Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A nightmare and an Opportunity

Gosh the past few days have been a nightmare for the cricketing fans. The inability of the team to even make it to the semi finals has lest a lot of people wondering whether our team is truly talented or was it just hyped up so that more and more people watch the matches. Sports is a great leveller people say and this world cup has clearly showed us that we need to be humble and show respect for the game. 
The last year semi finalist Australia knocked out of the first round , winners India knocked out in Super Eights whereas the team seeded 11th surprisingly West Indies reached the semis and Ireland made the super eights. Such is the unpredictable nature of the game that it can make even the best pundits and cricket gurus eat their words.

So where is the opportunity in this nightmare. The opportunity is not for cricket . Here by opportunity I mean the opportunity for other sports and sportsperson to truly achieve glory on the international level annd hog the limelight. In this world what people like more than a hero is a fallen hero. So to rub salt into the wounds more press coverage will be given to other sportstars if they succeed in winning something truly remarkable. This will be good for India and other sporting events as they are generally not part of the limelight and do not get much press coverage. The last time when such a shocking performance by the Indian Cricket team(Here I must clarify that the Indian cricket team is not truly Indian cricket team but a team which plays for BCCI according to the verdict given by the court) was in 2007 and I do remeber that a lot of media coverage was then give to sportsperson like Jeev Milkha Singh, Narain Karthikeyan and others who won plaudits in their respective fields on the International stage. Suddenly they were in the limelight and given a lot of media coverage. 

So its time for the unsung heros the real heroes who despite their financial struggles take pride in representing their countries. Inspite of all the hardships faced by them and despite very little backing they try to win medals on the international stage, their time has finally come to truly hog  the limelight and get recognition for their skills. 
ATLEAST its better to support them than those millionaires who perform remarkably when they are dished out oodles of money and the same performance seems lacking when they play for their country.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Racism beyond Shame

Come on Mr Ruud admit it. There is no point denying it. It would be better if you admit it and try to solve the problem than denying it.

You'll be seen in a greater light if you admit the problem facing in your society of racism.
The present generation of Indians are not cowards and they will not remain as cowards Mr. President.
We have a right to protest against the shambolic incidents happening in your soil.
As much as you will hate to admit it Mr. Ruud your country needs us as much as we need you. Our contribution to your economy is far greater than your contribution to ours. The billions of dollars added to your economy by the hundred thousand students over there apart from the ethnic Indians who are living their. Seven attacks over the past month if that is not enough for you then sir you are acting like cowards. We Indians only want justice and the perpetrators of the attack should be bought forward in the court of justice. Mere assurances will not solve this problem .

These attacks are undermining your country as a racist and not only us but the world is looking down upon you in shame. You had been brave ebough to admit the atrocities committed against Aborigines when you became President so why cannot you muster courage and admit mistake of your country now.
We Indians are nown to be tolerant but if these henious crimes continue our patience might run out. What we want is proper protection fom your government to us and nothing more and we treated as equals.

Come on president sir show up and put in some measure and safety so that we Indians can sleep, eat and move about freely again on the roads of Australia without the fear of being subjected to racist assaults.

As I write here I am deeply concerned about two of my close friends who are currently in Australia and numerous other acquiantace who are studying over there. Lets us all pray for Shravan Kumar who is still in a critical condition and all those who have been assaulted over the past month and half that they recover from not only the physical sufferings buit also their psychological sufferings.........