Skip to content
a woman and a child are walking on the beach

What’s the story behind your nickname?

In Kerala, where the coconut trees sway and the backwaters whisper, nicknames are a way of life. My nickname, Monu, is a classic for boys in my home state. Allow me to share the quirky charm of Kerala’s naming traditions and why I’m secretly excited to one day be called “Monu Appuppa.” The Heart of Kerala’s Nicknames In Malayalam, the language that binds Kerala’s soul, boys are affectionately called mon and girls mol. These are playful shorthand for the proper terms makan (son) and makal (daughter). But here’s the catch: spellings shift and pronunciations twist every fifty kilometers across our lush state. It’s a linguistic adventure, as fluid as Kerala’s monsoons. As a child, Monu felt perfect—cute, catchy, and carefree. It rolled off the tongue during schoolyard games and family gatherings. But as the years pile on, and the hair on my head thins to a distinguished shade of silver… What’s the story behind your nickname?

selective focus of two person holding hands

What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?

Over the next six months, I don’t foresee any major challenge on the horizon. The real tests might come about a year from now, tied to some exciting plans I’ve lined up. One big movequite literallyis relocating to a new house in Mumbai. That means selling the home we’re currently living in there. Another milestone I’m planning for is my son’s wedding. In India, we still hold on to some traditional ways when it comes to marriage. Parents often take the lead in arranging their children’s weddings, and I’m no exception. That said, I’m perfectly fine if he finds his own life partner. But if he doesn’t, we’ll need to kick off the process ourselves! This ‘arranged marriage’ would be entire based on his approval and not forced.