M.S. Dhoni Who?

I grew up during the greatest era of Indian cricket. As a kid, I remember hearing about (cable T.V that used to broadcast cricket matches, came much later in my life, hence I cannot say seeing) exploits of Sachin Tendulkar. I did get a chance to watch the highlight or even watch him play live on T.V in one of the grocery stores near my home. My only question to my friends if I missed the match, the next day was, Sachin ne kitna mara? (How many runs did Sachin score?). That is all that mattered. Sachin Tendulkar carried the entire Indian team on his shoulder. Sure there were other great batsmen, bowler, and fielder, but no one commanded the game as Sachin did. Whatever has been said or written, is and will never be enough to capture the greatness of Sachin Tendulkar. The free air national channel used to broadcast test matches and that is how of I came to know about another great batsman, Rahul Dravid. Rahul Dravid is known for his extraordinary patience during the critical juncture of a match. Rahul Dravid is an epitome of discipline, determination, grit, and class. I remember countless matches where Rahul Dravid walked in during the critical stage of the match and took Indian team to winning side. No matter how tough the situation is, Rahul Dravid took his precise stance, sweat dripping down from his nose and forehead, tap the bat with determination, wait for the bowler to deliver the ball and execute a textbook shot. V.V.S Laxman was another great batsman, known for his timing and wrist work while playing shots. The 376 run partnership against Australia between Rahul Dravid and V.V.S Laxman went in the cricketing history as one of the greatest batting performances.  

In midst of this riots of class, timing, perfection, and elegance, enter Mahendra Singh Dhoni. With his long colored hair, unusual stance and unorthodox shots made him look like an imposter in between these great batsmen. That was the time when Indian team was looking for a permanent wicketkeeper and experimented with a few of them and M.S Dhoni being one of them. He was supposed to fill in for Rahul Dravid, like I mentioned earlier, an exemplary batsman and also a great wicketkeeper the job he carried out with great aplomb. With so many experimentations happening with this position, I assumed Dhoni will also be one of the experiments and would vanish soon. He played well against Sri Lanka scoring his career’s highest run. Later on, he was made the captain of India's T-20 cricket team which went on win maiden T-20 world cup. I was not a fan of T-20 matches and strongly believed performance in that format, hardly reflects player's potential.

M.S Dhoni made a steady rise in Indian cricketing team, scoring the match winning runs, taking crucial wickets behind the wicket. Dhoni apart from his cool-headed approach during the critical stage of a match is also known for his humble background. Belonging to a middle-class family in India indulging in sports to make a career out of it is usually frowned upon, Dhoni took Indian team to a different level. Under his captaincy, India won all the three major ICC trophies, T-20 world cup, one-day world cup (and when I say its world cup, the matches are really played between different nations to win it, unlike Super bowl), Indian team ranked number one among all test match playing nations. Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India became a match-winning team, not the one that used to struggle to win or try desperately to stop the opposition from winning, rather an imposing and dominating team which made opposition to sweat hard to score a run or to take a wicket. Dhoni believed in his instinct at a critical stage of the match and taking decisions based on clear understanding of the match and the situation.  Dhoni’s contribution to Indian cricket is and will remain unparalleled for years to come. Now that he has retired from test cricket and relegated himself from captaincy, his role is more that of a guru who is passing on his knowledge and wisdom to the current captain. Like any mortal, he had his bad patch, where he struggled to score run at a required rate, but he as always remained sharp behind the wickets. But, we have critics in India, who are not professional, they have hardly contributed anything to Indian cricket team, they do not know whether or not they will get a next (paid) interview, but they assume that they know when a great batsman/ bowler should retire. Like any other great player Dhoni is being scrutinized by the “critics”. Some people asking for his retirement with a great conviction. These people fail to realize that Dhoni’s best performance is based on his best decision-making skills and wouldn’t he know when to decide to hang up his boots? There are debates going in which people are weighing in their opinion that is not even worthy of a rupee. This entire debate surrounding the retirement of Dhoni or criticism of form, made me realize the simplicity of Dhoni’s captaincy. It made me realize some people they are so good at their job; it makes people think that the job is easy. That anybody could fill in their shoe. It makes them take the greatness of a player for granted. It makes them put the person on a surgical table and try to dissect the performance that is not even easy to comprehend, forget about dismissing it. And like any great player, Dhoni is also going through the phase of unsolicited criticism. The day when he will retire, I am sure there will be a page full of ode dedicated to him from the same lesser known player, critics, and media itself.

I wanted to write this article about Dhoni, when he still in the game, when he still sure about his performance, for if he had an even tiny bit of doubt he would have not waited. But for most importantly, I wanted to express my admiration for him when he is playing for the team when he is being criticized. I did not want to write this article after his retirement, out of impulse, out of outburst of an emotion which I am sure everyone will have when he announces his retirement. Dhoni did not shatter records like Sachin, nor did he made prolific record like him, Dhoni did not time have temperament of Dravid, nor his shot selection, Dhoni did not have wrist movement and leg-work of V.V.S Laxman, but Dhoni had determination, ability to the read the game, he knew the importance of being cool-headed for making critical decision. Dhoni is the common man of Indian cricket team who is extraordinarily good at his job. Dhoni will remain an inspiration for generations to come, for them it will be hard to believe that one man took his to team to the pinnacle of success, but we will be there to tell them that it is true, that he did win all those tournaments and we watched it happening, at our home, at a grocery store, through the glass window of a T.V. showroom, listened intently over the radio and that we were in awe too!

The Scene That Invoked Patriotism In Me

A young couple visits Kashmir valley, during the period of insurgency. The male protagonist is kidnapped by a terrorist group and would be released only if the government of India releases one of the terrorists. The story of  both male and female reflects the life any normal Indian citizen. The female protagonist struggles to get political traction to get her husband released. When, the Indian government refuses to release the terrorist, that is when this scene is filmed. As a kid of hardly 3-years of age, I did not have any idea about the nation, state or patriotism. I knew the colors  present on my national flag and did drew some using crayons. But the importance of it never occurred to me. So, when the news reaches terrorist's camp that their fellow militant will not be released, one of the terrorists,  takes out the Indian flag to burn it in the woods. Seeing this, the male protagonist, breaks open the door, and plunges on the national flag which is set on fire, without slightest hesitation of burn or injury. And that is when I asked my Mom, why is he trying to extinguish the burning flag? That is when I was told, that the national flag should be treated with utmost respect, that it should never be thrown on the ground or burned. The scene of selfless act of bravery to save the national flag was so strong, that to this day I still remember the moment when I first saw it and I still get goosebumps when I watch it over and over again 

The Scene!

The Thing!

I left my hometown, Bhusaval, ten years, four months and  20 days ago. And it has been a very long, tortuous journey since then. Not to mention full of adventure and making good friends throughout. My first stop after venturing out of my hometown was my alma mater, Garware College's hostel. Like everyone else I was confused about what  to do in my life. I was restless, rather I would say that was the beginning of the state of restlessness for next ten years or so. At first, the restlessness arose because I did not know what to do with my life. The first year and first semester proved to be highly unproductive and which set the trend for all the first academic semester thereon, be it masters orPh.D. It took me while to figure out which branch of science I like the most. I always had an inclination towards Physics, since high school, but I never thought about pursuing it as a career. Besides, during this uncertain times, I met and attended seminars of people from various background. One day I would be passionate about life science, the other day I would be passionate about politics and dream  about leading a revolution in my country. With such a broad spectrum to choose from, I felt like leaving it up to destiny or whatever to figure out itself for me. My interaction with undergraduate Physics professor left a lasting impression on my mind about physics in particular and science in general. I started applying for the summer internship on his encouragement and while applying for an internship, I came across a very exciting field of Nanoscience. That is it! I decided this is what I want to do for rest of my life. This is the "thing" I was looking for. But to pursue Nanoscience, I need to pursue a graduate course from one of the most expensive colleges. So to do that, I had to earn and save some money to kick start my graduate degree. Working at fortune 500 company was an amazing experience. But again I was always restless. I knew this is not what I was going to do for rest of my life. I had a great time there, but at the back of my mind, I used to always think about what next? And how? Once I started my graduate studies, I grew restless about getting hands on experience and I started looking for summer and winter internship. Once, I started "doing" science I realized, this is the "thing" I needed. But even that did quench the restlessness in me. During my research project, I realized it is not enough. I need to do more. Maybe pursue Ph.D. And then began another phase of restlessness in my life. What should be my area of research? Where should I pursue it? How to initiate the process? U.S.A That is it. That is the "thing". But to go there I had to earn some money again. But, luckily this time I got work at I.I.T and in the field that was not related to my interest, but it was Physics, which was great. I had a great time in Delhi, met amazing people, had an opportunity to hear great personalities give a talk. But, even during these great moments, I was restless, because I knew this is just a transit, not the destination. I finally got acceptance and arrived at the U.S.A. What now? I have been restless for so long, that it became my nature. It took me some time to realize, that I don't need to be restless. I am in a place and position to do research peacefully. Fulfill the objective of my research, But, at the same time I also realized, this restlessness is what drove me so far. It made me go from one place to another. The more I ventured out, more I came to know about myself. Now without the restlessness, I feel empty and aimless. Restlessness is the "thing" that is missing. I am looking for the "thing" that stays with me. That, no matter what happens, gives solace to me. It should remain in one corner, unperturbed. The anchor. What is that thing? Glory? Achievement? Person? Position? Content? AAAARRRGGGHH! Am I just getting restless again to find that "Thing"

The Bumpy Ride!

First thing first! Buy a car! The day my U.S. visa got accepted, I started looking for the used cars sitting in my lab at IIT-Delhi. I came to know through multiple sources that buying a car in the U.S is pretty easy and not an expensive deal. I looked into various website and calculated that with the stipend I am going to get and amount of money I am going to save, being such a teetotaler (that was sarcasm BTW), I can manage to buy a car within three months of my arrival in the U.S. 

Looking back at those days I realize how naive I was to assume that my stipend is enough for sustaining, and saving a huge amount at the same time. I totally forgot to factor in the expense of my course fees, weekend parties and, of course, hogging food at various restaurants. The need for buying a car diminished when I started getting free rides. But, when that stopped and winter came, the desire to buy a car grew stronger. I then realized that I do not have learner's permit at first place. After failing the test in the first attempt and then rescheduling the test for more than 15 times (I won't reveal the exact number to save myself from further embarrassment!) I finally got the learner's permit. Later on, I came to know I haven't used my credit card for sufficient duration to reflect my credit score, which did not allow the banks to approve the loan. Once my credit score was up, which was, well, like any other score I secured throughout my life; terrible. Once my credit score improved , I could secure a loan and zero down to a dealer and vehicle I wanted to buy. I went to 3-4 dealer, drove 3-4 vehicle and finally zeroed down to one I felt like having when I was test driving it. So, I got the loan, I got the car, problem solved, right? No! 

My car being towed!

This was just the beginning second phase of my problem. At first I did not have insurance, well, which I had it in a couple of days. Driving without insurance was not a big problem as compared to driving without a license. I had to wait to get the tag for the vehicle and wait for more than three weeks to get an appointment for my drive test. Finally, when the test date was nearing, my car broke down! That was the mother of all problem. That weekend I spent looking for various mechanics, watching videos figuring out what is  wrong with the car etc. Finally, on Monday morning I had my car towed to the mechanic. Meanwhile, I borrowed  my friend's car for the driving test, which I failed, not once but twice. Finally, when I got my car back, I took it to the dealer to have it tested again to make sure everything is fine. And then, finally I cleared my drive test and got my license, after more than 45 days of buying/driving of the car. Now, finally I can take pleasure in driving my car, with my favorite music playing loud in the background. The independence that comes with having a car is unmatched, and, of course, the expense is unmatched too, but worth it. I sometimes indulge in driving without destination, through the countryside, downtown during late night, expressways, just to experience the feeling that I have always imagined while looking for a car in the corner of my lab at IIT-Delhi.And yes it is same like I had imagined! Pristine! Amazing!

Gandhi!

The name that is known by the entire nation and most of the world. One of the great souls who preached and followed the path of truth and nonviolence who also  played a pivotal role in India's independence movement and most importantly upliftment of poor, socially backward and victim of India's age old cast system.

The name "Gandhi", being synonymous with truth and nonviolence, is also invoked during election campaigns to make  rhetorical statements and  show false allegiance to truth, non-violence etc. We as a school going kid always came across his philosophy and his trials and triumphs with the truth. On a personal note, I have always had a very unclear opinion about Gandhi. When someone is called "Mahatma"  you expect them to be perfect in every way and assume their decisions are perfect. However, the word "Mahatma" takes away the objectivity and makes us either a blind follower or a sharp critique. Maybe I was disillusioned by the word "Mahatma" and stopped looking at him as a normal human being, hence lost objectivity. One of the statements we frequently come across is "is Gandhian values still relevant in today's  world. And most common responses are either; it is relevant now more than ever or in today's globalized world, Gandhian values have no place. What exactly are Gandhian Values? Truth, non-violence, upliftment of poor, social inclusion, compassion? What is so new about it? What is so "Gandhian" about it? Have we not come across the importance of truth, non-violence, compassion through our age old scriptures of various religion? Is it not something taught to us when we were  kids by our parents, our teachers? What did Gandhi teach us  that was completely new? To quote Gandhi himself "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both on as vast a scale as I could" Then how come we always associate truth and non-violence with Gandhi? Why is Gandhi considered to be the epitome of compassion, honesty, and simplicity? Maybe, during the course of our history, we forgot those value. We forgot we need to be compassionate towards fellow citizen irrespective of their cast and religion. And Gandhi through our freedom movement invoked these principles.

Why this blog? I have been thinking about "relevance" of Gandhian philosophy and I came across a very nice article in National Geographic Magazine. The authors of the article traveled across Gujarat (Gandhi's native state) to see where Gandhi resides in today's world. Though I have been reading about Gandhian philosophy, it has always been reflected as something, very naive, and one who follows it cannot survive in today's world. Of course, this a parochial way to look at something that has a far-reaching implication. The article also spoke about the  people who are working towards the upliftment of lower caste, developing villages, educating and empowering women, building schools, lowering infant mortality rate and so on. And people who were working in these areas are mostly student from Gujarat Vidyapeeth, students who still use spin wheels to stitch their cloth. Who, still, believe in non-violence. How could they achieve so much in terms of rural development, women empowerment, and poverty eradication? These students, not only learned about Gandhian philosophy, they also practiced it, by being compassionate towards the fellow citizen, being truthful towards their objective. Over the course time, we forgot about being compassionate, the rat race created by capitalism has made us more selfish and less receptive towards social problems. I have always wondered, what is my role towards the society I live in? How can I contribute towards the betterment of less fortunate people? But this always has been a fleeting thought. I could never act upon it. With so many events happening around and with my own trials and triumphs, which is so overwhelming that these thoughts always takes the back seat. The article in NatGeo has at least forced me to introspect about Gandhian value and its relevance. Compassion is something, that is there in each of us. However, in the race for our own survival, we tend to forget about fellow human being. One of the students, who devoted his life to developing a village, made a parting statement "still so much has to be done". And that made me wonder, is one lifetime enough? But, with collective effort, nothing is impossible. Like, in the field of science, with the collective effort we have achieved so much in such short span of time if we could start a revolution for societal transformation that would be far more rewarding than any of the technological achievements. 

P.S.  "If you're a Gandhian, you don't just preach, you do" ~ P.V Rajagopal