I always wanted to know Telugu Biddas better. So I set about interviewing a young one.
"What do you want to become when you grow up?"
He said, "Go to the US."
I said, "No, I mean, what kind of work? Profession? Career?"
He said, "It doesn't matter. It should be in the US."
I asked "But don't you like something? Arts, Science, Flying a plane?"
He said, "I don't know, I never thought about it. My parents always told me I should go to IIT, and my friends said after that you can go to the US."
I enquired, "What will you do after going there?"
"Study, get a job, marry a girl from Hyderabad."
"Why do you want to live in the US?"
"They are the Bosses of the world. Everyone listens to them. And if they don't, the drone attacks start. Soon, the drones drown the opposition."
"But, isn't that something like colonial masters' behavior?" I am puzzled.
"No. The colonial masters tortured and enslaved people. Here, they are only bombing the military targets."
"But what business is it of the US anyway?" I want to know.
"How will they protect the world if they keep quiet?" my young friend replied.
I let it go at that, my mind full of images of Quick Gun Murugan policing the world, making it a better place for all of us.
Marathi Manoos
The Marathi Manoos was in a quandary. He had to face an oncoming interview with the Breaking News Channel on their Ethnic Special Series. He did not know if he should wear a traditional Marathi dhoti-kurta-chappal or a suit. He finally settled for a compromise, as he always did- trousers and shirt.
The interviewer was a very pretty young thing. That made him nervous. Excerpts from the interview:
VPYT: So, Mr. Manoos, what gives you your identity?
MM: I think three things- My Marathi newspaper, Kanda Poha and Puran Poli.
VPYT: Two out of three of these are foods. You mean you are still stuck at that basic level of human experience?
MM: What to do? We are unable to go beyond a point. We are afraid to take risk, you know. The Gujarati goes to US and starts a motel, the Malayalee goes to the Gulf and takes over their plumbing, the Telugu goes to the US and gets a fat dowry, but we are stuck in Pune and Mumbai, not even going to Singapore. But we did make the Baakarwadi of Chitale Bandhu a great success by eating loads of it. Core competence, you know.
VPYT: So what are you considering as your goals in the next five years?
MM: I will work hard and get a promotion to the next level in my company. I will buy a new car on instalment basis. I will also regularly take a walk in Peshwe Park, and shuttle between Pune and Mumbai half a dozen times every year on the new expressway.
VPYT (now nearing exasperation): But what about larger goals, Mr. Manoos?
MM: Larger goals? Oh, yes, I will vote for Shiv Sena, which is the only party that cares for me.
The interviewer was a very pretty young thing. That made him nervous. Excerpts from the interview:
VPYT: So, Mr. Manoos, what gives you your identity?
MM: I think three things- My Marathi newspaper, Kanda Poha and Puran Poli.
VPYT: Two out of three of these are foods. You mean you are still stuck at that basic level of human experience?
MM: What to do? We are unable to go beyond a point. We are afraid to take risk, you know. The Gujarati goes to US and starts a motel, the Malayalee goes to the Gulf and takes over their plumbing, the Telugu goes to the US and gets a fat dowry, but we are stuck in Pune and Mumbai, not even going to Singapore. But we did make the Baakarwadi of Chitale Bandhu a great success by eating loads of it. Core competence, you know.
VPYT: So what are you considering as your goals in the next five years?
MM: I will work hard and get a promotion to the next level in my company. I will buy a new car on instalment basis. I will also regularly take a walk in Peshwe Park, and shuttle between Pune and Mumbai half a dozen times every year on the new expressway.
VPYT (now nearing exasperation): But what about larger goals, Mr. Manoos?
MM: Larger goals? Oh, yes, I will vote for Shiv Sena, which is the only party that cares for me.
Mannina Maga
Mr. Mani who is a Mannina maga at Namma Bengaluru, was taking a walk. He was pondering. He had just returned from a trip to Devanahalli, where a six-lane highway had recently been completed after a few years of hard work. Now, to his dismay, he saw that the road was again dug up, for some major overlay on the same highway. He wondered what it was about. So he asked the Bangalore Municipal Commissioner what was going on. The Commissioner's office told him there was no such thing on that road, that he was imagining things.
After a while, his thoughts went in another direction. He was now starting to think what would happen to brand Bangalore, after the IT industry. His friend Sambamurthy (Samba for short) had recently expressed concern about the IT industry entering a rough patch. But Mani had managed to dispel, at least temporarily, Samba's concern with some encouraging words. He told Samba,
"Don't worry, if the Gulf runs out of oil, they may be in a soup. But we can at least turn to agriculture, no?" The intended-to-be-soothing words had been of little comfort to his friend, though, who morosely replied,
"But you have to do a lot of hard labor in agriculture, no?"
"So what? Even to sell insurance and credit cards and Aqua Guard, you do hard labor. Aren't many people doing that?"
"By the way," Samba asked Mani, "What are the Air India pilots striking work for? And how do they survive without a salary during the strike?"
Mani replied "I don't know what they are striking for, but they survive because they are overpaid to start with, this is like a holiday for them."
Samba also wanted to know from Mani, what he thought of major issues such as Global Warming, and got an unexpected reply from him. "Waat global warming, I say? Namma Metro is AC, and Volvo buses are AC. Just travel in A.C.-no warming." !!
After a while, his thoughts went in another direction. He was now starting to think what would happen to brand Bangalore, after the IT industry. His friend Sambamurthy (Samba for short) had recently expressed concern about the IT industry entering a rough patch. But Mani had managed to dispel, at least temporarily, Samba's concern with some encouraging words. He told Samba,
"Don't worry, if the Gulf runs out of oil, they may be in a soup. But we can at least turn to agriculture, no?" The intended-to-be-soothing words had been of little comfort to his friend, though, who morosely replied,
"But you have to do a lot of hard labor in agriculture, no?"
"So what? Even to sell insurance and credit cards and Aqua Guard, you do hard labor. Aren't many people doing that?"
"By the way," Samba asked Mani, "What are the Air India pilots striking work for? And how do they survive without a salary during the strike?"
Mani replied "I don't know what they are striking for, but they survive because they are overpaid to start with, this is like a holiday for them."
Samba also wanted to know from Mani, what he thought of major issues such as Global Warming, and got an unexpected reply from him. "Waat global warming, I say? Namma Metro is AC, and Volvo buses are AC. Just travel in A.C.-no warming." !!
Dabong
Dabong- The Fearful
Like Dabangg, the fearless, this is the story of a fearful guy. The guy is always fearful. He lives, breathes, eats, sleeps fear. But what is he afraid of? Let’s find out.
Interviewer: Mr. Dabong, what makes you scared?
Dabong: Everything around us is so scary. Climate change, rising vegetable prices, rising FISH prices..I dread the day that the Rohu and the Hilsa go outside my reach. I am also scared of our roads, the traffic, the rising population..
I: But everyone says we are going to get a demographic dividend out of our country’s population.
D: Not if they are all morons and murderers. Look at the newspaper headlines.
I: But there are saints and cricket players too.
D: (Looking really scared) Don’t even talk about cricket. The amount of illegal betting that goes on, and match fixing. The other day, someone mistook me for an IPL cricketer, and tried fixing me!
I: Look Mr. Dabong, there are always a few rotten apples in any society. But we are surely doing better than Tunisia, or Egypt, or Russia?
D: Yes, that I will agree with, but in Bengal we can compete very well with these countries that you mentioned. We think we are living in the British Raj, though it ended decades ago.
I: Hmm, but you still have Mamatadi who will change things for the better!
D: Yes, if the red flags don’t get the better of her.
I: Well, what do you think of today’s films?
D: I wish they had a script. Not at all like the sixties, and the seventies. Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen..they were in some great movies.
I: And TV Serials?
D: I am worried sick about what the reality shows will do next. Why do they go on and on torturing people like in the Big Boss?
I: Torturing? Why do you say that?
D: Imagine living with and having to see Veena Malik and Shweta Tiwari without makeup? Must be like a horror show!
Like Dabangg, the fearless, this is the story of a fearful guy. The guy is always fearful. He lives, breathes, eats, sleeps fear. But what is he afraid of? Let’s find out.
Interviewer: Mr. Dabong, what makes you scared?
Dabong: Everything around us is so scary. Climate change, rising vegetable prices, rising FISH prices..I dread the day that the Rohu and the Hilsa go outside my reach. I am also scared of our roads, the traffic, the rising population..
I: But everyone says we are going to get a demographic dividend out of our country’s population.
D: Not if they are all morons and murderers. Look at the newspaper headlines.
I: But there are saints and cricket players too.
D: (Looking really scared) Don’t even talk about cricket. The amount of illegal betting that goes on, and match fixing. The other day, someone mistook me for an IPL cricketer, and tried fixing me!
I: Look Mr. Dabong, there are always a few rotten apples in any society. But we are surely doing better than Tunisia, or Egypt, or Russia?
D: Yes, that I will agree with, but in Bengal we can compete very well with these countries that you mentioned. We think we are living in the British Raj, though it ended decades ago.
I: Hmm, but you still have Mamatadi who will change things for the better!
D: Yes, if the red flags don’t get the better of her.
I: Well, what do you think of today’s films?
D: I wish they had a script. Not at all like the sixties, and the seventies. Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen..they were in some great movies.
I: And TV Serials?
D: I am worried sick about what the reality shows will do next. Why do they go on and on torturing people like in the Big Boss?
I: Torturing? Why do you say that?
D: Imagine living with and having to see Veena Malik and Shweta Tiwari without makeup? Must be like a horror show!
Joke on Communication
This is an old joke about How A Message Flows Through An Organization that I thought I would post, for a change..
MEMO:
From: Managing Director
To: Vice President
Tomorrow morning there will be a total eclipse of the sun at nine o’clock. This is something which we cannot see everyday. So let all employees line up outside, in their best clothes to watch it. To mark the occasion of this rare occurrence, I will personally explain the phenomenon to them. If it is raining we will not be able to see it very well and in that case the employees should assemble in the canteen.
Translated:
From: Vice President
To: General Manager
By order of the Managing Director, there will be a total eclipse of the sun at nine o’ clock tomorrow morning. If it is raining we will not be able to see it in our best clothes, on the site. In this case the disappearance of the sun will be followed through in the canteen. This is something we cannot see happening everyday.
Translated:
From: General managers
To: Industry Managers
By order of the Managing Director, we shall follow the disappearance of the sun in our best clothes, in the canteen at nine o’ clock tomorrow morning. The Managing Director will tell us whether it is going to rain. This is something which we cannot see happen everyday.
Translated:
From: Industry Managers
To: Location heads
If it is raining in the canteen tomorrow morning, which is something that we cannot see happen everyday, the Managing director in his best clothes, will disappear at nine o’ clock.
Translated:
From: Location heads
To: Marketing Executives
Tomorrow morning at nine o’ clock, the Managing Director will disappear without his clothes. It’s a pity that we can’t see this happen everyday?
MEMO:
From: Managing Director
To: Vice President
Tomorrow morning there will be a total eclipse of the sun at nine o’clock. This is something which we cannot see everyday. So let all employees line up outside, in their best clothes to watch it. To mark the occasion of this rare occurrence, I will personally explain the phenomenon to them. If it is raining we will not be able to see it very well and in that case the employees should assemble in the canteen.
Translated:
From: Vice President
To: General Manager
By order of the Managing Director, there will be a total eclipse of the sun at nine o’ clock tomorrow morning. If it is raining we will not be able to see it in our best clothes, on the site. In this case the disappearance of the sun will be followed through in the canteen. This is something we cannot see happening everyday.
Translated:
From: General managers
To: Industry Managers
By order of the Managing Director, we shall follow the disappearance of the sun in our best clothes, in the canteen at nine o’ clock tomorrow morning. The Managing Director will tell us whether it is going to rain. This is something which we cannot see happen everyday.
Translated:
From: Industry Managers
To: Location heads
If it is raining in the canteen tomorrow morning, which is something that we cannot see happen everyday, the Managing director in his best clothes, will disappear at nine o’ clock.
Translated:
From: Location heads
To: Marketing Executives
Tomorrow morning at nine o’ clock, the Managing Director will disappear without his clothes. It’s a pity that we can’t see this happen everyday?
My Blog Audience Stats
I happened to look at the blog view statistics for this blog of mine, and was stunned. I never imagined that it would have been viewed in Slovenia, Spain, Malaysia, Egypt, Russia, UK, Germany and the Netherlands. Of course, India and the US were expected. I find it a great testimony to the internet breaking down global walls. If only we could use this kind of spirit and break down the walls that separate us elsewhere....
Anyway, I got back to reading fiction this week, and the book was "The Clue of the Twisted Candle" by Edgar Wallace. Apart from a brilliantly conceived plot, I found he is very good with his one-liners too. For instance, he says in passing, that 'he could not have been happy (for he was married)', while talking about some character in the novel.
The plot itself weaves its way through Europe, the UK, where Wallace is from too, and where the novel is based and some other regions like Patagonia. There is a wealthy Albanian-Greek who has a central role in the story, and who manipulates a broke mystery author into committing a crime himself. He also engineers his escape from prison and keeps him in captivity. Finally, he gets murdered and the rest of the story unravels as trying to solve his murder. Enjoyable for crime story fans.
Anyway, I got back to reading fiction this week, and the book was "The Clue of the Twisted Candle" by Edgar Wallace. Apart from a brilliantly conceived plot, I found he is very good with his one-liners too. For instance, he says in passing, that 'he could not have been happy (for he was married)', while talking about some character in the novel.
The plot itself weaves its way through Europe, the UK, where Wallace is from too, and where the novel is based and some other regions like Patagonia. There is a wealthy Albanian-Greek who has a central role in the story, and who manipulates a broke mystery author into committing a crime himself. He also engineers his escape from prison and keeps him in captivity. Finally, he gets murdered and the rest of the story unravels as trying to solve his murder. Enjoyable for crime story fans.
A Journey Down Melody Lane
Raju Bharatan is the author of this one. Cricket and movie journalist of repute, he seems to have the handle on a lot of things. Indian ragas for example. He seems to know a 100 ragas and the songs based on them at least.
And hundreds of stories, anecdotes about the ego clashes, insecurities of even greats like Lata Mangeshkar, Sahir Ludhianvi (lyricist), Mohd. Rafi, Naushad, OP Nayyar etc. Even stars like Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Rajesh Khanna and so on.
But he is in his elements while talking about the music of the 50s and 60s. C. Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Naushad, Ravi, OP Nayyar, SD Burman, Salil Chowdhary,and many others are the subject of long chapters. An interesting story is how in the year of 'Mughal-e-Azam', someone else got the Filmfare prize for the best music. And the same thing happened in the year that 'Guide' was released. Presumably, there was manipulation done by the winners, according to Raju.
Lata's fallouts with OP Nayyar, and with Rafi on the royalty issue, are touched on. The rivalry between Lata and upcoming singers is also covered in detail. The grudging acknowledgement of Kishore Kumar as a powerhouse singer is quoted from many peers, including Manna Dey.
An add on is that he also mentions who each song was filmed on. A great melodious ride down memory lane.
And hundreds of stories, anecdotes about the ego clashes, insecurities of even greats like Lata Mangeshkar, Sahir Ludhianvi (lyricist), Mohd. Rafi, Naushad, OP Nayyar etc. Even stars like Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Rajesh Khanna and so on.
But he is in his elements while talking about the music of the 50s and 60s. C. Ramchandra, Madan Mohan, Naushad, Ravi, OP Nayyar, SD Burman, Salil Chowdhary,and many others are the subject of long chapters. An interesting story is how in the year of 'Mughal-e-Azam', someone else got the Filmfare prize for the best music. And the same thing happened in the year that 'Guide' was released. Presumably, there was manipulation done by the winners, according to Raju.
Lata's fallouts with OP Nayyar, and with Rafi on the royalty issue, are touched on. The rivalry between Lata and upcoming singers is also covered in detail. The grudging acknowledgement of Kishore Kumar as a powerhouse singer is quoted from many peers, including Manna Dey.
An add on is that he also mentions who each song was filmed on. A great melodious ride down memory lane.
IPL ShyPL
There are plenty of endearing ways that we Indians speak. One of these is the way two words are used together. Like, I don't want to go to any party-sharty. In Hindi, it sounds just right. Mujhe koi party-sharty nahin jaana. So what is it that is happening to the IPL-ShyPL this year?
Koi Paul-Waul aagaya, pata nahin kahan se, aur dhuandhaar century maar ke apne team ko jitaya. Sachin ne phir century maari, aur phir uski team haari. Yeh koi bhoot-woot to nahin hai na uski century mein, jo uski team ko dubaata hai?
Kolkata Knight Riders jeetne laga- ek aur bhoot ke team se nikaale jaane ke baad- jo kaafi dadagiri karne ka aadi thaa. Ab unki haar bhoot-kaal mein jamaa ho gayi hai. Apna Punjabi puttar Pune pahunchke jeetna seekh gaya. Aur Pune Warriors ka home-ground Mumbai kabse hone laga bhai? NAVI hui to kya hua? Mumbai to Mumbai hai, aur Pune Pune.
Jo cheerleaders kapde kam karne mein maahir thee, woh ab nau yard ki saadee bhi pehenne lagi hain. Aur phir bhi dekhne waale mazaa lete rahe. Iska matlab hai ki sirf kapde utaarne se entertainment nahin hoti- aur bahut se tareeke hain logon ko khush karne ke.
Aur finally, zoo-zoos waali ads (vigyaapan) ke aagey baaki sab ads pheeki padne lagi hain. Kuch nai soch-woch dikhaiye, baaki adworld waale,varna extinct ho jaaoge, apne products ke saath.
Koi Paul-Waul aagaya, pata nahin kahan se, aur dhuandhaar century maar ke apne team ko jitaya. Sachin ne phir century maari, aur phir uski team haari. Yeh koi bhoot-woot to nahin hai na uski century mein, jo uski team ko dubaata hai?
Kolkata Knight Riders jeetne laga- ek aur bhoot ke team se nikaale jaane ke baad- jo kaafi dadagiri karne ka aadi thaa. Ab unki haar bhoot-kaal mein jamaa ho gayi hai. Apna Punjabi puttar Pune pahunchke jeetna seekh gaya. Aur Pune Warriors ka home-ground Mumbai kabse hone laga bhai? NAVI hui to kya hua? Mumbai to Mumbai hai, aur Pune Pune.
Jo cheerleaders kapde kam karne mein maahir thee, woh ab nau yard ki saadee bhi pehenne lagi hain. Aur phir bhi dekhne waale mazaa lete rahe. Iska matlab hai ki sirf kapde utaarne se entertainment nahin hoti- aur bahut se tareeke hain logon ko khush karne ke.
Aur finally, zoo-zoos waali ads (vigyaapan) ke aagey baaki sab ads pheeki padne lagi hain. Kuch nai soch-woch dikhaiye, baaki adworld waale,varna extinct ho jaaoge, apne products ke saath.
Method in Madness
That's the title of a book by Derek Bose about Kishore Kumar. A nicely illustrated hardback, I found it at Manney's book store in Pune. It is a delightful read, particularly because I am a die-hard fan of the singer. Of course, his multi-faceted personality shines through the writing of Bose, and his life's story also gets told in a way that is different from another book by Kishore Valicha that I had earlier read.
His ability to mimic his stars played a great role in Kishore Kumar sounding like them on screen. Initially, he was afraid of stage shows, but after he got over the stage fear, always made sure that his audience - and himself-had a blast. Over 2000 songs are credited to him, and about seven films that he directed are too. He also composed quite a few, including the great ones from Jhumroo and Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein. Door Ka Rahi also had a couple of great numbers.
A wonderful character, who had his share of miseries in his marriages- four in all. But he never gave up, and enjoyed life to the full. There's an anecdote about how he bugged Laxmikant about learning some instrument (he was actually self-trained in singing and music) when Laxmikant and Pyarelal were musicians in an orchestra, which is telling. His co-singers all respected him for his uncanny ability to understand his audiences.
His ability to mimic his stars played a great role in Kishore Kumar sounding like them on screen. Initially, he was afraid of stage shows, but after he got over the stage fear, always made sure that his audience - and himself-had a blast. Over 2000 songs are credited to him, and about seven films that he directed are too. He also composed quite a few, including the great ones from Jhumroo and Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein. Door Ka Rahi also had a couple of great numbers.
A wonderful character, who had his share of miseries in his marriages- four in all. But he never gave up, and enjoyed life to the full. There's an anecdote about how he bugged Laxmikant about learning some instrument (he was actually self-trained in singing and music) when Laxmikant and Pyarelal were musicians in an orchestra, which is telling. His co-singers all respected him for his uncanny ability to understand his audiences.
Pune and Showers
There were evening showers in Nagpur. And in Pench Tiger reserve that I visited last week. And also in Pune, where I am now. What's also remarkable is that in all the cases, these were correctly predicted by the weatherman. So we seem to be getting better at it. Also climbed up the Parvati, a hill with a view, after a long time. Nice look at the evening skyline of Pune.
Finished reading Sidney Lumet's Making Movies. He has a good take on different aspects of film-making, including writing, direction, the actual shooting, camera angles, the editing, ...the works. It is really absorbing to read if you are a movie person. From a man who directed, one of my favourite films, Murder on the Orient Express, it is a treat to read this book. On a par with Woody Allen on Woody Allen, which I read a few months earlier.
Hats off to Anna Hazare, and all the guys who like him, have the guts to stand for something with everything at stake.
Finished reading Sidney Lumet's Making Movies. He has a good take on different aspects of film-making, including writing, direction, the actual shooting, camera angles, the editing, ...the works. It is really absorbing to read if you are a movie person. From a man who directed, one of my favourite films, Murder on the Orient Express, it is a treat to read this book. On a par with Woody Allen on Woody Allen, which I read a few months earlier.
Hats off to Anna Hazare, and all the guys who like him, have the guts to stand for something with everything at stake.
Jai Scandinavistan
There is a new book on the bookshelves. It's called 'Once Upon a Time in Scandinavistan', and it's a a rather gory whodunit with bodies being barbecued in a tandoor and so on. But what is novel about the novel is it is a takeoff on all things Indian- and a few things Swedish/Scandinavian.
Set in Gothenberg, now renamed Gautampuri, it has a Sweden that functions like India, because it is an Indian colony, with chai shops, idli joints, Dr. Ambedkar University, and the like- the Red Tape too. Wonderful takeoffs on India abound throughout, which actually become a sub-plot. So we have a hero called Philumappa Ishtarjee shooting his potboiler in the middle of the investigations, near the scene of an actual crime. There is also an ashram with a nudist population brainwashed by a guru, and a non-violence class for the cops which teaches them Buddhist meditation as well.
The winters have actually turned warm and snow-less, due to global warming, and sand blows in to the town now and then. Autorickshaws are a common mode of public transport. The streets at night are full of violent teenagers, and streetwalkers and their customers, who include the police chief.
The scenario the Swedish author paints is like a black comedy, rather than a classical whodunit. Very interesting and satirical. The hero is Swedish and the heroine, Kumkum, an Indian, like the gori-mem and native Indian romances in British India- in reverse.
Set in Gothenberg, now renamed Gautampuri, it has a Sweden that functions like India, because it is an Indian colony, with chai shops, idli joints, Dr. Ambedkar University, and the like- the Red Tape too. Wonderful takeoffs on India abound throughout, which actually become a sub-plot. So we have a hero called Philumappa Ishtarjee shooting his potboiler in the middle of the investigations, near the scene of an actual crime. There is also an ashram with a nudist population brainwashed by a guru, and a non-violence class for the cops which teaches them Buddhist meditation as well.
The winters have actually turned warm and snow-less, due to global warming, and sand blows in to the town now and then. Autorickshaws are a common mode of public transport. The streets at night are full of violent teenagers, and streetwalkers and their customers, who include the police chief.
The scenario the Swedish author paints is like a black comedy, rather than a classical whodunit. Very interesting and satirical. The hero is Swedish and the heroine, Kumkum, an Indian, like the gori-mem and native Indian romances in British India- in reverse.
Keeping Nerves in Adversity
This is why I liked the World Cup victory of 2011. I had also watched the 1983 finals when in my MBA hostel at Bangalore. This time I was in Bhubaneswar. The difference I found this time was that the team did not let adversity in the form of Sachin and Sehwag's dismissals get them down. Also, the last few overs that Sri Lanka hit out in, did not bother them for too long. True grit, and Dhoni probably should take some credit for inspiring the team by his personal approach. He may have made wrong choices, but he produced a win. No one's perfect, but teamwork overcomes the lack of it.
Yuvraj also played like a champion, and knew what he had to do, and did it in most matches. Raina played very well to get us to the finals. Harbhajan produced a very good spell in some matches, though he was luckless in many. Zaheer was good most of the time. Nehra contributed in the semifinals. Gambhir came out looking very good in the finals. I was particularly happy to see 5 bowlers take 2 wickets each in the semi-final.
I would rate Raina's knock against Australia as one of best in the series for India. Incidentally, Mahela also played like a dream in the finals. What smooth strokes!
Yuvraj also played like a champion, and knew what he had to do, and did it in most matches. Raina played very well to get us to the finals. Harbhajan produced a very good spell in some matches, though he was luckless in many. Zaheer was good most of the time. Nehra contributed in the semifinals. Gambhir came out looking very good in the finals. I was particularly happy to see 5 bowlers take 2 wickets each in the semi-final.
I would rate Raina's knock against Australia as one of best in the series for India. Incidentally, Mahela also played like a dream in the finals. What smooth strokes!
Deja Vu
I am in Bhubaneswar, and met old colleagues at XIM campus. I started my Indian teaching career at XIMB. Therefore there is a sense of deja vu. I have a session to take at a research methodology workshop at another university tomorrow. This city is really lovely and modern looking now. In 1991-92, there were only around 30 autorickshaws in the town. And it used to be a small town, with only one traffic light, and almost no traffic.
It is still very green. But the IT sector has come in, with big buildings housing the firms. Roads are wide, clean and well-maintained.
Last two days, met Shailaja, a childhood friend from Singareni Collieries twenty years ago, and some IIM batchmates who live in Mumbai. In all, a great sense of the bygone days came back. Memories are always golden-hued. And why not?
It is still very green. But the IT sector has come in, with big buildings housing the firms. Roads are wide, clean and well-maintained.
Last two days, met Shailaja, a childhood friend from Singareni Collieries twenty years ago, and some IIM batchmates who live in Mumbai. In all, a great sense of the bygone days came back. Memories are always golden-hued. And why not?
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2024 - A Recap
Starting with December 2023, on 30th I attended a wedding - and met Natasha Kothari, who runs Studio Ungap. Dhruv, her fiance, was the groo...
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There is this game of songs-no idea what it's called in English, if at all- called Antakshari, where you sing a song, and the next pers...
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The Bangalore Years (1982-84) at IIMB What happens to anyone who goes to an IIM is that his life changes forever. It is a unique environm... -
Just started teaching the Digital Marketing course for its second run. In between last year and this year, two important things happened.. ...
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Whoever said a rice cooker is only for cooking rice? On the lookout for new ways to make tea since my only gas cylinder got exhausted and w...
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Students Over the Years- Part (2019 Edition) Part 1 Sanjana Rao Yarram She was awesome as Lady Bracknell in the staging of The ... -
I am amazed at the patience that parents have in organising elaborate weddings. I am not complaining, just observing. Went to a 2-day affai... -
I discovered a new website thanks to an article I was reading in the Mint Lounge (the saturday paper that I have come to like). It is www.re...