India beat australia - down under?

India tour of Australia, down under was the most anticipated Cricketing contest in the recent times. India had a fair combination of experienced players as well as more enthusiastic younger ones. India v/s Australia, in Australia - not a single commentator gave India a chance of winnning. But, Cricket fans in India had a different view. We will win and win convincingly, was the verdict of the fans.

It was a four match test series, followed by a long tri-series between India, Australia and Sri Lanka.

In the test series, 'It would be great if India would give a tough competition in even one game, let alone winning a game' - Ian Chappel. Most ex-cricketers were of the same opinion. India started off well in the first test, with a good first innings and a good bowling performance. But, failed to score decently in the second.
All cricket commentators made Australia look 'invincible'.

But, India proved everyone wrong, by getting close to winning the second Test. Our team was very unfortunate that we had only 11 players playing against the 14 of Australia. Australian team always has the advantage of playing with a minimum of 13 players, at home. This time they had the third umpire too, playing for them!

Even the best of umpires, make blunders in Australia. It is not only against India, but against the other teams too. No wonder, Aussies have been setting winning records for a while now. Not that they don't play well. But, most of the times they are lucky!

Third one, was one sided. This time, India won it convincingly. Team Australia, was made to look like a bunch of mmm-donkeys (racial abuse?). Led by Ponting, they fought very well, but not on the field. They started to play with the sentiments of the Indian team. Allegations after allegations, leading to suspensions and inquiries! They were doing more monkey business than even monkeys would!

I could never imagine that calling a person 'monkey' would be racial abuse! till Symonds alleged Harbhajan. Calling a person 'ba$tard' on the field, was declared as 'friendly talk', but monkey = racial abuse??? In India, monkey means monkey and is not considered racial abuse. But, calling an opponent 'a ba$tard' is not friendly talk - in any developed nation.

Harbajan Singh was doing very well, before all these incidences shattered his confidence. Aussies once again proved that they are not a cricketing team. They play around (mentally) with the best player of the opponent team, before the start of a series (every time). But this time, they took it to another level.

The fourth test, was a draw and Australia won the series, thanks to the umpires. Shame on you Cricket Australia! I felt that Steve Bucknor deserved the highest civilian award from Australia, for helping them win many series at home. He certainly deserved the 'player of the series' award for the series. CA - keep him happy, you can set more records for highest consecutive test wins...

India v/s Australia v/s Srilanka ODI tournament was going on well. Until, Symonds and his dear friend Hayden showed their true colours.
Ishant Sharma was a revelation in the tour. He improved with every match, rather with every over he bowled. Australia could no longer handle the Indian bowling attack. Pace bowlers especially. Srishanth was asked to rest, by the Indian team (due to his on-field antics). But, Munaf, Irfan were supporting Ishant well.

So, Australia decided to take on Ishant this time. Symonds started the row, after getting bowled.

Hayden then gave a press statement asking 'Ishant to get into boxing ring with himself, for his aggression'. Mr. Hayden, you need to understand that Ishant Sharma is a young, aggressive, professional Cricketer. Of course, most of your team members are fit to play Boxing / Rugby. But, if you want to box, please go ahead and do with boxing pros and not with the teenager who got you in trouble, with his cricketing skills. You are aged, better consider retirement from cricket, after which you can take up your favourite sport - Boxing. His statement was clearly provocative and derogatory, but he was let go with just a warning! If one of our players had done it, he would be banned from International cricket! ICC too on the Aussies' side?

After this, Harbhajan Singh was caught on camera, scratching on the field. Almost all australian reporters called it racial abuse! Come on guys, you people need to look up the dictionary for the actual meaning of Racial Abuse! Scratching is racial abuse in Australia?

Ricky Ponting has a bad habit of saying 'We did not do well, so lost the game'. He never accepts that the other teams can play well too. It is obvious that you played badly to lose, but the other team had to do well too.

Australian Team has a tendency to think 'they are the best team in the world'. Accepted, but remove the 2 extra players (umpires) from your team, and stop your 'monkey business' and play decent cricket. Let us see, how many games you can win by playing just Cricket.

Ricky Ponting's article in one of the leading Indian dailies was 'We will not go for the third Final. We believe we'll finish it off in the second Final itself'. No, it was a show of his confidence on his team. It says a lot about his attitude towards the world cricket. Mr. Ponting, you and your team did exactly as told. You guys, did not wait for the third finals to lose the series! I hope our team did not 'Slap too hard on your face'!

Australian Crowd and cricket writers have called Indian team 'worst behaved team'. They have quoted the no of incidents against Indian players! Some have even quoted 'Sachin Tendulkar was fined for ball tampering', 'Others were banned for excessive appealing', 'Most of them are ill-behaved'. I should say 'You guys have a good sense of humor'. Come on guys, the whole world knows, who does the 'on field and off-field Sledging'.

Cricket was called as a Gentleman's game, not anymore. Thanks to the Australian Cricket team, lead by Ricky Ponting, Cricket is now a hooligans game. Even our polite Indian team had to retaliate, such was the un-professional behaviour by the Aussies. The only few gentlemen the Aussies side, seem to me - Bret Lee (may be due to Ad contracts with Indian companies), Bracken, Stuart Clark. But, all other Cricketing teams (big or small) in the world, has 11 gentlemen cricketers. CA - u need to work on playing Cricket and not politics.

Friendship!?

I do not have to say anything about friendship. A lot has already been said. Friendship is an eternal subject. For, as long as human history goes, there has been friendship. This is one relationship, without any Logic.

What do I have to write about Friendship?

Lo, here goes a small story about Close friends!

" Long ago (actually not so long ago), there were a bunch of high-school friends (take it as 8 guys). These guys used to freak out at every possible instance. They were so close friends that they believed their friendship would last forever. They wanted time to freeze, afraid of the ever passing time (singing famous song from Sholay 'Yeh dosti, hum nahi toDenge'). In a blink of an eye, School days were over. Destiny had a say, they had to part ways. Each one of them had different interests, and went to different colleges. They were all in touch, for some time (though not as close as they used to be). They would meet occasionally and would re-live the glorious old days of school. During college days, three of them lost touch (with the rest). The five friends-, who were in touch, did not have time to meet each other. They would mail / call each other (occasionally). After college, two guys continued with their education, others found Job. During this time, two guys had almost lost touch with the rest, but some Alumni meets and some online forums kept them in touch with the other three guys.

One day, one of the guys announced that 'he's getting married'. His friends were very happy for him, they wanted a re-union on his marriage. On his wedding day, most of his friends could not take time off their work (lol). They had to skip their (once) close friend's marriage, due to other commitments. Months passed by, this (married) guy has now lost interest in meeting his old pals. No, he is not to be blamed! He has got entangled in his day-2-day responsibilities. None of his friends have met / know his wife; his wife doesn't recognize their names even! So, the married guy is forced not to meet his friends often.

So, one more link of a broken chain is lost.

A couple of years later, all these guys have their own commitments (work, wife, girlfriend etc etc), so only 2/3 people are in touch. These guys are in touch only on phone / mail / chat (thanks to technological advancements). Another call, another guy is getting married!!!! He too will be lost in his adventures of married life! This time around, most of the guys make it a point to attend the marriage. But, they could not even enjoy each others' company now. They feel hesitant to talk to guys, with whom they would (once) share all their secrets. Post marriage, this guy too cannot find time for his old friends. So he too stops calling/ mailing / chatting with old friends. Often, he is seen online (in chatting tools / social n/w sites), but he doesn't have time to talk/chat!

Every time someone pings, he has an excuse - "wife on fone, gimme a min" / "gettin late, gotta go home - wife waitin" / "very busy with work, gotta finish - so dat i can go home" etc etc.

Another Link- of the (non-existent) chain broken?

Doesn't it sound, very familiar? Is it making you nostalgic? Continue reading - you'll curse me. :))

As days pass-by, 3/4 guys move to a new world (different cities / countries / continents) -exploring better avenues of life. Now, they don’t even have time to call / chat / mail their old pals.

Years pass-by, still 2/3 guys (who haven't moved out), call-up each other (on special occasions). Later, even that phase is over. People are busy with their own family, work etc...

Days, Months & Years pass-by, these people have forgotten the existence of each other. They do not even have time to remember their old pals. If this continues, many years later - they would not be able to recognize the face of the person, with whom they spent 'some of their best moments of life'.

One day, two of them meet-up, accidentally. They are strangers now! Not able to remember the familiar face of the other person. Not able to recall the name of the other person. Not able to talk to him. They smile and move-on. Some how, if they do remember, then their talk will be customary 'Hi / Hello. How are you? Married? Kids? what are you doing? In touch with anyone? What is he doing? ....Gimme ur fone #. Wil get in touch. Bi'

After going home, they try to tell old time stories to wife /grown-up children, who for obvious reasons will not be interested.

When these guys are middle-age, they realize something is missing! They need friends to talk to! but where are they? Now they want a re-union. But, it is not easy to get in touch with all the old pals. Not easy to organize a re-union. With great difficulty, they manage a re-union of guys who have stayed in the same place. They re-live the time they spent together, the fun they had. After the re-unions, it is back to normal life. To meet friends, one more re-union is needed! These re-unions go well, for some time. As guys start getting older, responsibilities on family / work front increase. Their social commitments are more. They cannot pull-out time for their old friends now. Their friendship is only a memory now....
They can get nostalgic, listening to 'summer of 69', and often keep humming 'Those were the best days of my life', remembering school days.

In retirement, they try to go back the memory lane and think 'Why didn’t we not keep in touch. It could have been great, if only we guys were still in touch! Our children could've grow-up together. We could've been one extended family, helping each other in times of need. Sharing happiness with each other'. But it is only a thought now, Life goes on"

Only the second part of this story is my imagination. This story could be ours too. I have experienced the first part of the story and am anticipating the second part to happen (a bit exaggerated).

We have so many friends at any given moment. But, as we start making newer friends, our old pals are taken for granted. We do not wish to spend time with them. When with newer friends, and our old friends call -we feel irritated (not everyone, but some of us do). We start loosing them. On our journey of life, we make so many friends and lose most of them too.

When we are young and single, we have so much time for our friends. We meet very often, we call / mail / chat - almost everyday. But, once we start working, frequency reduces gradually. Once we find a soul-mate (girlfriend/boyfriend/ wife / husband) frequency reduces drastically.

Do we get so engrossed with our day-2-day lives and our self-invented troubles that we do not feel the need to talk to people who care (d) for us?

I am extremely sad to say that I'm a part of this too. I have had tons of friends, who were (are) a part of my life. But somehow 'circumstances have split us apart'. I've lost touch with most of them. At the moment I'm in touch with only a few (of the tons) of friends, I once had.

We are (physically) at an age, where we start feeling a need for a soul-mate. So, at this point in time, most of my friends are either getting girlfriends /engaged / married. I'm very happy for them. I'm neither jealous nor angry on them, in-fact I'm happy that they are on the verge of becoming eternally happy souls.

In fact, I attended one such engagement ceremony yesterday (of one of my closest buddies). I am very happy for him; he has found a right match for himself.

Then, why am I writing this blog? After I came back home, I was really sad! No I was not jealous!

I started feeling that my closest pal - is going to become one of the characters of the (above) story. I am certain to lose contact with him. I'll never be as close to him, again. I don't want this to happen. In about 2-3 years time, I expect all my friends to get into relationships (marriage / live-in / love ....). I will be left with 'No single CLOSE FRIEND' in this time. I'll be left with 'A Few so-called friends and Colleagues'. This thought is very painful.

As it goes - in philosophy, "I did not come into this world, with friends(anyone). I will not go out, with friends (anyone)." So why bother?

I am not blaming anyone here!
I know that Circumstances and not people, are to be blamed. If, someone is genuinely not interested in continuing your friendship, you should let him/her go. But if circumstances have split you apart --> bad luck buddy...

PS: I might be very wrong to generalize people. Not everyone would do what I've written. I hope, my friends at least won’t do it. But, in the world (fast paced one) which I've seen --> this is how it goes. Friends (hip) do (es) not last for-ever. I would expect a common reply from all the people, who happen to read this blog "This is not true... I know people who have remained friends forever... I'm not like that... You are pessimistic.... This blog is non-sense...etc"
But, let us keep our hallucinations away and comment frankly. I would be very glad, if I'm proven wrong.

Information Technology and Bangalore

Information Technology has changed the face of Indian economy. Is it really true? I feel it has. I could be biased, as I'm one of the beneficiaries of the IT revolution in India.


A few, software engineers were man-handled in Bangalore, for no apparent reason. The only reason given was "IT/BT is the cause of all problems in Bangalore". Most locals(I'm a local of Bangalore too) attribute IT as the cause of inflation in India. Real-estate boom in Bangalore is attributed to the growth of IT. Change of lifestyle & culture / economy / environmental hazards / corruption / increase in crime are being attributed to the influx of money from IT / BT world.


What makes us so infamous with the majority of local population? What wrong did we do? Are we the cause all that is going wrong in Bangalore?

According to me, we did not do anything! that is where the problem arises. We were(are) part of the rising middle-class, in India. We were portrayed as an elite group of upper-class. We had so much money / wealth / power, yet we did nothing, which is the cause of heartburn.

Our so-called intellectuals want IT/BT to move out of Bangalore(to an extent, even out of Karnataka).Even unhappy people from our own sphere, want IT/BT to stop operations in India.

What is the extent of damage, if IT/BT goes down (like it happened in 2000-01)????

I see a total imbalance in our lives if it happens!
Millions of our Software Engineers(so-called) will be jobless. Jobless youngsters is a huge problem to the government(as it used to be in early 90s). Millions of educated people, with lots of personal commitments leads to frustration --> could lead to increase in crime.
Our engineers have borrowed so much money from banks. Most of them will be unable to repay loans. Which means properties worth billions (at current rate) will be left with banks for recovery. So much property under acquisition, leads to downfall of Real-Estate prices. Banks will not be able to recover the costs either ways! Banks would be loose billions. Leading to increase interest rates in lending, which would further add to woes of ailing economy. Share market will plunge, with jobless investors trying to retrieve money from the market. Tourism / entertainment will also get hit. Investment will certainly go down(mainly FDIs). Construction industry will face serious jolts. So will the other industries too. In the process, so many other people would loose their jobs too.
In a chain of events, economic growth - which took decades of planning / hard work, will be undone in days than months.

So-called intellectuals could rejoice too! things can improve too!
Inflation rate is bound to comedown. Real estate prices are set to fall back. So those, who had saved for their retirement would feel richer. Younger generation, will focus on areas other than engineering / computers.
Our intellectuals can continue blaming IT / BT for all these mis happenings.


This is a hypothetical scenario with a hypothetical analysis. But this is what, many people are hoping and praying for! Let us not be jealous of the ones who earn more than us. We do not know, the hardships faced by those in IT/BT jobs. Let us be proud that our place is growing at a very fast pace, which was triggered by growth of IT/BT.

Straight from Heart

I don't know, why I'm writing this blog. I did not have any intention to write, till I repeatedly listened to a beautiful track "Pukaarta chala hoon mein" by Md. Rafi.
I don't intend to make sense with this blog. This one is straight from heart.

I played the song repeatedly and could feel Goosebumps all over. Rafi sahib's scintillating voice and a great composition by O.P.Nayyar and amazing lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. All I could do is, be amazed by the song and salute the great artists.

Only a few songs have had this effect on me. I don't know, why all songs can't have this effect or "Do they have? Am I not good enough to notice it?"


I am a total illiterate when it comes to music. If I like a song - I'll try to know the name of the singer / composer / lyricist of a given song. I sing it aloud, in my pernicious voice and bore people to death. This is all I know/care about music. But, I never miss out on an opportunity to comment on musicians. I do make it a point to comment on singers / composers / songs and their merits. I get involved when knowledgeable people discuss music.

One such discussion:

"What do you look for, when you listen to some song?" - A friend (let’s call him P)...
"Nothing in particular!" - Me
"That is where, you go wrong. Look for something in particular. Like the composition, raga...etc" - P
"I don't understand those things... To me music should sound good" - Me
"From now, start observing, you'll love music" - P

After this conversation, I too wanted to observe and understand music... I tried to do that, but in vain... I totally forgot my intellectual capacity and tried to do something I'm not made for. I could not comprehend a single raga. Given a song and its raga, I cannot even relate them.

I do listen to all kinds of music. But am not able to make out whether I love music or not. May be because of lack of knowledge, I'm not able to appreciate the greatness of a few Genres of music.However good a song is, I am biased against Remix, Pop, Rap, Reggae and Hip-hop. A few friends keep telling me "Songs can be good, in these genres too. Why don't you listen, before deciding? Why don't you appreciate good music?"
I don't have a reason for this bias! Maybe I should learn music, to know the beauty of certain compositions of these Genres too...


"Hell! Why am I talking so much about my interests in music?” Coz, I feel I'm a common man, who cannot understand music but cannot live without it either. So does music require prior knowledge???
Someone adept with music might be able to tell the truth.

Literate or Educated?

I am literate, but am I Educated?- This question has been haunting me for the past few weeks!!!

I went to school and scored average marks; does that mean I am educated? I also went to college; but does that mean I am educated?
I possess a Bachelor's degree in Engg ; does that mean I am educated?
I belong to the new breed of so-called software engineers; does that mean I am educated?I dress-up neatly, speak a bit of English, work in one of the Big Indian Software companies, does that mean I am educated?

One introspection is enough to realize that "calling myself an educated is a Blunder!”

Let me take you through a day of my life. I wake-up, cursing a lot of people - for the sorry state of the world.

If, I get into a public bus, I will be struggling hard to find a seat for myself. Even when I see a woman, with a baby clinging onto her! or an elderly person, struggling hard to stand. I just ignore the scene or turn away!!! Breaking a Queue is always a matter of Pride.

While crossing a road, if I see a helpless person struggling, I just ignore (as if I haven't seen anything).

In traffic signals, I curse beggars. Even though I don't donate a single rupee, I want the government to eradicate begging.

I try to keep my home/workplace clean, but on a street - I just ignore all the signs and try to make it as dirty as possible.

I feel that breaking traffic rules is my birthright. When someone else does the same, I am the first person (almost always) to criticize. But, when I do it, I feel elated.

To me, Fighting with neighbors/strangers is a matter of protecting my personal interests or sometimes even National interests(justification).

I blame, just about everyone for the sorry state of my country (except myself) and feel elated to talk about the progress made by the developed countries. Serving my country, didn't even occur as a thought!!!

I don't even clean my own home, forget about the locality!!!

I want the government to provide me with all basic necessities, but I don’t want the government to tax me!!!
I want peace all around me, but I'm not the one to practice it!!!

I want a lot of Mahatmas in India, but none from my home.
I want a rich & prosperous India, but I don’t want to help make it one!!!
I always talk about "What People could've done!” Never do I bother to think, "I too could've done the same”!!!

What has 16+ years of paid education (or so-called education) taught me? Did the conventional school/college teach me anything? Am I really educated?
Instead of all the science/math/grammar/history etc, a bit of etiquettes could have changed a lot!!! Not only me, but a of lot so-called educated, could've been changed...

My school/college, teachers, parents, elders all tried to imbibe some noble qualities in me(when I was young). But I failed to learn! Of course, I was a bad student. But, am I the only one to be blamed? I always met teachers who taught, but never practiced! Had I met at least one inspirational teacher (preacher) I would've changed!

Now, Can I be the one who can change a lot of future literates? Can I be the one, who can make an effort towards educated India? Of course Not! I am too busy with my personal commitments... (That's escapism) Real reason being "It's too difficult to follow the rules"...

I need to go back to my work. Let the government bother about, thoughts of REFORMATION...