Time for Bloggers to Stand Up

I am sure most of you, by this time, would have heard about IIPM issue. I am indeed apologetic that I havent been able to post for quite a long time now. And especially because the person involved here in this case is someone known to me. Gaurav Sabnis is an avid quizzer and I, for one, was a great admirer. I had the privilege of attending some of his cool quizzes. The tradition of quizzing left behind by folks like him is still followed in Pune.

Anyways, let me not digress from the issue. Here it is. All what is required of you is to sign the petition and give as much publicity to it. Its a matter of our freedom of speech. Its not just about individuals v/s an insititution. Lets Stand up for our rights. My signature is No. 72.

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Things are literally sick at personal front. The dreaded amoebic infection is back to haunt me. But i have had the experience of dealing with it. And reading Lance Armstrong's Its Not About the Bike in such times really helps. :)

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Zee sports's efforts in promoting indian football are indeed laudable. I want to dedicate a separate post for that. Zee is currently beaming live the Federation Cup. Of course, the dish fared out will pale in comparison to something like English Premiere League. But I am happy, a start is made somewhere instead of sitting back and being an arm-critic.

One more thing to cheer about. Saina Nehwal has shocked our national champion Aparna Popat in the Asian Satellite badminton championship. As i had said earlier, do watch out this girl. She can do to badminton what sania mirza is doing to tennis in india.

And yeah, folks, wish me best luck. I have some important meetings lined up this diwali vacation. Needless to say, its sport related. :) I will be going back to pune tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Past Innings

Surprise, surprise! I have been tagged by Prithi Shetty - Dew Moon Drop. I liked it because mainly its not going to be that kind of list – 7 things to do, 7 things I cant do n all that. :)
I intend to keep it the way prithi had kept. It also helps me to pause for a moment and reflect on my past innings. So here it is.

10 Years Ago

oh…those were the high school times. I was in 8th standard and had fittingly acquired the sobriquet of slogger. A boy with hardly any natural intelligence but solely relying on hard work to be amongst the toppers in the class. There was some great rivalry and the sportsmen to the core we were, we dint used to give an inch. So my name used to pop up amongst the toppers, be it sports or academics. Suddenly, from a nowhere in 7th standard, I came in the limelight.

Also this was the time when I was introduced to cross country running, courtesy our fine sports teacher. Long distance running teaches one many things in life which seem to be simple but difficult to practice – perseverance, hard work, ability to absorb pain. And that’s what I liked about cross country – the results don’t come in a flash. One has to go through the grind, overcome the steep hills and sometimes you have to do it alone. We were a bunch of runners who used to cycle to the hills in the early mornings and then go through our jogging drills. That was sheer bliss. I vividly recollect those green hills and can feel the fresh morning air.

Accomplishments were to follow, pune district champions in kho-kho, langadi (unfourtunately, there wasn’t much scope for other sports in my school :( ) and dozens of certificates.

5 Years Ago

1st year Engineernig. Never ever could pursue my dream of sports due to the circumstances prevalent then, which are pretty common in my country. So what you do? Take up a course which will assure you of a so-called ‘settled’ life. So the only motive in life for the time being – keep a first class throughout and get yourself a well-paid job – which is exactly what I did though I did goof up in my 3rd year. Oh yeah….and had my share of infatuations too. :)

1 Year Ago

Was slogging my ass out to have a serious chance to bell the CAT – Common Admission Test – for a coveted seat in IIMs. But it was a bit late. It always was going to be a case of so near yet so far and that’s how it turned out to be. No regrets though. I accepted my mistakes and revised my lessons. In hindsight, it was good because getting there would have hardly helped me achieve my ultimate objective.

Yesterday

Packing my bags for a trip to pune – almost my native place. Called up a fellow related to sports but the phone just kept ringing with no response. :( I do need a break to be alone with myself and a long long nap to freshen up my mind. The last few days haven’t been quite rosy and everyday I keep trudging along showing patience that my time will come.

I hand over the baton to

• Laks
• Shub
• Pills
• Meghana

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One important update on Indian football. Zee sports has acquired Indian football telecasting rights for the next ten years for some 500 crores Rs. I do hope this goes a long way in improving our standing in the international football arena.

BCCI Blockbuster

For the past two weeks, this blockbuster has been ruling the box office in my country. The golden goose – BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has attracted actors from quite a diverse background ranging from politicos to businessmen. And ask them why are they here instead of managing their portfolios, you will get answers like – in the interest of the game and thereby the society since cricket is its integral part.

Dig a little deep and it doesn’t take a genius to understand why politicians like arun jaitley and sharad pawar are lining up for the BCCI presidentship post. Its all money, honey. And a whopping one at that. Some 6.5 Billion Rs. a year from television rights alone. (Correct me, if the figures are wrong.) And that’s what keeps them away from taking the vacant sports minister portfolio instead. Its sheer hypocrisy. Come to think of it, the richest cricket board in the world doesn’t have its own website.

The NCA (National Cricket Academy) that came up in Bangalore was due to a PIL filed by two cricket-loving lawyers. I won’t be surprised if in the immediate future, Greg Chappell, our cricket coach, resigns from the post. In fact, same had happened with former German hockey coach, Gerard Rach. He resigned complaining the hockey system is in total mess and wondered how India will regain its past glory.

But frankly speaking, I am happy for the ongoing imbroglio b/w Greg chappell and sourav ganguly. Call me sadistic since at least the other sports will get their due coverage and the media will need to find stars in other sports to fill up their sports pages. And that’s one reason why I don’t write much on cricket since there are hundreds of bloggers and newspapers where one can find the required information/gossip etc…

Professionals like me are ready to delve into sports management leaving behind their comfortable high-paying s/w careers and take Indian sports including cricket to higher levels. But does BCCI and the like want us? We all hear their tantrums of introducing professionalism n all but is anyone doing anything about it. Tell me which course I need to take, which exam I need to write. I am ready to do everything, provided I get what I deserve for my job. Yeah, I know what I am talking about seems a fantasy but as I said in my previous post, Moden Pan Vaknaar Nahi.

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Testing Times

…. are what all of us, my room-mates and me, are going through. One of them, V~ has been stretched to his patience limits in finding a job in embedded domain. Every day starts with the hope that he may have an interview call from some company. Some days, it arrives and most it doesn’t. The other one, P~, too wants to move out from his mainframes job in an MNC to a technical one anywhere. And he is willing to take a pay-cut too. The heart is simply not there in his present job and every day, he trudges along with the hope his redemption time will arrive soon.

And do I need to say anything about myself. :)

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But at least one thing is going fine. My gym and jog. Sometimes, I miss it in mornings but not in evenings. And I am so happy for it. And I am sure, Laks wont say this time that what’s the big deal in that. :) And here’s one pdf regarding burning and reducing calories which I found interesting. Do check it out.

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Cinderella Man


Great watch. And to imagine that it’s a true story. Hats off to the human spirit shown by the great James J Braddock. And Russell Crowe does an amazing job portraying that character. And as usual, Renée Zellweger plays the role of a supporting partner to perfection. Am eagerly waiting for such a person in my life. Hahaha….yeah..I can notice that smile there. The boxing scenes seem pretty realistic and one can actually feel the punches delivered. But more than boxing, the movie is about the human triumph over adversity, the human spirit, the human belief and most importantly, HOPE.