Why are we here?

Hello everyone,

I am sharing some thoughts from our recent meeting on Monday, the 22nd December 2025. It was a productive meeting, and we all shared valuable insights.

Key Takeaways

• Attendance is low across programs. The Masterclass has only 3–4 attendees, and the Friday reading session is also poorly attended.
• The "Brewing Knowledge" format is under debate. The current model of reading long chapters weekly is seen as tedious and difficult to follow, while the alternative of pre-reading and discussion risks low engagement.
• Sandeep Dutt reframed the mission. The goal is to cultivate a few "changemakers" per school, not to maximise attendance. 
• The model is "Reading, Reflection, Relationship," and the focus must remain on reading.
• Sunday School will pivot to reading. Following the conclusion of the 24-episode Amardeep series, the program will now focus on encouraging reading through student reviews and presentations.

The conversations we had will be instrumental in helping the hosts, producers, and thinkers deliver even better work.

Here are a few things I wanted to highlight:

1. Reading - this is a delicate topic, but we must not overlook it. While we value conversations, our primary focus is on reviewing and discussing the societal issue we are attempting to address.

2. Reflection post-reading is crucial - as time is limited, we expect participants to read and provide reflections upon the meeting.

3. Relationships are an integral part of our lives, and this forum exemplifies meaningful relationships.

Our primary objective is brewing knowledge - translate the real-world experience of the Book Cafe at The English Book Depot to a virtual one, which is why we have been engaged in this endeavour for so long. Our initiatives include the My Good School, The Teachers Academy, and the My Good School Retreat forums for the 3Rs, and the impact is the 6Cs.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone who attended the meeting and acknowledge those who did not. Your support is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to seeing you all at our next event.

Regarding the book and Friday's events, we will be working on them. Initially, we will complete the current book, then engage the audience with a different type of reading material. Friday was initially intended for school teachers, but it has now been expanded to include the broader audience at EBD and beyond.

Next Steps

• Manisha: Work with school reps to boost program attendance.
• Neelashi: Fix the "Brewing Knowledge" link in the newsletter.
• Sunday School Team: Develop a plan for the reading-focused program, including student engagement and book selection.
• All Participants: Prepare questions for the Ratna Munucha event on Dec 26.

Thank you to everyone who attended, and to those who did not participate in but intend to.

In conclusion, leaders must remain steadfast and relentless in pursuing their goals. This unwavering commitment has been instrumental in our success.

Warm regards,

Sandeep Dutt
www.sdutt.com

Biocracy redefines responsibility

The idea of biocracy emerges from an uncomfortable yet straightforward realisation: most of our political decisions today are still centred almost entirely on human convenience, power, and short-term gain, while the ecological systems that sustain life are treated as secondary—or worse, expendable.

Biocracy can be understood as a form of governance where decisions are not driven solely by human wants but are fundamentally guided by ecological needs. In such a system, the health of air, water, soil, forests, and climate becomes a primary factor in policy-making, not an afterthought. 

If we honestly evaluate the dominant forms of governance—democracy, monarchy, autocracy, or even technocracy—we find that they are increasingly inadequate for the challenges of our time. These systems were designed in eras that did not account for ecological collapse. Today, when AQI levels are at historic highs, visibility is literally blurred, forests are cut relentlessly, and regions like the Aravallis are reduced to dumping grounds, it becomes evident that something is deeply broken. 

The crisis is not only environmental; it is political and moral. Our regimes continue to function as if nature is infinite, resilient, and silent. But nature is neither limitless nor silent anymore—it is responding, and the consequences are visible everywhere. 

This brings us to a crucial question: On what basis should future governments be formed?

Should political power still be decided purely on ideology, caste, religion, or economic promises? Or is it time to evaluate leadership on parameters such as air quality, tree cover, water security, pollution levels, cleanliness, and the sustainability of future generations? 

I firmly believe that the next generation of voters—the youth—are far more aware and informed than ever before. They will not vote merely on narratives that have existed for decades. They will ask different questions: 

• What is the AQI of my city?
• How many trees are being protected or planted?
• What is the state of water and soil?
• Is development sustainable, or merely destructive?

This shift in thinking is the foundation of biocracy.  

Biocracy may be unrealistic. Can trees, rivers, mountains, animals, or soil have rights? Can they be represented in governance? It may sound impossible today—but history tells us otherwise.  

A hundred years ago, most countries did not allow all citizens to vote. Universal suffrage once seemed unthinkable. If someone had proposed it then, it would have been dismissed as impractical or idealistic. Yet today, it is a fundamental democratic principle. Similarly, recognising ecological entities as stakeholders in governance may seem radical now, but it may well become inevitable. Because without protecting nature, no political system—however powerful—can survive. 

Biocracy redefines responsibility. 

The photo of Kunal in the lap of Aravali