Reflections

Guangzhou Asiad: India’s Olympic Dreams on Track

2010-12-07T04:14:00.000+05:30

Giving plenty of visual feasts, with displays of splendour, grit and glory, curtains finally came down on the 16^th Asian Games in Guangzhou in China. With the successful conduct of the games, China once again proved to the world that they are second to none when it comes to playing hosts and organizing events of such magnitude. Obviously, they exhibited that the wide experience gained hosting the Olympics has not gone waste. It was an extravaganza of 15 days where strengths and sporting prowess were displayed, friendships built and strengthened and camaraderie relived. In fact, when 45 nations came together, on show was the multitude of plural vignettes: the continent encompassing within itself one-third of the global population, cradle of major faiths and various cultures…..in short, a mélange of human civilization meeting through their ambassador-the Sport Stars.

While their impeccable organizational capacities won all-round praise, the Chinese ensured that their dominance also extended into the sporting arena too. They were several notches higher than their continental competitors; not only in traditional strength areas but they could also make successful forays into new areas. Dominance showed in not only their pet and patented events like Badminton, Table Tennis, Gymnastics and Athletics, but also in events like Shooting, Chess, and a host of other games. The result of such dedicated forays and perseverance meant that the ended up with 199 Gold Medals out of a total 416 medals. The second placed South Korea could not even reach the half-way of that gold medal tally, finishing with 76 Golds only. It was complete domination and sprint from the Chinese from the start, completely unstoppable at all points in time. Unquestionable leaders at the top. Even in Cricket-the T20 version that made its debut in the Asiad-the Chinese were able to field teams in both men’s and women’s sections (Perhaps some food for thought for the people in the BCCI who run the game in our country, after refusing to send any team for the Games!!). Clearly, the Chinese stamped their wholesome authority in all disciplines at these Games.

Indian Performance:

Team India had come to these Games on the back of their glorious and stupendous performance in the Commonwealth Games at home, a few months back. But that barometer broke in Guangzhou. After finishing Runners-Up in the medal tally in Delhi CWG, they were brought back to the earth by losing plots and gameplans going awry against the might of the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Iranians and Central Asian Republics. The Shooters, Wrestlers, Weight-Lifters and Shuttlers who reaped a rich haul in CWG, lost their way and disappointed. Perhaps, the major disappointment was from the shooting contingent, who were only saved a complete grimace by Ronjan Sodhi’s gold in Double-Trap. The Chinese imporved their tally greatly, grabbing a lion’s share of the medals in all events in this discipline. Saina Nehwal, who had promised much, also fell by the way-side. The grapplers and weight-lifters added to the listless performances. The Hockey team that lokked set for the Gold after clean-sweeping all the league games, fell to Malaysia in the semis, during extra-time.

However, such disappointments should not cloud over the other side of the story. Performances also picked up in many other fronts and these Games have become a milestone in India’s sports journey. Pocketing 14 golds, 17 silvers and 33 bronzes, India finished overall sixth in the medal tally. Pankaj Advani bagged his second consecutive English Billiards gold to open India’s Gold Rush. That Indian sport also ventured into unchartered territories reaping rich hauls became amply clear in Rowing. Throwing his oars with strength and speed, army man, Bajranglal Takhar conquered gold. Along with this, the investments made in this sport through hours and hours of practice in the backwaters of Kerala, fetched silver and bronnze medals in the team events.

Somdev Devvarman showed the world that there was life in Indian Tennis even after the Paes-Bhupati duo hangs their boots. In the absence of seniors, Somdev channeled all this energies and grit, to work through the Singles and Doubles. Making short work of the top seed Uzbek, Denis Istomin in the finals, he made history by being the first Indian to win an Asiad Singles Gold. He also teamed up with Sanam Singh to make it a golden double. He also proved that his singles gold at CWG was no fluke.

Perhaps, the most star rises in this Asiad for the country happened in the Track and Field. At the Aorti Main Stadium, India’s athletes left their marks, in what was the best Asian Games as far as Athletics was concerned. Bagging a total of 5 golds, 2 silvers and 4 bronzes, the contingent flew the tricolour high. What is more heartening is that 10 medals in athletics were won by women. Golds by Kerala girl Preeja Sreedharan in 10000m and Sudha Singh in 3000m Steeplechase opened the campaign on track. Another Golden Double came when both Ashwini Akkunji and Joseph Abraham won the race in 400m hurdles event. The final gold in track and field came through the quartert of Manjeet-Mandip Kaur, Sini Jose and Ashwini Akkunji in 4x400m relay. The Indian 4x400 relay quartets has made it a habit now in winning the yellow metal at the Asiad, with this being a hat-trick win. Count in the miss by Preeja for a double in 5000m, heart-break for Tintu Luka in 800m(settling for a bronze), and bronze for Krishna Poonia in women’s discus….Indian Athletics has really come of age and is now beginning to peak at the global stage.

After Beijing Olympics, the hallmark sport in the country has been without doubt, Boxing. The successors following the path of Vijender Singh have been countless, and the rise in the ring has been systematic. That trend was continued by the pugilists in this Asiad too. Some lost medals within striking distance; but on the whole, 9 boxers came close. Out of this, 5 made the finals and 4 had to be content with bronze. In the five finals, Vikas Krishan and Vijender hit the gold run, while three others lost out winning silvers. The haul of 2 golds, 3 silvers and 4 bronzes is yet another best for India in these games.

There were also impressive performances in other disciplines too. While the Men’s Kabbadi team kept its date with the gold, in the debut year for the women, Indian eves also did not disappoint and were crowned champions. Tarundeep Rai’s silver in archery, Virdhawal Khade’s bronze in 50m butterfly in swimming and Ashish Kumar’s bronze in Gymnastics are among them. In fact, Virdhawal and Ashish have age on their side, and are raring to go the distance in the coming years. Also, the sport of Wushu perfected by the Chinese, saw heart-warming performances by Sandhya Rani (Silver) and Bimoljit (Bronze). Medals were also won Sailing and Roller-Sports.

All these gains and results are the fruits of the constant training, proper regimen, and on the back of improved performances. The foreign training for the athletes and foreign coaches in boxing, have also helped a great deal. It also goes to what the best available modern technology, state aid and the open mind to accept new techniques can do for the Indian sporting arena. Continuing with these resources and culling out the problem areas can definitely put India as multi-sport country rather than a ‘sole cricket’ based one. If these games have been the barometer or springboard for the London Olympics in 2012, then definitely one can say with great confidence that the Indian dreams are well-on track.

Football World Cup 2010: A Month of the Beautiful Game

2010-07-12T11:54:00.001+05:30

The Vuvuzelas have fallen silent, and their swarming buzz has stopped. The flags have been folded up and the colours have been washed away. The grass meadows at ten venues with gigantic structures covering stand lonely. The carnival and the fireworks are over. South Africa has been littered with memories and never disappearing images. The world has a new champion. Soccer City Stadium at the famous Soweto township, in Johannesburg provided the stage for the crowning of a new power-house, to be at the helm for four more years. The final once saw the dominance of Europe for the second consecutive edition in succession. Thus, the chain having Latin America and Europe attached in every alternate edition has been broken. A European team has succeeded, when the event was staged outside the continent for the first time. The 19^th World Cup, first to be staged in Africa has finally come to end, as the ball that had started rolling on 11 June from the time Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov blew the whistle, at Soccer City between the hosts and Mexico, has now come to a stop; that, with the whistle of Englishman Howard Webb, in the summit clash between Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City itself.

The Final itself was the culmination of a month long exercise, when 32 teams came onto the world stage to show-case their exploits, attacking fervor, gritty defence, clinical, deft moves, with panache and adeptness. As the battle became engrossing, as it progressed, several of them kept falling by the wayside and the best in all moved upwards. Powerhouses and strong contenders battled it out, but crumbled and fell at decisive stages. Upward movement became tough ask and pressure added up. Spain and Netherlands moved up in distinct ways; the La Roja after suffering an initial hiccup at Swiss hands, re-grouped and made fresh forays, that paid them rich dividends. The Dutch on the other hand, came into the World Cup finals with a clean sheet in the qualification and continued that streak in the league stages as well as later in knock-outs till the big final. The Oranje won all their matches, nearly emulating Brazil in 1970, who had carried out such a campaign. Spain after being the European champions in 2008, aimed at claiming the world throne too. This was emulating Germany, who had won this double-honour, winning the European championships in 1972 and won the World Cup two years later, in 1974. However, the grand final was not one that was mesmerizing or defining the terms of beautiful football. It was clearly not the best of the finals, with as many as 13 bookings enacted by referee Webb. While the Dutch were the main culprits with 9 cards, including defender John Heitinga earning a double yellow and being sent off in the Extra-Time., the Spanish also earned 4 yellow cards. For the second World Cup in running, the game went beyond the regulation time of 90 minutes. It took a great move from Cesc Fabregas, who passed it on to the diminutive attacking mid-fielder Andres Iniesta, to seal a solitary goal win in the second half of Extra-Time. Iniesta, through his brilliant runs and moves created enough chances for Villa upfront in the Dutch goal-mouth. Throughout the tournament, the current European champions conceded only two goals, including one in the loss to the Swiss in their opening game. The Spanish also rewrote a record that no team had gone to win the World Cup after losing the opening group encounter. Spain also became one of the lowest-scoring winners in World Cup history, with their winning score always not going beyond two, in this World Cup.

Throughout the tournament, Spain under Vicente Del Bosque played some smart and sleek football, carving out chances and making deft moves. Having a team brimming with awesome talent, with the best men in best positions, the La Roja was unstoppable. Leaving aside their early setback against Switzerland, Spain re-grouped in time to shed their ‘underachievers’ tag. Over the years, Spanish sides have always faltered after promising much at the global stage. The Dutch influence on Spanish football over the years has also paid rich dividends in this triumph. Johan Cruyff, Louis Van Gaal, Rinus Michels-the creator of Total Football-and Frank Rijkaard are some of the Dutch greats who plied their trade in the La Liga, as players and coaches. Barcelona has been the club that imbibed their philosophies the most. In fact, the starting Spanish eleven in this World Cup had 7 Barca players. The Spanish also had the best passing throughout the tournament and this was guided by the philosophy of “Tiqui Taka” or “Pass and Move”. The passing of the ball denotes the team-work involved in the game; magnificent goals are born only out of the hard work of the collective rather than the individual glory of the scorer. This philosophy has seeped into the Spanish game, and has put them a few miles, ahead of the rest. Also, the multi-skilled players, with the ability to control ball possession for longer hours and frustrate the opposition were also an asset for Spain. The Spanish put this strength to full use against the Germans in the semi-final; the speed, precision and agility of the young German side was no match for the experienced Spanish team, who suffocated their opponents for time and space, thereby beating them in their own game. The Spanish game was also with the least number of fouls and bookings, something that earned them the Fair Play award as well, to top up with the glittering trophy. David Villa finished as joint top-scorer of the tournament with 5 goals and locked in a four-way tie with Sneijder, Mueller and Forlan. Played upfront as the sole striker, Villa also used both his feet to good effect and scored at crucial times. Packed with stars like Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Carles Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Capdevila, Fernando Torres, Cesc Fabregas, Busquets, and Pique, with Navas, Pedro, Llorente and David Silva on the bench, Spain was in abundance. Finally, they dropped anchor firmly at the world stage. In contrast, the Dutch played an ugly game, often justifying the same for a win. Players like Von Bommel and Nigel De Jong playing the physical game enacting rough tackles. Even though Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben blossomed in the tournament helping the Netherlands keep a clean record of all wins throughout the qualification and tournament, they fell at the final hurdle. It was third time trauma for them, after losing in the final on two earlier occasions- 1974 to West Germany and 1978 to Argentina.

While the description of the final above gives the pulse of the two European giants, the tournament itself needs a post-mortem. The aim is to undertake reality check on the month-long fiesta, picking up the pieces and trying to reset the jigsaw, in order to have a larger perspective

# Goals have rained rather less in this World Cup, at least in the group stages. Teams have been miserly in going for larger margins and were contended in winning by small margins, thereby deciding to safeguard even a small lead rather than aiming big. This goes to show that the teams strengthened their defences. The best example was North Korea’s show against Brazil, in their opening encounter in Group G, when they almost locked up the giants in the opening half. Many of the custodians have also protected their nets very well and have displayed their feats, in excellent fashion. Many of the big guns lost their touch, once inside the opposite D. However, this miserliness was turned over in the league stages by the Argentines, who scored 10 in all till their Round of 16 match against Mexico. Higuain, and Tevez, aided by Messi moved up. But then they were upstaged by the Germans, who not only routed them, but finished the tournament with 16 goals, pumping in 3 in the Bronze medal match against Uruguay. Klose, Mueller, Podolski, Ozil, supplied by Lahm and Schweinsteiger ran riot in rival defences and stocking up goals getting 16 in all.

# This World Cup saw the demise of certain big sharks, who only vouched by the spice of glamour and commercial interests through the hefty pay-checks and large, doughty leagues. The prime example is that of England as a team. With over-hyped personnel like Gerrard-Lampard-Terry-Rooney, England collapsed under its own weight. This was further enforced by the early exit of France and Italy. This also proved that performances in national colours are not necessarily dependent on the heights of your glamour professional leagues.

# The World Cup was one, wherein the dominance shifted from Europe to Latin America and then back to Europe. This movement of back and forth was a highlight of this World Cup. After the early exit of France and Italy, with England in the Pre-Quarters, Europe had only 3 teams that moved into the Quarter-Finals out of the total 13 that competed. In contrast, out of the 5 that qualified for finals, four moved into the finals. Thus, all the 4 Quarter-Finals had representation from all these four teams. But by the time, the quarters were finished, except for Uruguay, other three exited. But with Spain, Netherlands and Germany moving into the penultimate stages, the balance again shifted to favour Europe. With Germany grabbing the bronze, other two were assured of the top two spots.

# The exit of Brazil and Argentina in the quarter-final stage is the biggest sub-plot within the larger landscape of the World Cup. Two of the biggest nations in world football followed two altogether different trajectories in this World Cup; though they moved up, some thing was amiss and clearly, they fell at crucial hurdles. The elimination at quarter-finals this time around, was similar to their exit in the last World Cup in Germany, as then too, it was in the last eight. Argentina which had a disastrous qualification campaign, wherein they lost to even light-weights like Bolivia and Peru, got through in the last grasp. With the legend, Diego Maradona at the helm of affairs as the coach, almost 110 players were tried before the final 23 were selected. Attack was the keyword for Maradona, and he got six strikers to South Africa. Without playing the aggressive attacking game, Maradona felt that the spirit of the game could never be preserved. With the World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi moulding himself as a play maker, El Diego reinforced the dictum that attack was the best form of defence. His team surged through the group stages with greater goals. Even though Messi could not find the net, he amply supplied and created enough chances for Higuain and Tevez. Some of his runs and moves were deft as well as filled with panache. However, while they scored freely at the opposite end, chinks were clearly visible in the defence. This was beginning to show in matches where they conceded goals that could have been well prevented. The defence armour of Otamendi, Burdisso, Heinze and Demichelis were not match for a superior attack, as shown by the Germans. They were torn apart in the quarters at Cape Town, as Germany with their deadly counter-attacks, marched ahead with speed, aggression and clinical precision. Pulverized by 4 goals, the Argentines were also suffocated by their superior opponents. The sole dependence on Messi also proved to be a bane for them, as the staunch German defence crowed him out for time and space. Maradona’s decision to leave out experienced hands in the defence in team selection, like Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso cost La Albiceleste very hard. Also, denying a place for veteran playmaker, Riquelme in the squad meant that Argentina were exposed thoroughly against tough opponents like Germany, even while in possession of a supreme strike force. While Maradona the coach was more passionate shouting inspiration and encouragement from the touchline, he met his match in the tactician of Joachim Loew, the German manager. Maradona somewhere failed in this tactical brilliance.

Quite contrastingly, Brazil shut out its flair and attacking mode, or the Latin American style in this World Cup. Coach Dunga, the ’94 World Cup winning captain, employed the tactics of strengthening the defences and relying on counter-attacks. With just one striker, in Luis Fabiano in the upfront, the mid-field held through under Robinho and playmaker Kaka. With Lucio, Gilberto Silva and Maicon to shore up defence, Brazil locked away their traditional attacking, elegant style. This meant that footballing powerhouse, lost its sheen and style. An alien style of play occupied the team’s game plan and Dunga was at the centre of it. However, despite the murmurs of protests from many quarters, the Selecao, continued their spirited run. They finished the group stage with two wins and a goalless draw against Portugal. They prevailed upon Chile and even dominated the Dutch in the first-half of their quarter-final; however, their strategy misfired once they were trailing. Two headers by Sneijder negated the early Brazilian lead. The formation of 4-2-3-1 by Dunga couldn’t last the distance. With a rough tackle by Felipe Melo receiving a red card, Brazil collapsed under its weight and fell apart. The crashing out of the Latin American giants in opposite within the space of a day, finished the lion’s share of interest in the World Cup. The contrasts also do not end there. While Dunga and his coaching staff lost their job once they returned home with brickbats, the welcome for Maradona and his boys had no animosity. In fact, almost the entire country wants Diego to stay as coach and take Argentina to Copa America title, they are hosting next year.

# “This Time for Africa”-this was the official song of the World Cup by Shakira. But on the field, with 6 teams, the continent failed to impress. Except for Ghana, all other teams like Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire did not see light beyond the group stages. South Africa also called Bafana Bafana became the first host nation in the history of World Cup to be eliminated within the group stages, despite a win over France. However, the continent as a whole got behind Ghana and cheered them all along till the quarters. Ghana, despite their captain Michael Essien missing the entire action due to injury, played with all passion and energy, scything through the opposition. Even in the last eight match against Uruguay, they had almost got through to the semis, where no African team had yet reached, if not for Luis Suarez’s Hand of God. Asamoah Gyan had led from the front in the whole tournament, aided by Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntary, Ayew and Kevin-Prince Boateng. But at the closing stages of the Extra-Time, Gyan’s penalty could only find the upright and Uruguay made the Black Stars pay the penalty in the shoot-out. The World Cup, thus once again proved that African teams had to still go a long way at the global stage.

Japan and South Korea were impressive and carried the Asian flag with high hopes. Even though they lost to the superiority of opposition in the knock-out, that too to Latin American teams, their progress to the next stage outside their own continent was something to savour.

# The World Cup also send a strong message to those who were stubborn that there could not be even a slight tweaking or tinkering of the gameplan. Those who refused to budge, were shown the hard lessons too. The best case scenario was that of the English under their Italian manager, Fabio Cappello. He remained confined to his plans during the qualification campaign and refused to re-work that strategy, even when the gears changed coming into the actual competition. He simply refused to believe that the traditional formation had to be changed to match faster and agile opponents. Mid-Way through their campaign, former captain John Terry even murmured points of dissent against the coach. Thereby, England once again left the world stage, early, compounded with a goal drought in their entire entourage. However, despite the exit, the English FA has allowed Cappello to continue as the manager, to make the team qualify for Euro 2012. Changes from the old guard in the team are expected, as fresh blood is sought to be infused in the squad. But the unfortunate thing for Cappello is that the young talent pool in England through their premiership league, is not exactly brimming up.

# Many of the big stars also failed to shine in this World Cup. Half of them were wrecked by injuries and could not make the trip to South Africa. Even those who made it, could not turn up in full potential, as they stunted by lingering niggles. While Michael Ballack, Rio Ferdinand and Michael Essien surrendered to the injuries, the likes of Thierry Henry, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Didier Drogba left much to be desired in this gala tourney. The effects of long club seasons were clearly felt on the players. However, despite recovering late from injuries, Arjen Robben and Fernando Torres showed their supreme touch later in the tournament.

# This world carnival was also an exhibition of youth over the aged horses. Clearing away the old men, the youth flowered further and took wings, with full exuberance. The teams with such renewed energy and fresh talent saw the blossoming of greater performances. Team Germany led from the front in this area. Bastian Schweinsteiger is only 25 years-old, but he is already a veteran of three World Cups, carving out their attacks and shoring up their defences. Also, with a much more vibrant multi-cultural approach through the easing of immigrant laws, Germany showed their supremacy and aggression were miles ahead. They had players of various descent: Tunisian, Turkish, Ghanaian, Brazilian, Polish, and Spanish. In Ozil, Mueller, Khadeira, Jerome Boateng, Cacau, and Gomez, along with the senior pros like Lahm, Podolski and Klose, Germany became a team with the features with speed, agility and surgical precision along with their famous deadly counter-attacks. Aging war-horses were shoved out of the way, as happened in the case of defending champions, Italy. Marcello Lippi was back at the helm, but could not prevent the team from crashing out in the group stage itself.

# One of the defining results of this World Cup, is the strong need felt for using technology. Errors by Referees and Linesmen swarmed in this tourney that resulted in wrong judgements on goals, and fouls. Mali referee Koman Coulibaly disallowing a goal denied the USA a much needed win against Slovenia. Similarly, Stephane Lannoy’s role in sending off Kaka following clear simulation by Keita, in the match between Brazil and Cote D’Ivoire drew much criticism. However, the errors by Jorge Larrionda of Uruguay led to the disallowing of Lampard’s phantom goal against Germany when England was trailing by 1-2. That clearly upset the team’s rhythm and could never recover from it. Roberto Rossetti, the Italian referee allowed Tevez a goal, against Mexico that was clearly offside. Sepp Blatter could only offer his apologies for the teams at the receiving end and do nothing more. Perhaps, FIFA would be now forced to re-think on its age-old strategies and make the best use of technologies available. Football’s world governing body, cannot remain evasive on this issue any more.

# The organization of this World Cup has once again brought the best out of South Africa. A country, shut out of sporting ventures during the dark years of Apartheid, the World Cup is definitely an opening. After organizing the Rugby World Cup in 1995 and Cricket World Cup in 2003, Soccer too has found its place in South African sports management. The Rainbow nation was on target, both in terms of infrastructure and organization. 10 great venues like Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Green Point in Cape Town, Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, and Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth displayed the best soccer for one month. Great seats, well-maintained playing pitch along with electrifying atmosphere made sure the matches were played without a hitch. The capabilities of South Africa in organizing this spectacle as one nation were also something to watch out. Infusing indigenous cultures into the mega tournament also proved wonders. Terms like Vuvuzela, Jabulani and Zakumi will always remain etched in memory. Even the mighty venue of Soccer City was built on the design of Calabash, or an African Pot. This was to also reflect the venue being a melting pot of various cultures. The nation turned out as one to make the entire month memorable and long-lasting for the entire days to come.

But FIFA also has to take note some glaring aspects too. Many seats could not be filled up in some matches and that too in slightly large numbers. Vacant seats were clearly, as a result of FIFA’s decision to sell tickets only through the internet. This was clearly neglected by them, when most of the African population cannot afford to such luxuries. For them, tickets over the counters are the most viable way of getting into the matches. Also, the raising of fares by airlines and hotel rates ensured that many within the continent could not take part in the tournament. The FIFA had sub-contracted the hospitality aspect to an agency called Match, and this concern in fact, worked to jerk up prices, hitting the fans below the belt. In future, such actions have to be clearly checked by FIFA to ensure greater comfort level for the countless fans, who criss-cross continents to come and join the carnival. Stricter measures have to be in place to ensure that such firms and agencies are always on the watch list. FIFA’s attempts to only concentrate on reaping profits should not leave out the millions of fans and leave them in despair. While World Cup is the major engine for FIFA to earn revenue that has to be channelled back for the development programmes across the world. South Africa’s tourism industry has also earned hugely in this month. But the future also has to be clearly looked into. The giant stadiums have to be put to best use and make them filled with games round the year. This also comes in the backdrop of several fears and apprehensions raised regarding many of these magnificent structures that many feel could turn up as White Elephants!! Some grounds like in Polokwane have no football clubs to play, and so it would depend on how the nation’s football federation comes up with plans to use them in optimum manner. Already, there have been proposals floated to get Rugby, a favourite sport for the people in the country, as an event in these grounds too.

In the past month on the whole, the world chased the Jabulani and life moved with it. The anticipation with which, billions waited with bated breath and anticipation for the carnival to begin. But the 4 weeks passed away swiftly; and wait has again started for the 20^th World Cup. As Spain joined the club of World Cup winners, the game has once again turned to be winner. Football has once again proved to be the game with the largest following, where the world irrespective of language, cultures, creed, colour, nationalities and faiths, joined as one to celebrate the ‘Beautiful Game’. The Fireworks have been extinguished, the broadcasters have rolled back their long wires, and the players/officials have left the shores of South Africa with a promise to meet again in four years time in Brazil. But the reverberations and echoes are still alive of the past one month in its entirety. Life has returned to being normal; the World has turned from ‘Round’ to ‘Flat’. But somewhere, deep down in the heart, there is an emptiness and there is a lump in the throat. The wait has started for Brazil 2014. Thank You, South Africa for the Golden Memories!!

Football World Cup 2010: One World, One Universal Language, One Identity

2010-06-14T13:41:00.002+05:30

At the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on June 11, with the ball at his feet, Tshabalale breaks into a run and moving forward with amazing agility and speed. Mexican Defenders try their best to match him and mark him. However, he is unstoppable and moves into a far left position of the Mexican penalty box and sends a swirling left footer that flies into the net on the far side. With the ball kissing the back of the net, He breaks into a traditional dance, joined by his cheering team-mates of ‘Bafana Bafana’ along with thousands across South Africa. Switch to the next day, at Ellis Park in the same city, Veron-fondly called ‘the Witch’ is back at his best and takes a flag-kick that swirls away outside the penalty area, where there seem to be none waiting to receive. But out of the blue, Gabriel Heinze, jumps forward with a brilliant header, that sends the ball into the left corner of the Nigerian goal. That goal is enough for the Argentines to ensure victory.

Welcome to World Cup 2010. These images and countless others will follow for one entire month in South Africa, are treasures, if one can call that. Soccer at its classic best, with a feast of world-class footballers batting it out for the ultimate prize, to be crowned the champions of the planet. The wait for the last four years was intolerable. This one month will be taken over by fever, raging amongst the fanatics of the game. Millions across time-zones will cheer and join the carnival for their teams. The carnival includes all the attackers, the magicians, back-benchers, and dark-horses. As dreams, hopes, tears and madness amalgamate and sit side by side for this month, emotions run like a river in full torrent.

Every World Cup has enough myths, tales of bravery and heart-breaks to share. The History of World Cup begins in 1930, as Uruguay hosted the inaugural edition, something that was given for them being the reigning Olympic Champions. With Lucien Laurent etching his name in history as the first goal-scorer in World Cup, the tournament was a rage. Uruguay met Argentina in the final, going on to be crowned the World Champions.

Latin American dominance of the game thus began with that crowning glory. That style of play had a special touch to it, as the beauty of the game increased manifolds with teams from the region, especially Brazil and Argentina. The Latin American style is also a pleasure for the eye, having a unique charm and elegance. As every World Cup begins, Brazil and Argentina go into the tournament, having a ‘natural and sole claim’ to the crown. Most of he eye balls at the global stage, follow both these team, more than anyone else. 5-time champions Brazil and two-time winner, Argentina are rich in both the game and legends behind it. Having legacy of greats like Pele, Garrincha, Vava, Didi, Jairzinho, Zico, and Socrates, their followers seek nothing short of the crown for the 6^th time. With 1994 winning captain Dunga at the helm as manager weaving the tactics, their moves are sharpened by a force having names like Kaka, Fabiano, Robinho, Maicon, and Lucio. Brazil is one of the teams that appears complete both in the defence, mid-field and up-front and is a top favourite of the bookies. Even before the kick-off, the best on paper. However, Argentina are not ready to give that status yet to their arch-rivals and are ready for the battle, A magician by the name of Diego Maradona-still capable of many a battle on field-is their coach and that perhaps is a big plus in their campaign for a third crown. Despite having an eventful qualification campaign, that saw them enter the final 32 as fourth in the region, one can only write them off at their own peril. Losses to Bolivia-something described by Maradona as “six bullets piercing the heart”-Chile and Brazil seemed to dent their hopes, but they recovered in time. But the Argentinian hopes and dreams are carried on the shoulders of a host of battle-trained players. Leading from the front as the trump card is none other than, Lionel Messi, or the “the Messiah” as Maradona calls him. The reigning FIFA World Footballer of the Year, Messi is also widely seen as the successor of the great Diego. Plying his trade for Barcelona in the Spanish league, his tremendous form is definitely the talking point. His role as the Argentine fans see, is that of a helmsman who has to take the ship through the rough seas. Apart from Messi, Argentina arrives in South Africa, with 5 other best strikers, Diego Milito-from his heroics for inter Milan taking them to the Champions League podium, Carlos Tevez from the English League, Sergio Aguro, Gonzalo Higuain and Martin Palermo. Also, they have Mascherano as captain, Walter Samuel, Angel Di Maria, Maxi Rodriguez, Heinze, and Veron to strengthen their strike force. But Maradona and his boys, have to ensure that all the prowess isn’t just restricted to being on paper. Apart from the ‘Selecao’ and ‘Albiceleste’, there are Argentine Marcelo Bielsa’s Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay-who again ride on the back of the veteran, experienced Diego Forlan. But the Dream Final everyone is looking forward on July 11, is that of the arch-rivals, Brazil and Argentina. Another history is waiting at the threshold-if either Maradona or Dunga ensure their team as world champions, then he would emulate the great Franz ‘Kaiser’ Beckenbauer

Moving on from Latin America, we come to another style matching the former, the European variety. In terms of abundance of talent, the team matching Brazil and Argentina is Spain, the reigning European champions. With stars like Casillas, Fabregas, Puyol, Iniesta, Ramos. Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Silva and Villa, jostling in one single team, the Spanish Armada is brewing with richness. Under the coaching of Vicente Del Bosque who has taken over reigns from the successful Luis Aragones, Spain have staked their claim authoritatively on the glittering trophy. Under Fabio Cappello, England had a remarkable qualification campaign. But injury to captain Rio Ferdinand has been a set-back. But under Steven Gerrard wearing the captain’s arm-band, Rooney and Crouch as strikers, Lampard, Aaron Lennon, John Terry, Ashley Cole, and Shaun-Wright Philips, the English hope to get their second title after 1966 at Wembley. Under ‘Magic Boy’ Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal to better their performance four years off. But they will definitely have to play out of their skins in their Group G games, having tough opponents, Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea. The French, whose qualification play-off was marred by Henry’s ‘hand-ball’ against Ireland, are in Group A with Uruguay, Mexico and hosts South Africa. Missing from their squad is the legend, Zinedine Zidane, whose ‘magic legs’ won’t be on show this time. Also not in action are Trezeguet, Barthez, and Patrick Viera. But Raymond Domench has at his disposal the strength of Malouda, Ribery, Abidal, and Anelka, hoping they would carry the flame ahead.

The reigning world champions, the ‘Azzuri’ are also under the stewardship of Marcello Lippi. Coming in the midst of ugly and corrupt scandals in their domestic league, Serie A four years before, Lippi had marshaled his troops well then leading them to their fourth championship title. However, after Roberto Donadoni failed for a brief while, making way for Lippi again, this time around, the Italians are one of the oldest in the tournament. With play maker and skipper Michael Ballack missing the action due to injury that has in fact, almost finished his World Cup career, Germany is still looking forward to bring out is lightening football. Coach Joachim Low would hope that Klose, Podolski, Schweinsteiger, and Philip Lahm would make sure Ballack is not missed and go to win their third world title. The proponets of ‘Total Football’ have always had the case of “so near, yet so far”. The Dutch who boast of legends like Cruyff, Van Basten, Rikaard and Ruud Gullit, would hope that Arjen Robben, Sneijder, Von Bommel, Dirk Kuyt, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst would make some deep in-roads in this edition. Apart from these teams, Slovenia, Slovakia, Serbia, Switzerland, Denmark, and Greece complete the European line-up. Europe also has the distinction of having the oldest and youngest managers in this edition of the World Cup-them being Otto Rehhagel of Greece and Vladmir Weiss of Slovenia respectively.

The host continent Africa, have always had the tag ‘Dark Horses’ attached to them. The African style has an all together different charm. Something that begins slowly, going on to reach an aggressive crescendo; they also have a rich legacy to safeguard. Cameroon under Roger Milla in 1990, Nigeria in 1994, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2006, have been great examples of African dream runs. In South Africa, Ghana would be there, but without their star player, Michael Essien, as the Chelsea star is out wit an injury. But they would hope Asamoah Gyan and Stephen Appiah would be at their best. “The Elephants” or Ivory Coast would ride the waves under their star Didier Drogba, who has under his belt a successful league and goals with Chelsea. Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, would also have with him Salomon Kalou, and the brothers Kolo Toure and Yaya Toure. But to negotiate their way upwards against Brazil, Portugal and North Korea would be a stiff challenge. The ‘Super Eagles’, Nigeria would also be knocking at the high doors, as the successful coach of Sweden, Lars Lagerback tries to devise ways to progress from their tough Group B, having Argentina, South Korea and Greece. Under Samuel ‘Eto’o-experienced from the Spanish and Italians leagues with Barcelona and Inter Milan-as captain and Rigobert Song, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ Cameroon, march forward hoping to emulate Milla’s legacy. But Eto’o would correct the criticisms of Milla against him. South Africa called ‘Bafana Bafana’ are the only team to escape the trials at qualification, as being the hosts. Coached by Brazilian Carlos Alberto Pereira, they would seek to make strong dents and move to the second round from Group A. The ‘Desert Foxes’ Algeria who defeated Egypt in an eventful play-off at Khartoum, complete the line-up from Africa.

From Asia, comes Australia, who changed their confederation from Oceania. Under Mark Schwazer, Bresciano, Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill, the Socceroos would hope to make good progress in the tournament. Japan have also made their presence felt from Asia along with South Korea, who would hope to re-work the magic at home eight years back when they reached the last four. North Korea makes its entry into the World Cup after 1966, where they had shocked Italy and went down fighting to Portugal, who were saved by Eusebio. Then there teams like Mexico, whose hopes hinge greatly on performances by Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Rafael Marquez and Javier Hernandez. USA would have Landon Donovan, Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsy under the managership of Bob Bradley who tries to fit into the shoes of Bob Bradley. Honduras is the other team from North-America Concacaf region. Completing the entire line-up would be New Zealand under Ricky Herbet, who was also part of their only World Cup appearance in 1982. The New Zealanders enter the final round defeating Bahrain in the Play-Offs. This effectively ended any possibility of the participation of a team from the Persian Gulf. This World Cup is marked by their absence, which has never happened so in near past. Also, this World Cup would be unique in the fact that, there would be no team making its debut in the World Cup finals. Each team has featured in either of all 18 previous editions.

I have the belief that there is no one single Group of Death in this World Cup. While without doubt, Group G having Brazil, Ivory Coast, North Korea and Portugal is the toughest. But Group B comprising Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea and Greece is also a challenge. So is Group D with the Germans, Serbs, Ghana and Australia. Even Group E comprising Netherlands, Denmark, So tough battles can be expected in the 10 venues that South Africa has brought forth for this tournament.

History and Legacy abound in World Cup along with controversies and scandals too. A host of names are legends in their own right at the global stage. Puskas, Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst, Vava, Didi, Pele, Garrincha, Jairzinho, Beckenbauer, Pele, Maradona, Johan Cryuff, Michel Platini, Paolo Rossi, Dino Zoff, Gerd Muller, Linekar, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Romario, Roberto Baggio, Rivaldo, Batistuta, Maldini, Cannigia…………..the list is endless. Several moments in the field have given their share of controversies, whether it be Geoff Hurst’s goal in 1966 final against West Germany at Wembley, something debated under the same breadth as Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ in 1986 quarter-final against England. Snippets and Trivia also abound in the World Cup. The tale of how after winning the 1934 World Cup winners, Italy safeguarded the Jules Rimet Cup, when their Football Association Vice-President kept its under his bed-trunk even at the height of Allied attacks in Wartime, as how the cup was stolen in 1966 and the English being saved of massive embarrassment by a dog called Pickles, which retrieved it. The World Cup has come a long way from its inception,. The trophy itself underwent change, as the Jules Rimet Cup was replaced by Silvio Gazzaniga’s sculpted piece used to this day. Franz Beckenbauer had the honour of raising it first in 1974, as the Rimet trophy was handed over to Brazil permanently, who won it thrice.

Every sport connects millions through its transcendental effect; the power to provide unbridled joy from multitude of problems for people and take their dreams as well as aspirations on top flight. Football thus makes a ‘Global Unifying Factor’. Carrying dreams, hopes and a special mania, millions welcome the World Cup world over. Despite the drives and penetration of commercialization, the essence and spirit of football still stands undiluted, tying together people like no other force. A Ball and 22 bodies running behind it is just a mirage….when the ball rolls in World Cup, the entire world runs behind it, eyes riveting towards the goal mouth. ‘Jogo Bonito’ or the Beautiful Game may be a Brazilian axiom, but its connotations are global in nature today, as it creates new meanings and adages. So whether it be in Savannah of Africa, Amazon jungles of Latin America, Prairies of North America, the Meadows of Europe, Deserts in Arabia, towns of Asia or high lands Down Under, the World united. As the whistle blew at Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg on June 11, when the sounds of Vuvuzuela resounded, as Shakira joined in chorus with ‘Waka Waka’ and various colours & jerseys, came afore, the World for One Month has a Universal Language, Universal Identity: Football!!

SFI's Position on Incidents of Violence in JNU in the Aftermath of Maoist Killing of CRPF Personnel in Chhattisgarh

2010-04-12T01:46:00.000+05:30

Following is the position of SFI on the violence in JNU over the killing of CRPF Personnel in Chhattisgarh on 6 April by Maoists

REJECT THE POLITICS OF LUMPENISM!!

UNITE AGAINST ATTACKS ON OUR DEMOCRATIC CULTURE!!

POLITICALLY ISOLATE THE SUPPORTERS OF MAOIST VIOLENCE IN CAMPUS!!

Last two days have seen shameful and condemnable incidents in our campus. On 9^th of April, the activists of NSUI, ABVP and YFE disrupted a program of the JNU Forum against War on People being held at Godavari Dhaba by indulging in sloganeering and physical violence. Yesterday, once again when the members of this forum were doing a mess campaign for a protest march against the incidents of 9^th,, they were stopped from speaking in the Mahi-Mandavi Mess by a group of students under the leadership of NSUI and ABVP. When the protest march reached the Mahi-Mandavi Hostel, once again there was counter sloganeering and commotion creating a completely anarchic atmosphere. Later, indulging in the worst form of lumpenism, this right-wing mobilization tore all posters from the walls of different hostels and burnt them down. Even posters of the upcoming Bengali New Year program were torn off in some hostels.

The SFI strongly condemns such acts. We believe that they are completely antithetical to the democratic culture which has been the hallmark of the student politics of JNU. Diverse and conflicting political ideological views have always been debated in the most democratic manner in our campus over the years and nobody has any right to undermine or weaken this culture under any pretext. The SFI appeals to all sections of the university community to reject such lumpenism and unite for safeguarding and strengthening our democratic ethos.

Unfortunately, because of the irresponsible and callous attitude of the JNU Forum against War on People which did not take a prior permission for holding a program on Godavari Dhaba, the administration has got away without any responsibility of taking action against the disrupters and is taking a moral high ground. Had the organizers taken prior permission and informed the administration, it could have been easier to hold it accountable to take action. Contrary to what has been claimed by the Forum in its notice that no permission is required to having programs at Godavari Dhaba, the SFI would like to inform the student community that we have been taking permissions for our programs for the same venue. We would like to underline the fact that while there is no question of accepting any kind of censorship on political programs in JNU, it is also important that certain basic norms are adhered to for the sake of maintaining co-ordination and ensuring that if any untoward incidents happen, responsibility can be fixed.

As far as the larger question of Maoist violence is concerned, which was used as an excuse for the hooliganism which has happened, the SFI would reiterate its opposition to such violence in the name of left. We also believe that the political position of the JNU Forum against War on People and the DSU is extremely hypocritical on this issue. We challenge both these outfits to come clear on the recent killing of 74 CRPF personnel and Maoist violence in general. The DSU in the past has justified the killings of SFI and CPI (M) leaders in West Bengal. There is a need to politically isolate such anarchic and bankrupt outfits who have refused to condemn the mindless violence, which is completely unacceptable in a democratic set up like ours. Such outfits only strengthen the canards which are spread by the right-wing forces against the Left being undemocratic and programmatically violent. We appeal to the student community to see through the anti-left and anarchic politics which these organizations are propagating under the garb of left.

However, any such political debate or discussion cannot be held through lumpenism or undemocratic acts like what has happened in the last two days. It only reflects the undemocratic politics of right-wing organizations on campus. We would also advise the NSUI look into its own closets first before trying to claim any high moral ground against the Maoists. The self-righteous and arrogant attitude of the Union Home Minister who till the Chhattisgarh attacks had conveniently shifted all responsibility of dealing with the Maoist with the State government has definitely not helped matters. The NSUI should also answer the student community as to what is its take on the gang up between the Maoists and the Trinamool Congress, the second biggest constituent of the ruling UPA, for killing the activists and workers of the CPI(M) in West Bengal.

We appeal to the student community to reject any activity in the name of politics which seeks to vitiate the peaceful and democratic atmosphere on campus. The SFI also believes that hooliganism or violence is not the way to build opinion against the Maoists. The struggle against Moist violence on campus must be waged on a political ideological basis and mobilizing larger sections of he students behind democratic issues.

Sd/- Lenin, President, SFI-JNU.

Sd/- P.K.Anand, Secretary, SFI-JNU.

Copenhagen Climate Change Summit: India Crumbling before US-led Developed World??

2009-12-07T22:32:00.001+05:30

The Following is the release brought out by the SFI-JNU on the Copenhagen Summit and India's shifting stances. With due acknowledgements to Arjun and Anagha, publishing this as a post

From today(7^th December), the attention of the world would be turned towards Copenhagen which is hosting the two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference that would last till 18^th December. The issue of the change in our atmospheric temperature fundamentally caused due to Global Warming is definitely of a serious nature, that can no more swept under the carpet. Any rise of global temperatures above 2 degree Celsius, according to experts and scientists would have catastrophic effects. This would in fact lead melting of glaciers, change climate patterns, and raise sea levels that would in turn make way for submergence of low-lying areas and islands, as has been feared with countries like Maldives. This would also affect the level and pattern of rainfall, leading to drastic impact on agricultural production and turn farm land into the deserts. The rise in global temperatures is brought about by the emission of Greenhouse gases that includes Carbon Di Oxide, Methane and four other gases, which severely damage the ozone layer. Therefore, the world should definitely look at the impact of climate change on livelihood of people as well as on the environment.

However, developments leading up to the global summit on climate change in Copenhagen have demonstrated yet again the sheer tenacity of the Rich and Developed countries in preserving their unequal and unjust privileges with respect to the rest of the world. In the last few months, the developed world, under the leadership of the US, has tried every trick in the book to transfer the entire burden of climate change on to the shoulders of the Developing Countries. This has been attempted in several ways. Firstly, developed countries have been shrilly insisting that developing countries take on legally binding and specific obligations to reduce their carbon emissions. This demand is accompanied, of course, by a view of the problem of climate change in which the historically dominant contribution of the developed world to carbon emissions is completely denied. The fact that different countries, at different stages of development, contribute differently to global emission levels, and should therefore bear the burden of emission reduction differently, is completely glossed over. India’s per capita emissions, for instance, are around one-tenth of the per capita emissions in the developed countries. In such an unequal scenario, insisting on an equal commitment to reduction from every country amounts to the worst kind of inequity. This view is outrageously blinkered to another important fact. The brunt of climate change, in terms of its impact on the quality of human life, is already being unequally and disproportionately shouldered by the Developing World–particularly the poorest of its inhabitants. Climate change has exceptionally severe consequences for countries that are predominantly dependant on agriculture or other kinds of primary economic activity. This is particularly the case where artificial irrigation is not very developed and extensive. In India, for instance, climate change can play havoc with agricultural activity by interfering enormously in patterns of precipitation. Further, as climate change is beginning to substantially impact the physical shape and ecological constitution of coastlines, activities like fishing, particularly in cases where levels of mechanization are comparatively low, stand to get acutely affected. The Developing countries and the lesser developed countries, therefore, is disproportionately vulnerable to the ravages of climate change.

Secondly, there has been a concerted effort by developed countries to shamelessly distance themselves from their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The principle that served as the foundation of the understandings reached at these conventions was that of “common but differentiated responsibilities”. On this principle, developed countries were supposed to take a lead in emissions reduction with specific legally binding reductions within specific lengths of time. Most developed countries have grossly violated these binding targets. (The US, of course, which refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol has unabashedly let its emission levels rise). They have also tried, over the last few months, to systematically remove these legally binding obligations from public memory. Most developed countries, therefore, pretend that the Copenhagen summit is a forum wherein deliberations on climate change can be ‘begun’ from a clean slate! The sheer deceit of such a stand has had several crude manifestations. The blatant lie that the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012, for instance, belongs to this category.

Thirdly, there has been a strong insistence by the developed world that technology and knowledge transfers to the Developing and less developed world, pertaining to emission reductions, should be subject to international Intellectual Property Rights frameworks. It is an undeniable fact that countries in the Third World, if they are to develop–if they are to lift themselves out of the mire of poverty, unemployment and economic stagnation–they will have to increase their levels of carbon emissions.

What can, however, mitigate the consequences of such a rise is the adoption of technologies that can help reduce the level of pollution relative to a given level of production. However, plagued as these countries are by economic and technological underdevelopment, their capacity to develop these technologies on their own is limited. Hence, the transfer of ‘green’ technologies from the developed to the developing world is of extreme importance. The developed countries, predictably of course, are attempting to profit from even this dire situation. By insisting that IPR norms apply to these technology transfers, the Rich countries are, in effect, insisting that the developing world and lesser developed countries be incapable of pursuing a trajectory of development. Through this insistence, the developed countries, under American leadership, have revealed their stark and cynical indifference to both the question of climate change and that of the welfare of the overwhelming numbers of people languishing in situations of extreme want and underdevelopment in the Developing World.

The position of the Indian government, in the run-up to the Copenhagen summit, seems equally shocking. The government seems to be extremely keen to accede to the unconscionable demands of the US-led developed countries. This has largely been in the form of the reversal of several of the principled positions that India has traditionally had on the question of climate change. In fact, in all the dilution and watering down the principled positions, the role of the Minister for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh has been that of leading from the front!! The Prime Minister’s earlier stated position was that India’s per capita emissions “would not exceed” the per capita emissions of the Developing World. However, Jairam Ramesh, has recently modified this position by replacing the words “would not exceed” with “will stay below” thereby making room for negotiations under the per capita emission levels of the developed world. This amounts to nothing but shocking enthusiasm for the inequitable and unjust pressures exerted by the rich and developed countries. The minister has also announced 20%-25% reduction in emissions, while stating that this was ‘only domestic measure and would not be legally binding’. Further, the same minister has gone to the extent of claiming in the Lok Sabha that taking per capita emissions as the key standard is mistaken in the first place as it is largely a function of the population size. The concept of ‘per capita emissions’ has been central to the arguments of resistance made by the developed countries against the iniquitous designs of the developed countries on the question of climate change. To attack the use of this concept is therefore to render this resistance toothless. Further, he has offered to make India’s internal emission reduction efforts open to external monitoring and verification, regardless of whether technology transfers outside the domain of IPR are carried out at all or not, thereby deviating from one of the key components of India’s stated position on the issue. Of course, this has been accompanied by a vehement dismissal of the importance of the G-77, which till some time earlier had been viewed as a principally important formation as far as the resistance to the first world’s climate change-related bullying was concerned. These constant flip-flops and dilly-dallying by Jairam Ramesh in the past few days, and now the only goes to show the dilution in India’s Negotiating position on this issue and thereby, kowtowing or acting in the interest of the Developed World led by the US. Hence, this sudden shift in the country’s Environment and Climate Change is not hard to comprehend as it only points to the larger strategic alliance with the United States. In fact, two key members of the country’s Negotiating team in Copenhagen, Chandrasekhar Dasgupta and Prodipto Ghosh had even initially sought to not travel for the Summit due to differences with the Minister’s position.

Finally, the recent announcement of the Prime Minister attend the final days of the Summit only raises apprehensions as to whether this came under the pressure of the US, where Barack Obama would also be in Copenhagen. In fact, this is in contrast to his earlier position that if the proposed terms of understanding were unequal, he would not be a part of the forum. His decision to attend it, therefore, represents the final confession on the part of the UPA government that it has no intention whatsoever to resist the US-directed imperialist tyranny of the rich and developed countries on this issue. The series of agile u-turns and somersaults the government has done on the question of climate change have been nothing but a part of their systematic effort to dismantle mechanisms and space for resistance to US imperialism and hegemony in general. Finally, it represents a deep-rooted and fundamental callousness, on the part of the UPA-led government, to questions of the welfare of the Indian people, particularly those enormous sections of it grappling with material want and abysmal conditions of life.

Therefore, there has to be a united opposition to these positions of the Indian government. The need for all concerned sections is to ensure that even while taking into cognizance and acting on the perils envisaged by Climate Change, there can be no reversal or dilution of Principled Negotiating positions, by kowtowing to the diktats of the US and the Developed World.

Sachin Tendulkar: A Journey of Two Decades

2009-11-29T18:57:00.034+05:30

The time of growing up is very interesting; very often, it is a time of innocence. A time when the vagaries of the world seemingly leaving us unscathed. For a person like me and my generation, the beginning of the decade of the 90s was still embalmed in innocence. The hard realities of the world seem to be not affecting our morale. I would still vouch that, many facts and realities were yet to sink in. It was after covering great distance, from my formative years, that one is able to come to terms with those years. I could not understand, that the Post-Rajiv's assassination, the Narasimha Rao government at the centre was in fact in minority; I was still trying to understand the communal polarization being built up after the Babri demolition; the nitty-gritty of the 'Manmohanomics' in the form of economic reforms were still to be dissected; corruption and scandals in the form of Harshad Mehta, Hawala, et.al were still throwing up new truths and one was yet to see Shahrukh Khan as the Badshah of Bollywood!! Life for a school boy in the beginning of the decade of 90s was dominated by only one name......an image built stronger by conversations among the friends.....a time when everyone just watched him and forgot the happenings around them...perhaps his act was that of a transporter, who took us on a ride, into surrealism, away from our troubles and miseries........SACHIN TENDULKAR!!

Every person needs someone to look upto as he/she grows up......Every generation have their icons to remember...........My generation of the 1990s have not had anyone better than him. The first instance of observing him was the 1992 World Cup. Catching up with the rage and seeing a short, sturdy guy playing solid cricket shots was nothing sort of magic. Cricket for us was then identified with him. He was the 'Be All' and 'End All' of everything associated with the game. He was the prized wicket and his dismissal ended all the high hopes. The nuances of his game were still not understood. Neither were his array of shots nor his poise. The only thing that mattered was his image, his presence to face the bowler. The shouts were only for him blast the bowling and cart the deliveries all over the park. Eager eyes followed his exploits, at home against England, as he scored his first test hundred in India, at Chepauk-a ground where he has continued to maintain a great record-in Madras. On one early February morning, on the way to the morning school assembly, a friend informed that Sachin had made his debut as opener in the ODIs in New Zealand and scored an aggressive half-century. One still fondly remembers, how curses were breathed, for not having a cable connection at home. The feeling was one of missing the good things in life!! Curiosity and passion ruled the minds, as one saw him score his first ODI hundred at the Premadasa Stadium against the Australians in Colombo in 1994. Life has from then, carried on along with his journey, watching him score heavily in the 1996 World Cup till that stumping by Kalu off Murali in the Eden Gardens on that fateful day.

As one grew out of boyhood, into the responsible time of adolescence, the image of Tendulkar changed from a dasher to that of an accumulator. Along the way, he also accepted captaincy, where despite his best efforts he faltered. The most challenging time for him definitely seemed to be that test match at Bridgetown, when in the face of the gettable score of 120, the team just wilted away and crumbled for around 90. Nobody would have been more dejected than the skipper himself. It was only when the growing up as a youth was complete, that a closer peak into Sachin's beginning years could be developed. His exploits for Sharadashram along with mate Kambli under the tutelage of the Achrekar in the Harris Shield. The Mumbai cricketing nursery had produced another gem, having been tested in the fire of the different leagues in the city. The Bombay school of batsmanship was driven into him deeply. His performances in the Harris Shield and the Kanga League catapulted him into the Mumbai Ranji line-up. Scoring heavily, he also made a Century on Debut in the Ranji trophy as well as in the Irani trophy. As a 16 year-old, Sachin's only purpose on this planet seemed to play cricket. In fact, in one of his last interviews before his demise, Raj Singh Dungarpur remarked as how the Cricket Club of India had to revise its rules to allow the teenager to practice at the venue. Having been selected for the Indian team at the tender age of 16, he was straight away thrown into one of the toughest cauldrons, to tour Pakistan. That challenge was not only uphill, but was also demanding mentally for any youngster. His first captain, Krishnamachari Srikkanth got him into the final XI and he had to literally undergo his Baptism by Fire. Facing the pace of Wasim Akram along with another tearaway from Burewala-also making his debut-Waqar Younis, along with the astute leader in the fiery Pathan, Imran Khan, at Karachi, the 'boy' was not one to be intimidated. Even though hit by a snorter of Waqar in the second test at Faislabad and having his nose bleeding, Sachin defiantly carried on and made a half-century. Navjot Singh Sidhu was his partner at the other end. It was on this tour that he even took on Abdul Qadir for 16 runs in an over.

He reached his first big landmark of getting the initial three figure mark at the Old Blighty in the company of Manoj Prabhakar. But he would have scored that earlier in the year, on the tour to New Zealand. However, in the midst of a well-made 80, he was caught by John Wright. His room-mate on that tour, Sanjay Manjrekar during his commentary in later years, remarked as to how little Sachin cried for missing that hundred. But it was his tour to Australia that put him in an altogether different plane. His remarkable tons against the marauding pace attack of McDermott, Whitney, and Hughes in Sydney and Perth displayed his strengths. Driving good length deliveries, he also cut and pulled well. Perhaps, the best shots were the punches down the ground, that were played with supreme class and precise timing. The hundred at WACA at that age, is still adorned and forms part of the folklore. Over the years, following and keeping track of him has been an exercise, worth every single pie. The country cried as he lost his father in the midst of a World Cup and stood together in solidarity as he cracked a hundred against the Kenyans immediately after his return. That battle for Tendulkar was one he fought within himself more than with the opposition. His grit and determination were best displayed in that knock of 131 against Pakistan on a searing hot day at Chepauk in 1999. Fighting a back injury,while wickets were falling all around him on a fifth day track, he held one end up and almost took India home. One of the most epic chases with just the climax being different. Falling to a skier off Saqlain, Sachin walked off and India were left high and dry by 12 runs. People still remark how he didn't come to collect his Man of the Match award and just cried the entire day.

As time has progressed, his body has also undergone enough wear and tear. Playing for two decades is no mean achievement. Injuries have plagued him greatly and there is no part of the body left, which has not been placed under the scalpel. His stroke-making has changed. The booming drives and dances down the track have become less pronounced. But the sobriquet of the 'Run-Machine' still holds onto him. The timing and compose is always there. he still shifts gears with ease. Take the match in World Cup 2003 against Pakistan for instance. he just tore into Akhtar and rest of the attack. Missing the ton by just a whisker, it was wanton display of brutal, but still calculated aggression.

The 1990s had only one image of the Maestro: that of him taking the entire burden of the team on his shoulders and getting into the assault mode. Many a match can be remembered for analyzing this effort of Sachin. The battles against the Aussies in Sharjah in 1998, in the famous 'Desert Storm' was one such. Scoring two back-to-back hundreds-one in the final on his birthday night-wherein he launched himself against Kasprowicz, Fleming and Warne, was an image etched in stone.So me of those towering hits still encapsulate his batsmanship. Switching gears according to his will, he took control by being in the driver's seat. No wonder, the Aussies still consider him the biggest threat!! The team's fortunes hinged on Sachin's show. How he batted and how his work report sounded became the benchmark for the team's upward mobility. That clearly overburdened the champion, but he never let the team down. It was only in the beginning of the Sourav Ganguly era, where the vision and trajectory of the team changed. Greater challenges were identified and determination was plugged in to fulfill targets. The Indian batting became more stabilized with the emergence and flowering of the Dravids and Laxmans. New talent was unearthed and nurtured in all departments of the game like Sehwag, Zaheer, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Kaif, Raina, Rohit Sharma, Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma, Ojha, Nehra, Irfan Pathan. The team began to win tests and even series abroad. The raw talent was getting more polished with greater exposure and more competency through the astute coaching under John Wright. New thoughts and ideas were planted and germinated. A New purposeful Aggression was visible in the march of the Indian team. Followers began to believe in the team itself as a whole and not just limit their interest in Sachin getting a hundred, even if India lost in the process. The New Sachin was born. Gaining the status of an elderly statesman, he was more a guide and a father figure to the youngsters. That certainly freed Sachin, making him more reassured that there were others to shoulder the burden and he could play lot more freely.

Batting is just class. It is not just about taking the attack to the opposition. It is in fact an Art Form; an Amalgamation of lots of components. The essential features includes timing, placement, transfer of body weight, playing with soft hands, using the bottom hand to good effect, rolling of those magical wrists-typical to the batsmen of the sub-continent-and much more. The battle is also of the mind. To overcome pressure; to know that one may be still on high after getting a ton, but the next incoming delivery may send you back to the hut. Its about concentration, perseverance and elegance. The beauty of watching Tendulkar on song cannot be compared to anything else. Its a magician or great artist at work. Working the ball into the gaps, running hard converting ones into twos and twos into threes along with launching those big hits. The lovely straight drive, the crisp cover drive, the short of the jab pull, the hook, the mesmerizing square cut, nice on-drive, the brilliant punch back past the fast bowler, the elegant late cut, the cheeky paddle sweep, the mighty slog, the calculated reverse sweep......these and much more are all integral part of the Tendulkar book of batsmanship. Pure orthodox cricket shots, nicely off the meat of the bat....that sweet sound as the ball wheezes off to the boundary. But the most rapacious picture, without doubt is his dance down the track to hit the spinner down town. The way in which he picks the length early and positions himself to unleash his barrage of strokes. Even the way in which he scored the last of his test hundreds against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad, he reached close to the hundred after getting one past the ropes, after picking it up from outside the off-stump off Welegedara and depositing it away from mid-on. The experts have often opined on how he dictates terms; how the opposition bowls to his own terms. How the picking of line and length makes the bowlers to bowl, not to their fields, but to how Sachin wants to bowl. That puts forth a psychiatric pressure from the master!! He may have cut down on many of those shots with the age catching up with him. But he still displays them on the needed occasions. Just like that innings of 175 against the Aussies in Hyderabad, few days back. Hitting back-to-back sixes of Hauritz, keeping the run-rate ticking; Even if there was a dip in the rate in one over, he compensated it in the next over with those meaty blows. Even when the going is tough for him, he still is able to come out with flying colours and finding opportunities in adverisities. The Double Hundred(241n.o) at Sydney in 2004 was made in the backdrop of a string of poor scores in the earlier 3 tests. In fact during that innings, he did not play a single boundary through the off-side. That was a complete story of leg-side shot making. Such was his planning and execution that the double hundred became more sweet.

It is not only his batting, but his bowling also need strong mention. He was on his own terms, a mystery bowler, by not moving him into any category. He was a tweaker, bowling both the off-breaks and the leg-breaks. He even bowled pace up at times. Captains have used him often as a breaker of partnerships. Whenever, given the ball, he has most of the times delivered. His best have come in high pressure games. Those three wickets in the defining test match against the Aussies at the Eden Gardens in 2001, with his victims including the dangerous Gilchrist, trapped in the front. The two important wickets of Damien Martyn and Steve Waugh at Adelaide, caught by Dravid in the slips ensured that the Australian second innings was broken, later opening the doors for Ajit Agarkar to get a six-wicket haul, that in turn culminated in India winning that epic test match. Again, his tight bowling during the Hero Cup semis against the Proteas in that final over amidst great pressure ensured the team's passage to the finals. Also, the two 5-wicket hauls against Australia and Pakistan in different years in Kochi. It must be noted that whenever he didn't shine with the willow, he made for it with the ball. His bowling even finished careers-the tweaker to Moin Khan in the Multan Test match in 2004 on the final ball of the third evening, squeezed through between the former's legs and crashed into the stumps. And ever since, Moin Khan did not play any international cricket!!

Critics have often passed judgements stating that he had failed to take the team to victory batting wise, or falling at hurdles on the way. But as recently, he has dismissed those notions through his willow. Not a great deal of time has passes since that hundred against the Englishmen at Chennai chasing 387 on the final day, a century he later dedicated to the victims and Martyrs of the Mumbai Terror Attacks. Or his innings of a ton and 91 in the two finals of the CB Series against the Aussies in Down Under in 2008. Even the latest 100 against the Sri Lankans on the final day of the Ahmedabad test was a sign of him putting himself in to save the test match. Out his 43 hundred, one of the testing, of attrition was against the Englishmen in 2001 in Ahmedabad, when Nasser Hussain and his main bowler, Ashely Giles were sticking to negative bowling to dry up the runs and frustrate him. Or how about his 160 odd in that test in Cape Town in 1996-97 in the company of Azharuddin to take the game to the Proteas and saving it ultimately.

In each of the media sessions and interviews on him completing 20 years in international cricket, Tendulkar remarked that he would like to be remembered for 'giving 100 per cent' for team and country. Thats what has come to symbolize him. The perfect balance, both on and off the field. He may have a million endorsements, multitude of fame and have the charm of the global icon; but his feet are still on the ground, the passion for the game growing with each passing day, the hunger for runs still unabated, seeing each upcoming day as a new challenge, willing to learn something every day, trying to gain perfection with those teeny-weeny bits of advice.....that makes Sachin the best!! Retirement may be far off, despite his aching body taking great toll. There are still aims to be fulfilled, even though he may possess the record for the highest runs and most centuries in two leading forms of the modern game. His poise and passion are still intact, the intent well preserved. The aim for larger causes for the team and country still there....an elusive World Cup that has continued to slip from the grasp. Despite coming close on two occasions in 1996 and 2003-when he single-handedly almost won it-the spirit of Sachin being part of a World Cup winning unit is still alive and kicking. That would be ultimate dedication the current Indian team can do to the Little Champion.

Fortunate are we for witnessing the acts and exploits of this Gentleman in this era. Sachin Tendulkar is like the Kohinoor; that diamond only comes once in a generation. The Maestro is like that. People have started demarcating the timeline in international cricket, by drawing in the prefixes of before and after, against Sachin's name. That may be a bit off the cuff, but still Tendulkar has come to be identified as a phenomenon. my generation is fortunate to follow his gamesmanship, integrity, sacrifices, determination, grit and glory. In fact, I have even the audacity to state that I have watched all his centuries now-even if that meant, exploring through various channels to access his knocks in the beginning of the last decade, mainly those in the tests. One can also remember the grounds, opposition, atmosphere and nature of the attacks against which he made them. It was in the Caribbean that he had not scored much. But he erased that glitch too, when he equalled his admirer, the great Don Bradman, after scoring in the second Test match at Port-of -Spain in 2002. Erasing landmarks and conquering new peaks, the voyage of the legend called Tendulkar continues into the 21st year. Tracking and following him as an avid fan has been truly enchanting. Today, the government at the centre is a coalition against a

minority with the Congress party back to the helm, the neo-liberal economic policies have deprived people, the Liberhan report on Babri Demolition is finally public after 17 long years, terrorism is a major challenge, mass struggles are now on the horizon, nuclear deterrence has again been tested, the country has its own Moon Mission, Shah Rukh Khan is now the Badshah, and the country has hit gold spot in the Olympics......Many things have changed and many have stood still; some have even given way to newer forms. But Sachin Tendulkar continues playing and that Age of Innocence still lingers on. The eyes continue to follow him avidly with greater expectations, for that surreal experience, giving that hope for millions watching. As Sachin himself said for the forward march for any player or performer, there needed to be people to celebrate with, to constantly look upto and feel motivated. He was happy that for this precise purpose, he had "A Billion".....Play on Sachin, the world continues to look forward to that sweet music from your hand, whether it be by the willow or by the cherry.

Resurrection and Redemption: Circle turns full in many ways for Pakistan

2009-06-24T07:31:00.007+05:30

There are always times when one feels to be lucky to witness turnarounds. For these are moments when you would keep pinching yourselves in future for having missed some of the defining moments of human endevaour. Watching the World T20 final at Lord's on Sunday was one such feeling. As Afridi ran for the winning single off the leg bye, the mind wandered back to the past. As a child, those were the days of my 'initiation' into the game. As a primary school student, cricket then was defined by personalities. I only knew and followed one man, Sachin Tendulkar(even after years of maturity and growing up, I still have him as my favourite cricketer, ever watching his entry to the crease with the rawness of a six year old). The year was 1992 and I had not followed much cricket anyway then to have, kept track of India's progress-that was only dismal, except for their win against Pakistan and a narrow one run loss against Pakistan. On the day of the big final, I watched for the first time in a black and white television set in my school Games Room, the scintallating batting of the great man, Imran Khan and his protege, Inzamam (I used to then wonder how the school got a TV set in the first place!!). As a child, I was still unaware of the nuances of game as well as the timezones-as to how floodlights came to be used when the daylight was still out there outside!! After the completion of the Pakistan innings, the school was given half-day leave (still wondering why!!) and I was back home. There, I watched a left-arm fast bowler named Wasim Akram, destroying the English run chase and remember my mother tellling that Imran was spearheading this campaign for the memory of his mother. I even believed the team was ditto following the captain's personal efforts. Thus, as the light green coloured uniforms danced after that catch by Rameez, I suddenly felt that Pakistan was everything in world cricket. For many Indians, it was the 1983 win by the Kapil's Devils, that changed the way the game was followed in this country. However, those moments were only watched by me years later. Therefore, my cricket affinity and passion was only rooted after that performance in Sydney that January night by Imran and his hand-picked boys. Their passion and determination contained within it something unique, enough to propel a child to keep his own interest and passion in the game forever in life.

"Life turns Full Circle", that's how we describe turn-arounds. But in Lord's that Sunday, the turning of the wheel was not in one, but in many ways.But before getting to that, something on the final itself. It was bold statement; one may also call it a kind of 'catharsis'. More than the fact that both Sri Lanka and Pakistan were the best bowling sides in the final, thereby driving away the conventional notions of dominance of batsmen in the shortest format of the game, both the teams also had lots of excess baggage in the form of emotions within themselves. Of course, there was the trauma of the Lahore terror attack, through which the Lankans had gone through, and that was also something that sealed Pakistan's fate for hosting international cricket at home in near future. Sangakkara was having his first duty as full time skipper of Sri Lanka, taking over the reins from Jayawardene, and in fact, the Lankans were playing their first international tournament, after that traumatizing day in Lahore. Both the teams had come through civil strife in their countries. A civil war that was raging in the North and East had tormented Sri Lanka in ethnic terms for more than three decades now had just ended. Similary Pakistan had always been in spate, through instability, terrorism and lack of vibrant democracy. The latest offensive of the Pakistani Army in the Swat Valley also carried greater burdens in the minds of the players. Cricket is a great healer, a kind of balm that may soothe the wounds, even though it may not permanently rub off the marks, as remarked by Sachin Tendulkar after the Mumbai terror attacks. However, if even the game is able to provide some respite to the struggling masses, then atleast some part of the job is said to be done. This is what precisely happened on Sunday. Kumar Sangakkara and Younis Khan, leading their teams, were also sending a strong statement defining the strength, courage and mental preparedness of both the nations along with the entire cricketing world, cutting across boundaries. Statements that can never be written off, adding to the grit and glory of these 'demigods', who are also humans at the end of the day.

Now, to get back to the turning of the wheel. A few days, before the final, zapping through television channels, got me the opportunity to watch the highlights of the 1999 World Cup final-again at Lord's. On that day, Pakistan which looked the most dominant team of the entire season under the astute leadership of Wasim Akram won the toss against the Australians, who had kept their nerve in the semi-finals at Edgbaston, to defy Lance Klusner and South Africans. The mercurial captaincy of Steve Waugh also was visible in the forefront then. Despite winning the toss and choosing to bat, the mighty Pakistanis' who never looked like losing, were brought to earth by the guile and tweak of Shane Warne-who was the man of the match for his 4 wickets-and was ably supported by the rest of the pack. Bundled out for a mere 139 on that day, the Australians won their second World Cup by eight wickets and have ever since never let off their stranglehold on the world cricket's most premier trophy. Thus, watching the win of Younis and his team at Lord's was the first full turn of circle of life of Pkistan cricket. Perhaps, the Mecca of Cricket always has something in it for underdogs, for the big matches. India in 1983, Australia in 1999 and now Pakistan in another World Cup final.

Only two members of that 1999 World Cup side survived in the final match on Sunday-Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq. Afridi-whose age never seemed to grow and whose image as a 'dasher' slowly waning away from his lacklustre performances-and Razzaq-whose departure of the rebel ICL also depried them of a genuine all-rounder down the order. Along with his medium-pace and power hitting, Razzaq was instrumental in giving depth to the Pakistani team in that World Cup. He was also a difficult bowler to get away, bowling wicket to wicket, on a steady line and length. Afridi who took the cricket world by storm after the 'boom-boom' knock of hundred off 37 balls at Nairobi, slowly looked fading away. His on-and- off performances also did not do him any world of good. In fact, Afridi's performances also mirrored that of the Pakistan team as a whole. Inconsistency was something that always plagued them. Despite his usual poor form in the initial stages in this World Cup, he peaked at the right time, that in turn also led to his team's rise in fate. Although his batting was crumbling, he held his fort in his bowling, getting in those sharp leg-spin deliveries with precision. His two wickets off his miserly overs in the semi-final against favourites Soituh Africa best exemplifies this fact. His fielding standards also rose significantly. Perhaps, the best was that catch which took in the match against New Zealand, with the ball seeming to get away from him. Thus, both his bowling and his fielding complimented his batting. His promotion up the order replacing Younis Khan was also a boost. His rotation of the strike, preferring to take the singles in the final, was well combined with those 'boom-boom' hits. For once, his inconsistencies were forgotten. Similarly, the injury to Yasir Arafat and his timely replacement with Razzaq also swung Pakistan's fate. Combining with the lanky left-arm fast bowler Mohammed Aamir making his debut in international cricket, Razzaq used his experience with the ball in the form of his medium-pace to good effect. His sharp and disciplined bowling pepped up the Pakistani attack, right from the match against the Black Caps to the final. In fact, Pakistan bowled well to a plan in the final. Both Aamir and Razzaq combined well, in pushing short-pitched stuff to the Lankans, that led to the fall of in-form Dilshan. The new ball combination of Aamir and Razaaq made Umar Gul, retract as the first change bowler. He still finished as the tournament's top wicket taker with 13 prized scalps. The three crucial wickets by Razzaq had almost sealed the final in Pakistan's favour. Thus, the stand out performances of Afridi and Razzaq formed second full turn of circle for Pakistan.

Another fact was the T20 World Cup itself. The shortest form the game, that gripped the imagination of the game's lovers the world over, perhaps displayed its best in the first edition. That inaugural championship win by Dhoni and his boys, changed the way T20 was viewed in India. In fact, that brought cricket, hefty contracts, millionaire ownerships, and corporate sponsorships, marking a transformation of the image of the game itself. But just spare a thought for Pakistan. Again pooh-poohed by the bookmakers and experts, they made it to the final defying all odds. They almost clinched that trophy too that evening in Johannesburg, if not for the untimely decision of Misbah to select the wrong ball to scoop to fine-leg. That climatic evening in 2007 seemed a different proposition altogether in 2009. Misbah was in the Dug-Out padded up, when victory arrived. He may well exorcised his ghosts by this performance that had the stamp of authority. This was definitely the third full turn in the circle.

Ever since that epic final in 1992, Pakistan cricket has been perpetually in turbulence. Match-Fixing scandals, infighting, indiscipline, lacklustre performances, poor team selections, wrong training methods, revolving door policies, administrative goof-ups, mass exodus to rebel league and the unfortunate death of a master strategist, Bob Woolmer who was their coach. These factors that cloaked Pakistan cricket was also perilious for the team as a whole in displaying its best. Inconsistency and uncertainty have always dogged cricket in the country. The 'revolving door' selection policy in Pakistan only meant that there was no stability in the team. The many 'blink and miss' players for the team, only deepend the crisis. Indiscipline was also a serious concern. Shoaib Akhtar's tantrums and inconsistent performances along with his frequent break-downs are now part of cricket folklore in Pakistan. Missing drug tests, doping scandals and possessing contraband stuff - the off-field incidents have also blighted Pakistan heavily. This World Cup win, cascaded all the perils and took Pakistan to the pedestal of glory, mirroring efforts of Imran and his boys seventeen years before. Can anything be better than this fourth full turn of the circle?

To come to the recent past, international cricket has disappeared without any time-frame from Pakistan. The players and the fans have been starved off quality cricket in the country. Getting rusty in such situations is a common factor; luckily that did not happen as both Younis and Intikhab Alam filled in their roles as the captain and coach, very well. Terrorism had also severed Pakistani cricketers off their contracts in IPL-2. Many franchisee teams missed the services of the Pakistani cricketers in their ranks, who had actively taken part in the first edition. This deprivation and almost complete non-visibility of Pakistan from the international cricket scene, made people to write off the team. However, only when their backs are against the wall and odds are stacked heavily against them, Pakistan's true test of character and strength is brought forth. The 1992 World Cup was also similar, with them losing most of their matches until the rained-off tie against England. After that there was no looking back, as they went on from strength to strength. Similarly, this time, they lost both their warm-up games and even lost to England in their opening group match, making Younis Khan to remark that T20 was mainly played for the 'fun factor', sparking off criticism. Though they beat Holland to enter the Super Eights, they again lost to the Lankans. However, again the team came back winning. This hallmark of Pakistan overwhelming adversity with ease without doubt for me is the fifth turn in the circle. Perhaps this is the precise reason why being witnesses to 'turn-arounds' is a cathartic experience. The indomitable human spirit shows itself up displaying the true colours, in terms of essence, character and the self-belief.

Pakistan cricket's moment of reckoning is well and truly here. The wheel has rotated to its full. The fans across the country in Pakistan and all true followers of the game including yours truly are happy that the team has soared to new heights. One can only hope the ever-prevalent dangers that stalk and lurk side by side, proving to be the achilles' heal for Pakistan, are heavily guarded against. One also thinks emphatically that Pakistani cricket would turn new leaves in the coming days. The solidity of team strength, positiveness in the frame of mind of the players and passionate aggression-all traditional features of the game in Pakistan need to stay well and true. Of that long list of ever impressive legendary cricketers, from Kardar, to Fazal Mahmood, to the run machine in the form of Zaheer Abbas, the aggressive Miandad, the astute Pathan in Imran Khan, to the giant Inzamam, to the duo who hunt in pairs Wasim and Waqar.................the list is endless. For all those cricketers who have given everlasting memories to the countless fans, Pakistan as a team needs to get back that indomitable spirit. For there are many a six year old child out there, who want to be 'initiated' into the game, with the right spirit and attitude.

India's exit from T20 World Cup: A Post-Mortem

2009-06-16T20:34:00.006+05:30

As Team India marked its exit from the T20 World Cup, there have been wide-scale dissections and digging up in formulating a post-mortem of the campaign. The media is spearheading in the role as the sole sentinel of Indian cricket. Therefore, it is important to analyze the Indian campaign in right perspective and take some sense, beyond the frenzy unleashed by the media that is baying for blood by calling for Dhoni's head. Any loss is heart-breaking, and that too going out unable to defend the crown is all the more depressing. So, the analysis has to take the disappointment of the fans also into consideration.

Let us begin with the negatives first. It is agreed that Dhoni and the team management faltered in the crucial game against England. But before stating that emphatically, it is also important to understand that it was only a continuation of the loss a couple of nights before at the same ground against the Windies. Some former players argue that Dhoni faltered in choosing his option at the toss and the decision to put England in was an error in judgement. In fact, they say this mistake at the beginning set in motion things which spiralled down at the end of the match. However, I would beg to differ. In their first game at Super Eights, India had batted against the Windies. But the result was there for every one to see. T20 is an unpredictable format, and teams batting first are generally never sure of the ideal target to be set. While more than 150-160 is very important, that's not a sure-shot target giving any rise in the comfort levels. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the bowlers to defend totals. But this also comes with the rider that putting low totals on the board, do no help to the bowlers. If one sees the day when India played the West Indies, Sri Lanka also played against Pakistan. The Lankans defended a total of around 150 by applying the pressure and taking wickets, while the Indians failed in their efforts to do so. So, Dhoni may have well thought that chasing was a better option, with a strong batting going down to number eight. Indeed, the target against England was also perfectly gettable. Sending Jadeja up the order is another point of contention in such a crucial match. In fact, many have argued even against his selection in the first place, replacing in-form Pragyan Ojha. However, again I would like to contend this. Ravindra Jadeja, an all-rounder with handy left-arm spin is a good pick in a format like T20. The role of spinners in T20 is getting greater prominence in stopping the flow of runs as well as to break crucial partnerships. Jadeja also proved this with his two wickets of Bopara and Pieterson at a time when the duo was looking ominous. However, the argument that Irfan Pathan could have filled that role equally with ease, is without any doubt true. But his leaking of runs has been a perennial concern now, even though with the bat, he is very effective.

However, on him being sent up the order, I feel the team management faltered. By keeping three of the best batsmen-Yuvraj, Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan-towards the near-end certainly pushed matters to the brink. The relative inexperience of Jadeja caught up with him and his failure to rotate the strike cost the Indians hard. With an ever-increasing required rate, there was little for the Indians to do than to rue the decision. Even the pressure was visible on Jadeja's face, as he tried valiantly for the big hits, but ended up consuming lots of dot balls in the process. In T20, such 'consumption' only proves too costly. This also did not favour Yuvraj, who was the ideal person for such situations. Hence, with not enough time to get a feel of the prevalent situation, the game became a quick sand for the Men in Blue. The dismissal of Yuvraj to a good stumping of Foster really hit the nail on India's prospects. Even Dhoni and Yusuf could not save the match at this point. But it was the failure of the Indians to deal with the short-pitched stuff in two consecutive matches that rankles the most. Both the Windies and the Englishmen peppered the Indians with short of length balls along with slow and high bouncers to rattle the Indians. The dismissal of Rohit Sharma, India's makeshift opener in the place of Sehwag, in both matches proves this point beyond doubt. The opposition sorted India out, with their best weakness, proving to be their Achilles' Heel. Even Suresh Raina, who loves to pull and hook, threw his wickets away to Sidebottom.

Dhoni's batting and keeping have also come under the scanner. His inability to get the big hits is an area of concern no doubt. So, is a slight dip in his keeping skills, wherein against the Windies, he made mess of a run-out chance against Dwayne Bravo. But it is not Dhoni alone who has faltered. The overall bowling of the Indians also lacked aggression and penetration. Ishant's problems in the shortest version of the game were again visible. Zaheer never looked 100% fit, which may be due to the fact the shoulder injury may not have been fully healed. R.P. Singh and Praveen Kumar never got enough chances. Perhaps another negative of Dhoni in this tournament that I feel is the fact that he did not allow his frontline bowlers to finish their quota of overs. R.P.Singh bowled one over less against England; but I also feel that it R.P.Singh was a pale shadow of himself in the IPL last month, for the Deccan Chargers. While Harbhajan and Ojha bolwed well, the bowlers on the whole gave away needless runs with wayward and indisciplined bowling. Also, the bowling in the death also remains an area of concern for India. In pressure situations, giving away crucial runs tells alltogether a different story. The batting also did not live up to the expectations of the 'Super Unit' tag. That killer punch and authority was not visible. The overall fielding of the Indians also dipped, with shoddy work on the field, thereby leaking many runs.

However, the post-mortem also has to negate certain wrong theories and faulty formulations. One of them is the fact that the IPL had a drastic effect on Indians, causing them mental fatigue and thus, tiring them out. Long hours of endless cricket with constant travelling also are pointed out as factors. Even coach Kirsten feels the same way. Some players also carried injuries from IPL into the tournament. However, blaming IPL for this disappointing show is going overboard. To substantiate my point, let me point out that apart from India-whose entire squad featured in IPL's 2nd Season-South Africa had most members in IPL. Almost their entire squad represented one franchisee or the other. However, they were never hit by fatigue and are playing some wonderful cricket. All the players have mentioned IPL as having been the best platform for practice for the World T20. Modern cricket is all about professionalism and adapting to situations in the best possible manner. I agree with Dhoni that using IPL as an excuse can never be justified. It is the individual choice of players to choose their options in either playing for or keeping themselves away from tourneys like IPL. To carry this further, take a look at the Australians, many of whom kept away from IPL this season. People like Ponting, Mike Hussey and Mitchell Johnson. Has 'ample rest' done them any good?? on the contrary, the 'rest' only 'rusted' them as they made an ignominious exit from the first round itself. unlike Indians who made their way out after Round Two. I also feel the loss of a dangerous batsman like Sehwag from the tournament due to injury also dented India's chances. A batsman at the top of the order to tear apart the opposition bowling attack, who could accelerate the team totals, Sehwag's presence would have pressurized teams right from the start. Rohit Sharma despite his best efforts, could not fit into Sehwag's shoes. Neither could Gambhir take on the mantle from Sehwag. His grind with the bat was more like the 50 over version.

Calling for Dhoni's head for this crucial loss, is again above rationality and going over-board. It is the same Dhoni who was the poster boy of the media, over the past few seasons. Winning the inaugural T20 World Cup, the series in Australia, the home series against the Aussies, Pakistan and England, taming the Lankans twice in their den and also winning in New Zealand for the first time after many years are all under the astute leadership of Dhoni. Leading the team effectively and ably supported by them, Dhoni has augmented a further leap started by Ganguly. The combination with Kirsten has also served the team well. The media, whose rumour mills were abound with theories of rift between him and his Sehwag were also set at rest by him, with the show of unity at press conference. Not fearing to call spade a spade, Dhoni may have also got the ire of the media. But the fact that Sehwag was seriously carrying an injury also proved the point that the captain was indeed right.

The time is seeking a rational analysis of this loss. Perhaps the pressure of being the 'Defending Champions' also got to India. The time now is to put behind this loss and take lessons from it. There is a need to iron out flaws too. Instead of the frenzy being unleashed, it would do a lot of good to the Indian cricket, if the cricketers are allowed to get back refreshed and more aggressive.

Watching a Magician

2009-06-08T14:19:00.008+05:30

So what do you do on a muggy Sunday evening, with the sun still out and dusk still some time away; when the afternoon heat decides to lengthen its presence making your room dreary and roasted like a furnace. May be one you try to stick to the bed and wait for the night to descend, or you wish to remain in a tub full water added with ice blocks.........or even try to go for a bit of walk to the nearby woods, trying to take in some cool, fresh air. Away from home, Hostel Life can be at times torturous, especially during Summer. Killing boredom also forms an important cog in his life. People have their own 'Comfort Zones'-as I call them-to immerse themselves in. But I decided to do something different. Carrying a bottle of cold drink, I venture into the TV room to watch the Wizard in action; to see his waltz and touch, thereby being mesmerized with that aura.........watching Roger Federer play on any day is not only pleasing, but also it brings a sense of sereneness and calm to those watching him. There is a surreal magic in his style of play, and the way he carries himself on court; Federer looks all pervasive. His armoury is quite full, with his serve, returns, amazing drop shots and of course his special-also the only rightful claimant-the brilliant backhand cross court volley makes one yearn for more and more of them. Like Mozart composing those magical notes, like Michelangelo chiselling and working away his works of art, Roger Federer moves on all over the court with grit and perseverance.

This Sunday was something special, as the stage was something that had always overwhelmed him; a championship that had continued to elude him, despite his best efforts. At Roland Garros, he had reached the finals on the last two occasions, only to fall to his nemesis-Nadal. Three years before, he had fallen at the penultimate hurdle, again vanquished by the Spaniard. Like an albatross on his neck, Federer was constantly reminded that he was yet to conquer the French clay. However, this year was different-his nemesis had been ousted in the fourth round by a Swede-Robin Soderling, who had set up a summit clash with him. Ever since Nadal made his exit from the tournament, all eyes were poised on Federer, as many believed this was his best chance to break the jinx and go on to conquer the Musketeer's Cup. From then on, his Quarter-Final and Semi-Final gained more attraction. He got past Monfils-the local boy-and deposed the Argentine, Del Porto in a five-setter. Approaching the final, Federer was holding his nerves, despite the pressure of expectations building upon him.

Due to various reasons, which are mighty long to elaborate here, I was not able to follow Federer's march other than through the web and the papers. I couldn't watch him in "live action". As he took each step towards the summit clash, I strongly hoped that he makes it this time. However, this Sunday nothing could hold me from watching my champion. Unlike his other matches in his route to the final this time, ever since Nadal was ousted, this seemed different. He had lost the two opening sets in the fourth round against Tommy Haas, before climbing his way up with authority. Again, in the semi-final against Del Porto, he trailed before coming up trumps. However, today Federer was more a work man like, getting down to business immediately, accelerating to win the first set 6-1. However, it was in the second set, where both the players' services remained unbroken. As both held their serve, the set moved to the tie-break. However, with amazing speed and class, Federer raced through to win 7-1. It was a day when those rivetting drop shots were rarely in action. It was mostly from the baseline, that both Federer and Soderling played their shots. Roger's classic back-hand volleys were on vision. However, there were many unforced errors by the champion, sometimes over-exerting himself.

But it was third set that gripped the match. Federer broke Soderling's serve for the first time after the 1st set and went on to hold his serve to lead two games to nil. But again, Soderling worked his way up and didn't let Federer break his service. However, Roger also held his serve. But the two point gap never closed. Soderling was and serving 3-5 to stay in the match, hopes grew that Federer would break him. But that did not happen. It was also the day, when Federer was also powering his aces in deep and with precision. In fact, he won the fifth game in the third set, with at least 3 aces. The rallies were brilliant as both of them pushed themselves to create most accurate angles, to work their points away. Waiting for the top-spin of the ball, both Federer and Soderling sought to push each other to the corners of the baselines. As I mentioned, Federer's back-hand cross court volleys were fast,aided by the pace from the clay surface. However, it was the final game where Federer was serving for the championship that proved the most interesting. In his excitement and zeal, Federer tried a little too much. There was a point when he fired in his horizontal smash with full vigour, only to see it go over the baseline. This earned Soderling a break point at that crucial moment. However, with his composure regained, Federer controlled the things better, and with a powerful serve, came back strongly to induce a deuce, leading to advantage for him. Then finally as he served and returned, with Soderling's return finding its way onto the lower net, Federer sunk on his knees.........he had overcome all odds and the clay at Centre Court in Roland Garros was rightfully his. I stood and applauded for a long time-that had passed from my each applause during his winning games. Sadly, not much people were around me to witness this glorious scene.

As Federer kissed the Musketeer's Cup handed over to him by another legend Agassi-the person before him to win a Career Grand Slam-that image was frozen in time. I have to admit that I enrolled into the fan list of Federer only late and hence, have not watched his arrival statement-defeating champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round Wimbledon. Neither had I watched his epic final last year at the green grass of the Centre Court against Nadal as he missed by a whisker the chance to overtake Bjorn Borg's record of five consecutive Wimbledon titles even though he equalled the legend. Nor did I watch him being overcome by emotions at the Rod Laver arena in Melbourne at the season-opening Australian Open when Nadal-his victor again-put an arm over him. But what I have watched mainly are two Wimbledon finals-without doubt his favourite arena-in 2004 and 2005. Both times he had overwhelmed Andy Roddick. Seeded One and Two on both these years, Federer and Roddick displayed an exciting show of tennis. Especially in 2004, Roddick threw everything he had at Roger-later described him humourously as "throwing kitchen sink at him" and Roger fittingly retrning the compliment-but still could not vanquish him. Perhaps, Roger reserves his best for Wimbledon, but his other grand slam wins are no less wonderful.

With his conquering of the Roland Garros, Emperor Federer had won his first French Open, equalled Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slam titles-but no French Open in it-and the sixth person-after Don Budge, Fred Perry, Andre Agassi, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson-to win a Career Grand Slam that is all the Four Major Championships in Tennis. Where does he go from here? His hunger, his passion and his yearning are all intact. Roger Federer still has miles to go and the debates on "whether he is the best ever??" will also continue.

I continued my applause as Federer cried with the playing of the Swiss anthem and even later when he gave his thanks giving. Watching history created before one's eye is no trivial thing; it is a gift that one preserves and carries along as one their best ever possessions. This was my 'Comfort Zone'........I had been a silent part of this just now. I would cherish this image forever. And on one such muggy Sunday evening, I would live to tell my grandchildren that I had watched Roger Federer move from sublime to make history at Roland Garros.

IPL-2: Some Lessons to Ponder

2009-05-24T15:08:00.008+05:30

As the second season of the Indian Premier League draws to a close, it is time to sit back and savour the happenings of the last 36 days. As two of the bottom placed teams-Royal Challengers Bangalore and Deccan Chargers-clash to be the champions of this season, one can take a deeper look at all the matches and draws some conclusions as lessons or talking points, in cricketing terms. After watching this season, yours truly has these points to make:

# "If it can happen, it will, come what may"-thats the message of this season!! If Lalit Modi has the will, irrespective of whether the country is seeking the mandate of the people to form its next government, the show will go on!! The sceptics and purists can debate endlessly whether Indian Premier League can truly be 'Indian' if the show happens in South Africa; but the matter of fact is that IPL-2 has happened.

# This season of IPL was primarily aimed at the global television audiences, especially given the fact that the timings remain unchanged for the Indian viewers. They watched the games at the timings of last season, i.e 4 pm and 8 pm, even if that meant that the players had to sweat it out , according to SA timings of 12.30 and 4.30 pm respectively.

# Now to come to the actual show, Cricket is a game where the primacy is for the players, and not necessarily for their "Star Owners'. The franchisees which had superstars as owners, lost out in the big race. While Kolkata Knight Riders learnt it the hard way this year-taking on the mantle from the Deccan Chargers last season to finish last-Kings XI Punjab was also heartbroken as they were edged out at a crucial phase. Even the reigning champions, the Rajasthan Royals who acquired a new owner from this season, were beaten out of the semi-final race.

# Turn-arounds are always possible, for that is nature of cricket or for that matter, any sport. Only that you need astute leadership, tactical acumen and the desire to turn adversity into challenges. This cannot be more clearly explained than to point out the two finalists this season-the Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers, who were down in the dumps last year. Under the combination of Anil Kumble-Ray Jennings (though Kevin Pieterson was the captain, it was after his departure for national duty that Challengers started their remarkable turn-around) and Adam Gilchrist-Darren Lehmann, both the teams with shifted gears and turned out to be giant-killers in the semis, outclassing Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils, the top two teams in the league table.

# "Expensive Signings are not their money's worth in true terms"-that is another statement in this season!!Both Kevin Pieterson and Andrew Flintoff failed miserably to justify their high price tags, in whatever limited opportunity that was available. So was the case of Jesse Ryder. Once again, this season of IPL like last year has proved that utility players who are moulded into the format fit the bill. However, there were exceptions like Lasith Malinga, Jean-Paul Duminy(who in his first season of IPL scored 5 half-centuries for the Mumbai Indians), and AB DeVilliers.

# Once again, unlike the big foreign signings, its the unknown Indian domestic players who have shone themselves. One such example is Manish Pandey for the Challengers-the first Indian to score a century in IPL. Also there were T.Suman, Naman Ojha, Shadab Jakati (who marked a turn around for Chennai from their suprising rut of losses with two consecutive four wicket hauls against Daredevils and Chargers) and of course the big guns like Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina and Irfan Pathan.

# It is not always a batsman's game, as its is being largely visualized. No matter how many runs you score, it is not worthwhile if it can't be defended. The Chennai Super Kings understood it the hardway in their outing against the Knight Riders, the punching bag of this season. After scoring almost 190 in that game, the Super Kings could not just defend that score. One of the best batting sides in the IPL, the loss of Super Kings proves that bowlers still win the day, even as odds are favourably loaded for the batsmen. However, there are again exceptions, like in the case of CSK itsell, who defended their motely score of 129 against the Kings XI in their last league match. In fact, on the whole, the shift to South Africa has also lent some balance between bat and ball. The swing and seam movement both on and off the track-with the descent of winter in the country-has also helped the bowlers to keep a check on the batsmen from cutting loose. This is unlike the first season of IPL in India last year, when teams posted huge totals on board playing on wickets which could only be described as "batting paradise". In fact, this year, only one total of over 200 has been posted by any team(Rajasthan Royals' 211 against Kings Xi Punjab in Durban).

# "Form is Temporary, Class is Permanent", and "Never write off Cricketers even if they have retired-Two other statements justified this year. The biggest examples??-Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.Post-retirement, their hunger for runs and passion for the game remain as fresh as ever.What is it with these Aussies and that too, with those who have retired.Last year, Shane Warne-who never captained his country during his international career, leading to many people getting vocal and sympathetic about him being the 'best person to have missed captaincy'-turned the Royals, one of the underrated teams at the start, into a champion unit; Gilchrist, this year has led the Deccan Chargers into the summit clash with greater vigour and motivation; and Hayden being the proud owner of the Orange Cap for scoring close to 580 runs, a marked departure from last December when people from all quarters were calling for his head, leading to his retirement. One needs to only take a look at their marauding form this season. The image of the tall, well built Hayden walking down the track to take on the bowlers, inspires continues to inspire awe among his numeorus fans, inclduing yours truly. Watching his innings of 89 the other night at Centurion against Kings XI taking on Sreesanth and co just makes me cling more to his batsmanship. It was said that Chennai could chase any imposing target, because among their superior batting line-up, Hayden stood rock-solid as the anchor. Gilchrist's innings in the semis against the Daredevils was blitzkreig that blew the latter away. Wish they continued playing at all levels, even today. Andrew Hilditch and his team of Aussie selectors listening??

# Ambidextrous players have shone brightly in batting and bowling. Take the case of Hayden and R.P.Singh, the proud owners of the Orange and Purple caps this season. Also Gilchrist, Raina, Jean-Paul Duminy, Jakati and Nehra(whose performance left many still wondering how he lost his spot in the national side). Also, Left-handers on the whole have made waves. Just look at the case of Yuvraj Singh, who shined more with the ball than with the bat this year, getting two hat-tricks. Again, Pragyan Ojha with his flight, and subtle variations was one of the key pillars in instrumenting the rise of the Chargers this year.

# Over-dependence on few players have also cost teams highly. One best case scenario here is that of the Mumbai Indians. The failure of Sachin and Sanath at the top of the order exposed their batting order, leaving them heavily reliant on Duminy to steer their ship. Same was the case with the Royals, as the failure of the Graeme Smith, made the shoulders of Yusuf Pathan heavily burdened. The top-heavy approach has also damaged the team prospects along with that of things revolving around one or two players.

# Packing the team with all-rounders also doesn't guarantee total success. The biggest illustration for that is the Super Kings. Except for a few games, their batting was like this in permanence for this season-Hayden, Parthiv, Raina, Dhoni, Badrinath, Morkel, Oram, Tyagi, Jakati, Balaji and Muralitharan. Sometimes, Murali Vijay, Bailey, Flintoff, R.Ashwin, Manpreet Gony and Thushara got the chances. The lack of a genuine pace bowler hurt their chances badly. Even while having Makhaya Ntini within their ranks, the fact that team combination heavily favouring all-rounders could be changed only seldomly needs a serious re-look. For it is the bowlers, who have a bigger role than the batsmen as i pointed out earlier. Hence, I feel that this mindset of "all-rounders being win all and end all" needs to be re-loaded.

# Carrying on from the last point, some remained just bench-warmers this entire season. Never able to fit into the team combination, they remained as "senior advisers". Perhaps, the bill fits here best on the Daredevils. Three of their players-the veteran Glenn McGrath(still having the fuel in tank for many a battle), Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah remained in the dug-out rather than being on the field.Similar was the case of Ntini, who definitely would have had his hands itching to have a go at the opposition batsmen. McGrath never understood his role well and was even prompted to state that he may not play in the next season of IPL, only to retract later.

# One more simple fact-teams who look unbeatable on paper, are not the same as they seem to be. Delhi Devils-with Sehwag, Gambhir, AB Devilliers, Dilshan, Warner, Vettori, Nannes, Maharoof, Amit Mishra, Sangwan, Nehra, Karthik-and McGrath, Collingwood and Owais Shah may have topped the league standings, but were beaten superbly by the Chargers. So was the case of Super Kings-touted by many as the sure-shot winner this year.

# Old school theories still do the trick. "Disciplined Line and Length bowling" with subtle variations squeeze batting teams and choke them for runs. Numerous matches this year reflect this. One match in memory this year was the re-match of the Super Kings and Royals at Kimberly. Restricting the Royals to a gettable total, the Super Kings also had their screws tigthened, until a cool and determined knock by Badrinath, in the company of a composed Hayden. Yet another match afresh in the mind, was the semi-final of the Super Kings with the Royal Challengers, where Anil Kumble tightened the leash whenever the Super Kings tried to explode, thereby squeezing them for runs.

# This was also a season, where the fielding standards dipped to new lows, by all teams. While the ground-fielding could still be managed, it was the catching that left a lot more to be desired. The Chennai Super Kings again were the culprits in the department more than anyone else, and they also paid the price for having 'butter fingers' on many occasions. While they tried to mask their 'drops' under the garb of big runs on the board, their captain Dhoni minced no words in showing the disappointment. Many of the catches were 'dollies' that had to be taken at this level. Whatever be the reason-even if it had something to do with the weather as pointed out by Gilchrist after the semi-final against Delhi-losing the basics is equal to committing harakiri. Remember Steve Waugh to Gibbs in 1999 World Cup??

# Strategic Time-Outs may have its pros and cons, but I feel they have worked. Teams threatening to run off with the match through hurricane innings of the batsmen have been grounded after the 7 1/2 minutes mid-innings break. One feels this is a case of getting two birds with one stone-raking in extra moolah from ad revenue and on cricketing terms, unsettle the opposition with fresh strategies.

# Maverick laptops and bizzare tactics-strategies do not pay dividends,as was the case with Kolkata Knight Riders. John Buchanan's "Multiple Captain" theory bit the dust and removal of Ganguly from the helm, along with ovwerweight support staff left many wounds afresh and untendered. The 'Fake IPL Player' controversy further opened new cans of worms for the team, as was booting out of Akash Chopra and Sanjay Bangar in middle of the tournament. Similarly, the pushing out of Mohammed Kaif also needs a strong re-visit.

# IPL is here to stay and the more sooner, the cricketing world comes to grip with this reality, the better. Wth ongoing efforts to replicate this model elsewhere in the cricketing and non-cricketing world, it is high time the game's governing body seriously discusses and seals a pending demand from last year-To Have a Permanent Window in the Future Tours and Programmes Calendar for the IPL. With increasing number of players wanting to associate themselves with the even-whether it be for financial or cricketing reasons-it is no more a 'Paid Holiday' as pointed out by Dale Steyn last year. Also, with the ICL also releasing players, many more are expected to join the bandwagon from the next season. However, attempts to have the overdose of the spirit, like suggestions of having two IPLs a year(one in India and other in a potential market catchment area like USA) would only mean 'killing the golden goose'. Also, the primacy of classical first-class cricket has to be established. Statements are emerging from some quarters regarding 'doomsday' for Test cricket; Some players-who reach join the team for the test match just 48 hours before its start and who are angry for dragging them away from IPL-feel "not too sorry or unhappy ath the demise of test cricket" have got it all wrong. The excitement of a five day test match in white flannels, where game happens in sessions, where the skills and perseverance of players are put under scanner, can never be replaced by the razzmattazz of the T20 revolution

# And finally a lesson on personal note-determination and decisions like "will never miss any match, come what may" are also bound to change. They undergo change, due to various circumstances. However, efforts to stick to that original determination 'continue' in numerous forms.

General Elections 2009-Battlefronts in Kerala

2009-03-20T02:07:00.007+05:30

Cricket can wait.............Yours truly has set his eyes, ears and heart on the 15th General Elections in this country. Till May 16th, which the day of Counting of the votes, it is going to be hectic days ahead. The people of India have to give a mandate rejecting politics of hate, anti-people neo-liberal economic policies that creates massive inequality and unemployment, against imperialist kowtowing, for ensuring people's livelihood, security, social justice and all-round development. It has to be a mandate for CHANGE; a change towards a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative. One becomes a bit parochial as yours truly would like to put forth the candidates of LDF and UDF in each of the 20 constituencies in my native state of Kerala, which goes to polls in the I phase on April 16th.

Kasargod - P.Karunakaran (CPM-LDF) v/s Shahida Kamaal (Congress-UDF)

Kannur - K.K.Ragesh (CPM-LDF) v/s K.Sudhakaran (Congress-UDF)

Vadagara - P.Sathidevi (CPM-LDF) v/s still to be announced

Kozhikkode - Mohammed Riyas (CPM-LDF) v/s M.K Raghavan (Congress-UDF)

Wayanad - Rahmatullah (CPI-LDF) v/s M.I.Shaahnawaz (Congress-UDF)

Ponnani - Hussain Randathani (Independent-LDF) vs. E.T.Muhammed Bashir (IUML-UDF)

Malappuram - T.K.Hamsa (CPM-LDF) vs. E.Ahamed (IUML-UDF)

Palakkad - M.B.Rajesh (CPM-LDF) vs. Satheeshan Pacheni (Congress-UDF)

Alathur - P.K.Biju (CPM-LDF) vs. N.K.Sudhir (Congress-UDF)

Thrissur - C.N.Jayadevan (CPI-LDF) vs. P.C.Chacko (Congress-UDF)

Chalakkudi - U.P.Joesph (CPM-LDF) vs. K.P.Dhanapalan (Congress-UDF)

Ernakulam - Sindhu Joy (CPM-LDF) vs. K.V. Thomas (Congress-UDF)

Idukki - Francis George (KCJ-LDF) vs. P.T.Thomas (Congress-UDF)

Kottayam - Suresh Kurup (CPM-LDF) vs. Jose K.Mani (KCM-UDF)

Pathanamthitta - K.Ananthagopan (CPM-LDF) vs. Anto Anthony (Congress-UDF)

Maverlikkara - R.S.Anil (CPI-LDF) vs. Kodikkunnil Suresh (Congress-UDF)

Alappuzha - K.S.Manoj (CPM-LDF) vs. K.C.Venugopal (Congress-UDF)

Kollam - P.Rajendran (CPM-LDF) vs. Pithambarakurup (Congress-UDF)

Attingal - A.Sampath (CPM-LDF) vs. G.Balachandran (Congress-UDF)

Thiruvananthapuram - Ramachandran Nair (CPI-LDF) vs. Shashi Tharoor (Congress-UDF)

This would be the main contestants in the state. The Drumbeats have been sounded.......all eyes and ears are set on the battlefront!!

As Hayden Walks Away.........

2009-01-21T03:20:00.006+05:30

There are some images which never fade away, even in the torrential flow of time. Such images that are gripping seem to transcend time barriers and move along bringing in a surreal experience. The game of cricket has always left many such powerful images in me, and one such image is that of the giant frame of that Queenslander called Matthew Hayden. Gripped with the willow and dominating the bowling, Hayden just synchronized his game with utmost perfection. The gripping image of Hayden that remains etched in my mind is his imposing figure during the pulsating and rivetting series against India in 2001; that time, when Steve Waugh dreamt to conquer the 'final frontier'-that unfortunately did not work out. The Aussie were then on a roll, emerging as the world beaters, crushing all teams that came their way. But if a post-mortem of the series is carried out even today-irrespective of that mammoth innings of Laxman at Kolkata- on individual terms, I would term it as between the batting prowess of Hayden and bowling magic of Harbhajan. That 'once-in-a-generation' series saw my admiration grow for him with the passage of every test match. As Hayden walked away into the sunset of his glittering career with a lump in his throat last week, that gigantic image in my mind also fluttering in the wind.

As I tried to engross myself in the process of studying and finishing my final year Higher Secondary exams, to earn a place for my graduation, the Indo-Australian series provided the excuse to remain glued to the television. Thus, I tried to gulp down every bit of news and trivia in the build up to this series. Hence, when the curtains were eventually lifted for the landmark series, the pulls between the television and books rankled. However, I never once missed a ball of that series; in the end, I could fully immerse myself in the world of study and preparations, after Harbhajan effectively sliced the ball towards deep point and ran a double with Sameer Dighe to clinch the Gavaskar-Border trophy. Hayden had announced his arrival with authority in the first test at the Wankhede, as he partnered Adam Gilchrist in re-building the falling Aussie innings. Both scored centuries as Australia batted India out of the test match. Complemented by a strong bowling attack with likes of McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicz and Warne, the Aussies were home extending their record of consecutive test wins to 16. He carried on his exploits into the historic second test at the Eden Gardens by scoring fifties in both innings, when the Aussie juggernaut was finally stopped by a resilient Laxman and incisive Harbhajan. Even when the mighty Aussie batting line-up crumbled before a target of 384 set by the hosts on the final day, Hayden stood among the ruins with a fighting 67 before being trapped in the front by Sachin's leg spin.

But my best picture of Hayden is the 203 he scored in the concluding test of the series at the Chepauk in Chennai. Scored in the height of the blistering Indian summer amidst the hot and humid conditions that is prominent feature of this city, this double hundred ranks high for Hayden. It came at a time, whereby he continued his aggressive batting, despite the constant fall of wickets at the other end. After winning the toss for the third consecutive time, Steve Waugh sent his team to bat. Hayden, though initially deterred by the fall of two wickets, tried to stabilize things, with Mark Waugh. Slowly, the domination of batting also started. While Harbhajan was having a merry time with the ball scything through the Aussie tall order, Hayden kept one end up. Even though he lost Mark Waugh who perished on the score of 70 after mistiming a leg spinner from Bahatule to Badani at mid-off, Hayden upped the momentum. If it was not for Steve Waugh's hand that stopped a Harbhajan delivery that didn't spin-the captain was given out for handling the ball-the Aussies could have posed a much more higher score, riding on Hayden's knock. Coming from 320 balls and spending 474 minutes at the crease scoring 15 boundaries and 5 sixes, the Queenslander had led the team from the front. The tail did not wag for the Aussies, leading to their quick collapse before Harbhajan's antics. But what was more majestic about the innings of Hayden was the magic that lay within it. Those big arms bringing the willow down to meet the ball with passion made contests more intense. His authority was clamped down with force; toying with spinners through the employment of the powerful Sweep Shot was a feast to the eyes. His accurate head position,with the eyes coming straight to meet the ball was always a sight that turned new leaves for other batsmen around the world to play spin in the sub-continent tracks. Especially, for those batsmen who lack the magical wrists of the sub-continent, the sweep was a useful weapon. Hayden retained the command over the spinners and India, became one of his favourites preys. His test match statistics against India speak a magnificent tale-he scored 1888 runs from 18 tests at an average of 59 including 6 hundreds. As an Opener, he was involved in more than 20 hundred run partnerships with Langer. No doubt then that his captain, Ponting during his farewell media conference, called him "the greatest test opening batsman ever". Scoring over five hundred runs in that epic series, my analysis of the post-mortem became further accurate, as the two main protagonists of the series, Hayden and Harbhajan shared the Man of the Series award. Even though the final frontier could not be conquered then, Hayden had left his signature before he left the Indian shores after the series. He remained in the loop though later, as the Aussies achieved that dream under the able leadership of Gilchrist in 2004 at Nagpur. But as they say all good things must come to an end. The tracks in India-his favourite hunting ground-viewed his downfall in 2008. Replacing Harbhajan and his bag of tricks, was the exponential pace bowling of Zaheer and Ishant Sharma. The 'reverse swing' became more and more difficult to comprehend. Thus, Hayden's failures and the drying up of runs from his willow carried on in the home series against the Proteas; their den being conquered, the Aussies lost a home series after 16 years.

The super imposing image of Hayden once again flows into the mind from the WACA in 2003 when he went on to claim the world record for the highest individual score of 380, from Lara-which the prince from Trinidad reclaimed with a majestic 400 against the English at Antigua a few years later.In that test in Perth, he stamped his domination slogging the minnows all over the park. He ate his way into the bowling taking the ball to the cleaners. he scored his mammoth triple hundred scored after spending 622 minutes and facing 437 balls that was graced with 37 boundaries and 11 hits over the fence. Writing his name into the record books, Hayden's class was further strengthened through the knock.

As Hayden leaves, another image that may also disappear is his initial stance at the crease. As he walked in to take strike, he used to squat on the pitch with the bat prodding down. This was termed as his 'private talk with the pitch', a belief or practice for him. One would also miss his arrogance filled 'walk to hit the fast bowlers over the top'. Players with bigger frame and built like Hayden cannot miss the eye so easily. The images in the mind cannot be blurred that easily. Perhaps, it is only fitting that Hayden remains part of the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, for his 'home away from home' without doubt would be the Chepauk arena. The cool sea breeze flowing from the close by Marina beach, continues to weave innumerable images of that valiant double hundred scored right in the middle of the hot and humid summer in Chennai.

As an Era Ends..................

2009-01-02T21:48:00.020+05:30

On 30th December, 2008 a mighty 'empire' fell at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. As Hashim Amla and Neil McKenzie scored those winning runs to take South Africa to glory in becoming the first team in 16 years to trounce Australia at home, they had definitely struck at the foundations of an age-old structure, which many of us were 'led' to believe, wouldn't crash for time immemorial. When an Empire falls, there is a deafening noise; noise of a mighty fall that resounds for many ages. It may well be a hyperbole, but end of dominance always brings in the picture of the crumbled edifice. Australia, the once mighty and fearful force in world cricket is crumbling. Their ship has been wrecked more than once in the recent past. However, as the champions are quickly being unseated from their exalted positions, there is surprisingly no noise being heard of this mighty fall.

Sports have always been an extension of human endeavour, wherein the predicaments and aspirations have their own importance. Cricket is no different. The human emotions and physical exertions are well reflected in the playing arena. "Playing Cricket Differently"--that's what the world was reminded of Australia. That difference was between the victor and vanquished; the essential being to be a mile ahead of the rest of the caravan. "The Aussies used to maraude and trample"........those were the words used to describe every Australian victory. After the fall of the Windies' pace in the early 1990s, the Australians came to take their crown. A team built under the astute leadership of Allan Border, it was further nurtured by Mark Taylor. However, it was the mercurial thinking and commanding ability of the 'Iceman' Steven Rodger Waugh, that moulded Australia, into the fearsome unit. He made 'Australia' the force we know in world cricket. I belong to a generation whose prime age in adolescence passed watching Steve Waugh wear the tattered Baggy Green and lead his men to crush all opponents, thus adding new feathers to his crown-even though the 'Final Frontier' still remained unrealized!! This legacy was then taken over by Ponting with pride and moved on. For years, I believed Australia can never be 'defeated' consistently!! There may be an odd failure here and there, but that massive structure would have no cracks.

For people like me, Australia was always a fascination.........a dream that was being realized!! Their team in the history was also called the "Invincibles" in the 1920s; a team that included the legendary Sir Don Bradman. It was a belief that the team could never be made to bite dust.... that they could never lose. May be it was because they always found a champion on any given day to perform for them. The Cricketing world learnt many things from the Aussies-techniques, coloured clothing, white balls, floodlights and night games (from the Packer revolution). They kept on winning.......some stupendous performances, some truly magical. It was practically difficult to imagine any other team winning continuously without long breaks. One needn't had to watch the TV continuously to watch their progress; every morning a prophecy was made that they 'will' win and this turned true every evening.......Only the margin of victory was asked and the rest was understood. Patriotic fervours and biases were raising their heads only if the opposing team was India. But even then, the Aussies used to continue rolling their juggernaut. They won in different lands......on the soggy surfaces in Sri Lanka, in the greenish tops in New Zealand and South Africa, places favouring swing and seam in England, those 'Dead as a Dodo' wickets in the Carribean and even conquered the Final Frontier!! Their pace attack was lethal and armed with precision....McGrath, Gillespie, Lee, and Kasprowicz; they had true magician in those 'fingers' of Warne....along with the solid batting of the Waugh twins, Ponting, Clarke, Hayden, Langer, Slater.....the wizard in Gilchrist who not only rewrote the skills of keeping, but also effected the 'slam bang' in batting at the top order.........then they had the allrounders in Symonds, Bevan and Watson.....all these was stocked with accuracy and clinical precision in fielding. The Aussies were a complete unit in all ways; their team management was also a lesson for other teams to emulate....Simpson, Marsh and Buchanan were not only impressive, but also armed with the expertise. Their man-management skills were tactful and deceptive....Their dominance in the field showed in their verbal volleys too. Intimidating the batsmen, bad mouthing them and playing the 'Mind Games' to dismantle the opposition in all possible ways. They won every trophy on which their hands were laid....be it the World Cup thrice, the Champions Trophy and innumerable test matches.

So, when the historic turn-around started in 2001 under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly's Team India from that once-in-a-generation Test match at Eden Gardens, the sight was astounding....Reflecting upon the 'inability' to fully crush the opposition, Ponting said that their win in the Caribbean in 2008 to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy was the beginning of a period when the team had to switch back the usual method of 'Grinding' to win. This essentially meant that the days of test matches getting over within 3-4 days had virtually ended. The usual image of Australia only batting once to score more than 400 and then bowling teams out twice was not the visual that people could watch again with increasing frequency. But that 'grinding' is also coming to a halt; India in 2008 showed that in Perth in January and then again in the four remarkable tests in September-October 2008. The Proteas completed the formalities and showed the signs of shift in the balance of power.

Various reasons are being attributed to the decline of the Aussie aura. The retirements of senior blokes like Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist in quick succession along with Martyn, and Langer seemed to have left behind a big void that was never easy to fill. Plus dogged by arrogance and injuries, the seniors also were not firing when needed. Those magical times-when in need, hands would have 'lifted' automatically taking the onus on themselves-is a thing of the past. Captain Ponting is firing; but that is not causing any major breakthroughs. As they say, the captain is only as best as his team. The captaincy is also becoming a heavy burden for Ponting...tactics and plans are failing. There have been times when the team really lacked an alternative plan, if the original failed. Suddenly the giant scoring skills of Hayden and the pace of Lee seemed to have deserted them. Compounding all this is the fact that their second line is not that great. As Ponting himself says, it would be difficult to imagine that the youngsters like Johnson, Siddle, Hauritz, Kreiza, White, Bollinger, Hilfenhaus, McGain and others to perfect the role of the former senior pros. The rebuilding of the team that had to start earlier, well in time has been in fact 'well delayed'. Persisting with an unfiring old guard also do not help matters. It is in fact appalling that the Aussie playing XI for any test match that would have been announced a day earlier in the past, is no more a sureity. There are conflicts on the role of the spinner. The Australian team has played with four different spinners in the last 8 test matches they have played. This 'revolving door' policy, once which was the bane for Pakistan, is now turning its hood on Australia. To complicate matters further, there are even murmurs of breaking down of communication between players at times. This was amply seen between Ponting and Lee, during the second test against India at Mohali. Later, the Vice-Captain Michael Clarke expressed his inability and asked the media to turn their questions towards Ponting on the question of not asking Symonds to bowl against the Proteas in the Boxing day test in Melbourne. There are also notions that young blood is not given the right opportunities, which could also be said to mean a lack of will to invest in them. Thus, neglecting their potential and stick to 'experience' as the only factor.

The crown is slipping with each passing day and the contours of the game are being redrawn...game watchers are even stating that the rivalry between India and Australia that had been gripping the enthusiasts is now shifting in favour of the same between the Indians and the South Africans. That they say, is the series to be watched out. The descent has begun. A childhood illusion is also breaking.....that 'wins' are not always guaranteed; Defeats are also not just a rare possibility. Consistency in defeats are also not in the surreal world, but in real world. The collapse of empires and dominant regimes may not be loud and bombastic, but they certainly leave behind rubble. Gathering those rubbles to rebuild the splendid castles and citadels with stronger concrete is also a sight to be watched amidst this collapse. The child in me may have passed over to become the more mature adult in understanding the human aspect of Sport, whereby we realize that the men and women involved in this endeavour are also prone to wear and tear; that they are not 'Invincibles'. But somewhere at the bottom of the heart, one still longs for the report in the next day's sports pages that 'only the winning margin matters', for the 'rest' would always be................

Post Script: It is not often that one gets to write some additional lines, when the victors have vanquished the adversaries. However, the overhead piece was written some days before the New Year test at Sydney. Suddenly, you find the 'dead' rising. When pushed to the corner, the Aussies came up with a spirited show and manage to win the test match with minutes to go before stumps on the final day. The win was guided by a resilient hundred by Michael Clarke( scoring 138 off 250 balls and a fighting 64 by Mitchell Johnson). Peter Siddle joined in the efforts by taking 5/59 in the first innings of the Proteas and finishing the match with figures of 8/113. Aiding the home side was a crumbling SCG track, with enough cracks to make the South African chase in the 4th innings difficult. But the hero of the test match was definitely visiting captain Graeme Smith, who came out to bat as No.11 to try and save the test from the Aussie jaws. Already suffering a muscle tear-that ruled him out of contention in the later part of the tour comprising the LOIs and T20 games-he broke his little finger after a delivery from Mitchell Johnson reared up from a crack in the pitch. Despite having his hand in cast, Smith fought bravely to do the impossible: save the match for his team. His bravery reminds one of the bandaged Anil Kumble coming out to bowl in the Caribbean in the 4th test at Antigua, in spite of a broken jaw by a Mervin Dillon delivery earlier. This however is forgotten in the given list of brave acts on the field. However, the win for the Aussies doesn't camouflage their impending problems, which continue to linger. Hayden failed again, Ponting shined only in the 2nd innings with a fifty. This win has come on the backs of the youngsters......Clarke, Johnson, Siddle, McDonald, Haurtiz and Bollinger. The win does show that 'the castles and citadels can be rebuilt'........; the future for Australia rests on these young faces. Though the Aussies maintain their lead as No.1 Test side, the gap has been reduced. With the return series coming up in South Africa in four weeks, the crown on the Aussie heads is slowly slipping away.

Enthralling a Generation

2008-12-29T01:57:00.007+05:30

As the year 2008 enters the home stretch, my friends feel that the last few months in the passing year has seen few contributions on cricket in the blog. The year saw the sunset of two icons in the modern game-people whom I have watched as I climbed each step of the age ladder; people who have thoroughly mesmerized my generation along with others through their spirit, courage, grit and mastery in the gentleman's game, thus excelling to reach the summits of glory. A great deal of time was spent this year, in trying to rush through the swansongs of the Fab Five in Indian Cricket. Intense speculation was fuelled in the context of the successes of the Young Blood under a young and bold leader. A case of seniors giving way to juniors, simply a Voluntary Retirement!!

After constant pricks and cribs, two of the Fab Five-Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly walked into the sunset of their cricketing careers. A detailed blog in the New Year will showcase their sparkling contributions and visions. But wading through Cricinfo-that treasure trove for every cricket crazy person-I came across this piece on this Senior batch who enthralled my generation. I confess, to follow them not only brought unalloyed joy, but also in the process made me realize what it takes to be an avid Cricket Fan. For those were the times, when Cricket was injected all over the body; something whose foundations still embedded deep inside me to this day!! Truly, those were the days........

What an Idea Sirji?

2008-12-25T10:20:00.007+05:30

The advertisement says "an Idea can change your life"!! The mobile phone service provider Idea of the Aditya Birla Group's new ad shows film star Abhishek Bachan acting as the Private Secretary to a Chief Minister; herein, he seeks his mobile phone to get the opinion of the people to take a decision whether to have a Shopping Mall in agricultural land!! The majority-or a minuscule minority, given the time of the ad-voice their opinion as NO...........This opinion seem to cut across class lines and gender lines; people from rural and urban areas, including women and youth say this 'emphatic' NO................

The ad ends by saying that this 'exercise' is Democracy!! Wonder if this is the new fashion trend stepping in to promote social justice and people's empowerment!! or should we call it 'Corporate Socialist Democracy'?? By the way, this same service provider had showed its 'commitment' towards Social Justice some time back........replace Caste surnames with mobile phone numbers to prevent caste violence and atrocities!! In short, Casteism can be 'annihilated' by mobile phone numbers!!Wow, What an Idea!!

On a Christmas Night

2008-12-24T21:18:00.006+05:30

Around me, its an aura that is glowing brightly........as the year meanders towards its logical conclusion, Christmas arrives with its full pomp and glory........for the non-believers like me, what does this occasion hold within itself?? A Chance to redeem all sorrows and unhappiness?? Or a chance to cast away all drudgery and dreariness for a more exalted feeling?

Around me, the lights have been decked up.......they shine brightly in different colours; sweet and soothing carols waft through the air; kids and even elders dressed as Father Christmas dance around calling out to people, thus spreading the message of love and happiness. Little Mangers are created out of wood and grass depicting that wonderful night in Bethlehem. Cathedrals and Churches have immersed themselves with the believers rushing in to celebrate that hour.

As the night extends, the lights glow more and their aura spreads further. The artificial statue of the Santa Claus keeps glowing leaving much light around. People say the night before Christmas is the most coldest of the year. I cannot verify that; but certainly, there is chillness in the air..............I try to sleep in that rich glow all around and keep my ears to hear the comforting and soothing carols!! May be as time passes, the eagerness and anxiety may ebb away. But the fragrance of the Christmas Night lasts forever, warming the chillness in the air.

Sojourn

2008-12-09T17:02:00.002+05:30

Things need a break.........a time to cool off!!Home Beckons into its cool confines......Leaving the city tonight!! Back to those wonderful train journeys!! Life needs a sojourn every now and then..........In short, a much needed vacation, even if temporary!!

Picking up the Pieces-In the Aftermath of the Mumbai Terror Mayhem

2008-12-01T03:52:00.017+05:30

Sitting miles away from the battle zone, one is relieved to know that the firefight is finally over........Combating freezing weather within the hostel room over the weekend, the Sunday turned out to be a dull day.But the dullness gives way to that feeling one is talking about. From 26th of November after 9.30 pm, it was mayhem in Mumbai. Terrorists taking over vital areas in the commercial capital, especially areas of human congregation. Though divided by their class affiliations, CST, Taj Palace, Oberoi Trident and Nariman House all are collectively under siege. Indiscriminate firing using automatic weapons and other ammunition like hand grenades, 10 youth are on a spree. Leaving more than 200 dead including around 25 police and security personnel, the city is virtually being run over. As the Special Forces mount Operation Black Tornado to sanitize Taj, Oberoi and Nariman House, Mumbai has come to a stand still. As the 59 hour long counter operation finally culminates on Saturday, November 29th, it has taken 2 days and 3 nights to neutralize the terrorists. Counting the dead, one also comes across a list of over 20 foreigners of many nationalities.

Sitting faraway, I try to imagine the aftermath of those devastating nights. Nights when brave men in uniform fought and lost their lives defending their city....Hemant Karkare, the ATS Chief;ACP Ashok Kamthe; Vijay Salaskar, famed Encounter Specialist in the Mumbai Police; Senior Inspector Shashank Shinde; and many more.......then the brave commandos of the NSG who were martyred during the operation to retrieve the temporarily lost possessions.....Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Joginder Singh.........Then the Jewish Rabbi and his wife of the Chabad Lubavitch conclave in the Nariman House......then the countless innocents who were just shot down in Cafe Leopold, Girgaum Chowpatty, CST, Cama Hospital, Metro Cinema.......the list is endless........The bravery of the commandos and security personnel has to be saluted in the truest possible way. But several pointers remain unanswered. How could a band of ten young men armed to the teeth find their way to Mumbai unscanned and unhindered? Picking up the pieces of those days have pointed to the role of terror network outside the country, that is the Lashkar-E-Taiba. The abject failure of the Union Government as well as the State Government in preventing the mayhem beforehand despite several warnings, is something that is highly serious. In fact, the intelligence mechanism within the country seems repeatedly failing to perform, as explicit from the numerous bomb blasts across the country. Though 'finger pointing' and 'calling for the heads' is not something that's usually palatable, still they in itself isn't just enough. The resignations of the Home Minister as well the Deputy CM and CM of Maharashtra may have come as something to maintain accountability; but as said, the 'rains after the harvest' do not serve anyone's purpose!!

Another serious aspect that needs a detailed analysis in the aftermath of the mayhem is the role of the media, especially the electronic. Sanity seems to have been lost, as the media went on the overdrive to inject cynicism and hate for the political class. It seemed that the media was out to vilify the entire political spectrum, cutting across party lines. If not for the restrictions suggested by the security personnel, the Indian electronic media would have replicated their American counterparts in sticking to the "embedded" journalism. This would have meant that the cameramen would have wanted to follow the commandos into each nook and corner of the besieged locations. So much for 'sensational reporting' in attempting to sell TRPs!! Coming back to the manufacturing of the opinion by the media, NDTV says "Enough is Enough"!! Of course, the people of the country are fed up of terror; but the point is it the attack on "icons" like Taj and Oberoi that this feeling has come about? The class bias of the media is exposed again and again. Barkha Dutt tells Shyam Benegal that even after the attacks in Mumbai, people in Delhi went to vote in the Assembly elections!!Going by her logic, the people of this country should stop exercising their democratic rights altogether!! Pent-up emotions can burst out in times like this, but then restraint using logic and reason has to be applied. If the top media personnel in this country and that too Padmashri awardees do not realize this, then the it speaks volumes of this class bias. Mumbai CST is place where thousands of people commute everday and in fact this building also finds mention in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. However, CST got into the sidelines and periphery, as the focus were the luxury hotels. How many of the Mumbaikars have really found their way into the interiors of the Taj and Oberoi? The point that one needs to drive is that there shouldn't be any classification of which place should capture priority and lead space given that a calamity strikes, whereby you treat people differently on the basis of the class background. Death, all say is a great leveller; but in the Mumbai attacks that doesn't seem to be the case. The 'Civil Society' also has spoken with the aid of the media in these attacks. In fact, replacing the political class, it seemed that the socialites were running the country. Some talk of carpet bombing, some spew that from roof-tops of high-class hotels the sight one can feast is that of the slums below with 'Pakistani' flags!! One National Daily even went to the extent of letting its entire first page be splashed with the opinions of the Page 3 socialites and the 'civil society' voices!!

Hence, the solution this 'civil society' and the media offer-in fact baying for blood-trying to rope in the upper and middle classes, is full scale war, where our advanced forces will crush the enemy brutally. Sane voices are dumped to the sidelines. The real effort which should have been is to gather evidence and bring the perpetrators to book, has been swept under the carpet. The Right-Wing forces like RSS-BJP have joined this war mongering and jingoism, in their own efforts to milk rich dividends in terms of votes. It is in this situation that the solution offered by the Left gains importance. Using multilateral bodies like the UN is an option that needs to be positively and diligently looked into. Resolution 1373 passed by the UN Security Council binding all countries not to harbour or fund terror activities as well as book those behind them needs to be used, to put pressure on Pakistani government to act. Fighting Terrorism has to be political as well as in unison. Ultimately, loss of innocent lives repeatedly can make people cynical. Therefore, to prevent this, Unity of Purpose and Unity of Action is vital in such situations. Losing focus by caving in and falling for rabid war mongering would only strengthen those very forces that seek to divide people through mindless terror.

Cricket's Overdose -- Killing the Goose?

2008-07-08T22:56:00.010+05:30

Life can be tenuous at times and with an increased workload, things can work up minds. Cricket is not alien to these pressures. In an era, where professionalism has come to dominate the game, cricketers have added responsibilites. Not just to play in different parts of the globe, but also adjust to the climes and surfaces. With hectic tour schedules, many cricketers have very often complained about the slog they had to undergo. With more and more LOI matches along with the new found manna of T20 being the flavour, the workload of cricketers have been an onslaught leading to burn-out of the players. Australians have often voiced their concern in this regard. Indians too have opined the same at times.

Indian LOI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the least complaining on this entire issue, as he often stated that being professional cricketers, these demands of the game's expansion have to be met them. Hence, there had to be no complaints by the cricketers, whose earnings had also concomitantly increased with professionalism. But the non-stop cricket played by Dhoni since the England tour in July 2007 saw him miss only the last test against Pakistan in Bangalore in December of the same year. He undertook the team Down Under and lead the team to win the CB series. Later, he got on to the T20 jamboree of IPL captaining Chennai Super Kings in all their 16 matches including the final against Rajasthan Royals.

Such a strenuous regimen finally caught up with Dhoni, and he complained of the format of the Asia Cup where India often had to play back-to-back matches. Even during the press conferences, he was not critical of his bowlers for leaking runs. Neither did he found faults with his fielders for the sloppiness in catching. He reasoned all this due to the effect of non-stop cricket. As India lost the final to the exploits of Ajantha Mendis, Dhoni finally broke open and finally opted out of the test series in Sri Lanka. This drives us to the larger question of such blind following of the international commitments. Though the Future Tour Programme calendar of the ICC has to be followed, the unmindful acts of the BCCI also have to be questioned. The timing of the tournaments in Bangladesh and Pakistan have really found no water. With Dhaka in the midst of the monsoon, and Pakistan in the height of summer, both the tourneys were ill-timed. The searing heat in Lahore and Karachi saw even the fans giving matches a skip. Even Indo-Pak encounters failed to fill the stadia. Compounding this were the lifeless wickets in both tourneys. 300 runs were scored and also chased successfully in almost all matches. The bowlers were made mincemeat and the fielders sent on leather hunts. The months of April-May, which earlier were the periods to rest for the tired legs and bodies have been eaten away by IPL. Such an overdose of cricket with sponsorships, endorsements, marketing and television rights and revenues have not only devoured the physique of the players, but also their minds. For a healthy body a mind is paramount. Cricket is also more of a mind game and positive thoughts have to be finely implemented to see larger success. The increasing demands for Sandy Gordons and Paddy Uptons exemplify this fact.

The recurring injuries resulting from such overkill of the game also dampens the spirits of the teams as well as of their fans. Due to such heightened professionalism, the players have also sought to hide their injuries and strains to meet the increased demands. Thus, cent percent commitment is often compromised. Though it may be a vicious circle, it is important that the responsible for well-being of the game take cognizance of this concern and initiate measures to remedy such plaguing ills. This would only refresh the hearts and minds of the players, thus saving them from monotony as well as preserving their bodies from wounds.

Ajantha Mendis -- Unearthing a Rare Breed

2008-07-07T22:52:00.020+05:30

It is not always that with patriotic allegiances ruling our hearts and minds, we appreciate the talents and exploits of the opposition in all sporting activities. Cricket is no different; every time Team India gains the upper hand, the expectations of the fans rise sky high. Ever since Dhoni has started captaining India in LOIs, their exploits have led them to even defeat the world champions, Australia in their own den. So, with all these preconceived notions that 'our' team was virtually unbeatable, the Asia Cup proved to be an eye opener.

Though the Lankans dominated the final proceedings against India, the bowling of Ajantha Mendis require all the praise. Thus, it becomes natural that you put your hands together to applaud in genuine terms, the rise of such a champion. Perhaps, there is something in the water and soil of Sri Lanka, that they produce such multi-talented cricketers. The 1996 World Cup triumph under Arjuna Ranatunga reinforced that fact. Mutthaiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda De Silva, Roshan Mahanama, and later Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, and Lasith Malinga. Now, Mendis just produces beauties. Claiming 6/13 in the final at Karachi, he scythed through the strong Indian batting line-up. Bamboozling the Indians with his varieties of deliveries just made him unpredictable. As Dhoni later admitted, the batsmen just failed to pick him. Getting enough tweak and turn from the surface, he just showed that it was not just the batsmen, but even bowlers could dominate in the current Asia Cup.

On a wicket which produced 300 runs on an average in every match, Mendis' efforts are really breath taking. Earlier taking a 5-for against the Pakistanis, he repeated the same effort on the right time against the Indians. In the final, Jayawardene marshalled his resources well and used Mendis with care. His deliveries opened up the chinks in the Indian armour. Deceiving Sehwag with one that went the other way leading to his stumping, he then got through the defences of Yuvraj and Raina with straighter ones flicked from the back of his hand. Further, he trapped Rohit Sharma in the front with another straighter one. While in the 1st spell, he gave just 8 runs in the four overs to earn these four wickets. He later returned in the 2nd spell to finish the game with 2 more wickets, especially the one of R.P.Singh with a classical leg break.

Possessing all the weapons in his armoury, Mendis bowls six different deliveries in an over. Thus, he has the top spinner, off-break, leg break, flipper, wrong un, the doosra, googly, slider and drifter. All these are showcased with remarkable ease, with subtle variations in his wrist action. Along with this, he also effortlessly changes the position of his fingers to bring about the desired variations in the flight and trajectory. This is done brilliantly by him through camouflage, thus making batsmen to pick him off his hand as the only way to deal him. However, in the demanding game at the LOI level, long levels of patience is not a virtue for the batsmen. However, not only in the air, he is also unpredictable off the pitch. Thereby, he has all the essential armaments of any spinner, whether its an off-spinner or leg-spinner. His special though, is termed as the Carrom Ball, that he delivers using his middle finger with the thumb as the back up, similar to playing carrom wherein one uses the same action to use the striker to hit other coins on the board. Playing for the Sri Lankan Army, Mendis was picked up for tour to West Indies and there, he displayed his talent at the international level for the first time. With the Indian tour to Lanka coming up, Mendis is set to play a big role for the home team. Such exceptional talent has turned Mendis to be one of the gems for the Lankans.

As said in the beginning, genuine talent should always be praised, irrespective of team affiliations. Mendis with his bowling varieties has come out as once in a generation cricketers. As laptops and analysis software descend to decipher his wizardry, science tries to master art. However, his success would be ensured, if he continues to mask his art with mystery in spite of such heightened vigilance and surveillance of electronics on him. If properly nurtured, the game of cricket would be the biggest beneficiary, with such enormous and exceptional talent. There are times when you feel that it is art that is more superior to science and bio-mechanics. Mendis' night with the ball at the National Stadium in Karachi justifies your insights in this regard. Ajantha Mendis is indeed a very rare breed.

Homecoming

2008-07-05T00:44:00.006+05:30

Today I woke up early..........the morning mist is still hanging in the air, the ground is wet and the trees are washed clean...........the nandyarvattam has blossomed, with the flowers standing with full glory.......the cows in the manger have woken up too, as the tiny bells around their necks ring merrily composing jingles.....the sleep is taking its own pace to leave the dreariness of my eyes.....the sky is still grey, but the rains have stopped. The milkman's cycle spins out a sound too!! As does the cuckoo in the midst of the mango leaves, letting out its sweet cry!! The village is slowly waking up from the deep slumber. The thechi has also blossomed.........its fragrance strikes me in the face!! Tomorrow, I am leaving from here.............to another world, where money and time are bound together, not necessarily, harmoniously!! Homecoming has brought with it all the native sounds and fragrances.......As I walk on the soft earth, the tender dew on the grass caresses my feet. Will these fragrances and sounds accompany me in my journey? The thumbapoo just stands similing..................

The Textbook Issue in Kerala: Exposing the Ulterior Motives

2008-07-01T13:04:00.021+05:30

For the past few days, Kerala has been on the boil. The political oppostition, especially the students organizations of the UDF and RSS, along with socio-religious groups have been taking to the streets protesting against what they call attempts to 'inject atheism and communism' into school education, through textbooks. The KSU(I) and MSF, the student wings of the Congress(I) and the Muslim League have joined hands with the Christian-Muslim groups as well as the Hindu caste groups like the NSS to tackle such 'communization' of the textbooks. Before going into the entire debate, a mere glance through the Class VII Social Science Text Book, which has been picked up for such 'naked atheism', would make any average Malayali understand that such a ruckus is nothing but a mere attempt to take the people for a ride over a complete non-issue. This also unmasks the hidden face of the Opposition, to play upon the people's religious sentiments and galvanize them to spread instability and chaos in the state.

Titled 'Mathamillatha Jeevan', ,meaning a person with no faith, the chapter in the text book is in the form of an interview, wherein a school headmaster interviews a child named Jeevan and his parents, for admission to the school. Asked to fill the blanks in the application form for his religion and caste, the parents in turn ask the headmaster to leave those spaces blank. The headmaster then ponders over it thoughtfully and asks "what if the child grows up and feels like adopting any faith"? The parents calmly answer that in such a case, when he grew up, he could choose any faith he wanted to. Other than this conversation, the book also contain chapters detailing the religious tolerance and harmony prevailing since age old times in the Kerala. At a time, when communal frenzy and politics of hate has been viciously pursued by the right-wing forces, the need to maintain secular values gain paramount importance. In fact, the aim of our education system has to be to inculcate these values to build the future citizens of this country. Working unhindered against superstitions and blind beliefs, it is also important that the our school and university educational systems raise the rationality and scientific temper of the students, thus enabling them to analyze things much more deeply and question the decadent values and traditions. Going through these text books, yours truly never found one bit of 'communist injection' or attempts to question religious faith. In fact, the chapters in the said text book has only spoken for the need to respect all faiths, thus building common harmonious bonds. To illustrate this, there are verses quoted from Mahabharata, Bible, Prophet Mohammed and Guru Nanak. There are also various assignments and projects suggested to understand these matters further. If this is so, why is the opposition creating such mayhem?

To analyze that, it is important to also look at the political history of Kerala, where the Left has had a significant role. Education has proved to be glue for all forces to stick together and corner the Left. Such a situation that exists today, finds its ripples in the 1st Communist government to be elected anywhere in the world through ballot in 1957 under EMS Namboodiripad. The very same forces, who have taken up the cudgels to protect the sanctity of faith had then come together to unleash a vicious campaign against the communist government. Launching the 'Vimochana Samaram' or the Freedom Struggle, the Congress led opposition joining hands with the same socio-religious groups was able to establish a "make you believe" world, which sought to portray the Left as anathema to the state of Kerala, that had to be unseated at any cost. Aided by the designs of Indira Gandhi who was literally running the show behind Nehru, President's Rule was imposed in the state. Later, it was also been established that the CIA had worked in tandem with the centre in the move to dismiss the EMS government. A crucial fact that needs mention is that even then educational reforms had proved to be the galvanizing point for such rightist and anti-democratic mobilization against the Left rule. The then Education minister and litterateur, Prof. Joseph Mundassery had brought in measures to curb the overarching powers of managements and bring them under the government net. This was vehemently opposed by the managements, most of them being under these very socio-religious groups acting on vested interests. Strong attempts are being made today to make Kerala face a second Vomochana Samaram. Even the media has not spared any space to lash out against the ruling Left Front Government that has completed two successful years in office. The rabble-rousing media, which has always found the Left to be its beternoire, has come out forcefully in its diatribe,thereby displaying its class interests.

Yours truly has always believed that the Education Ministry in Kerala has to be handled by a national party and not be given to smaller, fractious parties, to be used as their fiefdoms. In the era of coalition politics in the state, both the UDF and LDF had earlier left such a crucial ministry in the hands of such smaller parties, which led to the pursuit of erroneous policies and immobilization of the entire sector. Ever since the present LDF government was given a massive mandate by the people of Kerala after having borne the brunt of the misrule of the UDF, the attempts have been to come out with a real alternative for the people. The CPI(M) took over the Education Ministry, with MA Baby having the charge. The Private Managements like NSS, SNDP, and other Christian as well as Muslim groups had virtually eaten up the self-financing sector of professional education. Charging exorbitant fees and making education a privilege for the common man, these managements sought to frame their own rules and thereby, establish their own authority by overriding the state's directives and holding it to ransom. Claiming more than 50% percent management seats, they also sought to trespass into the government seats too. Getting the help of an insensitive judiciary, they sought to call the shots. The LDF government, unlike the UDF refused to be cowed down and brought in the Self-Financing Colleges Act to fix fees and regulate the managements. However, this progressive step was overturned by the state High Court, and gave the managements the decision-making powers, thus handicapping the government. Not only in this issue, but also progressive steps of the government like to make the local bodies in charge of overseeing the school functioning, making sex education part of the curriculum, appointment of teachers in aided institutions under the state Public Service Commission and removing the hurdles to make the seating arrangements of boys and girls together have been opposed. Many of the steps have been remarked as "working to spread sexual anarchy" in the educational institutions by the religious groups. The managements felt threatened by these measures that could erode their sweeping powers have manufactured farce logic such as attempts to bring in atheism into the society. Pastoral letters and sermons, along with communal campaigns have been launched by the right-wing in all faiths. They have been goading people to join in large numbers against such a 'faithless and atheist government' that had to be unseated.

Therefore, the latest protests over the textbooks have to be seen in this light. The opposition UDF under the Congress bereft of any real issues have sought to stoke people's passions. Kerala has a remarkalable long-standing legacy of communal amity and tolerance. Several legends have been found, wherein the rituals and religious ceremonies have bound the communities in the state together. To quote an instance, the pilgrimage to Sabarimala to get the blessings of Ayyappa is considered incomplete without a visit to the shrine of Vavar, a Muslim saint. Also, the base camp of Sabarimala, at Nilackal has been built on the land donated by the Church. In another case, many Christians have practiced Hindu practices in celebrating their church festivals. The state is replete with instances of temple festivals starting with blessings from a church or mosques. Thus, the state's religious tolerance has been such that the communal RSS despite its presence in the state, has never been able to make even a foothold in the state legislature and has been unable to send representatives to the Parliament from the state. The education ministry in the state has courageously decided not to recall the said books. The minister M.A.Baby has repeatedly assured that the government was ready to initiate technical committees to study the books for any technical corrections, but any fundamental change in the curriculum was not possible. This decision is commendable, for the fact that this would help in unmasking of the communal forces that were behind the violence and riots against the Sikhs in Delhi and Muslims in Gujarat before the students. Despite this, many teachers' organizations of the Opposition have issued blatant threats to not teach these books. Such threats only reinforce the notion that any brave attempts to inculcate rational values has been opposed by such groups with vested political interests. Our young generation has been disallowed to 'grow up'. This trend is not only unhealthy for their future in terms of character building, but also seeks to negate the fundamental duties of the state to provide a rational and scientific education system devoid of decadent values and superstitions. This would only go on to bind them in the age-old practices and thus, defeat the very purpose of pursuing education.

As I Dream.......

2008-06-25T20:42:00.003+05:30

Dreams.....the mirror images of the reality, we wish to see!! Reveries are those which you can see in the day, the counterparts of the dreams you see, in the depths of your sleep. Every sleep brings more dreams; the unfulfilled wishes......like conquering the world, winning the heart of the lady you long for, and so. So, dreams are related to power, love, happiness and even disappointment..........Nightmares are another part of dreams.......!!Myths say that dreams foretell the events that unfold in each life....there are even beliefs that dreams you see in the morning become reality...some also say that the things which you carry closest to your hearts, also manifest themselves in your dreams.........Every man is a king in his dreams, for he or she is the one who carve their destinies...those little moments under the sun belong to him or her............Many even say that every idea is born out of some dreams too!! For some, dreams are even weird too!! Without dreams, this world would never have been the way, it is today.......So, let there be no limits...........let there be more and more dreams.

Confessions of a Sleepish Researcher

2008-06-23T18:13:00.008+05:30

Today I decided to sleep for some more time; extension of my sleeping hours.....Everyday, I go to bed aiming that the next day should be early for me, and that I get up at the first bell of the alarm. "Early Bird catches the Worm", thats an old English saying which could also be heard along with "Early to Bed and Early to Rise makes Jack Healthy, Wealthy and Wise". Sayings are after all for the sake of speech......the coziness of the bed is always irresistable. Curling up in the bedsheets and spreads brings the feeling of not getting up. Even after extending the alarm for every hour, the laziness and drowsiness remain. The dissretation still lies unworked.......Harding and Riskin call me to induct them.....so does Meisner, Solinger and other Chinese economists....law of value, commodity production, markets, planning, all seek to make their way in and be comfortable............China beckons......but sleep does too!! May be I should get up early from tomorrow.....the dissertation needs to be stylized well.....some polishing required too. Sacrifices make life.....I hear the notes of a prayer song floating through the morning mist!!Is that for me?Is my sacrifice to be counted as a loss of sleep........Every paradise has ample room for a 'crown of thorns' too!!

Learning to write Letters

2008-06-18T17:44:00.003+05:30

As the rain drops come down heavily, I open the door for the freshness to come in......and sweep me away!! Its still a joy to feel the tiny sheets of water caress your face......I have been waiting since morning for the Postman to come........Suddenly memories flood in.....This time, of my childhood when I was learning to write letters. Taking the ink-fountain pen and racking the brains, splitting the hair...to extract the words.........to start is the problem....Once the flow starts, then it is easy; this is what people say. Those days inland were in so vogue....those light blue folding mechanism...I had often tried to draw the images of the entire system of postal services in our country........how would my letter go to its destined place?? Tried to even imagine the people carrying it to the destination.

Well, returning to the very process of writing the letters......it was no doubt a laborious task.....our school education system has been a blessing.........it teaches you how to be formal and aristocratic........letters of various hues; some from a friend, some for a leave application, some for employment, some for blood relations, and so on.......But writing letters in childhood may be because of spontaneity too, like some lasting memory, some sights that you couldn't just forget, or some achievement you think as your own.............But the most diffcult part is when you write a letter on your parents' demand and then have to read it to them.....So there is a case of rough draft and then with the corrections (they always appeared inadvertently)!! Such labour and that too just to fill words in some pieces of paper............As you grew in age, love letters had to be the norm, according to the film world......But that in virtual reality, thats just an illusion!! For, people in relationships have resorted to much more advanced forms like e-mail, messaging, scraps and chats.........so letters have lost that touch too, except when some one takes the pains to gift a card!!

Coming to think of all these now, can make one laugh........the rains seem to have stopped now. The postman should be here any moment......hope my parcel is intact!!

Karnataka Assembly Election Results- An Analysis

2008-06-01T13:01:00.003+05:30

Its almost been one week since the verdict of the Karnataka Assembly Elections have come out. The Saffron forces have come to power south of the Vindhyas, for the first time and that too almost on their own. While the BJP had been coming upfront since quite some time now, this time around they have consolidated their position. The BJP has won 110 seats on its own, with the Congress(I) getting 80 seats and the JD-S reduced to a paltry 28. The Independents, all of them rebels got 6 seats.This verdict also is a time for serious introspection on the part of the secular forces because the rise of the Sangh Brigade in the state has far-reaching implications.

First of all, the people of Karnataka voted for stability and they saw the viable option in the BJP. In fact, the BJP was also able to play on the 'Great Betrayal' lament put forward by them, wherein the JD(S)-with whom they had shared power in the earlier Assembly-had refused to stick to the agreement of transfer of power. Playing on that emotion, the BJP carried forward their lament through out the election campaign. Also, in the Kumaraswamy government, the BJP as an allaince partner had got plump portfolios which they used to good effect. Also, the BJP by projecting Yeddyurappa as the Chief Ministerial candidate was also able to put forth the face of the party before the people of the State. Looking at the verdict, it is serious to note the growth of the BJP in many areas of the State. Taking Bangalore, always seen as a Congress stronghold, the Saffron forces emerged victorious in many metro constituencies taking away many from the Congress. The BJP also managed to retain its hold in Hyderabad Karnataka, Mumbai Karnataka and Central Karnataka-the Hubli-Dharwad region. It also made its presence felt in South Karnataka and maintained its position in Coastal Karnataka. It is also has to be noted that the BJP has expanded at the cost of the JD(S), whereby the latter has lost several seats. Though the traditional Hassan belt of the Gowda family has stood by it thsi time too, the disastrous performance by the JD(S) also has lots to do with the kind of opportunistic alliance it struck with the BJP under Kumaraswamy.

While the communal riots in Mangalore, Bangalore and Hubli happened under the BJP-JD(S) government, that was not the sole reason for the triumph of the BJP in these elections. Rather than aggressive posturing and rhetorical campaign on Hindutva that was seen during the Gujarat polls of 2002, the party also sought to take on the basic issues that also struck a chord with the voter. In fact, they had projected Yeddyurappa as the 'farmers' leader' and tried to ensure that the BJP be largely seen as a 'rural party' in the State.Building up the tempo by marking out this angle, the BJP was able to make good gains. However, the win for the Saffron forces was also helped by the incompeteness of the Congress. The lack of any vigour or meticulosuness in the Congress campaign machinery speaks volumes for such a performance. Typical of the politics of the bourgeiose parties, the dissidence within the ranks of the Congress party. Infighting within the party over ticket distribution even saw their senior leader and former Railway Minister, Jaffer Sharief resign from the party, only to return later after pacifications by the 'High Command'. Such squabbles further disoriented the party, which was biggest secular party. Even the bringing in of S.M.Krishna, who resigned as the governor of Maharashtra to oversee the polls did not help matters. While the Congress(I) did improve its performance from last year winning more seats and retaining its vote share, these efforts could not translate into a performance to beat the BJP. The pro-liberalization measures of the UPA government, breaking the back of the common man, have also played a significant part in these elections. The ever-Spiralling rise in prices has been a single point of attack on the UPA government, that percolated down to the State. Thus, it further damaged the prospects of the Congress(I). The party was thereby, never able to provide an alternative to the BJP.

The Secular consolidation that could have stopped the BJP, was also very weak. The JD(S) under Devegowda and Kumaraswamy through its opportunistic politics and alliance turned themselves into turn-coats. The BJP has in fact won more seats from the JD(S), wherein the constituencies that voted for the latter in 2004 have turned to the former this time around. The loss of several seats for the JD(S) is purely due to such unscruplous politics. In fact, the word Secular suffixed to them has been rendered completely meaningless. The tag of Kingmakers attached to Devegowda had also been made obsolete, in these elections. Tired of its his hip-hop, the mandate was clearly against him.

Having said all this, the ride ahead is also difficult for the BJP. This is very much evident in the ministry of Yeddyurappa that was sworn in. Consisting of 30 members, all the Independents who pledged their support except one, have gained berths as cabinet ministers. Hence, the need to get the simple majority of 113 that forced the BJP to seek their support has become an 'albatross around its neck'. The need now for the secular forces is to do the proper introspection and play the role of an effective as well as vigilant opposition, keeping this government at the toes, thereby raising the voice of the people. With one more year left to the General Elections, this verdict should also be a wake up call for the UPA government at the Centre, to pull up its socks and get its act together. In its pursuit of the Neo-Liberal policies and seeking for a strategic alliance with the imperialist US, the picture of 'RIsing India' put forth has all indications of going the 'Shining India' way of the NDA. The fact that such 'Indias' have been decisively defeated by the people of the country, has repeatedly been forgotten for the sake of convenience.

Post Script: However, despite several such wake up calls in the recent past, it doesn't seem that the UPA has woken up from its deep slumber.

People's Mindset in Kerala-Growing Elitism?

2008-05-27T02:53:00.015+05:30

As Godmen make headlines in the 'God's Own Country', the media-both print and electronic-have gone great lengths to unmask these fake spiritual sooth-sayers. The State Government has also pulled up its socks to take on these 'agents of divinity'!! Not a day passes in Kerala, when there isn't news about the nefarious activities of such fake men. Sitting in Delhi, one gets the feeling that perhaps the epitome for the state clearly sticks!! However, in the midst of all these exposures, somewhere lost among the fine print is the declaration of the SSLC results in the state.Coming a few years after the government of the State replaced its 'rank' system with that of grading, the State has seen a success percentage of close to 93%.

Such a remarkable success rate of the students comprising mainly of the government schools speaks volumes of the tireless efforts on the part of the Education ministry of the State to improve the overall outlook of this front. The Education Minister of Kerala, M.A.Baby had remarked during the result declaration that "to internalize such a remarkable result, the perception and vision of the Malayalis had to undergo a sea change". On expected lines, the socio-political spectrum in the State has reacted to these results; the opposition parties along with groups like the NSS-SNDP and other groups have sought to pooh-pooh such a high pass percentage!!In fact, the UDF in the state feels that next time around 'cent percent pass' is a strong possibility. Some have called these entire results as mockery. Rather than talking about the dynamics of the SSLC results itself, it would be interesting to understand the Malayali mindset through this result. Taking forward, Mr. Baby's arguments, the need for sea change in Malayali's frame of mind does give serious food for thought. The average Malayali today, especially those within the State have a great aversion towards government-run schools. This phenomenon, however is not restricted to Kerala alone; The government-run schools have always been looked down upon, and seen as lacking basic infrastructure and facilities. This is true to many such schools in far-flung areas. The Malayali parents, in their quest to give their children the best education available, see the management-run elite schools as their destination. Wearing ties, creamy uniforms, with smart polished shoes and bright ribbons have always been viewed as having a 'tip-top' character. In such a scenario, the uniforms (sometimes even lack of it!!) of Khaki pants and Green Skirts-Salwars lack the appeal. As commercialization and privatization has come to rule the roost in the primary education sector, Keralite parents run from pillar to post to ensure that their children are properly equipped to encompass themselves within such an elite background.

Many of these elite schools within the state have imposed gags on speaking in the native tongue, Malayalam. There have even been instances of the authorities imposing hefty fines and even literally branding students by having boards put around the necks of students 'who violate such gag orders'!! The Malayalis have come to accept such harsh discipline, along with increasing workloads of the students. Daily tutions, special classes, entrance coaching classes (for professional courses to be optimal in the race in the job market!!) other than regular classes not only over-burden the students (symbolized by the weighty school bags, which are back breaking!!), but also leave them little time to even breathe. The 'False Pride' of the Malayalis has also been an inseparable part in such aversion towards government schools. The very belief that students in such schools are indisciplined, not bright and 'countrys' as often stated by the Malayalis is a stark reflection of the elitist mentality of the Middle-Class in the state. While those Malayalis within the State exhibit these features, the non-residents outside Kerala go further ahead in displaying such false pretensions!! The learning of the Mother Tongue was considered out of fashion and many take pride in the fact that they never undertook serious measures to get their children to absorb the Malayali essence!! In fact, children speak to their parents, in all languages except the native tongue!!

I do not want to sound parochial through such articulation on my part. However, at times such false pride and pretensions of the Malayalis disappoints and demoralizes; In the rush to adopt CBSE/ICSE mode of culture for their children, the Malayali's mindset is also dove-tailed to suit that culture. So, when government schools by their continuous efforts to enhance their excellence succeed in their endeavours, the trivialization of these efforts by not coming to terms with the results and subsequent blame game, thus trying to drive home the point that such things are not possible at all. In such a situation, these efforts on the part of the elite middle-class echelons of the Kerala society definitely reeks of vested interests, thereby raising the need to take all of this with not just a pinch, but a handful of salt. So, when M.A. Baby talks of 'transforming people's mindset', the remarks have to be viewed by the Malayalis all the more seriously. Henceforth, the tasks for 'socially conscious' Kerala also become uphill.

ചില നേരങ്ങളില്‍, ചില തോന്നലുകള്‍

2008-05-23T16:29:00.009+05:30

എന്റെ മനസ്സ് ചില നേരങ്ങളില്‍ പതറുന്നു. എന്താണ് ഇതെന്ന് അറിയില്ല. ചിലപ്പോള്‍ വെറും തോന്നലായിരിക്കും.കുത്തിയിരുന്നു പഠിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരികുമ്പോള്‍ നേരം പോക്കല് കഷ്ടം തന്നെ. ഇത്തരം സന്ദര്‍ഭങ്ങളില്‍ വെറുതെ ഓരോ തോന്നലുകള്‍. മനസ്സില്‍ തട്ടുന്ന ഇത്തരം തോന്നലുകളെ ആട്ടിയോടിക്കാന്‍ പല തവണ ശ്രമിച്ചിട്ടും, ചിലപ്പോള്‍ കഴിയാറില്ല. ഇതിന് ഏറെ കാരണങള്‍ അന്വേഷിക്കാന്‍ പോയാല്‍ പിന്നെ വെറുതെ സമയം കളയുകയെ ഉള്ളു. അത് കൊണ്ടു സമയം മിനക്കെടുത്താതെ പോയി വൃത്തിയായി പഠിക്കുകയാണ് നല്ലത്, ശാരീരത്തിനും, മനസ്സിനും.

Summer Rains

2008-05-22T02:00:00.006+05:30

The heat and dust has settled temporarily!! Though dust storms continue to sweep the city, there is an amount of respite.....The fragrance of the soil heralds the arrival of showers, which are soothed by the clasps of thunder and lightening!!As the rains wash down the city, suddenly the clay pots and 'machine ka thanda paani' seem a thing of the past. There is a sudden thrill along with the chill in the air. Even the squeals of the mosquitoes have subsided..........

Sitting in my room, I open the backdoor allowing the breeze to caress my face.....the pitter-patter of the raindrops hums a soft tune....With occasional thunder rolling down, the dark clouds give the hope of more showers......Watching the trees and the earth soaked with the first rains in Summer rekindles the childhood innocence....of trying to dance in the rain, splash the puddles of water, and bring out one's creativity through paper boats!! As the night advances, rains don much more magical attires!! The calmness of the night is broken by the cries of the peacocks......in those thick jungles still untouched by the increasing human forays, there could be sights of peacocks spreading their serenic aura....................where the snakes could still offer a tough challenge to the mongooses...................where Neelgais roam about in a carefree manner.................

Summer Showers have its own unique charms, for it announces the impending arrival of the monsoon.......people build new theories of these squalls calling them signs of the phenomenon called Global Warming; call it by whatever name, rains also lock people up in their charming worlds............They also bring an unsual and unwanted lethargy...............Though avoidable, such laziness is often ignored............all this because in an ever moving world, 'getting wet' is often a big spoke in the wheel of time!!

Summer-What a Time!!

2008-05-20T23:49:00.007+05:30

Life has gone topsy-turvy these days. The 'discipline' in real sense is lacking; some exterior force is out to create chaos. The seriousness one needs has been making a slow progress. Life's order has been turned upside down. The tension is not just physical, but mental too, with the ever-pervasive fear of the purse strings becoming too loose to be tied up!!And there is only one scapegoat to take the blame.......SUMMER!!

Of all the seasons, the Summer months not only mean sweaty bodies, sun strokes and sun-burnt skins, but also physical weakness. As the fluids are sucked off the body, relief seems a far away mirage!!Water now costs more than fossil fuels.........The purses also take a heavy beating in the scorching heat..........The medical costs increase.....the nights are expected to offer more coolness.....but sometimes that is no guarantee!!If the windows are closed, then heat would take a monstrous shape, and if the windows are opened to let the cool breeze in, then there is the soft music of the mosquitoes!! The water crises deepens, with supply of water getting down to a trickle.....So bath seems a luxury at times!! But the bad body odour forces one to undertake this phenomenon not once, but twice in the day!!And as the cool water flows down of the shower, you decide that the paradise on earth is certainly not Kashmir, but your very bathrooms.........If water supply is the itching area, then the costs of electricity add to your woes in these months.....The supply is also a headache with frequent breakdowns, adding to the running sweat!! The various cooling devices in the form of coolers and air conditioners add to your electricity bills, as behind "every boon, there is a curse too"!!

Cost-cutting measures are also distant dreams......Even your food habits change adding to your expenses!!Fruits, juices, health drinks, revitalizers, refreshners and call it whatever you like.....all do give respite, but can dry up your pockets!! Summer is also famously associated with holidaying!! So, trips to higher reaches are the norm.......Trips to the Alps and Himalayas make families add revenue to the transportation agencies namely, flights and trains......As educational institutions close down for two months, the parents of the brats pray that the institutions open up early!!But bills of coaching classes and personality development programmes also rise up, as the mercury shoots up!!

So, Summer effectively means High Costs and Burning up of your hearts!! In the midst of all this, there is also a Dissertation to be written.....Will the Concept of Socialist Market Economy of China Under Deng Xiaoping fall in the right place given such severity of the situation?? It should, for this Summer is also a decider for my Research Life........Its a perfect time to do 'Re-Search'!!

Slaps, Cheerleaders and Big Business: IPL Musings

2008-04-28T00:18:00.015+05:30

The Cricket jamboree has finally dawned on this country. There is strict regulations on media coverage where monopoly has been garnered over using images; also included are 'Slap-Stick' comedy involving players in Mohali that gained more prime-time than any other event; then there are the cheerleaders. There is 'slam-bang' action, big hits, faster runs, swifter turn of events, rising TV timings and much more. The efforts are now to make us believe that IPL is THE BIGGEST THING happening on this planet. In this 'see it believe it' world, sport has got entrenched within the very same system that creates "One Country, Two Nations". That of millions living and struggling for one square meal a day, where hundreds of farmers have committed suicide due to agrarian distress in the countryside, where prices continue to rise thereby further trampling the aam admi and where the country shines & rises for the corporates. On the other end of the spectrum are a handful of multi-billionaires who keep vyeing to always remain in the top brackets. It is into such a volatile milieu that the manna called IPL has made its descent.

As games egg on, with cities in India pushing and shoving to be noticed, where false consciousness is injected with full vigour; thus making people identify and personify their 'model' teams; where sportsmanspirit and camraderie seem to come from the only fact that different nationalities melt with the joining of hands. Big money has come to stay authoratively in this make believe world. The game has been made to move on from the hands of the puritans to that of the entertainers. Throw in the corporates, throw in the big bucks, throw in the big names in entertainment industry and throw in the high-profile sponsors waiting to extract their share from the market. You now have the perfect receipes for the Big Dish. Thats what Cricket in the country in India has got as the label. Matches are being started in tune with the TV timings, with the best example being the Chennai Super Kings v/s Kings XI Punjab match had already crept into the scheduled 8 pm telecast of the Delhi Daredevils v/s Rajasthan Royals match; however, the latter match started only after the entire proceedings in the former match was done with. Entertainment has become the buzzword, with the sooth-sayers and eulogizers crying over the roof tops that the 20-20 format has started attracting the housewives (or as they say the fairer sex back into the drawing rooms in front of the television sets!!)

But such form of Entertainment brings with it crass commercialization and encourages the race for profit as correctly put forth by Nirmal Shekhar. The Cheerleaders of the different franchisees performing in the grounds has already raised much debates and protests. The 'roving cameras' moving in different angles is not only atrocious, but also projects women as mere objects for sexual desire. The commodification of bodies of women resulting from such concepts of cheerleading that have been justified under the banner of them existing in the United States, speaks volumes of the hankering of such culture. The space being occupied in the media by IPL has relegated many other serious issues into the background that include Price Rise, the international situation and even the new lows happening to India's national sport (and thats not cricket), Hockey. The expose of corruption ruling the roost in the administrative establishment of our game (that this was our national sport could only be realized once Chak De made it explicit!!) in an Olympic year where our team has failed to qualify brings home the realization that full degeneration has occured in our sporitng milieu as a whole. The 20-20 version has been often used to underline the need to chuk out the aged and replace them with fresh blood. The failures of Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman, and Kumble (Tendulkar not playing in the 1st 4 matches for his team) has been cited as the need to infuse new passions by abandoning the old baggage!!

Cricket has changed..................not only from the white flannels to coloured clothing or from the red cherry to the white kookaburra, but also the perception and larger vision. Money has started speaking BIG!!Players feel more secure in IPL than national duties (Aussies certainly think so and even New Zealand cricket is feeling pressure of both IPL and ICL with fear of desertions!!) Players are even demanding 45 days' window in the ICC Future Tours Programme so that IPL could be conducted smoothly without any 'hitch' of being called for national duties, thus envisioning IPL as a permanent feature not just for the coming 5 years, but mcuh more than that in the future. With the players being professional, they can afford to skip even national duties to play in IPL. After all, its their choice!!But as things stand now, this seems a mere formality. The game plummeting to new depths has been often stated; however, this is not a doomsayer's prophecy. Its a general lament. However, the question is whether anyone is listening?

A Jamboree by name IPL

2008-02-26T01:21:00.012+05:30

That Indian Cricket is going through a glorious period is something that has caught the fascination of many in this country. The team has started winning consistently outside the sub-continent. Whether it be in venues like Port of Spain, Kingston, Perth, Nottingham, or Johannesburg, where the test team has recorded comprehensive wins. The Twenty20 phenomenon too has caught on and the dreams of the young blood raising the 2011 World Cup are also being increasingly put forth with greater intensity. However amidst all this comes, a big festival by the name Indian Premier League or call it IPL.

Christened by that name, the IPL was the official version drawn up against the revolting Indian Cricket League of Subash Chandra and the Essar group. This parallel league envisioned could not take off in a fitting manner due to the efforts of the BCCI to erode any attempts to change its dictum in India's cricket scene. With the Twenty20 fever catching on in the country in the context of India's win at the Twenty20 World Cup has made IPL a permanent entity in the cricketing arena. However let me at the outset state that the game is increasingly become commercialized. A dear friend writes stating that this commercialization is nothing but fait accompli. Though I appreciate his article, for once I do not endorse the fait accompli factor at all. The Board of Control for Cricket in India or the BCCI is the most richest sports body in the country. Lalit Modi, BCCI Vice-President and the brain behind the IPL is out to 'market' or 'sell' the game.IPL is nothing but a complete sell-out to higher interests. In the name of Franchisees, big corporates have pooled in their moolah. The bidding process bares out the commercial interests running-or say, ruining the game!! The way in which players were bought exposes this fact. The corporate media was in the forefront stating disappointments as to why certain stars were sold only on the base price? Ricky Ponting expressed his belief that he could have been for a 'bit more'!! With the glamour quotient quite in vogue in this cricket crazy country, the film stars add glitz to the entire IPL!! Throwing in a Shahrukh Khan or Preity Zinta fetches more returns according to market analysts!!

The dream machine or the treasure box called IPL has also been sold out in terms of media rights, with the five years of telecast rights given to Sony television, which had also similarly pumped money to the ICC in five years to telecast World Cup and the Champions Trophy. The media has also gone to town with the fact that many small town cricketers will stand to benefit, thereby somewhere putting in the theory of trickle down. That the small town boys do have great dreams of wearing the India cap and colours is not some thing I would argue against. However, one also feels that brand endorsements along with the graded contracts system now in place in Indian cricket do benefit them. Even the domestic cricket today has a much more enhanced graded payment. Post-retirement too the players have been given many sops. Indian cricket arena has turned out to be a golden goose laying prosperity. But whose prosperity-of the corporates, brands, players or the audiences?? Thats the million dollar question!! My dear friend, though rightly points out that the entirely skewed system of IPL is part of the same system that produces handful of multi-billionaires and hundreds of farmers committing suicides!! However what is even more interesting is the fact that the person who should have been held accountable for those suicides is himself running this showbiz by being at the helm of affairs in Indian cricket. Perhaps the Great Indian Tamasha, now unravelling the maze of cricket's corporatization has more such fun-filled tales to reveal!!

(Cartoons courtesy The Hindu)

Inzamam-the Symphony has ended!!

2007-10-14T03:32:00.001+05:30

The phenomenon called Inzi has finally walked into the sunset of his career. The 2nd test against South Africa at the Gaddafi stadium, Lahore proved to be his swansong. Inzamam-ul-Haq, one of the prodigies unearthed by the great Imran Khan was not just a wonderful batsman, but a great cricketer on the field and a good human being off it. Whatever be his limitations like the running between the wickets or his physique, there should be no doubt in any body's mind as to what a wonderful batsman he was. With the technique, timing, shot selection, and the hand-eye coordination, he had lifted Pakistan as a great cricket team. The Flick, the Cut and Pull, the Hook, the Slog sweep and the more orthodox sweep shot, Cover drive, Straight Drive, Back-foot Punch and the Square Cut are all the versatile shots in his book.

There can be many innings played by him that can be described as "the best" by the pundits. Whether it be the 60 against the Kiwis in the semi-finals of thr 1992 World Cup, the 184 against India in Bangalore during his 100th Test Match, the hundred against India in Karachi One Dayer in 2004 which India won by 5 runs, the epic 329 against New Zealand in Lahore in 2002 and the crucial half centuries against Australia and South Africa in Karachi in 1994 and 2007 respectively. But I would choose his undefeated innings of 138 against Bangladesh in his home ground at Multan in 2003 as the best I saw from Inzi. That innings-something for which I stayed glued to the television-was played under immense pressure and that too, with a significant contribution from the tail. Having had a disastrous World Cup campaign in South Africa, where Pakistan crashed out of the first round and where Inzi himself had a poor campaign, the magic in Multan was due to the calming presence of Inzi. Needing to score around 262 for a win, the home team was tottering at 205 for 8 and the Bangladeshis smelling a rare away victory. Inzamam who had been removed from the team after the World Cup was making a comeback. He along with the last two tail enders ensured that the team was home by one wicket. That kind of shots played by Inzi that day just made things more clearer as to why he along with Tendulkar and Lara were among the best batsmen in cricket. My favourite Inzamam shots on any day would be the pull/hook and the flick. The way in which he used to move forward and back against the faster bowlers for the pull/hook shot was just a treat to watch. No wonder Imran called him 'the best player against fast bowling'. Even the sight of his stepping out of the crease to hit the spinners for towering sixes was a also a visual treat.

However, at times he was susceptible to quality bowling. Anil Kumble got him the most (8 times). But even then, Inzamam always came back well against him. His stint as Captain also had its own highs and lows. His partnership with coach Bob Woolmer proved to be a winning combination too!! But then another disastorous World Cup campaign in the Carribean and the tragic death of Bob Woolmer were some of the darkest days not only for him, but for the entire Pakistani cricket history. With the departure of Inzamam, the last of the legends of 1992 World Cup triumph too have moved on. Despite all the ruckus of the ball tamepring and match forfeiture at the Oval against England, the incident only reflected Inzamam's pride in leading Pakistan. Something similar to Arjuna Ranatunga's defence of Muralitharan against umpire Ross Emerson in Australia in 1999!! Standing by his team through the thick and thin brings out the best in the leader and same was true for Inzamam. 17 out of his 22 Test hundreds proving to be match winning ones also speaks loud of his commitmment to the team cause. The reply given by him in his last press conference as a test cricketer, Inzamam had pointed out that he badly wanted to win the match for Pakistan and which he felt could be achieved through aggressive batting; but then the sort of the dismissal (stumped by Boucher in the bowling of Harris) as he said, could on any other day have been a ball that might have fallen into the stands. Inzamam was truly a phenomenon and without him, the soothing effect one feels while watching the Pakistani batting, is no more going to be there. Thus, he just slipped away from Pakistan cricket.

Hero in a New Avatar

2007-08-11T03:49:00.001+05:30

Watching Anil Kumble getting to his maiden test hundred at the Oval wherein he was undefeated on 110, was something that brought out the unexpressed batsmanship in him. The way he deifed the English was something that reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to the cause. As India were dismissed for a mammoth 664 and thereby dreams of a Test series win in England since 1986 seeming to be headed towards materialization, Kumble the champion emerged holding his head high. A person who had every now and then been put outside the 'orthodox' bracket due to the sheer fact that he couldn't turn the ball. The Jumbo has always answered the sceptics with his wizardry over the ball. The never-say-die attitude of Kumble makes him a very potent force wherein he keeps on maintaining the pressure and thereby always comes at the opposition batsman. This hundred is compounded with the numerous half centuries he has made like the 88 against the likes of Donald and Co. in Eden Gardens, Kolkata in 1996.

The Master has reworked his magic; the willow replacing the ball this time around. Salutations to you, sire!! The series win against the English which very much is now on the horizon will also be a fitting tribute for the Bangalorean where he made his debut in 1990-91-Allan Lamb was his first victim-and where his swansong would also be the loudest.

One More Round Without Food

2007-07-15T15:21:00.001+05:30

Another agitation has just ended in JNU in the form of yet another of Indefinite Hunger Strike and yours truly was also part of it for 8 days. Though it was 12 days for the other strikers, I joined late. So, one more round of appaluse, the usual enquiries about health. This was the second such effort within the past 10 months. Seems the practice of staying without food is working well!!Some people are even terming me as a Veteran in this front!!Hmm...........Life Moves On........

On World Anti-Tobacco Day

2007-05-31T10:14:00.001+05:30

31st May is a good day to write something in the blog, for that would end the long summer drought of 'no posts' in the entire month. As I racked the brains and did a lot of hair splitting, found one topic of interest. For this, I thank Pallavi Aiyar for her article in The Hindu on the rising use of Tobacco in China. Yes, May 31st is World Anti-Tobacco Day.

Statistics point out that tobacco is one of the biggest cause of human deaths, though not an immediate basis. Still it has a long term effect, not only the life of the smokers, but also those who could be termed as passive smokers. Cigarrettes and Beedis form the major chunk of tobacco consumption. Under the WHO norms whcih many nations have signed and ratified, including India and China clearly states some measures to be undertaken t0 restrict their consumption. Under this comes, the ban of smoking in public places as well as puttting up pictures of people affected by smoking on the cigarette labels. In India, the Health ministry has already started working on these lines, with the the statutory warning of "Smoking Being injurious to Health" being showcased widely. Already the movies and tele series have been asked to ban smoking scenes within them and for those which have already come to the fore, warnings have asked to be displayed before their screenings. Also hefty charges and fines have been levied on the people who smoke in the public places. Various public awareness drives and campaigns have also been carried out by the Government and various other agencies as well as non-governmental groups to highlight the negative effects on human health due to tobacco consumption.

However, the ultimate question that Pallavi points out is regarding the Government's revenue from taxes on the cigarette companies vis-a-vis the health factor of the people. However, on a personal note, neither do I smoke nor do I endorse anyone else doing the same. At times I even go to the extent of asking the smokers to not do so, when I am in their midst and feel uncomfortable. However, I feel that imposing moral codes on people to make them quit smoking is to go the other extent. Though smoking has to be discouraged for people in their teens, I do feel that others are more mature and do know the consequences of tobacco consumption. Hence, there is no need impose sanctions on them as they can very well understand the gravity of the things. Also, there is a question of imposing blanket bans, as that would amount to closure of these companies and units in the long term, thereby causing unemployment for those working in them. Thus, the role of the State is critical here, as it needs to maintain a delicate balance. The ideal measure would be for the State to continue with its educational campaigns on this matter and allow the citizens to make the proper choice. On an individual level, the non-smokers could continue their efforts to make the smokers realize the ill-effects of smoking, thereby having a cascading effect on them and making them quit smoking altogether.

Aussies Rule Again

2007-04-29T05:23:00.001+05:30

Didn't feel any particular need to write something in the blog, after having a post just couple of days back. Then saw the Aussies triumph for the third successive time at the World Cup finals, this time against the Lankans. McGrath had a fitting farewell as he was declared the Player of the Tournament. Just do not know whether any other team can rise in the near future to challenge the Kangaroos. Seems as if the real battle is among the rest of the teams to decide the Second Best; for the title is reserved for the Aussies. Deservingly they have made winning a habit.

Well, speaking of the rest of the teams, just read this article by Rohit Brijnath in the latest edition of the Sportstar, titled "The Problem with the Australian Cricket". A nice refreshment for the heart and soul!! Really at least on one front, the Aussies need to learn from the Indians!!

Through the Rain of Tears

2007-04-27T13:01:00.001+05:30

The day had been particularly very mundane until he saw 'her'. Was she the same person whom he had known since his Master's and Research days? Hard to believe!! He tried to pinch himself, to try to not remain in reverie. It was real; a chance encounter. As he approached her, he feared whether she could still recognize him after all these long years. She did. He silently thanked the seminar organizers for having chosen this city for him to present a paper. After all, his bachelorhood was still continuing with all such engagements other than the primary task of teaching in the very university, where he acquired his Ph.D. With lunch being already done, the chance was only for a small refreshment. However, he chose a dinner date-after all these years!!- and she agreed. One of those small beach-side restaurants was going to prove to be the dating point.

As he got ready for the occasion, a wave of memories hit him. The day they had first met as newcomers to that great university, and how their friendship had blossomed. How they had cursed and reprimanded the professors together, that too at times when he himself did not have any problems with them; How much he enjoyed accompanying her to the station to see her off for home; then the longing at heart, the yearning that she 'returns' soon; the wait for sweet-meats from her home; How eagerly he wanted to help her in everything that she wanted; How much he longed to spend every minute of his life in the campus with her!! How those long hours of chai at the dhaba in the campus had proved to be a jelling factor for them; how much he longed to have a bike, just to make her sit behind him placing her lovely hands on his shoulder and zoom off!! And how really he got one, on which she did sit. But not as he wanted. Those days were full of colour and fragrance. Life seemed to have an entirely different meaning; a different purpose altogether; something better to live for. Those Days...................

And now here he was by the sea-side before her on a table specially arranged both of them. It seemed only yesterday that she had left him.............the vagaries of life which was so deceiving!! He watched her face from the glow of the candle on the table.........Though the age was beginning to play the usual tricks, the old tenderness still remained, something that had captivated him in the past and made him fall for her........Those lovely hands and tender fingers......how much he longed to touch them......!! He couldn't, neither then nor now. What stopped him??........Was it the ever-arising fear of losing her??............ Dinner came; "some nice fish varieties, fresh from the evening catch, sir", the waiter was repeatedly trying to please them...... The waiter doesn't have to understand his feelings, for he was not paid for that. All through she spoke very little.........Occasionally she smiled, but her innocent laughter which he hoped to treasure some day as his sole possession, was certainly missing. The talk generally moved around the usual enquiries regarding the mutual friends and as how their lives were moving along. The aroma of prawns and pomfrets wafted through the air accompanied by the cool sea breeze............It had been two years since her marriage!! Was he shaken?? He did not show it, though. A sudden loss of words and he 'cooked up' his heartfelt wishes. But settling into the family life did not seem to produce the happiness in her. Was it her disappointment that she could not chose her life with him; was it because she expected him to take the initiative and seek her hand; or was this all part of his fantasies, thereby making him realize that she was indeed contended with her marital life.........

The night was advancing. The next day, he had to take a flight to get back to his daily slog, to the world of books, students, lectures and seminars; and she had to return back to her home, to her own world. The question still rankling him was whether she ever had any reciprocity to his feelings for her. In their long night walks in the campus when she would have really wanted him to hold her hands, kissing her little fingers, or wrap his arms around her.................. When she wanted to lean unto his shoulders for comfort............He would perhaps never know............His timidity was always getting the better of him and thus preventing him from asking her about that. Perhaps even her heart was going through similar turbulations right now........Her mind fighting several battles on such questions......He was increasingly getting that gut feeling..........He hoped and prayed at least for once that the walls of silence surrounding them to be shattered, allowing both of them to open up. That would never happen for he knew their destinies were never linked........If they did, then their lives would have been so different today. Call it fate, ill-luck or whatever..............!! Was life beckoning to move on??........but move on where? Tomorrow, they would go in different ways; perhaps there could be a phone call or an email once......Even that would disappear in the course of time. Far in the sea, the lights of fishing boats and trawlers were flickering.........the sea was calm today. It was a clear night, with all the stars twinkling above them..........The sands beneath their feet was trying to provide a cushion.............The coffee tasted well. With the bill being paid, they began the long walk back to their hotels.

Over their heads, the sky was getting heavier now. Flashes of Lightening were streaking across. The Clouds were gathering. A light breeze was flowing, which was gathering pace rapidly and which carried the message of the imminent rains. Her long, curly hair was ruffled in the breeze, and it covered her face. She adjusted it with her lovely hands, which again made him look into her eyes with the same unbridled love. They wanted to speak........But the words never came out!! Her hotel was first in the route......Leaving her at the gate, he blabbered something.......she promised to call soon.......Was her voice breaking........was there a tinge of sadness lurking in that voice??............His throat had gone dry.......tears were welling up in his eyes........He controlled them and prayed that they didn't break out before her. He could see from a corner of his eyes that she too tried hard to control her emotions with her eyes becoming moist.......Seeking to end this agony, he bade her farewell and wished her good night. Above in the sky, clouds were beginning to grow heavier and a light thunder was rolling down. Gradually rain began to fall. "Off-season Showers", someone remarked!! Slowly, she alighted the steps and moved into the hotel lobby, from where she silently disappeared into the lift......In that short journey, she had turned back several times, hoping that he would call her back and warmly embrace her, holding her close to his heart!! He only kept waving his hands...........Standing there, he watched her go, the same way as he had watched her leave years back in the campus...............As she disappeared from the scene, he placed his hands in the pocket of his trousers and walked back to his hotel. Tears rolled down his cheeks as the reservoir of emotions had finally been breached. The night was growing darker and the rain was coming down heavily now. His sorrows were soon submerged in the showers, as he quickened his walk through the Rain of Tears.....................................

Re-Living History: People's Power through the Ballot

2007-04-06T03:21:00.001+05:30

April 5, 2007-This landmark day marks the 50th anniversary of the first Communist Government to come to power anywhere in the world through ballot. The State of Kerala elected the Communist Party under the leadership of Comrade E.M.S. Namboodiripad as the Chief Minister This Golden Jubilee-celebrations will be carried on throughout the State by the LDF government led by the CPI (M) -is a time for memories and reminiscences. Typically an occasion to re-live the Past and re-visit History. (In the pic. is the front page of the Deshabhimani on April 5, 1957 describing the coming to the power of the E.M.S government).

The State Government's progressive policies were mainly of the Agrarian Reforms and the Democratization of the Education System-the then Education Minister being Prof. Joseph Mundassery. The government was unceremoniously dismissed from office after only 28 months, with active collaboration of the Centre, then under the rule of the Congress(I) in connivance and funding from the CIA. The dismissal was also effected by the large-scale gang-up of the reactionary forces of the Church and the Nair Service Society, combining with the Opposition parties, in what was infamously called the Vimochana Samaram. This clearly exposed the bourgeoisie-Landlord nexus, against the pro-people government.

As Comrade Karat puts it in his article in the People's Democracy, this was, perhaps, the first time in the history of the world Communist movement that the Communist Party had agreed to form a ministry under capitalism – with a bourgeois-landlord government controlling the centre and with effective economic power in the hands of a handful few. How was it possible? It was possible because it was the desire of the Kerala masses and masses elsewhere. It was possible because the immediate issue before the people was not the introduction of socialism – social transformation – but urgent social and economic reforms – including land reforms, honest administration and implementation of the rights given under the Constitution. The policies on which first Communist Government of Kerala had embarked continue to have an impact on the country as a whole, even today. Perhaps, that's the biggest tribute we could pay to the Comrade E.M.S-led government of 1957 which is well enshrined in the slogan "People's Unity Long Live"!!

When Idols are Crushed and Heroes are Hounded..............

2007-03-26T00:38:00.001+05:30

The twin faces of sport are extremely complex. Sometimes it takes you to great heights and at times, it brings you down to earth with the same force. Thats why Sport is a great leveller!!

Cricket falls in the same category. It takes you to the commanding heights as well as to the amazing lows. In fact, thats the beauty of the game, "the good old game". It is often taken a cruel form when the taste of defeat is always bitter. That has also made the followers of the game take it to their hearts. Then their reactions spiral out of control and dons a fanatical role. Hence, when Sachin or Inzamam fail with their willows-which on any given day would pack a very powerful punch-there are uproars for their blood. In this fanatical following, where the rational minds are thrown out of the window and hearts rule the roost, the biggest casualty are the mortals or to be more precise, the players. Therefore, when the fans who root for their stars to shine brightly by shaving their heads, colouring their faces, placing large bets, and sit for hours before the television sets to catch late night action in the Carribean, go overboard with their reactions, its not the way to follow a sport. To put things in the right perspective, an innovative coach losing his life while being in the process of taking a great but unpredictable team to ultimate glory is certainly not cricket. The amount of stress, both physical and mental, carried on the shoulders of the players and the coaches is something that is highly alarming.

It serves to drive home only one point that the people whom we raise to the pedestal of glory are in a way, only mere mortals, always prone to errors. Sometimes getting to bask in the sunshine, and at times receiving nothing but the sack as well as flak. However, this is not to play down the level of commitment that the players have to put in every game, that is in its each and every aspect. The angst of the fans are also moulded by the role of the media. The inconsistent and irresponsible role of the media in bringing out the right picture is to be blamed. It is the media, that takes the players to greater 'summits'. Thus, the fans are forced to go through a great deal of emotional travails, thereby bringing in both dreams and nightmares with equal force. Thats where sport loses its magic, its charm, its unpredictability.................!!!! It turns morbid, and redundant while pushing the entire game into the background and bringing into the forefront needless and mindless discussions which are not only time consuming, but also not in keeping with the positive spirit of the game.

The World Cup-to decide the champions of cricket-happens once in four years and losing out in the process is a serious issue. However, it is not a case of life and death!! India and Pakistan may have made an early exit, but the game has to go on. Both the teams would need to start afresh with the goal being aimed at the next World Cup. There have been new teams showcasing their skills and they had a better day in the field. The need is to encourage their performances and give credit where it is due. The true winner is only the game, at the end of the day. Cricket's magic has to return and for that to happen, the fans need to be more understandable. As the people in West Indies tell you, "its afterall only a game maan"!! Only if they gave a helpful ear to the now-famous words of a great tennis icon at Wimbledon sometime back: when Boris Becker broke the silence at the press meet in 1985 after losing out to the little known Peter Doohan, "Nobody died, I just lost a tennis match!!" That is why no sensible fan should entertain the thoughts of drastic steps and in fact should direct their reactions/interventions towards issues which concern our daily life, of bread and butter than just a game of cricket.......................... This is the precise reason why yours truly will not jump into the Indian Ocean for the humiliating exit of Team India from its World Cup campaign even very-well knowing that they were the finalists during the last edition............................!!!!

P.S: While writing this, the death of Woolmer is growing murkier with each passing day. Even the can of bookie worms is being re-opened!! This is a script whose climax may never be known!!!!......................

On a Long Drive.......

2007-02-13T03:30:00.001+05:30

As the clouds gathered and shrouded over the Sunday morning, sleep never withdrew from my eyes and mind......... Pulling my rajaai the body once again, I tried to forget the world outside.......every bit of it, including the impending Chinese language exam, which was hanging like the sword of Damocles.......... The cellphone suddenly bursts out with the Malgudi Days ringtone. No peace of mind, even on a dull and chill weekend........

But the news is interesting.........offer of a long drive to a wedding in Haryana, about 100 kms from Delhi. After initial reluctance to get out of the comfort zone, I decided to have a quick bath and tuck in some light brunch-for the regular breakfast time had already passed due to my over-sleep. Since living away from home for sometime now, the skill of automobile driving-that too a four-wheeler-seems to have got a bit rusty!! The vehicle for travel was an Alto, of Maruti. Not too complicated to drive around!! Getting onto the wheel accompanied by four others, the journey had started well. The car had just one deficit, which being the absence of a music stereo. Long route; sometimes plain highway and at times some bottlenecks in traffic. Moving away from the highway into the interiors!! The metalled roads giving way to cattle-tracks. Plus, the overnight rains bringing in slush and mud into the road!! driving at around 80 kms is no doubt a challenge. Stopping for chai and light refreshments at two three places, keep on asking people the correct location, and re-filling gas, the journey was memorable.

Reaching the destination just in time to see the ceremony, and being part of the grand feast was something more joyful. As soon as the things were done there, the return. Now through the state highway, watching the rain coming from a distance; through the midst of mustard fields, blowing the horns loud and clear; clearing the way for the car to race ahead at a speed of 80-100 km/hr..............another kodak moment!! The absence of music system was forgotten as each of the passengers sang their hearts out!!!! As the sticky rain continued with the car splashing through the puddles on the roadside, hits of Kishore-Amitabh flowed delicately......... As the dusk finally settled around, pal pal dil ke paas was the reverberating tune...........Finally after the day long journey ended with the vehicle entering the campus and the keys being handed back to the rightful owner, its time to end the role of the chauffeur. Some accolades from the fellow passengers, with pats on the back and praising words for being an expert driver, there are even promises of dinners!! As I walk back through the wintry night to get quickly under the quilt, there is a tune on my lips. May be the next marriage should ideally be in Agra.......!!!! Long Drive, another vehicle perhaps and another occasion to feast upon.......Hmmmmm, its really mouth-watering!! By the way, have the showers again started??

Watching Traffic Signal.............

2007-02-09T00:39:00.002+05:30

Watching the movie Traffic Signal by Madhur Bhandarkar last week, has my mind more lighter. In the sense that, unlike his first two editions in the Mumbai trilogy, Page 3 and Corporate, Traffic Signal does state the obvious; however, it doesn't go beyond that. In the sense that, the film doesn't go on to say something new. The life at the signals in the metros of our country is well and truly reflected in the film. In fact, my take would be that under the given circumstances, this could only be the right way to produce it on the screen. However, it still is silent on the aspect that the character of Silsila-played by Kunal Khemu-can also be exploitative, wherein he opresses those under him. Here, he is generally portrayed as a messiah or as in the end, a kind of redeemer or kind of saviour. The movie's end is also one on predictable lines-going on to "wash off his sins"!! The other critiques of the film also stand-like no proper organziation of the characters, no soul-filling music unlike his earlier films in the trilogy nor any hard-hitting statements against the system or the way of things.

Hence, this film cannot in any terms be compared with his other two ventures. Page 3 and Corporate were strong statements on the times we were living in, particularly on the cosmopolitan life we generally feel cozy about. The hollowness of the life at the Page 3 parties as well as the rush to sell off public assets for a song do not necessarily match the life led by a big group of people at the numerous signals in the metropolitan cities. However, the most remarkable thing which the director has been able to expose the hierarchy exisiting within the system. The hafta taken from the people at the signals is taken over by guys like Silsila, who in turn are led by another perosn, who essentially acts as the middleman and takes the collection to the lord above. This lord is on the other hand controlled by the hawala transactions from outside the country's borders. This whole racket or ring is a huge one, which is thereby linked through a long chain. This chain link is effectively something 'cast in stone'!!!!

Overall the movie has a typical signature by Bhandarkar; but that signature is not on the same lines like in the past. It, on the whole is more lighter and much more 'out of the emotional bracket'.

Abnormal Times

2006-12-30T21:41:00.001+05:30

Saddam Hussein has departed from the face of the earth today morning at 6.05 Baghdad time (8.30 IST), when he was hanged to death in a specially constructed ( can even better be termed as hastily built!!) facility on the banks of river Tigris. His departure marks the end of an era in West Asian politics; something which began with him taking over the reins of the country in the 1960s and carrying on till 2003.

His trial- of killing over 148 Shias in Dujail in 1982-has been one of the most biggest shams ever seen. The same is the case with other trials like the killing of Kurds in Hallabja or the human rights violations accused on him by the invasionist forces in Iraq today. No fairness in trial, his defence lawyers being murdered and no chance given for Saddam to defend himself. Even the Appeals Court, within a month of the trial court's verdict ordering his execution, refused to seriously re-consider the same. All the agencies-the courts and judges, the puppet regime of Morouki and Talabani propped up by the US were hell-bent on doing away with Saddam Hussein forever. However, the whole story was scripted in Washington and London. George W.Bush states that this was a milestone in the restoration of 'democracy' in Iraq. That has got to be the joke of the year!!!!His New Year party would now be more relishing and that wine may taste more 'sweeter'!!!! His loyal poodle Tony Blair would only be more contended in 10, Downing Street before his puts in his papers!!!! Consider this. Who should have been there in gallows in the real place?? Saddam or Bush, Blair and Company????

A war that was committed in the name of WMDs (it has been over years now and is there still any news of those WMDs ????); Leave any WMDs, there were not even sophisticated and worthwhile armament units in Baghdad!! Will Bush ever stand trial for the crimes against humanity that he committed with his loyal allies?? Will he answerable to the hundreds of children who died for the want of essential food and medicines during the days of sanctions?? Will he ever be implicated in the human rights violations committed in Guantanamo Bay and Abu Gharib?? Will he and his company be ever answerable for the 'illegal invasion' (as termed by UN itself!!But with UN not being seen as an effective International Organization anymore, won't this statement be a joke??)?? Has the thirst for Oil ended or are Chevron-Texaco, Exxon-Mobil and British Petroleum still looking for newer pipelines to be laid?? There are only questions that are visible. Answers seem to have been lost or to say, forgotten in the eagerness to conquer new regions!! The Empire has to be nourished and the Emperor needs to adorn new clothes!!

Afghanistan and Iraq have already been vanquished; newer areas like Iran, Syria and North Korea fall next in priority in the 'axis of evil'. But have the former two really been 'done and dusted'. Then, that is incorrect. The massive resistance by the Iraqi people against the imperialist forces, as well as the fire faced in Afghanistan have made US seriously think of the R word-of Retreat!! That has always been the unwritten rule of the thumb for US Imperialism. Enter a Country, use it as a tool ans very conveniently wash the hands off and leave. Saddam Hussein is another friend-turned-foe of the US. As from the beginning till the 'instruments' had usage, they were oiled and well-maintained, later to be dumped!!Typical use and throw!! The US creates and later turns out to destroy the creations. The Mujahideen in Afghanistan were trained and armed by the CIA against the Soviets, but they provided the US with Osama Bin Laden. Similarly, once upon a time Saddam was their comrade-in arms against Iran, wherein the 8-year Iran-Iraq war itself had the US administration pitching Baghdad against Teheran. Even before in some the overthrows that happened in Iraq in the 1950s, the US sided with the Baath party. But the Iran-Iraq war caused major impacts on the Iraqi economy, forcing Saddam to raise oil prices, which directly angered the US. Then, the invasion in Kuwait broke any existing links between the two countries. So, the moral of the story is never go in for any permanent arrangements!!

There is no doubt that Saddam was involved in human rights violations. He had silenced any dissenting voice against him; he had wiped out the communist party, once an important section in the government of the country. But many also say that even though he ruled with an iron hand, he had united the country, trying in to bring in a Socialist system. He had tried to provide a better deal to the peasants and the poor; many feel that perhaps his biggest contribution was curb any sectarian violence between the Shias and Sunnis, thus providing rock-solid stability to the country, something which is primarily absent today. He may be right or wrong, but that has to be decided by the people of Iraq; decided by a popular and sovereign government elected by a mass majority of people, and not by puppets installed at the behest of Washington; the affairs of the country cannot be run by people who fly every second time to White House and Downing Street!! Seems father, Bush Sr,. has been avenged by sonny, finally!! However, will Iraq be ever the same again?? That is the million dollar question. The neocons believe Saddam's execution will put things right in that country. However, the mass peoples' resistance is only growing, and there is no so-called religious differences emerging between the Shias and the Sunnis. Both are united in a prolonged battle against the imperialist forces.

Our country, whose anti-imperialist freedom struggle had inspired many of the Third World countries to throw off their foreign yokes, has shown the similar non-serious stance. The MEA called the execution as 'unfortunate' and 'disappointing'!!The ministry seems to now have a well-rehearsed and by now, a stale statement to make!!Look at this country's Foreign Minister's statement: the Indian government 'hoped' that even after the verdict was upheld by the Appeals Court, Saddam would have been spared of the gallows and thus, would not have been executed!!!! . This joke should definitely be a threat to the contestants of the Great Indian Laughter Challenge Show, for the minister may give them a good run for their money!!!!There was no strong stance adopted by the UPA government. The government has become a spokesman of the Bush administration!! The efforts are aimed at going to any lengths to please the US; by kowtowing the mission is to become the junior partner of the US. The Indo-US Nuclear Deal is the best instance, along with the Joint Military Exercises, keep up the strategic relations with Israel, inspite of its actions against the Palestinian people. Here, even ministers are replaced on the account that, the 'US was displeased' with their actions!!The ruling classes in this country are readying themselves to tear away the Tricolour and replace it with the Stars and Stripes!! The fact that Diego Garcia is only some nautical miles away in the Indian Ocean has meant that the region is under the radar scopes of the imperialist powers.

Saddam's martyrdom, as I would call it was in the battle against Imperialism and the refusal to live in the shadows of the colonial masters. He faced death courageously, and kept his head high while walking to the gallows. His death proves to be yet another clarion call for the anti-imperialist and progressive forces all over the world to join hands against this globalized struggle against imperialist globalization!! The struggle has to be at various fronts like political, economic, and cultural, thus, taking the resistance to greater levels. Many term the resistance happening in Iraq as 'bloody'; but then according to Tariq Ali, when "you have an ugly occupation, then you cannot have beautiful resistance". The model shown in the backyard of the US-once considered the laboratory of the Neo-Liberal economic policies-under the leadership of Castro, Chavez, Morales, Ortega and many others have opened the doors for many nations to assert their sovereignty, thus challenging the supremacy of the US. The mass peoples' movements, built on the foundations of the association of various fronts would engineer the struggle against hegemony and dominance. Therefore, this New Year beckons us to once again go back to Pastor Niemoller. We are living in times when the Empire wants to take every shred from the people to feed itself; hence, the need to fight it with tooth and nail. This is an Empire wanting the Haves to go on stocking the resources, and Have Nots cast to 'dangerous tempests'. It is a struggle between the Elites, who throw the struggling masses into the furnaces of Global Wars to feed their 'unsatiated hunger' for more power!!Saddam's execution is also a cover-up to protect these poweful elites from any skeletons that might be unearthed in future!!! These are Abnormal Times, where the only motto that matters is that "People United Shall Always Be Victorious" !!!!

The Magicians

2006-12-27T22:35:00.002+05:30

As the year comes to an end, the media and the masses have already started to float their minds back at the events that occured in the passing year. There were many fond memories and some painful ones. While many people may choose different issues, themes and incidents, for me the one memory of this year will be from the sporting arena. The Azzuris were crowned the World Champions in the Beautiful Game; China reasserted itself in the Asiad at Doha; Nadal and Federer continued their glorious run in Roland Garros and the Centre Court of the All England Club; Indian cricket team went through its usual highs and lows; Sania Mirza created some flutters; Schumacher and Agassi walked into the sunset of their careers with their heads held high. But for me the image of 2006 would without doubt be, the retirement of the two magicians from International Cricket- Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. The duo who have formed a great wall for the Australian cricket, will be the last members of the Allan Border era to bid their farewell to international cricket. As they hang up their boots, becomes impertinet to all the lovers of the Gentleman's Game.

A Magician performing trciks through revolutions in the cricket ball. That was a breath-taking sight. Shane Warne-a wizard becoming synonymous with magic word of Spin; he was truly a magician on the field. That too of the art of 'Leg-Spin', at a time when that art was dying away due to the lack of quality bowlers. Like an artist whose works were marked by clear precision and guile that would go on to bring about a final product of aesthetic beauty and splendour, Warne's bowling reminded us of the similar works of art by Da Vinci and Michelangelo. Making his test debut against India in Sydney in 1991-92 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, he was thrashed all over the park by the batsmen adept playing any quality spin. Even though he went for over hundred runs, he took the wicket of Ravi Shastri, thus announcing his arrival in the test match arena. But it was in Old Trafford in 1993, with the ball of the century that he showed his real spirit and stamped his authority against the batsmen. A ball that was pitched outside the leg stump, turned viciously to hit the off-stump of Mike Gatting. Later, Warney played a pivotal role in many Ashes series wins for the Aussies over the English. Warne's bowling statistics in test matches reaffirms his class and grittiness. Warne also has a good batting record with scoring more than 3000 runs and scoring 11 half-centuries. Warne's ODI record is also impressive wherein he having played 194 matches got 293 wickets with an average of 25.73 and got a career best of 5/33. This wizard brought along with him a series of weapons in his repetoire. A whole array of different sort of deliveries which kicked and turned even on lifeless surfaces. He had the googly, the flipper, the drifter, the conventional leg break, the slider-which was a new delivery by him-and then the 'wrong un'. He also had a delivery like that of a medium pace bowler, which was so cleverly disguised that it was difficult to predict whether it was the leg-break or the off-break. With a shorter run-up and higher trajectory, his deliveries could never be read clearly by any batsmen. With his magical fingers being held across the seam, the ball came from the back of the hand, thus cleverly disguised from the watchful eyes of the batsmen across the world. With his favorite victims being the Englishmen, and the South Africans, Daryll Cullinan was his bunny. He could only name Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara as the most difficult batsmen to bowl at. Who can ever forget his duels with the Indians in general and Sachin in particular?? In his 3 tours to India, he could only have one 5 wicket haul. Indians were perhaps the only people against whom Warney struggled enough, which is also reflected in the record books. But still he played his part in the first series triumph for the Aussies against the Indians on the latter's home soil for many years, during the 2004 tour. Having been crowned as one of the five best cricketers of the century by Wisden, Shane Warne has also been given the Wisden Player of the year award on several occassions as well as the Man of the Match in the World Cup Final (the 1999 edition in England). Away from the cricket field, his private life may have been in rocks, with accusations of match fixing, doping and adultery, but he tried to hide his sorrows with his bowling. His presence was a revival for Leg Spin, which was absent from the scene since the days of Richie Benaud. Infact, Warne's legacy was followed by his contemporaries like Anil Kumble, Mushatq Mohammed, Danish Kaneria, and his own compatriot, Stuart MacGill. An ever persuasive Shane Warne is a beauty to watch on any given day-even his 700th wicket, the first by any bowler in test match cricket, was a portrait to be framed forever wherein Andrew Strauss' stumps were rattled by a ball that pitched outside his off-stump. The batsmen around the world can rest easy with departure from the scene by this assassin.

On the other hand, Glenn McGrath made his test debut against New Zealand at WACA in Perth in 1993/94. He was a pace bowler with great accuracy and penetration. He did not possess express pace or a great amount of swing. His strength was to pitch the ball in the right areas and stick to an off-stump/outside the off-stump line, thus never allowing the batsmen to get away. Through that long career, McGrath rose to be the No.1 strike bowler for Australia thereby getting into the shoes of Dennis Lillie, and Craig McDermott. His bowling record in test matches bowling tell the accurate story. He was also a good batsmen at the tail for his country with him scoring even 1 test fifty. This being the case in the middle of the Boxing Day test of the Ashes series. However, it was his ODI record that needs further mention. More than that he was part of two World Cup winning teams (Along with Warne, he was also part of the team that was beaten by the Sri Lankans in the 1996 final at Lahore). With he going to be part of the team to defend the World Cup in the Carribean in 2007, it would be fitting climax to his long and chequered career if the team bring the trophy for the third straight time. In Test match cricket, his bunny was Michael Atherton whom he has dismissed 19 times, with Lara and Tendulkar also being among his high profile victims (Sachin was his victim on 6 occassions!!). The Pigeon as he was fondly called, had been thinking for long of calling it a day to spend more time with his wife, who has been suffering from breast cancer.

With the end of the New Year test match of the Ashes series both the legends will walk into the sunset in the longer version of the game; however, McGrath would be free in formal terms only after the World Cup. The world of the batsmen will heave a sigh of relief with the moving away of these greats. However, the world of cricket will be never be the same like before. The magic may have ended, with many pundits and doomsayers even predicting the downward trend of Australian cricket. Fortunate are we souls to have lived in an era, when these two magicians performed tricks with the ball, mesmerizing cricket lovers and enthusiasts world wide, encouraging more and more generations to take up the art of leg-spin and pace bowling. In a game where the bowlers were always the underdogs when compared to the batsmen, Warne and McGrath showed different paths. As the sunset approaches, Murali may overtake Warne and McGrath may have opened the doors for a fresh bunch of young blood to come and stick to line and length, thereby forcing us to engrave in our minds that there is also something to pace bowling beyond express pace and high swing. But then like the Kohinoor which comes only in one generation, Warne and McGrath are the wealth of this generation, who have thrown open the vistas for further expansion of the game. Their footprints lie in the sands of time, undulated and undeleted, telling each of us that the Gentleman's Game was a fine work of art, with they being the artists. Those were memorable days!! Adieu mates, and Thank You for the Golden Memories................

Medical Care, Death and Others!!

2006-12-24T16:00:00.001+05:30

Level-Playing Field!! That term has never been felt by me in such a way as during a recent visit to the Medical College Hospital in Calicut. An Eye-Opener for many of the Elite who live in their own ivory towers. It was just this week when I had a chance to go there, as one of my relatives is admitted there. A walk through the wards are enough to open the eyes of many of the people, who never leave the coziness of the Private Super Speciality Hospitals!!

The rich can afford an expensive health care system!! The withdrawal of the State from the Primary Health Care Sector has meant that the poor have been neatly deprived of one of the prime matters for any population. Coming back to the visit to the Medical College, the building itself has all the looks of a governmental structure. The white and yellow white washed walls, with dark green being colour of the linen and hospital clothes. Perhaps that colour seemed to set the tone for the system to be used by the common masses. The wards having a limited number of beds, has patients occupying even the floors. Even the corridors have people lying all over!! The doctors-both the seniors as well as the house surgeons, or the final year medical students come visiting in one go, the nurses going on having a carefree approach and going about their jobs of administering medicines with no emotions on their faces-perhaps they feel its part of their job and is also a daily slog-and then the relatives coming in all hues, the common hospital food being served as regular meals, the scent of medicines and surgical equipments and much more...........

The Calicut Medical College is the largest hospital in the Malabar region and has also the distinction of being the hospital to have the largest number of children being born in Kerala-some records even call it dealing with the largest pregnancies in Asia-even Yours truly was born here. This has went to such lengths that now a separate building has been built to handle pregnancies alone!! But to go on to the real issue, the hospital becomes the mirror reflecting the real life in the country, that is the Common Masses. Talking to my relative revealed that, the ward in which she lay had seen nine deaths since she had been admitted there. One such death was when they were having their lunch. After the body was taken away, she decided not to continue her meal. Death just seems a reality. More than that, it is a Fellow-Traveller here!!! It takes into its fold all the people, not looking at their class, caste, religious and gender backgrounds. The people are helpless in its front as the feeling of Death stalks stealthily. The Medical College is a microcosm of the larger macro India out there. The tale of the Medical College in Calicut is not restricted to Kerala, but also reflects the same story in the whole of the country. Something that has to be witnessed by every citizen of this country, irrespective of his/her background. In fact, it would be a great anthropological exercise to go indepth to study the government medical institutes and hospitals of the country. The compulsory One Year Internship in a Primary Health Centre in the countryside, now practiced as ration should strictly be made formal, for the Medicos see the profession more as a money-churning exercise rather than as a service to humanity. Some even forgetting the Oath of Hippocrates. The rush now is to get an MBBS and fly out of the country to the foreign shores. The need is to put a full stop there, for the people dying each passing hour due to the lack of proper medical care is quite high.

Returning to the case of the Medical College Hospital, the Level-Playing Field seems have reached the optimum level. Perhaps, thats the visual I take as I descend the steps of that 'great Institute'. As they say, Death is a great Leveller!!May be atleast in death, all the people lose those fundamental contradictions between the Haves and the Have Nots. For all the people are destined only 6 feet of earth in the end!!!!

Birthday Musings

2006-11-21T13:36:00.002+05:30

The 21st of November always brings with it the critical fact that I have completed one more year of life; the underlying feeling that the pirannaal has marked another milestone in my life; a short pause before the journey unwinds itself again. But as each Birthday passes, the candles and the cakes move apart further.........There are no more new dresses, no more gifts, no more sadyas, no more distribution of sweets and no more gala celebrations, no more love-filled strokes on my cheeks or ruffles on my hair by ma, no more early morning shower..........Perhaps each birthday is a further realization that life has got to move on...............

This birthday saw my sister presenting me a wrist watch-from her salary, which reminds of the fact that she has already taken the plunge into the swift currents of employment and livelihood issues. Now it comes down to either a phone call, or an sms, or an email, or to the maximum extent, a detailed birthday card......Life away from home is really sinking in.........The coziness and comforts of Home have been replaced by the daily slog in the hard life................No wonder they say that life is not a bed of roses..........Birthdays just drift in the wind, where the only companion is solitude..........where your heart and mind is at peace.............May be the only impressions left are nostalgia..........the bygone days of Childhood.............who was that poet who wanted to go back to those days of innocence, and thought of climbing the coniferous trees to reach the heaven?...........................

JNUSU Elections

2006-11-11T23:41:00.002+05:30

The biggest festival of JNU-the Students' Union elections-formally concluded today in the morning. The one week that passed saw the entire campus having only one breath, that being the polls. The election saw the return of the SFI-AISF alliance to the Presidential post, something which proved elusive in the last two years. Comrade Dhananjay 's victory as the JNUSU President, along with Comrade Jyotsna being elected the Joint Secretary is another strong message that the SFI-AISF combine is definitely the force which has won the mass verdict of the student community. But the victory of the Ultra-Left AISA in the post of Vice-President and General Secretary-Tyler and Sandeep-also needs to be taken with a pinch of salt due to the sheer fact that this organization has always targetted the mainline Left, more than the Right-wing forces. In the posts for the Councillors for the different schools, though the SFI-AISF has maintained the convenorship in the three major schools namely the School of International Studies (where yours Truly has been re-elected as a Councillor), School of Social Sciences and the School of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies, there has been a drop in the number of seats won by the alliance, where the AISA has gained from the last year. While in SIS and SSS, the SFI-AISF won three posts and two posts being tied with the AISA, SLL&CS, saw a completely split mandate with the alliance winning two posts and rest being divided equally between the AISA, ABVP and NSUI.

However, these elections were fought majorly on the plank of 27% OBC Reservation, with the anti-reservation forces under the banner of the Youth For (In)Equality holding one end up. The Science schools in the campus where there was a record 90% polling, even when the overall polling in the university was 65%, the YFE emerged clearly with a lead of more than 250 votes in all the 4 posts of the central panel. This meant that, the SIS, SSS and SLL&CS were critical in pegging back the trail and ensuring leads for the pro-reservation forces. The rise of the YFE needs to be viewed with concern too, due to the fact that even in the major schools there were some 'disturbing trends'. The casteist forces who wanted to make the socially progressive campus of JNU like AIIMS where the students coming from the deprieved sections are ghettoized and treated like inferior mortals have been handed down a clear defeat by the democratic and progressive sections of the campus. This message emnating from JNU is a clear and strong signal to the casteist forces that their politics-of casteism-has been given a befitting reply by the JNU students. The YFE which is a elite formation, that has no concern for the students coming from the depreived backgrounds, had always tried to wear a mask of being pro-poor. But they have been utterly unmasked by the students with a clear clarion call that these forces need to now pack up their bags and leave the campus or else they would be thrown out by the progressive students.

This election also sends a clear message to the elitist bourgeois media, which had always fanned vast support for these forces combined with the corporate world. The Shiv Kheras and the Navjot Singh Sidhus also need to watch their steps while dealing with JNU where the students do not tolerate such unhealthy forces. The national media, particularly the electronic section had given great credence to these forces, even equating them , with the movie Rang De Basanti. The media which till date has not concentrated on any of the student movements in all over the country in general and in JNU in particular, has suddenly found the issue of reservation as something dangerous and against the peoples' interests. The JNU students movement, especially under the banner of the SFI-AISF for the construction of new hostels, institutionalizing GSCASH and Equal Opportunity Office, ensuring students' representation in the Academic Council and the Board of Studies and the latest struggle for ensuring financial assistance to all needy students have always been left out of the pages and visuals of the mainline media. The students' movement here ,which has also seen the SFI-AISF led JNUSUs waging relentless struggles against fee hikes, saffronization, commercialization and privatization; this is infact lined to the broader struggles waged outside this campus by the Left forces as well as other like-minded democratic and progresive sections. This mandate reaffirms that commitment to link the struggles in the campus with the struggles outside.

At the end of the day, when all the dust and din settles, the elections in JNU (which is conducted by the students themselves)-with JNU being the only university in Asia to do so-are a clear reflection of the fact that rather than the glamour and poshness of people, the issues of the students get a voice. The Election Committee of JNU needs to be congratulated for ensuring a peaceful, incident-free election. This JNU model reflects upon the committees like the one under Lyngdoh, which are out to place curbs on the democratization of the campuses across the country. It is only appropriate to say that "students' unity long live"!!

Gandhigiri

2006-10-02T00:00:00.002+05:30

Venturing into cine halls to relax the mind has meant that people have taken it upon themselves to laugh their way out. "Lage Raho Munnabhai" falls in that category of movies. It talks of two conmen-more like a Laurel and Hardy- changing their ways from dadagiri to gandhigiri. That takes an average Indian movie goer to fal back and realize the importance of Gandhi in today's context. This attempt by me is not to pass any value judgements on the Mahatma's role and his leadership to the Indian freedom movement. On the contrary, this is to look at the issue in both ways.

The Gandhian mode of struggle- Satygraha, Hunger Strikes and Boycotts have now become models of protest against the authority and resist diktats from the higher ups. This mode of protest has its own suuesses and failures. As a student activist, now involved in the student movement in JNU, the method of Hunger Strike is not the best from of protest, but it is definitely a popular form of protest. It gets credence from a big majority of the student community and has stood the test of the time. A large mobilization of the student community is possible for such a type of protest. But as a Marxist, I have serious objections to only sticking to this model due to the fact that even the highest form of hunger strike may be unable to give you that decisive victory. So, other modes like gherao may also have to be adopted. But this can be done only a concrete analysis of the concrete situation. Also, the act of boycott cannot impede the mass production of goods. In fact, the production conditions have to be changed on the whole.

Gandhi's emphasis on Non-Violence is correct to a large extent; but in a society ridden with contradictions and where a fundamental transformation is required, a mass overhauling is imminent. It means to put things bluntly a Revolution. A non-violent revolution may not be the outcome always, for the ruling classes would never give up their power willingly and so, the Class Struggle is a concrete reality. Gandhi's basic idea is Status-Quoist, while the Marxist framework stands for Change. The best case scenario is on the question of Caste, where Gandhi felt that giving leverage to the opressed sections-Dalits and the Tribals- would lead to such assertive demands also from the higher classes and so, any attempts to transform the situation would be problematic. This logic has often been criticized by Ambedkar, which I also feel is a correct interpretation. The very idea of receiving a slap on one side of the face and showing the other side is a faulty proposition which is even laughable in this era. What needs to be done is to take on the attacker with full vigour and thus, is the defiance of a rebel reflected.

The ills of corruption, poverty, gender violence, caste abuse, etc which is still an issue in this country, where the common man still can't find his basic needs fulfilled, where successive governments have brought in Neo-Liberal era with the withdrawal of the State from key sectors of the economy like Health and Education, where rural distress has already claimed the lives of 50, 000 farmers, where students are forced to commit suicides unable to pay exorbitant capitation fees, where foodgrains lie rotting in FCI godowns for rats to feed, where malnutrition has led to infants dying early, where India Shining is restricted to a certain Elite class who live in glass compartments, where the Government has faulty line to define Poverty, where Chief Ministers visit Microsoft in US more than the farmers dying in the nearby districts, where financial packages become a mere farce and where a Government on the diktats of IMF-World Bank-WTO keep kowtowing to Imperialist agenda and fall prey to Great Power politics, this question certainly needs to be asked whether the Gandhian model would be to deliver the masses from all these ills. May be that could be the decisive assertion in the whole debate.

Also, movies like Munnabhai and Rang De Basanti have turned the popular and commercial cinema into an iconic status. This cult figure syndrome has led the people to think that may be 'a new look' has to be put in place. But at the end of the day and as film reels wound to a stop, we need to look back and ask who has really gained from the movie? The Audience or the Movie Itself. For me I would not need any second guesses. I would go for the Latter.