Winds of change

This is my first take on Indian Politics - subject matter that i'm least interested in and hardly take notice of it anyways - however with recent political changes unfolding every given day - even as of this writing, cant stay away from it. Think it would be a welcome change to write on something apart from Sports - topic that has been covered in my previous 3 posts / blogs.

First mention of this word brings in front of us our "esteemed" politicians who have milked this country right from independence era, earned enough for maybe their next 10+ generations, enjoy every privilege one can think of but still yearn for more. Politics and acting i guess go hand-in-hand with politicians being real-life actors with immense talent and an uncanny zest to have still more. One saying that goes around suggests that "if you don't know / cant' succeed in anything else (i mean other fields such as Accountancy / Sports / Technology / Agriculture, etc.)- can cheat others at will, have no such thing called conscience and still put up a shameless face in public eye"- you are an ideal candidate for politics. Politics exists in our offices, sports, administration, well virtually omnipresent.

With Congress finding every single way of coming hard at Narendra Modi ("NaMo"), makes me wonder - how much can a person / party stoop down to gain power, despite knowing the fact, that the common man is frustrated and no longer cares for them or their stupid antics (read Congress here) - recent elections in Delhi have proved it & possibly will be the same in other states of India, very soon i hope. I'm not anti / Pro- Congress nor support BJP, as a matter of fact, but going by India's history, what have we achieved in the last 20 years? Compare that with Germany (who lost 2 world wars) and is still the most technologically advanced nation- even ahead of USA in many aspects if not all. Now its not easy and maybe not wise-enough / feasible enough to compare 2 diverse nations with different geographies/ cultures/ values/ backgrounds. But come to think of it, what is a country made up of? People - what is the society made up of ? People again!! So whats different in the  people across nations? Its the MINDSET and ATTITUDE.

Having lived in India for most part of my youth and childhood (27 yrs. approx.) - didn't really get on with it and hardly bothered about it- quite frankly. Have been in USA for almost 3+ yrs. now and the single-most difference that i observe in these 2 countries is again the mindset and attitude- both of politicians and public, in general. Law comes second in line and is equally applicable to both species here. Congress has played  a major part  in screwing up the Law on demand - most notable example is of "Robert Vadra" ("Jamai Bapu" of Democratic India) - He's neither an MP/ nor any official office bearer of the Government of India- yet he's immune to all Airport Security scans & enjoys a VIP maybe even a VVIP status and not to mention his involvement in various land scams / deals.  2G / 3G/ Fodder Scam / Telgi / Coal Gate/ Hawala / Bofors/ CWG -the list is quite exhaustive - hence putting a link instead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scandals_in_India - undoubtedly Congress tops all honors here - as expected. you name it / think of it - they got it - sort of reputation that Congress can boast of. Another feather in the cap is the "Babu" culture - developed and nurtured by Congress over a period of years.No work is done without bribing the officials - top to bottom.If not bribed, "work in progress" motto comes in indefinitely, until one succumbs to bribery. Government officials enjoy the privileges of a "Life-Long Job guarantee" (till 60 yrs.+ Pension till death) Plus ever assured "Extra Income" (read "chai-paani" for more clarity). Not to forget having working hours at will and whether to work / not entirely up-to ones' own discretion. Not to say that, every other Govt. employee is corrupt but if anyone is indeed offended by these facts- stand in front of the mirror and ask yourself the truth. If the answer is "Yes" you need not be offended at all- this does not apply to you- if not i would recommend some introspection and retrospection as well.

Comparatively BJP has not been in news for scams - or maybe am not updated on this OR might be they never got an opportunity as much - one might ridicule. That does not mean they have a clean-chit nor does this imply that, BJP is on par with / less than Congress. Must confess, i'm not easily impressed by anyone-that's probably my "Cancerian" trait - but having followed NaMo for a while now and the development activities implemented in Gujarat under his vigilant eyes, there is no other person more capable, more suitable and more feasible/viable at this very moment in India. He certainly deserves a chance when everyone else has disappointed time and over again.

Coming back to mindset and attitude,we,the "common man" are to blame as well. Despite of having the privilege to vote, we take it as just another holiday, relax - never turn up to vote the right candidate and in-turn blame the system, as a result the beneficiary party takes us for a ride for the next 4 yrs. The "Game-Plan" of Congress  has been "Divide and Rule"- they inherited this from departing Brits from India and must say, have enriched that legacy left behind. Another factor is "illiteracy"- votes are brought outright by giving "gifts" before voting - turning the tide in favor, as needed -poor illiterate souls vote as directed, without even bothering to get any know-how / work accomplished / history of the contesting candidate. Compare this with electing the President in USA- there are presidential debates in front of the public- the public directly votes the "Rulers" - unlike in India where people's representatives select/put forth "Rulers" - its like a thief supporting another one like himself. The electoral system is flawed at its root itself - but that's just my belief. Changing from Democracy to Capitalist / Socialist ideology or something in between just does not seem feasible for India. Democracy has its own positives / negatives and unfortunately, Indian politicians have a mastery of exploiting it all.

Following incidents recently showed how much was/is the desperation to come to power (by Congress).

1. NaMo has been accused of initiating and condoning the violence in Godhra riots (of 2002)

  Fact - One man cannot cause a riot all by himself and if so Mr. Sharad Pawar (then CM of Maharashtra during 1992 Mumbai riots - from Congress) is at fault too- However everywhere, even the media has made NaMo the "villain" here. Why is Mr. Sharad Pawar left then? Everyone knows the facts- "political reach" overcomes everything.

    2. Sachin' s felicitation and his induction in Congress

 Fact  - As i see it, what use is an International cricket player to Congress now? Well, it knows and fears that there is a chance of a total whitewash from politics- considering the people's initial response to NaMo. So to counter that, have the "Cricket God" himself on their side. Votes are guaranteed this way - hope people break this bubble. Not to question the credibility/greatness of the man- i'm an ardent fan myself (do read my blog on Sachin as a proof, if need be). The send-off test match in Mumbai was real icing on the cake. Sachin's name was misspelt and his wife - Anjali was addressed as "Mr. Anjali Tendulkar" in one of the electronic banners at the Eden Gardens- now if Sachin was so important why such stupid blunders in front of the entire country? Simply put - MCA / Trinamool Congress never cared / bothered about the details ( note here that one thing common in MCA and Congress [Nationalist Congress Party] is Mr. Pawar)- all they wanted, is to reassure the vote bank in forth-coming elections soon (in Feb.2014 i guess). I have no problem whatsoever in the felicitation of the "Run Machine / Master Blaster" but then, why were Dravid / Ganguly / Laxman simply ignored? They were not even given a chance to say"Good-Bye". Not that they can be compared to Sachin, but they were no less either, by their own standards.

The current voter turnout was almost 70% in Delhi- that just suggests change is in the air - How much this change will hold good for India (as elections are pending in other states)- only time will tell. But for sure, there is a sense of hope/ responsibility towards BJP and NaMo in particular- how they go about doing it, is yet to be seen. Its now up-to each one of us to keep our eyes / ears open, exercise our voting right to the right candidate - winds of change are here already and seemingly are here to stay, we just have to take a step forward to implement it. Although about 8000+ miles away from India, wish the very best for this country- for these are my roots, this is where i came from and probably there is still a special place left in my heart for it. I'm an inseparable part of it and like countess others who have wandered to various corners of the world away from their motherland, however-so they may prefer to be in denial. Some memories in life are just not meant to fade away with the sands of time...!!!

Sachin – through my eyes

There have been numerous articles by now about Sachin – each one putting forth his own side of the story, as to why they love this “Legend”, now that he has retired from One Day internationals. I’m putting forth my side of the story here, as i see him through my eyes...

It seems just couple of years back that I saw this icon throwing Abdul Qadir for huge sixes at will – though I must admit it’s now more than 2 decades past that incident. When “Sunny” was about to retire, everyone including myself at that time maybe was frantically trying to find that “Next Gavaskar”. ‘Who after Sunny?’ was the probably the question of the Nation at that time. God had already answered that question for us; it was only a matter of time to be “enlightened” with him!! . Sachin has probably every record in his name for his batting. Sachin it’s been told, during his early cricketing days nurtured a passion for fast bowling. He underwent a Bowling camp in Chennai @ MRF Pace foundation under the watchful eyes of the “Australian Fast Bowling Menace” –aka Dennis Lillie. Dennis Lillie not so long ago claimed that the did his part in persuading the “Master Blaster” to give up dreams of becoming a bowler & instead focus on becoming every Bowler’s nightmare… and Sachin did very much oblige for almost 23 years consistently.

Everyone has a “Role Model” to look up to – He / She maybe of a very diverse field (totally unrelated to what one maybe doing in Life) but subconsciously we idolize him, worship him, adore him, admire him, follow him. Cricket never was, nor is & never will be only a “Sport” atleast in India – It’s what the people of India eat, think, talk, gossip, ridicule, debate and to some extremes even dream about Cricket– I being no exception to this unwritten rule. I watched & learned about Cricket from my father, like most other children do via Inheritance. In India, especially Mumbai (being partial here to Mumbai courtesy of a fact that if you could get in the Mumbai Team in ’70 / ’80s, doors of International Cricket were a bit easy to open in those days), one may / may not get money / property / advice in Inheritance but he does get the knowledge, know-how & basic skills / technique of Cricket from his father – It’s probably in the nature of the soil there. Cricket is one bond that compels you to play with your enemies-maybe, people you may not like, people you don’t want to see - but mostly with friends, sometimes with cousins, & in rare cases even with girls sometimes – because it’s a Team Game, so you need someone to bowl at you (if it’s your Bat then you are Batting first Rule comes into picture here), or someone to fetch that whacked ball from the boundary!!

Time & Age does not wait for anyone – as time went by I followed Sachin through numerous Tours, 2 World Cups (’92 & ‘96) and through other possible social media like every other Indian / Mumbaikar. Then came 1999 World Cup that defined in true sense what the Champion was really made up of. There is a time in everyone’s lifetime when, you are required to answer some bitter questions – there’s no escaping, there are no proxies available and there is no turning back – You just have to face  it in the best possible way, you think you can / you could & ride the storm out. 1999 was in fact my life’s worst possible year both – personally (as being the only Son – I was the loved & pampered one with a perfect childhood) & academically (which otherwise was excellent till then with either a Distinction or nothing less than a First Class Grade). I had just lost my father in ’99 Mar & in May-June we had the World Cup in England. Myself, barely 20, I think it was an intense emotional battle that I was waging on for about 2+ months – blood shot eyes (as a result of not having a sound sleep for an extended period) and me failing in my engineering exams didn’t do any better – but compounded the matter from bad to worse, to the worst phase of life I’ve ever been. I had lost focus in my life & it was as if I was living for the sake of it – I still then had & do still have my Mother beside me always whenever I needed her– but I knew from inside, that I was waging a losing battle against my emotions, my thoughts, my sentiments. Self- doubt is a bit like alcohol – it clouds your thinking but still gives an impression of being absolutely fine – term we know as being “high” & I was fully drenched in it, head to toe. It was one heck of a period that sends shivers down my spine even now, when I dare look back, sometimes. I needed some miracle to help me pull out of this emotional Hell – but just didn’t know how & where to start – who to look up to, whom to approach. I was vulnerable, stupid, naïve, shaken to the core & defeated within. The answer to this was that magical innings from Sachin vs. Kenya @ Bristol on 23^rd May 1999 (World Cup) that taught me what Life is all about & how to go fighting about it.

Sachin too had just lost his father, but he came back to serve his nation in their quest for the World Cup. Winning / Losing was insignificant, given the timing of his century there, considering that he had just attended his father’s funeral barely a week back. This to me was mesmerizing, nothing short of a miracle – a defining moment in my life that Sachin scripted that day. Pitch, Weather, Bounce, Opposition & many more factors were just rendered insignificant by him on that day & Kenya was at the receiving end of it. How I wish that day, the opponent should have been Australia or even Pakistan instead. I’m sure he might have ended a couple of bowlers’ career in the bargain – had it been Pakistan or might have triggered early retirement plans for Shane Warne / Glenn McGrath – had it been Australia, but it was not to be. He just disdainfully butchered each & every bowler of the opposition to almost every corner of the ground & ended up being 140* (not out) along with Rahul Dravid who also scored a century. I regard that century of his the most ruthless and daring performance ever by any cricketer, let alone in India, but neither in Cricket world over, nor in any other sport that I know or recollect of.  It seemed as if he knew all the answers asked by all the bowlers collectively, at a time when he must have been battling his emotions as well.  No words of compassion or for that matter nothing else in this world can replace a lost dear one. The feeling that you no longer can see the person you lost and that you just do meet him occasionally only in your dreams and by-gone sweet memories is a kind of spooky. It must have been an excruciating emotional pain to wage that battle and am sure he must be exhausted as never before – but he did not fail at all. He dedicated that century to his late father.  I’m too small a person when compared to him in every sense & I rightly admit so – but that day he exhibited it what it takes to overcome your fear, emotions, abject dejection and face life with your head high, to whatever it throws at you and just do it gracefully to emerge out as a winner. He did play many more memorable innings before that and even after that, however that innings just elevated him above everyone else – be in Cricket or any other Sport for that matter.

So when he was criticized for being selfish (be it for scoring a century or delaying his retirement) – thought to myself whether it is right at all to hold him guilty? Well if you ask me, if he was selfish at all, so be it – it was still for scoring runs, winning matches for India. Why don’t we question our politicians, our bureaucrats’, cricket selectors, including ourselves, whom we know are selfish as well? He’s a human after all, & it’s alright to possess some assets of human nature in required moderation. He’s been through some lean patches in his career, so what the hell? Do we know of any person on this planet who has always been successful?  Readers should pardon my knowledge about such a person or the lack of it. For I know, we all know, surely there is no such soul in flesh and bone. We fail ourselves but don’t / can’t bear Sachin failing!! That’s reaching the zenith of hypocrisy and being insanely judgmental both at the same time, despite of knowing the fact that, here’s a man who is very well equipped to handle both success and failure equally well.  He just takes everything in his stride remarkably well – for which unfortunately I do not seem to find words to explain. In a country that's battling with socio-economic issues such as ever exploding population, rape, faulty education system, pathetic infrastructure, pollution, dowry deaths, farmer suicides on one side and corruption, bribery, ever increasing inflation & bureaucracy on another, this man has been bringing smiles to the "Common Man" with his deeds - both on and off the field consistently for 23 yrs. now.  How the hell does he handle that pressure so well & for that long is still a question that i ask myself without having any answer till date. One cannot help admitting the fact that he's the sole reason for happiness a midst all the problems stated above. 

Today, 14^th Jan – happens to be my father’s birthday, as I return back to writing after a long gap of 4 years (it’s one of the things that I love doing, though I’m not consistent) - it is only befitting that I wholeheartedly thank God for associating 2 men, who made me the person I am today – my father who gave me this wonderful life and second – Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar – who exhibited, what life is all about and how to make it worth living by pursuing your passion, no matter what the conditions, no matter what the situation…

Some blessed souls are not only inspired themselves but have that uncanny ability to change many other lives as well, unknowingly. Don’t know whether to label him as ‘Godly Human’ or ‘Humanly God’. So when Life puts you in a situation, looks at you in the eye and asks: “Ok Son, tell me what you’ve got?” – Look no further than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar & that innings he played against Kenya, you’ll get your answer, I’ve got mine ever since then & I must confess, am not doing bad at all thereafter – Well,some things in Life are just meant to be ………