The Homecoming !!

"It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you" - Benjamin Button, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Home indeed has not changed. I've come back after almost 2 years but it's just as warm as before. My bed seems to have shrunk though. Or perhaps I have grown a little.

Parents as well are very much the same. Mom is as nostalgic as ever and Dad is as equable as ever.

Mom's food is as flavorful as before if not more. I don't miss all the meat I had grown fond of. Starbucks 'Chai Latte' has nothing on her Chai. I've gone from 1 cup a day to 4 cups a day. Surely she has a secret ingredient that has me hooked. The 'Chole Bhathore' at the local shop are just as greasy and I enjoy them just as much :D

The city too seems very much the same. The weather's way more hospitable than the frigid cold of NY. The roads are a little more dusty than before but I'm told they would get better by October. October is when the city holds the Commonwealth Games.

The malls and markets are just as packed. Just as colorful. The movie ticket prices have surely gone up. Refreshingly so has the level of cinema.

My buddies are as delightful as ever. Though some have now become the lesser half from being the only half :D

Sachin's game is as sublime as ever. He packs a punch just like before :D

Everything seems so much the same. This is my comfort zone. Still only in a single week I'm ready to go back.

Do I miss NY? I guess I do.

Would I miss home as soon as I'm back there? I guess I would.

Letter To The Prime Minister

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Hope you are having a pleasant 2010.

It’s that time of the year again. IPL is coming and seems like the only thing our country (its people, its celebrities, its bloggers, its media-men) can talk about is that. Feels just like yesterday when all we could talk of was whether to provide security for the IPL matches or for the country’s general elections. We decided to go for the latter. I think that was a good choice.

Now the tomfoolery returns. This time it transcends the border. Pak players were invited for the bidding @IPL. Then snubbed. You know the deal.

It has caused a lot of umbrage across the border. Our nation is in a frenzy too. It's all we can talk about. Some of us are expiatory. Some are not. SRK comes out and claims that it was shameful that no Pak player was bid for. Mind you that he himself c0-owns one of the teams and could have bid for them if he so wanted to. The Home Minister says that he wants to see some Pak players play in IPL3. That guy Modi says that it was the teams’ decision and there was no pressure from the government. Now that's what gets my goat. Why was there no pressure from the Indian government?!

Why can't we present a united front on this issue to Pak and the ICC. Why can’t we (the government, the people, any private franchise like the IPL) stand together and say that its just not done. We are not going to play Pak in any sport or host their players unless the terror stops and stern actions are taken against the culprits. Any sporting ties with Pakistan should be severed for some time. Have we forgotten the pain of 26/11? When they killed those 200 odd people they didn't just kill them. They killed their families too. Their dreams, their aspirations too. Just ask someone who lost a loved one.

Just to be clear I have no hatred whatsoever against the people/players of Pakistan. Contrarily I have always believed that any Indian who hates anyone across the border should realize that these are the people closest to us in terms of their race, color, culture and so many other things. We both are very much the same. They do not hate us. Neither should we. Just because some loony terror groups cause us pain doesn't mean we condemn their whole nation.

But we can’t have their people kill our people and then have their players come in and make money hand over fist by playing in our country (esp the cricketers). We have to push their government (if there is one) every which way possible to act against the terror groups. Hitting them financially is one way. Any thing they utter about the IPL episode hindering the peace talks is a load of bull crap. The government establishment in Pak (if there is one) wants no peace. They've never wanted peace. All they want and have ever wanted is a diversion that takes the focus off their incompetence and ineptitude to do anything for their people.

The same goes for Australia. Till the time the Australian govt doesn't take action against the perpetrators of violence against Indians we should not play them or have their sportsmen play in India. They cant keep denying that the attacks are not racist. They have to redress the rogue nature of their people.

We should issue a strong statement to both the countries. For once BCCI's clout can be put to some good use.

Anyways I was a little busy over the last month or so. But work is better now. Give me a call if you feel like. Btw who are you rooting for this time?

Regards

Vk Singh

War And Peace

“Only the dead have seen the end of war”.

As the world debates Obama’s decision on the Afghanistan War and anticipates the result of the troop surge there, I cannot help but acknowledge the veracity of these words.

The Iraq War has ended. The war in Afghanistan is very much on. One in Iran looms.

People dying virtually every day in Pakistan. Radical religious monomaniacs wrapping themselves in dynamite and blowing up innocent people. Maoist violence in India. Thousands vanquishing as a result. LTTE insurgency in SL that lasted decades, killing thousands. Genocides in Tibet. Israel-Palestine conflict. Iran-Iraq War. World War I, World War II. The list is endless. The casualties uncountable. The destruction unfathomable.

US may come back blaring the victory trumpet from Afghanistan but they’d forever remain leery of the Islamic nations. Who knows where the next threat could come up from? Iran for one surely hates the American guts. On the other hand Taliban could win the war but what can they possibly do that would make their people's lives better in the face of sanctions and isolation from the rest of the world. They'd then look for a new target to vent out their anger/frustration. Either way the war won't end.

If the Maoists’ secessionist tactics work and they get autonomy would they be able to prosper severed from mainland India? What would Pakistan gain by accquiring control of Kashmir when they can't do anything for the well-being of its people. No one is going to budge and only a few more million are going to die.

Obama posited in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, "For make no mistake, Evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler's armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda's leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force may sometimes be necessary is not a call to cynicism -- it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason."

This is perhaps a Commander-In-Chief justifying his war with glib speech or perhaps this is an erudite man making a very profound statement. Take your pick. I think it is the latter.

What a conundrum we are in. War is necessary for the upkeep of Peace.

New generations living in fear. Children struggling in refugee camps when they should be in schools building their future. Fathers burying their young sons. Ailing kids. Mothers with nothing to feed them. Houses razed to the ground in the calm of the night. Nothing but mere rubble on the streets. Nothing but mere pain in the heart. We better get used to this.

Oh and btw, a Happy New Year to All !!

Sachiiiiin....Sachin !!

A billion prayers go up to the heavens whenever he walks into bat. A billion heads come down in dejection whenever his wicket falls. They dance deliriously when he flicks one past square leg. They chant cumulatively when he puts one past point. And the opposition watches wistfully when he plays the trademark drive.

Sachin’s 17000 ODI runs couldn't’ have come at a better time. I had been itching to write for the last few days but nothing fired my imagination till his innings of 175 this morning. I knew a post on Sachin would come sooner or later on my blog as he is one of the very few men who I admire and idolize. Today it is then.

I am going to eulogize him unabashedly in this post. So if you are not a complete Sachin fanatic like I am, this post is not for you :P I'd probably not say anything that has not already been said but this post is my 'two cents'.

From the day he was hit by a Younis bouncer and batted on with a blood stained shirt to the day he mauled the Aussies in Sharjah. From the day he smacked Akhtar all over the park to the day he gave cricket its most poignant moment (when he scored a century against Kenya coming back from his father's funeral). The 'Little Master' has gathered accolades unparalleled by any one else in the cricketing world.

Barry Richards has called him ‘Cricket’s God’. And God he is indeed.

The highest number of runs in both Tests and ODIs. The highest number of 100s in both Tests and ODIs. It doesn’t get any better than that. He is the absolute BEST. He IS the GOD of cricket. Period.

What’s remarkable about the man and the thing that I personally admire the most is that in spite of these histrionics he is still as humble as a child. Never has he got embroiled in any unpleasant incident on or off the field. Even as far less cricketers have instigated him time and again he has maintained his calm. Be it the overly-aggressive/abusive Aussies or the extra-zealous Pakistanis. They have all tried to disconcert him on the field with unkind words and gestures. But he has never stooped to their level. I think this comes from the fact that deep within he knows that he is far better than anyone else on the field. Far far better. So much better that no one even comes within sniffing distance. He sure knows it. He doesn't show it though. And that's what's great about the man.

The same bowlers’ appreciation off the field is testimony to this. Have a look here.

Needless to say young cricketers can learn a lot from him. His impeccable technique, unshakable concentration and unquestionable dedication. But more than anything else they can learn humility and dignity from him. They can learn how not to let success get to their heads.

I could go on and on till the time hell freezes over. I guess even beyond that. Such is his stature.

The world would applaud adoringly when he finally decides to leave international cricket. That is if ever it happens. I along with a billion others would wish that day never comes !!

I'm gonna shout till my throat goes hoarse "Sachiiin...Sachin" !!!

P.S. I know I have used a lot of superlatives/exaggerations/timeworn-cliches here. But then whats love if it's not corny ;) And we all love Sachin. Don't we ?!

Streets of Philadelphia !!

So this weekend I saw the movie ‘Philadelphia’ for like the tenth time. I loved it for like the tenth time. Having seen it numerous times already, I don't really know why I decided to watch it again. Maybe I was caught up in a little nostalgia. Maybe I was missing Philly too much !!

Some of you may have seen the movie. Others may have not. To those of you who have not, I’d suggest you watch it at the first opportunity. To those of you who have, you’d know what I am talking about.

Tom Hanks is remarkable in the movie. I think he gives his best performance here. He plays the role of an AIDS afflicted patient with the sangfroid of a Sachin Tendulkar batting on 99. His portrayal of the battered Andrew Beckett is exceptional. If God himself were to come down and play the role I don’t think he’d be able to a much better job. Hanks makes you feel his pain vicariously. He makes you believe that the pain is real, the anguish, the desperation is real. To put it in broad strokes, he's done a tremendous job and I can’t think of anyone who would have done it better. Watch the clip above and you’d know.

A little about the movie now. Hanks works for a law firm and is one of their most promising attorneys. But he’s sabotaged by his employers when they find out that he's carrying AIDS and is a homosexual. More than the infection it's his sexual orientation that his employers can't handle. From there on, it’s a tale of Hanks’ struggle against this discrimination. Also about the change of heart that Denzel Washington (Hanks’ attorney) goes through during the case. How he goes from being a homophobe to pulling all stops out to win the case for Hanks.

The movie was ground-breaking when it came out. AIDS and homosexuality were things that were not talked about overtly. Making a mainstream Hollywood movie on those issues was a gamble. But it paid-off. And since then many directors have followed suit.

A slight digression. Well, not really !! I was in Canada some time back and witnessed a gay parade in Toronto. Thousands thronged the streets cheering those who were part of the procession. The crowd was celebrating and rejoicing with them. Some of the crowd was there to merely look at the cavalcade of oddly & scantily clad men /women. But I'm sure there were many who were in attendance to support 'Gay Rights'.

When I think about it I feel that the gathering there was a perfect microcosm of our society. Through the years some have come to accept homosexuality while others have not. And they won't. Some go to the extent of labeling homosexuals as 'criminals' (like many of my countrymen). Not too long ago I read about the furore in India over a High Court ruling that decriminalized homosexuality.

We as a society, you an me have certain ethos, at times certain religious beliefs that preclude us from accepting the behavior and lifestyle of homosexuals. They are different from us in their sexual preferences. Perhaps its not possible for us to respect/accept that. But there is one other thing that we can inculcate. Tolerance. We don't have to embrace them or champion their cause. But we don't need to cringe at them either. We don't need to ostracize them. Just as we tolerate people from different religions (or do we?), can't we tolerate people with sexual orientation different than ours? Think about it. Imo they HAVE to be given the same respect as anyone else in the society but tolerating/accepting them as part of the social milieu would be a start.

"Respect" and "Tolerance" are the keywords here. And the good thing is that the latter can occur without the former. Don't approve/respect their behavior if you can't. But don't loathe them too.

At a time when we have countless other problems like poverty, nuclear armament, pollution & climate change in the world, should homosexuality be our biggest concern ?! Lets take on the other issues first and then worry about a guy/girl who sways the other way.

I end with the most eloquent defense of tolerance and freedom that I have ever read.

"I disapprove of what you say but I'd defend to death your right to say it" - Evelyn Beatrice Hall

Lets try to do that !!

P.S. Two dedications this time ;)

First one is for my 'Big Bro'. Its his birthday on the 6th. Funny thing with him. He doesn't seem to get older, he just gets wiser :) Have a great day broda !!

Second dedication is for a my good friend from Pakistan, Aatir, who recently informed me that he's getting married come February. His temporary insanity of love is definitely curable by marriage ;-) Dude, just hang in there till then :p

24 Till I Die !!

Yes, I want to be 24 till I die. 18 worked alright for Mr. Adams, but I'd prefer to be a good 6 years older. He had his reasons, I have mine.

When I was 18, I was in the second year of my college. Even though my parents have always been of the 'unstinting' and ‘he’s the youngest, let him spend as he wishes’ kind, I was still cash-strapped on most occasions. Now money is not the most important thing in life. I know that. People say it's Love. And I agree. The unfortunate thing was that I was in love with money...too many things to buy, too little money at hand. Now, that I am 24. And working. Well, yeah you infidels ! I am ;) And doing decently well at that. Staying in one of the costliest cities of the world, the money is still not enough for all the things that one could want, but its way better than what it was when I was 18. Whole another thing that I don’t desire a lot of things now. At least not the ones that money can buy. Refer 'Dad, I’m a Socialist'. So, there we go.

TwentyFour 1 – Eighteen 0.

Having broached the topic of ‘love’ in the very beginning let me take it a little further. Love of the lucre has been right up there on my list. Not far behind is, yes you’ve guessed it right, Girls. And mostly girls older than me ;) I still remember the time when I went absolutely crazy for a girl, only to find out that I was 18 and she was 21. I also remember that damsel-in-distress who I wanted to be the rescuer of. Sadly I was 20, she was 23. If I had a dime (even a cent) for every time this has happened, I would easily beat Warren Buffet to be the richest man around. Sigh... So as I was saying, due to this age barrier I couldn't hit on these swans. Well now that I am 24, I don’t have that problem any more. 24 is the perfect age. Anyone more than 24, I don’t want to hit on them anyways. Anyone less than 24 is now fair game !!

My four elder sisters are going to come after me with large steak-knives if they read this, so if this is the last post you see from me for a long time to come, please be the good samaritan and inform my parents. They’d appreciate it.

TwentyFour 2 – Eighteen 0

Another thing that I love about life at 24 is the freedom that I have. This partly stems from the fact that I am staying alone now. Since I'm away from my family I can be my own master. Stay out till late in the night, sometimes till early morning. Have a few beers here, there..everywhere!! The party just doesn’t stop. Needless to say I couldn’t drink when I was 18. Plus staying with my parents didn’t help. I remember cutting short many an outings with friends after getting a call from Dad demanding that I come home immediately.

TwentyFour 3 – Eighteen 0

3-0

Now that’s a margin comfortable enough to win a soccer match. And if it's good enough for my deities then it's good enough for me !! I have a few more reasons but they'd all come out in good time. Till then, Keep it real!!

P.S. This post is dedicated to my sister whose birthday it is today. Happy Birthday Sistah ;)

The Smile Train

A ‘Smile’ is a small word but a it has big impact. In spite of knowing its importance, how seldom do we use it !! Frugal as we are with it, imagine the plight of those who cannot afford one.

Imagine not being able to smile at that special girl you see in the hallway each day. Imagine not being able to express your happiness at the gift your boyfriend just gave you. Imagine not cracking up at the funny antics of 'Laurel n Hardy' or 'Tom n Jerry'. Imagine not being able to smile ever in your life. Scary, eh? Maybe now you’d not be so stingy with those smiles.

Still there are countless kids across the world who live through this all their life. And the cause of their affliction are 'clefts'. Clefts are pandemic in many developing countries of the world. Millions are suffering with unrepaired clefts. As a consequence of these clefts they cannot speak properly. They're not allowed in schools and lead a life of isolation, humiliation and abject misery.

Yi Yun, a small girl in China lived through 11 years of this. Abandoned by her parents, unable to communicate and tormented by the society, she led a life of neglect and despondence. For 11 years she had no friends, for 11 years she was alone. Really alone !! But her life changed. The Smile Train arranged a cleft surgery for the girl, after which she was able to go to school. With training she also started to speak coherently. Some of her first words were a ‘Thank You" to her sugeon.

This is one of the numerous stories that I have received in emails since last summer, the time I had made a small contribution to the organization. The surgery didn't just put a smile on her face, but it puts a smile on my face ever so often.

I got an apartment recently and would probably get a car sometime soon too. As have most of you. These things make us happy and that's what they are meant to do. But its something that’s a given every day of our lives. Every time I’d get into the car, I know it’d give me pleasure to drive it around. The leather upholstery, the mean speed it gets to in 6 seconds, the awesome stereo system and what not.

But the kind of smile that the The Smile Train gives me is so much better. In fact it’s the best because it catches me off-guard. There I am going through the motions of my perfunctory life, oblivious to the fact that there is life outside work and in comes this email with a picture of a kid whose life The Smile Train changed. Sometimes it’s the only sunshine I see during the day. Never discount the element of surprise :)

Friends, if any of you would like to make a contribution please check out this website. You can make a one time contribution or a monthly one. That's my ulterior motive of writing this piece anyways. Also, it would be great if you could share the website's link with your friends.

The Smile Train

info@smiletrain.org

You can contact me too if you'd like any other information about the same :

vk.singhh@gmail.com

I exhort you to make this investment. The ROI is great. I can bear testimony to that ;)