Choc-a-blog

To A Happy 2012 (& Beyond)!!

2012-01-17T16:10:00.001+05:30

Alright, considering that this is the first post on this blog in 2012, lemme start off with Happy New Year and all that!
Now that I have spoken of the New Year, it is perhaps only complementary that I also talk about my resolution for the new year (and no, I won't say kill you with lame ones like my new year resolution is gonna be 1024 x 768 pixels).
Specific to this blog, I would like to ensure that beginning this year, I blog more on stuff apart from just cricket.
Having said so and continuing with the tradition of breaking new year resolutions at the first given opportunity, here's the new year's first post - on: er, surprise surprise, Cricket!

No seriously, I write more non-cricketing stuff and thereby, hope to live up to my blog's tagline (Something or the other... about ...something or the other!).
If nothing else works and I cannot seem to bring myself to write too much about anything that's not cricket, I shall still strive to live up to my blog's tagline. By changing the blog's tagline itself (easier, no?:P).

Anyway, enough of trivial talk - onto my thoughts about the 'Agneepath' series we have been playing/enduring (depending on whether you are one of the eleven Indians on the field or the billions outside).

While the year has indeed been new, it has been far from a happy one for the Indian cricket team, much less the hapless Indian cricket fan and well-wisher.
Come to think of it, it is not even new, in the sense that the same old story of being totally toppled over when touring overseas, has come back to haunt us, a la England, 2011.

So much for the pre-series billing of this being India's best chance of beating Australia in Australia.

On the other hand, we must also remember and acknowledge that it's always easier to be wise in hindsight. How many of us were not happy (before Perth) with our batting order or advocated even one change from the top 6 batsmen who took the field in these Test matches?
How many of us actually believe, hand on heart, that we did not field our best batsmen in the first 2 Tests?

As I write this, it's Day 1 of the First Test between England and Pakistan with England on the mat at 105/7.
On days like these, I start thinking about the same old 'Imagine if India and Pak were one country, and we had Paki bowlers and Indian batsmen', but then..(on current performances), Indian batsmen?..er...forget it.

Now what?
As they say, let bygones be bygones. Jo hua, so hua.
The least we can and must do, is to look for solutions and long-term fixes than just lament over results not being to our liking or indulge in any blame games.

Here is what I believe must happen in the Indian cricketing fraternity and within our cricketing 'system':

Improve the Standard of Domestic Cricket

By domestic cricket, I do not mean the IPL. I would like to see better, sporting, lively pitches instead of the dead dodos we have, for our Ranji, Duleep and Irani Trophy matches.
Let India A tours be regularly scheduled to England, South Africa and Australia, apart from countries with more or less amenable/similar conditions.

Spot, Persist with, and Nurture Talent

Groom and blossom players irrespective of their scores at domestic level only or even the 'runs' scored. Give importance to the way the player performs.The areas a bowler operated in, more than just the wickets he took.
The way a batsman applied himself, more than just the runs he made.As they say, if the processes and basic ingredients are in place, the results will follow for sure. We must nurture such players who show the right temperament, attitude and skill level (not just runs/wickets) - especially on English, SA, and Aussie soil.

An Indian Argus
High time we have a selection committee that is a) not by zonal basis and b) gives players the room to fail/prosper for sure. Let no cricketer be unsure of his place for atleast the first 5 matches of his career. That should not be such a bad thing to do.

Replace Being Reactive with Being Proactive
Last but not the least, being proactive in dealing with the fitness and concerns of our cricketers.
Check this out - the first and last paragraphs of this article are especially note-worthy.

The fact that the Board tracked the common (possible) reason for the injury to the speedsters and the fact that they anticipate the future and plan for it:
"..we knew the workloads had been very high for the likes of James Pattinson and we had to make sure players were ready to go. Part of it is mitigating injury and part of it is making sure the next guys are raring and ready to go. We know players will be injured .."

Only when we are able to make such honest, concerted efforts would we able to ensure a better and happy 2012 and even beyond.

Why this Kolaveri, ji?

2011-12-06T15:57:00.005+05:30

One of the reasons why cricket is (hard-nosed realists might hasten to say 'was') labeled as a gentleman's game, is because of the impeccable, sporting and disciplined conduct by everyone on the playing field.
In fact, the sport and the conduct of its players used to be held in such high esteem that any unscrupulous act was coined with the term 'this is not cricket'!.
Can you imagine anyone making such a remark using any other sport as a metaphor?

This is what makes cricket different from other sports such as soccer, tennis, etc. where at least some level of intolerance is often passed off without being reprimanded.

And to then see, a shining young star of the Indian team, Virat Kohli in the latest instance as of yesterday, not only showing his dissent openly, but even abusing the umpire, was downright disappointing, to say the least.
Article 2.1.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct about "showing dissent at an umpire's decision" is quite clear and unambiguous too.
And even if it were not, is it not clear to us, that the umpire is the sole authority, who should not be disputed, least of all abused, in public?

I am a great fan of Virat Kohli's talent and he doesn't need a certificate from me anyway. The fact that he has made it to the international stage and is shining there too, is proof enough of his ability. What is terrible, though, is that he is making his mouth bigger than his bat. That too, to spew profanities.
Alright dude, you might have got a terrible (debatable) one, but he could have been disappointed, not disgruntled.

The most important and unfortunate point is: this was not the first time Virat has committed such an offence.

Time and again, one has seen Kohli expressing his anger at even taking a catch, throwing the ball, abusing an opposition player or umpire, and getting away with it.

One would like to know what gets inside the head of such otherwise gifted, intelligent and talented stars that they behave so abominably?

It is not even as if it's aggression. Aggression (if positive) is like alcohol intake. Your limit, propensity, ability or capacity for aggression would be different from mine.
Again, it is acceptable only if it can be controlled and handled within permissible limits of decency and propriety of public behavior.

Like the popular rage these days, the Kolaveri song, which roughly translates to 'Why this murderous rage?' - one would like to ask Virat and others of his ilk about their behavior - Why, oh why, this Kolaveri?!!

Please also note here, it is not just a Virat or an Asian. This malaise afflicts cricketers from all countries today, and the sooner we get rid of such sledgers and brats or their attitude, the better.

In this light, I also have a question/action item for the sport's governing body:
Why does the ICC not dock the cricketer's bulk of the fee (if not the entire amount)? Is just a reprimand, a 'don't-do-it-again' good enough? Especially, when a cricketer is found guilty for an offence for the second time (or more)?

On the positive side, such incidents make you admire Sachin even more. He has had countless decisions that have gone against him, in the last 22 years and more. He sure had been disappointed on all such occasions. However, one struggles to recollect even one instance when he has, through his verbal or even non-verbal behavior, crossed the line between disappointment and dissent.

Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman: RESPECT.

No wonder, you guys have been such a strong middle order for us. You have not only added the spine to our line-up with your abilities with the bat, but also added your character, your respect and your love for the sport.
After all, if you humbly accept the decision of the official entrusted to make the decision, then be it right or wrong, by accepting that decision, you only reflect your love and respect for the game that you love.

What often also beats me completely, is how people take a catch, pick a wicket, or score a 50 or 100 and get so worked up, and angry.

Are we remembering one-upmanship or showing the others how good/right/powerful I am, more than simply playing genuinely for the love of the game?
Would we get so hyperactive and insane on taking a catch/wicket/hitting a hundred, if we were playing for the sheer love for our game?

To everyone who says it is aggression that spurs people to greater heights,
Just these names/facts speak for themselves: Courtney Walsh, Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev.

Despite the fact that the West Indian team of the 70s and 80s was the most ferocious and lethal team (as much as, if not more than the Aussies of the 90s and 2000s), they were and still are the most loved.
I'm afraid not many outside of Australia can say the same of the Aussie team of Waugh and Ponting.
Why?
While the latter played one-upmanship, sledging-filled (euphemistically called mental disintegration by Steve and team) cricket, the Windies played hard on the field, but still with a lot of sportsman spirit and love for the game.
Off the ground, they were the most gentle, affable and loving people around.

The choice is ours - who do we want to emulate?
Virat Kohli and others, I rest my case.
As I said, just need to ask yourself: Why this Kolaveri, ji?! :-)

Back to Winning Ways!!

2011-11-09T13:08:00.001+05:30

139 days: June 23, 2011 - November 09, 2011
Finally, after enduring a horrid tour of England, and having relinquished their numero uno crown in Test cricket in the interim, we are back - back to winning ways!!

Okay okay, I know it's only one match, only against a rather average Carribbean side (who too had their moments in the match), on our home turf and all that. But I have already dwelt on that earlier, right after England.
This moment is not a time for that.
This moment is a time to enjoy getting back on track, and staying focused for even better, bigger, thumping victories consistently. And hopefully, against every opposition, in all conditions.

Just like a Test hundred or a fiver-for (ask Sachin or Ashwin for corroborations), any win in Test cricket anywhere, is cherishable. I repeat, any Test win, against anyone, anywhere.

Yes, a great team/individual performance against an above-par team, in adverse situations, against a quality attack, et al is always cause for more cheer alright.
However, to use a Sunil Gavaskar trite as an anagram here - 'It was a full toss alright, but it still had to be put away'.

However easy it may sound, a Test win always has a happy ring to it.

If anything, let's hope it's a precursor for greater glories ahead (read Australia)!!
Amen, go well Team India, and well played, bwaayzz!!!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Prime Minister!!

2011-10-02T18:21:00.002+05:30

Yes alright, I do know that he ain't the Prime Minister anymore.
Yes, many have also come and gone (and again come and again gone) after Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.

However, to me, if there is any one politician I have always looked up to, without fail, and always felt inspired, it has always been Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri.

To me, the term or designation of a 'Prime Minister' in the real sense of the word, is not someone who simply happens to occupy that chair at that given point of time. No sir/madam, won't do for me.
To me, the term does not just refer to any PM who has been a PM or is even seen as an incumbent, PM-material.

To me, a Prime Minister is someone who has led from the front, with example, dignity, courage, integrity, and most of all, worked with genuine values along with taking every action keeping in mind, the true care and concern for his people.
Which is why, Shastri ji, to me, is truly a 'prime' minister among all Prime Ministers past and present, and of course a jewel who outshone and shall always outshine any and every minister/MP I have ever seen/known.

No wonder, I have always genuinely believed him to be a true Bharat Ratna, in every sense of the term:

Led by example
In today's times, the government of the day puts the Anna Hazare's of today behind bars for fasting peacefully, how many Netas (forget PMs!) can you expect to see who would lead by example?
Can we, in our sane minds, expect our PMs to go on fast for a day each week, and THEN, (remember only THEN) appeal to the country to follow suit?
And all of this not for publicity, but just with the noble intention of the sheer welfare and self-reliance of our nation.

Austerity
For all his deeds and popularity, he remained the most simple, soft-spoken, dignified and humble gentleman you can ever know.
Despite having become a Prime Minister, there were hardly any assets he left for his own (or his kin's) self.
Forget today or later, just how many in the entire world can do that? Ever?

Integrity
There is a train accident, and nobody bays for the Railways Minister. However, the Minister himself, voluntarily puts in his papers without any fuss, taking complete responsibility for the accident.
No, I am not referring to Satyug. I am just referring to a Yug Purush who happened to be the Railways Minister then.

What a great day today, the 2nd of October indeed is - two of my favorite personalities who have led by example and led austere, simple as well as upright lives, were born on this day!

However, what I always find all the more laudable is that though Gandhiji never entered active politics, Shastri ji did do so, and still remained as clean, as respected and as honorable as always (in fact, even more!), without getting besmirched in that mud-slinging, vitriolic gutter called politics.

So while we always (and ofcourse, rightly and most deservedly) remember our beloved Bapu today, I feel that somehow, we tend to not remember Shastri ji even half as much.
Here's to you, Sir - the little big man of Indian politics and my favorite political leader ever - Happy Birthday!!
If only we could get some leaders even a fraction as good, as upright, as sharp and as humble and still as genuinely simple as you, there's no stopping our country!!

A Sincere Appeal

2011-09-29T13:33:00.000+05:30

I am sure all of us in India (especially in NCR/North India) must have heard about the horrific news about the killing of a 22-year young toll plaza attendant.

Fault: As per his duty as the toll plaza attendant, he asked for the toll fee from the hooligans who were commuting through the toll road.

Well, one can go on about the state-of-affairs and cry ourselves hoarse about why people do what they do.
Why are so many of us getting intoxicated through the high of a few extra notes in the pocket, or a weapon within arm's reach?

But, I would prefer to not dwell on these things. For, these are not the things that are within my control.
I'd rather share about what is in our - your and my - control.

Here's what we can and MUST do.
This link contains information about the details of Umesh's family and how we can send across our financial assistance to them.

Apart from just sympathizing with the absolutely innocent victim and his family, and deploring the hooligans and our inept system for a few moments before moving on with our lives, let's help in whichever way possible.

It's a humble, sincere request/appeal: Please DO help the bereaved family, if you can - through cheque or online transfer. (details are available within the link)

Although we might not be able to bring Umesh back, atleast a little assistance from us could go a long way in redeeming the financial condition of his helpless family.

Dear Team India

2011-09-21T18:53:00.000+05:30

As a popular joke would have me believe, it was a good tour for us. We beat 3 teams: Sussex, Kent and Leicestershire. And lost to only one: England :|

A lot of water has flown through the Ganges (or through the Thames, if you'd like) since the time I last wrote about the Indian cricket team's travails in England.

Despite the fact that we had lost poorly in the first Test, I was still hopeful of a turnaround in our fortunes.
Well, turn they did, only to turn circularly - to effect a 0-4 drubbing in the Tests, a 0-1 in the lone T20 match, and a 0-3 scoreline in the ODIs.

I saw most of the massacres live, and I am still searching for a silver lining in our performance. Nevertheless, there is still no doubt that we can only do better in the upcoming series.

In a contrived and convoluted sort of way, I am quite happy in a way that we lost so badly.
Despite the injuries, the spate of below-par performances, and the weather playing truant especially on the few India was in commanding positions, we cannot say with hand on heart, that we deserved to hold on to the #1 spot in Test Cricket after our performance.

I am happy with our whitewash because I have a hope that this shall rankle us. Hurt us. Remind us.
I wanted to write about all this now, because I do expect most Indian batsmen to score big and plunder attacks at will in the ensuing encounters at home.
Not for a moment am I not valuing their ability in home conditions. I just wanted to write this today to ensure I register my thoughts and rankling from the English summer somewhere so that next time we hit a fast bowler outta the park, we do not lose perspective of what we've still got to accomplish.

But as the Champions League razzmatazz gets underway, and our stars find their own in familiarly docile conditions, let us not forget that if we manage even 80% of what we do at home, we shall be consistent away-series winners.

It's been a while since we lost, let alone lost so badly. So hopefully, such a smattering which has come after a string of commendable and at least respectable away-series performances, shall prove to be more an aberration than a portent for things to come. However, as they say, those who forget their history, are condemned to repeat it.

While there is no reason why we should not be more patient and understanding about the highs and lows that any team and core group of players inevitably goes through, let us also try our best to learn from the tour and not forget those lessons as we rebound at home and ride on the crest of domestic success again.

Let us not forget the mistakes and shortcomings to work on, when we hit the next knee-length ball out of the park.
While we respect, enjoy and love all the talent and ability on display at home, let us not forget that we are not true champions till we conquer all frontiers.
Let us enjoy being the champs at home, but let us savor etching the Indian flag on Australian, South African, and English soil, more than just defending our crown at home.

New Branch Office!!

2011-08-06T15:28:00.003+05:30

They say, at the age of 3, a kid moves from one stage of life to another, for the first time. The first three years of our life are the most formative, the most carefree and enjoyable. We are still coming to terms with our family, relatives and acquaintances. Still trying to learn communicating, articulating, and expressing ourselves with everyone around.

And by the time we blow our birthday candles for the third time (at least in the current Indian educational set-up), our parents ensure we make our first move - from the totally carefree schedule at home, to a somewhat time-table bound routine - a 5-day a week introduction to an extended home atmosphere - in the form of pre-schooling!!
The rest, as they say, is history. And Civics. And Geography. And Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Social Studies, English, Hindi, and Mathematics. For the next 10-12 years!

So why am I saying all this? Cut to July 2008.
Ok, it isn't exactly back to the origin of species but yes, it was then that I wrote my first post, marking my first baby steps into the world of blogging.
And now that Choc-a-blog has completed 3 years (though not exactly at supersonic posting speeds but still managing atleast one post a month from April 2009 onwards), I would like to gift it too with an extended home for my baby - yes, Choc-a-blog is now on FaceBook as an FB page!!:)

Hopefully, this would help my blog connect with my friends through the social networking medium, and might help everyone to benefit from it through regular posts, comments and interactions.

Sau baat ki ek baat - itni publicity kar raha hoon, kabhi time miley (ya neend nahin aa rahi ho), toh yahaan aa jaaya karna yaar! Neend ke liye shartiya ilaaj guaranteed!! :-)
Ab toh hum aapke nikat ke FB profile par bhi uplabdh hain!!

Hope to see you all around, also through FB now...cheers!!

Have WE Made It Large?

2011-08-05T16:58:00.002+05:30

With great power, comes great responsibility. - Voltaire

Perhaps, we could re-phrase or extend this to infer/create another statement that seems to hold true for the current state of affairs in/for the Indian cricket team. Or, maybe they are already experiencing/realizing this:
With great rankings, comes even great(er) criticism - especially if you have an Indian fan following.

I am never one to support anyone blindly or irrationally. So yes, one has felt gutted way too often for one's liking in the first Two Tests against England and there must always be (constructive) criticism, for that alone shall open the doors to remedial action.
However, over the course of the last two Test match routs, I have felt a sense of failure, not just on the part of Team India not living up to their touted billing, but also on the part of you, me - us: on the part of the fans and experts, in general.

As I said, yes, there is no doubt that a lot of flak is justified, wherever due. I am the first one to object to the defensive tactics we have had - in terms of:

Poor, Reactive and Ultra-Defensive Field Placements - with easy singles and even twos, being offered on a platter
Very Average Captaincy - in not keeping close-in men, especially to new, vulnerable batsmen
Poor shot-selections and lack of application by many batsmen
Some very ordinary line and lengths bowled by our bowlers, negating the good work done in an earlier session in the day

All this does need prompt attention and correction - especially since I have only highlighted the parts that are manageable. Not something like being able to bowl express pace/play the short-stuff out-of-the-blue from nowhere.
All the above is stuff that should never have happened in the first place and can surely be rectified w.e.f. NOW.

However, while I would hate to see an encore of the above-listed avoidables, I would also like to object to a generally pervasive sentiment among the more intolerant of India fans (and ofcourse, also almost all of the non-India fans) - that we do not deserve to be #1.

First things first - I would like to believe I ain't any jingoistic, least of all for the sake of a numbers rat-race. So while anyone would naturally always want to see and feel great at his team getting to and then defending its #1 position, I am not as bothered about the potential loss of the #1 tag, as I am about the unjustified and inaccurate comments and statements being dished out.

There has been a lot of breast-beating about the fact that India have not been able to defeat England in England. Fair enough, we won't be able to win the series this time (though we could still make it 2-2).

But at least we did beat England in England as recently as on our last tour (and so have many other teams) over the last few years. When did England do so on Indian soil?

I would like to ask anyone who cares to prefer reason over personal wants/preferences - Why are we making it such a big issue? Forget Harbhajan Singh, why have WE made it so large?!

Except Australia - that too, only in 2001 (that too, due to Indians suddenly being a disjointed lot after the then-skipper Ganguly chickened out in Nagpur - but let's leave that for another day), no team, and I'd like to repeat NO TEAM (including all other Australian tours with their unbeatable, golden cricketers at their pomp) - could ever beat India in India, in the last 20 or so years.

It's not for nothing that India is the Final Frontier. So while I myself strongly believe that this Indian cricket team is yet to become that good, where it can claim to have beaten anyone anywhere, I am equally convinced that it's not that we have a proven team all set and ready as the rightful inheritor of the #1 crown.

Just as each team has its strengths, so too have we.
As I said, while we would love to see the required gumption, skill and technique to survive and excel in conditions meant for swing, bounce, and seam movement, it is equally true that just about everyone that has toured our turf has failed equally miserably.

So here is my rant in a nutshell:
To Team India:
Please wake up and smell the coffee. It's high time we adapt, perform and at least persevere. The very least I would want to see from them, is to redeem themselves in the areas I listed above.

Equally importantly, or perhaps even more importantly, to the Fan:
Perhaps a good-to-remember note for all of us - to you and me who wish the Team well and want to see it excel everywhere: A fan ain't just one that's on our ceiling...ain't just one who goes mad at his team's wins. A fan believes and supports his team as much as he loves them.
Like in life, so too in cricket - one (a team) needs support (fans) the most, when things aren't going great. If you are a fan, behave like one.

No, do not ignore their wrongs. But yes, lets criticize constructively, let them rectify, not pressurize 'em & just help them be their best.

Let's not be blinded by jingoism for sure, but let's also not be swayed by knee-jerk reactions or easy, drawing-room critiques either.
At least I, for one, do believe our team must already be as keen as we are, to seem them play to their potential - results notwithstanding.

The task of neutralizing the 0-2 lead and the big mouthing is already enough to keep our Team motivated.
As genuine supporters and fans, let 'us' not make it large!

Time to Show Our Mettle

2011-07-27T16:27:00.004+05:30

Yes, we have lost the first test badly. Yes, we have not acquitted ourselves the way a World No. 1 Test team should.

The sight an Indian fan did not want to see - England's victory huddle :-| (Source: Cricinfo)

Irrespective of whether we like it or not, and whatever be the entirely avoidable and unfortunate reasons behind this, but it is indeed a fact that for the Indian cricket team fits the tag of 'poor, slow starters' to almost every Test series (abroad). Perhaps this tag applies to us even more strongly than a certain 'cho_ _ _s' tag attributed to a prominent team from the southern part of a continent.

However, this is the time when our time needs us the most. They did not set the stage afire alright, but they did not really disgrace themselves either, even in defeat.

On that contrary, I was in fact happy with the way we went for Lunch on Day 4 (when Ishant had rocked England bigtime - the most ardent English fan too would have been jittery for them, then) and even at Tea on Day 5, when we still had 5 wickets in hand for the final session, with Dhoni and Raina at the crease. I am not sure about the others, but I seriously reckoned we could have salvaged a draw with a little more luck (weather) and application. Considering we were always short of our premier bowler, I would never want to give the stick to our cricketers, that too for not trying hard enough. And as I have always maintained, I am fine even with a defeat, as long as our team has put in every possible effort and not made silly/already committed mistakes.

Despite the largely forgettable performance by India, I do believe, though, that we still have it in us to upset the English applecart. Don't forget, this is an Indian team, that is not only used to coming back from behind, but is also a team that never gives up, and is not dependent too heavily on any one individual now, unlike the last two decades. Even the figures show we do manage to bounce back remarkably well after our first Test.

Having said that, it's truly going to be a test of our mettle, to mount back-to-back wins now from a very confident English side, with all bases covered.

Now for my Nobel-winning Eureka-statement of the day: The best and only way to defeat England, is to make sure that we pick our best cricketers (purely by form and as per pitch conditions).

In that regard, I believe it is high time we dispense with Mr. Harbhajan Singh w.e.f. NOW.

My reason: No, I am never a one-test or even a one-series critic. Show me the last time Bhajji bowled India to victory in a Test on his own, even before the current Test/series. Forget humans, even Google might struggle conjuring up the relevant match stats.

Yes, he is a big name (and in all probability, Mr. MSD's favorite will not be left to cool his heels), and is also a handy No.8 but I want to tell him and his admirers just this -
Har bhajan apna karenge, dear Bhajji tere liye...

...batting toh aa rayi hai lekin, ye bhi dekhna wickets din mein kitne liye.

Anyway, as I said, what I wish/think is immaterial as long as the captain/selector(s) do not think so too. I do not expect Dhoni to drop him - and I'd love to be proved wrong if Bhajji just goes on to bowl India to a win. However, my discomfort arises from the fact that not only has he not managed to be among the wickets, he has not even looked like taking/deserving a wicket. Even lower-order batsmen have played him with ease, even smacking him around with disdain.

Which is why, I would rather go with a Mishra instead of him. Why, I'd even drop Mukund to make way for Yuvraj too - he would not only bolster our batting but also add to our bowling with his left-arm spin. Again, though, it's not a selection I see happening in all practicality.

Yes, I am sorry to sacrifice a specialist opener who has actually acquitted himself well, but I wanted to include a left-arm spinner really, even at the cost of my specialist opener. Having said that, I would not mind too much even if this change is not made. But I do want Bhajji replaced with Mishra.

And, since this is my blog, I'd like to use this space to write about exactly what/who I believe are the personnel I can trust the most to do the job in the 2nd Test:

1. Gautam Gambhir

2. Abhinav Mukund

3. Rahul Dravid

4. Sachin Tendulkar

5. VVS Laxman

6. Suresh Raina

7. MS Dhoni

8. Praveen Kumar

9. Amit Mishra

10. Ishant Sharma

11. Munaf Patel/S Sreesanth

Come on, India!!

It's time we showed why we are the World No. 1 side.

Let's silence the likes of Donald, Boycott, and Warne. For good.

Jai Ho!!

There you go again!

2011-07-14T11:27:00.002+05:30

'Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it.' - Tamas.

Right then, so it's another anguish-laden post, in reaction to another set of serial blasts in Mumbai. And as i had said earlier, I'm afraid it might only end up being just another date/anniversary of yet another terror attack, in the years to come.
I hope I am wrong but I am yet to see/notice any incident/action by the Government that can make me change my view.
All I can do is to just hope and wait for our Government to finally, kindly, please for Goddamn sake, - please, please - act!! Actually, come to think of it, act it does, but not the 'act' where 'act' is a verb, but where it is an adjective.
So dear heartless leaders, please stop the charade, relieve us of your bhaashans and found-again resolves, and just, only - ACT: TAKE QUICK, SWIFT ACTION AGAINST THE CULPRITS.

Right now, this is our typical cycle:
Blast > Govt issues the customary press release > Strongly condemns the heinous and unforgivable terrorist attack > Reaffirms tokenisms of ensuring justice and re-re-pledges war against terror > Re-re-re-warns terrorist networks of dire consequences, if repeated > Hails the much-abused 'spirit' of Mumbai and Mumbaikars > No Real Actions/Lessons > Blast..

I believe none of us wants to hear about Mumbai's spirit and resilience anymore. It's time we said enough is enough. And said just that, no more. Instead, for a change, can we please act on the culprits ASAP - atleast on known offenders like Kasab?
I want to read about how we put our foot down on this, like US did with Osama and Saddam.

We have no control over what others (terrorists) can do. But we can for sure control what we can do, instead of just spewing platitudes and offering ceremonial wreaths. Has even one terror attack (of even the smallest magnitude) occurred on US soil, post-9/11?
Touchwood for that, but has that happened just because of sheer coincidence or no effort or only due to press releases issued by the White House?

The least we can and should do is to set such a precedent that nobody ever dares to cast an evil eye on even one of our citizens, ever.
Alas, we can only hope, wish, and pray.

The Fast and The Furious: The Just-Released Version

2011-06-08T09:35:00.005+05:30

Ah, well...I bet that despite the lame heading I gave to this post, you knew you are not here for a movie review for The Fast and Furious! That, by the way, can be done here.
This one, is about the 'fast' and 'furious' that are currently - to use a Twitter jargon that is now becoming increasingly commonplace - 'trending'.

Yes, I am referring to the Baba saga that had both of it - yes, the Fast (n., not adj.): that was preceded, inspired, and encouraged by the POC done by Anna; and the Furious (with the government displaying its disapproval by flexing its muscles and resorting to strong-arm tactics. So much so, that it even sprung the Courts into action, demanding an explanation from the Govt).

I felt like penning my thoughts on this entire episode (after all, this indeed seems just an episode of what looks like a long-winded soap opera):

A Tale of Two Excesses
From first mollycoddling the Baba with ministers being paraded to receive him at the airport, to then coercing him and the thousands who had gathered at the Maidan, to rein 'em in - the government made major mistakes by being excessive in its approach on both counts.

Will the Real Satyagrahi please stand up?
Try this:
Search for Mahatma Gandhi courts arrest.
Search Results: Thousands

Search for Mahatma Gandhi jumping/hiding in salwar kameez.
Search Result: None

Did the Baba steal/burgle/kill anyone that you have to run and hide like a petty thug the way he did? Isn't it second nature to a true Satyagrahi to court arrest or at least expect and surely unfazed by that possibility?

In my view, the stature and respect for Baba would have only grown, if he would have courted arrest manfully, head held high. This whole jumping around, shying away, and even resorting to a ladies suit, left a pungent taste, which only led me to lose my appetite for his fight.

Why only Delhi or Noida (NCR region)?
Dear Baba,
First you ask the countrymen and the government to ensure that we do all it takes to extirpate black money and corruption from this system. Very good and all of that, I say.

But hey, on being denied entry by the Congress (Central and Delhi Govt) post your aborted crusade, you conveniently approach the U.P. Chief Minister - another epitome of the same corruption and black money that you so hate, requesting her to allow entry into Noida (U.P.) - how can one collude and request to be with the one who is against one's principles and is, in effect, the kind of person against whom you are doing all this is in the first place? Sounds of eroding credibility, right?

A Satyagrah can be done anywhere, isn't it? But doing so only where huge crowds can easily come and at a place like NCR (Noida) where the media is headquartered/readily available, simply points to..well, I do not wish to insult my readers' IQ level by explaining the conclusion of all this. All of us can connect the dots, can't we?!

Lost in Translation
How many of us now even remember the cause that was being espoused through this fast? Why do we not stress on what is the government doing about the issues instead of only focusing on what the government is doing with the people who are taking up those issues?

I do not think this is the first time one has raised this issue of focusing on the messenger more than (or even totally instead of) the message. Unfortunately, by the looks of it, I don't think, if, realistically speaking, I can say that this is the last time either.

Just hopeful and curious to see when and how we can get to see an end to any such charade.

Lessons from the Satyanarayana Katha

2011-05-25T16:33:00.005+05:30

I believe most Brahmin households (in fact, I could probably also say - most Hindu households) would have convened/organized a Satyanarayana Katha at some or the other point in their house. Our family/house too, has been fortunate enough to have been part of this experience.
I just felt like sharing/posting some of my observations from whatever I have tried to gather from the Katha.

Let me begin by first thinking aloud about a query that always strikes me, whenever I listen in to the Katha:
In the Katha, we all get to know about anecdotes on what happened to whoever did or did not perform this puja/Katha.
That's generally what the Katha is about - a compilation of four stories/accounts of four different people/families, all preceded by how and why Maharishi Sooth ji recounted these anecdotes, and followed in the end by all the good things that happened to the people who conducted those Kathas - not only in that life of theirs, but also how they became pious/renowned people in their afterlife too, eventually attaining Moksha.

All very well, I say, but amidst all this, I could somehow never find any mention about what exactly was the Puja/Katha of Bhagwan Shri Satyanarayana that was said to have been done (or not done, at certain times) in any of the stories that make this Katha!
Till the last time, that is..

Lesson # 1 - What the Katha is About:
..Thanks to a Panditji's input in the last Katha that I attended, I have now come to know that the actual Satyanarayana Katha/puja that forms the crux, the basis for all these 4 stories, is that it's just a humble renunciation of the Almighty Lord (Bhagwan Shri Satyanarayana) and remembering that He is Infinite, Supreme, Eternal, and Always Our Well-Wisher. And of course, we must also always remember to sincerely, genuinely and most humbly, bow to His Grace, Love, and Constant Care.

Right, so let me now enumerate what I have learned from the actual 3 stories/anecdotes that make the Katha:

Lesson # 2 - From Stories 1 & 2:
The first story is about a poor Brahmin, who barely manages to eke out a living. Lord Vishnu (aka Bhagwan Satyanarayana), in the guise of another fellow, poor Brahmin, tells him about conducting the Katha, in order to lead a better life.
This shows the Lord's selfless love towards His children, whereupon once He is filled with mercy and compassion towards us, He voluntarily comes and helps us.
No wonder then, that the Brahmin, on having resolved to seriously conduct the Puja, gets to lead a better life, thanks to His blessings.
The next story is about the woodcutter, who gets to know of the Katha through the not-anymore-poor Brahmin. He too, genuinely decides to organize the Puja, and reaps quadruple rewards from his daily wage on the day, enabling him to easily translate his intent into action and results.

This shows that the Lord surely rewards any and every one who has genuine will and puts sincere efforts for a pious, noble and good cause with all the success it deserves.

Lesson # 3 - From Story # 3:
If the first two stories were about people with genuine intent, this next story is about a childless man, who vows to perform the Puja alright, but puts in a condition of doing so only after his wish of having a child is fulfilled. When God fulfills his wish, he is happy to enjoy the same, but conveniently forgets his part of the promise.
Even on being reminded of his vow by his wife, he keeps deferring the Puja repeatedly, and again puts in another wish + condition to the Lord - of conducting a Puja when his daughter would get married.
Even after all this, Bhagwan Vishnu/Satyanarayana remains merciful, giving chances upon chance to him. By His blessings, the girl becomes a lady in due course of time and gets married too.
However, the man still fails to perform the the Puja.
At this point, the Lord does decide to make him understand the hard way, and circumstances ensue in such a way that he and his son-in-law gets falsely implicated for stealing and are imprisoned.
Even then, the Lord makes his wife realize their folly by having her daughter narrate about a Satyanarayana Puja that she witnessed.
This shows that the Lord, even when we think is being harsh on us, is still concerned and caring towards us. Even when He is ostensibly (and rightly) angry with us, He still keeps giving us one chance after another, in order to rectify our mistakes.

As better sense dwells, the Lord Himself ensures that everything turns right once again and the imprisoned duo is set free along with lots of wealth and valuables. While returning back, the Lord again puts them to test, by asking them about the contents of the containers where they had kept all their wealth. When they lied to the Lord, they were truly left with only the Lies they had spoken.
Through this, I think we could probably learn that we must never lie to the Lord and also be ready to share a part of our wealth with others/the needy and those who are less fortunate than us.
Later, when news that the father-in-law and son-in-law duo are about to come, reaches the mother and daughter who are conducting the Puja at their place, the mother hurriedly leaves the Puja right there, giving preference to meeting them instead of expressing her gratitude and obeisance to the One who had ensured their arrival in the first place. She tells her daughter to complete the Puja and come back after having the prasad, but she too, in her excitement, fails to take the prasad.
All these events only show how we, in our lives, are prone towards temptation and easily led by enjoying fruitful results, instead of first properly thanking the Lord who has ensured all this.
When the Lord displays His disapproval of such incorrect preferences by drowning both the men just before their arrival.
However, another thing to learn and remember is that as stated earlier, even in his anger, the Lord is still caring enough towards us, and the anger too must be the result of our misdeeds only.
Even when angry, the Lord makes an Aakashvaani, guiding everyone about why this happened and what must be done to correct that.
Can we ever come even remotely close to understanding just how much we are Loved by the Almighty, even if/when He gets angry at our misdemeanors?!
Needless to say, on taking the prasad and conducting the puja with genuine devotion and sincerity, the Lord blesses everyone and of course, if the Lord gives His blessings, it's again needless to say, that everything is set right again!

Lesson # 4 - From Story # 4:
The previous story referenced an incident about having forgotten to conduct the Puja and even on conducting it the first time, having ignored the prasad's value completely. This one teaches about not ignoring the prasad at all, from any where.
This is about a very renowned, fair, and wealthy king who though being an ardent bhakt of Bhagwan Satyanarayana, having conducted many Pujas at his place, succumbed to his ego and did not find enough merit in accepting prasad from a puja conducted by some cowherds. As a result, he suddenly found hacing lost all his kingdom, family, and wealth. His rejecting the prasad led to the Lord ensuring he understood the message behind the mayhem.
Did you see - though angry at the king's gesture of rejecting his prasad, the Lord was still kind enough to instill and bless the king with good sense again. Having understood his mistake, the King immediately apologised profusely to the Lord and went back to cowherds, had the Prasad, and voila, everything had to be fine again!

Jai Bhagwan Satyanarayana!!
Again, it's ONLY thanks to His Grace, that I have been able to write whatever He allowed me to, and whatever I could understand about the Katha, thanks to His blessings.

Five Reasons Why Our World Cup Victory Is All The More Cherishable & Sweet

2011-04-05T14:46:00.000+05:30

Here are 5 of my reasons why I believe our World Cup victory is all the more momentous and laudable:

# 1: First time ever that a century in the first innings of a World Cup Final, has ended up in a losing cause - that too, without even having any century from the chasing team. #TotalTeamEffort

# 2: First time ever that a team has won a World Cup (final) on home soil, that too, while chasing a never-before-achieved total in a World Cup final.

# 3: In WC 2011, India was the only team to have lost only one match in the entire tournament, after having played the maximum number of matches. Every other team that played, lost atleast 2 matches or more.

# 4: Whenever we have beaten a World Cup, we have always beaten every team that has ever won a World Cup, in that tournament. That's how World Champions should be!

# 5: West Indies, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka - In our last 4 matches, we won the World Cup by beating every team that has ever won a World Cup (in chronological order of every team that won the WC). Truly World Champion stuff.

Congrats Team India, keep up the great work!!

Jai Ho (Gayi)!!

2.5 m of the UDRS and the Judiciary

2011-03-08T11:31:00.001+05:30

It's Women's Day today, and I guess there could possibly be no better day than today to write about Aruna Shanbaug. I believe all of us are aware of the Aruna Shanbaug case. We all know how it is a real-life instance of Guzaarish-esque euthanasia.
Even after knowing the above, I came across a hard-hitting, disturbing and unfortunately, true and factual article.

Now, I do understand the risks with euthanasia being a risky precedent for the not-so-rarest-of-the-rare cases, but here's precisely my point:
How does one identify what falls under rarest-of-the-rare?

As a related example, allow me to mention the case of ICC's 2.5 m rule under the UDRS, that gained prominence when Ian Bell was not given out lbw. Despite all indicators and parameters used in the review clearly being fit enough cases for a dismissal, the batsman was let off due to a theoretical technicality.

In theory, the hawk-eye technology could accurately predict the ball's trajectory only upto 2.5 meters from the stumps, and not any closer.
Hence, despite all actual considerations fulfilling an LBW criteria, the batsman was given not out, because he was struck well forward, 2.5 m from the stumps, thus activating the theoretical possibility, besides the technology's inadequacy.
However, it is important to note that better sense has since prevailed and rightly so.

Surely, Aruna Shanbaug has already suffered a terrible lot, and the vegetative state that she has been in, she has long been a victim of extreme pain, injustice and bestiality.
Can't we display practical activism as used in the UDRS and ensure Aruna gets a dignified end to her travails and incessant suffering?

Even more importantly, while all the news and noise has been about her, why don't we decide to punish beasts like Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, who committed such a heinous crime and are a menace to society, in the gravest possible manner?

We could be scared of this being a precedent that might trigger euthanasia petitions piling up after this alright. But what stops us from making a precedent out of punishing such criminals PROMPTLY and MOST SEVERELY, so that no pervert ever dares to even think on such lines?

It's time practical and common sense solutions win over theoretical, draconian and obsolete word-of-the-book.
It's time the 2.5 meters are bridged.

World Cup Prognosis

2011-02-16T16:38:00.016+05:30

Yes, lots has been going on in the country and outside - in world news highlights, Egypt has courageously
overthrown a monarch. On the home front, India is grappling with one scam after another. As if CWG, Adarsh, and 2G were not enough, presenting the new, improved - ISRO scam too!

Amidst all this, we have a more pleasant reason to look up the news - the ICC Cricket World Cup is here, and it's no wonder that we Indians love forgetting all the dreadful, avoidable news by immersing ourselves into the one sport that binds all of us. The one sport that gives India a credible chance at being World Champions - Yes, the cricket world cup is here.

Thanks to 1983, we are always inundated with reruns of the Indian team's 1983 World Cup matches and the interviews of all our stars from that team. This time, the original showpiece event of cricket - the quadrennial Cricket World Cup, is here in the subcontinent after 14 years. So before the event gets underway, I thought of sticking my neck out with what I feel are each team's chances going into this World Cup.

Would be fun to watch how things pan out, come April 2.

And unless you are someone for whom all that cricket means, is only the name of an insect, you might well know that we have 14 teams playing this World Cup, divided into two groups, each comprising 7 teams. Anyway, here's the complete list of all the fixtures for WC 2011.

That having said, let's now get down to gazing through my crystal ball, and predicting the prospects for the World Cup (click the image below, to enlarge the sheet for a better view):

First-round eliminations:

Yes, I somehow fancy Bangladesh more than the West Indies to make it to the Quarters. The one big reason is that the Bangla boys are always a force to reckon with, when playing at home. Then, the fact that apart from playing all their matches in front of a rooting crowd at home, they are also blessed with quite a few players who are more suited to their playing conditions, as against the Windies' team. Also, unlike the West Indians, I actually believe that Bangladesh could still beat one of the 3 more fancied teams of its group (in India, SA, and England - apart from ofcourse, looking capable enough to beat the current West Indies team on home ground).

The rest of the teams - Zimbabwe, Netherlands, Ireland, Kenya, and Canada - could play a good match here and there, but it would be a big shock to see any of them progressing beyond the first round.

New Zealand - A4

Good team, but certainly not better than SL, Aus, and Pakistan from their group mates in Group A. Expect them to be A4.

Pakistan - A3

Not better than a rejuvenated Aussie side and cannot be better than a formidable SL team playing all its matches at home. A3.

Australia - A2

Better than all sides except a formidable SL team playing all its matches at home. A2.

Sri Lanka - A1

A formidable SL team playing almost all its matches at home (except against NZ - at Mumbai). Should top their group. A1.

Bangladesh - B4

Already spoken about. Can seriously edge out the Windies, esp since they are playing almost all their matches at home. Unlike Windies, could beat a top 3 team from its group. B4.

England - B3

Not better than SA and India (though not worse than any others in their Group) - cannot see them beating both SA and India. B3.

South Africa - B2

Better than England, Bangladesh (gut-feel and heart say India can only be beaten on an off-day on home soil) - can beat both. B2.

India - B1

Better than all sides except an off day at home. Should (and must) top their group. B1.

Why India must top their Group

If you look at the Quarter Final (QF) lineup, it is stacked against all teams who could easily beat India (or any team) on their day. Among them, the weakest link is the Kiwi line-up. Topping the group would mean we get to play the easiest team in the QF setup, that too, in pretty-much home conditions, in Sri Lanka (somehow, I feel outside of Indian pitches, India would prefer to play in Colombo than in Dhaka, in front of a difficult Bangla crowd, on a pitch that could be ultra-slow even by Indian sub-continental standards).

QF1: SL Vs Bangladesh

Easy - Despite Bangla's home adv, SL won't take it lightly. The Lankans should be comfortable winners.

QF2: Australia Vs England

Australia - thanks to their mauling of England and superior form. England seems only a better Test-playing nation, not still the ODI champs. Aus also play better in Indian than England do.

QF3: Pakistan Vs South Africa

Hmm - tight. But still, SA have their noses in front. Could be anybody's game.

QF4: India Vs New Zealand

Unless they mess it or someone plays a blinder, the game should be India's - in subcontinental conditions.

Semi Final 1: Sri Lanka Vs South Africa (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Though SL are a tough side especially at home, SA are the better side - greater batting depth and better bowling.

Semi Final 2: India Vs Australia (Mohali, India)
Hmm - could be tight, but still expect India to make it through. WILL BE TIGHT.

FINAL: India Vs South Africa (Mumbai, India)

Well, Home Conditions + FINAL + Choking SA = India! That’s all the heart hopes for!! Amen.
For all we know, it could also be India Vs Pakistan (if Pakistan beat SA) in the FINAL! And yes, who knows what all can happen then!! Would nevertheless be great to see a 2007 T20 WC Final encore - India beating Pakistan in a thriller!!
Amen!! :)

UDRS: Unable to Decode Reluctance of Sachin

2011-02-04T16:37:00.000+05:30

Right then, we are into the World Cup season and it's hard to not think about it every now and then. Especially with its unabated and unabashed promotion through every second news byte or even advertisements.

Before I actually get into talking about the World Cup chances and performances, let me first dwell on something that has long been a mystery to me: India's approach towards UDRS.
I do understand the point that it might not be fool-proof and there could still be the odd 50-50 one or even an incorrect one being dished out to you, even after going with this option.
However, to say that it is useless just because it is not foolproof is laughable, to say the least. What in the world, by the way, is foolproof?
Do we stop driving (fearing that a non-foolproof thing like driving could cause accidents) or stop eating (fearing a non-foolproof bite might choke us)? In short, do we stop living, coz it is not fool-proof anyway either?!

And to beat this, what I surely, totally, do not get at all, is how we can claim to be ready for UDRS, without even having tried it ever in an ODI? Sure, we might still go on to use it well (and I do hope so) but does that mean we adopted the right way to learn using it? - by avoiding it, till it became necessary and avoidable?

We made a hell lot of noise about rotating all the top players in the Indian ODI mix over the last few years for World Cup by trying and testing them with international match practice before (and for) the World Cup - way to go!

Tested and strengthened our bench strength with international match practice before (and for) the World Cup, played and pottered around with Ravindra Jadeja (before patience with Jadeja finally ran out and Yusuf finally paid off) for the No. 7 position, but what about our testing and practicing our tactics and approach when it comes to the UDRS?

Why did we not try it out with international match practice before (and for) the World Cup,when the entire squad should have known how and when to use it?

The most essential bit about UDRS is that we can atleast do away with the blunders that no fair cricketer would want. I’d imagine even a victory feeling would be soured for many fair cricketers and fans, if you find that the match-winning player got away with a howler. As you said, it’s about judicious use of the referrals.

I think India’s reticence stems from the way we used our referrals the only time we ever used it - in India's 2008 Test series in Sri Lanka. And honestly, how Sachin got out to referrals (though Sehwag also was a victim of the referral – that too a 50-50 referral decision going against him, he still supports its usage). India was always at the rough end of the stick in that series – I think we got 2 refs right, as against SL’s 11.

I, like millions, am a Sachin fan, but I suspect even the BCCI is against anything that SRT doesn’t like. As you have rightly brought out, it’s nice to have limited appealing rights and that’s where knowing, using, learning and practising the UDRS usage is all the more important, instead of being a bully in every series and striking the option down.

Doesn’t even portray India as a fair player (and honestly, others are correct if they think so in this rergard) since whatever UDRS is, it is the same for both sides. How can only it be unfair to only India and not the other side (or vice versa), especially when the opposing teams have no objection to (in fact they want and support) its usage?!

Come to think of it, how many people/teams would be in complete support (or even prefer/like!) the dreaded and much-less-clear and much-more-random Duckworth-Lewis method?! But we all go by it, don’t we? I’m sure, UDRS is much better, much more reliable and beneficial and likeable and preferable by all vis-a-vis D-L. No?!

Otherwise too, if you see, specific to WC 2011 plans, even with all the anathema we have had against UDRS, what I find totally useless and stupid is why not agree to use it in all the series we played (Aus, NZ, and SA) and practise usage when, it is clearly and unarguably already known and decided, that even if we agree or not, like it or not, IT IS TO BE USED in the WC!

Hope better sense prevails and ICC gets to decide. For once, I don’t agree with SRT on this.

Why Choc-a-blog?

2011-01-17T12:11:00.001+05:30

Happy New Year and all that, friends! (though as of today, 2011 ain't new anymore)!
Right then - so here's to a wonderful new year, new ideas, new posts - and new, fresh thoughts.

And in continuing with my bout of fresh-uenza, I, after almost a couple of years of blogging, took a fresh look at my blog today, and realized - what the heck, I have never quite explained as to why really - why my blog has been named thus!
So here I am, writing this today, to dig into the etymology of 'Choc-a-blog':

Well, to start with, all that I cared about was that my blog should get a nice, sweet name...
...and so, I guess putting in a Chocolate flavor (Choc) wasn't such a terrible effort after all!

And ofcourse, there was also the small matter of indicating the intent of what the blog could have - all that was going inside my mind or heart (generally only these two organs - yup, let's not digress!).

This blog has always intended to be a platform for me to reflect and share, whatever has been going on, inside me, about whatever appeals to me, or makes me feel strongly enough to write about.
I'd like to think I do have many thoughts going within me, that react to every development, every news and every activity that makes me think/ask/write about my stand vis-a-vis them.

Since there are many of them everyday, I think my mind is indeed always Choc-a-bloc/Chockablock with so many ideas and thoughts.
So I just decided to perform some word-wizardry of the highest order when I played on the idiom Choc-a-bloc/Chockablock.
And voila, there you go - out came 'Choc-a-blog'!:)

I started slowly and inconsistently (not that my posts have reached any supersonic speeds now!) but have become more regular now. Atleast from mid-2009 onwards, I set myself a goal to write, at least once a month, about whatever appealed to me at that time.
So, there you are - so far, so good - but hope to improve beyond an annual turnover of just a dozen posts.

Words fall short..

2010-12-20T15:12:00.005+05:30

..as yet another milestone is achieved, by the one and only Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

Almost right from the time he made his debut, cricket experts and enthusiasts alike have fallen over themselves in complimenting and eulogizing the batman from India.
What I find most amazing amidst all this, is that the man himself is never ever fazed or dazed by the hyperbole and incessant 'tributes' paid to him.
Writers have run out of superlatives, but the man has not run out of steam yet. And are we happy about it!!

His humility, level-headedness, composure, focus and zeal to enjoy and keep evolving and keep honing his already supreme skills is what is worth emulating and makes him truly remarkable. Not to also forget that he's been a humble achiever unsullied by any blot against his name for the last 21 years at the international cricket level. And still counting!

We've written, read, before having again re-written and re-read, about all his achievements and abilities. But such is his greatness, and such are his qualities that he never makes repeating them seem unfashionable. Unfathomable - yes, for it is unbelievable to think that someone could do so much so regularly for more than two decades and still counting, under so much constant pressure without being in the bad books of anyone. Ever. Amazing, just amazing!
Find all this unfathomable? - yes. Unfashionable? - NO!

Many times, we tend to skip the fact that the genius that he is, could also be a human being - prone to emotions, troughs and errors of judgement. But the fact that he has managed to remain untouched by any controversy, any dissent (despite having borne the rough end of some real howlers) or anything undesirable both on the field as well as off it, is a testament to not only the man's greatness, dedication and focus towards the game, but also to his integrity, disciplined life and impeccable personality.

We all know of every shot in the book (and even those that he has created out of the book, like his vertically-pointed ferocious paddle sweep and the crisp upper cut) that he has enthralled us with, so many times. But if one also realizes the nature and attitude of the man behind the batsman, it makes Sachin worthy of being adored and regarded, all the more.

ToI aptly put the importance of Sachin's latest achievement in perspective, by writing thus: "In a year when adjectives like ‘biggest’ and ‘unprecedented’ were mostly used to describe scams, it was left to India’s sportspersons to provide cheer to the nation with their stirring feats. It is fitting, therefore, for 2010 to draw to a close with a stupendous achievement by a hero who has epitomized sporting perfection for over two decades and given millions of Indians countless moments of pride and joy."

For being the hope of a billion people for 21 years and counting, for still being the best batsman and the most prized wicket in the team even now, for being the motivation for innumerable teammates, youngsters, and cricket fans all over, for carrying the expectations and pressures of a billion hearts every time he sets foot on field so wonderfully and humbly over all these years, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar - take a bow!!
More power to you, SRT - The Bharat Ratna that India is yet to call a Bharat Ratna!

Oh, by the way, if you'd also like to savor a moment from each of his 50 centuries (till now), here it is - go, indulge!

I say NO to empty rhetoric. Do YOU?

2010-11-26T18:37:00.007+05:30

There we go, another year gone by...26/11/2010 now marks a couple of years since the entire nation endured the gruesome spectre of the 26/11 tragedy.
Just as 2010 also marks:
17 years since the Bombay serial blasts,
11 years since the Kargil war,
9 years since the Parliament attack, and
hardly a few days since we heard of the latest terror strike alerts.
Oh, and this is most certainly and most unfortunately, not even an exhaustive list.

Anyone aware of the way we have approached revisiting such bitter and tragic instances would know that such dates have turned into nothing, except a time for ceremonial platitudes.
Time for dishing out the usual rhetoric on every such anniversary.
Time for talking about the 'spirit' of a Mumbai and praising the much-abused Indian patience, resolve and statesmanship.
Sorry leaders, but we can totally do away with all the useless, spineless tokenisms that you choose to vomit/spurt/blurt out, on such days with unfailing regularity and predictability.

I tried to reflect on, and list, what all has happened/changed in the last two years since 26/11/2008:

The main conspirators hiding in Pakistan are still scot-free. Worse, we are even today, as helpless in apprehending them as we were a couple of years ago (despite all credible evidence and intelligence inputs).What has ever become of Dawood Ibrahim, for that matter, in the 17 years till date that we should expect anything better or new, now?!

The predictably unrepentant terrorist - the captured gunman Ajmal Kasab - is still languishing in jail, having already cost the exchequer many crores.

Home Minister P Chidambaram has, today, despite having issued thousands of pages of voluminous dossiers, yet again noted/appealed to/told (take your pick, if you find any one of them better than the other two stances) Pakistan that it has to act against the conspirators.

India has re-re-re-re-re-re-re-issued a stern warning and re-re-re-re-re-re-re-said it is looking forward to stern action from the Pakistani authorities, and re-re-re-re-re-re-expressed its displeasure and regret over lack of enough action on the ground, despite enough incriminating evidence.
Keep looking, I say! What better can you expect of the Pakistanis? But what better have we done ourselves after just saying, saying and saying...and then expecting them to say and do what we'd like? Sure, we should just keep expecting, keep looking and keep hoping, all of us - before (God forbid!) the next one takes off. Even after that, what can happen? A new series of statements (yes, just those) of renewed, reaffirmed displeasure/regret/hope would be unveiled and there we go again.

David Headley has been accidentally unearthed as the lynchpin of the 26/11 planning team but punishing him from our side, through our courts, stays elusive since it's unlikely he would ever get deported to India.
The only good bit is that we can act on the leads received (and to be received) from him, in advance, and use him to trace and track all his co-conspirators.
Alas, this too would be possible, only after the mercy of, permission from, and dependency on - USA's co-operation.

A movement that looked to create a difference through public unity and an outpouring of emotions against terrorists in the immediate aftermath of 26/11 did seem to have some muscle in it but that too, has since fizzled out.

My point is - WHY? Why do we have to stay content with such state of affairs? Why can the media, like Raja's, Chavan's, or Kalmadi's misdemeanours, not highlight the government's inaction and inertia?

WHY and for how long should we be expected to stay content with just pledging to act, repeatedly?

Hand on heart - have we done whatever it takes and is in our capacity to act? What have we done to improve our intelligence systems and beef our security apparatus, so that we are not sitting ducks, just waiting for the next bomb to go off somewhere?

I'm not one for blindly aping the US/West/anyone but what's good and worth emulating, must not be ignored.
Did the US do anything similar in the two years since 9/11?
Sure, we are not a superpower but can't we even show our intent (if we genuinely have one, to prevail against terrorism)?
How many years has it been since 9/11? How many repeats of (forget such attacks) any subsequent attack have we seen on US soil?
It's not even about results, for God's sake. It's about genuine, persistent intent translating into concrete action.
Have we seen the same earnestness and zeal to protect its borders and citizens from the Indian leadership and security agencies, as we have seen from those in the US?

As I said, it's not even just 26/11 - there are so many other instances that have left us bruised, battered, bereaved, and grieved. What has ever become of any of them?

Which is why, it is high time our leaders acttually be proactive and ACT to do everything to bring the perpetrators to book, and do all in their might to prevent a recurrence of any terrorist misadventure - instead of just vomitting their usual, empty rhetoric on such times.
Surely, we can do much better than just being dependent on Pakistan to act - expect (action against terrorists) and then regret and re-issue a strongly worded statement especially on such occasions, re-expect and re-regret, and on and on and on.

Till then, all that the Indian public can do is to keep its famed spirits alive by humming and believing in these lines:

           Kuchh baat hai ki hasti..
           Mit-ti nahin hamaari,
           Sadiyon raha hai dushman..
           Daur-e-jahaan hamaara.
     Saare Jahaan se Achchha - Hindostaan hamaara!

Guilty, until proven innocent

2010-11-16T13:56:00.003+05:30

All of us are too aware about the current state of Andher Nagri, Chaupat Raja in our country.

I do not wish to dwell on the sheer scale (given the amount of misappropriation) of the scam - and it's not as if other scams of smaller amounts are any less deplorable.
A scam is a scam is a scam. Period.
It is nothing but a brazen breach of trust and honesty. The trust, commitment, transparency, and honesty that the citizens and electorate of the country expect and deserve. Nothing more, nothing less.

What I do want to write about, are the things that struck and hurt me even more than the obvious news flashes and beyond the usual platitudes of 'law must take its own course', 'we condemn such misuse of public money strongly', 'a thorough investigation is a must', 'innocent until proven guilty', and even 'it's a conspiracy'.

Excuse me, but whether it's CM Ibrahim or A Raja, who the hell wants to conspire against these people?
How often have we heard about the conspiracy theory against anyone who is accused of any malafide intent and wilful wrongdoing?

To put it in other words, have you ever heard someone accused of corruption, despite being confronted with raw facts, NOT putting up the 'It's just a ploy/conspiracy against me' front as his sole defence?
I bet, never.

Heard the DMK representative a couple of days ago, vociferously denying any possibility or need of Raja's resignation. After Raja was made to resign yesterday, it was quite laughable to then see him doing a shameless turncoat by taking a moral high ground by then shamelessly claiming how his party had displayed great virtues of probity and accountability.
Only, it wasn't funny. At all.
Where had all these values disappeared only a day ago when they had not been pressed for resignation?
To see such embezzlers being portrayed as 'scapegoats' of 'conspiracies', is nothing but a smokescreen of the highest order.

Does a Ratan Tata or the CAG have nothing better to do than alleging against someone like an Ibrahim or a Raja, respectively?
What we should actually ask is why was the Government sleeping on the matter and was in fact, even defending Raja till the last minute?

The accused always believe propounding a conspiracy angle is all they need to do, to wash their hands off any allegation. So what, even if it comes from credible people/agencies with incriminating evidence!
I believe it's time we dealt with such scamsters with this two-pronged approach:

A) Guilty, until proven innocent
Having seen enough of such attitudes and circumstances, I am honestly sick of people being framed as innocent when clearly and under the garb of conspiracy, all evidence is against them.
Now I am not against the basic premise of this idea. However, I am all against its misuse.

Such people who misuse these laws and tenets, under the pretext of 'conspiracy' and/or 'innocent till guilty' when there is compelling evidence against them, must be presumed as guilty. And this is where an independent (from the clutches of bureaucrats and politicians) agency must be formed, to act against those who are, on the basis of prima facie evidence, clearly found to be complicit in any kind of breach and misuse of public position and office. And then try to hide under the garb of 'innocent until proven guilty'.

Our judicial system is already swamped with so many cases that it takes only so long to decide on the cases (that too, assuming witnesses don't die/get killed/turn hostile), that the actual culprits either remain scot-free, on bail, or die a natural death at the young age of anywhere in their eighties or even nineties.

Such people who treat law as part of their own fiefdom need to be treated as guilty. Like a show-cause notice, the onus should be on them to prove why and how they are not guilty when all prima facie evidence is against them.
And atleast resign, voluntarily.

Time was, we had Lal Bahadur Shastri, who owed up responsibility for a train mishap and resigned. Voluntarily.
Simple question: How big a role do you think, did he have in the mishap?
Was Shastri ji's role in the train tragedy in any way more than or even similar to what Raja's (and his ilk's) has been in all sorts of scams? But unlike the bellicose, unrepentant, shameless politicos of today, Shastri ji voluntarily put in his papers.
THAT, is what is meant and evident by Probity, Conscience, and Transparency.
Not when you get belligerent and even have the gall to display a forced resignation as martyrdom in the guise of upholding values.

B) Ensuring Accountability and Setting Precedents

Barring the exception of Sukhram in the telecom scandal, how many politicians embroiled in a scam have ever gone to jail?
Let's make the perpetrators pay - I say this only metaphorically, because literally speaking, that's precisely what they do - pay they do! Which is why, after paying up and bribing the equally culpable officials, they always get to be scot-free.

It's time to ensure those who commit such gross misappropriation and corruption get nothing short of non-bailable warrants. Let's see them behind bars.

When the Harshad Mehta scam happened, only Harshad Mehta went to jail, not any politician.
When the Ketan Parekh scam came to light, only Ketan Parekh went to jail, not any politician.
When the cash-for-votes evidence against Bangaru Laxman came to light, he was made to resign but he too, was never jailed. Nor did anyone from the hawala scam, or the fodder scam, or the zillion other misappropriations that never even come to light.

If a Shivraj Patil is inept during (and before) 26/11, he is removed. But what next? He becomes a Governor. Ditto for an N D Tiwari, after his infamous, sleaze-filled video.
The point is, politicians have for long gotten habituated to a settled and a 'yahaan-nahin-toh-wahaan-accommodate-kar-denge' life. In any case, they know they would not only get bailed out and roam scot free, but also get some plum post, sooner or later, here or there.

What we really and urgently require is to set up an agency that is outside any purview or any sort of influence of the government and the MPs. However, forming one obviously requires a legislation. The only, small problem is that such a legislation, that undermines the power of the legislatures, would have to be created, ratified and passed by the legislatures themselves.
Well, it's a bit like asking ISI to disband terror camps or hand over Dawood - you will hear all the usual noises but ultimately, nothing will effectively happen on the ground.
Alas, one can't expect a burglar to pass a legislation allowing others to stop burglaries!

The Bharat Ratna that India is yet to call a 'Bharat Ratna'

2010-10-21T18:25:00.007+05:30

Of late, I have allowed myself some indulgence by enjoying ‘seeing’ some creative and imaginative teams ‘play’, in my mind. Cricinfo has been dishing out All-time XIs - such as of the World, as well as of each country, including ours). Some lists are even more specific, like the All-time Poetry in Motion World XI or even an All-time XI of the best of the rest - the Excluded XI.
And so, while these are purely academic exercises, there is no harm in enjoying the romanticism of how great it would have been, to see all such players, playing together as a team.

In continuation/relation with the above-mentioned theoretical pursuit, there is another such activity that has occupied the mindspace of many cricket enthusiasts – the evergreen debate about Sachin being the best-ever batsman to have played the game or not.

Anyone who has known me or discussed cricket with me, would vouch for my fan following towards Sachin. Therefore, to remove any bias in my judgement, I decided to test him on the most objective (and not subjective) parameters.

So even if I believe that no one ever could, or ever will achieve the balance in posture before, during and after playing a stroke the way only he does, I would not give him extra points for that (though he deserves them!).

Not even when he just no-more-than-pushes at the ball and it races to the boundary.

Not even when he is so compact in his defence that even lightning cannot sneak through, between his bat and pad.

Not even when he upper cuts fast bowlers to make it seem so ridiculously simple that you'd think even Geoffrey Boycott's mom would be able to mete out similar treatment to those balls.

Not even when he paddle-sweeps a spinner ferociously to the fine-leg fence.

And not even when he shapes up to play a sweep shot, and still has the time to easily switch to Plan B and execute a late cut, all with effortless ease and grace.

What I will judge him on, is how good he has been, in terms of the following parameters:

1) Longevity

To be able to represent your country for so long, to play with the kind of passion he has, and to still retain the joy, love and zest for the game even after more than two decades, is phenomenal, to say the least. Not to forget, he has been a backbone of the team all these years, right since 1989.

2) Consistent Match Winner

The number of Man of the Match awards he has won, and the number of times India has won when he has scored centuries, are all indisputable facts, for all to see.

His display in all formats of the game has not only been brilliant, but also consistently brilliant. It’s one thing to be good initially, in say, your first international season, but entirely another to retain it over the subsequent seasons. Ajantha Mendis would vouch for the same! And to be consistently great for so long, is possible for only a one-in-a-million.

3) Stats – Runs, 100s, Strike Rate, Average

Yes, they don't reveal everything, but stats don't hide everything either. In fact, they do tell a lot. And when it comes to Sachin's records, they just speak for themselves. Need I say more?!

4) Quality and Variety of Opposition Faced

From the previous point about Statistics, many believe that Sir Don with his famous 99.94 and the sheer frequency-of-centuries-per-matches-played makes for a greater bat than Sachin. However, with due respects to the Don, we must not forget that Sir Don played in an era where:

He never played outside Australia and England

He never faced vicious turners or hostile pacemen on their home turfs

He played 52 Tests over a 20-year period with NO one-dayers (which meant enough time to recuperate and re-charge) as compared to 160+ Tests for Sachin over the same period (including playing in One Dayers too).

He was never under anywhere close to the kind of pressure to perform each time he walked out to bat, that Sachin has almost forever gone through (and handled exceptionally)

He never got video-analysed, and ‘sorted’ by the bowlers

Without taking any credit away from his ability and talent, it must also be noted that the quality of bowling was hardly as high in the 1920s-1940s era, as it has been since the last two decades. Sir Don never played such a variety of pitches and bowling attacks as Sachin has.

With all the above facts, it shouldn’t be tough to ascertain who the greater immortal should be (and not the lesser mortal!).

5) Home Vs Away Performances

Sachin’s performances both at home and away are again, there for all to see. No wonder, he is the only cricketer in the only world about whom it is said that wherever he plays in the world, it is a home game for him – not just because he is loved everywhere, but also because he has scored against everyone, since these many decades against all sorts of bowlers, everywhere!

6) All Shots in the book

Not only does Sachin have all shots in the book, like his paddle sweep and upper cut, he has improvised to create many of his own, outside of the book too. No one else has had such complete mastery over virtually every shot played perfectly. Yes, there could still be/have been a few who might be/have been able to play all shots, but only Sachin can play all shots with same amount of perfection in each shot! Even the way he weaves out of the line of a bouncer with body and bat away from possible contact and eyes still on the ball, is a sight to behold.

Even after all this, what we might still not know is how much his body hurts at this age, and how he manages to motivate himself to raise the bar of excellence with his subsequent knocks.

Despite simulating how he’d feel like every time he walks onto the ground with thousands of lungs shouting (chanting) his name, we might still never realize just how much expectation and pressure he copes with and conquers, in every single innings of his.

We might still not know how his mere presence in the dressing room or on the field spurs other Indian cricketers to produce their best in front of him (and often, thanks to his tips and encouragement).

And we might still never know, how, in an India saddled with corrupt politicians, inept governance, average to below-average performers or non-performers in every sphere, and with general gloom and doom all around in a country that yearns for an avatar to feel good about, how he manages to give every cricket lover a reason to find life perfect, and how critical he is, to all of us.

Last, but certainly not the least, what is most lovable about this man is how he manages to retain his humility despite his super stardom and despite the world anointing him a Master Blaster/Little Master, he remains as much a student and humble, grateful servant of the game he has always genuinely loved, to this day.

Pray, tell me, how do we measure all this?! And if we can (as we should), how can there be any doubt whatsoever about who the greatest guy to have walked on this planet with a bat is?!!

To cut a long story short, Sachin is not just the world’s best Saurav da, he IS the world’s best-ever. Surely, the greatest Bharat Ratna that India is yet to have. Whenever he gets conferred with it (and hopefully he will be!), it would have been long overdue.

More power to you, Little Master..and may you keep thrilling us, even till ever after!

Jai Ho!

2010-09-26T21:10:00.007+05:30

Ok, this one's gonna be an angry, frustration-venting post.
As I write this, we have already read all sorts of sad, shameful and embarrassing reports about the CommonWealth Games - about a ceiling collapse, about a boxer's broken bed, about its 'filthy' rooms with unfit and unliveable conditions, and even about a snake being found in one of the rooms. To state that all these (and other such) incidents are saddening and humiliating, is about as insightful as the analysis that when the sun is out in full force, it can mean daytime!

That the nation's honor, self-esteem and credibility has taken a beating is not only a fact, but also an understatement. The larger issue, though, is about actually getting to the root of exactly what all went wrong, so that we learn our lessons well. We must honestly ask ourselves as to why, we as a nation, have failed so miserably?

I am reasonably convinced that atleast a majority of the readers, on reading the last line, would be thinking that I am referring to the failure of Kalmadi and his Organizing Committee (OC), only. Well, while they are surely (and deservedly) the prime candidates to be put in the dock, they are not alone. I am also referring to the government, to the media, as well as to you and me. It's a failure to which all of us have contributed, in one way or the other. Lemme talk about each, one by one.

Kalmadi and his entourage:
Having been at the helm of affairs of such a historic Games and after having touted their extensive experience in handling and organizing world-class events, surely, it's not asking too much from the Organizing Committee, led by Mr. Kalmadi, to be proactive, well-prepared, and thorough in their preparations. It's the very least anyone can do.
How on earth could these guys be so immune to the consequences/pitfalls of last-minute preparations? Why, in the first place, do we always have to leave things till the eleventh hour (and 59th minute)? Especially when we know rains would play havoc with preparations in July-August (if not the unexpected, unrelenting downpours in September too).

What was the CWG administration and the management doing all this while?
When the most embarrassing pictures of filthy living conditions were presented, why did the OC Secretary-General not even bother to be man enough to look facts and failure in the eye, and accept a fault? Wasn't it even worse and insensitive of him to deflect the cause of the query and accompanying remedial measures by attributing them to 'different standards of hygiene'?!

When allegations of corruption - of those infamously rented treadmills and other equipments - were running around thick and fast, why did not the OC come up with the correct picture and present its stance, if there were no ulterior motives behind the exorbitant costs?

The Govt:
When reports about CWG irregularities, ill-preparedness and significant project delays had become public knowledge, why did the Government not crack the whip, atleast by then?!

What can we expect from our government when it is itself incompetent in doing its job? CWG is just another feather in its cap. Already, it has been immune to so much else. Grains can rot and can be eaten by rodents but are not meant to be given to the poor for free, huge unrest in the integral parts of our country has anyway become routine stuff, people getting killed brazenly and without contempt in the name of family honor, infrastructure coming apart every other day somewhere or the other due to something as expected and innocuous as rains, Maoist disturbances to deal with every now and then, people using their parochial interests even at the cost of (further) national shame, Mamta turning into more of a Wail-minister than Rail Minister as Railways hurtles from one accident to another, while she stays busy playing politics over Bengal, and Kashmir and Ayodhya being such flashpoints in our country, that we have to clamp curfews due to the insensitive nature among us. Terrible, disgusting, abhorable.
Hey, I had told you, this is gonna be one angry, vent-filled post.

More than the lack of preparation, it's the attitude of the organizers and the men-in-charge, which is worrying and distressing. Lalit Bhanot wants us to think that the stinking and disgusting state of rooms is due to a relatively different standard of hygience among foreigners, Sheila Dikshit tells us that the bridge that collapsed was not meant for athletes. So anyone's life is cheap as long as it does not become a headline-hogging news, huh? Where have our hard-earned taxes been splurged, which have officially (and only on paper) been spent on CWG preparations?

What's the solution? Either let there not be any games so that we know our priority is in the right place first. And let us ensure we spend this amount on our infrastructure, proper training, equipment, stadia, attractive packages for capable players, coaches and administrators, etc. Having said so, again it's a utopian stand, because it's too late now. An out of India hosting would only officially discredit the nation as a classic case study of poor planning and zero execution skills, along with no troubleshooting ability when faced with a crisis.

The Media:
While the media has rightly discussed threadbare the pathetic state of management and last-minute preparations at the CWG, as a responsible and fair medium, it is also obliged to present the complete picture, and not just one side of the coin.
But has the media ever also brought the good bits to light?

How many in the media have reported the other, pleasant and pride-worthy side of the Games? While no sane-minded person would ever deny that there has been great bungling and much left to be desired, I think we too, by being ONLY armchair critics, and by reporting on ONLY the wrongs and completely overlooking anything wonderful, are only being negative participants.
Though we cannot have the authority to take to task those responsible (rather, those who have been irresponsible), we can atleast do our humble bit in making the Games a success. And it starts with respecting ourselves, in not letting go our nation's self-esteem and being proud of ourselves, wherever it is due and deserved.
Just as we bring to light the gross mismanagements, we must also be equally keen to appreciate and take pride in some exceptionally awesome work too, that runs the risk of not being given its due. Koi bhi desh (and/or Games) perfect nahin hota, usey perfect banaya jaata hai! :)

You and Me:
But what do we, as a people, do? You and me. Yes, all of us are pained by the state of affairs. But I was thinking, isn't it easy to keep cribbing about what all is wrong, who should do what or who should have done what?
Isn't it always easy to be an armchair critic? If Kalmadi & Co. are incompetent, that's a pity on them. But do we become better than them by just pointing out what they have and could have/should have done, while still nto doing anything except cribbing? Often, we tend to solely concentrate on getting to know which person to point our finger at, put the blame, and display our angst over social networking fora or by forwarding the latest jokes on CWG.
All very well and great use of freedom of expression, but I hope all of us (including yours truly) also learn to spot, and atleast try to look at, possible solutions from there (any critical, embarrassing, unpleasant situation) onwards instead of just lamenting/fretting about it or just sending bulk jokes.
It's great to be able to find faults in others and what 'can be/could have been' and 'should be/should have been' done by others.

What have we actually DONE ourselves in contributing to the betterment of our society, and our country?

Even if we aren't in the Games Committee, isn't there so much you and me can do, to make our country better? Do our good deeds and responsible citizen's duties have to take birth only as a direct after-effect of being bestowed with some authority or position? Isn't being a good, responsible, loving and caring citizen the responsibility and duty that should be ingrained in us? Even if others are not right, let us do our little things right. Atleast keep the slate of our conscience and our duties clean. From picking up a piece of garbage even if all others too walk right past it, to not honking unnecessarily on the roads and not jumping lights, to not ignoring an accident victim desperate for help for fear of police case/lack of time, to being a concerned citizen ready to help others, with a bomb blast/earthquake/flood relief work even when no one from our family and friends is involved - there's so much you and me can do.

If you are on FaceBook, do check out this album.
Phew - have ranted enough, but before shutting shop, I'd just like to sincerely urge all of us, including you and me, to take pride in the qualities and the great stuff we have, while also being cognizant of our shortcoming and failures and take the erring individuals to task. But while declaring the decision and punitive actions are not in our hands, what is entirely in our control as well as our duty, is to ensure we do our bit in making the Games a success, just like these volunteers. For starters, we can implement the points, Dr. Kalam has made - captured in Photos 28 - 30 of the album.

I'm sure, step by step, the world will be a better place. If nothing else, let us atleast change ourselves for the better without looking at whether our neighbors or neighbors' neighbors, or colleagues or colleagues' colleagues have changed themselves first. Let's just change ourselves, for the better, without being dependent on anyone else for approval or necessary appreciation.
Amen, and Jai Ho!

Ja deja-vu

2010-08-25T16:15:00.009+05:30

Time was, when man could not have expected to land on the moon.

Time was, when it seemed insane to expect some kind of technology would present and connect you to anything anywhere in the world at just the 'click' of a 'mouse'.

Time was, when it was inconceivable to think that a person could talk to another person at another end of the world, without having to blow his lungs away in trying to be audible to 'such a far' distance and that too, while being mobile, on the move.

Time was, when I used to think Ravindra Jadeja could bat.
Yes.

I first saw him struggle at the World T20 in England, and I thought he was too raw at the international circuit and considering the team's form, fortunes and match situations, most of his early knocks seemed a baptism by fire.

However, many matches, heartaches, frustrations and benefits-of-doubt later, I realized he is not going anywhere. Even after enough of chances, big-match experience, and backing provided to him.
The guy has simply stagnated bigtime.

But, being an eternal optimist, I don't mean to write this piece as an obituary for him. Hope he improves and earns and commands his place back in the Indian team (he needs to some day get dropped in the first place though, to make a comeback!).
However, being a pragmatist too, I don't see him as a guy who belongs there, at the highest level, as of now. Time after time, chance after chance, every time he has fluffed any opportunity that has come his way.

Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for India, the country is too big with too many talented players around, to fill up in atleast the shoes he'd (ok....make that he 'should') have to vacate on being dropped. Certainly not with the level of his game at the moment.

With precisely 8 games to play at home before THE Cup in 2011, we really need to get our core people in the mix. The Kohlis, the Unadkats, the Saurabh Tyagis, the Pujaras - they are all there, waiting.
Question is, do we have enough time to even blood a youngster NOW? Isn't this lack of planning/vision? What are we waiting for, when we see Jadeja fail?
For that one average flash in the pan, when he can secure his place for atleast a year? He's had enough chances, just be fair to all others too. Most of all, be fair to the chances of the team.

The problem, though, is not just this.
Why does the selection committee play him, time and time again? Just because he can be used to do both bat and ball (pathetically)?
Isn't Irfan Pathan (even Yusuf Pathan) a better choice than him? Surely, the bowler in Jadeja hasn't exactly turned out to be earth-shaking material either.

Okay, he's alright (at best) at containing batsmen (that too, only on his day), and can scratch his way to a 20-odd in just under 40 deliveries. Is that good enough for an Indian No. 7 in ODI cricket, especially when he is expected to come to the crease most often during or just before the slog overs?

Rohit Sharma is another case study on what goes inside the insides of talented people who do not get to transcend from being good to at least better and wonderful, if not great.

Only goes on to show how great Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is.
To have talent and ability is one thing.
But to adapt, not relax, have the passion, enthusiasm, love and the will to always evolve and improve is another.

That's what separates the chaff from the grain. The men from the boys.
The Tendulkars from the Ravindars.

Till our players understand the merit behind having rigorous and seriously-taken nets and performance analysis sessions...
Till our selectors understand the need to ensure a non-performer (however potentially talented) does not take his spot for granted despite numerous chances...
Till the players themselves start yearning to get a feel of the pride one would get after turning a match around for India (instead of just the gift of turning up for India)....
Till we evolve together as a team...
...we shall keep being helpless witnesses to same results from same situations from the same players, match after match.

We would do better to learn from our mistakes and atleast not repeat the same ones again. Let's just give room to performers and performances and not on those who do not seem keen to learn or put in their best foot forward. Otherwise, we all know it will just be a case of deja-vu, yet again.

Happy Birthday Harsha!!

2010-07-19T22:57:00.002+05:30

To the man who is to cricket commentary, what Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is to batting - Happy Birthday Harsha!

May God bless you with many more years of success, joy, and every happiness in the world - touchwood, and amen!
I can still recall, as a schoolkid growing up in the early 90s, I remember listening to Harsha's commentary for the first time on radio when India were Down Under in 1992. We didn't have a cable connection (don't remember if those matches were even telecast, except an hour-long highlights capsule of the day's play on good ol' DD)...it was at that time, that I got acquainted with this comfortable, easy on the ears, joy to hear, witty as well as knowledgeable voice that presented the game in a very simple yet insightful, and a very matter-of-fact yet thorough analysis of the game.

I remember listening to his commentary and enjoying it as much as the matches. A lot of credit for changing the quality of cricket broadcast in India goes to guys like (and primarily) Harsha. I don't recall paying half as much attention to the banal commentaries in the pre-Harsha era. Mr. Bhogle, it's you who made me sit up and enjoy listening to, observing, and studying the goings-on, the after-effects and the possible effects of anything happening in a cricket field than just a mechanical account of who bowled to him, and what happened after that delivery.

One instance specifically comes to mind:
Once, Sachin once got out to a lollypop offspinner (I guess it was MichaelVaughan) in '02.
Harsha wonderfully quipped something to the following effect:
"Oh what a shame. It was reminiscent of a soldier who survived the war when all the bullets were flying by his nose and then got run over by a bicycle in his native town."

Enjoy some more of his gems here!

His commentary was and continues to be a lesson in keeping things simple, enjoying the game, channelising the knowledge, passion and love for the game in the best way possible, and also being neutral and objective while doing so.
In fact, he is one of the select few commentators who are part of the most famous, most liked, most awaited, most elite and most sought-after commentators. Not to forget, that he is unarguably, THE most revered, level-headed, and enjoyable commentator in the world, atleast definitely in the list of commentators who have never represented their country.

Besides, it also doesn't hurt that the guy has an extremely pleasing and amiable persona, that totally complement his affable and down-to-earth nature, witticisms and earthy sense of humor, and last but not the least, his wonderful, endearing smile, and toothy grin.

More power to you, Harsha! Hope you continue enthralling all of us, and have a joyous, healthy, fun-filled long life ahead!! Sincere wish - Many many happy returns of the day once again...From just one of the millions of HB fans!

'Acting' against terror

2010-07-19T18:14:00.004+05:30

Alrighty, it's that time of the year again. Every year, we 'celebrate'/'observe' days (holidays) such as Gandhi Jayanti, where most (if not all) of us do not know what/why we are doing anything - forgetting the whys behind the whats. Another regular in this list of largely ceremonial tokenisms is the Indo-Pak dialogue process.

Now, I am not at all advocating that we should never talk to Pakistan or that these efforts should not be made. However, as the wise would advise, only those who have the ability to appreciate any quality can do so. There is no point in advertising the virtues of a comb to a bald man.
If Pakistan is consistently being intransigent, unreasonable, and has already made up its mind about its agenda, there is hardly any merit in exhorting it to re-think over the facts.

The ugly spat that erupted between the foreign ministers of both countries, was far too sour and too apparent, is a case in point. Had the Pakistanis been serious about taking action on anything, they would have done so, and atleast been appreciative of the Indian statesmanship and patience, despite India handing over voluminous, incriminating evidences, dossiers, transcripts, voice samples, and confessional statements of terrorists and masterminds.

What I don't understand, though, is how and why people are dubbing St. Qureshi as the peace deal-breaker, the villain-in-chief!! C'mon guys..where was the deal in the first place? When were you ever, in your heart of hearts assured of their genuine intent in taking action against the perpetrators of 26/11 (been almost 20 months since then)??

All along, Pakistan and St. Qureshi - being the gentleman that he is, have just stayed true to their words....India wanted them to act against terror. So yes, that's precisely what they have been doing all along - ACTING (pretending to show as if they are doing something) against terror!

How dumb do you think people are, Mr. Qureshi? Do you think we cannot spot your bluff? Do you think the constant charade of we-need-more-evidence holds any water? Sure, it took you to tell us that courts are independent bodies and need their own time. Thanks ever so much.
But pray, tell me, how can we not see how you do not take cognizance of the substantial evidence that India provides?
This, when you allege of an Indian hand in Balochistan, without ANY evidence at all? Tails I win, heads you lose, eh?!

How dare you take up our domestic problems (in J&K) as your concern? Was I just born? For, how come I totally missed seeing your world-care nature and attitude all this while?

How dare you equate a top diplomat from our country (Home Secy no less) with the rogue, demented fanatic and terrorist being sheltered in your country? Even the most uncouth of ministers would never take their imagination against a sovereign country's diplomat to such deplorable lows. Try labeling likewise against the lowest US official, Mr. Qureshi and try getting the time of your life!

It's us, who need to understand that we should talk only when, with, and if, those at the helm of affairs in both nations are genuinely interested.
Unless that happens, we can keep having discussions about our pain points, keep submitting dossier after dossier of incriminating evidence, and keep getting asked for more from our end. My problem is not in being positive, being patient, having perseverance, having faith, and continuing talks. What I have a problem with, is in seeing all our sincere efforts, diligent diplomatic parleys being mocked at, and seen as being done by us as if we are no good to be able to have/exercise any other option.
Let our qualities not be construed as our weakness. Let our statesmanship not be seen as our sterility.

It's also important to not kid ourselves here - we are dealing with a country that is beset with problems of its own, governed by predominantly fundamentalist people, marshaled and controlled by its ever-powerful Army, and always feeding on a hate/kill India/Indians propaganda, espoused and patronised by the country's powers-that-be. After all, if it's in their interest to see Indo-Pak rivalry and jostling going on and on, why and how on earth can any kind of peace talks succeed?!

Till we get any better people, state machinery and mindsets to deal with, we'd have to continue dealing with the Qureshi's of the world. Rest assured, they will continue to ACT against terror.
Hope I am wrong - but I will be extremely surprised, if they ever happen to feel satisfied with the plethora of files containing evidences submitted from India.

How honorable is this?

2010-06-22T16:25:00.004+05:30

Aware as you might and should be, honor killings are the latest flavor of the season in this part of the world...that too, in a country that aims to be known as a developed nation, a progressive society and is the world's largest democracy (it's another matter that given the way we as a people have been behaving, we have no right to call ourselves a democracy at all, in the first place - checkout the 5th meaning in the link defining a democracy).

A spate of honor killings are being reported and who knows, there could be many which we might not even be aware of. The fact that one wants to pen one's anguish, disappointment and frustration at the violation of such a basic right, the fact that one needs to appeal against such practices, is in itself shameful. What next? Do we now tell/instruct/command/request people to not go about shooting people as per their whims and fancies?! (though unfortunately, even here, road rage is also a reality, no fiction).
I mean what state have we come to? It's nothing but a shame.

Coming to the point of honor killings, whose honor is it anyway? And what the is honorable about what you do by torturing, maiming and killing a couple? How regressive can we keep getting? To say this is unpardonable is an understatement. The bigger issue is how we deal with the perpetrators of such crimes. We must amend our laws and practices to ensure the strictest punishment is reserved for such criminals who, in the name of familial honor, unleash their wantonly and inhuman streak on innocent, adult individuals.

Maybe I will read about such reports, feel sick and disgusted, and then go to a Sports page, get busy with my activities through the day and conveniently forget about this. But this is why I wanted to write this post, so that I read it sometime again, to remind myself of such horrible and dastardly malpractices. To ensure that out of sight does not become out of mind, and that I always stand up against such horrible practices and policies that lull some particularly dumb people to think it's legit to go on killing others (heck, even their own kin) and all this, in the name of protecting family honor!

But as an individual, wonder what I can do to stop this once and for all. Maybe nothing. But I'd like to ensure that whenever I hear of such atrocities, that too in the name of any ostensible moral high-ground or familial honor crap, I put my foot down and stand up for what's fair, just and deserves to be voiced, instead of being a silent spectator or just a passive tsk-tsk for the victims.

The next time you come across any form of injustice, please try putting your voice for such people who deserve to be given a voice, and against those who simply need to shut up and pack up. We get the world we make and deserve. High time we made the right choices and took a stand.
RIP, departed loving souls.

Converting MKV Files - What an idea sirjee!

2010-06-01T21:25:00.001+05:30

Just thought of sharing the link to a new software and site - (http://www.convertmkv.net, http://www.mkvavi.com).
This software allows you to do what even a generally workable VLC player cannot - is able to convert and play the bulky .MKV files that get stuck while being played in VLC.
Do check out the app - very much worth a dekko!

And the Black & Blue Bravery Award goes to...

2010-05-15T09:29:00.006+05:30

...the Indian cricket fan! For being irrationally, unflinchingly brave and hopeful in loving his team and his cricketers, despite being beaten black and blue!

Yes, while the Red & White Bravery Awards are meant for displaying mental, social and physical fortitude and valor in life, I have coined a new set of Awards - the Black and Blue Awards!

Generally, one thinks of a reason/occasion to institute an award, does so, and then selects and awards the deserving. However, in the case of the Black & Blue, it's precisely the other way round. I have got the idea of the award only after having seen, witnessed and felt the plight of the awardee and then thought/conceptualised this award with the intent of recognising the awardee - the Indian Cricket Fan.

Yes, the Indian Cricket fan, who hopes for everything nice for Indian cricket (both inside and outside the field), yet gets beaten - black and blue (hence the name for the awards) - both inside and outside the field. Despite all that, time and time again, sticks his neck (and tongue and each lung) out to root for Indian cricket.
To an always practical, heartless mind, such behavior and irrational fixation might seem twice as foolish as it is brave, but make no mistake - it is brave nevertheless!

As if crashing out of an ICC event for the umpteenth time was not bad enough, the Indian cricket fan now has to also contend with speculative journalism - only causes needless anxiety. It's the last thing you want to experience after witnessing a string of disappointing losses.

And can someone explain to me who, in the holy name of Mpumelelo Mbangwa, gets and/or quotes these "sources". Yup, the same "sources" and "insiders", who provide easy fodder to speculative, trashy journalism even by the better-known publications in business.

Only to issue a self-correction and clarification from the horse's mouth this time, about the planted story a day or two later, except the small fact that in the meantime, speculation's gained ground among all quarters quicker than a Shaun Tait delivery.

The sad part is that this is not a one-off. We have often seen such baseless stories being planted, only to then be denied later.

Yes, I have no hesitation in calling such stories entirely planted - doesn't an editor of the nation's biggest publication owe it to his readers that they get informed, responsible news instead of being the unwilling audience for speculative, irresponsible journalism. (Though I agree, there are quite a few in our midst who would not be so unwilling to lap up rumours and fuel a fire that would never have been ignited in the first place).

Hasn't our journalism also fallen prey to the tabloid cult of sensation-selling (you can sell only when you have one and if you can't have one, create one) culture?

Now, who exactly are these sources and insiders in the first place? Even if one assumes they exist and did actually say anything to that effect, isn't it the responsbility of the publication to ensure that before making it a news item, the official version is taken into account from the actual decision-makers and the power-that-be?
Yes it is done - the official spokespersons do get to air their views - only, it is a couple of days later, in reaction to the 'insider' story.

When the same thing is done two days later after putting out the story, why can't we check first up before publishing any such stuff?
If this does not smack of planted stuff, I don't know what else does for you, or ever will.
Yes, a publication ain't a charity, it is a business, it has its readerships to cater to and increase, but at this cost? At any cost?

Amidst all this, the poor Indian cricket fan is subjected to additional, needless turmoil and anxiety. It is anyway difficult hoping against still lesser hope after watching one insipid display after another.

Nevertheless, the Indian cricket fan toils on, braves on, with the wish to see Indian cricket doing well, not only in its performance, but also in its conduct and administration.

As a related note though, I don't think we should get too knee-jerk in our reactions - MSD is still the best man for the job - a couple of tactical errors can be corrected, such as choice of playing eleven (even the squad at times - Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the likes of Irfan Pathan, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha - baffling!). Besides, what irks me is his propensity to bat at 3 or higher up the order (only) when the going's good.
All such disappointments surely call for a closed-door one-on-one chat and analysis, but it surely does not deem an axe, especially when he hasn't done much else wrong.
No, an Axe-effect ain't pleasant always.

What does need an axe is the useless, rumour-mongering and groupism/lobbying that speculative stories generate. Pronto.
And hope the Indian cricket fan, doesn't need to be a brave man to love and follow Indian cricket.

IPL: Sabse Bada Racket: Aapne kuch khareeda kya?

2010-04-20T23:00:00.000+05:30

No? Too bad, so you are also among the losers who don't get to enjoy a slice of the pie!

It's a racket bigger than the proverbial IPL ticket...it's a murky world behind the stadium's happenings (and who knows, perhaps also influencing the stadium's happenings).
We have only just uncovered the topmost layer of the beneficiaries and the skeletons have come tumbling out. The big news, though, is still not about who has been named, but who all are yet to be named. Indeed, there are far too many vested interests on play. And as is often the case, the robbers are themselves the judges who are empowered to pronounce the verdict on their case.

From the head-honcho of the BCCI to a high-profile cabinet minister to the commissioner of the IPL itself - we've only just got started.

Highly recommend reading this wonderful, insightful article by Prem on his blog, reflecting on the under-currents running below the stream of controversies and suspicions.
As you'd realise, this is only the beginning. We're just getting started and at the time of writing, speculation is rife with the possibility of Lalit Modi being asked to quit.

I, for one, would like to know how we, as a public, react.
Do we stay immune to this and let it pass, since the culture of corruption and scandals is not second nature to us?

Or, should we ensure that as a cricketing public, we get to the bottom of things and ensure that all those who sully the good name of cricket for their vested interests are brought to book?
Shouldn't we ensure that those who are only interested in running this great game like a business and churning money for themselves are reined in?

Eventually, who knows, they might still get away. Far too many important people are involved and in power to endanger themselves, holy name of cricket and poor ol' justice be damned.
Pessimistic outlook yes, but unfortunately, I won't be surprised if nothing substantial comes out and the big fish again happen to go scot-free.

Sau mein se ninyaanve beimaan..par bus yun hi kehte rehte hain mera Bharat Mahaan...Mera Bharat Mahaan hai, aur rahega...but we must ensure that the guilty are brought to book, whoever they may be, soon....the pessimism creeps in because I can only hope for this...don't know whether/how it will actually happen...really hope for Satyamev Jayate!

WeMen's Bill

2010-03-09T13:31:00.006+05:30

As if we were short of enough reasons on why we desperately need honest, credible and 'good' people entering politics, March 8th, 2010 provided yet another exhibit to only make the case stronger.
Having said so, I must confess first-up that despite whatever reasons/majbooris from my side (naming which is as unimportant as it is irrelevant and still not justifiable), I have myself not yet entered politics and do not look likely to, atleast in the near future. So although I will be doing something to walk my talk in future, I have not done anything just yet except airing and sharing my ideas/concerns with friends and netizens in discussions and platforms such as blogs - so as I talk and share my ideas, concerns and thoughts, I'll actually be happy and satisfied only after I would be able to someday really walk my talk.

It's simple - if we are genuinely concerned about cleaning the mess, we have to get into the thick of things and not just talk about the consequences of the mess which are only too apparent to one and all. The point is, exactly what are we doing to solve the problem, instead of just lamenting and cursing?

So before I talk about the state-of-affairs in our country, I would like to state that I myself wish to, and will work actively towards actually doing something and not just writing/bemoaning about arey-ye-bekaar hai, wo bekaar hai. So I do plan to DO something like getting into the rot atleast sometime, some way, to clean it but surely, writing about my thoughts and sharing them as of now isn't a bad idea either.
I guess writing helps me vent my anger/frustration of the moment in a channelised way, and as I write, it also makes me more clear, objective, dispassionate and more organized about exactly how and where things stand, how strong my conviction is, and how I can plan and see any solutions ahead.

Ok, coming back to the reason for this post...the Women's Bill:

The 8th day of March every year is celebrated as International Women's Day.
The Congress - the dominant party in the government of the day, chose to mark this day as the day when it would make the women of the country empowered with 33% reservation in the country's legislatures. Why it chose to wait till only the Women's Day for the tokenism, when it could have also been done much earlier is confounding, but as they say, better late than never. Also, to give credit where it's due - atleast they did, unlike every other government of the past.

And in a rare show of solidarity, the BJP and the Left also stood on the same side of the argument, as that of the Congress. In most cases, such unanimity among these 3 main parties should be enough to quell any opposition to any legislation. However, the petty interests of our regional parties put paid to any plans of a swift acceptance for the Women's Bill.

Yes, the government could still wriggle its way out in this episode and somehow generate consensus - either coercively by stonewalling any voices of dissent or persuasively through behind-the-door discussions with those who are opposing for their own ulterior motives.
So even if we might finally get to see the bill being passed somehow sometime, the moot question is why should it come to such a state at all, in the first place?
Why should we have to endure sorry sights of MPs behaving like goons?
Why should it seem as if expecting to watch the nation's Parliament functioning professionally, gracefully and debating rationally is as easy and as likely as teaching goons to sing soulfully, melodiously and in chorus in a choir?
WHY?

The way the MPs conducted themselves has brought about another round of humiliation, shame and despondency for our democracy as it should also be, for the electorate who vote them in - though I wonder if we have any better alternatives available to choose from in the first place - which again brings us to the point that the only solution is to have good, honest, credible people taking up politics.

Politics in itself has become a synonym for everything bad, corrupt, sinister and apathetic towards the nation. Actually, it is because of the leaders we have had, the leaders we have chosen and made for ourselves and our nation. Politics is bad if we see it as a verb, and not a noun!
It is perhaps this quagmire of politics (v.) behind people, parties, and various policy decisions/indecisions that puts off most good people from entering mainstream politics.
After all, if we look at it, politics (n.) is the only way and means of how one can actively debate, influence and take decisions for the country - by being part of the legislature.

I personally think we should spell the Women's Bill the way it is called - We-Men's Bill. Because this is exactly how we, the men, have treated our women and this bill too. Seriously, this bill is so like our women - never been allowed to flower, blossom, treated as only a subject, opportunity, as only a behind-the-scenes supporting cast but not and never the protagonist, the leader, the torchbearer - and this is why and where the 'good' people need to come into politics.

For, it is atleast they, who should be able to see the reason and the merit in issues like these, whilst putting aside their egos, petty politicking, personal/party/constituency-wise interests - in that order. Yes, we can debate in the House but debate sensibly and rationally.

Debate on something like the fact that instead of blindly earmarking/reserving a fixed quota of legislative seats for women, whether we'd better off ensuring that all parties are directed to allocate atleast a certain number of election tickets for women to contest, whereby the seats would be filled through people who come by virtue of being elected through competition and merit instead of just the plain, 'reserved' category reps.

But we do not debate on such lines. Infact, we do not debate at all. And as far as lines are concerned, the lines and words that some of our esteemed MPs use, is the reason why we have a word such as 'unparliamentary language' in our lexicon.
We just know how to snatch papers, abuse each other, storm the well of the house, make the people of the country see their taxed money (most of which is used in activities such as running the Parliament) go waste, as session after session gets adjourned due to unruly behavior. All this for what fault of the common man? Is this why we pay our taxes? Is this what we deserve for being the world's largest democracy? Largest democracy shouldn't mean loudest noise and chaos.

All this drama, gross indiscipline, intolerance, and facade, just because of the insecurities and the selfish aims of a few parties and individuals who undo all the hard work, tenacity and efforts of a few good men. And yes, the good men are truly, very few - as said, that's why we need lots more good men to be around, to see India do better, in every walk of life - economically, politically, and socially.

The Bigger Buggers - We, The People

2010-02-10T12:44:00.004+05:30

It's pretty sad, watching the news these days.
I am apalled at the regularity with which minister after minister, bureaucrat after bureaucrat, and panelist after panelist comes on news shows, and appeals for Mumbai to stay calm, for the Mumbaikars and the Marathi Maanoos to remain in harmony, and to not be taken in by the hate-agenda of the Shiv Sena.
Isn't it so sad and shameful that we have to be told to do so?

In the course of the hate speeches that the Shiv Sena has continuously been spewing, I was struck by a thought. I wonder who exactly is it that I should hate, detest, loathe more - the Thackerays..Bal, Uddhav and Raj, for trying to incite hatred?

Or, the mob, the herd, the complete nincompoops, the ones who do not seem to be equipped with even an iota of brain - the ones who get incited by the Thackerays and their ilk?
In another instance, the Andhra sports minister has called for an IPL boycott, in the name of intensifying the Telangana stir.

Yes, ofcourse the people who incite communal/regional/parochial passions are anyway condemnable and deserve to rot alive, but what is beyond comprehension is how we as a people fail, when it comes to applying common sense and not getting swayed at the slightest pretext.

The fact that the incitement shouldn't be tolerated or even brought up/started is ofcourse acknowledged. But the bigger issue is that we need to ruminate over why and how this incitement gains even a semblance of credence in anyone's mind.

If we ever stop believing/buying into the theories and hate-propaganda that such hate-mongers patronise, would any Thackeray have the temerity to spread such schmuck around? Even if they do, with no takers, wouldn't it die down on its own?

I have a problem when people need to be told to stay in their wits, to not believe the bullshit that is being dished out. Why? For who?
Who is the bigger sinner then?

It is we, the people, who give legitimacy to such a goonda and extra-constitutional authority as a Thackeray. Pray, tell me, what business does a senior politician have, to kowtow at Matoshree to guarantee security for IPL, when his colleague and the Home Minister of the country is the man incharge for this? If there's an issue to be addressed, Mr. Pawar should suggest/speak to Mr. Home Minister and none else. If the country's Cabinet minister is not sure of the nation's security without this extra-consitutional authority's blessings, what assurance does a common man have?

The politician is a rotten creature anyway. No better than the guy who takes a poor person's kidneys and sells them off to someone else without the poor fellow's knowledge/consent. They are too busy, happily eating, actually scavenging away, from the lives and even corpses of the janta through internal bickerings, issues out of non-entities and apathy towards actual national concerns.

The politician will create his agenda from anything, get publicity through anything - good or bad be damned. It is our responsibility to ensure that we, as responsible citizens do not fall prey to their designs and we should be ashamed that we need to be told to stay in our senses and not buy the hate-agenda.

Shame on us, because it's we who are the bigger buggers.
Unless we acknowledge our faults and reach a stage where we do not need a directive to remain sane, we shall continue to give more power to such venom-spewing, invective-ridden buggers.

Here's to retaining our sanity, sense and brotherhood so that we completely obliterate the utter crap that has been going on for far too long in our midst.

For a Safe and Happy 2010!

2010-01-09T17:55:00.011+05:30

First things first: Though the year isn't 'new' anymore, would like to express my greetings and best wishes to you for a safe and happy 2010!

Having said so, though my wishes are completely honest, sincere and genuine, I think we need to be better persons, and a better country, if we wish to actually see a better than 2009 year for us all.

I'd like to use this post to pen (type) my reactions to some of the prominent events of the last few days/weeks. I can't wait to vent my frustration, anger, disillusionment and repulsion about certain events, by just writing about some of them in this post. Guess, getting it outta my system through this platform would channelise my useless frustration into something constructive than just ranting about it.

We need to be a better society, a lot more tolerant towards each other in terms of understanding/reconciling with/being accommodative to each other, vis-a-vis our cultural and attitudinal differences. Equally importantly, we need to be zero-tolerant when we see apathy, discrimination, injustice, the usual corruption, and unfair use of political/administrative clout, etc. in our midst.

Safety, I wished?...Dream on!
Safe, I have wished...for 2010.
They say, if you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans!
Pray, tell me, can cases like Ruchika's make anyone feel at ease?
Will we have time to talk about being 'safe' from anti-national, external conspirators against India, if we have not even addressed offenders from within, like SPS Rathore?

And it goes without saying that the probability of feeling happy when not feeling safe, is as much as that of Kumar Sanu or me winning the Miss Universe title.

Peeping into the future through the eyes of our approach in the present
There are some things that bother me a lot:
It's already sad to see a crime being committed. One cannot undo a tragedy once it has occurred, but the least one can do is to not defend the perpetrator of that wrong. You are wronging the victim much more.

KPS Gill's brazen and bizzare defence of Rathore is shocking, disgusting, and totally shameless, to say the least. What totally beats me is why we haven't raised our voices against such defences.
The article I have quoted still doesn't cover everything. I saw his interview on a news channel and he actually asked for a review of the law against a crime/charge such as molestation, which per him is frivolous and nothing serious.Why??
Is such stout and abominable defence of a crime called for?
If this is what we do in the name of democracy and free speech, knowing fully well as to who is in the wrong, then shame on us.

It won't be surprising if in the coming days, we see more and more such gentlemen coming out seconding dastardly acts while using their right to freedom of speech. Honestly, what really beats me is how can we not accord punishment sooner to known offenders, in clear open-and-shut cases where the least the victim deserves is to see justice being meted out ASAP.

Coupla Other Newsmakers
As 2009 drew to a close, a Nigerian and an octogenarian chose to hit the hall of shame. The former decided to wish Merry Christmas in his own not-so-merry way, mid-air on a US flight, while the latter, a governor, decided to lead by example in preaching make love, not war to 2 (or were they 3?) ladies.
Ofcourse, both remain unrepentant and least apologetic about their acts, the terrorist defending it and the politician in a gubernatorial position going a step ahead and even denying it!

Lessons
Talking of the ameer-baap-ka-bigdaa-beta and failed hijacker, among the first things Obama did was to take responsibility and ownership in ensuring that "the buck stops with me" and starting off an action plan and learnings from the incident on how to ensure nothing of the sort even happens again on American soil. He might fail, yes, but what's heartening to see is an honest, conscious, sincere, vigilant and genuine attempt at making things work, ironing out the flaws...and it all begins with recognising the flaws, assimilating the lessons to be learnt and getting to work on incorporating them.

We are like that only, ji
What all have we ever pro-actively done, as a follow-up after the numerous terrorist attacks, to bring about accountability, transparency and an action plan that ensures no recurrence in future?
Nothing, except dishing out impotent, rehearsed and meaningless rhetoric such as "This won't be tolerated" or "We salute the city's people and its spirit".
Bullshit seems too respectable a term to be accorded to such soul-less, intent-less, tokenism and sheer crap.

Hockey's in a mess..but we couldn't care less
As I write, we have come to know that the hockey team is in a mess but we couldn't care less..oh, and even this wouldn't have occupied mind space and new real estate, but for a tweet by a superstar.
Question: Why does a Sharad Pawar, a Rajiv Shukla, an Arun Jaitley, or a Lalu Prasad, et al, not get involved in any sport other than cricket?
Who wants to improve cricket sports administration in a country where the only sport that needs least attention is cricket? More importantly, why? Would they have done so if our cricketing coffers weren't overflowing? Is it just a coincidence that they are all involved with only that sport, whose administrative and financial spoils are too apparent to be termed news?

Doing our respective parts
In all this, I just hope we, and even if not we, atleast me - I, try and just do our bit in not tolerating injustice/corruption at any level, in any form, and most importantly, also ensure that we do not spare those who have the effrontery to shield the guilty.

For, this is anyway, all that an individual can do - his bit. Nothing more.
But the operative word is Nothing Less. Nothing Less than this will do from each of us. On the other hand, if each of us tries, nothing more than this is required to make us a vibrant, genuine happy, just, and safe nation!
Here it is then..To doing our bit!
Cheers n Amen!

In nothing but a sorry state

2009-12-12T10:54:00.000+05:30

I have been thinking of what good could come out of KCR's blackmailing - no, I don't call it fasting coz it does not deserve to be equated with Gandhiji's form of passive resistance.
Bapu resorted to fasting as a means against the oppressive rule of foreigners, against injustice, and for the greater good of the nation. What KCR and other politicians do/plain to do is sheer blackmail for only political and personal mileage, and certainly not for the greater good of the nation.
In fact, this exercise has only gone on to foment passions pro and anti Telengana, and given a great opportunity to similar state-level self-centred politicians to make a beeline for 'their' states within what they might perhaps believe is their own country.

What KCR has done has been just like hijacking. It's only that this hijacking is not of a plane but of the government. It endangers not the passengers, but an entire public, and divides an entire nation. If you are a politician genuinely concerned about making a positive difference to your state and public, what stops you from doing it in your area? How does it matter if that area falls under an Andhra or a Telengana?

I believe just like we have (only after Kandahar) decided not to bow to any terrorist demand in the event of a hijack irrespective of the people on board, we must adopt a similar stance in the event of such open, shameless and brazen display of blackmailing, guised in the name of a fast-unto-death.

I am from Uttarakhand and I never quite understood the point of having a state for the heck of it, if the actual state of affairs does not change - for the people, for the region, for the infrastructure, for law order and governance. What's the problem if I belonged to UP and stay within UP instead of getting a new state for myself if the ground realities for me and all residents of the newly formed state would stay the same? There have been governments from both major national parties, and till now, I have not seen anything that would make believe that the creation of Uttaranchal expedited any development process or that any positive development would not have occurred had this state been UP, and not Uttaranchal.

People do not want name changes, administrative machinery changes. All we want is development, welfare, peace, security and good governance. State or no state be damned.

And are we not all Indians? Am I to feel happy if somehow people in Uttarakhand are better off than those in say, a Bihar? Are we all not one? Shouldn't we all strive for only one thing - the welfare of the ENTIRE INDIA??
If there's even a slight niggle in any part of my body, I feel irritated and concerned all the same, constantly till I am relieved of my pain. No other body part complains as to why I am showering undue attention on the affected part. In fact, even if there's a slight headache and the arms feel sore, the brain sends out a message for one arm massage to massage the other. There could be a a headache too but the head/brain does not contend the decision to take care of the arms, nor do the arms complain if they massage the head.
After all, it's all one body.
What good would it do if my brain were to decide to break my arm into smaller units and attend to it as a newly named, separately formed part of my body? How does that help me? Would that help me? Would I want to even think like that at all, in the first place?

Isn't it/Shouldn't it be the same when it comes to our country?
Aren't we all together in joy and grief?

Politicians are anyway always going to be petty and selfish with nothing but their own ulterior motives in place. Yes, there are exceptions but they are too few to make a substantial difference to the greater breed.

Who actually benefits from this new state-of-affairs?

The politicians, who can claim to have created something for 'his' people

The bureaucracy, the babus, who get to comprise or even manage a new administrative machinery for a new state, instead of having to languish as another Senior whatever...or Deputy/Assistant/Assistant to Assistant whatever in the babudom.

Take a look at this - this is a compilation of some of the aspirant states, and they are feeling all the more agitated and fast-prone, thanks to such KCR movements and even more importantly, the Centre's kow-towing to such tactics so that they do not lose their vote banks:

Bodoland (Assam) | Bundelkhand (Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh) | Gondwana (northern Deccan Plateau) | Gorkhaland (West Bengal) | Harit Pradesh (Uttar Pradesh) | Kamtapur (West Bengal) | Karbi Anglong (Assam) | Kodagu (Karnataka) | Kosal/Koshal (Orissa) | Ladakh (Jammu and Kashmir) | Mahakoshal (Madhya Pradesh) | Mithila (Bihar) | Panun Kashmir (Jammu and Kashmir) | Purvanchal (Uttar Pradesh) | Rayalaseema (Andhra Pradesh) | Tulu Nadu (Karnataka Kerala) | Vidarbha (Maharashtra) | Vindhya Pradesh (Madhya Pradesh) | Mau Pradesh (Rajasthan)

Where's India in all of this?
Can any politician put hand on heart (oh, they don't have a heart anyway) and say that all that stops them from developing their area/constituency is the fact that they are part of their parent state and not separated from it to be known as one of the above-listed names?

Unfortunately, it's the direct beneficiaries themselves - the legislature and the bureaucracy only - who get to decide/approve the creation of a new state.
It's like getting the Anti-Corruption Bill passed in Parliament when you know that the number of clean, honest politicians in Parliament is as high as that of the number of Eskimos in Delhi. It just won't happen.

You should also be ready to accept that if the direct beneficiaries of a decision are the decision makers themselves, then it's stupid to expect otherwise. Our politicans are too selfish and not dumb, they are too smart and not stupid.

Kabhi to nazar milaao...

2009-12-01T11:07:00.004+05:30

I had written earlier this year, during election time, about how tough it is for me to decide who to vote for.
If there's one thing on which there's complete unanimity among our politicians, cutting across party lines, it is in their sheer incompetence and apathy towards their electorate.

I have not been able to choose the lesser/greater devil between the Congress and the BJP (the two parties most people can think of voting for, atleast at the national level).
An unprecedented number of MPs skipped Parliament yesterday, to miss presenting even their own submitted questions in the Question Hour.
Now, that's a new low they've scaled even by their own standards.

One wonders what's the use of wasting so much of the taxpayers' money when it is going to be spent on the Speaker of the House just calling up names of MPs one after another, only to find them missing from the scene - the apalling part is that this, is when they know they have submitted a question and will be required in the House to atleast present their case.

It's not even a case of one or two such luminaries going MIA - no less than 34 MPs who had submitted their questions were found to be absent from the Question Hour proceedings.

And then they come and ask us for votes, and urge us to pay our taxes on time - what for? This?

While it is definitely and shall always remain our duty to always pay our taxes (voluntarily), it is also our right to ensure that the money we shell out is utilised optimally.

The way they behave and launder our money, will our politicians be able to ask us to pay up taxes?

Will they be able to tell us how they are spending that money, while looking us in the eye?

Well, I guess, they can and will continue to do so.
For, had they been so shameful or regretful, I would never have been in a dilemma over which party is less worse.

The verdict is crystal clear

2009-11-08T20:43:00.002+05:30

Right from the time the Hero Honda 7-match marathon began, it was billed as THE series that'd decide the numero uno team of international ODI cricket.
And for good reason too, since an Indian victory in this series would've seen them pip Australia to the altar of the ICC ODI rankings.

However, even before the final match of the series, the verdict has been made crystal clear. It's time to acknowledge that we still have a long way to go before claiming the #1 spot for good.
And I say this, not just because a statistic says 4-2 before the last match. I say this because this statistic has been made possible, not only inspite of new full-strength Indian team (playing in home conditions), but also inspite of an almost completely second-string Aussie line-up.

Here are some clear pointers to this:

1. We harped a lot on missing Yuvi, Zak, and Viru during the Champions Trophy. While there is no questioning the sheer talent and value of these cricketers, I hope we remember just how many first-choice players did not make it to the Australian line-up to even start with, and how many left midway through the tour. If Brad Haddin had been consistently impressive as a wk and batter, Time Paine did nothing wrong to harm his credentials when he got the opportunity with this tour. But if you thought Paine in pain was too much even for the Aussie bench strength, you got Graham Manou! Another reminder about the sheer depth and quality of Australian cricket.

2. With the exception of Australia, India is unarguably the toughest place to tour for any team. Well, it came true to every word - yes, the only exception is Australia, and in 'any team', let's include India itself! Coz our team found it too tough to play well enough against the Aussies even in home conditions! Mohali and Guwahati seemed alien to them and one got the feeling that we were not sure of how to pace our innings and understand our conditions on home territory. On the other hand, Australia capitalised on whatever was thrown at them, and almost fashioned a win at the dustbowl known as Kotla, but for Yuvi and MSD.

3. It was a 7-match series: This series win is not a short series. A marathon winner is held in higher esteem than a 100-m dasher, just as a Test century is dearer than a quickfire ODI century/T20 knock. Similarly, there cannot be a more telling indicator than the fact that this was a 7-match series win against a nearly full-strength Indian team, in India, by a consistently depleted, injury-ridden visiting team.

So hold your horses for the moment, fellow Indian team fans - we cannot claim ourselves to be better than all - not just yet. Amidst our disappointment and frustration, let's pause and give credit where it's due - to an amazing Australian outfit that has won a tough series against a tough team in alien conditions before going into the last match. Well done guys, and you deserve the first rank - well, for now, that is!

Moral of the story: It's a long way to go, Team India - atleast till the time we can beat Australia in Australia despite missing player after player from the original squad.

Team India: Jaago re, jaago re, jaago....re!!!

Just a request to introspect and ask: Why?

2009-10-18T10:09:00.008+05:30

Day: Diwali Day. Time: 11 am.
Status: Normal, Relaxed, Happy.
Enjoying the holiday with the TV remote in one hand and mithaai in the other. Enjoying being lazy.

12 hours later - 11 pm.
Status: Angry, Frustrated, Almost Deaf.

Yes, it's Diwali (the festival of lights) and every Indian expects this night to be full of fireworks, sparkle, glitter and lots of dhoom-dhadaaka.
I too love the festive spirit and have always enjoyed celebrating every festival. However, I just don't understand what merit there is in converting almost every locality of India into an alternative for Pokhran.
I mean, I just don't get it.

Why do we have to equate Diwali festivities and enjoyment with having a blast so literally? Can't we be happy keeping all this to a minimum? I have no intention of imposing my ideas on do's and don'ts of celebrating Diwali, but just a request to ask ourselves, what is it the we are celebrating, how we are celebrating it, and isn't there a more meaningful way to go about this day?

I also realise an entire day of Diwali without fireworks, ladis, phuljhadis, pataakhas (not referring to anyone from the female species here), and charkhadis, etc. is like watching Virender Sehwag bat through an entire day without hitting a six or even a boundary.

I'm just wishing we could avoid the heavy-duty bombing we conduct, that not only bombards the ear plugs of everyone, but also scares and concerns the elderly and the infants.
And if that too is unavoidable (unavoidable? as if a doctor has recommended a person that if you don't send 100 bombs into the stratosphere, we might have to put you on life support), is it irrational to keep these to a minimum?

But the more fundamental question is this:
I just want to know why, in the first place, we have to celebrate this way?
What is it that we are celebrating?
Do we, ever, even think as to what this day means - what to learn from this day, and how would it be best to celebrate the day?

Is it not better to understand and remember this day by revisiting Lord Rama's story and teachings, thanking Him for the good things we have, reaffirming our belief in His Grace, having a small and simple puja with everyone at home and doing a good deed for the needy?

More than celebrating Lord Rama's arrival to Ayodhya, this day has become symbolic for gambling in the name of Goddess Lakshmi or incessant bombarding of crackers and bombs in the name of Lord Rama's arrival.
If this is the way we celebrate our devotion to them, I wonder if the obscene, incessant and insouciant way of the way we celebrate Lord Rama's life might itself be reason enough for Lord Rama to take another avatar to tell us to shut up the absurd, insensitive and the nonsensical, that too in His name, and extirpate this evil too!

Be honest here, would Lord Rama and Goddess Lakshmi want us to remember them the way we go about our lives and 'celebrations' on this day?

No, I'm no buddha khoosad/khadoos (neither physically nor mentally) who wants to impose restrictions on an individual's way of life - it's your life after all dude, and it's only you who has the right to live it the way you want to.

But I have a belief that atleast most (if not all) of us would not mind curbing some part of our enjoyment and celebrations, if that helps others to also co-exist peacefully, amicably and happily.
If nothing else, think about how wonderful it would be to spare the elderly their disgust, helplessness, anger, fear and disenchatment with having to live through the night non-stop, hearing a bomb go off in the vicinity of their house every 10 seconds (if it's a ladi, it's also continuously for 10 seconds). Or, the constant trepidation, confusion and unease a child has even when he is in the cradle or even after being put to/trying to be put to sleep.
All of us can provide these simple joys to so many people, at what cost? - by just ensuring we don't go berserk with our bombings, that's all - give it a thought!

Will doing so make our Diwalis less enjoyable or more - not only enjoyable but also more satisfying, caring and meaningful?

Belated Wishes for a Happy Diwali - But Please, Have Anything But A Blast!!!

To the broken glass items from that cutlery set

2009-10-11T21:13:00.006+05:30

This post is dedicated to a cutlery set I observed, without which I couldn't have managed to write all this.. (..crap!)

I was just overseeing a cutlery set being placed, when I was struck by something. Well, that something which struck me, happened to be one of the glass items of the cutlery set.

In just a moment of negligence, not only was the glass broken, but even the beauty and symmetry of the entire set had also been lost, with the set now being rendered incomplete. Not to mention the fact that unless removed quickly and carefully, the glass pieces scattered all around posed a real danger to anyone treading on their path.

It was then, that another thing struck me - this time, a thought.
I thought of the following, which has now given way to this blog post:

While it's good to be transparent like a glass, I was just wondering how being a sensitive person is akin to being (like) another glass item.
Like glass, a sensitive person is also fragile and extremely susceptible to being 'broken' by the slightest of manhandlings or oversights.

We can easily find glasses/glass items in abundance. Similarly, one cannot classify the ultra-emotional, extremely sensitive kind of people in the category of dinosaurs or endangered species.

But if you think closely, it is not really a quality to be very emotional. In fact, if the 'very' part is to an extent that it affects your behaviour adversely and makes you a seething, over-the-top, mountain-of-molehill-attitude character, you are better off not being emotional at all.

What use are emotions if they do not help us be a better person?
What use are emotions if they become our masters and dictate us to feel so grumpy, so hurt, so annoyed that we ruin our relations? What use are they, if, instead of mending our relations, they strain them further?

I say all this because I consider myself among the sensitive lot and would anytime prefer to be sensible than being so sensitive that I change for the worse. Eventually, being too sensitive not only hurts us, but also the others who love us and who generally end up bearing the brunt of our outpourings (or even the lack of them!).

Let's all not be like a glass / cutlery set - always fragile and always getting labeled as handle-with-care - just like a glass, a sensitive person's nature is also prone to not only getting hurt easily, but also towards giving all around him endless and needless headache in being extra-careful all the time due to the fragile emotional strength of the person.

And again, even after careful handling, even one mistake is not 'forgiven', and just like glass, an over-sensitive person not only gets 'broken', but also presents a very real possibility of hurting others around with injury even after being broken.

It's wonderful to be emotional but surely not at the cost of hurting others' emotions. Let's be sensible and not sensitive.
Oh no na, too bad - if only that set had not broken, you wouldn't have had to go through all this crap!
But hey, don't get too worked up or 'emotional' about it. Uff, witty me, hai na?! :-)

Well done, Kiwis!!

2009-10-04T03:44:00.002+05:30

Ok, so the Kiwi bird might not be able to fly but the Kiwi cricket team's march to the finals of the Champions Trophy is no flight of fancy!
Yes, they have made it to this year's CT finals, beating Pakistan in a superb chase at the Wanderers!
If I'm not wrong, NZ - the perennial underdogs/dark horses - had reached 8 semifinals of major tournaments but when it come to winning those semis, they could win and qualify for only 1 final. (Incidentally, the one final they reached was of the Champions Trophy only - inaugual edition held in Kenya, circa 2000 and they even won the final and the trophy by beating Sourav Ganguly's newly formed Team India - it was also the debut series/tournament of a certain Yuvraj Singh).

Well, make that count of semis-to-final conversion as 2 now!
And to do so by beating Pakistan, that too in foreign territory, when the Pakis were at full strength and using their strength (bowling) to stop NZ from winning the match.

I guess I might not be a mature, just-appreciate-the-cricket fan, and I still subscribe to the Pak-loses-to-anybody = India wins equation, which is obviously incorrect and unfair. But I have to admit that no matter how objective I try to be, I just cannot stop feeling happy on seeing Pakistan lose.

If there's anything that is comparable to the happiness of India winning, it is to either see Australia lose against anybody (to see a David win against these cricketing Goliaths), or to see Pakistan lose (c'mon, do I even have to tell why?!).

Oh, wait a sec, what abt Aus Vs Pak - I'd rather see Aus win!
What cathartic enjoyment it was to see the Kiwis chase down a moderate but pretty defendable 233 that the Pakis had set.

All the more commendable, given that the NZ batting line-up doesn't really boast of superstars and even with the resources at their disposal, they were playing without the injured Ryder and Styris.
Supeb stuff from Ian Butler and Vettori with the bowling, followed by an awesome finish with the bat by Grant Elliott and yes, you guessed it - Daniel Vettori again!

The best part about the chase was the manner in which they went about chasing the target without losing their wits. For all those who berate Dravid for his snail paced efforts, Elliott's innings was much the same (75* off 103 balls) in strike rate as Dravid's against Pakistan the other night (76 off 103 balls). Yes, the target for India was 70 runs more (304 as against 234) but the point is that India were always ahead of the required run rate. It was the wickets that were the key and that's basically the point that showed up here too.

As I said, this NZ batting line-up didn't even have many big hitters, with the exception of McCullum and Taylor (and they too, couldn't really ensure a win for NZ before getting out). Their batting always looked thin on paper - surely thinner than India's.
But look how they managed their chase, didn't throw their wickets away even when the required rate was contincuously creeping up. They played out all the bowlers who bowled well on the day - Afridi, Ajmal, and Aamer - all of them bowled well but due to Elliott and Vettori's sensible batting, these guys weren't swelling with pride when it came to bagging wickets.

I haven't yet mentioned how astutely NZ took the Batting Powerplay when the required run rate was 7.37 with 8 overs still to go, or how Elliott made the most of a life given by Younis Khan who dropped a sitter, or how the Pakistani bowlers' incurable oversteppings gave not only free-hits-as-freebies but also added to their frustration.

All in all, it was a great game and well played, NZ!
You did it for the Indian cricket fan, what his own team couldn't do this time - thanks very much for that!!

Here's wishing you the very best for the finals but whatever happens hereafter - win or lose, you've become THE team that I liked the most in this tournament - just because of your performance tonight!

Lessons from the loss

2009-09-28T12:31:00.001+05:30

Right then...now that all the sporting spirit and reluctant acceptance of the loss has sunk in (it's gotto...do we have a choice anyway?), let's take down lessons learnt from the loss.
All of us make mistakes and will continue to make mistakes, but champions learn from their (as well as others') mistakes and avoid recurrence of atleast the known lessons that they have already learnt the hard way.

So here are things we gotta do before our next match:

1. Play Amit Mishra
For Googlesake, why on earth was he not played on a pitch that was ideal for him? Here's a man who deserves to be in the team for atleast a couple of tournaments, performance notwithstanding. Spinners anyway need and feed on a captain's confidence in them. I wish Dhoni could be a Ganguly here, and just tell Mishra to do his thing, show the rich gourmet of skills, variety, wicket-taking ability and the big-match temperament that he surely seems to possess from whatever we have seen of him.He just needs to be told to do his thing fearlessly, without having to worry whether he will need to be the drinksboy the next game. If the pitch is amenable to turn, then he too needs to turn up, in the Indian playing eleven.

2. Get Raina in earlier than #5-6
Mr. Suresh Raina needs to take responsibility and play longer and earlier. The former is his responsibility, the latter his captain's.

I'm surely open to situational requirements and match dynamics. If the need of the hour is that the team would much better off with someone else coming in instead of Raina, I'm all for it. But the guy has been going too low down too often, just to find Dhoni promoting himself ahead of him - only to potter around to scamper ones and twos - is this good enough reason to dispense with Raina from his position? The guy is a genuine talent and we are wasting him too often for too late. I'd hate to see him go the Kaif way.

3. Be courteous to Yusuf bhai
Mr. Dhoni needs to just politely say a thankyou Yusuf, and ensure he doesn't figure in Indian selectors' radar till he actually plays to his potential, consistently. Yes, everyone knows about IPL but that cannot be the passport to a life-time pass to the Indian team.
International matches are not exactly the platform to get a guy up and running. With Mishra in, we won't miss his bowling either, which is at best, containment-stuff.

It's time we got half as willing with an Abhishek Nayar or a Virat Kohli as we have been with Yusuf.

4. Harbhajan to bowl off and just-outside-off-stump line
He has been too often, far too short (-tempered, apart from his length) or far too full (of himself, apart from his length), too leg-sidish, too one-dimensional, and too flat and fast (without using the loop). I hope he bowls the way he used to earlier, when he had a nice trajectory, and the enviably sharp turn and bounce that he used to purchase from the wicket. Most of all, he needs to respect the place and responsibility he has as a wicket-taking bowler. He is happy containing batsmen and is now struggling to do even that.

5. Fast bowling woes
Talking of purchase from the wicket, if we haven't had reverse swing going for us, apart from maintaining a good length, why can't we try slower ones, yorkers or even low full tosses, for a change - they not only confuse the batsmen and stop taking you for granted, but can also be executed irrespective of the wicket or the state of the ball. Just why not?!

6. Fielding
Well, this is not something that can change overnight and certainly not before the next match, but still yaar, kuchh to effort daal sakte hain na? What are the umpteen support staff personnel doing when we still remain not only butter-fingered but also seem inept with our ground fielding? Except Raina, Yuvraj, Kohli and Karthik, how better are we as an overall fielding unit as compared to the fielding side of 5 years ago?

Just want to see improvements on these fronts - am sure we'll make a better team.

Koi bhi desh (read playing eleven) perfect nahin hota, usey perfect banaya jaata hai. :-)

Naheeeeen, keh do ye jhootth hai !!!!! :-)

2009-09-27T12:23:00.004+05:30

Yes, that's exactly how I felt, when Bhajji tried the most uncouth of reverse sweeps to complete the final rites of India's loss to Pakistan. I was just left wishing why this match wasn't some untrue nightmare or why the rains couldn't just somehow actually come poring from nowhere even till as late as the 38th over of our innings (yes, we were ahead in terms of runs till then: Pak's 200/3 Vs. Our 218/5).

But after all, that's what sport's all about - not just learning how to win, but more importantly about learning how to accept a loss, and taking it in your stride with grace and with lessons learnt. No wonder, that's why such an attitude is referred to as "sportsman's spirit" and "being a sport". No other phrase can communicate this so succinctly and correctly if it is disassociated from the meaning and spirit of "sport".

So well played Pakistan, but don't lose heart India - you were good too, except the last 10-12 overs in both innings.

The proverbial butterflies in my stomach didn't take too long to disappear once the match began. But as the match progressed after the good first over, my stomach reported that the jittery, butterfly feeling had now given way to sharp, shooting pains. And as the batsmen took heavy toll of our incompetent bowling (with the exception of Nehra and Pathan), the pain spread from the stomach further towards the head and the heart.

It was absolutely mindless bowling - that's my only complaint. Too short, too leg-sidish, too amateur, too inconsistent and just too easy for international level.

Believe me, I didn't mind RP Singh's first over where he was smacked for a couple of boundaries - atleast he was bowling it up to Nazir. If you just have to be hit, you'd prefer to be hit for either a cheeky lemon-cut boundary (moral victory) or atleast a good shot where you make the batsman use his skill to hit a good one - and that's mostly possible on good-length/just short of length bowling.

So I was still ok with him erring on the fuller side and not on the shorter one. Yes, he overpitched, but I was willing to forgive him because a) it was his first over and b) even if he was overpitching, it showed he was atleast trying to put the ball in the right areas.

With the short ball (mind you, this was not the short-pitched, chest-high stuff), you just don't give yourself a chance because the batsman has ample time (especially on a belter of a surface like Centurion) to judge the length, the movement, and to make room for himself and play+place the shot to his liking.

Though he was too stiff and too slow than he should have been, what I really liked about the rest of that first over from RP was that despite being hit for 2 fours, he did not stop pitching the ball right up. I'm no expert and I might well be missing a trick but I don't know why the commentators did not acknowledge that part (prolly coz it didn't fetch him a wicket off those balls then!), but atleast to me, that was spirited, focused and really good bowling - undettered by the same kinda balls being hit for fours - neither did he drop his shoulders in that over, nor his length.

His bowling stats won't reflect that alright, and he should have tried just-short-of-good length instead of good length but him sticking to good length instead of too short was also acceptable to watch for me. I was happy to seem him get his due when he got Younis Khan out, poking at a just short-of-a-length delivery. It was a pity therefore, that he did not stick to good length/just short of good length bowling for the rest of his spell.

What followed thereafter, was splendid batting alright from Messrs Malik and Yousuf, but the bowling left a lot to be desired. Whichever team's supporter you may be, it's safe to say it was absolute mayhem from the 35th over onwards - whichever way you look at it.

Anyway, congratulations to Pakistan and well tried India - atleast in the batting, we didn't disgrace ourselves. Chasing such a huge total against a quality attack on a tough pitch, I liked the fact that we had a match on till well into the 92nd over of the match - all the more credible since we did not have the services of Yuvi and Viru. Sachin showed he too is human after all, and can fail sometimes. But most of our batting firepower acquitted themselves fairly well.

We could have easily collapsed in a heap below 200 or tottered to some meaningless total with meaningless, insane batting. Chasing 303 against Pakistan (not just another game/chase, right?!) on a pitch like this, with Sachin gone and no Viru+Yuvi, come two dot balls and there'll always be the temptation of going berserk. But I loved the way we applied caution with aggression, Dravid holding one end up, Gautam playing a gem and getting out the only way he could have got out, Raina providing the necessary impetus and thrill towards the latter half, but alas, it just wasn't meant to be.

And I just realised what a joy it is to see your team maxing on the free hits - with boundaries and sixes - sheer delirium!
I remember a time when Gambhir smote sixes and fours off consecutive free hits - what joy! Try telling that to the bowling team's players/fans.

But still, the team that played better cricket on the day was Pakistan and they were deserving winners this time. But we still have faith in you Team India, and it's time you guys now vent your disappointment/frustration/anger over this loss on Australia and West Indies. You need to take the wind out of their sails and by a handsome margin too, to make it to the semis.
Go on guys, we still love you!

Just a game? No way, sir!

2009-09-26T15:20:00.005+05:30

It's still around 3 hours to go before the first ball is bowled but I cannot wait for the match to get started, and it's been this way for atleast the last 12 hours.

The continuous thinking + time-defying waiting + non-stop pre-match coverage and hoopla generated all around has ensured that the excitement, the nervous energy and the butterflies in my stomach have all reached a crescendo.

No matter whatever I am doing or not doing, every couple of minutes my mind goes back to the same questions: Kya hone wala hai? How will we fare? What's it gonna be like?
Will our injury-sticken team be able to put it across the full-strength Pakis?
Will we get an encore of Centurion circa 2003?
Will some unexpected name rise to the occasion and give our depleted team a new superstar from this match?
Can we maintain our near-flawless record against Pakistan in ICC-sponsored events?

Oh, it's too much to keep wondering. Wondering about all this only adds to the nervousness and curiosity.
No sane thoughts to calm myself seem to work. Sure it's just a game, as I see Younis Khan announcing himself available for the match while not being 100% fit.

The thing is, that no matter how objective you may try to be, such games cannot be treated as just a game although in theory, they should be.
It's like you cannot not be elated+nervous+excited if you are going out with one of the most beautiful women in the world, but outwardly, you need to display as if she is after all, just another woman. What a farce!

Facts-wise, nothing wrong with the "just another" statement, but the emotions that the occasions (India-Pak contest, To be with the best lady) stir, just do not reflect the strictly (and only theoretically/factually) correct "just another" tag.

So the probability of this game being treated as just a game, is as high as Osama bin Laden being elected as the President of the United States.

Mind you, I'm no jingoist and I can live with Pakistan winning (especially, - actually only, if they play better than us) without burning effigies, without losing my life and without stoning a cricketer's house.
I'll surely be mighty disappointed if we lose but that's fair enough - even though the disappointment of losing to Pakistan is acutely greater than losing to any other team in the world.
Which is why, it's anything but just a game - and the toughest part for even the players is this time - the few hours just before the match till they get to the ground - atleast till the action starts.

Just hope our guys have better nerves to come up trumps.
Never do I wait for any other game with such bated breath, anticipation, trepidation, perspiration, (heck, even constipation!) for "just a game" whose result shall offer either an unreal, unseen humiliation or supreme, unbridled exhilaration!
Watch this space for more..

Every breath you take, every move you make..

2009-08-31T17:30:00.000+05:30

I just picked a thought (actually, it's a fact), which sounds rather gloomy: With every passing second, we are inching closer to our fated demise - the end of our life.

Well, it sure is a fact, but one need not feel too maudlin about it.
After all, we have only so much time on this planet (in this life), and what is important, instead of feeling what all you might miss out on and what all you might not be able to see/do/get, we'd surely be much better off focusing on what all we can do, what all we can set right, what all we can accomplish - with the time that we do have at our disposal.. ..with every passing moment.. ..with every breath we take.

This blog is no Face The Truth/Sach Ka Saamna platform, but I can admit that there have been so many times, when I might have hurt someone, when I could have done something better than I actually did, when I could have mended some fences, done something to make someone happy selflessly, et cetera, et cetera.

I just hope all of us get the good sense and more than just the intent, the ability and courage to execute our intent of setting things right, putting a smile on faces of everyone we meet especially our loved ones, sharing the joys and sorrows of our families together, making our lives more meaningful, more complete, and more "contentable" (just coined the word) - meaning, by the time we take our last breath, we are content, have no regrets, no I-wish-I-could've-done-that, no I-wish-I-hadn't-done-that.

I really hope I don't just write all this on this space and forget about it. I mean, it's always easier to say/preach/wish for something than to actually execute that wish/intention. But I just wanna make sure that if not all, at least most of the moments I have with me, are spent constructively, usefully, and in doing things that bring people together and make everyone's times together even more fun and cherishable.

Let's atleast honestly and sincerely try to make our lives contentable, likeable and loveable - not from others' point of view or to show anything to others, but just to feel better about things we did when we lived, and to feel good enough on having undone the mistakes of the past, of having had the courage to set things in order, of having mended relations, of having brought smiles on the faces which we always want to see smiling, of having seen to it that when no one sees us, we can see ourselves with our head held high and with our heart at peace.

Ab bahut ho gaya na?! :-)
I know, I think so too - till next time then!

It's ok, na?

2009-08-27T17:31:00.001+05:30

One of my friends, Isha, keeps lamenting that my posts are mostly cricket and not much else. Ab kya karein bhai, actually this is bound to happen, coz I'm someone who straightaway lunges for the sports page in a newspaper, even if the paper is of the likes of The Economic Times.

On a serious note, actually I just go with the flow - if there's nothing appealing to me, I don't write(!), and if there's something I feel like writing about, I do - don't care much even if it consistently belongs to any specific domain or 'label'. Anyway, hope Isha and her ilk would welcome this non-cricket post, for a change!

Just finished with "The Alchemist" - I know it's a bestseller but with due respects to all its fans and ofcourse the very respectable Mr. Paulo Coelho, I did not find it as impressive as I was expecting it to be.

Perhaps it's a case of excessive expectations, or I might have missed appreciating something even when it might've been there, coz the bestseller that it has been, there must be something seriously great about it that I have failed to notice.

Anyway, that's my loss. But thinking of why you like any book, here are my reasons for doing so:

1. The message

2. The way that message is conveyed - with the plot, the lines, the humor (if required) and the narrative (if required)

And then follow the other qualities that these two elements ought to create in any good read:

1. Gripping - once you start the book, you need to stop reading it only if Aishwarya Rai has come running all the way just to sit with you, or..if you have actually finished reading it!

2. Readability - A good book can make you feel like reading it is more like talking to a known, pally friend - just a conversation - no need to bother about anything, just go with the flow, and enjoy without thinking too much, unless it's a Poirot/Holmes kinda suspense-thriller!

3. Enjoyment - This one's the clincher - you should just love reading the book and enjoy the time spent reading it - probably the toughest to make a reader do. Actually, if you can do this part, chances are you have done all others too. In other words, ensuring reader enjoyment makes up for all the Do's and Don'ts.

Basically, the message I got was about following your heart and sticking to your goals, being unwavering in following your destination, enjoying the journey to your destination, learning from anyone and everyone, what else? - but none of this was really new (and it doesn't matter even if it wasn't. Every new book does not mean every new line of thinking) but I somehow didn't find it gripping enough.

The plot seemed to drag/stretch as long as the Egyptian deserts mentioned therein and I knew it was not doing it for me when I was laboriously looking for each page to end, with a keen, continuous and tired eye on how many more still to go, before I reach the last page.

It was like watching a Sreesanth or the entire Australian team play match after match not only without quality, but also without sledging their opponents - could well be historical, but seems boring. (oops, there we go with the cricket again!)

Somehow, I just did not feel captivated enough through the book. Guess it's no sacrilege, just a matter of choice.
It's ok, na?!

Virender Sehwag's best six till date

2009-08-22T08:37:00.010+05:30

This post is more about the virtue than the vice.
It's more about the positive aspect of Virender Sehwag's DDCA-expose than lamenting about the quagmire of politics, nepotism, corruption and a generally brazen disregard for professionalism, that the DDCA is neck-deep into.

There might be dozens of other such associations/sports bodies/clubs/people (not just in cricket or any other sport, but also in life) that may be just as corrupt and botched up, but the point is, how many people have the courage to stand up for something they believe in?

The thing to appreciate, respect and emulate, is to take it on, to take the bull by the horns, at least by the time we have attained some position from where our voice will not get choked in the chaotic ruckus of the very system we are taking on.

Why not have the courage of conviction to stand up for something we know is right and to protest against anything that we know is wrong, unfair, and unethical?

There's a wonderful saying - "If you cannot stand up for something (you believe in), you can fall for anything."

Some of us might be wondering why Sehwag would have wanted to challenge the administrators when his own place in the sun was assured, and when his own interest was being well-served.

And how could he be so sure that corruption in DDCA was indeed as rampant and as likely as SRK's presence in a Farah Khan/Karan Johar flick?

Well, I just read an article from the much-respected cricket journo Pradeep Magazine. The following extract from that article brings to light the reason why Sehwag, safely ensconced as an iconic player in the Delhi establishment, would want to make DDCA face the music:

"Those who are wondering why Virender Sehwag, safe in his fame, riches and iconic status, all of a sudden raised his voice and created a chaos in this 'ordered' world, perhaps don't know this story:
For two consecutive years, a young lad from the suburbs of Delhi would go to the selection trials of Delhi cricket, only to be shooed away after facing only half a dozen balls in the nets.
The crestfallen youngster found a godfather in Satish "Neelu" Sharma, who recognised his potential and pitted him against the full might of a DDCA team.
The boy smashed half a dozen sixes in his rampaging hundred, something that has become a signature of almost every Sehwag innings when he plays for India today."

C'mon, get me the popcorn, yaar - this is so very much like a truly, filmy-ly happy ending, with the hero bashing up the baddie in the end! Sweet redemption, Viru!

Aplenty are such scenarios in everyone's life where we just silently witness, and therefore knowingly or unknowingly connive with the trespassers of morality, ethics, and transparency, through our passive stance and tacit approval.

I just hope we all get to learn from Viru, and exhibit similar courage whenever we have our owns trysts with such scenarios. Power to you, Virender Dude Sehwag - this one's been the best six you've hit in your career, sending the ball of corrupt babudom at the cost of sheer talent, well outta the park!

Here's to more such Sehwags - may the club keep growing!

Jo WADA kiya, wo nibhana padega..

2009-08-04T15:03:00.012+05:30

जी हाँ, पेश है एक और बार - BCCI की चमकार!
इसके जितना कमा नहीं पाती कई countries की सरकार!!
दादागिरी करने का मिला एक और हथियार!
करे अपने cricketers पर privacy-protection की बौछार!
BCCI की चमकार!

आया नया अँधेरा!!
(BCCI Says: "WADA का..)
..हर Clause मेरा"!

Enough, BCCI and Indian cricketers - much as we love our cricket, along with the joy you provide us with your talent, we are not taking this.

I mean, I simply don't get it, guys. Our cricketers are already exalted to demi-god status, we don't grudge them that. (It's another matter though, that all others who get recognition for the country should also come atleast close to the celeb status, wealth and sheer clout that the cricketers command after donning national colors).
But howsoever famous you may be, you cannot not adhere to already stated, and universally-accepted rules and guidelines.

We have the best of the best conforming to the clauses of the WADA - be it with the ATP (Tennis) or FIFA (Soccer) or all the sportspersons who participate in sports affiliated to the IOA (International Olympic Association). And didn't BCCI know what it was getting into, when it signed the agreement with WADA?

The cricketers are, reportedly, unhappy with the WADA clause that requires them to furnish information about where they would be, on the grounds that it infringes on their privacy. Sure, but isn't it a small price to pay for, if you understand the intent behind the policy and also note that all others agree to it as well?
Is others' privacy or information less sensitive or less important than our demi-gods'?

And instead of reining in the delinquents, why has the BCCI chosen to side with the cricketers, even taking on the Government, and bullying the ICC into creating a separate, autonomous testing system for cricketers?
Isn't that unfair use of monopoly?

One needs to be fair to all, and if security and privacy are the reasons, ask a Roger Federer if he is not entitled to privacy or the Pakistani and Sri Lankan teams if they are not concerned about security.
WADA is a universally-recognised body, which would only help each sport to get rid of the menace of doping.

And then, we whine about the lack of standards and cricket not being included in the Olympics.

If you shirk from performing when the stage is yours, you cannot cry over talent not being recognized.

Dear Bapu..

2009-08-03T15:57:00.010+05:30

Dear Bapu,

I have always revered you for not only showing a new way of life but also practising everything that you preached.
It is no wonder, therefore, that most of your teachings are the foundation stones on which our constitutional practices and principles have been built.

However, sometimes I wonder, what your approach would have been if you were to have lived in the present era, of relentless and repentless terror, corruption and judicial torpidity.

Bapu, one of your most famous quotes has long been the cornerstone of our policy and law-making practices. It goes something like this: "Even if a hundred criminals go scot free, it's still preferable to even one innocent being unfairly prosecuted".

Please do not misinterpret my difference of opinion as disagreement with (much less, criticism of) your line of thought. I am anyway too inconsequential and your thoughts were and will always remain too good to be criticised. I am just wondering whether, having seen the light of the day in today's times, you would have wanted to continue your policy of tolerance and benefit of doubt to even the most evident of crimes and criminals - only for the sake of a policy.

I believe the assumption, typically sensitive and caring of you, was relevant for precisely the times you lived in. Back then, I cannot recall incidents when ingenious minds used their creativity negatively to make up lame excuses in favor of criminals.

Correct me if I am wrong, but today, things have come to such a pass due to the archaic give-benefit-of-doubt unless proven guilty (completely), that it has allowed our justice deliverance mechanism to go into unexplainable and unreasonable stupor, faster and longer than a Kumbhakarna.

I wonder how you'd react if you were to witness the gross abuse of the judicial process and policies in order to make open-and-shut cases (of inhuman, barbaric and most unequivocally condemnable acts) favorable for the accused party, all in the name of benefit of doubt, lack of evidence, delay in judgements' deliverance, etc. for years and years together.

The latest development is another case in point, where a decisive verdict would not only deliver justice but also provide a fitting message to the perpetrators of such crimes, about the consequences that they should be prepared for, if they dare to even think of committing any such heinous acts.

Why do we not deliver justice promptly in open and shut cases?
What do we get by waiting everytime for n number of evidences against an accused, who has all the time in the world to fabricate the case, threaten witnesses, pay up equally debased lawyers to abuse any caveat or loose ends in the law to his advantage, and delay the trial or even be released 'honorably'?

And again, I am not advocating that we do not behave in a statesman-like manner. I also know that there are diplomatic, political and symbolic reasons that also delay a verdict. But to see this happening in every case only gives the impression that the state itself is weak, paralysed and too indecisive to even deliver a just verdict promptly.

Well, forget promptness, most often, we are left high and dry hoping for atleast a verdict - Afzal Guru is still accused in the Parliament attack case of 2002. The Kataras, the Sabharwals, the Jessica Lalls, the Pandher-Koli victims, all have a story to tell - only to keep awaiting justice and expect their next generation to carry on the battle, hoping against hope.

Bapu, if you were around and you saw such blatant violation of civic and fundamental rights, and denial of justice to even the victims of open-and-shut cases, what would you have done?

Would you not agree it is high time we took the bull by its horns and ensure we DELIVER JUSTICE TO THE DESERVING AND THE HAPLESS VICTIMS, RIGHT AWAY?

Bapu, I guess you would have had to seriously reconsider the policy of trusting even a known criminal to be innocent if you could see the impunity with which criminals go scot-free, just for want of enough evidence (how much and when is it ever enough for them, anyway?!), and time-warped deficiencies in our laws and archaic policies.

Love you Bapu, but I believe the Mahatma that you always were, your soul too might really feel at peace only when we all shrug off this inertia of being indolent to arm-twisting by known criminals and offenders, and insolent to the frustrated, helpless victims.

One might somehow still be able to bear the victimisation inflicted by a criminal. But it is infinitely and exponentially more unbearable, unreasonable and unfair on those victims to see the criminal being exempted from punitive action simply for want of archaic laws and loose processes. And it is we, who are responsible for doing so.

Just as important as delivering justice to victims of known offenders (yet to be proven guilty only in the the soap opera of a trial in the courtrooms) is how soon justice gets delivered.

Justice delayed is justice denied, as well as faith dented - not just of the victims, but also of all those people who helplessly and frustratingly witness, read, observe and follow such developments.

Why be a weak state, taking years together to deliver long-due justice, which should take a month's time at best?

Bapu, did you ever want that people arm-twist the principles you laid out for our governance, in this way to suit themselves unfairly, and at the cost of the people who have already suffered enough?

Haven't we been witnessing that today, by taking advantage of the benefit-of-doubt and innocent-till-proven-guilty policy along with the inordinately long delays in judgements, known criminals and offenders merrily while away their time, while the victims and bravehearts who pursue the case seeking justice, are the ones actually suffering?

So eventually, instead of ensuring that even one innocent does not suffer, we have ended up making only the innocent victims suffer - not only once when they themselves bore the brunt of the inflicted crime, but many times over when they kept coming to the courts in the hope of justice and with the will to see the culprits being brought to book. Alas, only in vain.

So haven't all of us - since all of us are components of our corrupt, debased, and completely negligent system, the why-bother-if-it-doesn't-affect-me or why-take-on-the-system junta - actively or passively, only helped the criminals go off the hook, and made justice just a mirage for the victims?

Would you have wanted this to happen, Bapu?
I wish you could react to how things are today..
I wish you could show us the right way forward..

My 3 Best Friends

2009-07-07T09:52:00.011+05:30

The following post might seem as if I am writing in a highly delusional, despondent mood, or that something tragic has befallen me, or that I have been watching Astha TV, Sanskaar TV or some marathon, non-stop pravachan for years together!!
However, none of the above is true.
I just want to share my thoughts and beliefs on this platform, and it'll be nice if any of the readers (if they too happen to agree with my thoughts) can also benefit from believing in some things that I have believed in, and benefited from.

All of us go through, have gone through, (and inevitably, will go through) such times in life, when one does not fully comprehend the reasons behind why something happened (I stress especially on the unpleasant happenings, because most of us generally do not "question" the good things that God bestows us with!)

There are times when one feels one has been hard done.

There are times when it seems that there could possibly be nothing good or rational behind an event/result that did not occur in consonance with one's wishes or to one's liking.

क्या आपको भी कभी ऐसा लगा है?! :-)

क्या आप भी कभी ऐसी situations में आए हैं?!! :-)

क्या आप ऐसे समय पर दुखी और निराश हो जाते हैं? :-)

अगर इन सवालों का जवाब हाँ है, तो मेरे इन तीन मित्रों से ज़रूर मिल लीजिये: :-)

I believe in 3 axioms in life - 3 postulates, which I cannot prove - you just need to believe them, that's all.
These principles/axioms/postulates are my 3 best friends because they always help me deal with the biggest of unexplainable, bewildering disappointments with ridiculous ease.

They have been such great friends to me that whenever I have faced any disappointment or an unwanted event in life that I have not found reasonable or justifiable, it is this belief in these 3 friends that has always helped me (through them) to find solace, assuredness, renewed belief and gratitude towards God and His grace, and contentment in whatever happens, has happened, or whatever will happen.

Thought of sharing them with you, just in case any of you too might be interested in meeting these friends, and if any of you might benefit from them, it would be worth the post.

If you can believe them wholeheartedly and sincerely, these 3 friends will always hold you in good stead:

1. Even if you cannot believe or understand it, everything happens for the best

Nothing happens without reason, and happens for the best, even if you cannot understand the 'good' in it, let alone the 'best' part. You just gotta believe in the fact that even the things that you do not find favorable or likeable, are happening for the best - it's just that at the given time, you are not able to know/understand/appreciate the reason behind it. But our ignorance cannot and should not change the merit of the event or the wisdom of His decision.

If not you, atleast certainly He, the Almighty, knows the reason, the blessing, and the 'good' for you, in the ostensibly 'unfortunate' event that you might be crestfallen about.

As I said, I cannot prove it with some statistical data or anything else except self-belief and experiences from my life as well as that of others.
All of us must be aware of incidents which, our immature mind would have thought of as unfair, harsh, or unfortunate and unwanted.
However, eventually, with time and more wisdom, we might have realised the merit behind those incidents and the positives that accrued from those 'unfortunate/avoidable' circumstances.

2. He plans for you much better than you can ever plan for yourself

He, the Almighty, knows more than you can ever imagine and He Himself wants to keep you more happy than the happiness that you yourself can ever want and plan for yourself.

Again, it is imperative that we do not feel perturbed by any situation and never forget that everything is happening for our good (even better than the 'good' anyone can ever plan for oneself, because it is planned for us by Him) and that even though we cannot understand the reason or even if the 'good' part is not evident, we are not as mature as Him and are not good enough to understand the reason behind His decisions.

But you should never forget that He is always with us, for us, despite us being us!

3. He is Supreme

The Almighty is named so, because of the word itself: All Mighty. Nothing in this world is beyond Him, the Almighty.
Unless you are an atheist, you cannot not believe this!
So hopefully, believing this wholeheartedly and at all times, should not be beyond you. So never let go of this belief - it will keep you happy, content, assured, and blessed.

As with the other 2 rules, you just need to have genuine, unflinching and resolute belief in these rules. That's all it takes for me to feel good or atleast come to terms in a much, much better way with any situation.

Now, if you genuinely believe all these 3 friends, combine all that they tell you, and then look at anything in life with this perspective:

1. Even if something apparently unfortunate happens, it is for a greater good. So whatever is happening, is for the best even if we cannot understand it right now. Just need to believe in Him.

2. He plans for you much better than you can ever plan for yourself. He knows more than we can ever imagine and He Himself wants to keep us more happy than the happiness that we ourselves can ever want and plan for ourselves.

3. He is Supreme, and whatever He wants, and only that which He wants, will happen.
With this belief, refer back to Rules 1 & 2 again.

So, believing the points put forth by all my 3 friends, I can only conclude that He is someone whose wants dictate and decide what happens with each one of us, and it is that very He, who wants and plans for us to make us even happier than we can ever imagine and plan for ourselves even in our wildest dreams.

So it's just a matter of having the faith and ensuring that we do not forget the fact that even if we are unable to see the good/the benefit in an event, we should atleast be wise enough and faithful enough to ensure that we do keep believing in Him and in His plans for each one of us. And since He wants to keep us happy, He WILL do so, in His own way and style. Rest assured, whatever and whenever it'll be, it'll be better than even we could have planned for ourselves. For, HE is Almighty!!!

May God keep blessing us all!

Ye Cup...Kaheen Aur Hi Jaayega :-(

2009-06-15T10:08:00.004+05:30

So, the dream has ended.
England have knocked the defending World Champions out of the 2009 edition.

It's a pity we couldn't even make the semis.
It's a pity we played the way we played, given the talent and the billing the team always enjoyed.

Wish Bhajji - despite his excellent bowling otherwise - had enough wits about him to atleast not spray the ball way down the leg side (and fast at that!), only to give away 5 runs, along with an extra ball - not even once, but TWICE! - and certainly, not on the last ball of the innings!!!!
Couldn't Dhoni have just had a quiet word with him before atleast that last ball of the innings, especially when he had kept that over tight - just to remind Bhajji to ensure no extras were conceded?

Mind you, I don't have a problem with the opposition playing well, but to gift the match away by making crucial, basic errors is a cardinal sin.
By the way, I would have still castigated the bowler and the captain for the aforementioned instance in the aforementioned way, even if India had won.

Why was RP Singh not bowled for his entire quota, when he had bowled so well?

I can still live with the idea of promoting Jadeja if you try to understand Dhoni's intent - it was not such a bad idea after all, to have him up at #4, so that the bigger players were not lost before the 10th over, and the scoreboard would have kept moving.

Even if Jad would have got out, he wouldn't have been as big a loss as a Yuvraj or Dhoni or Yusuf and again, if he were to come down the order with the asking rate at 9+ or 10+, it would not have served him well there too. Wouldn't we have then said it was too much to ask from the inexperienced youngster?
So all in all, when it came to using his experience and playing style, I think it was better he came when he did. The only problem was that he took too many balls, he could have taken atleast 5-10 balls less than he actually did, and that's where Dhoni too missed a trick. He should have given instructions to the youngster to get on with it, definitely when the halfway mark of the innings had been crossed.

Why was Jadeja not told to hit out or get out, when he was clearly struggling? When he eventually holed out, it seemed he was more happy than the bowler for putting him out of his misery.

If you face good bowling, as India did, I still don't mind the slow start, but atleast the basic, school-level errors could've been avoided.

A little more common-sensical approach, a dash of enjoyment and intensity in the field and on the pitch in gaining an extra run with hard running, and a little more communication from the captain - is all I have a complaint against.

Yes, we could still have lost, but atleast I wouldn't mind it as much if we tried and gave our best, but lost just because the other team came better on the day.

Anyway, just as with wins, let's hope that we don't get carried away too much.
This is just an emotional outburst, and I am sure our team has enough talent to win more often than lose.

I'm sure the guys are just as disappointed as the others, if not more.
But just hope the intensity and enjoyment never get flagged, as it seemed to happen last night at Lord's.

Aamir Khan!!

2009-05-15T09:58:00.008+05:30

I know I haven't discussed this on this blog as yet, but I have always been an Aamir Khan fan. Not that I do not like any other actor - I am also a big admirer of the inimitable Amitabh Bachchan and SRK, among many others.
But Aamir, truly, just stands apart.

Again, no disrespect to anyone, in fact, I think Amitabh Bachchan is the greatest actor we have seen, but the sheer planning, variety, attention to detail, exhaustive preparation for each character, ability to do justice to a script, and daredevilry to take up a challenge and rest your professional stakes on that one role for the entire year, takes some doing. Only a person with not just immense talent and intelligence, but also immense self-belief, can carry this off.

Shahrukh is wonderful too, but I have just one logic - I can swap any SRK role with Aamir - as in, I can expect AK to do any role done by SRK with as much elan, but cannot imagine SRK doing a Sarfarosh, a TZP, a Ghajini, etc. the way AK has.
Ofcourse, these are just my views and that is why you are reading them here - coz this is the reason I have created this space - to air my views, with the rationale behind my thoughts - you are free to agree/disagree.

I began reading Aamir's blog recently and it has only made me even more of an Aamir fan. Just reading his thoughts, the way he conveys everything, and mingles so humbly and freely with his fans, along with regular updates indicates a genuine desire to use the blog as a medium to connect with his audience in the way he wants it - informative, regular, fun-filled, informal, witty, and transparent (coming from the horse's mouth, it does not leave any room for speculation on anything and actually helps clears any misgivings anyone might have).

The fact that he has been finding time to not only personally write the blog so regularly, but also reading each and every reply to his posts and even replying back wherever required, displays genuine interest, sincerity, and attachment towards his blogging and affability by not letting any comment go unnoticed and many a time, also recognizing/appreciating it.

Here's just one sampler that I'm sure anyone who reads, would love. It shows the way Aamir used his body language, acting skills and intelligence to convey the right emotions and the non-verbal traits of the character (Bhuvan - the character he was portraying in Lagaan), on screen.
Highly recommend reading this entry on Creating Bhuvan.
I just felt so wonderful about being let in into the mind of this genius, who allowed us what all he tried and why, in projecting the right emotions and body language for his character.
And this is where I find him better than a ShahRukh as well as the great Amitabh Bachchan (even you yourself won't mind that na, Amitji - haayein..?!)

There are two main things that separate him from everyone else:

Abiility to research thoroughly and portray any character convincingly - By research I mean, genuinely thourough, exhaustive (and must surely be exhausting too!) research. And by any, I mean ANY: With due respects to others, but I think no one can match Aamir for his versatility. And it's not just about being versatile. What gets him the biggest edge is that he is most convincing in each of his so different roles - AK can portray a rebel (Mangal Pandey), a police officer (Sarfarosh), a mushy hero (QSQT), a strife-torn father-husband (Akele Hum Akele Tum), a lovable brat (RDB), a hilarious buffoon (Andaz Apna Apna), a comic hero (Ishq), a college-level hero (Jo Jeeta...), a tapori (Rangeela), an endearing rustic driver (Raja Hindustani), an urban youngster friend and lover (DCH), a terrorist in love (Fanaa), a rebellious youngster (Ghulam), an action hero (Ghajini), a sensitive teacher (TZP) - just to name a few..

And as you would know, the list ain't complete!
Which other hero has carried off such a huge run, variety and consistent string of quality roles for his movies?

Leader, Pioneer of Firsts - Whether it is the exhaustive preparation for a role, the unimaginable limits to which he can get soaked in his character, the great lengths to which he hedges his bets on only one project a year (by doing only 1-2 movies a year), thereby also displaying the strength of conviction to do quality-fulfilling and not indulge in needless money-raking movies, at the cost of churning inane performances in movie after movie: Go through any of the above traits and you will find even Amit sir, the legend has not made a conscious effort to dare do so few, so versatile and such intense movies, year after year after year.

And even more than these (but this is a trait in many other stars too), he also comes across as a genuine, unfazed-by-superstardom, well-meaning, sensible, mature, naturally friendly and peaceful guy with a wonderful heart and a great sense of humor - Not a bad list of ingredients in a person you'd like to have as a friend/mentor/guide.

I can go on and on but this should suffice for now - Aamir, if you are reading this, you deserve it, and no need to thank me!

Just keep up the great work, for we have spoiled and immuned ourselves to seeing nothing short of great stuff from you - and no need to take any pressure, yes, you are more than good enough. Touchwood!

Alright, one more line and his wife might begin to get fidgety. Mine too.

Of Maximums, Moments of Success, et al

2009-05-13T10:09:00.010+05:30

Just in case you have recently migrated to this planet, let me inform you that the Indian Premier League - the glam show of T20 cricket replete with all assortments of stars, razzmatazz, and glamour, is now in its second year.

What might not have gone unnoticed too, is that it has established a new lexicon of terms associated with cricket.

The entire, conscious and business (marketing) exercise of calling every wicket a Citi Moment of Success, and every hit over the ropes coined as a DLF Maximum seems barely bearable, but one hopes they do not carry this branding too far. Who'd like to listen to such coinage every now and then, for every other term and event happening on the field?

This sickening thought just emanates from going through a nice read at Cricinfo's page on this:
http://content.cricinfo.com/iplpage2/content/story/402281.html

Quite witty and imaginative, but unfortunately, it doesn't really seem to be an extract from some sci-fi content. The way things stand, it might not be an unreal possibility.

Just hope Messrs Lalit Modi and his staff can all resist the temptation of selling, and then imposing, every brand on cricket.
It's not a bad thing for the coffers to stay abrim but as with most things in life, one should never fail from asking the question: At what cost?

Dilli-11

2009-05-02T22:53:00.004+05:30

No, this is not some sequel to Delhi-6 but my list of who I'd like to see in the Delhi Daredevils playing eleven:

Click the image to view the list clearly:

The column on the left is my list of cricketers I'd like to see as my first-choice of playing eleven.
On the right, is the list of cricketers, who I can replace / can swap, along with the names of the cricketers I can swap them with.

These legends describe what the cricketers have been picked as:
BTA - Batting All Rounder,
Bt - Specialist batsman
Bl - Specialist bowler
Wk- Wicketkeeper
BLA - Bowling All Rounder

The 4 yellow-colored rows denote the maximum 4 foreign players who can be picked in a playing XI.
The team has been picked in batting order.

What I like most about this team is that it covers all bases - in terms of all the 3 facets: it has enough talent and depth in batting, bowling as well as fielding. Not just that, it has depth and variety within these departments too.

Let's pick each one-by-one:

1. Fielding

Some of the best: Manoj Tiwary, AB de Villiers, TM Dilshan, Paul Collingwood, Virender Sehwag, etc. are the standout livewires who would put any close-in ring of fielders to shame.

Guys like Glenn McGrath and Gambhir also possess a wonderful arm - to enable quick, strong returns from the deep.

2. Bowling

Led by the one and only Glenn McGrath, with perhaps the best left-arm slow bowler in the world in the form of Daniel Vettori, the wonderful prospects such as Dirk Nannes, Amit Mishra, Yo Mahesh and Pradeep Sangwan, along with the ever-reliable Ashish Nehra and Farveez Maharoof: you have all sorts of bowlers who can get you wickets against any opposition on any surface.

3. Batting

When a line-up has the likes of Gambhir, Sehwag, Warner and AB/Tiwary/Dilshan staring you in the face as its first four, does anybody need to tell you anymore about its prowess?
Apart from these living dynamites, there are also (only relatively speaking, though) sheet-anchor players, who can hold an end up and make others play their strokes around and on top of their calm and composed presence. Guys such as Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Dinesh Karthik, Mithun Manhas and Rajat Bhatia can alway be relied upon to stall any wicket-taking attempts of the opposition while also keeping the scoreboard ticking.

4. All Rounders
With guys such as Farveez Maharoof, the skipper Sehwag himself, Daniel Vettori, Rajat Bhatia and upcoming al-round talents like Dirk Nannes and Andrew McDonald, all-rounders are also available aplenty to choose from.

5. All-Round Depth
Most impressively, the all-round depth in each department of this Delhi team is extremely strong - atleast on paper, for sure. I would love to see a match where every skill in the game is utilised and harnessed in ensuring both hard-fought as well as facile victories.

Hope to see this set of Delhi XI playing someday, sometime, somewhere..can place a significant amount on it doing well. :-)

Kis? Kis? Kis, kis, kis, kis, Kisko???

2009-05-01T11:45:00.005+05:30

Jaagore jaagore, jaa.aa..go..o..re!!
Yes, that's right - election ke din, agar aap vote nahin kar rahe, to aap SO rahe ho...
(and it plays out again - Jaagore jaagore, jaa.aa..go..o..re!!)

But yours truly - with all political disenchantment and without any clue on what choice to make - wants to know ki jaag ke, arthaat voting booth par pahunchke, karna kya hai????!!

Ji haan, vote to karna hi hai, par kis? kis? kis, kis, kis, kis, kisko?
Kisko vote karoon?!!

Now I do know, we do have enough regional/semi/quasi-national level parties, who have got quite used to calling the shots at the Centre in this age of coalitions.

But I want to zero in on only two - excuse me, all non-BJP, non-Congress, Third/Fourth/United/Disjointed/Secular/Whatever Front waalon and their supporters. Even if you possess an IQ that is as much as Mallika Sherawat's wardrobe, even then, you too would understand, that there are only two main parties in India: the Congress and the BJP.

These are the only 2 parties with whom shall wrest the responsibility of shaping the next government - whether on their own steam through a simple or near-simple majority (which is as likely as Himesh Reshammiya singing with the help of his vocal, and not nasal chords).

Or, one of these 2 parties can form/lead/support (from outside or from within the Cabinet), a coalition of parties where one of these two shall be the dominant, centrifugal partner in the coalition of parties that shall form the government.

Of the two, both seem to me to be equally (in)competent at the following:

Corrupt: Now come on, we don't need to debate about it, do we? We have made ourselves and our country immune to it even faster than even the good folks who have been trying since so many years to immunise us and our country against polio through the pulse polio campaigns.

In fact, it has now come to a stage where corruption is a vice no more; virtue? - more
likely, necessity? - oh sure!

Which party/candidate to select, why and how?

Communal: Overtly or covertly, directly or indirectly, whether through the direct, blatant, virulent verbal and physical attacks & hate propaganda by one party or through the other's squeamish, milk-them-and-use-them-in-the-name-of-secularism, get-votes-and-keep-promising-the-world attitude.

So, which one to vote for - the one that has Hindu sentiment and vote encashment as its
official warcry, or the one that just feels Muslims were born to live in a constant state of
shoot-at-sight, and it can feed off their insecurity and lack of other worthy options?
What enviable options!

Apathetic: Don't know what others feel, but I can clearly sense these parties' care-a-damn-lets-get-power attitude.
Pick any neta - Is anyone at all bothered about the welfare of the citizens and residents of an MP's constituency for the first 4 years 10 months??" What have both parties tried to do, when in power except on just encashing on the opportunity to use the power to achieve all material gains for self/party - in that order - at supersonic speed?

I know everything cannot be solved in 5 years (or even in 50 , for some problems). But I am not even asking for a quick-fix solution to everything. I just need to see intent, genuine intent, genuine effort, genuine concern and corrective action. Is that too much to ask for?
Unfortunately, none of the parties comes to the fore on any of these fronts.

I know, not voting does not mean the problems will be solved, but I need to know how to decide who is worthy of being voted?

How can you trust candidate A over candidate B when you have not only seen A and B, but have also seen the A's and the B's of the past - all happy enough to indulge in achieving their own personal goals and ready to involve themselves in mud-slinging against the other candidate/party at the slightest mention of their own tasks and achievements?

Yes, the answer is in putting your hand up if you feel so strongly disillusioned by things, and to make a difference. Forgive me for being such a pessimist, but I think such is the pre-dominance of these Big Two in politics, that even when the good, clean, meritorious, qualified, deserving and capable people have tried to make a difference, they have lost their voice and say, in the political spectrum of our country and have had to ultimately become subservient to one of the two parties, and pander to their big boss(es).

So where is the voice and clout of the independent in today's politics and what difference would you make, apart from raising some questions in the Question Hour? (that's assuming Parliament's not adjourned sine die, due to some or the other ruckus being created by some or the other party).

Anyway, just wanted to jot down my thoughts on the current scenario - apologies for the gloomy sentiments, and the pessimism - hope to find (and would love to receive through your comments) more answers than questions.

Till then...
Keep the faith, and do vote - just that I myself don't know, for whom? But good for you, if atleast you can put a finger on the pulse, and also on which button of the EVM to press!

Happy Birthday, sir!!!!!

2009-04-24T07:57:00.010+05:30

It's here!! - April, the 24th!!
Another big day in the life of a gem called The Little Master, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, whose life is littered with big days and milestones galore.

Wish you a very happy and joyous day, and hopefully this is only one of many, many more joyous days and birthdays still to come, for many more years from now.

For mere mortals like us, events like birthdays are special, big days but sometimes I wonder what a milestone-laden genius like Sachin (on second thoughts, actually, there is nobody, quite like Sachin!) would feel on his birthday.

Yes, whatever heights you may achieve, a birthday is a birthday, and feeling stolid or emotionless about it. Agreed, he is of the rare breed who have enough reasons to celebrate and rejoice over some or the other milestone almost everyday anway - through his obvious precious and always-precocious talent, discipline, level-headedness, perseverance, international longevity (oh what not!) - he has now come to the stage that he keeps breaking records and milestones has become as much a part and way of life as breathing!

But perhaps he being one with a child-like zeal and zest for life, he would still treasure a birthday as much as any young kid!
Have you a great one, champ and you deserve to enjoy many, many more ones - also, many more birthdays still to come, where you might need to spend the day representing India, atleast till the 2011 World Cup !!

Such a genius and true patriot who has for long been a one-man army shouldering and carrying off the expectations of a people in every tournament, every innings, and on every ball, deserves to get a World Cup in his trophy cabinet, atleast before he turns 40.

That's my only, simple (and inexpensive, actually free!) birthday gift to you, Sachin - I sincerely pray and hope that may God bestow you with His grace and ensure you play a stellar role in making India win the World Cup!
(Having said that, you are the best, and ya shalt remain the best even if you score runs in the negative for the rest of your life! But having known your craving for the coveted glory, knowing your passion and penchant for seeing the Indian flag flutter gloriously on the winning podium), and to hear the national anthem of the winners as Jana Gana Mana, may you be bestowed with all the good luck and form to make it a dream come true - Amen!!!!!

Many Happy Returns of the day, Sir!!

What For, MSD?

2009-04-20T09:30:00.006+05:30

Okayyy...so somebody's back!
No excuses for not writing in, but at least today, I just had to.

I have been (and still am) an avid MSD fan, and if you have followed some of my earlier posts, you'd know that I have always been singing hosannas, praising his demeanour, talent, tactics, et al.

And then I read about MSD (and Bhajji) skipping the awards, (http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=NLetter&id=a21f82c6-77dc-434c-8a4c-d83d56bb4f56&Headline=Dhoni%2c+Bhajji+give+Padma+awards+a+miss).

And this is when I really wanted to give vent to my thoughts. I just wanted to put things in perspective, be fair, and ensure I am no blind follower of his.

Which is why, I decided to pen down (er..ok, make that key in) my disappointment over his conduct.

Disclaimer: Since I do not see myself (atleast not for now) calling up MSD and getting his thoughts/response on this, I have only been looking to a report citing MSD's version of things. Have waited a while but since no reports have been forthcoming, I write this with the assumption that he actually did skip the Padma awards ceremony for the sake of endorsements.

If it is indeed true that MSD has skipped the National Honor ceremony, only to turn up for a brand endorsement, it is certainly regrettable. I just hope it isn't lost out on the young man that any brand endorsement, function or any other event - unless it is a matter of someone's life and death - cannot be more important (however pre-planned it may be, and for that matter, the Padma Awards cermeony too, is not exactly an off-the-cuff, chalo-let's-have- it-tonite one) than an event where the nation is bestowing one of its most coveted civilian honors.

No amount of persuasion, arguments, or justification can cover for such callousness. Hopefully, whatever reason MSD has, if he stays true to himself, he will atleast in his own heart, own up to the fact that he need not have skipped this event. But this regret should not come about because it caused an unnecessary furore and diluted his brand equity - and ironically, which itself was what he wanted to build at the cost of missing the function, - but because others' reactions notwithstanding, his heart and mind should unequivocally exhort him to put country, national honor, and respect for the country and its love, above anything and everything else.

No brand can be bigger than the brand of a billion hearts beating for you, cheering for you, loving, respecting, adoring, and idolising you.

Riverdance Magic - Talk of Sync!

2008-11-12T21:18:00.002+05:30

Now then, this is something that has completely bowled me over. When I saw Riverdance for the first time, I was amazed to say the least. The beauty is that no matter how many times I see it, I am still just as enamored and overawed by the sheer art, chemistry and co-ordination among all dancers.
For the uninitiated, here's a backgrounder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverdance
And just to etch this in your memory forever, here's a clip of a Riverdance performance - A Must See:

Peter Roebuck's Endorsement

2008-11-12T13:33:00.007+05:30

A great article by one of the most respected cricket writers of all time.
Check this out: http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/377870.html

Keep the Spark!

2008-08-07T19:04:00.007+05:30

In one of my earlier posts, I had written about my admiration for Chetan 's style of writing.
Well, he did his image no harm by making a speech at Symbiosis, Pune recently.
It is indeed amazing how he finds meaning and metaphors in small things and co-relates them with some of the greater teachings of life.

I strongly recommend a dekko at the following link:
http://www.chetanbhagat.com/blog/general/sparks

The most appealing part of this speech is his clarity of thought, and the way he has shown how much the ostensibly inane, regular activities that go unnoticed in our day-to-day lives can teach us.
That's the enviable part...after all, all of us who have been fortunate enough to get education, know how it feels at the first day of school/college (or work, for that matter). Yet, how many of us can relate it to keeping the spark alive, and remembering to have that same, tingling excitement, that zest for life, that striving, all through in all walks of life?

All of us know the importance of goals and priorities in life (but the magic is in the way he describes and puts it!), as well as how to deal with disappointment, frustration, unfairness and loneliness. The metaphors that he has used to describe and co-relate seemingly mundane things with what they teach us for life, and the way he has organized these ideas to make them so very understandable to one and all - that, is where his abilities come in.

All of us possess the knowledge (he hasn't told anything that was hitherto not known), but how many of us can describe it so lucidly and so succinctly? That, is where talent plays its part - that, is where the writer scores !!

My new novel: MSD and the Great Indian Sporting Spectacle

2008-08-06T11:42:00.019+05:30

It's no divine fountain of wisdom, that succeeding after taking risks and responsibilities that are greater than normal, also allows/calls for commensurate rewards and benefits - greater than normal.
How unfair is that?

However, as it happens all the time, a new debate has begun in the sporting world these days. Oh, by the way, please note that the term "sporting" refers to only the noun, and not the adjective!
For, had some of the people who comprise the sporting world, also been sporting enough, they would never have held grudges against a worthy candidate, and would not have raised a hue and cry over the merits of giving the country's highest honour for a sportsman - the Khel Ratna - to a fully-deserving and quality sportsman by the name of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Somehow, I think we are yet to learn how to stay happy with success and happiness - both ours, and even more importantly, that of others. We always stay enamoured with and envious (actually jealous, more than envious) of the perks and pleasures of others without looking at the hardships and efforts that are equally and pre-requisitically (is that a word?!) part of the deal.

I know and myself agree that cricket rules the roost in our country, and that all other sports - and at the very least, those where we have the potential of excelling, must be encouraged, patronised and given due attention - by the sports authorities, as well as the media.

Yes, cricket enjoys inordinate attention and glamour. But why should we criticise the cricketers for it? Why can't some people digest the fact that the superstar treatment accorded to them comes because they deserve it.

Why don't we appreciate the fact that even a cricketer who plays at the highest national level of a Ranji or a Deodhar Trophy, but does not fare well, is not really known. Why, even some international level cricketers fade into oblivion sooner than the time they were in the limelight.

The point is, that the cricketeres who are successful at the international level consistently, for a decent span of time, deserve to be treated as no less than stars because they have competed and excelled at the national as well as international stage.

How many competitors would a footballer or a hockey player find in a selection trial, as compared to a cricketer? Yes, other sports should also get adequate attention but we cannot deny the fact that cricket will and shall keep Indians fixated, more than all other sports combined.
Keeping these factors in mind, shouldn't the returns for a person succeeding at cricket therefore, be more than for those at other sports?

And if you talk specifically about Dhoni, I am amazed at just how people can object to this recognition being bestowed on him! What I like more about this man is that he is always leading by example. Yes, there's a lot of talk about his cool, calm and unruffled demeanour. But even if he were to get angry, if I were the subject of his anger, I wouldn't mind it because I would know he mustn't be getting mad over nothing and he himself leads by example.

That is how you command respect, and can convincingly exhort your resources to perform at their best, consistently.

Imran Khan is often (and I think, in many ways, rightly) acknowledged as among an all-time best captain and leader for his team. That's because he always used to lead by example, give more than a hundred percent on the field, and not only his opposition, even his teammates used to be scared of antagonising him. His teammates would never have wanted him to lose his cool on them but even if he did, rest assured, they must have been mulling over the lessons to be learnt than mulling over the scolding itself.

MSD, to me, is a cool version of Imran. He rarely displays emotion, but is empathetic, encouraging and exhortive enough to make his players give their best. Most of all, he is a leader who leads by his deeds, by example.

He plays every match, does his wicketkeeping duties well enough (at the time if writing, he is still the best wicketkeeper in the country, worthy of getting selected in the team on his wocketkeeping abilities alone), his batting exudes the sign of maturity and classs (he runs hard - for not only his runs but also those of his partners - and this is when he has kept wickets in the previous innings or will kept wickets in the next innings (for those who cannot appreciate the effort of a wicketkeepers, just do 300 sit-ups), he changes his batting order and also the batting syle - as per the match situation - in the best interests of the team - and he has been doing all this consistently well in his career.

Sure, it's been only two years or so since he arrived, but we got to understand that this also means that he has achieved so much in such a short span.
So cheers to MSD and hope all the hype, success, failure, praise and criticism doesn't get to his head! Rest assured, he shall be the same - for good measure!

आज.....खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम......हाएं?!! :-)

2008-07-28T12:24:00.034+05:30

Yes, I know, it's been a while since I blogged, so this was long overdue. I was too pre-occupied with work - first at office then some household chores, and then more work and more household chores. Not that anyone and everyone inundated me with calls/mails from anywhere and everywhere! But just wanted to clear any misgivings.

Well, it wasn't as if I never got any time off, but it's just that in the time I did get for myself, I didn't feel like writing on anything that wasn't appealing enough.

During the last week, I was so overdosed with the No-Confidence motion debates and analysis, that I had had too much of it by the time I went to the web, and the First Test Match performance of the Indian cricketers in Sri Lanka was too abysmal to write about (no point killing dead meat, right?!).

So I decided to write on something different and light.
Well, I just found how to write on the Net in our lovely mother-tongue..Hindi!!
So now I'm fixated with writing this post in Hindi!
Next up, I think I should find what to write in Hindi - I want to write something that cannot do without Hindi usage, where English translations of the Hindi original would either be meaningless or spineless, if not comical.
How about revisiting the most immortal and impactful movie dialogues in Hindi cinema?!
Now then, that requires Hindi for sure - and just for good measure, may I also put in English translations of the original, Devnagri script - not to be taken seriously - just for fun.

So let me find which are the Top 10 immortal dialogues, in Hindi cinema - no, only those of the doyen of Indian cinema - the Big B, to start with. Guess Hindi cinema is such a huge ocean, spanning a great timeline too, that it would be very unfair of me to list just 10 top ten quotes. As a matter of fact, I think it's a a great injustice to Big B too, that I am putting down only 10 of his best and more memorable dialogues, because there definitely are innumerable more from just him alone.
And, the following list is a compilation of just those dialogues, that strike me on first thoughts.... ofcourse there are many, many more - and it doesn't require me to certify this!

[Disclaimer: This is, by no means, an exhaustive list. Certainly, there are many more one-liners that have captivated the audience imagination and withstood the test of time. The following is just an appetizer!]
These dialogues are not in any particular order as such, but just the ones I can remember off-the-cuff.

Ok, so here goes - my two cents..

Enjoy..

My Top 10 (in no particular order):

1. Yes, I will sign, but first get me the sign of that guy, who called my father a thief; first get me the sign of that guy, who abused my mother and fired her from her job; first get me the sign of that guy, who wrote this on my hand. After that, after that, my brother, I will sign on whichever paper you bring to me.

हाँ, मैं sign करूंगा , लेकिन पहले उस आदमी का sign ले के आओ, जिसने मेरे बाप को चोर कहा था; पहले उस आदमी का sign ले के आओ, जिसने मेरी माँ को गाली देके नौकरी से निकाल दिया था; पहले उस आदमी का sign ले के आओ, जिसने मेरे हाथ पे ये लिख दिया था उसके बाद, उसके बाद मेरे भाई, तुम जिस कागज़ पे कहोगे, उस पर sign कर दूंगा

2. What is your name, Basanti?

तुम्हारा नाम क्या है, बसंती?!

3. I am your father, by relation...(!!)

रिश्ते में तो हम तुम्हारे बाप लगते हैं..

4. The line begins from the place where I stand.

हम जहाँ पर खड़े होते हैं, Line वहां से शुरू हो जाती है

5. Twelve countries' police is waiting for Don...but it is not only tough to catch Don, it is impossible!

Don का इंतज़ार तो बारह मुल्कों की पुलिस कर रही है... पर Don को पकड़ना मुश्किल ही नहीं, नामुमकिन है

6. Sir, I know English so well that I can leave the English behind.

सर, अंग्रेजी तो ऐसी आवे है, कि आई कैन लीव अंग्रेज बिहाइन्द

7. Peter.....you guys are looking for me outside, and I am waiting for you out here.

पीटर.....तुम लोग मुझे बाहर ढूंढ रहे हो, और मैं यहाँ तुम्हारा इंतज़ार कर रहा हूँ

8. Oh no Aunty, when did I say this? You are misunderstanding my Viru, Aunty!

अरे नहीं मौसी, मैंने ऐसा कब कहा? आप तो मेरे वीरू को ग़लत समझ रही हैं, मौसी!

9. I do only what, I believe, is correct.

मुझे जो सही लगता है, मैं वही करता हूँ

And last, but not the least (my favourite!) :-

10. Today - You must be very happy, huh?! The guy who never climbed up the stairs to Your temple, the guy who never bowed his head in front of You, the guy who never folded his hands in front of You - he! he is standing in front of you, with open hands..(!!)

Today - You must be very happy...
That lady, that lady whose forehead abrased (English for ghis!) the chaukhat (I don't know how to translate this!) of Your temple, that lady, on whom, when hardships increased, her devotion towards You increased, who herself kept burning from inside, but always lit the lamp in Your temple, that lady! that lady - is stranded between life and death today.

Yes, You must be very happy today, that I lost....but it is Your loss!
What cruelty, what sin had she committed?
Is this her fault, that she has given birth to me??
Is this her fault, that she is my mother, and I love her??
For what crime is she being punished?

आज - खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम! जो आज तक तुम्हारे मन्दिर की सीढियां नहीं चढ़ा, जिसने आज तक तुम्हारे आगे सर नहीं झुकाया, जिसने आज तक तुम्हारे सामने हाथ नहीं जोड़े - वो! वो आज तुम्हारे सामने हाथ फैलाए खड़ा है
आज - खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम ...

वो औरत - वो औरत, जिसके माथे से तुम्हारी चौखट का पत्थर घिस गया, वो औरत, जिसपर ज़ुल्म बढे, तो उसकी पूजा बढ़ी, जो जिंदगी भर ख़ुद तो जलती रही, मगर तुम्हारे मन्दिर में दीप जलाती रही, वो औरत! वो औरत – आज जिंदगी और मौत के बीच खड़ी है।

हाँ, आज खुश तो बहुत होगे तुम, कि मैं हार गया.. पर ये, तुम्हारी हार है !
कौन सा ज़ुल्म, कौन सा पाप किया था उसने?
क्या उसका कसूर ये है, कि उसने मुझे जनम दिया??
क्या उसका कसूर ये है, कि वो मेरी माँ है, और मैं उससे प्यार करता हूँ ??
ये किस गुनाह की सज़ा दी जा रही है उसे?

More such, later.
Adios!

MBA: My Biggest Ambition?

2008-07-10T07:24:00.005+05:30

"Every night, in my dreams

I see you, I feel you.. (..the maddening craze and herd-mentality of becoming an MBA)

That is how I know you.. (..the MBA-stricken world)

Go on..(..rambling about the great, plenipotentiary [check the GMAT/CAT vocab docs for the meaning] MBA tag) "

Seriously guys, isn't there any salvation without becoming an MBA?
By the way, may I clarify first up that I have a lot of respect for the qualification itself.

I also understand very well that this degree enables one to rise vertically (to become part of the management) as well as horizontally (across different industries and sectors too).

If you believe I am an MBA-cynic, you couldn't be farther from the truth.

I truly admire the people who successfully (and correctly) identified this (being an MBA) as their field (and qualification), since they knew this was what they were best at, and that this is what they want to do.

What I do not admire, though, is the unending prattle and the mindless following, that exhorts anyone and everyone to go for this degree. This is the sad part. But wait, it ain't over! What I find even more depressing, is that people are falling for it too, ignoring their inner voice. Isn't there something we all want to do?

Allow me to be Yash Chopra here: "He, the Almighty has made something (the field of work, the kind of work that is best suited for us - I'm sure it CANNOT be only MBA for most of us!) for all of us, there's someone (read some field of work) that's made for you...(where you are best at), which you love. Ofcourse, most people compromise and go for something else (read MBA).

Anyone who is anyone, is keen to lap up this tag-wagon!

Has the MBA today, become an acronym for My Biggest Ambition?

If someone does a survey on how many people wanted to do MBA all along, be MBA all along, how many actually are, and even more importantly, how many MBAs are happy with what they have done and achieved - given a choice to turn the clock back, would they like to go for the same course and profile again?, the results would greatly help in gaining an insight about the "success and satisfaction" levels of each of these categories of people.

After all, it is also extremely important to know whether those people who are qualified, 'successful' MBAs, feel empty or insatiated inside, because they might still be yearning to do something they could have done but could not, due to the pressure (be it due to peer pressure or the individual simply not knowing oneself about what he/she wants and can do).

Practically speaking, is MBA among the best-possible qualification one can have in today's times? Ofcourse.
But what about the same, sane word - aptitude?
What about going in for something that you actually don't have an aptitude for (MBA), AT THE COST OF something for which you always had the requisite basic fundamentals and skill sets in place - the talent, the aptitude, and most of all, the interest, the liking, the love - but never understood/appreciated it enough?
All forsaken for the sake of practical, market forces or peer/family pressue.

One of the reasons why I almost worship a guy like Harsha Bhogle is because this guy, after completing his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, always remained steadfast in his focus and dared to chuck all in pursuit oh his inner calling, his true love (in his case, cricket and cricket commentary to be precise). Mind you, he had a cushy job as an IIM-A graduate and most importantly, the time when he gave up that job in preference for cricket commentary, there was no trace of the money, the glamour, and the razmatazz that is now associated with being a cricket commentator.
He had two (enviable??) options being in India - All India Radio and Doordarshan - for, these were the only mediums that used to broadcast cricket matches in India. That he started with AIR, worked with Channel 9 and reaped the benefits of the satellite revolution is another story and I don't want to digress. He was lucky too, in that had the satellite revolution not happened, he might have at best remained a voice or face talking cricket on DD...and who knows, there could be many who tried like him to pursue their love - before or after him - but could not have succeeded. But I hope you would agree, the quality, worth and merit of a person must not be judged by how much success he achieves, but by how much effort he puts in, to achieve it.

After all, if success were the only barometer, it should therefore translate to the 'fact' only the wealithiest and the most powerful (in terms of clout - political or any) are entitled to being quality souls out of more than a billion people in India!
I just hope that we do not continue to chase this fad of becoming an MBA - just to ensconse ourselves with a cosy life, and compromise our inherent abilities and aptitude.
Do go for an MBA by all means, if you think you are meant for it, and it is what you are best at...but please re-assess if you are going for it due to someone else's wishes, or if you think it is a known way of "success" and "achievement" in life.

As my school principal used to say, "It is better to be a first-class cobbler than to be a third-class administrator."
Here's to guys like Harsha, who despite possessing a lucrative degree that guaranteed them a great life ahead, follow their calling, listen to their hearts and despite knowing they are preferring valour over common (material) sense, take pride in doing so and stand by it, results notwithstanding!
Atleast I, for one, hope that I too continue to possess such courage of conviction and wish that all of us prefer our inner calling to public sentiment or market forces.

On Turning A Bhagat-bhakt

2008-07-08T20:12:00.004+05:30

I have just completed reading the 3rd book of Chetan Bhagat - "The 3 Mistakes of My Life" (When I had first come to know of this title for his 3rd book, I was wondering whether the title referred to his 3 books!) but going by the record-breaking popularity of each of his books, the joke doesn't hold water! And it shouldn't either.

I must say, 3 Mistakes made for compelling reading, especially towards the end. More than the story itself, I have been extremely impressed with the way he has described the narrative and unravelled the plot, by using each real-life as well as prominent incident of recent times that no Indian can forget. This helped in not only making his story come to life, but also made each incident depicted in the story very identifiable for the reader.

By the way, his handling of each character and placing them (and their stories) seamlessly in the main plot itself has always been something to watch out for in all his books. I have, in fact, grown so fond of his books now, that I cannot wait for his next book to hit the stores.

It all began with his second book, "One Night at the Call Centre", which I read before this. I found it quite captivating and couldn't wait to lay my hands on his next - The 3 Mistakes. Interestingly, I will only now read his first (and perhaps the most popular and trend-setting) book, Five Point Someone!

Having liked his second and third books, I am sure my admiration for Mr. Bhagat's writing would not be imperiled when I read FPS, which has been his flagship release, so to say!

Happy reading to me then...more on this after I complete the book.

But one thing's for sure - I'm a dedicated Bhagat-bhakt now, and look forward to many more gems from him in future too!

Watch this space for more.

New...Clear?: What's the Big Deal?

2008-07-08T08:21:00.002+05:30

Ok, after the news hour debate last night, I pick up the papers first thing in the morning and here they go again....media reports (print and electronic alike) have been flooded with the fallouts of the government's signing or not signing up to this deal. It'd be interesting to know just how many people are actually aware about the merits and demerits of the deal, and how many are just being rats to this Pied Piper.

Atleast I, for one, cannot claim expertise on this subject. However, what I do know, is that one must be able to reconcile the differences of opinion by debating the pros and cons of the deal, instead of threatening to pull the plug from a government that has lived its life on Left(-over) support systems.

Is the Left right, or is it right to be left out? Unfortunately, we have been discussing the wrong problems.

Surely, if national interest is common to both sides, whoever be right, atleast the differences can be sorted out by understanding each other's point of view. When the intent is the same and only the methods/ideology different, you don't issue deadlines and ultimatums. It's like the (in)famous "Either you are with us, or with the terrorists" Bushism. Why can't you be right even if you don't agree with me? And if the intent that forms the basis of taking the respective stances - national interest - is common to both parties, is a disagreement over the means to reach that end, good (rather, bad!) enough to sever ties with each other?

Something is seriously amiss.

My point is that if the goal of India being best served is common - whether it is with or without the deal - then why focus on the fights and not the issue? The developments that have been unfolding have been more about whether SP will support, whether the government will survive, when will the Left finally withdraw support, how will this impact each party in the polls, etc.

Some might argue that we have come too far from the point of discussing about the deal now.
Oh right! But how much ground have we gained by constantly bickering about the now-inevitable divorce between the Congress and the Left, and how worse could it have been if we had stuck to the stand of understanding each other's points and concerns, even if it meant doing it over and over again?? Again, assuming, we had a common national interest - ofcourse, I brought this assumption to your notice for the first time!

Just hope all the brouhaha over the deal is sorted amicably and India's best interests are taken care of, through constructive brainstorming instead of being busy recriminating and creating obituaries for each other.

Amen!

Hallo, tasssting, 1-2-3!!!

2008-07-07T15:36:00.000+05:30

Hello World!!!

Alright then, gentle ladies and men!

Here I go..my first baby-steps towards blogdom!!

Well, the primary (actually, the only!) purpose of this post is to check how my first blog entry looks like...how it appears (er, in fact, even does it?) once I view it as a user, so that I can try newer things with the template, design/structure etc. if required.

Just want to thank my parents, my wife, my brother, grandparents, everybody in my immediate and extended family - for this historic and momentous moment in my life - my first blog!!!

After all, I am only the zillionth person to have created a blog!

Thankyou, thankyou, thanks a lot!!!!! :-) !!!!