Colors

This one time
A friend of mine,
Commented on my complexion,
After some introspection.
I decided to answer in many lines.

I've been deep in blue,
Even though many near me, had no clue,
There are times when I've been red with rage,
When others were not on the same page.
But shades have changed as wind blew.

In all these years, my body has seen,
the one shade that was missed was green.
Few friends have questioned me why,
incapable was I, of this, even when I tried?
guess then, my heart was too strong to wean.

I wish I were young and old together,
As its become tough being neither.
If I were 10 more years old,
With a heart more bold,
I could travel in all weather!

Had I been 10 years younger,
I could at least satiate my hunger.
my position wouldn't have been so futile,
I could have managed to be more utile.
and finally would have been the winning number.


(PS: An lame attempt at writing a limerick)

Draxman Saga

13 summers ago, on this very day, My friends and I decided to bunk college and go to a movie, a decision which I have regretted till this date! Why you ask? Well, it was on that day, a partnership in cricketing parlance, known as Draxman union began. The Draxman Saga (Dravid - Laxman) is something that cricket lovers of my generation (30ish something) will recall with fond memories.

For those who came in late, back in 2001, the Indian team wasn't world beaters (Well they aren't so even now, but at least they weren't as consistent as they are now!). The Indian team had got their worst pasting in Australia back in '99, then came the match-fixing controversy. The public had lost confidence in the team. A new Captain was at the helm and the team was picking one broken stick at a time.

Meanwhile, the Australian team was on a roll. The juggernaut had won 16 tests in a row. And just a week back, they had steam-rolled India at Wankhede in under 3 days! The Aussies had already started their mental disintegration tactics. Michael Slater continued to sledge Dravid at Wankhede.

Eden Gardens wasn't a lucky ground for India as well and but surprisingly India managed to restrict Australia to under 300 for around 8 wickets on day one. But then Captain "Ice Man" managed to get Australia beyond 400 on day 2, while India was reduced to 128/8.

On day-3 India was asked to follow-on, we were able to witness the magician Laxman at work. He did score a century. But like all Indian cricket fans at that time, we thought the innings was just a flash in the pan, and the floodgates of wickets would with the fall of just one more wicket. On day 4, my friends and I wanted to save ourselves from another heartburn, hence decided to bunk college and go to a movie (For the record the movie was *Minnale*, which became a cult classic in its own right, and continues to remain even today, one of the favorites of many my generation).

While returning home from the movie, I avoided discussing the match with others. Only after I returned home was I aware of what I had missed. I regretted that decision so badly, that I decided to bunk college again the very next day in order to catch the action on day 5. Not that I was confident that India will win, I was only hoping to watch more of the Draxman partnership.

What happened on day-5 is history. You don't need me to say what happened, you can read that on Cricinfo. The Indian coach in his book "Indian Summers" calls this innings as the biggest comeback since Lazarus. Well, I don't know what he means by that, neither do I know who was Lazarus. But that one innings was the turning point in Indian cricket.

An average Indian fan was always a "die-hard". He/She would have continued to support the team, come what may. But that one inning gave the average Indian fan confidence to trust the team to bounce back even when the chips were down!

A confused Ms. Ghose?

I was blocked by Sagarika Ghose on Twitter 3 years back, when I dared to (politely) ask her some scathing questions on her interpretation of a news on Modi. And ever since haven't bothered to comment on her views. Of course I have cheered every once and then, when Sudhir Kumar had cheered for #SagarikaForPM. But when I saw this I couldn't resist responding. 

Ms. Ghose also compares Narendra Modi's silence to her questions on Twitter with Arvind Kejriwal's responses to them. This link will provide you the list of questions asked to Arvind Kejriwal and the responses to them (also the response/or the lack of it from Ms. Ghose to Kejriwal's lame responses). 

I am reproducing her questions to Modi here verbatim, and will provide known views of Modi, as responses, for most of these questions. all of which are already available in public domain. All of these views of Modi are easily accessible by a simple google search, but the narcissist in Ms. Ghose wants Narendra Modi to answer her personally.

Ques 1. Modiji, what is your stand on caste quotas?

Well, if Ms. Ghose is interested she can view NaMo's views on Caste based Quotas by having a look at this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bHzEez7Q0I

Further more the same video is also available in Firstpost (a group concern of IBN Network). This clearly shows that either Ms Ghose is not well informed or she is hardly willing to listen.

Ques 3: Modiji will you rollback FSB and MNREGA? If not how will u control spending?

Narendra Modi speaking on FSB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zIRLNci0FA

Narendra Modi writing to PM on FSB. http://www.scribd.com/doc/159867712/Narendra-Modi-s-letter-to-the-Prime-Minister

Ques 4: Modiji will you rollback retailFDI since your party opposes it?

As early as in Sept 2012, Modi had posted his view on FDI retail in his blog http://www.narendramodi.in/cm-strongly-opposes-fdi-in-retail/ . I am pretty sure Ms. Ghose wouldn't have bothered to read it, but I've provided the link anyway, so that Ms. Ghose's bhakts can view them.

Ques 5: Modiji, how will you reform the aviation sector?

Modi has always maintained that ""government has no business to do business". So there will be no question of further Govt takeovers.


Ques 7: Modiji, how will you reach out to US biz interests, given your image in US

This is a NO-BRAINER really!! Why should an elected representative of Indian Citizens reach out to US Business? He/She must be more concerned about INDIAN biz interests. Firstly the image of Modi in the US is quite good, its just a section of an influential group with the US Senate who are blocking a more favorable policy towards him. This too will change once he is elected as the PM of India. And if Vibrant Gujarat Summit is anything to go by, its quite clear that Narendra Modi will place the interest of the Country over petty politics and will always decide on whats best for India. Afterall, its "India First*!!

Ques 8:Modiji will you push nuclear power in big way,yr stand on current Nuke Liabilitylaw?

http://www.narendramodi.in/gujarat-empowers-the-power-sector/ This video on his website talks of how Gujarat reformed the power sector. Its logical to believe that he will plan to replicate the same when he becomes the PM. He is neither against/nor for a specific type of energy production. He will try to maximize production in the best ways possible. 

Ques 9:U say secularism is India First, your vision of place of minorities in a democracy?

Another NO-BRAINER!!! When Modi has explicitly said that he considers Secularism is *India First*. Why does Ms. Ghose expect him to have a minority specific policy? His policies are for the entire Nation (which includes all citizens of India)!

Ques 10:Modiji, will u raise taxes to control deficit?If so,which taxes are u planning to raise?

As early as last week, Narendra Modi gave indications that he plans to reform taxes once BJP comes to power. You can read more about this here.

<quote> "The present taxation system is a burden on common man. It leads to bureaucratic control. The need of the hour is to look into it afresh and bring reforms. Our party is already working on it....My party leaders and experts have recently met and considered the issue for over three hours. Some problems may appear in the first sight but we will have a look at it and find new solutions," </quote>

I am aware that I have left out three questions, for which I couldn't find explicit responses that can be attributed as Narendra Modi's views on the topic, but if Ms. Ghose is patient enough, she can read NaMo/BJP's views on other major issues as soon as BJP's vision document for 2014 is released.

PS: If fellow Internet Hindus find a better articulated view of Narendra Modi on the above questions, please do let me know, I will update the blog with them.

A new beginning

When the Sun rises on the first working day of the year 2014, the cycle stands adjacent Guindy railway station will be one bicycle less. The Guindy race course road which connects the railway station to KVS IIT RO will no longer endure the creaky sound of an old bicycle tire. The road which was institutionalized with these sounds for the past 20 years as regular clockwork, will first be surprised with the break in routine and then slowly will await longingly for those sounds. Why so dramatic, you ask? Well, the reason being there are very fond memories associated with that bicycle and its rider. You cannot visualize this cycle without the man, or the man without his cycle!

Why this change in routine, you ask? 31st December 2013 happened to be the last working day of Mr. Ramakrishna Babu. He retired from service from KV Sangathan after many years of dedicated service. This blog isn't about his sincerity and dedication to work, which needless to say was excellent, this is about my personal memories of my dear "Babutha".

I am the proud founder of the word "Babutha",  being first to call him by that name (Babu Chithappa == Babutha), and the name became so popular in our family that even my older cousins/relatives started to address him by the same name. Babutha was kind enough to fit a baby seat on his cycle (especially for me) and he was even thoughtful enough to fix a small baby bell in front of it, to keep me engaged! I don't know how many times have I traveled with him on that cycle of his right from my early childhood, through a kinder garden, and during my Class I in KV CLRI. Words won't be enough to describe those wonderful rides we shared on the bicycle. I've taken numerous bi-cycle rides ever since, but nothing has been as enjoyable as those.

Having moved over to Urapakkam in the early 90s, Babutha had to commute 35KMs to the office every day. He did this by cycling to UPM station and then taking the 8:05 Fast to Guindy Railway Station and then cycling again from the station to his office. He has managed to do this tirelessly for the past 22 years, even when the roads were immersed with "waist-deep" water. He could have very easily taken the easy route and moved over to somewhere closer to Office, or not visit the office on such days. But he has never taken the easier option. The distance to commute was never a reason for him to skip any functions of relatives and friends in the city and elsewhere.

Sample this, a minefield (Sabina Park 2006, India vs West Indies), with a battery of good pace bowlers, you don't know which way the ball will turn or if there will be any bounce at all, Rahul Dravid's immense concentration and struggle to play each ball safely, doing this ball after ball, day after day and never complaining one bit. Now picture Babutha going about his daily duties tirelessly for the past 20 years, never complaining even one bit. I can't find much difference between the two!! As coincidence would have it, both Rahul Dravid and Babutha will share their birthdays on Jan 11th, 2014!!

Congratulations Babutha for having a wonderful career and service, and now when you embark on a new phase of your life, I wish you all the happiness. You truly need a well-deserved rest and you can continue to gain pleasure in finer things of life!!