Yup, you read that right.<\/p>\n
And if you\u2019ve ever been treated by an Indian doctor, you know exactly what we\u2019re talking about. More often than not, the prescription you walk out with looks nothing short of a mysterious code. It could have a combination of scribbles, loops, or random shapes that only the doctor seems to understand. And trying to make sense of it, is a whole problem in itself.<\/p>\n
A study by The National Medical Journal of India found that 20\u201340%<\/a> of prescriptions written by Indian doctors are illegible. Sure, it varies across regions and doctors. But let\u2019s be honest. We\u2019ve all stared at one of those indecipherable pieces of paper at least once in our lives.<\/p>\n It might sound funny, but the courts didn\u2019t think so. The Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that a legible prescription is a Fundamental Right, because it can literally mean the difference between life and death. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has even advised doctors to write in block letters for clarity.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because an illegible prescription could prove to be deadly for a patient. Pharmacists might misread one drug for another, and while experience helps them guess based on a patient\u2019s health condition and medical history, it\u2019s not foolproof.<\/p>\n Take this for example. Azidothymidine<\/a>, a drug used to prevent HIV, could easily be mistaken for Azathioprine, a powerful immunosuppressant, if the handwriting\u2019s unclear. And that tiny error could have severe consequences.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the catch. As the president of the IMA told the BBC, it\u2019s easier said than done. Private doctors who see a handful of patients a day can take the time to write neatly. But government doctors who handle hundreds daily? Not so much.<\/p>\n That\u2019s where electronic prescriptions come in. More hospitals and clinics, especially in cities, are switching to digital systems where doctors type prescriptions into computers or tablets. It ensures that no pharmacist has to play guessing games with a patient\u2019s health. And slowly, even smaller clinics are catching on.<\/p>\n And hopefully, this small but significant change will go a long way, because when it comes to medication, a single misread word or dose can change everything.<\/p>\n Who would\u2019ve thought that doctors\u2019 bad handwriting, something we\u2019ve joked about for years, would one day stir a court\u2019s conscience and turn into such a serious, and much-needed order?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a soundtrack to put you in the mood \ud83c\udfb5<\/p>\n Burning Till I Fall<\/a> by Framed In Crimson<\/p>\n You can thank our reader Sakshi Srivastava for this great recommendation!<\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s get cracking.<\/p>\n What caught our eye this week \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n \ud83c\udf44 The rare mushroom that rises from ashes<\/p>\n Every spring, when the snow melts and the forests of Himachal and Kashmir begin to breathe again, small groups of villagers set out on an unusual treasure hunt. They walk through charred slopes and damp soil, scanning for wrinkled, honeycombed caps pushing through the ash. What they\u2019re searching for isn\u2019t gold or truffles, but it\u2019s gucchi or morel, a wild mushroom so rare that it now sells for up to \u20b940,000 a kilo<\/a> when dried.\u00a0<\/p>\n And its demand is picking up in India because of rising interest from restaurants and chefs who\u2019re using it as a native luxury ingredient.<\/p>\n But before you imagine fortunes being made, here\u2019s the thing. It takes about 6 to 10 kilos of fresh gucchi to make one kilo of the dried kind. Most foragers sell their haul to middlemen for barely \u20b910,000<\/a>\u2013\u20b912,000 a kilo, and by the time it\u2019s cleaned, sun-dried, and packaged<\/a> for export, the same batch fetches triple that amount in fancy stores.<\/p>\n What makes gucchi even more extraordinary is that it refuses to be farmed. Scientists have tried, but it only grows in the wild. Usually after snowfall or, oddly enough, a forest fire. Because when a patch of land burns, the nutrients released in the soil create just the right stress for gucchi to sprout.<\/p>\n Part of its popularity also comes from its health halo, since they\u2019re said to be rich in vitamins B2 and B3, packed with antioxidants, and often linked to better brain and heart health. Add to that its deep, earthy flavour that enhances risottos and pulaos alike, and you can see why it\u2019s becoming a gourmet darling.<\/p>\n India\u2019s gucchi economy now runs into crores each season, with trade and exports mainly headed to Europe and the US<\/a>. The government of J&K, meanwhile, is pushing for a Geographical Indication or GI tag<\/a> for \u201cDoda Gucchi\u201d (morels that are native to J&K\u2019s Doda district) to protect its Himalayan identity and ensure fairer prices for foragers. And startups in Uttarakhand are even experimenting with semi-wild cultivation.<\/p>\n China, meanwhile, has already cracked commercial cultivation by growing morels across thousands of hectares using nutrient-rich soil bags. And if that tech takes root here, gucchi\u2019s wild romance might finally meet its farmed twin.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the thing. This is also a classic mountain story, where the people who climb the hardest paths often earn the least from them. And climate change from unpredictable weather and high temperatures is impacting their availability as well as disrupting the livelihoods<\/a> of the mushroom pickers. The yield has been low and production has shrunk from 2,000 quintals in 1991 to around 45 quintals in 2021.<\/p>\n Still, there\u2019s something poetic about a mushroom that chooses to grow only under certain conditions. In a world obsessed with instant growth and perfect control, it\u2019s a quiet reminder that beauty sometimes comes from what survives in nature, not what avoids it.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re intrigued, here\u2019s a recipe of these mushrooms to check out: Kashmiri Gucchi – Morel Mushroom Curry<\/a> by Food for the Soul.<\/p>\n Infographic \ud83d\udcca<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfaWhy more money doesn’t mean more wealth<\/p>\n India\u2019s middle class is stuck in a \u201cwealth trap\u201d despite earning more than ever.<\/p>\n A software engineer earning \u20b920 lakhs annually has a negative net worth of \u20b93 lakhs, while his father, a retired bank clerk earning \u20b96 lakhs a year, has a net worth of \u20b92 crores. How does this happen?<\/p>\n From rising salaries to skyrocketing expenses, debt-fueled lifestyles, and systemic barriers like inflation and taxation, the middle class is facing a growing gap between income and wealth. <\/p>\n So, in this episode of Finshots TV, we dive into the history of India\u2019s economic policies, how easy credit and rising costs have created this trap, and why wealth isn\u2019t staying in the family.\u00a0Click here\u00a0to check it out<\/a>.<\/p>\n Readers Recommend \ud83d\uddd2\ufe0f<\/p>\n This week, our reader, Divyank Agarwal recommends reading The Goal<\/a> by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a novel about a plant manager who\u2019s growing increasingly desperate to turn things around at his factory. His plant is heading straight for disaster, and nothing he tries seems to work. That\u2019s when he begins to question what the real purpose of his plant actually is. And in the process, he uncovers something surprisingly simple \u2014 that the ultimate goal of any business isn\u2019t to cut costs, boost efficiency, or expand headcount, but to make money.<\/p>\n Thanks for the rec, Divyank!<\/p>\n That\u2019s it from us this week. We\u2019ll see you next Sunday!<\/p>\n Until then, send us your book, music, business movies, documentaries or podcast recommendations. We\u2019ll feature them in the newsletter! Also, don\u2019t forget to tell us what you thought of today’s edition. Just hit reply to this email (or if you\u2019re reading this on the web, drop us a message at\u00a0morning@finshots.in<\/a>).<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd96\ud83c\udffd<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to share this edition on\u00a0WhatsApp<\/a>,\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0X<\/a>.<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760095669757.jpg\")
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