Friday, January 13, 2023
Thank you Prof (Dr) Pamecha Sir!
Sunday, March 21, 2021
Etched on her memories, always!
He was a true gentleman. A man of stature, he personified dignity. Another reason for admiring him more was the fact the he lived his life to the fullest, till he lived.
Yes, he is no more now. Last
year, when we were lighting lamps on Diwali, his family lost their light due to
Covid.
As time is the biggest
healer, his memory started fading away. These days, we have become so busy in
our daily chores that we have started to forget ourselves, let alone anyone.
I met his wife yesterday, first
time after his demise. I was flabbergasted after seeing her. Having met her
two-three times earlier, last time on their 25th marriage
anniversary, which they celebrated with all pomp and show, I could not believe
my eyes. After a span of almost half-a-year post his husband’s untimely death,
time has not healed her. She looked so feeble, in stark contrast of what I saw
her last.
She asked her to come inside
her home. My colleague and I followed her instructions. Just as we began our
conversations, she could not hold herself and burst into tears. There was silence
all around, for a while, and this while was longer. I guess, our organisation’s
identity badges must have brought back his memories. Tears are words, the heart
cannot say.
The last time I met her was
when all was well. They were a happy family of two-plus-two. A teacher by
profession, her aura had all the charm. Her enthusiasm was contagious. She had
everything, she still has…except him. Everything went murky, because of the
biggest pandemic of this century so far – Covid 19. Initially, it was hard to
believe that this virus could reach us too, but then gradually it inflicted
majority, and became a part of human cytology.
But then, he caught the
virus. How, When, Where, nobody has the answers. His condition kept on
worsening, from home quarantine to local hospital to ventilator of the state
capital’s largest hospital, he saw it all but all in vain. He bade adieu all of
us on Diwali. While the city celebrated the night with lights, his family lost
their brightest light in day time.
He and I worked in the same
office. Our last conversation was, “Sir, I shall be meeting you after seven
days only as the boss has rejected by 15-day leave application”. We never met
afterwards… I still miss him!
How an untimely demise affects
a family, I saw last night. Somebody has said it right, “Death ends a life and
not a relationship”. Their relationship will continue forever and ever. I do
not know my words will reach her or not, but I wish she becomes a shadow of
what she was, as everyone including the demised soul wants her to look that
way, and not this way.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Bunk-ing the Bank-ing!
Friday, January 11, 2013
First-hand from the field!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
A champion, always!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Over and over, again!
A Murli Vijay or a Paul Valthaty would come and hit a ton in the 120-ball format and the likes would give us reasons to cheer.
And, in that high-decibel chaos, we would forget what Rahul Dravid said in his ‘Bradman Oration’ real cricket — Test match.
That compels me to put forward a serious question: Are we nurturing a bunch of cricketers who practice lofted shots in nets or we help them stick to cricket basics and let them play a ball according to its merit?
I remember an interview of an IPL centurion, who emphatically stressed on hitting ‘big shots’ in nets during his preparations of IPL matches.
Though, he was successful in a particular IPL edition, but with that India lost a player, who has good enough merit to be a Test opener.
Now, why this question? Take an example of the ongoing India-Australia test match at the SCG.
When the Day 1 came to an end, there was a divided opinion. Optimists believed that India would take couple of quick wickets early on Day 2, and pacers would then restrict Kangaroos to a score not more than 250, conceding a lead of just 50 odd runs.
A section also had faith that SCG would turn to an Eden Garden and some very, very special innings might either level the series or turn it in India’s favour.
On Day 2, the outcome of the test cricket became evident, probably from the very first ball. India were lucky on just one ball out of 540 deliveries they bowled. The scorecard resembled of many occasions of 2007 series. Ponting dismissed by Ishant. The difference was, by then, the Australian right-hander had done his job and not only that he along with Hussey made Indians look ‘awry’.
Two records were noteworthy. Ponting scoring a ton after two years and Clarke hitting his maiden double-century. The big Australian trio of Ponting, Clarke and Hussey were said to be out of form before the series began, but experience played its part and they are now the team saviors.
India, on the other hand, had been preparing well. Says a statement of Dravid from his Bradman Oration, “We have come here more experienced, better prepared.” But, Dravid himself had, after a great 2011, tough times dealing with seaming deliveries.
Except Sachin Tendulkar, who despite of so much hullabaloo over his century’s century producing the best possible bat-ball sound, no Indian batsman looked comfortable.
If Australian selectors were bold enough to pick Ponting over inexperience, despite the noise, their Indian counterpart went a step ahead and dropped Harbhajan, who had been consistent with his off-spin against Australian.
Another point, whether the Virat Kohli or the Rohit Sharma, whom we call Indian cricket’s future, are also loosing their batting charm in the media din.
Can we not have a fast wicket at the Bangalore-based National Cricket Academy, where players will practice ‘chin music’? Or, will it be the same story over and over, again?
Many foreign tours will come and we will have the same mixed feeling of optimism-pessimism. Heart would like to see India on the winning side, while the brain would say we are incapable of that.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
When Congress Party in 2004 came up with the slogan ‘Congress ka haath, aam aadmi ke saath’, the suasion helped the UPA in battling the ‘India Shining’ sloganeering of then NDA government.
Seven years on, when the same ‘aam aadmi’ (now a little older) seek Congress’s support in weeding out corruption, the oldest Indian party seems fumbling with different takes every now and then.
What troubles me more is when I see some people’s reactions — in newspapers, on the social networking sites and various other platforms — when they criticise the 74-year-old anti-corruption crusader, Anna Hazare.
I understand many, by nature, are obdurate and cynical, but for me the criticism is unjustified.
Let’s be honest, at the age of 74, Hazare has no political intentions and his movement has nothing to do with earning mileage for a specific party.
His team may have amended their own bill for not less than 12 times — as said in the lower house by Sandip Dikshit — but all the changes aim to bring a strong and effective Lokpal bill.
A constitutional expert (we should not get into names here, rather accord priority to the issue) said there were several impracticalities in the bill.
I pose a question to the gentleman — Whether there were no any flaws in the constitution drafted by the genius B R Ambedkar and his team? Why has it been amended so many times?
All bills have shortcomings, but the intention of bringing a bill in the parliament and then enacting it after notification shows that we, as the world’s strongest democracy, are still committed to work for a greater cause of what’s there in the preamble of constitution.
Co-incidentally, Congress party was at the helm of affairs when the Lokpal bill was first presented in the House in 1968 and even today, when the demand of its implementation has taken the form of a mass movement.
The bill came twice — in 1998 and 2001 —during NDA’s regime as well, but no headway was made.
When on Aug 27 (on a non-working day) morning, the incumbent finance minister Pranab Mukherjee stood up in Lok Sabha at around 11am to initiate discussions on the bill, later followed by debate in both the house, it seemed the government is open to listen to ‘commoners’.
Also, watching MPs debating the nitty-gritty of the bill, my belief in parliamentary democracy gets stronger.
Ditto is the case with many, who had lost faith on people (and not the institution) who sit there. Reasons: Cash for vote scam, MPs being accused of taking money for asking questions, many with criminal cases pending against them, and the list is endless.
There could be someone like Lalu Prasad, who is finding it ‘unparliamentary’, but I do not find many takers buying his argument.
As Pranab da said, there are not more than six issues where lie the difference between Team Anna and the government.
It’s high time to reach a conclusion and draft a bill that would help the country in achieving zero-corruption (literally).
With all regards to Anna!
P.S. Mr. Prime Minister, you deserve the credit of what Indian economy is today, for standing firm on nuclear bill. If the world reels with the threat of another recession, we feel safe. But, this issue is no less important. Not anyone can come and dilute your stature by ‘lecturing’ during the zero hour of the constitution.
Sir, the entire country is looking up to you to do something akin to what you did 20 years ago.