Captain Courageous' Mahi-Way!

Mahatma Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Ratan Tata, Barack Obama, Arnab Goswami, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, … One common thread running through all these names is that they all are (were) courageous! Besides, of course, being legends & leaders! And, as you must have guessed it by now, I am a great fan of them all! …

These are just a few names that I have mentioned here but there are many more – many many many more! - from India and rest of the world, contemporary and historical, spanning the entire spectrum of Life who have stood apart from the crowd - but always with the crowd; they all have been bold and brave and, thus, true leaders!

And I salute each of these leaders! And I also salute all those nameless and faceless people – commonly called ‘common man’ / ‘aam-aadmi’ – who have displayed courage in their life and have stood for their ideology and along the way have inspired themselves and others in their sphere to do just what they had always wanted to do – just like the way the world leaders from all walks of life, sports included, have motivated people since the time immemorial!

Watching Mahendra Singh Dhoni lead India to lift the most prized possession in the world of cricket, famously called The Cup That Counts and bring back the most coveted of the silverware in a trophies-chest after 28 long years with his masterstroke of an innings of 91n.o. when India looked shaky from the early exit of stalwarts like Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar said a lot about the man! In spite of so-called not being in his “true form” during the tournament with bat – I say, he was in full form with his captaincy! – he took that bold step of coming out at No.4 when the chips were down for India – and the stakes were pretty high. I cannot imagine any other captain being his ‘natural’ courageous self when India’s possible monumental loss could have got pinned on his shoulders for ever if his strategy had backfired! He looked his usual self i.e. calm and determined from the first go; he remained focused even under intense pressure; and he set out to play the much needed “Captain’s Knock” and steered India the Mahi-way to the victory! And when he hit that huge winning SIX, the nation cheered and cried simultaneously! And then like a true leader he slipped out of the glare and let his team savour the moment! (In no photograph taken on the ground with the cup you will see him clearly.) His ability to handle such momentous moments is supremely humble which is simply awesome!

It was an enormous emotional moment for the entire country. To see a super cool captain Dhoni trying to hide his tears from the cameras was indeed overwhelming! (I couldn’t control my tears.) And who can ever forget tears rolling freely out of legendary Sachin’s eyes (I can hear Sachin say: “I had a dream…!”) and Yuvraj’s, Bhajji’s and almost every member of the winning team adding to the collective pool. Those “Tears of Joy” made the entire country cry with happiness and relief and the satisfaction of getting to hold the Ultimate Cup, again, and being crowned as the Cricket Superpower! … Let the Celebrations continue! …

The most remarkable dimensions of his personality – character is the most apt word – are his trademark brutal honesty and straightforward streak! His beautiful smile on his handsome face (long hair/short hair/no hair: he looks as admirable as always!) radiates his core the best! His ability to stick to his principles and values and beliefs even under trying circumstances is almost unprecedented and infectious; and, his greatness to be able to remain rooted in spite of being a “super successful” and a “super rich” sporting icon in today’s times of glamour and glitz is incredible; remember, he is Indian cricket’s favourite poster boy! His leadership of guts and gutsy decisions – gut instincts! – are aspects of his being that are hugely inspirational! His unshakeable inner calmness with an equally strong confident exterior which he reflects is amazing! He commands respect from all, to say the least. Let us not forget that most of the members of the present team have played under erstwhile captain; it was Dhoni becoming the captain which made them perform at their best.

Let us not forget that he doesn’t come from any “cricketing nursery” – the so-called big towns – where cricket is considered a serious career option and have necessary cricketing ambiance and facilities. What is extraordinary about his constitution is that in spite of this he has been able to carry his team and its individual egos – comprising of seniors and juniors and contemporaries - forward as the most successful captain – and a formidable cricketer - of the most successful Indian cricket team ever! Mahi is a magical leader! 20-20; 50-50; ODI No.1; Tests No1; what next, Mahi?!

Today, if MSD is called Midas Singh Dhoni, then let’s accept the fact “fortune favours the brave”!

(Keep up your courage, Captain MSD! And, a huge THANKS, Mahi and your formidable team (especially Sachin, Sehwag, Yuvi, Bhajji, Zaheer, Kohli, Nehra, and …) along with Guru Gary and the entire support staff, for bringing the Cricket World Cup back to India!)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a study in himself! …

May God be with MSD, as always J

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Honi ko anhoni karde, anhoni ko honi!...

Aur kaun, but our Captain Courageous Dhoni! J

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Besides cricket per se, another highlight of the just concluded – and conquered! – cricket world cup has been the transformation of Sonia Gandhi. After Uncle Rajiv’s death, she seemed to have gone into her cocoon in spite of being in the public life as a political leader. It was a pure delight to see her enjoy India’s win over Pakistan in Chandigarh! She looked living her life, finally! And, yesterday night, watching her come out in an open jeep to be amongst the celebrating crowd cemented her “coming of”! … Keep it up, Sonia Aunty :)

THANK YOU, Captain MSD! We LOVE YOU :)

THANK YOU, Captain MSD! For making India the Cricket Champion, again! And, we LOVE YOU! ...

Mahi, you led from the front, as always! Indian Team is indeed immensely fortunate to have you as their Captain! And you kept your team absolutely determined throughout! Yuvraj Singh’s peaking during the crucial time of the World Cup tournament was one of the most extraordinary blessings! And, not to forget, Sachin Tendulkar’s trophies-chest will now have this prized and the most coveted of all silver wares, The Cricket World Cup, and his thrill is understandable! …

28 years later, after Kapil Dev’s team’s 1983 victory at the Lords, India finally brought back The Cup That Counts! 2^nd April 2011 will be a date which India and the world will remember forever! … Your keeping your Cool even after achieving this historic feat was incredible! … Great; keep it up!

Mahi, my belief – like billions Indians’ – was unshakeable from the beginning itself that we will win! And, my belief was based on you, Dhoni! … You will always remain India’s most beloved & respected Captain! We love you J …

And, I Thank God for being there with you & your team throughout! May God be with you, always J …

Nature: a Friend or a Fiend?

I had penned down the below given thoughts in ’08 and surprisingly the same sound relevant even today when we witness the still continuing brutal dance of Nature in Japan… The scenes of monumental destruction make you wonder if The Creator is still existent! Otherwise, how could It let It’s own creations – aided by humans on Earth – get destroyed so comprehensively! Earthquake of the highest intensity followed by Tsunami of unprecedented proportions followed by Nuclear scare of extraordinary levels … the carnage continues …

I salute the fellow humans in Japan; their dignified attitude even in the face of massive adversity is simply incredible! May they continue to draw required amount of internal – mental and physical and social and economical and political – strengths to pass through their undoubtedly the darkest hours, which too shall pass … And, Japan will soon be back at being The Land of The Rising Sun J

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“If people thought Nature was their friend, then they sure don’t need an enemy,” said Kurt Vonnegut, the accomplished American novelist and satirist.

The recent flurry of Nature’s fury makes Vonnegut’s caustic comment sound almost like a gospel. Before the world could adjust to the magnitude of destruction caused by the cyclone Nargis, there was this earthquake of very high magnitude devastating buildings and bodies alike in China. And in both cases – like in all cases of Nature’s onslaught since the start of evolution – humans’ body as well as souls got battered badly. The culprit: Nature.

Now, can this kind of Nature be anybody’s friend? …

Well, till one is himself or herself not in such a godforsaken situation, one cannot say yes or no to it. And a simple yes or no will not suffice, anyway.

It is a deep debate which requires profound understanding of the nature of Nature!

Here, we need to recall what Lao Tzu, the great Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism said once, “Nature is not human hearted.”

“Human-Hearted” – an intriguing adjective! What does it mean in essence?

If Nature isn’t any human’s friend, then is a human a friend of another human? Aren’t the Burmese military generals “humans” too? Then why have they left the millions of survivors to suffer further with their unrelenting refusal to allow international aids? Moreover, another aspect which should not be neglected is that why did the brutal military regime neglect the cyclone alert forwarded to it by India at least 48 hours in advance? Wasn’t it a conspiracy to kill its own countrymen? Should Nature be blamed here solely?

In contrast, what was remarkable about China's handling of the crisis was the swift action of the Chinese government. The presence of the Chinese top leaderships at the sites of devastations was a great comfort to the unfortunates and a lesson in disaster management for many so-called political leaders across the world.

So, who is humans' best friend - a fellow human or Nature? ...

Perhaps, Albert Einstein could help: "What I see in Nature is a magnificent structure that we can understand only imperfectly, and that must fill a thinking person with a feeling of humility."

I pray that some wise man’s ‘once-upon-a-time’ said words come true for the affected Burmese and Chinese: “The Rainbows of life follows the storm.” …

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The world – India included – will have to let all its thoughts and ideas converge and debate hard about putting billions of lives – humans included – at enormous risk by pushing hard – diplomatic pressures are immense on countries like India – for the much celebrated nuclear energy options …

World Leaders' Lessons in Dictator Management

Libya is burning and the world leaders are watching. They look as weak as ever and their almost stoic silence is baffling and frustrating. Muammar Gaddafi is killing his own countrymen; his illusion that he has the birthright to stay in power in conflict with Libyans’ wish should be put to an end immediately.

The United Nations which claims to be the custodian of global peace is looking as disunited as always. Even the US, the all powerful nation, is not manifesting any capability to stop the Gaddafi-sponsored carnage. The so-called compulsions of internal politics and governance in the times of economic slowdown are simply excuses. To think that in 21^st century we could be witnessing utter mutilation of humans’ rights and dignity and liberty while the entire world watched helplessly is appalling and not acceptable, and unavoidable. If the so-called global leaders cannot do any thing against Muammar Gaddafi – and all the other dictators - then they should vacate their mantle and let the courageous of the world take over the responsibilities of ridding the humanity from the shackles of stubborn monsters.

The time is still not lost. A lot could be done to oust Muammar Gaddafi. Ban Ki Moon should convene an emergency meeting of all member states and chart a military intervention strategy to stop Gaddafi’s use of violence immediately. Only sanctions will not work; nor will any amount of rhetoric satisfy the world. If force needs to be used then be it. Under the aegis of the UN, an allied force should be urgently sent to Libya to forcefully evict Gaddafi. Barack Obama, besides being the president of the most powerful nation, has the personality and the support of the global populace as a world leader, and, therefore, he should lead the world and support its pro-democracy pursuits. He - along with other global leaders - has to act his role and ensure an “orderly transition” in many parts of the world. He cannot afford to be a mute spectator and abandon the people of the world. And, hollow condemnation is akin to condoning.

President Obama, are you listening? …

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Muammar Gaddafi’s desperate attempt to cling to power in face of fierce opposition to his iron fisted rule is comical in equal measures as it is cruel. Because, if he has read the world history then he should have known that dictators do not survive people’s revolt. It is only a matter of few days before Libyans’ uprising will consume him soon.

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Folklore: In gratitude to the US president for not clamoring for his ouster sincerely, the erstwhile Egyptian president had decided to spell himself as Hosni MuBarack! …

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But the story or the struggle does not end here. World leaders have to evolve as geopoliticians and equip themselves adequately and become strong enough to deal with the future dictators of the world, if any; narrow ‘national interests’ should not be used as a smokescreen to conduct international diplomacy anymore. The rules of global governance have to be re-written by credible global leaders; they have already tasted the limits of their power and influence when it comes to tackling the world tyrants. And, hope they learn their lessons in dictator management soon…

India’s hypocritical obsession with Indianness

Often I wonder why we Indians feel so “Indian”! That is, why we Indians do not forget that we are only Indians at times. That is, why we Indians are so uncomfortable feeling not “Indian”. That is, why we Indians feel so awkward being a world citizen.

I wonder because I see Indians ‘trying’ to be Indians all the time.

If you refute my “charges” on us fellow Indians then just take a 360 degree view of our country and countrymen and you will understand what I mean.

For us the world is India. We simply refuse to accept that even though we hold Indian passport, we are essentially a part of the larger world. That is, we Indians are world citizens as well. And whatever little worldview we have, that is “limited edition” and laced with hypocritical Indianness. Just dissect an Indian’s life and style and you will see the all too evident dichotomy.

Because of “economical” reasons we are enormously comfortable embracing a foreign language i.e. English as it has become the working language by default and we cannot “work” without it, but beyond a certain point we are immensely uncomfortable with things “non-Indian”, be it wearing western dresses or eating continental food or listening to English songs or watching English movies. (English is the only non-Indian language we understand!) Interestingly, on the other side, we also pride ourselves on being indulgent in things “western” as that satisfies our narrow definition of being “modern”. But obviously this approach is full of “double standards”. Else, why do we see people dramatically change – going back to “Indian” ways - in their habits and lifestyle once they so-called settle down (marriage!) in life?

And perhaps that is the reason why we see Hindi and regional genres in all fields doing immensely well in comparison to the English format. The conflict is chronic but has become glaring in present times when compared to yesteryears.

We are happy living in our Indian cocoon and we refuse to look outward. Whatever may be happening elsewhere in the world, we continue to concentrate on our set of issues all the time.

India’s inward looking view is not a recently acquired attitude; we have been wrapped in our Indianness for as far as history can look back. And that’s the reason why we Indians could never become a part of the larger world in the true sense of the term.

Being one’s own country’s citizen is a desirable attribute; nevertheless, to wear one’s citizenship so overtly on sleeves is not such a welcome characteristic. Because manifesting our skewed Indianness amidst global atmosphere – and aspirations - could become a bit uncalled for at times.

Take the case of the spreading pro-democracy protests worldwide. While the rest of the world is focused on the events unfolding in the Arab and the African worlds, India is blissfully insulated. The best reflective parameter is of course the Indian media. Tunisian revolution happened and got over and Ben Ali got ousted but our media mentioned the historic movement only as a passing remark. If Hosni Mubarak had resigned by fourth day of the Egypt uprising, the Indian media would have missed out completely on the ‘history-in-making’ moments. Sadly, the media has again pressed its snooze button and has shut out the reports of protests in Libya, Bahrain, Algeria, Yemen, Morocco and elsewhere in its coverage. Actually, our media has become so obsessed with the entire idea of “breaking news” of so-called relevant news to India primarily for the TRP share that it seems to have worn a blindfold permanently as far as the international news go. We do not even hear a mention of important global occurrences anymore. India-centric scams and scamsters continue to hog the limelight and get the primetime.

In an increasingly integrating world, where India is poised to stake a claim – rightly so – to the global high table because of its envied status of an emerging economic giant, Indian media will have to play a hugely integrating role. The exhibition of this “don’t care” attitude towards the world will not take India far. Our markets are not going to make us remain relevant, politically at least, for the world for long; we need to become a part of the global mosaic.

Sadly, I don’t think anybody is even bothered about India and Indian media. Otherwise, when a large part of the world is moving towards adopting democratic methods of governance, the world’s biggest democracy i.e. India does not find a mention anywhere. Indian political leadership and the Indian media have ensured that we remain anonymous in world’s watershed! Under ‘normal’ circumstances, India’s democratic administration should be talked about besides US’ as an example for other nations to emulate. We should be watching and hearing our political and media fraternities engaged into debates in the global media. But alas, no one cares! Because, we do not care to look beyond our boundaries. I call it a fitting reciprocation!

If I were the head of a media house, I would have seized this opportunity to showcase to the world India and its Indianness – democracy included – and would have involved and engaged the world population – media included – and would have in turn got involved and engaged with the world and its historic happenings; I would have tried to break the ‘isolationist’ image of the Indian media, and India. I would have helped my India overcome its inability – and obsession with Indianness - to cross over beyond its borders.

(I have always wondered that when India is talked about as being “poised”, then why Indian media is not taken in the same stride. Frankly, we know the answer. Honestly, we have world class media personalities but alas, they seem to have missed out on the opportunities yet again! …)

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It is good to nurse a belief like “Mera Bharat Mahan” but other nations are as much Mahan as India if not more! …

India and Cricket World Cup

“Hurrahhhhhhhhhhh,” I remember that deafening sound distinctly which I had heard while swinging on a swing. Because that is the sound which initiated me into the “world affairs”, sports to start with. It was 1983 and India had won the cricket World Cup! (And then I understood why the adjoining club’s tennis court was vacant on a holiday; watching members play tennis while swinging on the swing was my enjoyable pastime!)

Cricket became one of my favourite sports, tennis and soccer remaining my all time favorites. F1, of course – till Michael Schumacher’s reign – was the sport I loved the most! I have enjoyed a few cricket matches “live” and have passed numerous hours in front of television watching my favorite cricketers – many from Australia – play and win and lose and entertain in the process. Honestly, “too much” of cricket in various formats coupled with paucity of time has robbed the real joy of the game – for me, at least. Nevertheless, I love to watch Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar play. MSD, of course, I admire for his ability to lead with ice-cool demeanor!

The 10^th Cricket World Cup is on! India along with all cricket playing nations is ecstatic! We have a strong chance to win the cup the second time after ’83 under MSD’s captaincy. (Honestly, I am sure India will this time!) The opening ceremony was OK – nothing great about it, frankly. Like a cricket fan, I too wanted to watch the kick-off game between India and Bangladesh today but being thousands of miles away in a non-cricketing country coupled with professional engagements deprived me of that pleasure. Till I get back to India, I will follow the world cup on the BBC and the Net. (I look forward to New Delhi match between India and Netherlands on 9^th Mar’11.)

The ongoing world cup is extremely important for its scale of economy – for India and all countries involved. The biggest beneficiary will be the sports channel engaged in live telecast. The other channels which will get the second biggest pie of ad revenues would be the news channels. No wonder we see them dedicate good share of ‘prime time’ to coverage and panel discussions on cricket. A few credible critics and commentators I do not mind watching for a while, but beyond that I cannot digest. Because ‘Sports’ is one arena which is ‘played’ out and is not ‘reported’ like other ‘news’ in today’s television era. And at all cost I avoid wasting my time listening to armchair critics and so-called experts. The most shocking is the Times Now’s decision to incorporate ‘glamour’ factor in their cricket world cup coverage by roping in Mandira Bedi (in her trademark noodle-straps and her mastered sham of wearing traditional Indian attire i.e. a so-called sari!) and Roshni Chopra on their panel of so-called experts! What happened to their claim of a ‘no nonsense’ approach to news? ‘Hard news’ seems to have become ‘hardly news’ in relation to cricket WC coverage! (I watched it yesterday on the Net and could not go beyond a few minutes.)

Anyway, cricket world cup is about cricket and cricketers and not about television studio critics and commentators. …

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I, like billion plus Indians, firmly believe that India will win this time! … Congrats, MSD J

Egypt "Live" : March like an Egyptian ...

No astrologer could have “predicted” that 2011 was destined to be the Year of Revolution! Of Change! The uprising – “Jasmine Revolution” - which started in Tunisia in late Dec’10, has spread far and wide and is slated to be the watershed in world politics. After ousting Ben Ali from his 23 years of unopposed iron fisted rule over Tunisians, Egyptians Revolution is the most courageous manifestation of people’s power and desire for democracy: liberty and dignity in life!

2 weeks have passed since the protests erupted on the streets of Cairo and got congregated to the central part of the city that is Tahrir Square but the determination of the people of Egypt has remains undiminished. Their sustenance of energy and enthusiasm amidst strong government erected barriers – figuratively and actually – is a testimony to the burning desire of Egyptians to comprehensively reject autocratic form of governance practiced by a firmly established Hosni Mubarak. To watch Mubarak cling to his presidency in face of massive public outcry is almost pitiable. He has to realize fast that he will not be able to withstand the winds of change blowing in Egypt. He will have to go. It is only a matter of days. No amount of manipulations – his last straw - in the name of the so-called “orderly transition” will ‘fool’ Egyptians anymore. Hosni Mubarak will have to go. Period.

Egyptians’ “Million Man March” – March of Million - to Tahrir Square marked the reinforcement of Mahatma Gandhi’s universally applicable – and still relevant - peaceful principles towards pursuit of freedom. This also marked a new beginning in rewriting global politics especially in the Arab and African parts of the globe. All the ongoing revolts narrate the same story for and of Change. The challenge is to keep “marching”.

To the people of the world, I say: If you need a life of liberty and dignity, then, march like an Egyptian! …

And, to Hosni Mubarak and all the autocrats of the world, I say: Go, go, go …

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The entire world is focused on the unfolding events in Egypt and elsewhere. The global media – BBC, CNN and ABC in particular – has played an incredible role in taking the boiling revolution to billions’ household! “History-in-making” is being watched “live” which is unprecedented! The “history-in-making” is also in making the whole world unite as world citizens! …