good bye 2011....

Time goes on. So does life. Yesterday is history for today; so is today for tomorrow. And there are only two kinds of people who live in this world- the optimists and the pessimists. They say optimists never look back in their voyage. And those who try to linger on the past are deemed a Pessimist or someone who just runs out of clues in facing life. Strange world this!! C’est la vie:/

Does laughter, tear, joy, sorrow, the parameters that defined our yesterdays become just part of our history? Doesn’t they have a part to play in redefining our lives, make us better individuals and more importantly, ensure better tomorrows?

As we look back to the 2011, the events that shaped our personalities, the experiences that tested our resolves, the laughter, tear, joy and sorrow that life threw at us, one thing fascinated me; We are not the same that we were 365 days back and we won’t be after 365 days. Because there is one aspect that I love the most. Our birthdays which is an indication that we do grow as an individual. We move on.

So, how was 2011? All I can say( with a personal stamp) that 2011 has moved on faster like any other. In fact the last new year’s party with all the booze and puff might just seem like a last night show. It is at that frenetic pace with which life has progressed.

 New lives sprung to life. Few departed. New relations sprung in. Few hearts were broken. New stories were scripted. Few were turned into a biopic. New promises were made. Few were broken. New milestones were set. Few problems erupted. Some found their lives at crossroads while some had a smooth sailing. Fame and money knocked the doorsteps for some overnight while some continue to reel in this world dominated by the dollar.

There were News makers in plenty. They were thrown up from nowhere. This year marked the end of the Osama era, finally putting an end to the longest ever hide and seek game. Economies stumbled. Jobs bade adieu to the world, so too were a long list of celebrities. Sports threw up national heroes. But this was the year of the *PROTESTOR*, the middle class, often unheard, took to the streets. Yes, the sun didn’t set in some parts of the globe.

As I write this piece, numerous never-to-be-followed New year resolutions would be doing the final rounds of editing, glamourous calendar photo shoots would have been completed, Casinos and Cruise ships in Macau and San Marino(with some help from fashionTV) would be completely engrossed in preparing for the ultimate New Year Bash and yeah, the jingles too would have started.

Time to say good bye to 2011. Time to pass on the baton.                    

The journey continues. The mission continues. New things unfold. 2012 will begin with a massive hangover. It will rekindle hope, trust and love. Let us figure out what to do next with our lives. Here’s to the happy memories, new beginnings and a great year.

Make sweet love. Be trustful. Be sincere. Have a life. Enjoy every moment of it, who knows the dooms day might well be at a stone’s throw if the Mayans were right.

 We greet you 2012… be kind to us!!!! Take us through to 2013…. 

sehwag-the Pied Piper

I just love to try out weird stuffs, for I berate the things done in an old-fashioned way. Eccentricity somehow fuels me. The dare to be different carves out the *me* in me. I do not believe in dour-machine like professionalism.

Well, you can just go on with this. But the hardest part is proving it, not just believing it. The game is not over until the actions are made to do the talking. So how do you react when you see someone who has done and is doing exactly that, for not a day or two but for almost a decade. SALUTE!!!

 I am talking about D-man from Delhi- Virender Sehwag!!!!!

Easily the most destructive opener the cricketing world has seen, he has defied all the laws in striking a cricket ball; his style cannot be part of any coaching manual. I would love to see a debate on “Do all the Sehwags actually need a coaching”? Why waste time on this. It’s a straight forward *NO*.

          This piece has been in the drafts for quite a long time. I was patiently waiting for the right time to publish it, like a desert traveller waiting for oasis.   And now, the patience seems to have  bore fruits. What a time it is, as he carved out  yet another master piece. A Himalayan knock of  219 at the outdoors of  Indore , surpassing his role model in the process. An innings of touch and arrogance, it was a ruthless assault on the toothless Carribean attack. The delight of finding gaps which is the soul of his batting, was at its immaculate best. The way the balls caressed his willow will be one for the romantics to comment. The elegant square cuts that saw the balls go packing to the ropes was just poetry in motion.

          But it wasn’t always like that. Wasn’t it. Critics had doubts in plenty. Can this one-day basher excel in test matches? His feet don’t move. He lacks technique. He is bound to struggle against the moving ball. He is a one dimensional cricketer. He doesn’t have the commitment and technique to stay longer. His perform or perish theory is bullshit. These are all what they had to say. But destiny had some other plans.

Gone were his early days in the so called ‘badlands’ of Najafgarh in Delhi amidst the shepherds and snake charmers. Around him was the gritty world, the tougher world from where he dreamt of being a Sachin Tendulkar. It was in the farmlands where he practiced the art of pounding a cricket ball. The Upper Cut, the slice, the slog sweep, the inside-out chip were all the redefined versions that he scripted. From there to the thick of things in Indian cricket, the journey has been quite a fascinating one.

          A century against South Africa on debut to mark his arrival in the test arena, two breathtaking triple tons against the likes of Akhtar, Steyn and Morkel, a knock of 80 that went in vain in the world cup final of 2003, few double tons, a belligerent 195 on the opening day of Boxing day test at MCG, match saving knock of 151 against the Aussies, fastest century in only 60 balls by an Indian and now, the Indore incendiary. Add to it the famous King Pair at Birmingham, some complacent running, a shoulder which continues to be under the surgeon’s knife, sacking from the national side only because the selectors believed that he could not strike a cricket ball as good as a Wasim Jaffer or a Dinesh Karthik.

Sehwag’s approach to batting is as simple as an IIT aspirant from Kota. To go for the kill always. Be it Perth or Durban, be it against Steyn or Akhtar, be it he is on 99 or 199 or even 299. The carefree approach of not getting booed down by the situation testifies the man.

So, what is it in a Sehwag innings. Its not about his role model Sachin who tries to find a balance and later go on a brutal assault. Its not about the perfect execution  of a coaching manual that Rahul Dravid beautifully presents. Its not about the lazy elegance of a VVS Laxman that quietly makes one to feel as if he were in a Ghazal. Its all about thrill-a-minute roller-coaster ride; a 100m dash that keeps your adrenalin pumping; a Russel Peters show that you cannot miss. Its all about emphasizing on the revised theory-“ Cricket must be played to delight, to entertain, to win and not plodding, blocking and playing out a tame ‘Draw’ “. Its about mocking the basics of a sport. Its about that accolade- ‘I am-once-in-a-lifetime-cricketer’.

He is an assertion that we have moved on; from the Boycott era, from the Gavaskar era( yes the days when fans were entertained by the 36* off 174 balls) to the speed driven generation. He changed the perception of opening batsmanship, from just taking the shine off the ball to literally murdering the balls to the boundaries.

          He never drags us like a Dravid or a Lara in the fight in a crisis. His willow may disdainfully tell the opposition bowlers to ‘get-lost’ but always finds one among them to share his laughter. You may be a Sachin fan, a Ganguly fan, a Dhoni fan, but Virender Sehwag will retire as the most loved cricketer to have played for India. And quite fittingly is the Pied Piper.

         

         

         

now, its the king of *BAD* times

“India is a land of billion opportunities” quoted the billionaire Mukesh Ambani. The *cheeky* in me was quick to silently whisper  “Yes, Mr.Mukesh, you are in the billion to have exploited them, quite skillfully”.

I can’t get away with my cheeky nature. But things seem to be heading that way. The current happenings contribute to my cheekiness. Can’t help it!!!!

The recent fiasco associated with the Kingfisher, one of the premier airline services in the country is an unfortunate one. Escalating fuel prices seem to have contributed to this. And with the continuing resignations of pilots and ground staff, have only added fuel to the fire.

May be it has to do with the lady (un)luck Deepika Padukone. Yuvraj Singh and Ranbir kapoor will know it better. If the former’s form dropped, the latter’s movies flopped. Ironically, Deepika was there with them when these happened. And now may be, it’s the turn of the Mallyas…Their airline has stopped!!!!!

Jokes apart… we’ll move on……

People have always loved it, the King-of-good-times. ‘Fly-Kingfisher’ remains unmatched and by far unchallenged in the treatment of its royal and loyal customers. From rousing receptions with the dazzling air hostesses in their miniskirts to cappuccinos in the lounges, it remains one of the most preferred choice for the upper Indian middle class. Rajdeep Sardesai tweets that he was once served Salmon for breakfast in Kingfisher J

Let us hope that things will come to normalcy in the Kingfisher camp.

In the meantime, it was disheartening to see the Indian Govt. putting its hands up to help the Mallyas recover from their aviation fiasco. Few questions struck me.

Are the *UB* group bankrupt?? Does the Govt. feel that cappuccinos in the lounges were important than building schools and hospitals? Has Dr.Mallya become poorer than those earning Rs.32 per day?

The answer to the first question has to be definitely a big NO. After all the Mallyas still own Force-India( F1 team), Royal Challengers Bengaluru(IPL team) plus a string of business ventures across the globe. Dr.Vijay Mallya continues to be the liquor baron that he was. Royal Challenge still remains the jersey sponsor of major sporting teams. India’s largest luxury mall, UB city is pioneered by the UB group.

Perhaps, he should not have invested in aviation sector..

And let the second and third question remain as it is…… Think! Think! Think!

          I have always admired the charismatic Vijay Mallya and his glamorous yet successful business career, for the kingfisher fiasco might be just a blot in his business empire. But given the fact that he has enough money to party on his yachts, to groom all the jockeys, to spend on Kingfisher calendar photo shoots, for abhorrent self promotions, for his son to have Deepika on his arms but to run his airline how can he munch my or rather my dad’s tax money????

         

iSad :( - my iTribute

It’s a strange feeling. Am I pretending? Am I exaggerating? Or am I trying my best to justify the fact that I am a mediocre blogger who is in search of words to fill the space. Well, I do not know how to just put it. All I know is that I am not a “Mr.Perfect”.

 I belong to a unique and obviously the most unfortunate section of the society who acknowledge the *Living Legend* stature of Steve Jobs only after he passed away. Well, wait…. As I said, Iam not a Mr.P, I chase excuses for my folly. And here goes a few for the aforementioned one. A) I do not owe any of the Apple products.. B) I am not a street-smart techie.. C)Apple, for most part of my life was just a fruit.. D)and hence, I never followed (or to some extent was unaware) the inspirational talks of Steve..

          No offense…pls!!!!!

But now,I’ve changed a lot. Ever since the News of Steve Jobs’ death broke out, I just found that I was disturbed. I  thought that I needed to address this. Tribute, Praise, Respect… Yes, he deserved that. Never do I read the life stories of people after they pass away.Nah, this was not to be that way.

I saw the world paying rich tributes(or quite aptly *iTributes*) to Steve Jobs who brought about a Himalayan change in the way people perceived Technology. Youtube buzzed with the videos carrying his *Inspirational Talks*, Blogs were all praise for this visionary and several world leaders too were not behind in paying glowing tributes to him.

We all do Jobs but it takes a Steve to change our lives. As Steve always says,” Live every day as if it were your last one”. The essence of this quote is forget about all the repercussions,work as though you have nothing to lose and you kick-off for a journey striving for a *revolutionary* change:a change that can impact many,not just you. Afterall he was the one who brought about a change in the perception of APPLE. For the first time since time immemorial,APPLE was seen not just as a fruit but as a fascination. Yes, iPod is a fascination.So too are Mac,iPads and iPhones.

Never can a wizard define what a design is better than Steve who says,” In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer. It’s interior decorating. It’s the fabric of the curtains of the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service”.

It just makes me to wonder what if these minds who were not fond of rules, especially the crazy ones,the misfits,the troublemakers were ignored. We would then be no different from Nomads(Am I exaggerating..ofcourse I am). Simply because we wouldn’t have had life at a single click or a tap, these eye-catching gadgets and Gizmo geeks.They were castigated,vilified and hated.But the end result is for everyone to see and marvel.

In a nutshell, this is exactly why I idolize him, these words“The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do“ sums up about Steve. May be a few more Newtons, few more Zuckerbergs and ofcourse a decent number of Jobs’ could do it if they firmly believe in “You be the change that you want to see in this world

Steve Jobs- iCame, iSaw, iConquered, iLeft, iCameBack, iThinkDifferent, iMac, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, iCloud, iQuit, iDepart.

iTribute to Steve jobs

Child's exit:Parent's agony

                                      

Philosophers and Spiritual Gurus have lit up this world by sharing their priceless views on what ‘life’ is, how it ought to be lived and also its negation-‘Death’. Lives come and depart every day. And the departure seems as though an appointment has been fixed elsewhere(long away). The closer ones to the victim weep desolately insearch of a highly improbable answer to ‘Why’. I am as puzzled as anyone on what actually prompted me to write on this, for I am not a philosopher, nor am I a person dishing out volumes of Vedic lessons to people.

 Last few days have been really tragic. Tremors in Sikkim, Floods elsewhere, barbaric acts of terrorists all claiming innocent lives. There was also this unfortunate incident or rather an accident involving a minuscule one. Yes, in the news was the very recent untimely and unfortunate death of Ayazuddin,son of former cricketer Mohd.Azharuddin which came in as a shocker for everyone.

 When many of us feel a life actually starts at 19(for all the masti and frolicsome associated with it), here was a 19 year old wonderkid succumbing to a moment of ‘Bike-thrill’ in the roads of Hyderabad. My immediate concerns were very much on the obvious lines- his parents. It should go down as ‘against’ the law of nature for a child to die before its parent. Keeping the unbearable pain apart, a parent is drawn to an undescribable state of ‘perplexity’. The confusion on ‘Life after this’ is horrific.

When a child goes, with it goes its innocence,a parent’s ‘joie de vivre’,and a part of themselves. It creates a vaccum and as a grieving mother once said,” A small branch, one whose presence completed us, had been ripped from our family and left a large wound. Without it, we are lopsided and off balance”. Some might react by ending their lives too while some might seek solace in embracing god. And there are some, some stronger ones(by heart) who decide to dedicate the rest of their lives by doing things that would have made their little ones happier. But none the less, a parenting grief has serious takings. It remains unhealed. In some extreme cases, a parent finds it harder to believe what has happened. He/she thinks it is a myth or a illusion or a nightmare.

‘A Child is the father of man’ goes the saying.

I’ve often thought that Parenting is the most enticing and challenging role in the world. A parent tries to find solace in seeing their little ones grow up. For them, it is these images, the memories of different transition periods involved in their kid’s life- from being an infant to a toddler to an adoloscent to a teenager that might keep them going for ever. It is the impishness of a child that makes them to silently utter “Wow! This is life and I am loving it”.The main reason why it goes this way is that with a child,a parent too grows and learns the intricacies of life.A child is the visible example that a parent’s life has moved on, standing the test of time.

So,the sudden ‘snatch’ of the god-given gift will ultimately make them think that their life has come to a standstill.All those dreams that they had of their son handing over his first salary and their daughter on the day of her marriage is just shattered. For the parent, all those memories of the infant wetting their garments,of the toddler performing a cute somersault on the bed, of the 7-year old asking for a ride on his back,of the teenager squandering on fashion will remain within him.But the son he WAS,the daughter she WAS, IS no more……….

.

C for Campus

“Life is like an ice cream, taste it before it melts” read an sms from a friend, which made me animated to think of the ingredients that had gone into its making. Intrigue, mystery and then I realized that I am enjoying the most delicious flavor of it – my campus life. Its lifetime might be just 4 years but these years are one for a lifetime. Yes, it is one of those short and sweet experiences, the images of which shall remain enshrined for ever.

Adjust, Babble, Celebrate are its essential ABC’s. Because here it is not just about studying and the menacing numbers( marks and grades). Here we go beyond the boundaries of books. Its about preparing ourselves for the real life scenarios. In fact, a dress rehearsal for the future events. And it is here that we tend to open up to more vibrant thoughts.

My lovely Batchmates

Here are some of the very typical campus stuffs- mysterious, cacophonous yet so beautiful. These moments are just priceless.
·  The hustle and bustle of the first year with the fear of     coming in the seniors’ ragging radar
·    Bums filled birthday nights; first time in our lives, we  regret that a particular day happens to be our birthday. And the treat just adds to the agony 
·    Its campus and how can it be without girls. Yes, one sided affairs, day dreams, mere crushes, couples, crushed up relations are some of the best selling campus gossips
·      Soaring mobile charges, call boosters, message boosters, night calls and prank  calls; everything makes it a smooth sailing for the mobile operators
·  the devilish pranksters showcasing their talents in a bizarre manner; done in good humour normally and fun until the devil just gets on top of the prankster
·   mad rush for the bathrooms in the bustling hours of morning are the perfect postcard pictures of a hostel
·   the ‘power-cut’ howls in the order of many decibels during the nights is an exhilarating scene
·  submission deadlines, surprise quizzes and next day presentations all play a pivotal role in ensuring that we go amok; and the atmosphere during the exam season is nothing short of frenzy
·      the central idea of a campus life is socializing and how better have we mastered that art; facebook,twitter,hi5,google+ have all left an imprint of their own
·  the fun-filled picnic or excursion or study tour or industrial visit or whatever you call it, are never short of excitements. It eventually becomes the trip of a lifetime
·    glancing the fashion magazines frequently for the latest trends; the glitz and glamour are the ones to watch out, be it the freaky Tees, dazzling kurthis, low-waist jeans and the list goes on. The more freaky you turn out, more masti follows, so too the girls

The Tale of a Campus Classroom

Macho!!!!!

These are just a sample of what a campus life is. There are few more enchanting, aesthetic, alluring and imposing moments which are very hard to describe. These are the moments which have to be lived and felt. I know I will be missing something  precious after passing out; it is too big a miss but for moment, I want to live every moment of it………..

Dedicated to my batchmates and buddies………………………….

India:Twenty Eleven: Part one

They say the ‘sun never sets’ in the rainbow nation of South Africa and after having crossed the half way mark of 2011 and after having witnessed so many high profile events, we can say with utmost substantiation that the ‘sun never sets’ in India too. Be it Mahendra Singh dhoni’s gigantic strike that sailed over, to eventually seal the fate of Sri Lankans in the world cup final or be it the Tihar jail which houses the poshest in the country or be it the meteoric rise to fame of a septuagenarian who has literally taken the government for a ride, we have all been treated to action-packed mornings and gossipy evenings.

It wasn’t always like this, wasn’t it. India wasn’t always this country of frenetic activity. There were times when even the Kiwis thronged here for Peace, for stillness. But none can argue the fact that certain things are subject to change; they falter in the test of time. And so India has also moved on or rather been forced to.

The other day, I read a column by ‘Barkha Dutt’ where she mentions ‘Alice in Blunderland’ as India’s current story. Thoughts in spades struck me. India in the last six months has been more or less like a T20 cricket match; no space for a breather. There was non-stop action. Powerplay(er)s in the form of 2G-spectrum heroes, free(bie)hits of politicians, scams resembled the sixes and there were cheer leaders too in the form of Yogic Gurus. The match-referee(Sonia G) and umpire(MMS)  had no say in it. Yes, India sorely missed a  ringmaster in its circus. It missed a leader, a comrade, a guiding light and more importantly a Lok(h)’s Pal. But still India has moved on. As they say whatever happens, the show in the circus must go on.

So, UPA didn’t have the best of its times as the scams after scams were exposed and the guilty were sent behind the bars. The integrity of our netas were questioned and the corrupt were smelling trouble. Ironically, even the opposition failed to capitalize on this as the BJP had Yeddyurappa as its reply to the Kalmadis and the Rajas. And India was very much in doldrums. This was enough for the Gandhian, a real patriot- Anna Hazare to emerge as a superhero for millions in shortest possible time history has seen. He was old but bulk of his fan club were teenagers and campuses. And could you believe the fact that he outscored Katrina Kaif in the number of Google Images search made on him for almost a week!!! Oh, it happens. And it won’t be a surprise if he features in Time’s Most Influential people next year. There was more to come. Baba Ramdev…. Digvijaya Singh……

Let us move on. Politics sucks big time everywhere…

Six months!!! Do you expect nature to remain mum? Absolutely no. The nature had its influence on the people and in what splendid manner-the monsoons. The monsoons came in as a relief. In India, it is normally associated with rejuvenation of life and joy. It just mesmerized everyone. It brought with it magic, moments of madness, romance, longing and more importantly life. When we talk of monsoons, how can we forget the ‘God’s Own Country’ ??? Tourists from across the world flocked to Kerala and south-western part of the country to get a clear picture of monsoons- images of the scenic beaches, of the coconut palms swaying , of dark clouds, of the countryside, of the backwaters. I’m pretty sure that they would have gone back with all these postcard images saying,” Wow!! That was life”. 

            So, does the sun ever set in this country?????

a day for daddy

June 19^th is an important date in the calendar as it turned out this year too not only for me but for all the ‘daddy-lovers’ in the world.  This special day for the special person strikes a joyous chord among  everyone irrespective of their ages. As we witnessed on June 19^th , newspapers carried special columns covering  segmented  experiences and Twitter too resembled ‘Aladdin’s cave’. Yet, my toiling hard to get an answer to ‘why only this day’ did not reap any fruits.

                I’ve always amazed at the roles taken up moms and dads in the upbringing of their kids. Well, fathers are not known to be emotional and sentimental but at times do expect mass catharsis.  While mom clears the web of confusion regarding what is good and what is bad from our minds, their counterparts have a specific role to play. They don’t teach you what is good or what is bad but they teach you how to make your life beautiful by being yourselves. Dads are not just fathers, not just dour machines but  are mentors, role models, heroes, icons and what not. They add special flavours  to our lives and give that extra element of freedom to be ourselves, to express ourselves. They back us up in crucial times by being assertive.

                As I ink this piece mentioning volumes about these wonderful creations of god, how can I forget about my dad who is my prime source of inspiration to write it.  Motion of every nerve in my body has his influence. One of the early lessons vouchsafed to me was Austerity. This was long before Ranbir Kapoor ‘s “Keep it simple silly” rocked the advertising world. Yes,” Never complicate stuffs, stay abrasive to unwanted luxuries” is his motto. He is my lighthouse that keeps my life ship away from rocks. He is the Oasis in my desert. He is my odd-sixer  in a Rahul Dravid scripted test innings. He is my superhero. Yes, he is.

And Whenever my dad starts a telephone conversation with “do u remember me”, all I do is giggle at first and then silently whisper,” Oh, c’mon dad! my very own existence reminds me of you.” Both of us then step into our own illusive world of laughter.

“Love you Daddy and let us hope against hope that we exchange our roles in our next births so that you will have the taste of your own medicine”

iPL-as simple as it is...

          Having just  witnessed the #IPL extravaganza, I will be not be doing myself any world of good by not penning on this. And also having an ardour for twitter, I ve decided to use #trends in this blog.

          It just had everything. It was like an #AlfredHitchcock’s movie as Navjot Singh Sidhu quoted. It had resonance. It had #Rajnikanth- scripted fortunes that kept fluctuating. And as it turned out, 8:00pm became the appointment slots for nearly fifty days. But somehow it has found a perennial attraction to one colour and as a token of acknowledgement, it pressed the #Yellow button yet again. Yeah, needless to say, the #Chennai #Super #Kings have been the emperors of IPL.

          This season of IPL was never expected to be like this. Especially after the setting(aftermath of India’s world cup triumph)  in which it commenced. And in less than a week, two of India’s world cup final Super heroes- #Gauti and #Mahi were seen doning black and yellow jerseys respectively rather than #BleedBlue. All the ‘#DeGhumakhe’ and ‘#ChakDe’ had to give way  for ‘#KorboLorbo’ and ‘#WhistlePodu’. But What India was good at was that it was slowly  getting acclimatized to it.

          The chips were certainly down in the initial stages. Some off color shows, pitch controversies and off the field events. But one man-the giant looking-the tornado-the demolisher from #Jamaica-#ChrisGayle had some other ideas and reassured that it is cricket that should take center stage. He just kept on bludgeoning ,showing no respite for the opposition bowlers.

           If it is a #Gayle, there was a #blizzard too that shook up. There was also this unfolding mystery of #Slinga-#Malinga with his Yorkers. Eveyone had their time out. The resonating oldies- #Sachin and #ShaneWarne proved yet again that they are still the ring masters in the cricket field. And then there was this short and sweet story of #dada, the scriptwriters of which would have taken their cues from anyone except #AshutoshGowarikar. And not to forget the inconsistent yet impressive debuts of #kochi and #pune franchises.

          So this is what the #IPL is made of :#chokers( #Mumbai #Indians),#jokers (#Delhi team owners),#whistlers,#kings and #tuskers and what not. This will top the trends in #twitter next season too. Because  this gives some reasons to cheer for the media, who get bored covering all those wonderful scams of our netas. And finally, IPL  is and will be India’s #festivalOfJoy.

          Before I end, many congratulations to the Chennai Super Kings for getting crowned as the champions yet again. Even though my heart never said #CSK, my head always said Good Cricket and that’s what Chennai have displayed!!!!

ethics v/s profession-a toss up

       “The curious case of Ram Jeth Malani’s cases”  is a much debated topic among the Indian public: in fact a topic that would send vibes across and eventually involves the emotions and sentiments running high. Having that unfortunate little tag of being a “Devil’s Advocate” for defending the likes of Manu Sharma( Convicted in Jessica Lal Murder), Satwant Singh (Indira Gandhi’s assassinator) , of late of Kanimozhi, Ram Jeth Malani has drawn vivid criticisms , very much on the expected lines. And this curious case of his generates a big question-should ethics and human values dictate a profession or shouldn’t it be the other way around? Will it mean betrayal if inclination is shown to one?

       Well, these are probably the questions that might top the chart in the list of expected questions for civil service examination or any high profile journalistic interview. But for general public, the answers to these are much sought after ones.

       Take the case of a journalist reporting a murder case. Going by the ethics of his profession and not by the general ethics, his job is to just accentuate the case by considering it just as another news. And quite expectedly  he ends up drafting a holistic news report satisfying his boss. On the other hand, there is a colleague of his who does the same thing but puts in the human values to his profession. He believes that his job is not only in reporting the news but also in ensuring that justice is done: and in the process he too joins the fight for justice. Now, the later will of course be a figure high on demand in the society. After all a profession is not just a way to earn breads and pennies but also a way  how we preach our lives, how we extend its contours to real life practices.

       And coming to Jeth Malani’s example, he has proved to be a chief destroyer of his own principles and thereafter has blown away all ethics and morality. He justifies his stance by avowing that as a judge, he is well within his rights to take up case as per whims and fancies. Yes, he is right but again if he is to rewind back some years of his life, one of the first lessons that he would have been taught is to ensure that ‘truth should triumph’ .

       It is not just the journalists and lawyers, be it any profession, the roles of virtues and ethics should be conveniently assigned. Even in business, emotions and sentiments should be given its due importance. After all it is the human values that makes a human and not profession.

India's intimidating media

      Last one month was full of climax, anticlimax, fluctuating fortunes and what not to keep that buzz in the media going. We’ve witnessed everything. From the Nirvana of  a spiritual guru to the end of the Osama era, from the “better late than never” arrests of scandal-filled politicians to a septuagenarian’s fight for a clean India, from the glitz and glamour of the IPL to ‘Go Green’ campaigns. And media has done what it is best in doing- it has hyped, sensationalized and packaged every news to attract people’s attention.

      In a country like ours which relies too much on the media because our system probably has one of the world’s most diverse elements running the industry, a closer insight on it might give us exciting results. India leads the pack in the number of dailies, weeklies and monthlies that are getting published in more than 20 languages.

      The media is often accused of sensationalizing a news. Celebrity gossips and scandals are covered in the most dramatic ways as one would imagine. More spice is added on to these issues. But still nothing should take away the job the media is doing. Many felt that it is the media that  was putting in a lot of effort than even the CBI officials in the CWG scam and 2G spectrum scam.

      The media can be quite tricky too. It might pour praises in volumes but it doesn’t hesitate to take on someone when he/she has an off day. And no one knows this notion better than our cricket players   And when Duncan Fletcher was appointed the coach of the Indian Cricket team by the BCCI, many felt that the major challenge for the Zimbabwean is not just to emulate Gary Kirsten but also to handle the Indian media which is as tough as the former.

      So it becomes fairly imperative that media clearly defines its roles. Should it be just a vehicle to convey information to  millions   or in an extended dimension, shouldn’t it promote itself to have a major say in some of the burning issues? Should a journalist view a murder case just as another news or shouldn’t he do enough to arouse people’s consciousness and join the fight for the victim’s justice? Well, these are the million dollar questions that definitely needs affirmative replies.

The 'Freebie' Phenomenon

       Come Election time and here comes the time for freebies to rock the party. I am just amazed at how a small change leads to a big revolution, just like what the advent of T-20 did to Indian cricket, just like what MMS’s 1991 economic policy did to Indian economy or just like what Winston Churchill’s speech did to the English troops. And Indian politics is full of changes like these. For “aam aadmi” it is a very tricky concept to understand and that has probably paved the way for all those bad boys- the Rajas, the Kalmadis to dominate the proceedings. Different times throw up different faces of politics. Dynasty politics, Caste politics, politics of linguistic chauvinists are one among the prominent political genre that exists in the world’s largest democracy and the latest entry into this illustrious system is the freebie politics.

       Cambridge’s dictionary defines freebies as  ”something which is given to you without you having to pay for it, especially as a way of attracting your support for or interest in something.”

       The Indian public was quite unaware of this term with the awareness being limited to just the scholars, journalists and English professors. But over the last 5 to 6 years, freebies have stole the show with their impacts largely visible in Tamil Nadu. It was Television sets in 2006 and this time its even bigger with laptops for students, mixis and grinders for house wives. The impact of freebies are such that the political parties instead of fighting for votes seem to fight in offering freebies. Well, surely these are not good signs of a good democracy.

       Now the term ‘freebies’ has become a part and parcel of affairs. Our politicians implement this concept as a cover up for all the controversies that surround them. It is a medium in which they can silence their critics. DMK which was voted to power in 2006 thanks largely to the freebies that they promised as part of their election manifesto went on to become home to the biggest scam in the Indian history-the 2G spectrum scam.  This is where general awareness of public should come into play. They should be educated enough for them to understand that these freebies are provided by our Netas but by dwarfing their own scam-filled and controversy-fuelled political career.

       It doesn’t mean that we should dethrone the usual freebies. Of course who would say NO to something that is offered and that too free of cost. So accept freebies but not freebie politics. For many first time voters which includes me, this is something that ought to be a matter of consideration before pressing on the voting button because a freebie worth of thousands results in an abhorrent loot of thousands of crores.

      

the curious case of JAPAN

       In a span of less than a decade, two worlds- with different geography, ethics, culture and attitudes of people witnessed calamities of magnitudes akin to each other. So in this dreadful situation of having struck by a devastating disaster, the extent and mileage of its aftermath becomes an issue that needs to be addressed appropriately. This will be viewed as a direct consequence of people’s attitude. In this article I compare the attitudes of people of two of these worlds- India(in 2004) and Japan(in 2011) when they became victims to nature’s fury in the form of Tsunami and earthquakes.

       The land of the rising sun, Japan is not new to facing calamities of this magnitude. Dreadful nuclear bomb drops in two of its premier cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, frequent earthquakes, severe floods and what not, have had massive tolls on its people. In fact Japan witnesses the maximum earthquakes in a year than any other region in the world. So in spite of all this, what makes Japan ,the one it is now? What makes it the epicenter of major electronic summits? What makes some of its brands- SONY, PANASONIC, SUZUKI and NISSAN to unleash themselves? And how does the city of Hiroshima after being blown up to nothing in the second world war has bounced back to host a sporting spectacle- the Asian Games in 1994?

       There are two typically Japanese and exceptional factors that leaves millions in the world spellbound. First, the mentally tough and strong nature makes them the overwhelming favorites when it comes to handling disaster management lessons for people across the world. Japanese people preach calm evacuation techniques and ‘be cool’ approach once a disaster strikes. And quietly they try to come back to normal again with their strong resolves. The word ‘panic’ is literally out of their dictionaries. Right from very early in their childhood, the qualities of facing the inevitable boldly and sensibly are deeply imprinted in their minds. A catastrophe might  wreck parts of Japan but not the Japanese resolve.

       Second, people in this beautiful country have never allowed situations to get on top of them. They never give room for any compromises in their characters. A news agency movingly quoted,” One small shop can serve as a good example of what is going on in the city. The shop has all its windows and its glass door broken. There is an ATM and shelves with food products inside and no one is guarding it. However, nothing has been looted”. It is this character of theirs, the integrity of theirs that makes everyone to stand up and salute. Its people always preached the 3-D’s – discipline, decorum and dignity  combined with a burning desire to make things happen. In testing times, selflessness becomes their motto. This virtue of helping others first in troubled times have brought them to where they are now especially after the vacuum that developed due to the ‘Little boy’ and ‘Fat man’ effects. And the entire world knows the Japanese will bounce back  this time too.

       And its worth highlighting the Japanese hospitality too. Even when the chips are down, they treat their guests like one among them. In fact many restaurants were offering meals to its guests absolutely free. Who knows there might be an Indian influencing them with the concept of ‘Athithi Devo Bhava’.

       Having really moved by the way the Japanese responded to crises, I  thought it would be worth comparing the much hyped Indian attitudes as well. We somehow represent the other end of the spectrum when it comes to crisis handling and also in the progress that we make after it. Nagapattinam, the city that was one of the worst affected by the Tsunami is still trying hard to come to terms. We panic all too sooner. The days , if not hours after a disaster are nothing but chaos.  There will be all sorts of breakdowns - of rules and what not. Some cash in on it big time. There will be irregularities in the financial and material aids that come in. We probably will go down as the only country where there are cases pending in its courts for misuse of funds that come as relief for a disaster.  

       So its high time that we take a leaf out of a book called ‘JAPAN’ because if a country with a population of around 1 crore is able to rise like a sun from the debris, why not a country with its manpower 100 times the former?                                    

what's in just a name

       The parliament’s recent nod for the name alteration of Orissa to Odisha triggers interesting questions. What’s in just a name? what is its political implications and ramifications? Does it really bring about a sea of change in which certain factors like the ‘name’ are perceived in the society?

       Well the so called ‘name-alteration’ is not something that we are unfamiliar with. We have witnessed numerous name changes in our country in the form of states and cities. Bombay was christened as Mumbai, Madras as Chennai, Calcutta as Kolkata ,Bangalore as Bengaluru, Benaras as Varanasi and the list goes on. So what actually prompts the bosses of these cities to juggle the names? The entire scenario should be seen as nothing but a political tool used by the politicians to  bowl their people over and force them to be under their spin.

        What really makes me nonplussed is the fact that they not only pip for new names but also ensure that the older counterpart is tarnished and destroyed and same treatment is meted out to those who prefer it. It was evident a year back when Raj Thackerey’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena( MNS) lashed on the makers of the bollywood film ‘Paa’ alleging them of using ‘Bombay’ instead of ‘Mumbai’ and in a way affecting the sentiments of its people. My Goodness!!how will the old name affect the sentiments of a section of people when they are already ripped apart by the linguistic chauvinists.

       It is quite difficult to replace the name of a city with a newer one when the older had become a part of brands like the IIT-Bombay, IIT-Madras, Benaras Hindu University(BHU),  Madras Rubber Factory(MRF), Madras Talkies. In all these brands, settling with the original version is a wiser idea because of the fame in its name. Its absurd having the Chennai Rubber Factory(CRF) when MRF is dictating terms in the global rubber business. Of course many in the world don’t like the cooked up and crooked up ones and always prefer something raw. Be it names, food or even girl friends!!!!!!!!!

       So finally, I have run out of ideas thinking of what is actually there in just a name. Hopefully the readers might get some. But one thing is sure. These are just products of politics played by the linguistic chauvinists and the regional dictators to capture lakhs of votes.

India's cup of joy and pride

     Yes!! It’s the world cup mania-the most riveting and happening spectacle in this cricket-crazy nation. The Gala tournament featuring a fair mix of heavyweights and minnows is  definitely not short of any fun, energy or excitement and the fact that it is being staged in India adds more color and spice to it. And no doubt that it is the most followed world sporting event  in the country, pushing behind the likes of Olympics and FIFA world cup.

      

       So what makes this game so popular in this country? Why is it that it is considered a religion? And why is that the cricketers turn national heroes when they triumph at the world cup stage? Why?

      Always when you are on the right side of a wrong thing(an accident), it just makes you feel excited and prompts you to propel your inclinations towards it. The accident that took place was of course the world cup in 1983. From underdogs to world champions, their success story has already been talked about umpteen number of times. It was this accident that turned the world’s view over India and since then its been kind of a curve. The world cup brings the best out of a team and there is no better feeling  for an Indian cricketer than donning India colors and performing with expectations of millions. Playing in front of their home crowds with the numbers easily exceeding 50000 is what every Indian cricketer dreams of and considers it a once in a life time experience. So one can imagine the sort of excitement and electrifying atmosphere in Eden gardens, Kolkata and that too on the day when India is doing well.

      Interesting thing about Indian cricket is that we tend to smell victory too early, we rate our cricketers highly, we take cricket not just as a game. That is probably why we find it difficult to digest the defeats and hence represent the other end of spectrum by targeting the cricketer’s houses, throwing stones and burning their posters. Year 2007 was the best example showcasing the two extremities of cricket following in India. The early exit from the world cup in the West Indies resulted in widespread anguish and hate from the Indian public but that mood took a drastic U-turn when the  ‘unexpected’ actually happened; from underachievers to world champions in five months. The cricketers once again became the apple of everyone’s eye and were the toast of the entire nation. 

     

      When we talk about Indian cricket and world cups, its not complete without including the  money factor. Lump sum of cash is involved in the management of cricket in the country. Its quite heartening to see the transformation the country has undergone. It is not the old India of sluggishness, dust, beggars and snake charmers. Now it is the power house of world cricket; the BCCI is the richest cricketing governing body in the world. The bulk of the revenues come from here and its big bosses dominate the proceedings in the decision making sessions of the ICC. Yes, its all happening here. Indian cricket has unleashed its power to scales which were undreamt of a couple of decades ago. The huge fan base,  inflow of corporate into the game, broadcasting rights have all contributed to this stature. There have been criticism too with the people lashing on some of the cricketers for their increased Ad appearances and they go on to say that sometimes the number of endorsements he does is perhaps exceeding the number of runs he scores.But that is the bitter reality of cricket in this country.

      Finally imagine the situation when India go on to lift the world cup in front of their home crowds. The people simply go cock-a-hoop, the game’s fame just takes an elevation. and what happens to the cricketers ? Well, they turn national figures, images of worship. A string of lucrative endorsements, high profile alliances, hot bollywood offers, cash awards, the fame…it goes on…..and the finally the cricketers say,” well, its not that bad, isn’t it!!!!” Let us hope this dream comes true.