A void called 2-down

November 15, 1989 : For the uninitiated, here are the oft-shared stats on the 'where-were-you-when-Sachin-made-his debut' question:

When 16-year old Sachin Tendulkar faced his first ball in Test cricket from Pakistan's Waqar Younis: 

• The Berlin Wall was still standing
• Saddam and Osama were still US allies 
• Oil was $19 per barrel 
• The Sensex was under 750 points
• Maruti 800 was a bold young challenger to the Ambassador and Fiat
• The internet and mobile phones hadn't come to India, and 
• Doordarshan was the only TV channel.

Eight Indian Prime Ministers and a mountain of mind-boggling statistics later, he will retire as arguably the greatest batsman and unarguably one of the finest gentlemen to ever grace a cricket field.

Yes, there have been people who have thought he left it for too late, but then, let's just say, for once, he showed he too was human, and must have had a goal in his mind which made him play on.
We have also heard him speak of playing as long as he was still enjoying the game.

Late or not, the fact is, that there will be a void in the Indian Test team at the #4 position. Two down, in comes Sachin - this has been the standard template since the last 24 years.
To not see Sachin very soon at all in any form of cricket, is without doubt, going to be tough.

An immortal, by the name of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Dear Sachin, we can only wish you the very best and thank you for all the wonderful memories you have bestowed us with, thanks to your craft, impeccable conduct, genuine humility, and unflinching commitment towards the game.

You will be missed, big time.

Thank you for letting us see you live, exhibiting your skills and your conduct.

Thank you for making us forget all our troubles by the sheer enjoyment and delight you provided with your uninhibited strokeplay.

Thank you for teaching us that good guys can also finish first!

Thanks a lot, and God bless!!!

Does 'Papa' know everything?

'My Papa knows everything'.

This is generally what most kids generally tend to believe (well, atleast in their formative years), before they are 9-10.

Before I proceed any further, I'd like you to go through this wonderful, insightful post by the extremely readable Prem Panicker.

Many a time, when we think of a more gender-equitable society, we think of simply ensuring that our women are not raped, looted or abused.
Well, it's like, if I am not a thief, it means I am a good man.
Sorry. Not necessarily.

If I am not a thief, all it means is that I am not a thief. Period.
To be a good man, I need to do many other things that a good person should do.

On the same lines, if we'd like to see a more equitable society that's respectful to our womenfolk (and that too, is also a critical benchmark that any truly 'developed' society/country must pass), even stopping all physical assaults against them does not suffice.

It means only physical assaults have stopped (though that too, seems a far cry away, as of now).
To be truly developed, sane and caring towards the respect and care our women need, they should also be cared for, and respected accordingly.

No demeaning language, no condescending attitude, no trivialisation - that's as important as anything else.
Let's strive to achieve this too, apart from just the physical security.

Till the time we make our women secure, confident and honored (both physically as well as emotionally), Papa will not know everything.

Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobara

No, this post is not a film review, (lest you get deluded by this post's headline) about the movie that goes by the same name.
Actually, this is not just for the second time ('Dobara'), but for the umpteenth time that such a terrible incident has happened in Mumbai.

Not just in Mumbai, but also in Mumbai, apart from every other major or minor city that you can think of.

Incidents like these bring to the fore, the sad and chilling reality that for all the howling, protests, legislation after the December 16 case, nothing, absolutely nothing has changed.

I had written earlier in the year, when the Nirbhaya case had seemed to be a watershed moment in generating mass indignation and mobilizing a public movement - not just in Delhi, but throughout the country and even overseas.

I wrote last month about the trials, tribulations and trauma that rape victims (and even her family) go through, that might not be possible for anyone else to completely comprehend.

And I write today again, on much the same topic, with much the same sadness, wrench, angst, and anguish.

What then, is it that you and me - the proverbial and much-abused (pun intended) mango people - can do, in such times?

Only one thing, in my humble opinion: Let's simply take care of our conduct towards anyone we meet (and women in particular).

Let's just ensure that the conduct of anyone too that we see - in our family, among our relatives, in our offices, on the roads, in the metros - in short, anywhere and everywhere we are, watching/witnessing people interacting with each other, remains above-board and impeccable.

If each one of us is respectful towards our womenfolk, and vigilant against any miscreants, our society shall be a better place to live in.

That's my only appeal/request/wish - manliness is not in dishonoring a lady by force, deceit and physical power.

Manliness is in making sure our women look up to the men around them, and walk/talk freely, secure in the knowledge that they are comfortable and respected in the midst of real (gentle)men.


  

R.A.P.E.: Repeated At Police (Stations) and Elsewhere

Before anything else, first and foremost, I'd like to say just this:
Ms. Suzette Jordan, Ms. Bilkis Bano, Ms. Santasree Chaudhari (and all such ladies): RESPECT!!

When the much-publicised (and now-forgotten) December 16 case had made news, I had written earlier this year about the state-of-affairs in our country and how things have remained pretty much the same even thereafter.

Well, turns out, things are just as bad (if not worse) even now.

Sample this from the article on Suzette (link available later within this post), for the contribution of the police in her (and surely, many others') case:

"Later, as they listened to her horrific story, the policeman asked one another if they too were going to go for a drink that night. Then they laughed, looking lewdly at Suzette; one of them said, “Who knows, we could get lucky tonight.”

“I had seen this happen in Hindi movies. Trust me,” says Suzette, “reality is much worse.”

Can there be anything worse than having cheap fun at the expense of an already troubled soul? That too, by those who are supposed to be our custodians?

And it's not just the police for that matter: it's everywhere.
It's all of us who need to share the blame.

Here's the 'society' doing its bit:

"Every day brought fresh ‘stories’, new horrors. Bengali society wanted an explanation for why that ‘Park Street woman’ had been drinking, or why she had gone out late, or why she had agreed to take a lift from a stranger – as if doing any of those things meant giving all the men of Kolkata permission to rape her.

In gossip-loving Calcutta, people quickly found out who she was. Some heard, others guessed based on her TV silhouettes. From potential landlords to job interviewers, nobody wanted anything to do with the Park Street Rape Victim.

“It wasn't just me who suffered,” recalls Suzette. “It was my sister, my brother, my dad who were discriminated against because of me.”

When her sister was looking for a job at another call centre they told her, “We know you are the sister of that rape victim. We don’t want to be associated with the Park Street case in any way.”

Leave aside the rapists, for a moment. I wonder if we are any different from those perverts who committed the act for a duration of time and left.

We - from the police to all around us, as a society - through such attitudes as mentioned above, not only maim the victims but even the family of the victim(s), for the rest of their lives!
Now, who is the bigger perpetrator?
Are we ourselves not just as culpable, if not more, than the rapists?
Are we not guilty of an even bigger sin than the rapists?

Unfortunately, changing everyone's attitude, reaction and behavior is not in our hands.

What, for sure, is in our hands, is our actions - both pre-emptive as well as (God forbid, but if befalls), reactive.

I strongly urge everyone to read these two must-reads - which are factual, informative, helpful and poignant - all rolled together.
The first article talks about the courage of 'victims' such as Ms. Suzette and Ms. Bilkis Bano, and also of Ms. Santasree Chaudhari - the kind of person this world dearly needs more of.

The second one is about the steps and actions that every woman (and all her family members, friends, well-wishers) must know and help with, if at all (God forbid!) things some to such a pass.


Do read and share.

Hopefully, the actions that we take, the courage, perseverance, help (in any which way) and gumption we provide for all such 'victims' - will stand all of us in good stead., and lead to a better India.