deliver clear, efficient solutions at the cusp of domain and technology.

https://mathewsmusings.com/ A website, not mine, but of a retired Joint Secretary in the Central Government, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) 

As an exercise, you can score these two LinkedIn posts based on the rubric and defend your score.

Appendix V – April Dunford Advice on Positioning

Deliverables to carry forward:

• Final positioning statement.
• Content pillars list.
• Story arc notes.

Tea Break: 10.45 am to 11.00 am

***

Session 2: Content Strategy & Platform Selection

Duration: 90 minutes | 11.00 am – 12.30 pm

Learning objectives:

• Design a 90-day content plan aligned to your pillars.
• Select platforms strategically based on audience and content type.
• Understand formats that work (articles, carousels, short video, threads).

Learning outcomes:

• A 90-day content calendar (themes, formats, platforms).
• A primary platform choice with rationale.
• A repurposing plan (1 article → 3–5 assets).

In-session exercise:

• Content calendar sprint: In pairs, draft a 4-week plan (1 article + 2 supporting posts/week).
• Repurposing lab: Take one pillar and sketch 3 derivative assets (e.g., article → carousel → 60-sec video script).

APPENDIX I – Video and Scripts for Review and Learning

APPENDIX VI – Pre-workshop exercises (to be completed before the workshop)

Deliverables to carry forward:

• 90-day content calendar.
• Primary platform + repurposing map.

 

Lunch Break: 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm

***

Session 3: Writing for Digital Audiences (Article Drafting Lab)

Duration: 75 minutes | 1.30 pm – 2.45 pm

Learning objectives:

• Adapt academic writing for digital readability and engagement.
• Apply a story-driven article structure.
• Produce a draft outline or 50%+ draft of your article.

Learning outcomes:

• A structured article outline (Hook → Context → Insight → Example → Actions → CTA).
• A 500–800-word draft (or detailed outline with bullet points for each section).
• Peer feedback notes.

In-session exercise:

• Drafting sprint: 25 minutes of silent writing (aim for 500 words).
• Peer review: Swap drafts; use rubric (see below) to give 3 strengths + 3 improvements.

Appendix VII - A Story Draft: Structural Advice to Faculty with 5 Years of Teaching Experience

Appendix VIII– Veteran Journalist Arun Katiyar’s Writing Guide

Appendix IX – Core Writing Advice: How to Write for Non-Academic Audiences

Appendix X - Writing References with Writers:

1.     The Best Writing Advice He Ever Read (Michael Connelly Interview) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMeWCnZNJSs&t=655s

2.     Lee Child and Stephen King talk Jack Reacher https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PaxX-DTGo0

3.     10 Writing Tips from Stephen King for Writers and Screenwriters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6SKj_eiY9k&t=47s

Deliverables to carry forward:

• Article draft/outline ready for final polish.
• Peer feedback notes.

Tea Break: 2.45 pm – 3.00 pm

***

Session 4: Socialisation, Analytics & Commitment to Publish

Duration: 75 minutes | 3.00 pm – 4.15 pm

Learning objectives:

• Design a distribution plan to maximise reach and engagement.
• Understand basic analytics to refine strategy.
• Commit to a publication date and follow-up cadence.

Learning outcomes:

• A socialisation checklist (tags, hashtags, cross-posts, timing).
• A simple analytics tracker (what to measure weekly).
• A public commitment (publication date + platform).

In-session exercise:

• Promotion plan: Draft 3 posts (pre-launch, launch day, +3 days) with different angles.
• Commitment circle: Each participant states their publication date and platform aloud (social accountability).

Deliverables:

• Final article draft (to be polished post-workshop).
• 7-day promotion plan.
• Publication commitment.

Wrap-up & Sharing of Learnings by Participants: 4.15 – 4.30 pm

***

Appendix XI – Participant Profile

 

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Pre-workshop exercises (to be completed before the workshop)

Time required: 60–90 minutes total. Bring outputs (digital or printed).

Exercise 1: Brand audit (20 minutes)

• Google yourself. Note the first 10 results.
• List 3 words you want to be known for (e.g., “rigorous,” “innovative,” “approachable”).
• Identify gaps: What’s missing? What’s misaligned?

Exercise 2: Positioning draft (15 minutes)

• Write a one-sentence positioning statement:
  “I help [specific audience] achieve [specific outcome] by [your unique approach].”
• Example: “I help MBA students in Tier-2/3 cities land analytics roles by teaching practical SQL + storytelling with real Indian datasets.”

Exercise 3: Content pillars (15 minutes)

• List 3–4 recurring themes you can speak/write about for 12 months.
• For each pillar, note 3 subtopics (e.g., Pillar: “AI in Hiring”; Subtopics: “Bias in resumes,” “Prompt engineering for HR,” “ROI of AI tools for SMBs”).

Exercise 4: Article synopsis (30 minutes)

• Choose one pillar. Draft a 150–200-word synopsis of an article you will author. Include:
• Working title
• Target audience
• Core problem/insight
• Framework or case example you’ll use
• Practical takeaway for readers
• Also note: preferred platform (LinkedIn/Medium/Institutional blog), target word count (800–1,200), and intended frequency (e.g., 1 article/month for 3 months).

Exercise 5: Platform & socialisation plan (10 minutes)

• Pick one primary platform for your article.
• List 3 ways you will socialise it (e.g., LinkedIn post + tag department, X thread with key points, WhatsApp/Telegram faculty group, newsletter).

***

Rubrics to evaluate participant output

Use these rubrics during peer review and for final assessment. Score each criterion 1–5 (1 = needs work, 5 = excellent).

A) Positioning statement

• Clarity: Is the audience specific? https://www.skyfliq.com/blog/personal-branding-on-social-media-2026
• Differentiation: Does it highlight a unique approach? https://online.hbs.edu/courses/personal-branding
• Outcome-oriented: Is the benefit clear? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08911762.2025.2554430

B) Content plan (90 days)

• Alignment: Do pillars match positioning? https://expansary.com/blog/build-personal-brand-2026 [A practical step-by-step guide for students and young people building a personal brand in 2026 — what to post, where to post, and how to grow from zero audience.]
• Feasibility: Is the cadence realistic? https://www.skyfliq.com/blog/personal-branding-on-social-media-2026
• Repurposing: Are there clear derivative assets? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08911762.2025.2554430

C) Article draft/outline

• Hook: Does the opening grab attention? https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrewrmadison_caleb-ralston-dropped-a-5-hour-starting-activity-7424111947874287616-odOp/
• Structure: Clear sections with logical flow? https://guides.lib.vt.edu/digitalstorytellingstorymaps
• Practicality: Actionable takeaways for readers? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08911762.2025.2554430
• Readability: Scannable, concise, minimal jargon? https://www.skyfliq.com/blog/personal-branding-on-social-media-2026

D) Socialisation plan

• Platform fit: Matches target audience?tandfonline+1 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08911762.2025.2554430
• Tactics: Tags, hashtags, timing, cross-posts? https://academic.oup.com/academicmedicine/article/101/8/910/8687820?login=false
• Engagement: Plan for comments/DMs/follow-ups? https://www.skyfliq.com/blog/personal-branding-on-social-media-2026

 E) Overall authority signal

• Credibility: Evidence, examples, or data included? https://academic.oup.com/academicmedicine/article/101/8/910/8687820?login=false
• Authenticity: Voice feels genuine, not generic? https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2025/12/02/personal-branding-trends-for-2026--part-1/
• Consistency: Does this fit a 12-month narrative? https://www.skyfliq.com/blog/personal-branding-on-social-media-2026

Pass threshold: Average score ≥ 4 across all sections. Articles below the threshold require revision before publication support.