Text of my ‘When Worlds Collide’ column published in Ceylon Today Sunday newspaper on 27 May 2012

For the past few days, while enduring Colombo’s heat and high humidity, I’ve been hoping for a timely monsoon.

A billion and a half fellow South Asians joined me in this waiting and guessing game for the mighty rain-carrying oceanic winds — one of the great forces of nature on this planet. Few things – human or natural – evoke such anxiety and anticipation.

And with good reason: the rains that the summer monsoon brings are life-giving for most parts of South Asia. An ample monsoon that arrives on time can boost harvests, drive power generation and and generate wealth across South Asia where large numbers are still engaged in farming.

A delayed or failed monsoon, on the other hand, causes much concern for governments and communities. India’s Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee acknowledged…