My Time is Now: A s(h)ane decision!

Boy, the biggest bowler (arguably), contemporary cricket has ever produced, has decided to retire from international cricket at the pick of his career. To me and to many millions, this decision of Shane Warne has come as a big shock. Afterall he was one of the few reasons left in my cricketing interest. And if, as it is generally perceived, Glenn Mcgrath decides to follow the suit, it will spell the doom’s day for many cricket lovers.

Much has been said about his outstanding records. I ain’t an ardent follower of his records and statistics. I only know the ooohs and aaahs that came out when he delivered those magic deliveries. Guys see what we will miss

1. Those more than 60 degree turning leg breaks.
2. Those flippers that literally shoot off after pitching
3. Those around the legs clean bowled wickets that only he could produce
4. Those down the leg stumping with the brilliant help of Gillie!
5. Those googleys that caught even best of the batsmen plum in front of the wickets
6. Those zooters that pitched and kissed off stumps of many world class batsmen in fraction of a second.
7. Those “well bowled warney” shouts from behind the wickets!!
8. And that off-the-pitch flamboyance!!
9. Those impeccable catches that he took standing in first sleep.
10. Those cover drives, hooks and pools that made him batsman to have hit maximum number of runs without a century in test cricket!!

And much much more. May be it was a sane decision for him to take at this point in his career. But we cricket lovers might as well say, “Your time is now Shane. Come on. Go on Warney. You can reach 1000 wickets!!”

(Image source: www.news.com.au)

From the Doghouse to the Whitehouse

Long wait is over. Final draft of the civilian nuclear deal between India and the USA is ready to be presented in congress and it is now a matter of formality looking at the overwhelming support the bill fetched from both sides that it will become a law.

Its the first time since independence that the USA and India have come this close. India was put in doghouse by the US when we first undertook nuclear tests in 1973. Now after more than 30 years we are back sitting face to face with law makers of the world's only super power in their own whitehouse dictating our terms!! What a change of affairs!! And for good.

It is now being forecast that in 2020 the closest nations in the world will be India and the USA. I have no doubt about that. We both have a lot in common and a lot to share than any other nations in the world. Lets raise a toast to the new friendship !!

On a side note, those who follow Indian stock market, buy is a call on L&T!! Let the bill become law and L&T will shoot up... Watch out there...:)

Cheers.

Laugh and the world laughs with you

I have observed this. Whenever you talk about your foreign trip experiences with others, people tend to think you are proud, that you are trying to show off:) But at the same time if you talk about your stupidity, the way you got screwed up in foreign land, they tend to enjoy it!! Human psyche you know!!… So here I go, sharing some of the good ones …

1. This is the most recent one. I was on a month long official trip to London. August 2006. Remember this was the time when the whole of UK was under threat. Threat of liquid bomb, that is!! Airports all over the country turned into a never ending mess. Amidst this chaos, we were travelling in a tube train towards central London. Don’t know what inspired me but I suddenly asked my friend “is this the same tube which was attacked by serial bomb attacks last year?”. Now we were talking in Gujarati but I forgot to translate the word “Bomb”!! (Not that I knew Gujarati synonym!!). And I tell you, it’s really a difficult time ignoring others staring at you, trying to find similarities between you and Osama-bin-Laden!! lol…

2. Singapore Jun 2005. On my way back home from SanFrancisco, I decided to stay for a couple of days at Singapore. Tired by having to pass through multiple time zones in a short span of time and eagerness to reach home early after almost 6 months, I forgot to buy some Singapore currency at the airport. When I got off the taxi, so innocently I presented the taxi driver with USD bills!! The puzzled face said it all. Here I was caught in the middle of an alien city without having any local currency on me. The driver denied any credit cards so I was left with only option of exchanging USD with him, which he reluctantly accepted. (Thank God!)

3. LasVegas May 2006. We were on a 3 days pleasure trip to Los Angelese – LasVegas. At lasvegas, we were supposed to behave our selves!! The ambiance itself is good enough to “corrupt” you. After having restrained ourselves for a while, we could not stand the basic instinct to try our luck. The other 2 friends grabbed one slot machine and I, in an endeavour to find a better deal (I am made up for something big, slot machines? Huh!!), started roaming around the casino. Whilst I was so engrossed watching the game of poker being played on a table, one lady (looked like an Indian to me) came closer to me and asked what I was doing there? Before I could understand what’s going on, she suddenly asked for my documents. Fortunately I was carrying my passport so I showed her that. After observing it carefully, she gave it back to me with a smile and said, “by law people younger than 18 are not allowed in Casinos!!”… Lo karlo bat…. To her I looked like a teenager!! Was that a compliment or something else… not sure :)

Keep smiling...Laters…

Vanechand no Varghodo: Vanukaka passes away

Those who are familiar with gujarati humour would have hardly missed this cassette by Shahbudding Rathod. I was thinking the character of vanechand, that is described in this cassette, is hypothetical untill i recently read an article in newspapers about the sad demise of Vanechand Shah, a real friend of Shahbuddin from Thangadh in Gujarat. Some hilarious incidents from the ever popular cassette...Non gujaratis please excuse :)

1. આમ તો વનેચન્દ્ અમારા અડધા ગામ હારે ભણેલો. જેને પુછો તો કેશે હા હુ વનેચન્દ્ જોડે ભ્ણેલો. એક એક ધોરણ્ મા બબે વરશ ત્રણ ત્રણ વરશ. માસ્તરો કંટાળી ને ધકેલે તૈ એ આગળ્ જાય્. એમ કર્તા 6th સુધી પહોચ્યો અને 6th મા પાછો ફૈલ થયો. મને આવી ને કહે કે હુ 2 માર્ક હાટુ રહિ ગયો. મે કીધુ હોઇ નહિ બતાય તો તારુ પ્રગતીપત્રક. હવે મે પ્રગતીપત્રક જોયુ તો ગ્રાન્ડ ટોટલ 33 માર્ક નુ. બધા વીષય ન થયિ ને 33 આવેલા બોલો. મે કીધુ આ બધા વીષય મા 35 આવવા જોઇએ. મને કહે એમ? આપણને ઇ શુ ખબર....:)

2. વનેચન્દ્ ને મે એક્ વાર કિધુ કે બાર વરસાદ પડે છે તો તુ અહિયા મારે ઘેરે રોકાઇ જા. મને કહે સારુ. હવે હુ એની વ્યવસ્થા કરવા રોકાયો એટલી વાર માં ત્યાંથી નીકળી ગયો. મને એમ કે ગયો હશે બાજુ મા ક્યાક. ત્યાતો છેક અડધી કલાકે આવ્યો. આખા શરિરે ભીંજાઇ ગયો હતો. પગ ગારો ગારો ભરેલા ને માથા માંથી પાણી ટપકે ને. મને કહે હુ ઘરે જૈ ને કહી આવ્યો કે હુ ઘરે નહી આવુ. મે કિંધુ તું ઘરે ગ્યો તો તો પાછો શું કામ આવ્યો???

3. અમારા પિન્ગળશી ભાઇ જેવા લોકકલાકાર કોઇ ફૂલેકા નુ આમ્ લઢાવી ને વર્ણન કરે તો એ વર્ણન કૈ આવુ હોઇ...

ગુડા હોતિ કેશવાલી, જાયદી ખજૂર ની પેશિ જેવો વાન, હામ હામે બે વહુવારુઓએ લાજ્ કાઢી હોઇ એવિ એની કાનહોરી અને રોમ ઝોમ રોમ્ ઝોમ નટા ઓ પટ મા પડે એમ ઘોડો આવી ને ઉભો છે. એ ઢાલીયા છાતી ફુલિ છે ને ગજવે ખમ્ભા નીકલ્યા છે ને લિમ્બુ નિ ફાયટ્ જેવી જેની આયખો છે એવો જુવાની આટો લઈ ગઈ છે એવો દશે આન્ગળિયે વેઢ પહેરેલો વીરભદ્ર જેવો વરરાજો ઠેકેક દૈ ને સવાર થયો ને ફુલેકુ માદરું માદરું માન્ડ્યું આગળ ચલવા. આ હારા ઘોડા અને હારા અસવાર ના વર્ણન છે. પણ્ વનેચન્દ ના ફૂલેકા મા આ માયલુ કાઇં ના મળે....

Ha ha ha ....There are so many such incidents that come to mind. But in reality Vanukaka was a total contrast to what is potrayed by Shahbuddin. A peace loving intelligent person.

Vanukaka a person may have passed away but Vanechand a character will still live with us thanks to Shahbuddin and his wonderful potrayal in this cassette. May his soul rest in peace.

Cheers.

A call to honour : Tol "Mole" ke Bol

A book that was purchased just to kill time during my 24 hrs long train journey from Hyd to Amdavad suddenly became so riveting that I didnt realise i was more than half thru in a single day of reading!!

The controversy that the book has created definitely had some influence on me but my basic aim behind reading it was I wanted to understand what goes behind the scenes in international diplomacy. As a former E, F & D minister (External Affairs, Finance, Defense respectively, as the author likes to call)in Vajpayee govt, Mr. Jaswant Singh gives a first hand experience of the far impacting era in indian history spanning 1998 - 2004.

A memoir that starts in the deserts of Rajsthan - the motherland of Mr. Singh touches wide subjects of diplomacy and how india stirred its way through turbulent times post Pokhran-II, WTC attack, Kandhar hijack, military coup in pakistan, kargil war and attack on parliament and subsequent build up on border.

And something abt the controversy... The author does write about a PMO official ( widely known as "a mole in PMO during Narsimha rao govt"), who wrote to USA agency abt india's nuclear plans. But there is nothing controversial abt it. He just suggests that this type of clandestine approach to diplomacy is well known and just asks india to be aware and be prepared abt it.


Finally a statement that he quotes in this book twice and once to mark the end of it.
"My Lord! I dont even know what I dont know". Isnt it true?

For those who are interested in some serious diplomatic dose, I would certainly recommend this one. Its neither a memoir nor an autobiography. It's altogether a different genre...

Why Gujarat?

I was thinking for a while about writing my feelings out on recent 'Fanaa' controversy which again put Gujarat on the center stage of media attention. I was reading some article on the issue and was astonished by the kind of media driven hype that has been created around Gujarat. Even gujaratis are carried away by that...

Let me put things into perspective here. The sardar sarovar dam which is being constructed on the river Narmada is almost in final stages after almost 40 years since its inception - almost 10 years behind the schedule. Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) has been protesting against the dam and for the rights of the people being rehabilitated. NBA guys were on hunger strike when Mr. Amir Khan went and shook hands with them. He doesnt have slightest of idea what were these people demanding. But the fact of the matter is that these people were on hunger strike to stall the dam construction. And Mr. Khan was seen as a supporter of the same cause when he shook hands with them.

Now no sane people would think that, after so much investments and raising expectations of the people of parched areas of Gujarat and Rajasthan, someone can come and stop the dam entirely. Amir later on tried to escape by saying "I was just demanding proper rehabilitation for these people. I have nothing against the dam". But by then damage was done. Theatre owners association in Gujarat unanimously decided against the screening of his movie. Point to note here is that Govt of Gujarat was no where in picture - contrary to the public perception that Govt banned the movie in the state. It was the theatre owner who have a right to decide which movie to screen and which not to.

What followed was a mass hysteria by TV news channels. Programs titled as absurdly as "Dammed in Gujarat" and "Amit being Fanaa" were making rounds almost every half an hour during prime time on every news channel. Look at the intended pun in these names. Do they smell of any decency? And the only motive of these talk shows was to belittle sentiments of the people of Gujarat and especially the CM Narendrabhai Modi.

Now contrast this against "The da vinci code". The movie was banned in several congress ruled states even after Supreme Court judgment against banning the movie. And this was really a govt driven ban not a democratic decision by theatre owners. If you ask me this was a clear case of democratic rights being violated. But all the news channels were silent on this one. Never seen any program titled "Banned in Andhra" or "Crucified in Punjab" .

I am not advocating that not screening Fanaa in Gujarat was right or Code in other states was wrong. My point is only this. Why is it that every time something happens in Gujarat, our national media jumps suddenly and tries to find out all the negatives without looking at the true picture. If Amir had the democratic right to go and speak for what he believed, by the same token dont these theatre owners have the same right to screen what they want?

On a side note, even I do not buy this idea of not screening any movie which is approved by the censor board. Better idea would have been to screen these movies and leave it to the people's discretion if they want to watch or not. As the famous saying goes - "I do not agree with you but I am ready to fight till death for your right to speak up and protest".

Aag jalni chahiye!!

Days come and pass by. Issues come and go by. But reservation is one such issue thats not fading away just yet. So much has been written and so much more will be. But for youths like me, just when we thought its nice time to stay back home and not be part of the brain drain phenomena, things start worsening. Havent we had enough of caste based politics. For heaven's sake guys leave us alone...

Reserve V/s deserve is an old saga. Agreed that a certain down trodden sections of society need help in every possible way to bring them at par. Its the question of finding a right way. In the name of reservation what is happening is a minority in this section is getting all the benefits and most of the people in the section are still showing no signs of improvements. The person who has been given enough edges over normal category person is going up the ladder- all the way up. But is this justified. Should he not be given an equal chance to compete with others and prove his credentials after he has been elevated to a certain level? Where does this reservation saga end?

Caste based reservation is another issue that baffels. Are there not people in general category worthy of any help? A person born in a brahmin or baniya community does not have right for quota? After all quite a lot of them also have to face the same kind of problems that a SC ST or OBC guy may face in his life. Similarily there will be a section of already elevated people in SC ST and OBC category who do not require any further help. Then isnt it logical to make quota based on financial backgorund rathe than caste?

I know these are some pointing questions which our politicians would pass tangentially. But we know that if we speak out, if we make our opinion count, we can change this situation. Its in the best interest of the country. Lets not divide the country further. Lets join Youth 4 Equality campaign. Lets give ourselves a chance to strengthen a cuase in which we strongly believe. Lets not sit idle.

Mere sine me nahi to tere sine me sahi,
Ho kahi bhi aag lekin aag jalni chahiye...

Lets keep the "aag" burning...

Those were the days -II

For CN, my alma mater.

"Ame namie tane chir sathi, sathi vidhya vihar..."
Reciting the songs in honor of the vidhya vihar in the beautiful "Kavi shri snehrashmi prarthana mandir" is the first thing that comes into your mind when you think about CN. I have spent 8 beautiful years of my youth life in this place in my home town of , Amdavad. Arguably the best school of that time, CN rests at the center of my youth activities. From the first crush to first friends to first role models.. everything happened on that expansive campus...

Middle school, ,sangeet and suthari and chitra udhyog, Jitubhai and bhakti sir ... ah! there is so much to remember.

Come adolescence and we were right into high school, Technical classes, jhala- girish duo, having to study in a class without a single girl...:-)

last 2 years were all about study and trying to be serious about your career. Science classes , the pressure of having to perform in board exams!! There so much to write about.

God bless our alma mater...

Those were the days

27-May-2006
So the day is almost approaching. I am making a move from Oracle after almost 2 and a half years. Fear of unknown is taking its toll... But then as Sabir Bhatia has said "the biggest risk in life is not to take any!!" So lets hope for the best...

... And what a wonderful journey it has been...

I can still remember the first day 13-jan-04 when i first stepped onto this place. I was a toddler, with lots of hopes and aspirations. I have matured a lot from that. And credit goes to all the team members and friends. Who can forget those volleyball and cricket matches, the lunch and dinner parties, trip to nagarjun sagar and so much more that we all cherish together...

Srini, you have been a wonderful leader. I learnt a lot from you. Thanks for all the support and knowledge that you shared.

If my fresher prooject was somewhat presentable the credit goes to Gopal. He has always been there to solve all my technical queries. Tejaswi has always been there to help on any issue. So has been Shobhit. Thanks to you only I got all the independence to work on issues and learnt things faster.

Prashant, I have not seen a more jovial person than you. It was great spending a couple of weeks with you in US. Harish, Ravi and Satish mama have been great buddies. Sasi will be remembered more as a table tennis companion!! Srinath, you have been more of a mentor and advisor. Thanks for all the advices!!

Neha, I know I have not missed an opportunity to tease you. But it was all in good taste. And yeah, you will be missed the most. I am not sure if I can recognize Alamelu by face but certainly by voice I can!

Also, I was fortunate to have had opportunity to closely work with global team mates. Mike, Maya, Veeresham, Hina, Theresa ,Rekha, Romel, Varughese, Yumi and all. You are all so amazing people to work with. I got to learn so much from you. I also cant forget the wonderful hospitality extended by Mike, Vishnu, Veeresham, Subbarao, Sanjay, Rajiv and all the team mates. Thanks guys for everything!!

God willing, our paths will again cross and i am sure we will say only one line then..."Those were the days!!!" Till that time, so long...

Best wishes to team PA.