learning by playing

Odds were against them. Predictions were negative. And hopes, low. But, they proved their might. From the ashes, they rose again like a phoenix.

The Indian cricket team brought the test to a draw unexpectedly today.

Cricket and politics are the two driving forces of the country. Both of them ride on the back of billions of aspirations. And, with the cricket team spinning a triumph tale, it is high time that politics take a cue from their success mantra.

•United we stand, divided we fall. The success streak of Team India testifies this statement. With most of the political alliances breaking off and internal disputes creating drifts within the party, the lesson of team spirit should come handy.

•A leader does not dictate, he inspires. Under the captaincy of a good team leader, each player could contribute to the best of his abilities. So is true for a political leader. Knowing the pulse of the crowd, he should be able to motivate them and keep them bounded.

•The indomitable combination of experience and youthful energy gives an edge to the team. May the vigour of the young and wisdom of the old come together in the Indian political arena too.

However, the learning is not one sided. Even the politicians have lessons to teach the cricketers. And, that is the never- say- die- spirit. Be it any number of criminal cases, sentences, party disputes or old age, our politicians NEVER say die.

Be it a no- confidence motion or a follow on, one will cling on.

How zz thaaaaaat?

seasons in politics

Come rain or shine, our political parties never shy away from their ‘work’.

They are like seasons, who never fail to come. And, when they do, they make us sweat, they make us wet and they make us shiver.

I have always thought that our political parties bear a striking resemblance to the three seasons.

The prickly BJP Summer, for us, is mangoes, ice creams, lassis and vacations. BJP had its own sunny days when it had leaders like Vajpayee.But, along with the Alphonsos and Cornettos comes the chubhti, jalti garmi, loo, pasina and load sheddings. Their aggression is as strong as the heat and their lack of unity as irritating as the power failures. Their religious ideologies are like the death blows of the loo.

The floody Third Front Monsoon is a respite from the exhaustive summers. So they said about the Third Front.Since the front is formed of ‘weird’ combinations, the probability of thunderous outpours is more. (The thunders are sure to be loud. Thanks to Mayawati.)But, it seems the mushy romantic season will turn into a muddy disaster. The downpour can happen anytime. And make sure you don’t get struck by the lightning.
Rain rain go away
Never show your face again!!!

The icy Congress Apples are healthy and cherries are bright. So are Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi. Also, the moderate ideology of Congress is as cosy as the warmth of the pleasant winter sunshine. But, the other ‘leaders’ of the party might get a frostbite as the Gandhi family never makes way for others. The hazy vision of the leadership reminds you of the chilly foggy mornings.

The awaited spring
“If winter comes can spring be far behind.” May Shelley’s words come true. What India needs today is a party as productive as spring. Let it bring the optimism, vigour and brightness the season stands for.

letter to mantriji

Mantriji,
Parliament,
New Delhi.

Dear Mantriji,
I am a garib aadmi, saab. I have come to the city to earn some paisa. But, now I am in aspataal. Daactor saab said that I have broken my bones. I had fallen in an open manhole. And here, I lie on a bench waiting for the sister to give me my dawaai. Everyone is very good, but a little busy. Isliye, noone has come to attend me.

That day when I fell into the hole, I had to go for a job. So I thought of starting the day with a dubki in the Yamuna. I parted the lump of poly bags and garlands in the water to take a dip. But when I came up, there was a kele ka chilka on my head.

I knew that the day was going to be bad.So I was very careful on the streets as I started.

I had a narrow escape in the beginning, when a huge blue colour bus came towards me raging like a pagal saand. May be it was trying to chase the red light.In this confusion, I jumped sidewards; but, surprisingly I did not land on the earth. I felt like I was pulled down into the pataal lok.

Next when I opened my eyes, I found myself in this aspataal.

Na Yamuna gandi hoti, na mere sar pe chilka girta, nahi meri taang tootti.Mere saath jo hua so hua. Lekin, ab aap hi sochiye. If everyday poor fellows like me keep breaking their legs, what will happen of India? Everyone will be go blind, deaf or lame. Now, everything is in your hands. Please clean the Yamuna to save our country.
(P.S. If you get time, also close the hole and do ask the bull driver not to go crazy.)

Love,
Common man

Stars in Politics!

Twinkle twinkle little star
After elections where you are
Down below the earth u lie
Like a black hole in the political pie!

The election season is on. And the stars have started appearing on the political horizon.

While SP is projecting Sanju baba as their Great Bear, Congress has Raju and Azhar as their Orion and Pole star.

But, their shine does not last for long; they fade out soon. Their reel image does not correspond with their real ones. Once they get elected, their interest in politics seems to vanish.

Hero No.1 entered the arena with a big bang defeating a heavy weight like Ram Naik. But, five years later, his performance as an MP was nothing more than a zero.

When Sidhu entered the political pitch, the audience cheered for a six. He scored a duck when he landed up in a murder case.

The Garam Dharam proved to be very Naram to his voters as he failed to show up in his constituency after his victory.

Stardom is no criteria to vote for; it is a mere mirage. Let us not be fooled by their glitz and glamour and give more importance to their credentials. Let’s make this vote count.

To Mantriji, with love

Mantriji,
Parliament,
New Delhi.

Dear Mantriji,
I am a garib aadmi, saab. I have come to the city to earn some paisa. But, now I am in aspataal. Daactor saab said that I have broken my bones. I had fallen in an open manhole. And here, I lie on a bench waiting for the sister to give me my dawaai. Everyone is very good, but a little busy. Isliye, noone has come to attend me.
That day when I fell into the hole, I had to go for a job. So I thought of starting the day with a dubki in the Yamuna. I parted the lump of poly bags and garlands in the water to take a dip. But when I came up, there was a kele ka chilka on my head. I knew that the day was going to be bad.
So I was very careful on the streets as I started. I had a narrow escape in the beginning, when a huge blue colour bus came towards me raging like a pagal saand. May be it was trying to chase the red light.
In this confusion, I jumped sidewards; but, surprisingly I did not land on the earth. I felt like I was pulled down into the pataal lok.
Next when I opened my eyes, I found myself in this aspataal.
Na Yamuna gandi hoti, na mere sar pe chilka girta, nahi meri taang tootti.
Mere saath jo hua so hua. Lekin, ab aap hi sochiye. If everyday poor fellows like me keep breaking their legs, what will happen of India? Everyone will be go blind, deaf or lame.
Now, everything is in your hands. Please clean the Yamuna to save our country. (P.S. If you get time, also close the hole and do ask the bull driver not to go crazy.)

Love,
Common man

From Ambassadors to Nano

Vvvrrrrroooooooom…… Nano hits the road.

With this "lakhtakiya" car, India has arrived on the global highway.

It was the Fiats and the Ambassadors that drove the bureaucracy in the 60s’. But this century belongs to the Nano - where the common man is at the steering of change.

Four ways in which NANO mirrors the young India:

Innovation- the concept of a one-lakh car was ridiculed, until Nano zoomed in. Youngsters today, are also thinking out-of-the-box. Be it off-beat movies, unconventional careers, the young in India are not shying away from experimenting.

Entrepreneurship- there were many risks for the Nano, but through sheer hard work and conviction it made the impossible possible. So is it for the gen-next. 32-35% of the IIM passouts choose to set up their own business than get a white-collar job.

Global brand- Nano is the new feather in the cap of India Inc. With it India created inflections in the international auto industry for creating the cheapest car. Indians software engineers and doctors have boosted the image of the country.

Political hiccups- the Small Wonder Nano fought battles at Singur and emerged victorious. The new, emerging India, too, is confident of facing challenges and come out unscathed.

Cheers to Nano and the new India!

Every one has an Obama in him/ her

How many times have you preferred to go out for a movie than vote?

How frequently has the thought of standing in a long queue under the burning sun prevnted us from voting?

How often has the ‘one-vote-won't-count’ attitude stopped us from going to the poll booth?

Every vote counts. We should not belittle ourselves. And neither the influence of our presence to run the system. Each individual is an agent of change.

Obama is every common man.

His strength was his conviction in his own self. He too started off as a community organizer. His first step was small and full of challenges. But that did not deter him from taking it. He recognised the power of the individual. He had faith in himself.

And for India to change this conviction has to be imbibed into us. Each of us has an Obama hidden in us. All we need is to discover him.