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.
