He

Though he was well-off, he could've made even more money, but stopped.
He listened to his heart before pursuing anything, and so the plan got dropped.

It was no issue for him to take a car when alone, but he loved walking any day.
He just walked, because it kept his feet on the ground - in more than one way.

He felt admired a lot, with most calling him nice, likeable, brainy, witty, funny, though nothing great.
Because while liking and respecting every compliment, he never ever gave any of it, much weight.

He got everything pretty easily, so he didn't strive for more.
Resting, chilling, enjoying - made him lose focus from the core.

Life is not just about living, but also about making a difference.
If we are not striving to always get better, we are losing its inference.

The story is still in progress, there's a lot more that still needs to be written.
Hope he lives and loves well. To life and love, he will always remain smitten. 

For a better world, a better future..

Some times, truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

One cannot fathom even in fiction, that a country that prides itself on its tolerance and culture of mutual respect, love and brotherhood, would have to brace up for such facts.
That one would have to come across incidents such as these, that could make anyone shudder and writhe in disgust.

In a rather unwanted way, an ostensibly innocuous incident turned out to be fatal for a dentist father, in the heart of India's capital of New Delhi.

I mean, seriously?
Killing a person (correction: coming back with a mob, to drag out a person from his home, only to lynch, main and kill him) in front of his 8 year old?

Is this what have we come to?

Is this the India we live in?
Who are we looking up to?
What will that child keep thinking about?

Imagine the trauma, the distress, the angst, the pain, the hurt and even the resentment and rebellion that would engulf the child all through?
All for having ventured to fetch a ball outside his house?
All because his father wanted to ensure his well-being and safety?
Would he have to curse himself for wanting to have played a game of cricket with his dad that night?

Abominable, reprehensible, downright shameful.
Please spare the kids, if no one else.

Please ensure our actions do not prompt them or anyone to make clones of our monstrosity.
Let us make the world a better place for them, if not for any other reason, for their sake.

Live, respect, love, and let live.
If ever there has to be intolerance, it has to be against intolerance itself.

Peace to the unfortunate, departed soul and may God bless the kid with sanity and calmness as much as possible.
Last but not the least, may better sense prevail in all of us.
Let us gift our children a better life, a better legacy, a better world - not despite us, but because of us.

JNU: All about Jingoism Nationalism Uproar

There's not much that one can say at a time when things like JNU happen.

It is truly irksome when one is left with only two choices - a) to ponder over what is more tragic or b) what is more horrible.

Whatever happened at JNU is a matter of shame and disgust.

But what is horrible, is that people are using even this instance to score political points, and further their own agendas. From both sides of the political spectrum.

I had written earlier about us, becoming a highly polarized and divided nation today.
More than ever before, it is today that whatever happens, it is becoming an us versus them issue today, for everything.
I know this video leaves no room for doubt about which position it leans on, but despite that, I share this because it does resonate sentiments, that most people would agree with, if they view so apolitically.

My only hope and urge is that this is not the time to make hay out of issues that concern national interest and  national pride.

Let us not be swayed by anything with ulterior motives behind every event.
Neither by ultra-sensationalized politically-colored jingoism, nor by fake, the much-abused, much-misused freedom-of-expression googly.

Let sense and impartiality prevail.
Let scoring brownie points or petty politics be negated and extirpated.
If not, at least them remain a slave to national pride and national interests.
Jai Ho!

Happy Birthday, Nice Guy!!

"If you can’t get along with Rahul Dravid, you’re struggling in life." - Brett Lee.

It is one thing to be a nice guy while not doing (achieving) much else in life.
As one of the Siddhuisms goes, "he is a humble person, but he has a lot to be humble about"!

Well, let's just say, Rahul Sharad Dravid is certainly a man who wears his legendary status very well.
All his accomplishments have only made him even more humble, even more endearing, and he remains a gentleman to the core.

There are many people who excel in their chosen field. Many become legends too.
Yet, it's only a handful who go on to cap their achievements with the sort of conduct that transcends them from being "excellent" to being an "idol".

A complete team man, and unflinchingly selfless, here was a guy who did all he could, sacrificing his personal comfort/preferences happily, even almost unnoticeably (if given a choice).

Team struggling on overseas conditions.
No one else ready/capable/willing to open the batting.
Need an opener?
There he was. For his team, for his country, selflessly.

Team needs to play an extra batsman in its XI? (Yeah, the pre-Dhoni era).
Sure captain, will also keep wickets, to have the extra man included in lieu of the 'keeper.

Need someone to hold one end up, winning the battle of attrition against hostile bowlers?
Sure captain, will do.

One can find batsmen at a dime a dozen, when it comes to plundering bowlers on flat tracks.
But when all others in the team are struggling to even survive, it takes the class of a Rahul Dravid to flourish and excel, consistently, time and time again, the world over.
It always needs skill as well as big match temperament to dominate Australia in Australia.
England in England.
South Africa in South Africa.
New Zealand in New Zealand.
Without any chest-beating bravado, without fuming any expletives.
By just plundering oppositions (with his bat), while still remaining a gentleman.

If our demigod - Sachin Tendulkar was the Ram of Indian cricket, I dare say Rahul Dravid was the quintessential Hanuman - the quiet, unassuming hero in his own right, happy to scale superhuman landmarks, yet stay rooted, grounded, quiet and behind-the-scenes out of his own volition.

Time and time again.
To borrow a Shastri'ism this time, cometh the hour, cometh the man!

They say, the true mirror of a man's character is how he conducts himself when he is at the peak of his powers.
Even when he had all the bowlers in the world at his mercy, you would never find Dravid behave in any way that would be unbecoming of an idol.
He always accorded due respect to all, even when it could have seemed convenient for him to dismiss some of his lesser equals.

Even after retiring from the game, he continue to do his bit in giving back to the game, coaching the  India Under-19 side, and spotting as well as honing upcoming/promising young cricketers.

The kind of person you appreciate not only for his abilities, but also for his deportment, both on and off the field.
The kind of person you can readily and unhesitatingly showcase to your children to emulate, as a role model.

To such a gem called Rahul Dravid, wish you many happy returns of the day!!