When it comes to cricket I fall in the category of the Purists. I was amongst the people who frowned at the idea of reducing cricket to a 20 over a side game. Even though, I did enjoy the Indian victory in the inaugral T20 WC and the success of the IPL, I always thought of it as an advertisement of cricket. Nothing more than that. For me the sight of a red cherry being rubbed against the shining whites is real cricket.
Even as the ICC announced its plans of introducing Day Night Test matches,there is no denying the fact that Test Match has lost much of its sheen in recent past. The reason is just not the success of the shorter versions, but also the deteriorating qualities of test squads across the world. It definitely is a sorry fact, but we have to accept it. And its not ony the Test Cricket which is fighting for survival, ODIs are also facing a similar future..and why not. T20 cricket has it all, that too in a much smaller package.
This morning, I came across an editorial in HT, about how Test cricket is a thing of past. Being a hardcore fan of Test Cricket, I almost overlooked the article, but on a second thought decided to understand what these authors have against Test Cricket. Well, I must confess that the article did make me think. I sat down for an hour trying to think what is it about the Test Cricket that fascinates me? What is so intriguing about the T20s which is making it so popular. Here are some of the thought notes:
Test Cricket: Double Innings, Deficit/Lead, Bouncers
T20: Fast paced, Pacing the innings, Importance of slow bowlers
Clearly for a cricket buff like me, a product which offers us all of above would be really great. Hence, I feel that a new version of cricket should be introduced to replace all the three existing forms of cricket. In this version, each team should bat out two innings each of 20 overs duration.
All the four innings should be played on the same day.
This will help in combining the attributes of all three forms of cricket, giving rise to a highly entertaining and rich format of cricket. Some of the rules can be:
1. Both teams get a chance to bat twice, with twenty overs in each innings.
2. The follow on margin can be reduced to 40 runs.
3. The bowlers should be allowed two bouncers in the over.
4. It can be played in either day format (with white clothing) or day night format depending upon the venue.
We can call this version as I40 (International 40) format. I feel this format will surely take the world cricket by storm...what say guys??
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A disaster waiting to happen
Like everything else in this world, even the nature follows strict business. It keeps a count of every bit of laxity which it lets us enjoy. Just that it deals in scores and not in bits and pieces. Which is why whenever there is a catastrophe or an epidemic, it accounts for a whole lot of people.
You may continue to defy the laws of nature, but the day it comes back with a vengeance, freak accidents such as Air France flight 447 take place or a Swine Flu breaks out.
What role does the so called development or the modernization play in such Natural Disasters. Not that there weren't any epidemics or sinking Titanics in the old times, but somehow whatever negative happens now seems like an attempt of the mother nature to get back to the humans who have been exploiting it left right and center.
I have faced severe criticism from my friends for being so cynical about all human activities which now somehow to me looks like a deliberate attempt to exploit the ecosystem.
Very recently, I visited a colony in South Delhi, where I used to live more than a decade back. The geography of the entire area has changed completely. I still distinctly remember that the colony was dotted with trees and there used to be a lot of open spaces and greenery. Now, sadly, there were hardly any trees and any open spaces. Most house owners had gone on to make a couple of extra stories and accessorised each of them with a couple of Air Conditioners. The local market has developed into a major shopping hub. But obviously with the total area of the market remaining the same, the extra load on the resources is clearly visible. Locals tell me, that there is an insane traffic jam every evening and the power cuts is a usual phenomena now. Well, god forbid, but this area is like a disaster waiting to happen. If ever there is an earthquake, or a fire, the entire area would be gutted down within seconds, thanks to the concrete jungle which has shaped up there..
It is one of the many examples which illustrates how unplanned growth is a direct defiance of the laws of the nature.
I dont claim to be amongst those who are not a part of this exploitation. No one can do anything about the vicious circle which we have entered. This year being the hottest ever, the ACs are running full throttle as long as the power is there. Because the ACs are working overtime, there is severe power shortage and when the power cuts are there, the generators come to life to keep their masters comfortable. ACs and generators only add up to the heat and hence we need more air conditioning.
It is a cycle which we all automatically became a part of. Some people who feel guilty about the situation, end up writing such a post, but honestly, nothing can be done about it.
I cant help but quote a cliche from Gandhi ji
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed”
Its very true and will continue to hold true for a long long time. Just that the greed would keep getting transformed into the necessities..Just like ACs and generators now are..
You may continue to defy the laws of nature, but the day it comes back with a vengeance, freak accidents such as Air France flight 447 take place or a Swine Flu breaks out.
What role does the so called development or the modernization play in such Natural Disasters. Not that there weren't any epidemics or sinking Titanics in the old times, but somehow whatever negative happens now seems like an attempt of the mother nature to get back to the humans who have been exploiting it left right and center.
I have faced severe criticism from my friends for being so cynical about all human activities which now somehow to me looks like a deliberate attempt to exploit the ecosystem.
Very recently, I visited a colony in South Delhi, where I used to live more than a decade back. The geography of the entire area has changed completely. I still distinctly remember that the colony was dotted with trees and there used to be a lot of open spaces and greenery. Now, sadly, there were hardly any trees and any open spaces. Most house owners had gone on to make a couple of extra stories and accessorised each of them with a couple of Air Conditioners. The local market has developed into a major shopping hub. But obviously with the total area of the market remaining the same, the extra load on the resources is clearly visible. Locals tell me, that there is an insane traffic jam every evening and the power cuts is a usual phenomena now. Well, god forbid, but this area is like a disaster waiting to happen. If ever there is an earthquake, or a fire, the entire area would be gutted down within seconds, thanks to the concrete jungle which has shaped up there..
It is one of the many examples which illustrates how unplanned growth is a direct defiance of the laws of the nature.
I dont claim to be amongst those who are not a part of this exploitation. No one can do anything about the vicious circle which we have entered. This year being the hottest ever, the ACs are running full throttle as long as the power is there. Because the ACs are working overtime, there is severe power shortage and when the power cuts are there, the generators come to life to keep their masters comfortable. ACs and generators only add up to the heat and hence we need more air conditioning.
It is a cycle which we all automatically became a part of. Some people who feel guilty about the situation, end up writing such a post, but honestly, nothing can be done about it.
I cant help but quote a cliche from Gandhi ji
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed”
Its very true and will continue to hold true for a long long time. Just that the greed would keep getting transformed into the necessities..Just like ACs and generators now are..
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Empowering your Future...
The architects of modern India envisioned India to be a progressive society. A society which will progress not only by blessings of the almighty,but also by building on each and every achievements in its stride.
India chose to take the Non alignment path, but its inclination to the erstwhile USSR was more than visible. Not only did India take assistance from USSR in building the might of its armed forces, but also took inspiration from their socialist school of thoughts.
For a country recovering from over two hundred years of imperialism, going gung-ho on industrialization would have been as suicidal as self immolation. A lot of thought, time and money was put into designing the social structure of our country which was waking upto the harsh relalities of sovreignity.
To create equality in the society, tools such as reservation, subsidies, protectionism and liscenses were used. All of them did make an impact but only limited.
All the leaders and social scientists knew what the real impact area would be, but the limitations to implement it successfully has been the biggest challenge. 'Right to Education' bill (Article 21A) which is one of the most debated bills of the recent times was rejected by the Parliament citing the extraordinary costs involved in it.
I feel this is where the efforts of all the visionaries of the modern India were undone. If you cannot guarantee education to the children of your nation, then you future is doomed. Once everybody is provided compulsary education, noone would ever need quotas and more quotas & only 'merit' would be the order of the day...
Monday, June 15, 2009
Life comes a full circle...
This is one of those rare misty eyed posts of mine and I request the readers to pardon the charge of emotions. Well, this post clearly touches those aspects which I havent explored yet and is difficult for me to pen down my thoughts without being rhetorical.
These are not just my random thoughts and infact have been on top of my mind ever since I watched the movie Raincoat on TV. I dont wish to write a movie review, but would definitely mention some sequences which have made a huge impact. Its amazing how simple and obvious stories when put together make a very complex picture. This is what is depicted in this movie. Why is it that people who are in love, suddenly realise the importance of the social standing of their lover and make an impulsive decision which generally is deemed correct on social moral grounds but unethical and evil from love point of view.
Well, this now brings us to another important question, how can a person judge his/her partner's level of success. My last post talked about how relative the term success is, but when it comes to judging the success of our future partners, we take up a very cynical point of view. In the movie Aishwarya Rai's character Neeru ditches her lover because he wasnt able to prove his economical standing even after repetitive deadlines. But knowing the tendency of life to come a full circle, things go really wrong for Neeru and her supposedly rich husband. They end up in a pigeon hole in Kolkata. The surprise visit of her ex lover upsets her otherwise monotonous life where she had subsided to her fate. How awkward is it to meet your ex lover, especially when there is a huge financial disparity. How can one hold his/her own ground, ensuring not to expose their weakness. This is such a typical depiction of a human nature, where a human can never admit his mistake, especially in front of a person who was at receiving end. Why is it so difficult to accept the reality and face the consequences of his act of haste in the past. For a man, to walk upto his more successfully friend does take a lot of courage, for not all successful men are as hospitable as Krishna and not all men are as vulnerable as Sudama.
The last part of the movie reminds us of 'The Gift of the Magi' by O Henry. The story which we all read in our primary school,the story which taught us to love our loved ones more than our most loved possessions. The story which taught us to give away our pocket watches and to chop off our locks if need be. This is one feeling which we Indians swear by. The feeling which one experiences from 'giving'. Especially, for the loved ones. I feel it is important for everyone to have experienced a gambit of emotions. This comes from facing a defeat, from a broken relationship, from friendships which exist beyond financial disparities and time, from getting success when the chances are really bleak and to see someone go away when least expected. Once a person has overcome and faced even half of these situations, he would be a different person and his/her life would have changed for good...
Here are a few lines from a song from the movie. The song has been excellently sung by Shubha Mudgal, who is one of the finest singers in India.
सुबह सुबह का ख्याल आज
वापस गोकुल चल मथुरा राज
मथुरा नगरपति काहे तुम गोकुल जाओ
मनोहर वेश छोड़ नन्द राज
सर से उतारके सुन्दर ताज
राज दंड छोड़ भूमि पर वाज
फिर काहे बांसुरी बजाओ
मथुरा नगरपति काहे तुम गोकुल जाओ
These lines talk about days when, Krishna would leave his kingdom in Mathura and would go back to Gokul to meet her old lover Radha. They didn't get married, but they did share a special relationship which was well beyond the institution of marriage....
These are not just my random thoughts and infact have been on top of my mind ever since I watched the movie Raincoat on TV. I dont wish to write a movie review, but would definitely mention some sequences which have made a huge impact. Its amazing how simple and obvious stories when put together make a very complex picture. This is what is depicted in this movie. Why is it that people who are in love, suddenly realise the importance of the social standing of their lover and make an impulsive decision which generally is deemed correct on social moral grounds but unethical and evil from love point of view.
Well, this now brings us to another important question, how can a person judge his/her partner's level of success. My last post talked about how relative the term success is, but when it comes to judging the success of our future partners, we take up a very cynical point of view. In the movie Aishwarya Rai's character Neeru ditches her lover because he wasnt able to prove his economical standing even after repetitive deadlines. But knowing the tendency of life to come a full circle, things go really wrong for Neeru and her supposedly rich husband. They end up in a pigeon hole in Kolkata. The surprise visit of her ex lover upsets her otherwise monotonous life where she had subsided to her fate. How awkward is it to meet your ex lover, especially when there is a huge financial disparity. How can one hold his/her own ground, ensuring not to expose their weakness. This is such a typical depiction of a human nature, where a human can never admit his mistake, especially in front of a person who was at receiving end. Why is it so difficult to accept the reality and face the consequences of his act of haste in the past. For a man, to walk upto his more successfully friend does take a lot of courage, for not all successful men are as hospitable as Krishna and not all men are as vulnerable as Sudama.
The last part of the movie reminds us of 'The Gift of the Magi' by O Henry. The story which we all read in our primary school,the story which taught us to love our loved ones more than our most loved possessions. The story which taught us to give away our pocket watches and to chop off our locks if need be. This is one feeling which we Indians swear by. The feeling which one experiences from 'giving'. Especially, for the loved ones. I feel it is important for everyone to have experienced a gambit of emotions. This comes from facing a defeat, from a broken relationship, from friendships which exist beyond financial disparities and time, from getting success when the chances are really bleak and to see someone go away when least expected. Once a person has overcome and faced even half of these situations, he would be a different person and his/her life would have changed for good...
Here are a few lines from a song from the movie. The song has been excellently sung by Shubha Mudgal, who is one of the finest singers in India.
सुबह सुबह का ख्याल आज
वापस गोकुल चल मथुरा राज
मथुरा नगरपति काहे तुम गोकुल जाओ
मनोहर वेश छोड़ नन्द राज
सर से उतारके सुन्दर ताज
राज दंड छोड़ भूमि पर वाज
फिर काहे बांसुरी बजाओ
मथुरा नगरपति काहे तुम गोकुल जाओ
These lines talk about days when, Krishna would leave his kingdom in Mathura and would go back to Gokul to meet her old lover Radha. They didn't get married, but they did share a special relationship which was well beyond the institution of marriage....
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The measure of success...
Well, I would like to start this blog by acknowledging the influence of Sri Harivansh Rai Bachchan on me and my mindset in a last few days. Its been over 7 months, since I quit my job to start out something of my own. Its been a tough but a very enriching journey so far. The most important learning has been the very definition of success. I now realise how relative the term success is.
Every person has his/her sense of success and satisfaction. The question here is, when can a person start calling himself successful. When can he start taking pride in what he is doing. Many people actually like to go along with the flow and go wherever their life takes them.
I would illustrate the above points with the reference of some people whom I closely noticed over the last few months. I will call these three people Mr. A, Ms. B and Mr.C.
Mr. A passed out from IIT Delhi in 2004. He worked with a software firm for 3 years before he realised that his calling in life was something else. He ventured out in search of his ambition and started a business in the field of marketing. In a few months time, he started doing pretty well and earned almost twice as much as he was earning in the IT firm. Since then he has been very happy with the manner in his life has shaped up. He feels that the best thing about his life is the fact that he is the sole decision maker in his life and is not governed by orders. He works from 9 to 5 and parties hard on weekends. He would soon get married to a girl with whom he has been for almost 4 years. Most of his colleagues in the IT firm now have a salary which easily matches his income and also enjoy other perquisites.
Ms. B studied in a Regional Engineering College in Bangalore. Like all other alumni of her college, she got placed in TCS. She is extremely happy with the work culture in TCS and also the fact that it may give her an opportunity to go abroad keeps her enthusiasm going. She has been dating a guy from her college since the final year of her college and they are working together at TCS. They both think that their combined salary is enough for both of them to lead a happy married life. They want to stay loyal to TCS for a couple of years before taking the nuptial path.
Mr. C is a graduate from IIT Bombay from the class of 2006. He worked with Microsoft for a few months, and realised that he is good enough to have his own company. He got together with a few of his friends, and they started out in the domain of Software Service Exports. Due to their genius, they got hold of the biggest clients and grew bigger each day. They started working on their proprietary products and also received funding from PE firms. Recently they got featured in the Young Turks programme on CNBC aswell. The ongoing recession has hit their business, but after a quick analysis and correction of their projection numbers they are looking to break even by the end of this quarter. This means, next quarter onwards, their venture would have a positive cashflow. For them the sky is the limit and they are aiming for something higher than that.
Now if we analyse the above three people, they all think that they are successful. While A might think that B isnt successful enough and C might think in a similar fashion of both A and B. This is where a person needs to draw a line between happiness, laidbackness and frenzy. A is a successful entrepreneur, but his level of success does not match C on any scale. While B is working for a software firm, but along with her partner, she would be able to match the level of A's earnings. Many of A's friends feel that he could have worked a little harder to promote his company and he could have almost doubled his income. But A feels that giving 40 odd hours a week to his business is enough. Similarly, people feel that B should be a little more ambitious and should think of an MBA before actually settling in. But her priorities are different. C in last couple of years has lost touch with a lot of his friends, but thats the cost which he has had to pay for the success. But the bottom line is that they all are happy and successful.
Using the same logic to gauge my level of success, I feel I have a long long way to go. Infact, I have seen a couple of major failures in last few months, but I am sure they have been huge lessons for me. And now, I have started setting smaller goals for myself, which is the right way to go about doing things. Pressurising yourself is very easy, but taking a leaf out each failure is what makes these attempts count. In the end, it is the grit and the determination which matters. Recently someone posted the poem of Sri HR Bachchan on YouthPad. Before I end, I would like to quote a few lines from that poem.
नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है।
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है।
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती।
I sometimes feel that, the success of Amitabh Bachchan can actually be attributed to his father sitting at home, writing these magical lines...
Every person has his/her sense of success and satisfaction. The question here is, when can a person start calling himself successful. When can he start taking pride in what he is doing. Many people actually like to go along with the flow and go wherever their life takes them.
I would illustrate the above points with the reference of some people whom I closely noticed over the last few months. I will call these three people Mr. A, Ms. B and Mr.C.
Mr. A passed out from IIT Delhi in 2004. He worked with a software firm for 3 years before he realised that his calling in life was something else. He ventured out in search of his ambition and started a business in the field of marketing. In a few months time, he started doing pretty well and earned almost twice as much as he was earning in the IT firm. Since then he has been very happy with the manner in his life has shaped up. He feels that the best thing about his life is the fact that he is the sole decision maker in his life and is not governed by orders. He works from 9 to 5 and parties hard on weekends. He would soon get married to a girl with whom he has been for almost 4 years. Most of his colleagues in the IT firm now have a salary which easily matches his income and also enjoy other perquisites.
Ms. B studied in a Regional Engineering College in Bangalore. Like all other alumni of her college, she got placed in TCS. She is extremely happy with the work culture in TCS and also the fact that it may give her an opportunity to go abroad keeps her enthusiasm going. She has been dating a guy from her college since the final year of her college and they are working together at TCS. They both think that their combined salary is enough for both of them to lead a happy married life. They want to stay loyal to TCS for a couple of years before taking the nuptial path.
Mr. C is a graduate from IIT Bombay from the class of 2006. He worked with Microsoft for a few months, and realised that he is good enough to have his own company. He got together with a few of his friends, and they started out in the domain of Software Service Exports. Due to their genius, they got hold of the biggest clients and grew bigger each day. They started working on their proprietary products and also received funding from PE firms. Recently they got featured in the Young Turks programme on CNBC aswell. The ongoing recession has hit their business, but after a quick analysis and correction of their projection numbers they are looking to break even by the end of this quarter. This means, next quarter onwards, their venture would have a positive cashflow. For them the sky is the limit and they are aiming for something higher than that.
Now if we analyse the above three people, they all think that they are successful. While A might think that B isnt successful enough and C might think in a similar fashion of both A and B. This is where a person needs to draw a line between happiness, laidbackness and frenzy. A is a successful entrepreneur, but his level of success does not match C on any scale. While B is working for a software firm, but along with her partner, she would be able to match the level of A's earnings. Many of A's friends feel that he could have worked a little harder to promote his company and he could have almost doubled his income. But A feels that giving 40 odd hours a week to his business is enough. Similarly, people feel that B should be a little more ambitious and should think of an MBA before actually settling in. But her priorities are different. C in last couple of years has lost touch with a lot of his friends, but thats the cost which he has had to pay for the success. But the bottom line is that they all are happy and successful.
Using the same logic to gauge my level of success, I feel I have a long long way to go. Infact, I have seen a couple of major failures in last few months, but I am sure they have been huge lessons for me. And now, I have started setting smaller goals for myself, which is the right way to go about doing things. Pressurising yourself is very easy, but taking a leaf out each failure is what makes these attempts count. In the end, it is the grit and the determination which matters. Recently someone posted the poem of Sri HR Bachchan on YouthPad. Before I end, I would like to quote a few lines from that poem.
नन्हीं चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर, सौ बार फिसलती है।
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना, गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है।
आख़िर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती,
कोशिश करने वालों की कभी हार नहीं होती।
I sometimes feel that, the success of Amitabh Bachchan can actually be attributed to his father sitting at home, writing these magical lines...
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