Viswanathan Anand and the glory!!

I was overwhelmed with joy when Susan Polgar Tweeted "Ok they agreed to draw, Anand remains the world champion! Congrats to Vishy".

As I know he was playing for draw in the fourth tie break because he had already won 2nd tie break and drew 1st and 3rd. Though I dont know much about the technicalities of the game but winning the world championship five times is really something to rejoice. It really is a proud moment for India and Indian sport.

Anand became International master at 15, Indian champion at 16, won World Junior title at 17, became country's first grandmaster at 19, and was awarded padmsree at 19. This speaks a volume about the man and caliber he has at the age of 42.

Now comparisons are bound to happen because we live in India. Whenever other sports achieve some great feat we directly start attacking cricket and start behaving like a sensible Indian though it doesn’t last for more than a day.

I had recently watched his interview with Ayaz Menon, he is calm composed man just like Rahul Dravid who believe in playing the game more than just talking. 

Different news channels have different head lines "Is Viswanathan Anand the greatest

Individual sportsman"? Yes he is but just for one day. We tend to over react at times and let the emotions flow beyond the limit.

One other news channels says "Should Viswanathan Anand get the Baharat Ratna and not Sachin Tendulkar"? If he is strong contender for Bharat Ratna then what about others? Dont you think Leander Paes is acheiving great heights, MC Mery Kom is still making us proud. There are many more in the line. So please give him due credit what he deserevs but without criticising others. Seriously I was laughing when sports minister announced 10 lakhs rs the moment he got the news. We value everything with money and that’s the problem.

So folks let us respect him what he has achieved and wish him more luck to bring many more laurels to the country.

Jai Ho!!

Signing Off

Anil Anuragi

Indian Premier League 5!

So now it has gone down to the play offs after 7 weeks of cricketament. We finally have 4 teams to be the champion in the fifth edition of the Indian premier league.

Every good thing has to be surrounded by controversy so I would talk about the good part only and leave the other part on you.

There were some extraordinary things that happened. I think this is the best IPL so far, from last matches finishes to the crowds in the stadium.

Who would have thought that Murali at 40 will be a contender of the Karbon Kalam catch competition, a shot hit on long off can be caught at long on, Clarke will return after his marriage to play in a match whose result doesnt matter, guy who hasnt played any first class match eventually win the match for his team, Dada will be running like a sprinter after he takes the wicket of Peterson, a guy from Jharkhand can be a citi rising star, an unknown face from RR camp can take the hat trick and eventually win the match, a west Indian who is seeking place in national side hitting sixes after sixes and wining matches for RCB single handedly, an another west Indian who is still a mystery for all the batsmen including the great Sachin Tendulkar, Jharkhand boy leading a south Indian side, Dada playing in Eden Garden against Kolkata and driving crowd frenzy in his support, an Australian(where we were treated as second class citizens in 80 when India used to go play there) playing under Gautam Gambhir captaincy, CSK would eventually make it to the play offs from no where (seriously no one can play against Dhoni’s luck), an Australian getting Man of the Match award from the CM of Himanchal Pradesh and who would have thought that a lady from England will be shaking legs with Ajay Jadeja in extra innings T20?

Many times moments froze when Fauf took the stunning catch to get rid off Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Smith playing his first match of the season and hitting 14 runs in last 3 balls of Hilffenaus, Danny Morrison dancing on the ground to put the crowd in delirium, and SRK hugging Debrata das after his match winning effort.

Only IPL can make you star over night and guys like Gurkeerat, Chandila, Vaulthaty, Nadeem, Awana, Harmeet Singh can’t deny it.

It surely is the best entertainment, the moment extra inning T20 starts till Shibani Dandekar waves good bye we are all glued to TV. Whatever we say before the match that we would not watch but the time your favorite batsman comes on to bat or Dale Steyn steaming in from the other you can resist yourself watching it. And if you are in the stadium you wouldn’t go for recess even in strategic time out as cheer leaders will keep dancing for the full 150 seconds. You concede it or not but everyone stares them amorously irrespective of any age.

I have a suggestion for the IPL committee: They should start promoting umpires and commentators from this wonderful platform. We have some good commentators like Harsha Bhogle(my best), Sunny Gavashkar, Ravi Shastri , Ganguly (I don’t consider Sidhdhu, Shiv Ramkrishnana, and Madan lal as commentator) but we have dearth of umpires to represent from Indian side in international arena.

Personally I am a big fan of fast bowling; I have loved watching Awana, Yada, Aron, Dhinda, Harshal Patel and Parmeshwaran. It feels extremely good when they touch 150 mark. Though I loved watchng Steyn Morkel Narine Malinga Lee as well. And I think there should be an award for best bowling and best fielding also

So amidst all here comes the important question.

Can Dhoni and his boys given the second chance defend the title, can MI break the shackles of being a good team in league matches but not able to finish it, can DD finish it in high note looking at their performances this year and can SRK finally afford to smile after the unfortunate incidents that happened with him this year.

Keeping my finger crossed for the match against CSK on 23^rd May.

Signing Off

Anil Anuragi

Have a good day!!

Satyamev Jayate!!

Happy New Year!! No??

Not for you folks but for my blog, haven’t been here for a long time and I guess this is the first post in 2012. It’s not like that I don’t like this place anymore or took sabbatical but Twitter has taken over the blog for quite a some time now. I rant there blatantly about anything and everything that crosses my mind. In fact I am more active in Twitter (those who are in Twitter my twitter handle is @anuragi89) than in Gmail or in Facebook these days. This time I thought of going beyond more than 140 characters so I am here once again. Sorry to respond late, I am sure you missed reading me as much as I missed writing in this space. No?

Let’s come to the discussion point now. Satayamev jayate started with a very good note. Everyone is talking about it and hope it continues doing the same and hope Aamir doesn’t disappoint us which I think he will not and hope he doesn’t take the criticism seriously that the show received on its debut.

To be honest I was very much excited about this show since they started showing the promos. I generally don’t watch any TV serials except KBC and that too because of Mr Bachchan is the host. And if the show starts at 11 AM and that too on Sunday, I can only say hats of to this man, he can make anytime prime time.

They started off with flying colors. Social networking sites were deluged with congratulatory messages with the success of SMJ. Every one from Bollywood to cricketers to Politician strenuously praised Aamir’s effort to put forward some issues that make you think that we are here for some purpose. We need to give back something to society that has given us so much. As in the show they rightly mentioned that female feticide is not the new thing, it has been there from the past times. It’s not deep rooted only in rich or in poor or in big cities or in rural areas or based on caste or religion. It’s there in every strata of society. And it’s also not like that we dint know about it but the problem is that we just discuss things and don’t act on them timely.
 

Some people try to become arbiter in every case. We want to judge everything in just two ways: Yes or No even before pondering whether it is good or bad. Folks we don’t need to be polemic in every act. There are many who think that Amir takes societal issue just to gain the mileage but then why don’t others realize it. Some are saying that he is doing just for the publicity and some even saying that he is taking 3 crore for an episode. Ok I buy your argument but at least he is taking it for some good cause and not like others who are flaunting their status and doing nothing for the society (I don’t need to mention the names). We need to be corroborative because we know that Aamir is a sapient man and knows what is right and what is wrong.

I hope in the coming episodes he brings some more serious issue like child labor, education, infanticide, honor killing, dowry, reservation, farmers suicide, agriculture, malnutrition, immolation(though it has almost vanished but still there are some cases we hear on a blue moon) and child marriage.

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value ~ Albert Einstein

Signing Off
Anil Anuragi :) 

Kolkata: A memoir, through my eyes only

Now it has been more than 18 months (9 plus 9) I am here in this city famously known as city of joy. I never wanted to be in this city not because I had some sour taste or it is miles away from my home. It is just because I did not know about this city. I had heard a lot about Bengalis as well as about the city while my stay in Ranchi during my graduation period. In my offer letter too I dint mention this city. I had chosen Delhi and Bangalore. Delhi because of it’s near my home town and Bangalore because I have many friends working in there.  But it puts you there where it is destined to.

Having lived in here for these many months I have to say without a shadow of doubt that I have enjoyed every bit. I have lived here not just by passion but by compassion as well.

I have enjoyed everything from adulation to confront, from 2 rs tea to 260 rs movie ticket, visiting malls to checking out maals, from kemon ache to ami bhalo (though I missed “ami tomake bhalo baasi”: P), from waiting patiently for the autos in a long queue, from paddle less rickshaws to metros, a transformation from Anil to Onil, from sweating climate to rainy days.

Every thing is debated here from Dada to cricket to football to politics to moist problem to Durga Puja to Eid to Messi’s arrival with the same intensity.

The funny thing here is that they eat “everything”, from beer to coffee to water to cigarette.

They don’t drink, they don’t puff. 

The time has changed but city hasn’t moved with time. In howrah scene is still the same like Old Delhi. Tram is still being used which is of no use in these times and only creates traffic problems. Buildings are as old as from the British times. As it rains here in any season but there is no proper drainage system. City is closed by 10 at night which is not a good sign for nocturnal like us. Being a metro city there are no big industries, this may be because of some political issue.

People here are still suave, intellectuals, delicate but dwellers coming from other regions are trying to pollute the city.

I hope I did not vilify anything out here. What we feel is what we blog, at least I do that!

The views expressed here are purely mine. So if inadvertently I hurt someone’s sentiments, I am extremely extremely sorry.

“Life is best for those who enjoy it, Difficult for those who analyze it and worst for those who criticize it.”

Have a good day and Happy Christmas !!

Take care :)

Kaun Banega Crorepati !

 

I couldn’t help myself dragging in here after witnessing what I saw tonight. That was really something “Adbhud” as Mr Amitabh Bachchan Sir said.

A simple computer operator from Motihari, Bihar who earns a meager 6K per month, doesn’t have his own house, can’t study for IAS due to financial problems but has golden heart and a cherubic smile created history after using the most dangerous life line in a life or death situation.

He really played awesomely tonight than yester night and was serene and composed while answering. He was little confused initially not because he didn’t know the answer but because he was lacking in confidence which he confessed after that. Whatever he did, however he played I loved every bit of it, his emotions after answering every question, calculating 1.6 lakhs rs as his 16 months salary, joining hands after giving every correct answer, counting the no of zeros after receiving every check . You would have seen what a real joy means to people like Sushil Kumar.  

But in all, what I loved the most is his attitude towards bringing on under privileged people and provide them the right path to showcase their talent which many people just don’t think of.

He wanted to become a writer but because of lack of money he could not buy the books he wanted to read. 

He somewhere rightly said: “Jab nischintata ho jati hai to Rachnatmakta aapne aap aa jati hai”.

For hosts its just a show but for people like Sushil Kumar it is another life. Yahan se aam aadmi bhi khaas ban ke jata hai.

In this season, I have not missed a single episode except when I was travelling to home during Durga puja. Not because I want to show my talent but because to see Amitabh Bachchan Sir in action every time. Even if he says the same thing 100^th times, he brings up something special.

One final sentence “Was that episode recorded again after he won 5 crore because I felt it in many times in between”?

Inhi sabdo ke saath mai aaj ka apna blog yahi samapt karta hoon. Hamare saath judne ke liye anek anek dhanyawaad. Fir kal milte hain tab tak ke liye Shubh ratri shubh ratri aur shubh ratri. Do take good care of yourself!! :)

Why inventions aint happening in India?

It has been a long time since I have written something in this space. So let me try to connect with you all once again.

After lazy Saturday afternoon, I switched on TV and tuned to Doordarshan. People these days hardly watch this channel as there are more lucrative packages as in MTV, Bollywood, Hindustan Times, IBN, Times now etc etc . These channels show more refined news. Yes Doordarshan is funny sometimes but it shows the raw news, which is why I like to watch it sometimes.

As I switched to this channel, some interesting discussion was going on. It was about why inventions aint happening in India. IIT Kharagpur students along with the faculty members and dean of the college were present in that discussion. It was rather a debate than just a discussion.

Students were speaking about various obstacles they face to finally become an Engineer. (Those who are will be knowing that :P). There were many different views but what attracted me the most when a student of first year stood up and started something like “Fear of failure” doesn’t let us to try our hands in inventing new things.

Well he was actually very right and got exalted too. It takes around 25 to 30 year to discover something to get noticed. You have to put your sincere effort to achieve something good. In India it is hard reality that no one wants to take risks especially when it is related with life. Everyone wants to play it safe, may be a little less would be fine for them. They may not be satisfied with it but they can’t put themselves in danger in ignoring job offers and do some research because they have to look after their family as well. And for this they need money to take care of himself/herself as well their parents. It is not like western countries where son/daughter is separated from their parents and can do things of their on choices, but here we don’t have many choices.

Even if someone in a job is not satisfied, he would try to seek some other shelter without leaving the current position because he is never sure of that he will make it. If we are directive, then things ‘can’ happen but it is not certain they ‘will’. But then you have to live on the possibility sometimes to get the best out of live. The moment we make our self clear enough to lead our life the way we want, everything else just follows our path.

We are just wary of loosing our jobs in achieving the highest dreams.

We feel satisfied in clapping for others. The moment we are determined to get the claps back from the people, is the key to success.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

Haha bahut ho gaya aaj ke liye. :D

Signing off

Anil Anuragi

Good Night ! XX ;)

Will the pandemonium be continued??

So Anna Hazare’s fast has entered to the eighth day and the government seems unfazed by the voices of the Indian people. I don’t know what the final decision would be but the government is surely trying to bargain with Anna team.

Let me say it honestly that I dint advocate PM to be in the purview of Lokpal Bill. You can’t interrogate PM every time as he/she has some more important issues than to be on the court every day and more ever you need to show some faith on the world’s most powerful PM. But that doesn’t mean that I am not supporting Anna team Bill or supporting the Government drafted Bill. I am simply trying to say make the final call and draft the ‘strong’ Lokpal bill as early as possible so this hue and cry end soon because as of now the moment is going peacefully but who knows situation might turn grievous in coming days whose repercussions will not be good for sure.

The government seems to soften its stand but now team Anna seam adamant on their Bill. Till now government have agreed to put PM in the purview of Lokpal but still they have not given their final assent to 3 more critical points from Jan Lokpal Bill.

Anna’s health is deteriorating day by day and they are taking his health condition as a trump card. Let this old man call off his fast and let the movement end peacefully because if something happens to Anna then nothing fruitful is going to come out of it. As has been seen from government side whose people go to airport to receive Baba Ramdev and whose very people don’t hesitate for Lathi charge.

Also I dint like the idea of some people from IIT Khagarpur refusing to receive degree from PM. You surely can’t disgrace the man whom you have given the supreme authority. Today it is Manmohan Singh, tomorrow it would be some one else. So you have to respect your own judgment.

I am praying for Anna’s health as well hoping to get the Bill drafted as early as possible before something happens to this brave man!

So will the chaos be continued or is there something going to happen to ameliorate the matter as there is a meeting between the government and team Anna.

Let’s hope for the best!

Signing Off

Anil Anuragi

Good Night !! ;)  (Alok pankaj has suggested putting this winking emoticon.)

Time pass post….

Well I haven’t written anything in this space for long so I am just trying remain connected with you all.


Cricketers I respect the most

1.   Sachin Tendulkar
2.   Sourav Ganguly
3.   Anil Kumble
4.   Shaun Pollock
5.   Brett Lee
6.   Adam Gilchrist
7.   Shahid Afridi
8.   Kumar Sangkara
9.   Ross Taylor
10. Wasim Akram
11. Rahul Dravid

My perfect XII for ODI

1.   Sachin Tendulkar
2.   M S Dhoni (Captain and wicket keeper)
3.   Tilakratne Dilshan
4.   Morne Morkel
5.   Graeme Swann
6.   Rickey Ponting
7.   Zaheer Khan
8.   Virendar Sehwag
9.   Lasith Malinga
10. Jacques Kallis
11. Kevin Peterson
12. Muralitharan

I am listing down some of my favorite things which I would love to do at anytime and on any conditions..

1.   Love watching Sehwag’s batting
2.   Harsha Bhogle and Ravi Shastri Commentary
3.   Love to watch Sania Mirza and Rafael Nadal on the court.
4.   Hrithik Roshan’s dance
5.   M S Dhoni presentation ceremonies
6.   Tea (Anytime)
7.   Sharabi
8.   Munaf’s fielding
9.   Dhoni’s world cup winning six
10. To eat Gajar ka Halwa
11. To Listen to Kailash Kher

There might be something more but I can’t remember much right now.

Now please don’t start debating like politicians if you didn’t like my list or if I missed your favorites. :P

Yes we do care, yes we do remember!!

Before any cricket match, National anthem is played. We hardly stand up, rather we switch between the channels until 52 seconds are over. Yet we keep on fighting that our national anthem is the best. We always want to show that India is the best nation and Indians are the best people in the world.

We would be seen lamenting for the innocent people who have lost their lives in 26/11 and after that the chapter is closed. There would be huge write ups in every newspaper from eminent columnist then they get busy in some other business.

People will fight for Bhopal gas victims, pledge for Jan Lokpal bill, will frown on what happened 20 years ago (yes I am talking about Babri Masjid demolition), where Euthanasia should be legalized or not, will celebrate earth hour, put happy mother’s day and father’s day status. But seriously do we care about it or do we do it just to show how patriotic we are?

If we really care then where this humanity, resiliency, humility, apnapan, udarta goes the whole year. If we really care about it then Mr. Kasab wouldn’t be laughing at our abject administration, an innocent woman wouldn’t be dragged onto the streets every time, a Jawan wouldn’t be killed by his seniors, wheat wouldn’t be rotten in some politician’s home, a teenager wouldn’t be working in hotels, a mother wouldn’t be seen begging in trains, a farmer wouldn’t be committing suicide every time, a TC wouldn’t be asking for bribe.

If we give our sincere efforts then everything is possible. But the problem is that whatever we do is to get some cheap publicity. Even I am trying to seek some attention here. :D

In today’s generation, Nira Radia (I know some of you might have figured out the spelling mistake by now), A Raja, Kanimojhi, Amar Singh are the household names but do we know who Capt Sumit Kohli was, Who Hemant Karkare was, Who Kejriwal is, who Kiran Bedi is, who Marry Kom is?

We care only for good and change side if things don’t go our way. We become staunch supporter of Dhoni when he hits that six to get the glory and we are the first one to pelt his house when he gets out in duck and eventually India loses the match.



We don’t care how well does Sania play Tennis but we do suggest how long her skirt should be?

We don’t know what black money is, but we do support Baba Ramdev blindly.

Whole year we remain dormant but we do wake up to fight for Bhopal gas victims.

We don’t know who Bhagat Singh is, but we do garland him on Shahid Divas.

We don’t know what does H of Hockey stand for but we do frown whenever India loses a hockey match.

We lock our rooms in on AC mode but we do switch off Electronics appliance on earth hour.

We advocate westernization but we do fume whenever a girl tries to spread her wings.

We spit on the streets but we do complain about the cleanness of the city.

We don’t know who Michelle Obama is but we do notice whether she joins her hands properly while saying Namaste.

We don’t know for what purpose Barack Obama has come to India but we do want to know whether he likes Begun bharta or not?


Most of the times our actions seem to have a lot to do with bigotry. We try to bohemian but in that course we forget to recognize what is right and what is wrong.
Ohhh I have said enough in this post and now I must keep myself mum otherwise I might also be sued for the act of sedition. :D

One should not be so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.

Signing Off

Anil Anuragi

Good night Take care X :)

Questionnaire!!

Q: Do you command respect or do you demand respect?
A: Hahaha what makes you to ask this, I am not a big man, man. Btw I don’t care about respect. Ohh yes if you want to know you can come to my desk where I work. Subah se shaam tak sirf gaaliyan hi suntan rahta hoon. :P

Q: Is IPL a good thing?
A: I would say yes, not just because it helps in boosting the economy little bit but it gives a chance to local boys to play with the likes of Sachin, Warne, Bret Lee, Sangkara, Kallis, Vettori, Murali and many more which certainly helps them to become a better person in life too . But I think more of cricket is not good as it is played these days.

Q: Why are we so reluctant in complementing others?
A: Hmmmm yea, idk. May be we don’t like the person or sometimes our ego doesn’t let us to wish others. But if we make the habit of complementing others on their success, we are in the process of making our self a lot better person because it really takes courage to compliment others.

Q: Have you learnt Bengali lil bit?
A: I don’t know whether I am learning ABAP or not but surely I have learnt lots of Bengali words.

Q: Heyy, when is faded love story part-3 coming up?
A: In my first book!! Hahahahaha :P :D

Q: What is the biggest thing that has happened in your life?
A: I guess, yet to come ! :)

Q: If your wish to live one of your past moments is granted, which age would you want to go back?
A: I want to become a 2 year kid once again.

Q: What would be worst moment of your life?
A: When one fine day, I wake up and news flashes in that Sachin Tendulkar is found guilty in match fixing. I have a huge respect for him.

Q: In the age of BB, you are using Nokia, change it man.
A: Well, sab log contribute karo, agle mahine ek Black Berry le leta hoon.

Q: What is the difference between an educated and an intellectual man?
A: Educated care for their world while intellectual care for others. Idk what more to write? May be you can add up something. Education can be bought but you certainly cant buy intellect. It grows on you gradually over a period of time.

Q: What you have to say about Anna Hazare?
A: The whole India is saying about him, I am no different. But I think corruption is not the only issue to be dealt with. There are more serious issues like poverty, education, population control and environmental awareness. So we need more of Anna Hazare to make India a better place to live in.

Q: What do you think; Sachin should hang off his boots and give youngsters a chance to come forward?
A: Are you mad? He is still a 22 years old guy when he dives at boundary and plays that straight drive.

Sometimes I win, sometimes I learn but I never loose.

Signing off

Anil Anuragi
Good night !
Take care :)