OBAMA - GO BACK

If any person ever managed to secure the attention and adulation of a billion people for managing to sell them a dummy, it has to be the President of the United States - Mr. Barack Obama. Touted to be the most successful visit to India by an American President ever in history, Obama’s visit to India has defied all precedents – the media attention, the itinerary, the agenda and the eventual outcome – no American President has ever managed what this Afro-Asian Harvard Law Graduate has.

All through his 3 day visit, the President focused on striking a chord with a billion Indians and even the most miserly man in praise cannot refute the fact that Obama has managed to win hearts of a majority of Indians. Be it his graceful speech in the Parliament or the interaction with the students or his visit to Mani Bhavan or a impromptu jig with the children – Obama has endeared himself to the ever-so naïve and gullible India people who are accustomed to being hoodwinked with alarmingly frequency.

What our people, mesmerized by some unparalleled oratory skills failed to catch the America-centered propaganda and endorsement of unilateral interests! All the hue and cry about the bi-partisan co-operation between two humongous democracies, one financially, the other demographically is a well concocted masquerade, behind which was hidden and stealthily executed agenda that’s advanced America’s interests. Not for a moment did the President manifest a modicum of concern or interest for the core issues grappling India. We don’t want the American President to be a panacea for our problems. We are not freebooters. There are no two ways to the fact that it is the attest duty of our elected representatives to steady our ship, which for now, seems a merely academic. What we legitimately want is a fair give and take, both sides equally weighted. When one talks of strategic partnership, there ought to be perceivable and tangible exchange and not just prejudiced hoarding.

In addition to the immaculately worded flattery, cautious jibes at some neighbors and some symbolic visits, there is nothing tangible has accrued to India from this hyped visit. It seems a tad bit far fetched to subscribe to Obama’s advertisement of India being a employment generator for America. If $ 800 billion of Quantitative Easing (a euphemism for controlled inflationary pressures to be directed to emerging countries so as to catalyze exports) and $ 750 billion of T.A.R.P. (the aggregate of which can account for India’s Budget for a couple of decades) could not create adequate employment, it is not easy to understand how can business deals aggregating to a paltry $ 50 billion, estimated to create some 40,000 odd jobs help a country where 70 million citizens are registered unemployed and habituated to unemployment cheques being delivered to their house. In the background of the political drubbing the Democrats are facing back home, this ‘made-to-be achievement’ is perhaps a thread for the Obama administration to hang on to and even claw its way back into the Senate, whose control it has lost.

As a matter of fact, it takes no great story telling to mislead America. A populace that could elect George Bush to the White House on two occasions is way too credulous to not be conned by the mantra of ‘change’. Had the President been less stone-walled than he is, he’s perhaps see that America is gearing up to change the President. Playing the loyal complement, the Indian government has made no small of the President’s assurance to support India’s claim for a permanent seat on the UNSC. It seems very ill-conceived to be so amused to be part of an organization, whose terms are dictated by a country who, which on its laurels of a war won a few decades ago, pampers its ego by frequent reminiscences of the extermination of a populace. What the Indian government has not yet understood is the tacit military commitments that shall accompany the seat as a non-negotiable rider. Where out armed forces seem far too under-equipped, ill-trained, unmotivated and unorganized to counter internal Maoist rebellion, it makes neither strategic nor common sense to consign to the sacrificial altar, lived on underpaid soldiers. It is no picnic to walk into countries bombed to stone-age, struggling with civil unrest and fanatic groups ambushing armed forces. On one hand, there is lure of war-planes can that are faster than the speed of sound, the other hand, more realistic, screams of our inability to fly them for want of simulation training.

An Indian government, desperately clinging on to power because of a weak opposition would serve itself better to train its energies on the core issues intimidating the stability and progress of the country. In a game of ‘scam-a-day – have you made it large?’ it makes more sense for our enforcement agencies to mitigate the consequences of ubiquitous and institutionalized corruption, whose extent can be conceived by fantasy.

The speech addressing the specially convened joint session of Parliament was perhaps the most ‘Indian’ speech after ‘the tryst with destiny’ recited by Nehru. Surely Obama’s poise and choice of words gave a surge of patriotic adrenaline to all those who listened to it. The point still remains, amidst all the symbolism, rational sensibilities have been imploring for a semblance of substance. A promise to support claim to the UNSC ‘as and when the time and circumstances so justify it’ does not qualify to be substantial by even the most generous interpretation. I beg to differ with those who think otherwise.

The youth of our country seem to be bowled over by the interactive session in the most prestigious college in the city. What my fellow friends have failed to pick up is the gray matter. The overly cautious use of words on jihad, a ‘beating around the bush’ answer on Pakistan should not have gone down too well with them. Accepted that you cannot crucify a person for an unofficial statement, you also have got to accept the fact that there cannot be a diametric difference in a person’s mindset in an official and unofficial. The US President’s idea of India being the captain to steady Pakistan’s rollicking ship seems t be a consequence of intoxication. In a country where terror is the biggest employer, illiteracy is the most common qualification, brain-washed youth the most freely found commodity and military rule the only solace to prevent capitulation under a people-elected spineless government, it makes neither strategic nor diplomatic nor economic nor common sense for us to meddle in their affairs.

As Nehru said, the time has come for us to redeem our pledge, lest we be too naïve, our pledge cannto be self-immolation!

The Beautiful Game

Just as the world senses it ending, it is here ... of all World Cups in recent times, this one has written stories that find their ways into history books .... if for nothing else, we will have a country that has never lifted the FIFA WORLD CUP ever before ... of that, we have a team that has never reached the final before this and the other which has had to give up TOTAL FOOTBALL to get here, after 40 loooooong years ... over the last month, the world has seen MEN cry, MEN fight, MEN lose, MEN win and overall MEN play (i mean this not in a masochist way) .... we have the smallest minnows put their best foot front and stare into the eye of the storm... we have seen the biggest stalwarts meet their waterloo... we have seen character and grit win ... we have seen noise and flair being ruthlessly silence ... we have seen moments of madness, moments of brilliance .... we have witnessed adrenaline and we have witnessed subtle mind games ... the FIFA WORLD CUP has shown us all!! n if u havent seen it yet, u can c the winning captain take the trophy from NELSON MANDELA!! .... it cannot get bigger

One month after it started, you wonder how did it get over so fast ... but it has to ... 31 teams shall stand witness to see the other stake its claim to glory and adulation!! ... you may criticize them for being defensive, abhor them for not being attractive, but you cannot deny them the moment of reverence the world will generously shower on them ....

Never did i imagine girls would talk so knowledgeably of the game ... who imagined they saw football beyond cute players, hot enviable wags, and most of all - A SILLY GAME!! .... i am not saying they have matured out of it entirely (its cute when they do it), but you can be really happy when they talk of off-side rules, hand-balls, players like Yakubu and Yobo, Spain only passing the ball ..... most wannabe guys who know no more than Brazil need to read up internet sites to talk like that!!

From the qualifying build up to the grand finale, the FIFA WOrld Cup has been eventful in every way possible

France should never have been allowed to compete in the tournament ... from the time they qualified to the time they (thankfully) left South Africa, all that they did was to spoil the flavour of the beautiful game.... they needed two undeserving goals (one a clear offside and the other a CLEARER handball) to defeat a team that entirely deserved to fly to South Africa ....surely, the tears of the Irish players will haunt Domenech and his idiots until they lie 6 feet under a dumping ground ... from the time they landed at the airport in South Africa, they were all but distasteful .... the whimsical management of domenech, the confrontation of anelka, the town-crying of Evra ... it just doesnt augur well for a team .... for me, France should not be allowed to play for another 2 World Cups if the spirit of the game is to be kept intact!!

To meet France at the airport (after meeting them in the Finals 4 years ago), the Italians have eroded their respect reserves in a way that will need a couple of decades of repair!! ... it is indeed a sorrowful day in the history of a football loving country, where their players went down without a fight .... its pricks me to speak ill about the Azzurri, but they have done nothing that should deter me from speaking like! Post their appalling exit, Lippi may have made a feeble attempt to salvage some pride by taking on all the blame, but, for the record, he is responsible for the pathetic ad pitiable shape of the Italian football team .... his team selection has beat reason ... his faith in the old warhorses is unjustifiable ..... realistically, the Italians never looked like they'd mount a challenge to successfully defend their honor ... but they never even put up a fight.... it needed an over-dramatic reaction from Danielle De Rossi to get level with New Zealand, a team that was ranked a good 70 odd places below them .... 2 points out of 9 for th defending champions is preposterous ... a team led by a captain who cannot find a club in Europe, a team whose strikers didnt looked like scoring the the I-League, a team whose midfield jsut looked liek an assembly of monotony-laden individuals without Andrea Pirlo have rightfully exited early

If it just pricked me to speak with negative passion about the Azzuri, ti gives me immense pleasure to malign the the Three Lions who were no better than rats!! .... England for me were the most wasteful team that came to South Africa ... many argue that they met a rampaging Germany on the wrong day and maybe on another day, they would have put up a fight... the truth is, they played no better before that fateful day.... for their good fortune, the opponents prior to Germany were just not good enough to exploit the frailty .... a team whose captain was found in bed with his team-mate';s wife surely cannot play as a unit ... you can hire the most expensive no-non sense Italian coach with a stone face and an impressive resume ... but if he is inclined to believe that club performances would be replicated in the World Cup, then only poor quality opponents could defer the blushes!! .... excessive pressure on a 23 old striker who over-played himself in carrying the hopes of his club isnt really smart .... picking an old, heavy, slow-moving bull to shield him is the epitome of stupidity .... a captain who just tried to over-do everything after scoring in the first 5 mins can all but do nothing ... in simple words, England were JUST SHIT!!

For all those who recited the litany of experience need to run a search on wikipedia to know the ages of the German players.... a team that was written off even before the tournament started just proved the new mentality of a young team that dismantled teams who were superior on paper ... who knew Mesut Ozil??... who ever thought Thomas Mueller would be in the running for the Golden Boot??... who ever thought Miroslav Klose (after having the most dismal year in the running to the WC) would miss out on equaling or even bettering the record for the most WC goals only because of an injury in the last game?? .... who ever thought Germany were capable of playing ATTRACTIVE FOOTBALL?? ... we all heard and learnt about BLITZKREIG in history textbooks .... ths youthful team showed us what it looked like ... they surprised not only their opponents, who are still wondering what struck them, but had the world stand up and take notice!! ... when they went out to a tactically superior (but until then, plain lucky) team in the semi-finals, people actually felt bad .... its is a STORY for a team to evoke such reactions when they werent expected to go beyond the group stages!!

When one talks of Germany, it is jut complementary to talk of the ORANJE!! .... it appears to be an exchange of footballing styles between the two ... perhaps the most consistent under-achievers in World Cup football are on the brink of glory!! the exponents of total football have shown the world they can effectively play a game, devoid of flair .... it'd be grossly incorrect to conclude they are boring, but they are far from their attractive play ... call it what you may, they are here after 40 loooong years!! this is their MOMENT OF TRUTH .... if it doesnt happen now, i will never happen for a looooooooooooooong time.... seldom do you see Dutch teams characterized with discipline and industriousness and not easily will you see it again ... GO ORANJE!!

If you can see ORANJE, u inevitably gotta see the Spanish Armada .... the team which has gotten rid of all their regional differences and played as a team has for the first time, in their history, reached the penultimate step of the summit!! ....a team, where half of it players come from the world's best club (it is like a national team for Catalonia), the players looked very well knit, which is a luxury for Spanish coaches ... many may argue Spain are riding their luck and are here because one player has made the difference is wasteful quality of passing and poor finishing .... whichever way you look at it, you cannot morally deny their Golden Generation (you here this word about England too ... it is true only for Spain) of players a shot at the most priced trophy in international team sport!! now many hav perhaps appreciated the uncelebrated contribution of their coach!! .... the only man who had the rarest ability to have the likes of Zidane, Figo, Ronaldo and Beckham play in the same team has done an encore!! .... to be spoiled for choice is perhaps the most unenviable position to be in ... nonetheless, he has done justice to it and HOW!!

i somehow wanted to have this paragraph put under the one that spoke of Germany, but in a "best from the best" situation, i shall salute the Uruguay team ... before anyone starts cribbing about the modern hand of god, which i do not disagree was anit-sporting, i think we should spare a thought for the young player who could see nothing but his team being playing in the World Cup semifinal after 4 long decades... it may hav come at the cost of a team that had never been there, which was carrying the hopes of the entire continent ... barring that incident, Uruguay hav displayed grit and determination ... for a country with a population of just 3.5 miliion people, it is more than commendable to have reached as far as they did .... one man, single-handedly has carried the team to where it belongs - THE ELITE of WORLD FOOTBALL.... DIEGO FORLAN ... words fail to delineate the contribution of this man ... perhaps one of the greatest talents of his decade, who unfortunately timed his club football poorly has today stamped his authority .... be it his wonder strike against holland or his last minute strike against Germany that hit the bar, Diego Forlan has done everything that justifies his nomination as the Player of the Tournament ....being at the wrong side of 30, playing his last World Cup, Forlan has just silenced all his critics who dubbed him FORLORN!! ..... had i not a bias for the ORANJE and Wesley Sneijder, Forlan is my Player of the Tournament!!

And it is indeed befitting that the FAVORITES, who just managed to reach the World Cup, be spoken about at the end .... i am indeed talking about Argentina!! a team that could lend a few attacking players to others and still have sufficiently enough to substitute players at will tried doing it purely on adrenaline .... they never seemed to have put a foot wrong, until they saw some BLITZKREIG .... an eccentric coach (perhaps the greatest player of his time) who selected hsi team on dreams was all but exposed when he was tested .... nobody can take away the passion for the game from Maradona, but the World cup cannot be won purely on zeal .... it was heart-breaking to see Maradona cry but he did nothing to save himself the fate.... if you pick a player at 35, who 8 years ago was left out because he was too slow, you are perhaps living in ECSTASY!!

and just as the post-morterm, this World Cup has been the best ever for me....for the first time, i saw it with a new perspective, new horizons and new dimensions ... never knew players could be mean and sweet!! .... never thot a song like tshabalala-jabulani-vuvuzela-jabulena wold be the cutest thing i ever heard!! ... never imagined i'd actually talk of a game at the oddest hour when i spent most of time planning my future @ 40!! .... bye bye world cup.... i wish you stayed longer!!

Shree Vile Parle Kelavani Mandal’s Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics

“Five years ago, on 19^th July 2005, one student, having scored 87.06% in the SSC board, with a horizontally striped t-shirt tucked into his single colored jeans walks into one on Mumbai’s most celebrated college. Five years since, as he walks out, the only difference is that the same t-shirt is no longer tucked in. In the five years he spent in the college roll and two years physically in the campus, he met a lot of people, interacted with personalities he never imagined would exist, was smitten by the charisma of a few, came to detest a multitude and walk out of that place, with a head held high for all the five years have not made any significant compulsive impact on his intransigent mind.”

The experience of NM College has been a real roller coaster ride in itself. Perhaps there are not may facets of life that may come as a surprise to me after I walk out from here, or maybe there would. Nonetheless, I’d go as far as saying that the journey of five years is a sure precursor to the tour called LIFE! I dare not day that I haven’t gained anything from spending five years here, for that would be irrational vanity and I risk my blog begin for incorrect content. In fact, I have no moral right to say anything that suggests that the five years have been wasteful.

Certain crossroads and certain stops of the journey have been etched in my heart and come what may, they shall not be erased. During the five years, a lot of events and a few people tried to tell me lot of things I would never have conceived by myself. I listened to all of them, learnt from most of them, but haven’t accepted any of them.

Stop 1 - Professors

The professors in NM college are arguably the best personalities you would meet. For all that I am worth, I have seldom been belittled, but for the knowledge, intelligence, awareness and grace of these awesome people in here. All that you need to do is to be a part of the Planning Forum (Junior College) or participate in Youthfest or attend an I.P. lecture. Here, you will meet 3 women, in whose persona, you shall be seated with your mouth ajar. The mere exuberance and brilliance these women exude will make a lasting impact on your life.

Amita Vaidya – For me, she is the equivalent of the human form of God. A person who commands respect of the highest order with utmost humility – you will seldom see her speak more than required. Her intellect and grace is sufficient for anyone to take notice without she making any noise. Five years ago, in F.Y.J.C., G division, she taught Economics in the way nobody till date has. Five years since, I still remember most of it. I do not attribute this to me having a sharp memory, but to the passion and joy the Prof. Amita Vaidya shows when she speaks on the dais. Every word she uttered was like the Almighty narrating his own scriptures. Ever observer the smile on her face when a student question’s her. That day you will know what you mean by passion and love for teaching. Beyond teaching, a casual interaction with her is sufficient to tell you the practicality and pragmatism with which one ought to approach life. There is no scope for beating about the bush. There is no scope bragging. There is scope for only planned effective action.

Amee Vora – No less than a rock star, Amee Ma’am is the most radiant personality you will ever come across. Be it her approach to teaching in the classroom or the zeal with which she involves herself in Youthfest rehearsals, you will be amazed how can a person be so zealous after doing the same thing year in and year out, when supposedly young people like us get bored, feel uninterested, want a change of activity and atmosphere. There is no topic on which Amee Ma’am cannot have a more informed opinion on you. Just goes to show the inexhaustible reservoir of brilliance she is. I never in my wildest dream thought I would go to Mumbai’s most prestigious college festival, the best in terms of substance and quality and stand up to speak in Marathi, a language which I know, sufficiently well to only negotiate the Income Tax Officers and my neighbors, in front of people who excel at it. Coming out victorious from there was pseudo-optimistic. It was just the unexplored area that Amee Ma’am spotted.

Radhika Wadke – It is my hobby to pick up meaningful arguments with people. But it is fun to end up in a debate with Radhika Ma’am. The dimensions to the same topic she comes up with are unprecedented. Till date I thought psychologists are people who have nothing better in life to do, their life being so messed up that they go out to counsel and advice and study people. It is in her I saw a head-strong woman, with clarity of thought, self-defined parameter she would never breach and an outlook to life, which at least, can be termed interesting. Today I rue the fact I missed her lectures in plenty. No amount of cussing at myself can undo it!

Stop 2 – Umang

This is the only aspect on NM college is have come to detest with the fervor Nazis hated Jews. The entire set up is nothing but an assembly of children of rich parents, who think they are cool and above the others, but unfortunately fail miserably at even appearing level-headed. Umang is no less than an orchestrated pandemonium, which is completely devoid of substance, but is only noise! The concept of Umang is nothing but a vanity-filled, overly-funded attempt at trying to compete with Malhar. It is a different league altogether. Its like Indian Idol competing with American Idol! I understand I will have irked the ire of a few hardcore Umangites, but this is purely my opinion and I am in no way labeling or branding the event. I make no judgment, for it makes no sense to bang your head against a stone wall.

Stop 3 – Library

This is my second home. Given the choice, I would bar everyone from entering the place (not based on attendance of course) and stay in it myself. If today I feel a swell of pride seeing my ICAI rank certificate, it is because I spent 4 months in the quiet of the best library in Mumbai. I cannot forget the arguments with the watchmen for not opening the door at 8:00 a.m. sharp of shutting them at 6:55. They are my friends now. Lol! Today, as the maniac principal imposes some irrational barriers on the entry into the library, I actually feel so homeless. I say this not as an exaggeration, but as someone who is direly missing the calm and peace of that place.

Stop 4 – The TYPICAL NM-ITE

The sole purpose of his/her life is to have a 85%+ score in every exam attempted and tally the Balance Sheet. For whatever reason, you happen to have a non-academic book in your hand, you will be advised to instead read Ainapure or MICHAEL VAZ (this guy has some talent… can write on all subjects at all level) because that’s what’s going to fetch you MARKS! I have tried in vain to convince these people that scoring 84.9 % doesn’t not make you less intelligent or scoring 85.1% is no certificate of your brilliance. There is more to life than having an impressive academic track record. The people who claim to be the city’s best commerce student, and invariably end up pursuing CA are all at sea the first time they see a real Balance Sheet, something in which they have unparalleled experience. It doesn’t even hurt them for they have 85% in SSC and HSC and are from NM COLLEGE. Get a life guys! The college doesn’t make you. You make the college. Stop resorting to the brand YOU have created to save your ass!

Stop 5 - Hot or Cute Girls

The one place where NM is extremely scarce in resources is hot or cute girls. Five years have been like an agonizingly futile efforts to come across one girl who substantially satisfies the criteria to qualify as hot or cute. However, the biggest irony struck when three of the cutest in the college end up being your best friends!! :P (dont kill me for this)

Stop 6 – My BEST Friends

Friends are perhaps the best thing you can take from college. All said and done, its undisputable that friends are the most important aspect you need to feel belonged to a college, full of people, who are, at best, impersonal. There is a difference between acquaintances and friends you ought t draw. Maybe this is the first lesson in learnt from college. Until then, I treated all as acquaintances.

The NM college group on my cell phone has 213 contacts. A few more hundred, whose contact numbers I do not have. From all of these, there are just 4 people with whom I would want to maintain the equation I have till the last drop of blood in my body. It is not to demean or malign the others. I would not be audacious to assume such infernal impudence. I have had a lot of good times with them all and many of them have volunteered to go out the way to stand by me, whenever they felt I wouldn’t be able to go through something comfortably by myself. All that I am saying is that these FOUR people are those to whom I needn’t ever justify what I do, never tell them what I am thinking and these are the people who can blackmail me. I shall not name any for those who are the FOUR know it and for the others, I do not intend to give a free topic for gossip! The LITTLE ANGEL is perhaps surprised. The CHUBBY DOLLY BEAR and the CUTE DUDE WITH DOODH obviously know it.

As I just come out from nostalgia to reality, I would with all humility and the most meaningful words want to acknowledge the contribution of all NM-ites, directly or indirectly, which has gone long way in making me think more than once, if not influencing it greatly.

There is one thing I learnt in college – LIFE IS MUCH MORE THAN ACHIEVEMENTS!!

Barack Obama – “the last nail has been hammered”

The last time I wrote about Mr. Barack Obama, I called him ‘the last nail in the coffin.’ I was audacious enough back then, to be optimistic that the economic wreckage caused by this irrational head-of-state could be repaired. However, over the past few months, Mr. Obama’s irrationality has gathered tremendous momentum and the velocity with which his thoughts are taking shape of decisions, has driven the nail into the coffin.

About six months ago when I was apprehensive about the Obama administration’s approach to the recession, my apprehension just envisaged a possibility of the recession getting worse than it was. However, over this period of six months, the Obama administration has managed to come up with such jaw dropping decisions and policies that today we are on the brink of a “double dip recession.”

“Double dip recession” is surely an alien term for the U.S. President and understandably so. What do you expect from a Harvard law graduate, who is only capable of emotion-driven mesmerizing speeches that are verbal rhapsodies for connoisseurs of the language, but factually devoid of substance? For me, Mr. Obama is the best example for a ‘brawn over brain’ President.

A lot of people are perhaps ‘bowled over’ by the courage to take unprecedented and path-breaking decisions. If one remembers Mr. Obama’s swearing in speech, he emphatically stated in a high-pitch voice that “change is coming to America.” Little did we know that he would liken change to preposterous policy decisions. Nobody would have then imagined that ‘change’ would mean the ushering of the socialist ideals into the American system. If this toxic waste if not controlled, disaster of unimaginable proportion shall ensue.

The Obama administration came up with a $ 750 billion war chest called TARP – Troubled Asset Reconstruction Program. Another of those linguistic beauties that Mr. Obama is so good at. The abbreviation is very similar to CRAP and the concept too is no different. What sense does it make to pump in billions of dollars of taxpayer’s money into private enterprise and then suddenly asking them to pay-up out of the blue? If the argument for the sudden recovery demand is the apprehension of taxpayer’s money going bad, then the administration would have been better served not to have used it in the first instance.

Just when the economy showed signs of “stimulated growth”, CITI Bank came with quarterly losses running into billion of dollars. The only reason of the loss is the repayment of the TARP installments. If such repayment can plunge a profitable enterprise into a multi billion dollar loss, it needs no great economic acumen to realize that the recovery was conditioned.

We are living in an illusion of recovery, whereas the truth is we are sinking deeper into trouble.

All the billions administration has pumped to detoxify the toxic assets is all borrowed from China. The US treasury bonds are a major component of China’s foreign exchange reserves and the day the psychic Communists decide to offload their holdings in the open market, like how cow drops dung, the dollar value will plummet to blood-curdling levels. This is a possibility created by the sheer genius of the Obama administration.

Change is coming to America. This change is what we surely do not need.