Champions of hearts

What a fitting finale it was! Commentators were rightly saying, "Can you say who won?" Both were smiling broadly after the match. At the end of 3 1/2 hours of engrossing tennis one could say Tennis was the real winner. One couldn’t take the eyes off that match. Well-played guys! You rocked!
No Federer, no Nadal in a Grandslam final after quite a long time. It may well be the end of a dominating era. Inspite of being a Fedex fan I liked this change. One cannot keep watching someone winning over and over again. Only when there is rivalry will a sport thrive.
When Nadal and Federer were in semis, many wouldn’t have thought of such a final. Tsonga with his Mohammad Ali looks and brutal attack have downed many a top 15 player but he fell in the final hurdle albeit after a valiant effort. The muscular Nadal had told helplessly in post-match interview, “What can one do? He has a big serve, he runs fast and he has a range of shots.” His power packed shots and indomitable stamina are great indeed! His shot to get the first set in the final was a classy lob!
Novak had created waves after his stunning victory over Fedex. How many times have we seen Federer go down in straight sets? Federer was forced to eat humble pie He had to console himself by saying, “I have created this monster that I have to win everytime. But making it to the semis is a good thing too”. He didn’t look like the dominating guy who he usually is even against an ordinary player like Tipsarevic.
There was respect and mutual admiration between the players. Novak and Sharapova, whom the “Djoker” Novak used to often make fun of,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR9pj6Op_KU

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6909103471287172831&q=djokovic+sharapova&total=205&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
have not only become winners of the cup but also had another similarity. Both paid tribute to the opposing crowd in a magnanimous manner. Sharapova, who had knocked out Henin, had said, “Ivanovic has a great future. The Serbian crowd was very loud. But still I love you guys”. Similarly her tormentor Novak cheekily said, “If Tsonga had won today he would have been very deserved winner. The crowd wanted him to win more. But don’t worry guys I love you all.” You are champions of people’s hearts as well Maria and Novak!
There are few matches that you won’t forget for a lifetime – SA vs Aus semis in ‘99 worldcup, the epic chase of 434 by SA, Fedex-Safin semis in Aus Open ‘05, etc. This Aus Open semis and final were some of those!
Not very far from all these events in Melbourne, the honest Gilchrist has decided to hang his gloves. How many times have we seen him walking once he knows he is out! I accept that he has had his share of controversies with a ball in his glove during the recent world cup final. That apart, he has been spectacular. What a swashbuckling batsman he was! The most important aspect was that he has been the record holder for the most no of dismissals. Being a keeper when Mcgrath and Warne were bowling might make that sound simple. But he was a man who has given his 100%. Hats off Gilly!

Brewing entrepreneurship MBA style

Yesterday I along with my friends had gone to Brewhaha http://www.brewhaha.in/index.html , a place similar to Café coffee day but with a difference – you can play various games.
The very idea seemed innovative. The place had a home like environment with pillows, sheets etc. We can sit relaxedly and play games. What’s more Wifi connection was also there. We can buy snacks in addition to coffee day style coffee. We kept ordering food items while we were engrossed in our games. Well to be frank, others concentrated in the game. I played when there was no food left ;) That was the real ploy people keep ordering while they play.
We played a game where we had to find the word with the help of shapes drawn on cards. You can watch it here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3121760223278786369&hl=en
It’s only Rs.20 per hour per person – affordable, yet a good way to spend time. If you get time do visit this place. You will never feel the time running by.
This place has been started by two IIM A guys. It’s nice to see IIM guys becoming entrepreneurs like this. They end up doing what they love to do. Atleast there are few to resist working for a lucrative salary in a MNC and chase their dreams.
In one recent survey in IIM B, 72% had told they wanted to become entrepreneurs. But the real no of guys becoming entrepreneurs is very low.
One of the IIM professors ridicules this trend telling that most of the interview candidates tell they want to become entrepreneurs at some point of time. If that were true half the country will comprise entrepreneurs. Some safely tell they will become one after 15 years which is as good as telling they will never become one. Some go to the extent of telling they want to serve the country (by working for a MNC :P ). Read more at:
http://www.banglani.com/blog/?p=12
It takes real courage to chase your dreams. As Bharat Ratna Abdul Kalam rightly said : “Climbing to the top demands strength, whether it is to the top of Mount Everest or to the top of your career.”

New year madness

We all saw the New Year madness and violence on women plummetting to dangerous depths. Not only Mumbai almost every metro had reported similar violence. Inebriated guys doing vulgar things on New Year’s Eve has sadly become common news now.
Blaming the women themselves for such heinous crimes is atrocious. To tell that the women were provocative dresses is way too much.
The police commissioner’s reaction telling that they cannot put one police for each woman is worth pondering about. How much can the police protect when there are so many mad people thronging the streets? It will be prudent for the women to take the safer side and remain away from such places where they are sure crimes are prone to happen on New Year’s Eve.
It was shocking to know that 32,481 murders, 19,348 rapes, 7,618 dowry deaths and 36,617 molestation cases had been reported last year. The number of crimes that go unreported will be much more than these numbers.
It’s all the more shocking to see Delhi on the top of the crime charts. The nation’s capital though is well developed financially is a laggard when it comes to law and order. When the average crime rate of the country went down by 0.02% Delhi’s crime rate went up by 357.2% more than double the national average of 167.7. Delhi has to take urgent steps to stem this rot.
A blanket ban on drinks in Anbumani Ramdoss’s style wouldn’t be the solution as there are people who drink to a safe limit and don’t cause problems. Alcohol meters to deduct the alcohol a person has taken using his breathe should be used in places like MG road on such occasions. Any person should be allowed inside only if the meter reading is within “safe” levels.
The sad part is most of the offenders are well educated and from decent families. Youth drinking too much and losing control is not a good sign for shining India.
These crimes should be nicked in the bud.
The real problem lies in existing weak laws/implementation of laws. The law should have enough teeth to bite such offenders. Punishing such offenders harshly will definitely bring down such crimes against women.

Thought-provoking Taare Zameen Par

Taare zameen par – the best movie I have seen till date. We don’t see many bollywood movies without masala songs, dance and fights. But this film managed to defy all these trends and still makes a huge collection in theatres. It was heartening to see people watching name rolls go on the screen after the movie got over with dazed eyes.
Most of the reviews give 4 out of 5 for this movie. I feel that 4 is too less a rating for this movie. This movie made more sense than 1000 Om Shanti Oms put together.
Please read this blog after watching the movie because it has spoilers.
The cute kid Ishaan (Darsheel Safary) simply steals the show with his emotional acting. His bindaas way of living and the way he dreams are awesome. He brings everyone to tears with his performance in “maa” song. Without telling any word over the phone he conveys the message and touches the souls of everyone.
Amol Gupta has to be given credit for the beautiful story. Never do we feel a let down in the intensity of the story. And Deepa Bhatia should be proud of her research indeed.
Graphics designer should be congratulated as well. Especially for the 3 * 9 animations deserved applause.
Kudos should be given to Aamir for his excellent directorial debut. His absence in the first half was not felt at all. He hasn’t overshadowed the little star Ishaan at any point in the movie. I was inspired by the way he chose to play as one of the boys and not the hero in RDB. He somehow manages to exceed everyone’s expectations movie after movie.
A director is said to make an impact only if the audience think about the movie long after the movie is over. Aamir scores heavily in this respect. This story makes us think like no other movie does. It’s not just a movie about some kid affected by dyslexia. This story is true for all kids. It clearly shows how we treat kids and ignore their dreams and fantasies.
The movie potrays the way parents put lot of expectations on their children. This is emphasised when Ishaan’s dad does not appreciate Ishaan’s brother though he got into tennis finals in his school. The dad says to Aamir that his elder son is topper in all subjects whereas his younger son is good for nothing. He refuses to acknowledge the drawing skills of his younger one and says it won’t help his future. This just shows how our society still thinks of children as studying machines rather than identify the hidden talents in each child and nurture them. Everyone wants his or her child to be a doctor or engineer. They stereotypically think in commercial terms. Aamir rightly asks the parents “Why do you want to make money out of all this?”
The dad wants to enrol Ishaan in a boarding school and the mom ponders, “Where did I go wrong? Did I not grow him up properly?” They fail to think from the child’s point of view. As rightly pointed out by Aamir they look at the symptoms rather than the problem itself. At one point Aamir delivers the most influential and thought provoking dialogue of the movie: “Thanks for thinking that you are thinking about your child”. All parents think that whatever they do is for the good of their child. But is that right?
The movie also throws light on how commercial the schools have become. The Principal is literally searching for a reason to get rid of Ishaan with an easy excuse “ How can a teacher spend time on each and every child in the class?” I also happened to see a hoarding of an International school where a child is drawing and the ad reads something like “We nurture drawing talent of each kid” – very much trying to cash in on the success of TZP for their own commercial reasons.
Aamir’s way of making the child break out of his shell and come up and face the world with confidence are awesome. That is just the way every parent/teacher ought to treat his child. In Ireland every dad who has a child is required to leave office at 3 and spend some time with the kid. They recognize the value of spending time with kids.
When I was a kid I was not allowed to scribble on the walls. But after seeing the movie I thought to myself when I become a parent I will allow my child to scribble whatever he/she wants to. I will allow him the way he/she wants to become because every child is special.

Umpires going "down under"

When I was in college there was a guy who used to win cricket matches neither by bowling nor batting but by umpiring for his team. Benson and Bucknor weren’t much different except that they weren’t umpiring for their own teams. Both have gone ‘down under’ (pun intended) in their judgements. Benson just stopped short of asking Ponting 'do you want to umpire instead of me?' by asking Ponting’s opinion on a catch. Cricket should have never witnessed such an event. He should have gone to third umpire if he had had doubt. But going to the third umpire wouldn’t have made much difference either considering the fact that third umpire screwed up in the run-out of Symonds.
Come to think of it – umpires make mistakes in Tennis, Football and every other game. Technology is not quick enough to give instant decisions and there is no guarantee that the decisions taken with help of technology will be right. So invariably we have to depend on umpires.
Nevertheless there should be an evaluation system for umpires as well. The correctness of their decisions should be given points and they should be ranked like players. There should be lesser retirement age for umpires. They can be made to umpire in practice matches compulsorily so that they will have some match practice.
Technology can be used in reliable areas like finding out whether a bowler oversteps the line. Ganguly, Dravid and other affected batsmen walking in anguish unable to utter a word against the umpire fearing penalty won’t do any good to cricket. Batsmen could be given limited number of challenges against umpire just like in tennis.
Think about the racism issue regarding monkey …. er… Symonds. In my opinion calling someone a monkey isn’t a racist comment. Symonds was not called as monkey because he was black. If any other white guy in the team had had monkey like appearance and weird hairdo that person would have been called monkey as well. Symonds being so sensitive and the whole team rallying around him is a case of trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.
What was the necessity to punish Bhajji when there isn’t sufficient evidence? What is the match referee trying to prove with such an act?
BCCI sure has the financial muscle to pull ICC to make any decisions according to its whim and fancies. But is this approach correct? It’s definitely setting a bad precedent by arm-twisting ICC to get back Bucknor. What happens to Bucknor after the series is over? And what about Benson? What if BCCI were a relatively poor board like say Bangaladesh Board? In that case ICC would have stood firm with its decisions right?
Walking out of Parliament is not a good idea. You cannot stress your ideas if you are not inside. This is true for our boys as well. They shouldn’t quit the series. Come what may they must face it and fight bravely. Only that way can we prove a point to the arrogant and self-righteous Aussies.