Just a couple of days after the World-cup win, I saw an article in the newspaper which talked about people wanting a Bharat Ratna for Sachin. Wow! I was initially excited; it would indeed be an honour for this great sportsman.
But it also made me think. Aren't we jumping the gun a lil bit? Probably yes. We Indians either carry our heroes on our shoulders during success or dump them in the gutter during failure. Anyways coming back to our discussion, I am pretty sure, many of you would vouch for Sachin, on getting the highest civilian award. But what we should know is the about the other recepients of this award. Most of them have received it, at the culmination of their talent and when they are close to retirement.
I think we can give the young man some space. He is just 38 years old, and has more records to break. You can't draw a line to his greatness. According to me, a Bharat Ratna is given to someone who has proved his point beyond doubt. Sachin ofcourse has proved his point; but he has not reached his zenith. He is still hungry for more.
Also another point worth noting is the hype that cricket gets. You want to give the award to someone is not even close to retirement. Why aren't you considering the other greats in the world of sport. Sachin is not the only great sportsperson that India has produced. There have been others too who have proved a point. For the record, not a single athlete has ever been awarded the Bharat Ratna till date. Not even posthumously.
I think there is one person who deserves the Bharat Ratna, before it is awarded to Sachin - Dyan Chand (posthumously of course). According to me he is (or rather was) the God of Indian Sport. If this is not done, it would just not be fair
Did you know that the highest award for excellence is sport is called the Dhyan Chand award? If the Bharat Ratna was not bestowed upon someone of such greatness as Dyan Chand, then why Sachin. For me its a NO, or atleast not yet.
According to me, the greatness in the Little Master, would be further proved, if he declines the award, if it is presented to him...Ever
Showing posts with label Food for thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food for thought. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Sunday, May 08, 2011
Connect
Have you played "Connect" in quizzing? Its an interesting round, where you have 3-4 images and you need to find the connecting factor among them.
Sometimes, this happens in reality too. You look at something and connect to it in a strange manner.
I happened to pass by a Chinese restaurant one day. The name sounded familiar; "Peking". No, the typo didn't bother me. There was something about this place which struck a chord. I could remember a school-mate of mine who worked there.
I can take his name for sure, as I am pretty sure he is no where in my FB circle. But still, I won't. He used to miss Monday mornings and invite the wrath of our class-teacher. He always had some reason or another, up his sleeve.
The actual reason was quite disheartening. I am pretty sure, I must have been a picked few who really knew the truth. He waited tables at this restaurant. Weekends they closed late; 2AM at the least (Yes, that was a time when we didn't have the 11:30PM restriction).
He couldn't afford the school tution fees and worked on Week-day evenings and Weekends full time to make up for it. He still had the energy to sit through all the classes in school.
I don't know what happened to this guy. I never heard of him, since I passed out from school. I really hope he made it through.
For me, he was the true example of perserverance.
Sometimes, this happens in reality too. You look at something and connect to it in a strange manner.
I happened to pass by a Chinese restaurant one day. The name sounded familiar; "Peking". No, the typo didn't bother me. There was something about this place which struck a chord. I could remember a school-mate of mine who worked there.
I can take his name for sure, as I am pretty sure he is no where in my FB circle. But still, I won't. He used to miss Monday mornings and invite the wrath of our class-teacher. He always had some reason or another, up his sleeve.
The actual reason was quite disheartening. I am pretty sure, I must have been a picked few who really knew the truth. He waited tables at this restaurant. Weekends they closed late; 2AM at the least (Yes, that was a time when we didn't have the 11:30PM restriction).
He couldn't afford the school tution fees and worked on Week-day evenings and Weekends full time to make up for it. He still had the energy to sit through all the classes in school.
I don't know what happened to this guy. I never heard of him, since I passed out from school. I really hope he made it through.
For me, he was the true example of perserverance.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate social responsibility drives every person is go green at work. It doesn't ask you go over-board on going green. Though it is a good thing. CSR asks you to be responsible enough.
It is best defined as something you do, for which you wont receive appreciation. If you dont do it, you wont invoke criticism either.
CSR doesn't ask you to go switch off every monitor in your office, at the end of every day. If you wrote a huge note on the white board, requesting the same, you have done your bit.
A similar message can be put on top of the white-board in a meeting room, requesting the team to switch off the lights before they leave the room.
Such small gestures can do wonders. I know this with practical experience. If you are walking down the corridor and happen to see the light turned on. Please dont stop yourself from turning it off.
You can put in an isnulting message too, to give some gyaan for the anpad gavaars!
Get a fancy mug, to avoid paper cups for your coffee. You can get a filter coffee tumbler and saucer too. You'll get noticed...
Use the stairs. You can avoid the long wait for the elevators and avoid the desi talk when in it.
Never use the printer, unless you absolutely need it. For photocopies, use your mobile camera. It usually does the trick.
This list could go on...But these basic things are good for a start. There's nothing wrong in being responsible at office... You can feel proud about yourself!
As a foot note, I must confess that I am not exactly a go-green person. I drive to office, which does more damage than anything else we talked about. But I am working on it...
Update: I use Office Transport now.
It is best defined as something you do, for which you wont receive appreciation. If you dont do it, you wont invoke criticism either.
CSR doesn't ask you to go switch off every monitor in your office, at the end of every day. If you wrote a huge note on the white board, requesting the same, you have done your bit.
A similar message can be put on top of the white-board in a meeting room, requesting the team to switch off the lights before they leave the room.
Such small gestures can do wonders. I know this with practical experience. If you are walking down the corridor and happen to see the light turned on. Please dont stop yourself from turning it off.
You can put in an isnulting message too, to give some gyaan for the anpad gavaars!
Get a fancy mug, to avoid paper cups for your coffee. You can get a filter coffee tumbler and saucer too. You'll get noticed...
Use the stairs. You can avoid the long wait for the elevators and avoid the desi talk when in it.
Never use the printer, unless you absolutely need it. For photocopies, use your mobile camera. It usually does the trick.
This list could go on...But these basic things are good for a start. There's nothing wrong in being responsible at office... You can feel proud about yourself!
As a foot note, I must confess that I am not exactly a go-green person. I drive to office, which does more damage than anything else we talked about. But I am working on it...
Update: I use Office Transport now.
Friday, March 18, 2011
To tip or not to tip
Its an unwritten rule, that if you don't tip at a restaurant, you are nothing but "cheap". 10% of the bill (or cheque) you foot, would be a generous tip. Most of us honour it either here in swades or in vides.
But what many of us oversee is a baffling 10% service charges that the Indian restaurants charge you by default. This does put you in doubt, whether you would like to tip the waiter.
People around have told me that its not mandatory to tip, as the restaurant has already fleeced you. Sometimes I give in and dont tip and sometime I do. There have been instances when the restaurant has been exceptionally customer oriented and has made your dinner special. I have happily tipped the waiter(s) even when the Service charges were steep.
But when it comes to your regular Pizza joint or run of the mill restaurant, I give it a pass. Shame on me I know, but I dont care. I would prefer to tip a waiter at a regular darshini, where you eat your heartful and feel warm, than at places where you know you have burnt your pockets for nothing.
But what many of us oversee is a baffling 10% service charges that the Indian restaurants charge you by default. This does put you in doubt, whether you would like to tip the waiter.
People around have told me that its not mandatory to tip, as the restaurant has already fleeced you. Sometimes I give in and dont tip and sometime I do. There have been instances when the restaurant has been exceptionally customer oriented and has made your dinner special. I have happily tipped the waiter(s) even when the Service charges were steep.
But when it comes to your regular Pizza joint or run of the mill restaurant, I give it a pass. Shame on me I know, but I dont care. I would prefer to tip a waiter at a regular darshini, where you eat your heartful and feel warm, than at places where you know you have burnt your pockets for nothing.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
How rude are you?
Regular return journey from Office...
Luckily get a bus...Hope onto it, and rush to find a seat. Another person tries to squeeze his way in. I over-power him and get my seat, with a smile of victory on my face...
The other person mumbles a word of apology and finds another seat. I thought, that this happens most of the time, and how people, are usually rude. This time, a word of apology felt better.
Sometime later, another guy comes over and asks my competitor; whether he knows where to get down, much to my amusement.
Stop approaches, and I get up to leave and before that, I decide to take a final look at the "loser". Except that a foldable while stick in his hand, grabs my total attention.
I didn't look up to see his face. I turned around and slowly walked to the door, with my head hung in deep shame....
Luckily get a bus...Hope onto it, and rush to find a seat. Another person tries to squeeze his way in. I over-power him and get my seat, with a smile of victory on my face...
The other person mumbles a word of apology and finds another seat. I thought, that this happens most of the time, and how people, are usually rude. This time, a word of apology felt better.
Sometime later, another guy comes over and asks my competitor; whether he knows where to get down, much to my amusement.
Stop approaches, and I get up to leave and before that, I decide to take a final look at the "loser". Except that a foldable while stick in his hand, grabs my total attention.
I didn't look up to see his face. I turned around and slowly walked to the door, with my head hung in deep shame....
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Technology Gap
A few months back, on a weekday, Dad and I were waiting in a large office building, to attend an errand. To fight the boredom, I pulled out my then brand new IPOD, plugged the BOSE in-ear into his ears and made him listen to Ganesha Pancharatnam. He was all but smiles. Then came the obvious question - “How is this possible?”
I was just about to start with the regular jargon to explain the technology, when I had to stop. “Arrr…this wouldn’t be worth the effort” I thought, and it flashily occurred to me, to cook up something.
Nevertheless, my heart didn’t give heed, and I decided to give it a try. I went by the basics, like cassette tapes, “1s and 0s”, types of storage etc, until it looked a bit convincing. To be honest, seeing his face, didn’t look like he had clue.
This is one of many occasions, where the digital world has come face to face with my folks, leaving them clueless. Be it the personal computer, or sending a text from a mobile phone, they always decided to stay away from it.
My brother did take up computer lessons for my mom, until she started bunking it. After ages, she now knows to use a cell phone sans the messaging part. Dad’s not too far. He had computer basics training at work. He had happily flaunted his email-id before me, until he forgot the creds, and then, eventually lost interest.
I guess we have similar cases with people in their generation, and older than them. If we try to find the root cause of this ignorance (rude, but the apt term), feel it has do with both us (the genx) and our folks.
Us: The good enough reason is not being a little patient in trying to explain things to them. Not that they are techni-deficient. They are just not aware. (I must confess, that I haven’t done any good either)
Them: Merely a lack of interest.
Most of the time, our elders learn to use the PC or mobile, out of sheer necessity. Son/daughter abroad, regular calls not possible, Skype looks inevitable. With time they do get the hang of it.
Special cases do exist, when they have great interest in learning new things. Like a grand mom of mine, who had ordered me to teach her messaging, on the mobile. Or his thatha, who would use Outlook with great ease!
My final take on this: The gap is prevalent throughout, but will narrow down, if the techi-brilliant youth and the oldies do their respective bit.
Monday, July 17, 2006
An eye-opener
Date : Somewhere in april 2006
Time : 3:05 PM
Mood : Tensed.
Me: Boss, got to leave now. Have a flight at 4:00 PM
Boss(trying hard to think): teek hain…call me once you touch down Bangalore.
Me: Ok…
That sounded like freedom. Had to rush. Was of course short of time. Picked up my luggage, and was literally sprinting to the exit, amusing the onlooker
Did Manage to find a lone rickshaw. Shouted at the driver- “airport… jaldi boss”. He shot back- “180 sir”. I was like…”what the…???”
Anyways was in a hurry, agreed for a lesser amount and jumped in.
Now comes the interesting part. As far as I can remember, I think I had one of the best conversations with a rickshaw driver.
First he was all silent, trying to keep up the traffic.(You can imagine traffic at that hour in Pune !!!)
He was maybe 50 or odd and obese.
I was poking him-.”Jaldi karo”.
He then looked back and started the conversation
Driver: Which flight ??
Me: Spice-jet.
Driver: I think kingfisher is better.
Me: Ya I know (surprised by now cos of his flawless English)
Driver: See I how fast I can drive.
Me: Ya thanks.
Driver: For which company do you work at sharda Center.
(Told him the damn name !!)
Driver: I think Infosys is good. You can try there
Me: Ya sure (Angry with myself now)
He went on to ask some personal and professional questions. All of this, in near to perfect English.
It took just 20 minutes to reach the airport, thanks to his amazing speed !!!. Reminded me of Alonso for once. There were some near misses which made me feel something in my mouth (you know whats that !!!).
As I was walking into the security-check area, the driver’s words were ringing in my ears.I was just telling myself- NEVER under-estimate anyone.
Looked like a learned guy. Don’t know under circumstances he ended up as a rickshaw driver.
Maybe that’s how life is. Being unfair sometime. Like there’s guy whose a cashier in a super-market. But is a MSc in CS !!!
Pretty sad, thanks to unemployment.
Im just happy that I have job that pays me and something that I like………Hey wait a minute….Do I really like my job ???? A question worth pondering about !!!!
I sometime really think, that I am no less than that rickshaw guy…..
Time : 3:05 PM
Mood : Tensed.
Me: Boss, got to leave now. Have a flight at 4:00 PM
Boss(trying hard to think): teek hain…call me once you touch down Bangalore.
Me: Ok…
That sounded like freedom. Had to rush. Was of course short of time. Picked up my luggage, and was literally sprinting to the exit, amusing the onlooker
Did Manage to find a lone rickshaw. Shouted at the driver- “airport… jaldi boss”. He shot back- “180 sir”. I was like…”what the…???”
Anyways was in a hurry, agreed for a lesser amount and jumped in.
Now comes the interesting part. As far as I can remember, I think I had one of the best conversations with a rickshaw driver.
First he was all silent, trying to keep up the traffic.(You can imagine traffic at that hour in Pune !!!)
He was maybe 50 or odd and obese.
I was poking him-.”Jaldi karo”.
He then looked back and started the conversation
Driver: Which flight ??
Me: Spice-jet.
Driver: I think kingfisher is better.
Me: Ya I know (surprised by now cos of his flawless English)
Driver: See I how fast I can drive.
Me: Ya thanks.
Driver: For which company do you work at sharda Center.
(Told him the damn name !!)
Driver: I think Infosys is good. You can try there
Me: Ya sure (Angry with myself now)
He went on to ask some personal and professional questions. All of this, in near to perfect English.
It took just 20 minutes to reach the airport, thanks to his amazing speed !!!. Reminded me of Alonso for once. There were some near misses which made me feel something in my mouth (you know whats that !!!).
As I was walking into the security-check area, the driver’s words were ringing in my ears.I was just telling myself- NEVER under-estimate anyone.
Looked like a learned guy. Don’t know under circumstances he ended up as a rickshaw driver.
Maybe that’s how life is. Being unfair sometime. Like there’s guy whose a cashier in a super-market. But is a MSc in CS !!!
Pretty sad, thanks to unemployment.
Im just happy that I have job that pays me and something that I like………Hey wait a minute….Do I really like my job ???? A question worth pondering about !!!!
I sometime really think, that I am no less than that rickshaw guy…..
Monday, April 03, 2006
Romeo ya Shravan ??
Well college time is fun time…. In and out of relationships…most of them light, but some DEAD serious….People who make it all the way to marriage….
I don’t know, haven’t been there completely to know how it feels to be in a relationship (Though being in innumerable platonic ones).
We had this love-pair in college, dubbed as Jodi No.1.Both being my close acquaintances. They surely looked like they were in serious love. Making all vows that they are going to make it all the way.
Being in college was fun for them…Nothing stopping them in the nearest future and not worrying about the ultimatum.
A finger snap and college was done. Both got placed via campus. Still going strong…meeting everyday at lunch. Until both were finally caught. Both their parents were red-faced about their court-ship..
Oh! Forgot to mention, both are from strict religions not allowing conversions. It seems silly but not for the family members. One person marries out of the religion, the whole family is banished from the religious house. Didn’t sound palatable, but was supposed be a ground reality. (Typical filmi ishtyle )
But what the heck … what age are we living in. Religion, caste or whatever - Stuff that are perishing by the day. Religion just can’t be the reason for someone not to make his or her own choice.
Now they are on a detour, trying to make it work from both ways. They just can’t shun their parents just for their love or whatever they call it.
You can call this a catch 22… Weighing the love of your life with someone who has shaped half your life.(Though the choice looked simple for me)
Eventually it is the parents who give in, or compromise to whatever that is coming up. Sometime this compromise works or sometime it doesn’t.
But in this case there is no word of compromise. They are not really interested in one.
From my friends’ point of view, they are in a point of no return. Not ready to break up for good. 3 years was, “sometime” in a relationship. Well all the best budds. There’s nothing that we can do from the ringside.
No suggestions or advice from my side… Do you have any????
I don’t know, haven’t been there completely to know how it feels to be in a relationship (Though being in innumerable platonic ones).
We had this love-pair in college, dubbed as Jodi No.1.Both being my close acquaintances. They surely looked like they were in serious love. Making all vows that they are going to make it all the way.
Being in college was fun for them…Nothing stopping them in the nearest future and not worrying about the ultimatum.
A finger snap and college was done. Both got placed via campus. Still going strong…meeting everyday at lunch. Until both were finally caught. Both their parents were red-faced about their court-ship..
Oh! Forgot to mention, both are from strict religions not allowing conversions. It seems silly but not for the family members. One person marries out of the religion, the whole family is banished from the religious house. Didn’t sound palatable, but was supposed be a ground reality. (Typical filmi ishtyle )
But what the heck … what age are we living in. Religion, caste or whatever - Stuff that are perishing by the day. Religion just can’t be the reason for someone not to make his or her own choice.
Now they are on a detour, trying to make it work from both ways. They just can’t shun their parents just for their love or whatever they call it.
You can call this a catch 22… Weighing the love of your life with someone who has shaped half your life.(Though the choice looked simple for me)
Eventually it is the parents who give in, or compromise to whatever that is coming up. Sometime this compromise works or sometime it doesn’t.
But in this case there is no word of compromise. They are not really interested in one.
From my friends’ point of view, they are in a point of no return. Not ready to break up for good. 3 years was, “sometime” in a relationship. Well all the best budds. There’s nothing that we can do from the ringside.
No suggestions or advice from my side… Do you have any????
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