Team India on it's way...

As I write this England is losing it’s way in the ongoing WC match as they take on one of the favorites for this world cup, my only favorites team other than India, i.e. South Africa. As a matter of fact, the pitch is a slow one, but the English men will feel the heat to go through the top class Safaris’ batting line up.

Well, another Sunday and another big game is on it’s way. I don’t think the adjective “big” surprises many, especially after watching the Irish men’s display against the British on the other day.

India vs. Ireland…

No matter what happens in the world cup with other teams, Indians will not mind anything as long as the Team India’s big guns fire on their days. As long as Team India does not lose it’s way, nothing goes wrong against the money pocketing of the ICC or BCCI. Knowing it enough the schedule is accordingly made; big matches on the weekends; day-night matches ONLY for the Team India;

The world cup spirit…

I’m with my fingers crossed to answer the questions of many parents and teachers if the ongoing world cup and the inspiring performances of the minnows can inspire the students write their exams well or at least to prepare for the exams well. Like anyone else, I’m also dumb for a moment. Hope this does not hurt much.

The Favorites…

Year after the year, world cup after the world cup, the favoritism is getting vanished slowly and it is the good augur for the game. Not just that it makes the things interesting, at the same time it can slowly remove the barriers such as under-dogs.

The WC’11 is a good or I must say the best example for the stage which can inspire the countries to give their best, no matter against whom they are playing or where they are playing. It is just about giving your hundred percent on every day than just trying it out.

I’m supporting India obviously. Indian bowling attack has been spoken a lot these days, especially after the start of the world cup, but something is spurring me to write that they will rock and silent the critics. But at the same time, there are many deserved teams to win the world cup, as they say. But for me it is just South Africa if it is not India at the end.

** South Africa: It is the team which plays extra ordinary cricket if it is not the world cup. I really don’t know what’s wrong with this team, but after being named for the title favorites three times consecutively for the world cup win, they failed; sometimes in qualifying for the last step and some other times in stepping forward from the first step itself. This time, they are all energetic than anytime else so far with their top class batting and the stunning bowling. Certainly the chances are more for them in the sub-continent hosting world cup.

Some other teams make me go stared when they play. Here are they.

** Pakistan: After Wasim Akram, somehow I could not find a fellow whom I feel like supporting in this team. In some way, its Misbha and Shahid Afridi. I’m missing Shoiab Malik, the smiling silent killer. Aktar has not yet proved his best, may be he is awaiting the Tendulkar’s show! This team has got it’s chances. But I’m not very sure!

** Australia: The true world champions they are. I’ve no doubt in saying so; of course I never preferred liking them with the aggressiveness, but at times I loved their aggressiveness too, silently. I confess I’m one of those who waited seeing their down fall and here it is, this time round.

** Srilanka: As per me, this team has got everything but they depend on one or the other every time they win. As a team they won very few matches recently, which obviously makes me call NO for the favorites, but you can never say dude!

Once again I would say its nothing more you and me can do than keeping our fingers crossed.

Jai Ho… World cup..;)

The factor called “The last world cup”…

The so called Sachin’s last world cup campaign has over shadowed it’s applicability to may other cricketer of many other countries. As a matter of fact, this may be the last world cup for few, but this can be the last world cup for anyone you name.

Jacques Kalis, Graeme Smith of South Africa, Daniel Vetori of New Zealand, Rickey Pointing and Brett Lee of the Ausies, Muralitharan of the Srilanka, Paul Collingwood of the England, and for that matter Virender Sehwag, Zaheer khan of India, for all such this age’s cricketing greats this can be the last world cup campaign!!

Seeing this, the factor called the last world cup is applicable equally across the continents and the players. It is important to win it this time for everyone at the same quota.

Hope we will have fun watching and analyzing all these.

Ensuring the focus… Take Home #44

Not every time one is allowed to make choices. Sometimes, it is certain that one needs to follow something which may not be the ultimate but is the only remaining. Now that does not mean taking back seat. May be, that can be the beginning of an unending streak of successes.

It is not about whether you are choosing or following, but it is all about believing what you are doing ensures your focus at times.

The Well Deserved TIE…

Wow… what a convincing result…no team deserved the loss!!! This was my expression at the end of today’s match. What else can any one expect after a nerve wrenching match? Of course, win of either side would have lifted the spirit of the game, but the tie has kept the spirit of the players who are probably playing the important phase of cricket of their lives.

Sachin played an unconventional innings of his modern cricketing attitude bringing back the glorious memories of him of 1999-2000 with those remarkable sixes. Yuvi’s competitive innings has a lot to do with the confidence it brings to the Indian dressing room. At the end Zaheer proved it. On the whole it was a good game today, and of course I can not end this post without mentioning that I had missed Dhoni’s stunning Captaincy, both in terms of the knock as well as the field settings. Hope he gets his rhythm as soon as possible.

The English captain was the only specimen who made me not to be selfish about India’s win. I do believe that it would have been a famous win if it was either of the sides ending on the top, but this will remain as a good inspiring work for all the teams who will be chasing the big under lights.

Ok, Sunday Smiles popped up on my face at the end and for me “this is it …”

Few more such matches will make me happy for being able to witness the WC’11.

I don’t want to hide the fact that today’s performance of India, especially the bowling makes me look forward for more good matches, and convincing wins to be specific. I feel India can and will work it out.

Sunday Smiles…

If it was not for India, all the other teams I supported so far ended up on the losing side on the respective days in the ongoing cricket world cup including tonight’s clash of Sri Lanka and Pakistan. But that does not worry me much. All my concern is about the upcoming match, i.e. the India Vs England, tomorrow at Bangaluru, as I’m once again geared up to support my all time favorite team, the Team India. Now this too does not make me think too much about it and the reason is nothing else than the Team India itself. Being named as one of the best teams playing the world cup, playing before the heartful home crowd on the home soil and having the world class players teamed up to fight for capturing the cup, this Team India keeps my nerves cool.

“Hope we bring it home this time...” hope the popular words by the cricketing maestro Sachin Tendulkar come true.

So, for tomorrow’s match all is set. Should I chose one side for the cup winning, it is obviously India. But if I have to choose the most deserving, I’m screwed completely. Reasons follow in my next post on the world cup.

For now, its sign off from me with the hope for tomorrow’s Sunday Smiles.

The best material of a manager... Take Home #43

Sometimes one shall satisfy the purpose of work at the cost of people involved. Sometimes one shall satisfy the people involved at the cost of the purpose of work. Only the best material of a manager can choose the right option out of these two.

Cricket @ College days...

College days are the best ones to watch a cricket match anytime as you want. Its just about adjusting your own time-table unlike the corporate world where in one has to adjust himself for the organization’s or team’s.

As the 2011 world cup is on, I’m occupied with the memories of the days I watched the 2003 world cup in our B.Tech hostel's TV room with all of my friends and many other cricket lovers. Probably those are the best days I’ve ever spent watching a match. It touches me when I recall some of my friends saying that they had come to the TV room just to feel happy being my side as I get excited about the match. Definitely, the most I’m going to miss this time round will be the cheer and the fun what most of the cricket fans enjoy when they watch the match together.

Double Game... Take Home #42

“Double game” may win the game for you for the day but the ultimate loss is never imaginable. Most of the times, the win is at the cost of the people involved. By the time it is realized the damage will have already happened. Remember, nothing else can get you the people back as they were earlier.

The Start…

Colorful is the word coming to my mind thinking of the opening ceremony of the 10th cricket world cup held at the Bangabhandhu Stadium, Dhaka. Honestly, I loved the fire works. Of course, it was nothing new or not too big, but checking it out from the expectations that I had, Bangladesh has really done it well.

Sonu Nigam was at his best so as the Shankar Mahdevan with their respective performances on the stage. The 2011 world cup song moved my nerves too much. The performance named the “Magnificent India” magnificently represented the diversified culture of the world big democratic country.

Surprising to me was the way the captains were brought on to the stage by the Rickshaws. It appeared a nice and simple act that would have already touched not only the Bangladesh Junta but also the Indian proud people who usually keep many things simple.

On the whole, it was a wonderful opening ceremony experience. However, something was definitely lacking, I don’t know, but… somewhere at the back of my mind, like any other Indian, I think I too felt “Had it been in India…!”

And the Masqat “The Stumpy” is great too.

Get Inspired… Take Home #41

One shall use the success of his competitors or contemporaries to inspire himself rather than getting tensed and losing momentum thinking of his own result. Once he starts inspiring himself, obviously he starts respecting the winner, though may not always be for what the winner is, but always for his win and for the way he has won.

Practicing such and adopting such thinking generate the courage to accept the loss, give the confidence to perform better next time, further add great chances for one to get succeeded and inspire others as well.

To become Mrs. somebody…

… What a girl goes through?

Probably this post has been the one which has taken quite a lot of time for me to compose. Not that I have nothing to write under this title, but it has always been a challenge to pick up the relevant ones out of the limitless thoughts waving high; even tougher job is to arrange them in an order. I hope I’ve been the best choosy of mine in delivering the post.

I don’t know if the long time that I have taken to think and write this post is the culprit, let me tell you, out of all the posts I’ve written in my blog so far, this is the one which is very dear to my heart. All the moments I’ve pondered through various thoughts for this post will always remain as some of the best of their kind, as far as I’m concerned.

Read on…

Childhood days are the best ones in terms of making a girl believe harmony of love of her well-wishers who surround her. They make her believe in the affection and caring of her people as if it continues forever and ever. Never realizing mindset of the fact that she has to be someone else’s someday, keeps her nerves off the pinching pain and fills her heart with joy and only joy.

As the days pass by and the years say goodbye one after the other, she realizes the fact that she has to step in to a different world all together at a certain age of her life. Realizing this fact is just the starting point of the journey which she has yet to go a long way. As soon as she starts imagining her future with somebody, she starts searching for the quality first of all, which she would like to have in the person she would have to live with.

Certain mentality of her keeps on developing within herself, which almost becomes her attitude towards her marriage or towards the whole extravaganza itself. The way the people are getting married, the way they are leading their married lives interest her as the days pass by.

Days can never be stopped so as the years and age as well. As she is still in understanding the whole concept and preparing herself towards the requirements of social life, she comes to know that her parents want her to get married, and that they would like to start the match-fixing process.

** Nerves start feeling the heat. All of a sudden, she has to wind up her observations, thinking and learning process, and she has to identify her own ideas of the right person for her.

** Of course, some support is provided by the family and friends, but she feels that she is all alone in deciding the choice for herself. More than the good thoughts about choosing the right person, the fear of losing the right person starts dominating.

** In some cases even the time is not provided by her parents; some parents go a step ahead and even do not provide her the option to choose. She has to blindly follow the so called perfect choice of her parents which makes her choice-less from a side and fearful from all routines.

** Based on the girl’s own ideas and the experiences of others, sometimes she stays very positive towards the marriage. At the same time, the fear of playing with the luck factor keeps on pinching from the back.

** Especially in the cases of working woman, the difficult task of choosing between the person and the working location or organization becomes the hectic job apart from the regular job which fills her bank account every month. In case, if she is in a responsible position and liking the work she is doing or if she has already planned her career in the years to come, it becomes even tougher, not only for her personal life but also for her professional life.

** Parents stay somewhere, she stays somewhere else, all have to have a single opinion about the right choice, and why does not it makes her life challenging to attend the phone calls of asking her to come home frequently?

** If the girl is still young or in her very early twenties or last stages of her teenage, the whole music she has to face is very different. Decision making skills at this age of a particular girl is not competent enough in any way to match with the basic needs of a mind that can choose confidently.

** Otherwise, if the girl or if I should call lady, is well settled and is in her late thirties or so, it is even bigger task for her to prepare herself to undergo the proceedings. Recently I read a survey result, in which it is very clearly mentioned that the women who are well settled and are in their late thirties or above, would have a clear opinion about their life partners and also understanding and satisfying such ladies would be a difficult task for their better halves.

** Emotional but it is the fact that ay girl who is going to get married definitely thinks about the responsibility that she has for her parents, how he will take care of her parents, how well will her relation with her parents stay fresh always etc. It is almost impossible to estimate the other person especially in such issues. This scenario not only makes the girl worried, at the same time it makes her parents face nightmares.

** Marriage is not just about two people, it is about two families. Each other’s support is very important; it is even important for the girl speaking realistically. Whopping thoughts about the life after marriage in this regard keeps her transfixed.

** Innumerable and unanswerable questions pop up. At the same time, they are unexplainable or at least inexpressible here for me here in this blog.

This attempt of mine is just to make you people think and understand the situations. Being a girl, I’ve observed almost all of the above situations in the lives of my friends or my relatives. These may have been thought from a skeptical point of view as we all being humans, each one of us can think about a particular issue from a particular direction or with some ideas. There would be many other situations and attitudes. I’ll go ahead and try to understand as many as possible, so that I can help such girls by doing as much as I can.

All in all, to become Mrs. Somebody a girl undergoes certain practical difficulties, but at the same time this stage shall be taken positively. Hopefulness makes the girl take good and bold decisions at the same time carefulness is very much important in every aspect. Good learnings can be obtained when the difficulties are faced!

PS: No special cases or love marriages are considered while writing the above lines. Hope you understand.

Awards Vs People

Some people are known for the awards they have received, but some awards are known for the people whom they are bestowed upon. The former joins the history, the later creates the history.

Be willing to give credit…

Not getting the credit, but the ability and willingness to give credit to the deserved separates the people who are succeeded and the people who stay successful.

Never late to appreciate... Take Home #40

Of course, it is never late to appreciate; but the delay in appreciating the deserved shall be kept as less as possible.

Want to work in heaven?

As long as the work is interesting, fame-giving and gainful in someway or the other, the person who is working on it or responding on it does not mind about anything else. But the moment it becomes clutter, troublesome or effort-full, all the questions such as the team which is supposed to be doing it, or the person who shall be responding on it etc pop up. If he is the same person who is supposed to work on that, then he takes it as a challenge; if he is not, then he brings in the right person to face the challenge, thinking happy for putting himself out of the mess.

I wonder, why at all such questions are not thought of before addressing any issue!

As I write this, I remember a quote by Albert Einstein:

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction”

Where a right person addresses the right issue in the right direction to meet the right expectations that is the place we feel heaven to work in. I know I’m sounding ideal, but who does not want to work in heaven?

The ‘Corporate’ feeling…

The best feeling:

“This is work is given to me, because no one else can do it”

The worst feeling:

“This work is given to me, because no one else will do it”

Shed smiles anyway… Take Home #39

A smile given away as a formality may solve the problem for the moment; but the smile given away with genuineness solves the problem forever. Face problems with the confidence that you can shed smiles anyway.

The President’s Address…

“Every day people work hard and spend money for their needs, cutting excess expenses wherever possible. Hence, they deserve a government which does the same. We much freeze on the Annual Domestic expenses for next five years. We must cut the excessive expenses wherever possible.

Instead of cutting off the scholarships for the students, we shall ask the Millionaires to give up tax breaks. It is not about punishing their success, but it is all about developing our country”

I might not have put it in the same words from him, but I tried my best to put these lines here. These are said by the man know for his speeches, The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. He is one of my favorite speakers of all the time. He was applauded by the entire US state of the Union with his words.

“Be it the white, be it the black, Hindus, Christians, Muslims, whoever it may be, let us move forward as one nation”

It is he, being the president, I’ve ever heard mentioning the efforts of a company of his country and it’s employees who worked round the clock to make a rescue equipment for the mine victims.

All in all, for me, the 61st Republic Day of India is started with witnessing one of my favorite speakers’ inspiring addresses to his nation and the world, live telecasted in BBC from the USA. I’m really overwhelmed by the way his fellow Union people gave the standing ovations many times, backing him from the front all the time.

It has been a good experience for me in this morning to start the day. Thanks to BBC and Obama.

Battling the uncertainty…

Interesting crickets match is on… India is batting second… huge target to reach… well going innings… super shots from the Indian openers… flamboyant first few overs… suddenly, Sachin is out… audience dumbfounded… few more batsmen reach the pavilion… hopelessness all of a sudden… audience leave the stadium… people switch off the TVs… players undergo the edge of curses… a few believe in not watching the match any more…but the players have to complete the formalities… they have to play the game… they have to witness the loss till the last ball is played, does not matter how much it pains… sometimes, the game may turn around to their surprise… they may emerge as winners and hit the headlines next day… smiles in their way…

The above sequence of incidents is the best example that hits my mind to start with this post. Uncertainty lies everywhere, in every profession, in every game as long as the fight for the win happens. Sometimes, like the situations mentioned above, we forget the fact that the uncertainty can play it’s role. We go ahead in believing what our mind says at that point of time. Not only that, the disappointment emerges out of the hope that we have on our team makes us behave so. It happens with everyone, nothing surprising. Being the audience, it is one’s own choice to witness or not. All in all, players are known for battling the uncertainty. They have to go through it, does not matter how disheartening or boring the defeat is or the match is. They have absolutely got no option other than facing the truth. Every time I switch off the TV in the situations mentioned above, these lines hit my mind. And this thinking of mine makes me respect the team and it’s efforts despite of their defeat. If they win out of such critical circumstances, I feel too sad for myself for not witnessing the match.

Any ways, one has to agree that battling the uncertainty calls for the confidence, strength of one’s mind and the aim to win. I wish all these help Team India win the upcoming world cup which is going to happen on their home soil surrounded by the cheers from the home crowd.

A Mother’s Last Wish…

A girl is seen distributing sweets which she has made herself. Her friends and neighbors are gathered over there on another occasion actually. The girl is in full of smiles while approaching each and every one in person and letting them taste the sweet. Her whopping excitement is the talk of the gathering. None of them knows why she has been distributing sweets. None of them is answered by her for their only question “what’s the matter?”

She simply giggles and says that she will tell once she sees everyone with a sweet in their hands. People wait like none to know the matter as if it is the only thing that they don’t know about under the sun.

Finally, the moment comes where she has to reveal the assured. She becomes stable, controls her breath, adjusts her sour throat and says “This was the day last year I lost the person who loved me like none”.

She wipes the rolling tears and clarifies “My mother passed away that night”.

Her words see everyone dumbfounded. Not even a single person among them understood why she was happily distributing the sweets till then and was in tears all of a sudden. Also, they could not understand why she was actually happy while distributing the sweets. None of them could spell a word out for a moment.

Finally an old man comes to her and asks “I can understand the agony but why are celebrating the day like this?”

“What was there on your mind when you were in smiles a moment before?” he continues.

The girl wipes all of her tears away, comes back with her beautiful smile all again to hide the agony in her best way.
She says “I only had my mother in this world to love me, to care for me. We didn’t have any relatives. We were all alone walking past the innumerable hurdles of our lives. One night all of a sudden my mother fell off from the bed with deep pain in her chest. I reached her quickly but never on time” her sour throat appears further decayed.

“I lost her already by then. Then I saw her hand directed towards a book on the side of her bed. It took me long time to realize that she was actually fallen down since she was trying to reach the book in her last minutes”

Everyone out there is seen interested to know what was written in the book. The girl broke down for few seconds all over again. She was consoled by her friends. Finally she made herself ready to reveal the pages of the book.

*****
“My dearest daughter…

I know I’ve left you in lot of pain and loneliness. But I was helpless dear. I could not do anything to make it not to happen this way. I hope you understand me.

I’ve been suffering from a heart disease which I didn’t tell you. Seeing the poverty that we are in as on today, I’m not very convenient to struggle you even more for my treatment. Instead, since some time, I’ve started making up your mind to face the odds. If you can recollect some situations happened recently, and the conversation I’ve had with you, you will get my point.

I’m leaving with a satisfaction that I’ve made you as a person who is sensitive towards the needy, who wants to help the poor children for their education. I’m sure you are a kind of a person who does something to keep the pain away from such people. I want you to grow in life with time and age. I want you to keep your smile which can light many lives. I will always be proud of you if you become successful not just for yourself, but also for all the people who are in lack of love and affection, especially the children who are poor and lack of education. As you read this you have to promise me and yourself that you will achieve your dreams with all the possible efforts.

Dear, I’ve a small wish; probably my last wish too. On every death anniversary of mine, you prepare some sweet with your own hands and share it with the people around you, friends etc. Never feel that you are alone in this world. This is world is of them who loves. Love people, have friends and achieve your goals. This wish may appear strange but I know how this small deed will help you in being confident and not feeling the loneliness.

Every time you give the sweet, every smile you give to the person who receives strengthens your attitude that you are surrounded by the love. It reconfirms you the joyful world that you have around you. I know you can understand the rest.
You are my lovely baby. I still remember your first steps and first words. I can still feel the first touch that I had while rubbing your palms gently. Any way, we have to depart one day and the day has come today. I hope you will live your best.

Take care of yourself. Bye dear.

Ever yours
Mom”

*****

“The note ended with my mother’s signature. That is the only thing which brings my mother close to me every night. Every time I touch it, or read it, I feel I’m talking to her.

Start if off…

None of us want to let our dreams just remain as dreams. It may not always be so possible to turn all of our dreams in to reality; but the very first step that we take to make them true or the move that we make to let our ideas pop in, is very important and the moment to be cherished. Of course, they say, starting it off itself is half way through the success, may not always be interpreted as half-done though!

So, come on; start it off; be successful and satisfied too.

Added responsibilities…

People feel excited about the added responsibilities in professional life and feel over loaded about the added responsibilities in personal life.

PS: Well, the above line did hit my mind yesterday. I’m not sure why, but I was quite confidence while penning down those lines.

To be a better performer… Take Home #38

It is very useful for every one of us to know the importance of the work that we are doing. May be, it is even more important to realize it’s significance to be a believer and hence to be a better performer.

IPL-4 Auction…all about Indians…

It is interesting and even more surprising to see the way the franchises’ have capped the cricketers, especially the Indian players for the entire amount that they can afford paying. All the looks were kept astonishingly on the young India. It is sufficiently evident that within no time Indian extravaganza can influence the equations of world’s cricket; I really don’t know how good it is.

Nothing more is expected than a price of $2.4 million for the in-form Gautam Gambhir. I still remember the Yusuf Pathan’s energetic performance against the then most adoring spinner Ajanta Mendis of KKR, during the only super-over of the season-2; and no doubt he was eyed high by the KKR this time. No doubt that the loss of Muralitharan affects the Super Kings; where as the spinner duo of Chargers, Ojha and Amit Misra, shall have to prove their best. May be, Yuvi has been hiding his game since last season of IPL, only to play his best for the Pune Warriors!

Oops… I realize that it is very difficult to describe or pen down all of my opinions about the auction-2011. Now, I’ll start doing it on fast track.

The less-paid (comparatively) talented foreigners will undoubtedly be envy of their team mates unless they wouldn’t mind much about their payment. After all, who does not mind when the players are being sold like papads, unveiling the same on LIVE for the entire world to see! One more point I would like to mention that some of the players who are surprisingly sold for more are lucky enough to have the franchises who wanted them.

Sourav Ganguly, the omission of the former Indian captain was the stunning stunt of the day performed by the owners. The way he remain unsold remembers me his omission from the Team India couple of years back before he retired. The entire Kolkata was on fire backing their sporting hero. Any way, I believe Ganguly will fight it out alone; he is well capable of doing it so. He is one of very few gutsy players I’ve ever seen. I wondered when the West-Indian Brian Lara announced his availability for the IPL; I went a step ahead and thought if any franchise would be interested in taking him in, which came true coincidentally the other day.

I know, I didn’t mention about the teams I support as yet. And I’m sure that I don’t want to choose the same now. I wish to keep my focus on the upcoming cricket festival of the year, the ICC world cup. Let us see what will turn around!

On the whole, it is a good sign to the Indian cricket and so as the same to the world cricket as well.

Crazy dreams…

Crazy dreams may not last long;
But they make us think aloud.

May be, we overlook them at times,
But they do not let us do so, so easily.

Craziness is all about what we perceive;
And of course, what we are, actually.

Does it sound logical?

Sometimes we say it because we like others saying such; and sometimes we don’t say it because we don’t like others saying such.

Or rather,

Sometimes we like others saying it because we like ourselves saying such; and we don’t like others saying it because we don’t like ourselves saying such.

PS:

I know, I’m late. My best wishes for all of you on the eve of the new kitty of hopes, the New Year.

Smile, serve and survive.