A NEW YEAR, A NEW BEGINNING!

2010 is all poised to end-on a high note for some, on a "not-so high" note for others. It's the last day of the year and then we would all enter into a new beginning, a new ambience with renewed energy and a new zeal to start everything afresh.

Of course, celebrations won't wait for the first day of 2011, everything would begin today. Resolutions would be rampant among folks and messages and phone calls- won't seem to cease; would be raining incessantly. Offers from various companies have already started pouring termed as "New- Year Offers." It can now be deemed as an equivalent to another major festival celebrated by everyone irrespective of religion (secular festival).

Have we ever pondered about the essence of the occasion? Are we really committed to start everything afresh with a new hope towards our goal? Or is it simply because others are celebrating, we bend ourselves to flow along the direction of water current? Such thoughts may seem critical in the wake of the occasion but a peek sneak into the matter reveals something to be worried about.

Time won't wait, years would roll on. Celebrations would enter and fade away. At the end of our life, what would matter is the way we shaped up our lives all these years, the way we made things happen and the way we took charge of our destiny. What harm would be there if we this celebration ends up as our first step towards giving a meaning to our life, finding the purpose of our existence and making a success out of it?

Every second that is yet to come can be the perfect time for a new beginning, the crafting of a new success story. We are completely unaware of the plans that destiny holds for us in the future but we can certainly put our best foot forward to be the architect of our own story. Let us push ourselves to the limit, give it our heart and soul, come out of our comfort zone and switch on to the next higher gear( using synchromesh devices) and achieve something in life that can inspire others. Let us lead by example and there is no better way to start than commencing on the New Year's day!

Wishing everyone a glorious and vibrant 2011, full of life and colours and enthusiasm. Let's make this beginning a memorable one, the beginning which we can cherish for years to come, the beginning which can be termed as the first step of another success story! It's up to us to decide what we aspire to accomplish- achieve the zenith or perish in the bylanes of anonymity.

Technology and Social Life

How ironic does it sound when we say man is a social being and at the same time, it's the man who is responsible for the development and advancement of technology which has proved detrimental to the very basis of a human being's identity!

It seems more surprising to find out that technology, which was developed to combat with the increasing loneliness that mankind suffers today, has itself evolved into a cause for greater pain and loneliness. In this world of virtual relationships , the fact that we have got a real social life to deal with, has almost deserted our mind and even soul! We no longer find it possible to spare a moment out of our "hectic schedule" to devote to some long lasting relationships, yet we do find time to entertain ourselves with social networking sites and virtual relationships. We have enough time and money to spend on talking to someone on phone but we have forgot to give a damn about who are our neighbors. We can afford to spend hours and hours before the idiot box and personal laptops; yet we find it too tiresome to make a face to face interaction with someone. Seems ridiculous, indeed!

No one can deny the fact that technology has smoothened our lives. We live a life of comfort and luxury thanks to technology. But have we ever asked ourselves what may be the consequences of such mindless persuasion of luxury. We may have heaps of notes around us but we would still be poor, not in terms of the numerical digits of our annual earnings but in terms of a meaningful social life. We would be having every inanimate thing essential for an affluent life but we would be suffering from loneliness and frustration. We would be craving for someone to talk to, to share our feelings with but then we would discover ourselves in a lonely island which may never get connected again to the main land!

Backhand does it all!

A new chapter got underway for 2011 when Roger Federer got the better of his arch nemesis Rafael Nadal to clinch a record-equalling fifth Masters title at the O2 Arena of London.

It was the perfect final for a tennis fan- World No. 1 Rafael Nadal vs World No. 2 Roger Federer.The crowd was indundated with euphoria. Exhilaration satiated the ambience- the crowd could not have asked for more. As the two unbeaten champions of the tournament emerged in a cloud of smoke, the fans roared in applause. The moment seemed to have paused then and there.

Though the match lacked the skills and variations that were rampant at the Wimbledon final 2008 between the two, yet the consequence has now dwindled the excitement that 2011 is going to witness in men's tennis. Roger Federer coming to his best form after a mid-season fall, was majestic against an erring Nadal. Roger Federer got the better of his rival 6-3,3-6,6-1 against a star-studded background.

The backhand, usually considered as the Achilles Hill of Federer, proved to be the weapon of destruction this time. It not only survived the pressure of Nadal's topspin but also produced cross court winners beyond Rafa's reach. The cross court forehand was a beauty. Marked by pin-point accuracy and precision, Federer seemed invincible and indeed there are few things that could match Federer's brilliance when the Maestro is at his sublime best.

Federer kept the points short and sharp. He made his intention to attack clear from the very first point. His accurate footwork was on display always allowing him enough time to choose from his tool kit. The most important of all was the backhand slice, which clicked like magic. It stayed low and drew Rafa out of his hitting zone.

Though 5 titles including a Grand Slam would be a slim pickings for Roger by his lofty standards, yet this man bounces back everytime he is written off; just issuing an ominous signal to the rest of the field- "Write off Roger at your own peril." The triumph has not only renewed the rivalry between the two great exponents of the sport but also set the perfect springboard for Roger to start 2o11 with brimming confidence.

The year for Roger started with the Australian Open and ended with the Tour Finals-it has come a full circle and now it seems "All is well " again in King's court!

Why it is always us?

The thoughts of writing about Commonwealth Games have been popping up in my mind for the last few days but every time I geared up myself with a pen and paper, I got flummoxed thanks to the variety of things that needed to be put down in black and white and finally ended up in a blank page.

I was simply unable to delve into the depth of my mind to find out what really bothered me about these Games, so I decided to get started with the most fundamental question that is still unanswered- why it is always India which has to succumb to the contempt with which the world looks down upon it. Why it is India which fails to put on display a major event successfully? Why does our image always get tarnished in front of other countries?

It all commenced with extensive corruption charges, amount worth crores and crores being wasted in buying sports equipments,toilet papers, treadmills and so on. All these corruption allegations were followed by the security fears that arose due to firing outside Jama Masjid and dengue scare which resulted in Delhi witnessing many top athletes pulling out of the Games. Lately as the Games village was finally inaugurated, images of the filthy and "unlivable" conditions shocked all the Commonwealth nations, which forced many to delay the arrival of their athletes. And now the rescuing from snakes from the athletes' rooms as well as tennis stadia- I wonder if there is any end to all these or not.

These controversies have put a big question mark before our commitment and sincerity to hosting such a major event. I am afraid whether Delhi would be able to put up a successful Games or not, whether we would ever be able to bag another opportunity to host such an event or not and finally, whether India's ever-sinking reputation would ever improve or not. I am still groping in the dark frantically to find out the answers and a permanent solution to these fears.

Is it lack of a work culture that has been existent since ages? Or the greed for money that has taken a toll on the organisers? Or maybe the indifferent attitude of the persons concerned that has plagued us since time immemorial? The cause may be anything but the fact is that we have FAILED. Now it's time to act upon our tarnished image-what do we really want? Are we able to come out of the tag that has already been created by us for ourselves or do we punish ourselves consciously?

The Joy of Giving

Life is a boomerang and the more you share with others, the more life gifts you back. The pleasure derived on seeing the joy on the face of those with whom you share is something beyond the ability of words to express. Though we dedicate just a single week to mark the joy of giving, yet the joy of giving never ends, it makes us enrich our lives, though unconsciously.

It is a common myth among people that this Joy of Giving Week is meant for the billionaires who can afford to "waste" crores of amount on others. The fact is that one does not need to be affluent in order to experience the soulful bliss that is offered though giving. What is needed is just a heart that beats for others, a mind which believes in the power of blessing one receives from the Almighty when one shares with others and a life that lives to wipe even a single tear from others' eyes rather than shedding a thousand of one's own.

One does not deserve the tag of a "winner" based on what one has accumulated or how many people did one keep as one's servants. Instead, one is remembered by what one has given and how many people one has served. To enjoy the solace that giving provides, one need not set out on a grand mission to help others. All that is required is to rise beyond the greed of self and selflessly immerse in the pleasure of giving to your own family members, friends and colleagues.

Gifts are always priceless. Gifts are meant to be measured in terms of the warmth and sincerity with which those are given rather than the cost involved. And gifts need not be some expensive materialistic things, those can also be spiritual in nature but must come straight out of the heart. A simple, warm smile can make someone's day while a few words of encouragement can boost someone's morale. A small gift of acceptance and forgiveness to one when one is on the wrong side can bridge a seemingly huge gap between the two.

According to Mother Teresa, the most painful feeling is the feeling of loneliness. Indifferent attitude of others towards you can give you more pain than anything else. So if you can give a gift of interest to those who feel the pain the loneliness, you not only would be able to bring smiles on their faces but also earn their gratitude for you. A gift of recognition to the starving people can enlighten their spirit and motivate them to work harder.

The greatest gift that can be given to others is your time. It's when you devote your time for someone, you give away your most precious possession. No gift is better than giving your time to someone you love and care about--it can even fill the void between the enemies! So start giving and immerse yourself in its joy right from this moment when life is still yours.

False Shimmer of the Glamour Industry

25 June,2010- Another supermodel Viveka Babajee's suicide at her flat in Mumbai- left the seamier side of the glamour industry wide open for the nation to witness. It was just another reminder of the stark reality that chilled the fashion industry as well.

Viveka's suicide is not the only one of its kind. The modelling world has been a silent spectator to the suicides of many mannequins including the yesteryear Bollywood queen Parveen Babi and the famous model VJ Nafisa Joseph as well as the downward spiral in the careers of others. A sneak peak into the nuances of the industry would probably speak volumes of the reasons that trigger such tragic incidents.

This industry, no doubt, is plagued by fakeness, cut-throat competition, a mad rat race to prove one's superiority over the rest, jealousy as well as insecurity arising out of a constant need to excel at the expense of others. Rampant cat- fights and back-biting do take a toll on the new entrants and the budding models who aim to carve a niche in this industry. Sensationalisation of each issue, irrespective of its relevance, has become the norm of the industry. Women abuse and molestation cases crop up every now and then. The girls easily tend to get into relationships to get work. In the wake of such circumstances, it hardly surprises one to see these aspiring "super-models" succumbing to professional failures and failed relationships. Consequently,they toil hard to escape the grim reality through substance abuse, thereby entering into a self-destructive mode.

Though the road to fame and gamour overnight seems crystal clear, the downward path is equally steep and one wrong step can muck up one's entire career as well as life.

Commonwealth Games: Opportunity in disguise?

New Delhi is all set to host the greatest event so far in the tenure of the nation when the Commonwealth Games kick off in October. India, not considered at par with other countries like China, USA, Russia and so on when it comes to the sporting arena, has got a point to prove and the Games may, well, prove to be the break that the nation is in search of.

The Commonwealth Games are, no doubt, no way close to the Olympics or even Asian Games in terms of the prestige,pomp, splendor and popularity. Still the event can go a long way to transform the nation's image before other sporting nations of the world.

As goes the saying," A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner",the event has already been hit with its own share of setbacks with the withdrawal of many big names including the likes of Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. The Games would have soared high on the popularity charts had it been blessed with the Olympic and world champions in a face off. It would have been a dream come true moment for the spectators as well as the nation had Delhi witnessed the two champions pushing each other to the limits and possibly creating new records in the process on Indian soil.

Besides, Delhi would also miss British cyclists and Olympic champions Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, tennis player Andy Murray and Jamaica's 100m Olympic champion Shelly Ann- Fraser.

Despite these setbacks, the success of Commonwealth Games can take India a step ahead and it may get the privilege of hosting the Asian Games sometime soon. Though the bid to host the Olympics seems a distant dream at this point of time but the future may spring up some golden opportunities for the nation to be at par with other sporting giants.

Can India break the jinx with these Commonwealth Games? Can these Games prove to be the lucky mascot for the nation in its attempt to establish itself as a major force in the world of sports? The answers to these questions lie with time and in order to make the most of this golden chance, it's high time that the Center as well as the Sports ministry led by Mr. M.S. Gill pay heed to every nook and cranny instead of finding excuses for its failure.

Is Federer's game on a wane?

This question may not seem so unfamiliar to the tennis pundits or even tennis fans, more so in the wake of the recent losses inflicted on the Swiss Maestro by hard hitting underdogs. No, my fingers do not point towards any ATP 500 series or even ATP 1000 Masters. I am talking about two quarterfinal losses for Roger Federer in Grand Slams,the tournaments considered to be his own backyard, the tournaments where he has managed to make record 23 consecutive semifinals or better appearances, the tournaments which are deemed as rejuvenatory of the champion's form irrespective of his performances coming into the event.

This question, on one hand, would surely irritate the "Fedophiles" but on the other hand,it poses some serious question marks over the future of the sport,which had been dominated more or less by a single exponent of the sport for around four years.

The losses came at the hands of two hard hitters ,above average baseline players who exposed the chink in the Emperor's armor by their precise and blistering forehands and booming serves as well as a rock-solid baseline game.Though Federer's forehand, his first serve percentage and the return games too were far from being impressive, yet Robin Soderling and Tomas Berdych deserve full credit for having the courage to execute their game plan perfectly and that too, while facing a 16-time Grand Slam champion on the other side of the net.

Winning is more about self belief than skills and talent. With the flaws in the champion's game left wide open, more up and coming players are no more afraid to fancy their chances against the king Federer. The losses at the biggest stages were not merely losses. With the resurgence in Nadal's form, Federer slumped to a ranking of No 3 in the world, his lowest since November 2003.

All these facts and figures are more than adequate for a layman to predict the end of Federer's era in tennis. Though Federer's claims of back and leg injuries did not go well neither with his opponent( Berdych) nor with the critics, the champion did vow to come back strongly. As Tim Henman puts it," Write off Federer at your own peril", it seems very much on the cards that the champion would claw his way back and hit his top form soon. Winners are made up of champion stuff and it is only when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

For all those "Fed-haters" or say, "Fed-doubters" out there, watch out for some mouth-watering game coming your way from the Maestro himself and maybe possibly, one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport.

The Credentials of IPL

I am an ardent follower of sports and just like majority of Indians, I too sit in front of the idiot box to have a glimpse at the "billion dollar" matches going on throughout the nation. Though I cheer for the Deccan Chargers,my mind is in a constant revolt against this shorter format of the game as well as this IPL!

There is no doubt related to the engrossing and magnetic ability of this T20 format of the game but I doubt the longevity of momentary success with the bat in the future of a sport which has always revered its legends in terms of their endurance and their ability to battle out the tedious spells in most adverse environment. The Tests which are considered to be the ultimate test for a cricketer as well as the fifty-fifty format no longer spark interest in the spectators because of the new shorter format but as the saying goes "Old is gold",this hysteria generated is going to die soon to pave way for the real challenges that enrich the sport.

In a country where more than 70 % of people are still way below the poverty line,where we talk so much about the unequal distribution of wealth between the affluent and the poor,whose best performance in Olympics in individual events is a meager three medals(one gold and two bronze),where half of the nationals would still be unaware of the national sport, the timing could not have been more appropriate for the creation of IPL to exacerbate the existing challenges.

Billions of rupees are wasted in this show involving more glamor and less substance but who cares as long as entrepreneurs are ready to invest and people like us continue enjoying? We can never realize the plight of the poor until and unless we swap lives with them. Why shall we devote our "precious" time to those the utopia is a setting where they can feed themselves with something at least twice a day?

The entrepreneurs can buy teams worth Rs 1000 crores but they cannot invest the money for the upliftment of the social conditions.

This IPL has done nothing except strengthening our commitment to cricket and our attitude to view the sports as semi-God. Hockey is our national sport but we failed to qualify in the Olympics in hockey. Does it really hold any relevance? Does it pose a serious negligence on our part? No, atleast not for now. Leave alone the national sport, there is no other sport to which we devote our time and mind. The scenario is enough to answer the question-why India lags way behind in the medals tally when compared to China and USA?

Don't you think Australia is good at cricket? They have been the world champions for so many years and are the most formidable opponents for any team. But if Aussies can manage to have a stranglehold on cricket,hockey,tennis,individual sports like swimming and so on,then why cannot we?

The real problem does not lie with the system,it lies in our attitude to view everything. We care for ourselves more than we care for our nation. What we long for depends on us and hopefully this scenario changes for the better!!

A Realisation...

First of all, I would like to wish a very Happy and wonderful Holi to all the people. I wish this Holi gifts them with all the colors-colors of joy,colors of happiness,colors of love,colors of friendship and colors they wanna paint in their life. I wish God gives me the eyes of penetration as well as the color of strength to enjoy the inner beauty of this life.

Today I would also like to wish the colors of good luck to my sister,this is a very important day in her life. I pray God to give her all success she deserves and urge before the Almighty to help her focus on the bigger picture and inculcate a "Impossible is Nothing" attitude in her mind.

I feel like I am in a transition mode now. Though I don't know the reason,but I really wanna find the purpose of life. I want to see the inner beauty of this wonderful life. I want to discover,I want to explore the hidden mysteries. Though it may seem something sort of a joke to any individual of my age who is blindly pursuing text books to come out with flying colors in examinations,planning a hell lot of things to be pursued after the current course gets over,thinking about all the worldly pleasures of getting a job,money and having a family, but I see it as a cobweb. We were not born for this purpose. There has to be a wider meaning to life than mere passing of an examination,getting a job,getting married and having a family. For me,all these worldly goals are jokes.

We enjoy artificial things like movies,going to a pub and all these materialistic entertainment sources.But we have never tried to enjoy the eternal beauty of the trees,the rivers,the reflection of trees in waters,the ripples,the birds,their twittering. Have you ever wondered why? Maybe because we lack sensitivity. We don't care for anything except the so called purpose of our education- luxury or survival. We are never passionate about anything. We don't want to see the inward beauty. We term ourselves free but the fact is that we are bound. We are bound to this society,we are bound to this tradition,we are bound to our so-called well wishers like parents and relatives. Now the question arises why did I call the parents as so-called well wishers? The reason is-had they really been our true well wishers,they would never have forced us to get conformed to this society. They would never have wanted us to follow a safe path without revolting just to live in comfort thereby decaying our soul,our mind and everything else to follow.

They would not have chained us in this education system which aims at nothing except wearing us away.

Here the question is What are we doing with our lives? 99% of the people feel their ultimate job is to get a job and have a family. They never think beyond that and I know these things are not something that can be inculcated in a person. A person has to observe his own life,working of his mind,analysing the way he is letting his life to control him. To find the purpose of life,one has to explore the truth. If we search for answers,then we are trying to conclude at something which simply has no conclusion. We need to set out on a mission without even a single attempt to arrive at a conclusion. And this should be effortless. If I make an effort to enjoy the simplest things of life,then it is because I am bound. And until and unless I become free from the norms of the society,from the fear to please others or a fear for my future, I can never find what really life is.

I don't want to encase myself in the walls of my room. I want to go out,I want to see this world,want to feel life-even the simplest things are extraordinarily beautiful. I wish God gives me the passion and keeps the flame of this desire burning forever in my life.

Time and People

Haunting my mind are the questions

Which I never thought would cross one day;

The questions which have no answers

Or maybe the facts that are unquestionable.

Why do people change? Where has the empathy gone?

Shocking but true this fact cannot be undone.

I wonder-have times changed or people?

It's people with time and time with people.

Gone are the times when trust was the pivot;

Relationships hardly used to rot.

The world has become transitory,nevertheless;

Selfishness and jealousy have occupied the driver's place.

Beauty of a relation has been strangulated

The only pillar standing is of dishonesty and hatred.

People consider themselves to be supremacists

Ethics and morals,now, rarely exist.

God,save Thou Earth,save Thou children

Save this world from being loneliness-stricken.

Make 'em learn honesty is the key to succeed

Before this heaven turns into a hell of anguish and greed!

The "Resume-writing" Story

It was the first Communication Lab for the 4th semester today and as usual, my peers had already decided in their minds to bunk the lab and get engaged in all sorts of worthless activities. No one wanted to attend and those whose feet were slowly advancing towards the room consoled themselves by reiterating in their sub-conscious minds that the only thing they need to do is sign the attendance sheet and come back!But today was no respite for those. I could not realise what made them attend but that is not the question to be questioned. What mattered is that finally everyone attended, even though who were so loud in opposing that it seemed as if they are gonna launch a "World-wide Protest"(Our University is (in)famous for launching PROTESTS AND STRIKES).

The task for us was to write our own resume for some post we wanna apply before we enter the corporate sector and the thing that struck me most was the job-objective! For me, I guess,this was the most difficult as well as the most interesting question. I just wanted to find out what really are the job objectives of people. I could not find a single answer that satisfied my hunger and I was more than a cent percent sure that I won't find that would really make me respect that objective.

A person's dream shows where he is gonna stand after five years or say, ten years. It might sound absurd and completely weird at this point of time but it is a fact. Those who are not clear as what do they really want to achieve in life, what are they gonna achieve? Those are the people who flow with life.They accept whatever that comes to them and believe that nothing could have been better than that. I am still in search of a person who wants life to flow with him. Though it is generally said- Contentment lies in being happy with whatever you get from life, but for me contentment lies in making life give you whatever you want. That should be the spirit and attitude towards life. Whether you achieve your goal or not,that's destiny but certainly you can give it your best try!

The objectives that I came to know about were-" To work at an entry-level position in a public sector company"," To work in a company." Someone make me understand what do these really mean. How can one's aim be to work in a company? Suppose one says that he/she aspires to be an athlete. I guess,that's the most fundamental statement for a budding athlete to say that he/she wishes to be an athlete. One needs to set some goals in a particular field. When one says one wants to be No.1 in the world or maybe,win a Nobel Prize for one's works in a particular field,then it makes some sense. "I wanna work in a company" is just like getting an answer from a 5-year old. It lacks maturity as well as signifies low aim.

This is the reason for which we lack enthusiasts today. No one thinks anything beyond one's own survival or luxury. We don't have any place for passion today. The fire to do something different or achieve a feat,carving a niche for one self has extinguished. Everyone is ready to walk on the beaten path,how many of them really dare to create their own paths for others to follow or at least have the desire to do so? For me, life is all about living with passion for a purpose and daring to achieve something that will help you stand out in this competitive world of today.

Sweet 16 for Daddy Federer!

This final between World No1 Roger Federer and the British No 1 Andy Murray was the most awaited final at the Australian Open since the start of the event. Odds were in favor of Roger Federer but the the Open seemed to be quite open with around 4-5 players seriously posing themselves as the Slam contenders. Andy Murray carried the heavy expectation of England to become the first man since Fred Perry to win a Slam and Roger Federer as World No1 was expected to lift his 16th Grand Slam trophy according to the bookmakers. Everyone was hoping for a nail biting final between the two in-form players of the moment and irrespective of what the scoreline is,it truly lived upto the expectations of everyone.

The Scot made a nervous start and Roger flied to a 2-0 lead in the first set just to hand Murray the break back in the next game.Murray could not capitalise on the break points he had on Roger's serve and had to succumb to the Swiss master as the genius stepped up his game when it mattered, to pocket the first set.

The second set saw the Swiss genius at a different level on what he was in the first set.He needed only a single break of serve to race away with the second set and take a two set lead over the British No1. Murray as well as the entire Rod Laver arena were just spectators to the winners that flew fast and furious from Federer's racket. Soon the Scot started to feel the heat of Federer's groundstrokes.

Murray knew he had to step up his game if he were to create any opportunity to take this match into distance and he did well enough to break Roger in the third set and go up 5-2. But as it goes,what you say,a Grand Slam final pressure or rather the pressure of playing Federer in a slam final,he was broken by the master and Roger reeled off three straight games to even it at 5-all. But the drama of the match was to unfold in the third set tie breaker. Murray had chances to take the match to a distance but he missed an easy forehand on one occasion and could not really capitalise on the other four. Clearly the pressure of facing Federer was taking its toll on Murray.

Federer was denied two championship points but on the third one, Murray netted a backhand to hand Roger his 16th grand slam trophy and his first since the birth of his twins!

During the presentation ceremony,it was Murray's turn to be emotional and for the first time,I really felt bad for the Scot."I can cry like Roger but it's a shame that I cannot play like him"--these were the words from the mouth of an emotional Murray who could not end the drought of the first British Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry to which Roger replied-"You are too good of a player not to win a Grand slam,so don't worry." Finally all is well in Federer's court.