'Midas' or 'Made As'?

The origin of the word 'Midas' can be traced back to ancient times when a certain king of Phrygia named Midas possessed the ability to transform into gold, whatever he touched. And soon after this myth was revealed several disambiguations of the word 'Midas' started pouring in from all corners. From asteroids and formulas to companies and dramas - the word Midas has been extensively used throughout the past century or so.

So is it true - the fact that Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of the Indian cricket team is indeed the man with the 'Midas' touch? Or was it just sheer brilliance and a little bit of luck? When results were coming in, the Midas of Indian cricket was all hailed and now that things have seemed to get a bit nervy, I have no doubt to state that perhaps everything was bit of an eyewash, there was always a difference between the terms - 'lucky' and 'made as lucky'.

How did the 'lucky guy' of Indian cricket help in winning the World T20 in 2007 and also help in disgracing the nation at the 2009 edition of the same event? A bit of questions answered here.

WORLD T20 2007, South Africa:

A team haunted by the ghosts of the Fifty over World Cup in West Indies early that year had been rejuvenated with a new boost of confidence. The tour of the United Kingdoms had proved to be quite fruitful under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid where India managed to win the tri series involving South Africa and Ireland as well as the Test Series against England. Although they narrowly missed out of the 7 match ODI series (losing it 4-3) - it was surely a commendable performance by the team which was chucked out of the World Cup by minnows Bangladesh. As another World Cup approached in South Africa (T20) - concerns were being raised all over again. Our stars - Ganguly, Dravid and Tendulkar were in the 'tiresome thirties' and question marks arose regarding the statuses of their fitness levels. As wisdom alone prevails, all three opted out of the tournament and this saw the rise of a captain who had never ever captained a team even at district level, MS Dhoni.

Expectations were less on a team where the average age was 27 and the senior most player by age was Sehwag. A raw batting line up and a young bowling line up high on potential made their way into the team bus. What followed was a fantastic show of the exuberance of youth and the madness of Indian cricket. The 'boys' of Ganguly and Dravid had fully matured and there they were jumping on to every ball that passed them and sending every loose delivery to the stands. They humiliated the English, Proteas and the Australians and then silenced the mighty Pakistanis. The entire tournament was one of those plays at the end of which you see the resurrection of the Good. A year started by a disaster was actually having a nice end. Dhoni lifted the World T20 and made the nation of a billion proud. But why did India actually win the World Cup? It was not because Dhoni was lucky neither was it because our boys batted, bowled and fielded like maniacs - there was more to this.

Why India won the World T20?

1. Once the trio of Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly opted out, a lot of breathing space was created for the juniors in the dressing room. For a new captain this was the ideal atmosphere to prove his mettle without any one to question his decisions.
2. Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh - all were making a come-back into the Indian team. They had a lot to prove, so the T20 world cup was the only arena for them.
3. Yuvraj Singh wanted to establish himself as a player of repute in a middle order dominated by the likes of Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly.
4. People like Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan were relatively young at the International stage and as a result they had little to lose but everything to gain. As a result they grasped the opportunities.
5. Yuvraj's one man efforts against England and Australia and Gambhir's heroic single handed effort against Pakistan in the finals hogged more of the limelight from their counter parts. It would not be wrong to say that yes, India were poor in some of the matches where individual brilliance helped in lifting the team. Collective team efforts were lacking.
6. In the case (5), Dhoni cannot be given the credit for doing something out of the box to ensure the team's victory. Certain elements and factors had gone India's way that helped in making India the world T20 champs.

WORLD T20 2009, England:

Like the appearance of the Haley's comet - the Indian Cricket team were actually entering a tournament with the favourites tag. A bunch of jaded, jet lagged and fatigued players were selected for the tournament right after the completion of the much so hyped INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE. A cash filled tournament had drained out the energy from every cricketer. More or less the same team that won the world cup in 2007 was retained, but the only difference was that they were established players. None had much to prove in the World Stage and most of them were carrying niggles from the IPL. Another factor that led to their complacency was that they were in a group consisting of Ireland and Bangladesh, which many considered to be a cake walk. They went on to the Super 8s and suffered a drubbing of a large scale at the hands of West Indies, England and South Africa. Surprisingly, the champs of 2007 did not manage to win any game against a team of significance. The West Indians had exposed the incapabilities of the line up against the short ball while the English showed how bad the Indians were in fielding and restricting the extras. Against South Africa, the bowling was commendable but the much famed spin masters were all entangled by the spin bowling of Joan Botha of South Africa. A poor outing marked by a few controversies, on and off the field left the Indian team stranded. They were far away from redemption.

Why India lost the T20 World Cup in England?

1. The fitness factor which was always supposed to be a bit of a concern exposed the teams weaknesses.
2. Tactical errors by the 'famed' Indian captain led to the downfall of the team in many occasions.
3. Controversy related to the injury of Virender Sehwag indicated that the team was no longer a well knit unit as it used to be.
4. The defensive tactics employed by sending Jadeja ahead of himself were not at all appreciated. It cost India a crucial match and MS Dhoni was more or less accountable.
5. Players casually stepped on to the field with their pot belly and triple chins and the signs were ominous regarding their commitment towards the game. There was a lack of assertiveness on the field and most of the times, the players appeared confused of what they were supposed to do.
6. The team members had achieved a lot of fame in the just concluded IPL 2. They no longer found it good enough to perform at world stage for their country. The lackadaisical and complacent attitude and over confidence about their abilities with a psychophysically tired captain made matters worse. India were not even 10% of what they were a couple of years back.

And hence, it is not always that luck matters. MS Dhoni cannot be called the man with the 'Midas' touch as he is far from it. Comparing the greatest and the worst tournament of his career would expose certain prevalent facts turned a blind eye towards. If at all, Dhoni was a lucky man and it was only because of his captaincy for which India has ascertained itself in the rankings then the recent World T20 would not have been a disaster as it had been. Dhoni's captaincy skills should never be questioned but one should always remember that it was because the right men were present at the right time in his team that Dhoni went on to become a very successful captain.

While taking up captaincy, he had the best available team which none of the previous captains had. Kapil Dev had a team that lacked killer instincts while Sourav Ganguly got a young, unpolished and a meek team suspected of match fixing. None of the two greatest captains of Indian cricket had established stars like Dhoni got when he ascended captaincy.

To declare Dhoni to be the best Indian captain would be a bit dodgy as he has a lot more to prove. And his litmus test will begin when the Dravids, Tendulkars and Laxmans start retiring. Will Dhoni prevail then? Only time can tell.

Help Remove Poverty

This ad won the 1st Prize at Vishwa Bharti, Noida for the Ad Making Competition on 9th September, 2009. The scripting of the ad has been done by Piyush Kumar, from shooting to direction and editing - all has been done by me.

Poverty in India is still rampant despite an impressive economic growth. An estimated 250 million people are below the poverty line and approximately 75 per cent of them are in the rural areas.

In general, poverty can be defined as a situation when people are unable to satisfy the basic needs of life. The definition and methods of measuring poverty differs from country to country. According to the definition by Planning Commission of India, poverty line is drawn with an intake of 2400 calories in rural areas and 2100 calories in urban areas. If a person is unable to get that much minimum level of calories, then he/she is considered as being below poverty line.

Why Does Poverty Still Exist?

Despite various steps taken by the government, poverty still exists all oweing to the following facts:-

• High level of dependence on primitive methods of agriculture
• High population growth rate
• High Illiteracy (about 35% of adult population)
• Regional inequalities
• Protectionist policies pursued till 1991 that prevented high foreign investment

We making this ad believe that if every lends his support towards the upliftment of these people will help us eradicate this evil of our society, we will not only be good citizens but also good humans.

Each One Help One

This is not some saintly act, but probably a slightly altruistic act, in which we as the privileged ones in the society, give away things not needed by us to the ones more needy.

This simple step is enough to combat poverty.

"Who more poor than one who does not share"

the Prince of Calcutta

Some called him the Maharaja, while others called him Lord Snooty. He was referred to as the God on off side at times while at other times he was the pompous, arrogant and spoilt child making the administration dance to his tunes. Sourav Ganguly had been synonymous with words like aggression, determination, grit, counter attack and comeback - but what defined the man who revolutionised Indian Cricket was the tiger who would never give in without a fight. A man who brought the Aussies down and showed the world, his bare chest at the Mecca of Cricket...Sourav Ganguly is and will always be the PRINCE OF CALCUTTA!

"Hi, mera naam Sourav Ganguly hai.Bhoole toh nahi? Jo hua, kyun hua, kaise hua - yeh sab soch ke dukh bhi hota tha, gussa bhi aata tha par ab nahi..."

A man who once gave the nation dreams of lifting the World Cup was sitting in an empty stadium. He was shooting for an ad which was aimed at evoking millions of sentiments. I, being one of Ganguly's greatest fans was watery eyed on seeing this ad. It seemed funny how things could change for a man; exactly a couple of years back when he had stepped onto the very same Wankhade Stadium clad in Blue, there was a crowd of half a lakh supporting his every move, cheering his every shot, dancing to his every six but now they were there no more.

There was a furore over this ad and many former and present cricketers hit at him saying that he was trying to bank on the emotions of the public. Many rubbished this ad to be just a gimmick and added that he was gone for good. Dada was silent on the entire issue. Silence was the way he chose to reply his detractors.

The Indian team captained by Rahul Dravid had been announced. Noone expected any surprises, when once again Ganguly was ommitted from the final list. Although he had his name in the list of probables - Guru Greg and Kiran More had their last say.

I sat in my drawing room and saw the fragile, raw and young Indian batting line up collapse against the West Indies and then a loss against Australia followed. India did not manage to enter the semis in an ICC Tournament in home conditions.

Now, after three years, I can sport a smirk and say that the last time - the Champions Trophy was held in the subcontinent in 2002 - India under the able leadership of Sourav Ganguly were the joint winners of the tournament alongwith Sri Lanka .

Calls of change were growing louder as the present Selection Committee's term was about to end. The team for the ODI Series in South Africa was announced and as usual Ganguly was conspicuous by his absence. What followed in South Africa was a drubbing and to add insult to the injury, Team India in shadows of it's glorious past could not manage to secure a win in a single game even though they had the opposition at the score 0/2 in one of the matches. India lost the series 4 - 0 and the Dravid - Chappel duo faced a lot of flak.

The nation of a billion was not used to losing when cricket meant so much for them.

In the meanwhile, under the November heat in Calcutta; the former captain of Team India was taking laps in the Eden Gardens with two parachutes tied across his waist. A training method quite regular with footballers and athletes was actually being implemented by a cricketer who was glorified to be lazy & unfit by an Australian coach who had a record of bringing the game to disrepute by asking his brother to bowl an underarm delivery.

The Prince of Calcutta would not give in without a fight. He would endure the heat, the agony, the taste of sweat, the humiliation of losing your captaincy, the insult of having black spots on your character and then, one expected the revenge to be sweet.

The selection panel headed by Dilip Vengsarkar had had enough of the 'youth business'. Greg Chappel was given an ultimatum of perform or perish, he gift wrapped the 'repeated failures' and with it opened up a chance for the Prince to stage the comeback of all times...

He was the top scorer in the Test matches in South Africa and then won himself an ODI berth. He scored 98 in his first ODI in 16 months and with it he firmly placed a foot into the team which was more of his creation than anyone elses. Soonafter, scoring became more of a habit as the Ganguly we saw then was stronger, meaner and fitter. Hundred against Bangladesh and a terrific show in England ensured that no longer was he a misfit. He leapt in joy as he celebrated his first century at the EDEN GARDENS and followed it up with a 239 and 91 in Bengaluroo against Pakistan. He amassed the most runs in ODIs and Tests in 2007 amongst Indians and in days to come, the Ganguly-Chappel spat or even the "email" was more of a history.

In 1991/92, when the gawky, lean teenager played his only ODI for India against West Indies in Brisbane, little did anyone know that he was the future monarch of INDIAN CRICKET. The statement that he refused to carry drinks and shoes to the field saying that it was "not his job", was sensationalised. His poor outing of scoring 8 in his debut ODI resulted in his ousting and he was then sent into oblivion for 4 years...

In June, 1996 - Sourav Chandidas Ganguly became one of the very few to score a century on debut. He backed it up with another in the next test match. Hence, the Tour of England in 1996 would become the stepping stone of his success story in years to come. All those who suggested that he bought his way into the team or maybe he entered via quota were silenced with the most effective weapon - his bat.

Ganguly belonged to one of the most affluent Bengali families of Calcutta. He had enough money to last him his life. And a boy from a rich family was not required to toil in the Sun, running a field with parachutes around his waist. But he did. It was not because he wanted to add a few more Mercs to his collection but because a very dear part of his life was removed. He could have very well taken a back seat like a Kambli or maybe a Jadeja but what made him different was that he was Sourav Ganguly. A man who had 10, 000 ODI runs and 6,000 Test runs to back.

What makes him an ideal flagbearer of India Inc. is his never-say-die attitude. If it required him to run onto the field with the groundsmen to put the covers he would. He turned a blind eye to the fact that he was the most powerful member of the team, what mattered to him was the rain and how it would affect the pitch his team would be batting on.

He took over a team enshrouded by the ghosts of match fixing and converted it into World Beaters. He gave the mighty Aussies a taste of their own medicine and rubbed Steve Waugh the wrong way. He supported his team like his family and in a country where disintegrating forces is an example of everyday life we need men who are more than just themselves.

Harbhajan Singh, an NCA trainee rusticated on grounds of misbehaviour and indiscipline was brought into the team and by this way Ganguly unearthed a magician. MS Dhoni, a young lad from the state of Jharkand rose in ranks under Ganguly. Ganguly had famously told a reporter to keep an eye on this young lad from Jharkhand and promised to field him some day. Rahul Dravid was not secure of his position in the team when Sourav went out of the way to back his contemporary who in years to come would do little to ensure Ganguly had his place in the side. On Sourav's insistence Dravid was made into a keeper and had a guranteed place in the side.

When Flintoff had run around the Wankhade top less, it had hurt the sentiments of a bengali who wore his heart on his sleeve. His nation was his pride and he payed back in the same way, when he waved his shirt in the air from the Lord's balcony at the very sacred birth place of Cricket. He sent a strong message that gone were the days when one could expect Indians to be tamed, abused and racially degraded on the Cricket field. If you abuse us, we abuse you back - you strike us on the head, we strike you at the place where it hurts the most. We have learnt how to fight fire with fire.

All of a sudden, Ganguly's attitude of selfless spirt of endurance and reflecton of aggression against the first countries of cricket started reflecting in the nation's youth. We no longer submitted meekly, we learnt the art of winning, we shed the tag of chokers abroad and amidst the ashes of a team lead by Kapil Dev; rose the phoenix of a team lead by Sourav Chandidas Ganguly.

Sourav Ganguly may not be considered to be the greatest cricketer to take the field. Or may not be regarded as an ultimate Test player with 10,000 runs or even 29 centuries. But he mastered the art of captaincy and he will surely be remembered for that. He took India to the finals of the World Cup after two decades, a feat which evaded the greats of Azhar and Tendulkar. His count of fans maybe less than that of a Tendulkar or a Gavaskar, he might be considered to be the arrogant prince in countries abroad; but I can put forward what he told the English media in 2002 when as usual he was intimidated,

"I am not here, to win popularity contests."

YOU DON'T NEED TO WIN POPULARITY CONTESTS DADA. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE KNOWN AS THE PRINCE OF CALCUTTA AND A MAN WHO NEVER GAVE UP...

Racial Segregation - neither a myth nor a taboo but a stark reality!!

Adjudged the BEST SPEAKER (for the motion) at MAYOOR SCHOOL, NOIDA.

“....a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

President Barack Obama's line in his inaugural speech was short, pointed and it passed too fast. But the sentiment and the message behind it were monumental. It was not solely a mild reminder that a half century ago a poor, hard core segregated and racially isolated, Washington D.C., mocked the nation's flowery claim to be the fount of democracy.

Even today, racial discrimination survives. Racially segregated societies are present all over the world. Racial segregation is neither a myth nor a taboo but a stark reality – I agree and my views will surely be for the motion.

For centuries, the Western world has seen the subcontinent to be just a place of brown people. And they do so even now. They have justified themselves by stating the use of the Patriot’s Act to detain and torture hundreds of Asian immigrants on the basis of their surname or the religion they belong to. Somewhat ironical that a nation that has risen from the rubbles of discrimination does not spare a thought before frisking and humiliating celebrities and VVIPs just because they belong to ‘third world countries’.

Cricket is a sport accepted globally by most nations. But discrimination on the basis of race exists there too. Let me site an example, if my memory serves me right, Pakistan toured England in 2006 which was marked by the infamous Oval Test saga. The Pakistani pace attack had ripped through a formidable English line up with their swinging deliveries – but an Australian umpire termed this expertise to be ‘ball tampering’. A year back, when the English had ripped through the Australian batting line up during the Ashes – this expertise was described as ‘a classic example of reverse swing’.

Then you have the recent example of the brutal attacks on Indians in Australia. It was more than just a hate crime; it was more than pure enmity of losing your job to an inferior community called Indians. If racist mentalities did not exist in Australia then surely such an extreme manifestation of hatred and brutality would not have taken place.

One will have to agree that discrimination on the basis of caste, sex and religion gave birth to a racially segregated society in India. Such types of discriminations have materialized in the form of neglecting the minority and expressing gender inequalities – which is a proven fact. We cannot draw the exceptions of Pratibha Patil, Meira Kumar or an Aamir Khan, but the domination and power exerted by the majority in gender and religion is till date dictating the functioning of the society.

The question I wish to bring up is that haven’t we resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic and secure its citizens justice, liberty, equality, fraternity at all levels? It’s a pity that our constitution suggests something else but the present conditions state otherwise. The problem of discrimination and racism actually begins from our homes and we all are turning a blind eye to a reality which is neither a myth nor a taboo. We live in a racially segregated world, my friends…

Kasim's Death - a Tale from Alf Layla

We have heard a lot about the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. If we are familiar, then we must also be familiar with Kasim, Ali Baba's greedy brother. Kasim is driven by his desire to possess the treasures stored behind the magical cave, a hideout of the thieves.

My poem describes Ali Baba, when he is carrying back his brother's body from the caves. When he found Kasim lying dead...what did he think about? What did he feel?

In the darkness of the night,

Ali walks out with a cry,

He curses himself,

“Why did Kasim die?”

It wouldn’t have happened, if he didn’t go in search for the treasure,

If only he could resist his individual pleasure,

And also the reason that a balance was borrowed,

But little did he know that on it, death was what rode.

The leader must have come when his anger broke,

And cut Kasim into half with a flurry of strokes,

Kasim must have cried, cried for his life,

Now who, I ask who? Will take care of his wife?

It all started the day he went to the woods,

Searching for food and all necessary goods,

He heard a sound, the sound of horse’s hooves,

He mistook them to be the call of the wolves,

Soon came the leader, with his swinging robe,

Ali sat behind the rock, avoiding a probe,

The robber raised his arms and said, “Open Sesame.”

Ali thought that “if he can say it, then why not me?”

Ali too said “Open Sesame,”

And the cave doors opened,

To reveal great treasure,

And he followed suit and took some to measure.

He returned home to find Fatima sleeping,

A few months back, for gold she was weeping,

She would never ever have do that from now on,

Their son would have a silver spoon, from the time he was born;

Then came the day when Kasim marched up to Ali’s house,

His voice was such, that it scurried away the mouse,

He asked Ali, why he looked tired,

“What is the word?” was the question he fired;

Kasim declared that he too would be rich,

Ali agreed as he didn’t want a hitch,

A hitch with his brother, was what Ali didn’t want,

But he didn’t know that a few days later, Kasim’s death was what would haunt;

Haunt Ali and his family,

When Kasim would be made to bleed and bleed,

Only one man responsible for that,

‘Kasim and his greed’;

Zubeida came to Ali, crying for help,

Since by now, Kasim was rich…Ali had expected a yelp,

She wept and said that Kasim hasn’t returned home,

Ali suggested that forest is the place where Kasim might roam;

Zubeida said that she was in need,

Deep within Ali knew that Kasim was blinded by greed,

The level of his greed almost touched the sky,

Ali had feared the worst; it was time for Kasim to die;

Ali found Kasim dismembered in four,

Kasim must have forgotten the word, as for gold he craved more and more,

Ali carried his brother’s body back with a cry,

Cursing himself again and again,

“Why did I let Kasim die?”

India has leaders but Lacks leadership...true?

This is a debate on a topic widely contemplated throughout the country which is somewhat controversial but equally thought provoking. The statement that India has leaders but lacks leadership does hold true in many a sense and hence, I will write FOR the motion.

India had always been referred to as the country of snake charmers, a land where you had the Maharajas and their kingdoms - precious stones, jewels, talented artisans and gifted craftsmen. It was a place where people swore their loyalty to the king and a land where faith and treachery were two different sides of the same coin. Amidst this total chaos of diversity and multi linguistic heritage, India never managed to gain the upper hand when it came to uniting under a common cause. Uniting under a common cause or a motivated leader was never possible as none could successfully manage to break the numerous barriers, separating the multitudes of differences between caste and religion & not forgetting the hunger for power.

As a result, ever since the Revolt of 1857 or even years preceding that, India always lacked leadership. Be it the arrival of the Mongols or the plundering of wealth by Mahmud of Ghazni, political stability and leadership was never there, right from the onset of the civilization.

Counter questions might pop up regarding the influence of Mahatma Gandhi on India’s freedom struggle in later years. However, with all due respect, Bapu too failed to bring in unison, the innumerable forces present in the country at that point of time which could perhaps, as many say – overthrow the British Raj over a shorter period of time and our freedom struggle would not have been a prolonged one. The very reason that our political leaders refused to step out of their comfort zones and accept certain things beyond the boundaries of their ideologies proved to have drastic consequences on the overall development of our country.

In the wider perspective, the disunited yet collective efforts of all our leaders and thinkers helped us to achieve our ultimate goal – we were blessed with freedom.

And then…

And then arrived democracy, a word misinterpreted by three fourth of the population – democracy was a game to be played, a system through which lives were resurrected and lives were destroyed. At the dint of being in power, this word could be used in parallel meanings and all the while, the influential members of our society downplayed its true essence.

In the end, nothing had changed. The winds of time had left a pond so stagnant that moss had covered it’s surface just the way clouds engulf the Sun at the time of rain. Our leaders were the same – ideology crazy, communal, power & wealth hungry and a group of individuals who could go to any extent to ensure the consolidation of their position. They had everything in them to appease the society but they were void of the quality which made them the chosen ones – leadership.

Election manifestos were smeared with their goals and ambitions and just like we have those contests on T.V, there was this asterisk which stated that conditions did apply. And what were the conditions? You give me votes I give you money. Or maybe, you give me power and I give you all, the most glorified kick of all times. Let me come to power and I will show you your limits. The limits of those who form the frame work of democracy?

Mountain of a mole hill is an apt phrase to describe the nature of our leaders who are supposed to be blessed with leadership skills let alone moral responsibility. They need an issue to feed on, they love controversies. For example, some of them can go to the extent of disgracing a decorated police officer who attained martyrdom – in a way this would shower them with all the cheap publicity they require.

In a country which still is supposed to be multi linguistic and widely diverse, we need leaders who are not just leaders but men blessed with leadership skills. Running the second most populous country of the world is by no means an easy task but credibility is a concept which is yet to be introduced in this flawed system. It is my responsibility, it is my mistake, it is my duty, it is my decision - are few sentences which are yet to be fully endorsed by our leaders. And when it is done, trust them to be blessed with leadership skills too and eventually this path will lead us to the house of change.

And then change will arrive, it surely will.

I end on an optimistic note but by no means would I soften my stand on what I spoke about. India, to achieve it’s goals of development economically and socially need to decide who they want as their pathfinders and their lamp during dark times. If we face a crisis in the near future, the sorry state of affairs is such that we will slump down to a position from where it would be difficult to rise, as the ones who will be leading us would be the ones enshrouded in the clouds of uncertainty.

We were subjugated under the rule of our British masters for 200 years and the dearth of leaders equipped with leadership skills might lead us to a position where we might find ourselves dominated by our American masters. The story of leadership would start again…

Media - A devil's advocate or a Common Man's Belief?

Living in an age completely submerged in the rise of modern day media and other infotainment contrivances, it’d be rather foolish to be walking on the opposite direction of the bandwagon. I dare say, that the age old notion of the media being the devil’s advocate indeed appeals to me in more than one sense.

Relaxing after a long day’s work, most working men of this country are greeted to constructed news which is aimed at hypnotizing the majority of the nation. This news is not always factual, as in the recent piece on the rising use of adulterants in products of daily use – which was consequently disapproved by the manufacturing house besides the evident loopholes in the piece. Moreover, in nine out of ten cases, the basis on which the report is being made is generally a matter blown out of proportion as rightly it teaches the techniques of making a mountain of a molehill. The stories as they say in media language are not monitored properly when you bring in the context of unbiased scripts. The editors, senior correspondents are somehow or the other linked with a political party and in the end you find the news channels becoming propaganda offices of many Political parties of this great nation. I say this not out of mere assumption, but it is a fact that even today in Orrisa, a leading politician actually owns a news channel company! This implies that when you watch the leader of the opposition citing harsh phrases against the ruling government and sons of ministers who allegedly implemented a sterilizing policy to control the population, target the minority communities – their claims of doctored tapes and false media reports should be dismissed faster than the speed of light.

What we see every day is all but truth. It is the portrayal of a grand theater going on somewhere that we are unaware of. A person believes in what he senses, the belief is stronger when he hears about it and when he sees it…when he sees it the word ‘conviction’ should be used in its superlative degree. We actually are exposed to the news which the media people want us to see, not the news which we have the right to see. Then tell me, when there is an election going on, why is it that a domestic cricket competition called the Indian Premier League gets more attention than the speeches of the people who are supposed to be running our country? This is all because of the devil’s avatar on earth – the media.

Five fingers would be enough to indicate the News companies which sincerely swear on broadcasting the truth – not half of it. Be it politics, entertainment, sports, leisure, lifestyle; one has to expect a conditions apply at the end of every news piece. For many orthodox followers of current affairs, the growing disinterest in reading authentic news givers like the Hindu and the Statesman is as disheartening as the departing of a loved one. It is the Times of India that sells, with news proclaiming the arrival of a city grown tennis star who reached the front page by qualifying for the finals of a second category tournament; when on the other hand you have news of minors being tortured in public, children being sold, girls being used and dumped on to the street and corrupt municipality officers eating into our pockets.

Now who does the common man turn to?

It’s a pity that I am partially contradicting myself, but the media has notably achieved things in the past which in a way has helped them get the attention and support of more than a million. It is for these million that the TRP of our news channels seemed to be always at the summit. However, there is nothing to be proud of because present day sting operations and underground coverage are nothing but a glorified version of what media has actually considered itself to be for the past few years. Modern day media banks on the glories of its previous years, not convinced? Food for thought – what were the reactions in the intellectually developing society about two decades back, when Ramdas Goenka had actually declared an open war against Dirubhai Ambani? You might not use the word ‘sting’, but the news reproduced was honestly – ‘stinging’. The media had stripped a business tycoon naked perhaps that seemed to be. But what was the end result of the hue and cry? Dirubhai Ambani was cleared of most of the charges.

Is this the credibility of our media – the common man’s belief?

The magician takes out the rabbit from his hat, the audiences watch in awe. He hypnotizes them with his hand movements and how hard you try to catch him on the wrong foot, he deceives you as he thinks a step ahead of you! Consider the media to be the magician and the rabbit to be news stories. And we? We are like always – the audience! Fooled, hoodwinked and deceived; have you ever heard us complain? Never!

We sit there every evening with a belief deep down our hearts that what we see on T.V or read on newspapers is ‘everything’ that is actually happening. But the reality is that ‘everything’ that happens within the four walls of the editorial offices is censored in our news. We get to see the half truth and yet like generations we are satisfied…thoda aur wish karo…absolutely correct Mr. Khan. That’s what our citizens need to do rather than bank on a bunch of cameramen and people holding mikes in front of our television. And, not forgetting writers whom we have never seen in our lives.

Before employing a servant, we ensure to check his history of four generations – double checking his credentials. But are we aware of the credentials of the people who break us news that could change our lives? I guess not.

But this is a belief…a belief of many which I wouldn’t like to break. After all, you listen to your heart and not a person who writes articles complaining about the messiahs, right? You agree, and you come back to where I ended and you don’t then you reach the point from where I started. There are no lies – there is truth and half truth, reality and fiction and then there is the devil’s advocate & the common man’s belief…

The choice was always yours & will remain yours.

'Change We Need'

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”—Barack H. Obama

One man’s dream of a better future gave rise to a million hopes. One man’s ability to script his own destiny gave rise to a million supporters. One man’s proclamation that change would come gave rise to a million saying – ‘change we need.’

Senator Barack H. Obama scripted history by being elected as the first ever Afro-American president in the United States of America. A person who forthrightly said that his father would not have been served at a local restaurant in the US sixty years back, won by a tally of 365 electoral votes on the 4th of November, 2008 to take up one of the most difficult job in the world; ‘indeed change had arrived in America’.

When a fanatic’s call for jihad shook the world as we saw two mighty buildings collapse in front of our eyes, the people of America knew exactly what to do. They forgo their belief in the present system and overthrew the Government, they passed through a phase of massive upheaval in the society with grit and determination and as they say if ‘winter has arrived, then spring is not far off…’ waited for the hard times to pass by and the good times to return. They elected an African American, Muslim President to rule the country, at the time when fundamentalists seemed to strike at every juncture of their journey of restoring the lost dignity and pride of their nation.

What does one do when rashes appear on our skin? There are two possible outcomes; first, we keep on scratching and rubbing our dirty palms over those itchy spots on our skins. Or secondly, we visit a doctor and apply some soothing lotion over it, so that those rashes disappear in no time.

Terrorism and terror outfits in our country are rashes that are infecting our nation. And we, citizens of a nation considered being one of the strongest and the most powerful democracies of the world, are sitting and scratching away our rashes and spreading the infection even further. Passing the buck would not be a suitable option at the present situation, but, media is to be blamed as internal matters related to India’s governance are being blown out of proportion for no justifiable reason. We as a nation should revolutionize the way our Government has been functioning for the past 60 years. Powers of diplomacy should be strong enough to withstand the counter allegations made by our neighbours, and also help in overcoming ideas like wars or military infiltration as means to wriggle out of difficult yet tricky circumstances.

Just like the US, we need a change. We have seen enough of this media babbling about politicians and politicians stating that media has played a negative role in generating wrong ideology amongst their viewers. We have had enough of the derisory comments ridiculing heroes in public stating that they died in fake encounters. We want a change, we demand a change and it should come from each one of us. Rightly, at the time when the Pakistani Government is playing a part in the conspiracy of silence, our media is corresponding by playing the devil’s advocate in creating a fake war like hysteria in the country, a panic arousing situation in every household across the country. Honestly speaking, we are far away from the truth that actually prevails, we are far away from the fact, that even after 61 years of Independence we are a nation ripped apart by a tabooed society, a nation weak enough to withstand terror attacks every second month, a nation inadequately equipped to help our defense forces at times of crisis. There might be a number of contradictory comments, but at end of the day, we are a weak democracy, a reality too harsh to face.

Why do we allow religiously biased politicians the right to say that his experience was all that matters? Why do we allow them to violate the freedom of speech and expression in the first place? Why do we allow them to play dirty politics out of sensitive issues and why the hell do we allow them to disgrace our heroes?

We want a government which does not bring religion into politics and politics into religion!

We want a change, and we shouldn’t wait for it. Instead, we should walk up to the ‘house of change’ and drag it into our country. This unique ability lies with the likes of Sachin Pilots and Omar Abdullahs of this country.

It’s a sincere request, allow the youngsters a chance with power. Allow them to associate themselves with the new and uprising generation, allow them the privilege to for see the near future. Why do we always have an eighty year old holding on to a chair that can justly be left for a deserving forty year old? There are number of unanswered questions, which might take several hundred years for our leaders to answer. Give us the change we need, or else we will snatch away our change, our rights, in front of your very eyes, and you will not even dare to resist us. We need an Obama…to bring about the needed change, so tell me, which one of you is one?

I leave my question unanswered; a lot of introspection will do the trick… just as the tea company commercial… Jaago India, Jaago! I hope and pray at the same time, that we don’t need another 26/11 to awaken us!

Love of Nature is Essential for our Survival

Why has the question of love for nature become so important for the modern human race? 

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”

The question of love for nature has been raised because of rapid modernization and the subsequent destruction of nature.

We can’t think of a world without fast cars, fast aero planes, computers and all the gadgets that are virtually part of the modern world. We have a world where nature has been abused and exploited and has led us to the dungeons of hell.

I will consider the word – ‘progress’ to be a misnomer because in the name of progress we are harming our surroundings. And this is certainly not a way of showing love to nature. 

      How many of us try to wake up and watch the sunrise or watch the crimson sun descending on the western horizon? How many of us enjoy an early morning walk in the park or the green expands of what we know as, for example Greater Noida City Park.

      Trees are being cut down at a rapid pace at the benefit of greedy and hungry promoters in connivance with the local authorities. Deforestation led to the cyclone in Orissa a few years ago. If we keep whitewashing the greenery around our cities, how can the citizens breathe pure oxygen which is necessary for our health?

      Our cities are polluted with the fossil fuels of our cars; auto rickshaws belching out carbon intoxicated poisonous air. We breathe and reap cancer as we go about doing our work everyday. We are far away from nature’s healthy life giving forces that we find in the sun, wind and rain. The ozone layer of the atmosphere protects us from the ultra violet radiations or direct effect of the sun. But it is getting perforated by the extensive use of CFC’s in our daily lives.

      Therefore, my readers, I request you to pay heed to the dangers we face everyday of our lives because of our steady withdrawal from our association with nature. If we realize this grave situation, we shall forgo the steps that are being taken by the developing world in particular, to ruin our lives.  

      Carbon free energy grid sounds unachievable in a short space of time but it’s a challenge that achievable and affordable and has the potential to completely transform our lives. Therefore, I, as a responsible citizen of the Blue Planet would like to pick up the green gauntlet when people are tuned to the need for greater energy efficiency, to reduce pollution and maximize benefit in the backdrop of rising food costs and falling supplies. 

      The need for love of nature arises as the demands for renewable energy grows, costs will continue to fall. With economies of scale, energy generated from the sun, wind and water would become more affordable and eventually, all electricity generated could be from non fossil fuel sources. Solar energy should be able to rival nuclear energy in contributing to India’s needs by 2020. I have often wondered why a country like India with its abundance of natural sunshine hasn’t done more to focus on developing solar energy. All we need to step up this revolution is part persuasion, part legislation, strategy with strong political leadership and individual state and determination. 

Truth is Courage

“It is very easy to lie, but to speak the truth it needs lot of courage”.

What is the relationship between truth and courage?

In today’s world do we really know the significance of these two words?

Courage is conviction that helps you achieve your goals in life. Courage is an inner force that tells you that you need to act appropriately. It is the propelling force in life that steeds you far ahead of others; Courage is not something that can be handed over to you through lessons or you inherit it. It comes to you spontaneously when you are fighting for a cause which is true to you. Truth is that always triumphs in a world of treachery and malice. A faithful disciple of Jesus named Thomas once said that truth is whatever one believes in. Truth is the sense of righteousness, justice and freedom to express what seems right, even if the whole world is against you; truth is something that will never let you down.

“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.”

The soldiers who give up their lives in the battlefield are a true example of courage fighting for truth. The numerous martyrs, unsung yet heroes are examples of courage fighting against cowardice and falsehood.

The middleclass women of colonial India, swimming against the tide to make history are also classic examples of courage fighting for truth.

Whenever people move on the path of truth, they face many difficulties which try to stop them from achieving their goal. Only people who have courage or succeed in developing courage find success in this path.

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

~ Nelson Mandela

One such living legend, who defied all the odds to fight the apartheid in South Africa or we can say in other words, fight for truth in South Africa, was Nelson Mandela. He was a person who was deeply motivated by the Mahatma’s principle of truth and non violence and had fought for the equal status of one and all in a country where racial discrimination was at the peak. He was imprisoned for 18 years but he knew that he was fighting for a cause, he was fighting for truth and it was the presence of conviction that made the Nelson Mandela we know today.

“Truth and courage are the two different sides of the same coin”.

If one observes carefully, he will find out that courage and truth are interrelated. It was a chilly December morning, about 5 years ago, when I first learnt how to miss classes without teacher’s permission. I got carried away with a group of friends who were quite capable of passing the buck to me, which I realized much later; perhaps it was too late by then. Nevertheless, as planned I had managed to give my subject a miss, however as Mr. Fate had plans for me, it turned out that we were caught by the Headmaster, strolling around the school corridors. We were literally dragged to his office, and then questioned. As expected my friends made all flowery stories and proved their innocence, however I decided to say honestly, our intentions thinking that the headmaster would excuse me ‘cause I had taken the trouble of speaking honestly. Conversely it turned out that I was the one who was punished, caned and reprimanded for the group’s behaviour. I returned home in tears and promised myself that what may come, I will never speak the truth again. But, a soft little voice spoke inside me, which reminded me of the story I had heard as a toddler that truth prevails longer than lies and it made me change. I felt a lot better as a human being, I knew it from within that I was not tearing my soul into pieces by lying every time, I knew that I was an honest person and that day on I realized that the courage needed to lie is far less than needed when we are speaking the truth.

“One can use his courage to speak the truth, but to speak the truth is itself a sign of bravery”.

Yakub Memon, one of the prime accused in the 93 Serial Blasts that shook India, had agreed to comeback to India, as he believed that he was innocent. But again Mr. Fate had other games to play with him, when he returned to India after a brief stay in Dubai he was arrested at the Bombay Airport with charges of conspiracy. However, his intention as publicized in a popular Indian Daily was to help the Government track down the culprits and become an approver. This is another example of a person who had the courage to come up and say the truth and justify his innocence but was stopped short by an external force or Mr. Fate who put a tag around his shoulders labeled ‘Terrorist’. However the real culprits are lurking around somewhere, whilst the person who spoke up is in jail, sentenced to death.

Yakub knew that he was not wrong; however the world got to see the wrong side of him.

In this society, a question lies in every single soul, shall we risk our lives, shall we risk our image, and shall we speak the truth? Or should we take the easier road, say a lie and remain Scot free.

The sad part is that, when a person steps up to fight for honesty and for the betterment of mankind, and external force stands up to pull him down into an abyss from where there is no escape. That person is ridiculed and punished for a crime he hadn’t committed, but he doesn’t give up…he knows he can still fight it out till the last breath…he knows that he has courage! Truth is courage! Truth is courage!

“With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.”

In the advent of technology, is the human touch lost?

Technology – a strange word, and especially when we relate it to the human touch, it becomes even more queer. 

Technology can be traced back to ancient days when man invented the wheel followed by the discovery of metals; which would soon change the face of the human race. Invention of the wheel led to traveling that in turn led to trade and expansion of land that led to war. But did we lose the human touch then?

The very invention of technology was by human hands, and it should be taken as a boon and not a bane and as far as I believe, technology is still firmly under our control; contrary to what my opponents may say.

My question to you all is, did by any chance the invention of the wheel or iron hamper the growth of our civilization? If not, then how can we say that at the time of vast scale modernization and rapid growth in population, technology is something that is aiding in the loss of the human touch? According to prominent author, Arthur Clarke, “Any significant advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”, and rightly so, at the time when people are seeking better ways to live, to eradicate poverty and endure the hardships of life, we are talking of irrelevant matters such as ‘human touch’.

Technology is something that enhances the human touch and hence, prolonging its existence. For, example, I speak in front of a packed quadrangle with my voice, or my human touch, however, would you all sitting in the last row be able to hear me, if this piece of technology or the microphone as we call it would not be here? We crib about the days when people used to store treasured letters, but aren’t we forgetting that we are storing emails as well in our computer, which last longer than perhaps any letter would. We do blame mobile phones, don’t we? Doesn’t it help us to reach out to the ones we love when we need them the most? And would India still be winning Test matches if a biased umpire like Steve Bucknor officiates without technology analyzing his every move? And still we end up saying that the ‘human touch is lost’. What we forget is that technology adds more life to the human touch.

If my opponents still think that the human touch is lost, then perhaps they are at the wrong place. ‘Cause Expressions is a place for expressing yourself, justifying the ‘human touch’ in the field of art. But, if there was not a splendid audio setup, then, there would be no effect of the human touch and this program would have been as good as a body without a soul.

It is not necessary that human beings and technology cannot reside in harmony. It entirely depends on our perception. When you invent a robot – it is human touch as it has been invented by a human being for the betterment of his fellow beings. But side by side, you have to term it as ‘technology’ as it can do more things than an ordinary human being can.

I would like to conclude by saying that it is time we move on, we realize what the present needs, we cannot regret decisions taken hastily and imperfect outputs so we need to embrace the new born baby ‘technology’ and let the human touch just control it, not interfere. Human touch and technology walk hand in hand, you lose one and you lose the other so I say aye to technology, as the human touch won’t be lost…what about you?

I Am an Open Book!

Dear friends,

Thank you for finding time to read my blog. Since, this is the first time I would be trying out the blogging concept; I'd love to share with you a bit about myself. An avid reader and a crazy writer, I can go on reading and writing till the world ends. I am an admirer of all the social icons and I firmly stand against all those creating havoc in the society. I am a stern follower of the fact that the winds of change need to be brought about and you won't find the words 'I can't' in my dictionary. Being a part of the modern genration I appreciate people who often raise their hands up and be counted whenever there is a need for them to do so. 

It is my belief that writing is stronger than words, so through my blog I would be pleased to share with all of you articles, stories and poetries varying from social issues to humour, school life to struggles; for this I need the strong cooperation and support of all. I can assure that my new venture will surely fetch me dividends and my blog will be a representation of what I stand for in life. 

Happy Reading!

Cheers!