Life lessons

What I've learnt in life,
Might not amount to much.
But this I know is true
A good heart is never wrong,
Is not a sign of weakness.

What I've learnt in life,
Might not amount to much.
But this I know is true
To love with all your heart,
Is not a sign of weakness.

What I've learnt in life,
Might not amount to much.
But this I know is true
A smile on your lips always,
Is not a sign of weakness.

What I've learnt in life,
Might not amount to much.
But this I know is true
A kind word and a helping hand,
Is not a sign of weakness.

My conviction in the power
Of goodness, kindness and love
Of friendship, warmth and comfort
Of support and loyalty
Is not weakness of spirit.

It is not easy to love always,
Hate can be so simple.
To be unflinching in support,
To know what the other needs,
To give and not expect anything,
To defend and not demand.

People who know me, who care for me,
I know I exasperate them.
To them I'm probably naïve
Setting myself up for a fall
For a breakdown I'm sure they think
I'm ill-equipped to handle.

But they forget that they care for me,
Because I care too, I love too,
I support too and also defend.
I may be naïve... yes
But is not a sign of weakness.

You are what you believe yourself to be
How true that is; I know it better than most
I stand here because of the love,
Because of the support and warmth I got
My friends... you gave and I took
And the same I give back to others
Surely that wasn't weakness then,
How can it be otherwise now?

Closure

Today I feel light
A weight has lifted off
No longer am I in your orbit
You no longer matter to me.

Today I feel I will sleep
Like I used to before we met
No longer will you haunt my dreams
You no longer matter to me.

Today I feel I have
Possibilities of a thousand kind
No longer will I doubt myself
You no longer matter to me.

Today I feel I can
Think of a life beyond you
No longer am I dependent on you
You no longer matter to me.

Falling out of love

It was so easy to get out
Why did I ever doubt
That you would mean nothing
Just when I thought we had something.

You did the chasing
When I was ripe for the taking
You wooed me with your charm
But it was only doing me harm.

I believed 'cause I wanted to
There was nothing you really had to do
Haunting me ceaselessly like you did
Your true intentions well hid.

But now I know better
Now I am wiser
It took me a while to get here
But I no longer fear

Of what I will do without you
But if your love were indeed true
I would be shedding tears
Instead my heart is full of cheer.

Your loss not mine, I say
Please let it not end I used to pray
Now I think of you not
And it is much easier than I thought.

Falling in love

To be in love is lovely,
To be separated is not.
To talk to you is exciting,
To keep quiet is not.
You not being with me,
Creates doubts in my mind.
What if you stopped loving me?
That thought I like not.
You're the best thing to happen
You said to me.
The same is true for me too,
You not being in my life...
I hope that happens not.

The burden of being Pep Guardiola

He invited journalists to “kill” him if Bayern were tossed out of the Champions League. Whether someone will actually call his bluff is besides the point. But if you are Pep Guardiola and managing one of the biggest franchises in football currently , then you are forgiven the raves and rants....upto a certain point.

Having had a decent enough career at Barcelona as a player, and then tasted phenomenal success as manager of the same team, you have had greatness thrust upon you. A lot is expected of you, and you have just got to deliver. There is no satisfying your fans, your supporters with mediocre performances. After all you did win the coveted treble with Barca, didn’t you? How difficult would it be to replicate this success at Bayern with players like Müller, Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Robben, Ribery?  Child’s play, more like it.

Except it hasn’t come up roses for the youngest manager in football to win the Champions League.

He was brought up at the famed La Masia, under the direct tutelage of the late legendary Johan Cruyff.  He imbibed the concept of ‘Total Football’ at the feet of the master, winning the European Championship in 1992, consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994, and was team captain from 1997 to 2001. In 2008 he returned to Barca as manager and won the treble. In 2009, he became the first manager to win 6 trophies in a calendar year. Two more La Liga titles were added to the kitty in the following seasons (2009-10, 2010-11). In the 2011-12 season although Barca started strongly, they ran out momentum mid-way. The Catalan fans screamed for someone's head to roll, and in 2012 Guardiola announced that he was stepping down, citing tiredness and extreme stress.

After a sabbatical of a year, he took over as manager of Bayern Munich in 2013. The team was a star-studded one, and with the signing of Mario Gõtze in the same year, and Robert Lewandowski in 2014 it seemed that they were invincible, and only a matter of time before silverware was accumulated.

This is where the tapestry starts to unravel. Bayern have surely been Bundesliga champions 25 times, and twice since Guardiola took over. But other honours especially the Champions League (they managed to reach only the semi finals in 2013-14 and 2014-15) have remained out of reach.

It is indeed a mystery to all those who consider Guardiola the best manager ever why this has happened. The philosophy and the work ethic remain the same. And as he now prepares for his new role in a more competitive, more volatile league the clouds of doing have surely set in. Is he setting himself up for a greater fall? It would be a terrible state of affairs if he were to “fail” at Manchester City, a team that has not looked like the EPL champions they were in 2012 and 2014. With the cool unflappable Pellegrini at the helm, they are currently at the number 4 spot with 64 points, with 2 more matches left in the current season.

It is obvious that the powers that be at Manchester City have high hopes of their new man. Guardiola does have the stuff in him to take them to great heights. It now remains to be seen how the new season will be played out. Leicester, Tottenham, West Ham and Liverpool are all enjoying a new lease of life. Derby rivals Manchester United have a plethora of fresh legs on their roster.

Can Pep Guardiola re-invent himself and the team? His fans, both past and prospective, certainly hope so. He will definitely add to the excitement that has shaken the EPL out of its stupor.

An interesting sub-plot is that all the top contenders are being managed by non-English managers, and all eyes are now on the new entrant.

He once famously said, “That’s the beauty of sport. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry.”

We all hope, Señor Pep, that it is the former and not the latter scenario come the new season.

A big thank you to Trupti Desai

As a woman in India in these times, I must say I feel a sense of relief, a sense of being protected; in fact I feel like all the problems of being a woman in India are finally over.

There will be no more rapes, dowry deaths, discrimination at work, no verbal or physical harassment, female infanticide – it is going to be safe to travel alone at night. I can wear short skirts or dresses and know for sure that I will not be subjected to whistles or cat calls. I know that girl children will be given education at par with their brothers, and subsequently allowed to work outside their homes, and will not be married off at a young age, and become mothers long before their bodies and minds have had the time to develop.

And all of this has become possible thanks to our new Messiah, Ms. Trupti Desai. You see what she has achieved in the last couple of months is going to revolutionize the lives of women in the country.

Because as every male in India knows all our problems began around a 100 years ago when it was ordained by our Hindu culture that would women would not be allowed inside certain temples in India.

And so started every woman’s worst nightmare. The rapes started – the most widely known assault on a woman’s honour, Draupadi’s ‘cheer-haran’ must surely have taken place soon after the first time she was turned away from entering a temple.

Similarly, female infanticide, neglect of the girl child, gender discrimination were merely consequences of this one edict.
But now that we women can enter the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar, and they are saying we will be allowed into the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, I know we are finally in safe hands.

Once a woman is able to enter these temples, be she a woman whose farmer husband committed suicide, or a woman being harassed for dowry, she will not have to worry about how she will raise her children with no money, or where her poor parents will bring the money to fulfill the promise of dowry. Because Ms. Desai has assured us what women need now urgently is to be able to break down these age-old traditions.

By being able to enter these temples, women will not have to work twice as hard, in the workplace and at home, trying their best to be a consummate professional and an efficient wife and mother.

There will now be more girls taking part in sports – what Sania Mirza and P. T. Usha couldn’t bring about with their own achievements. Because after all we can now go and pray at these temples – whether we want to or not. Of course if you are among that part of the woman population who still refuses to enter these temples, it is only because you are mired in years of superstition and tradition.

When you are being handed the access (pun definitely intended) to a new life how dare you continue to be a prisoner of your upbringing?

So thank you, Ms. Trupti Desai, from the bottom of my heart, for changing the lot of women all across India. I am sure the next time I am in a crowded bus or street and being groped I will not feel terrible about it. After all, access to Sabarimala is just round the corner, right?
And oh yeah, if I get passed over for promotion only because I am a woman but infinitely more productive than my male colleagues, I can always pray at the Shani temple and all my problems will be a thing of the past.

All the widows and families of the farmers who committed suicide in your home state of Maharashtra and other states have you to thank for all the good times that are sure to come their way now.

Jaime Vardy: Rise of an unlikely hero

At a time in their careers where professional footballers take stock of their future, in terms of playing time, fitness and earnings, a new story is being written.

It is the story of the rise of a team and a player, an unprecedented rise, a complete turn-around from playing in the B division to heading the Premier League table.

Jaime Vardy, hero of Leicester City F. C., is rewriting history and so is the club. It's a case of David vs Goliath, and as underdogs, both player and club are enjoying their moment in the spotlight.

The top 4 spots in the English Premier League has been, for the last few years, dominated by Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. These clubs have had managers who have carved their names in the history books.

And precisely for this reason it is particularly interesting that Leicester F. C. has as manager, Claudio Ranieri, who was once fired from a previous outing as manager of the Greek national team for poor results.

Jaime Vardy learned his craft at Sheffield Wednesday, his local club, and at the age of 16 years signed on with Stockbridge Park Steels. Impressing talent scouts for other teams, he ensured his steady climb across the other English football divisions by playing for teams like F. C. Halifax Town, Fleetwood Town, finally arriving at Leicester in 2012.

That first year proved to be a disaster that left him questioning his future as a player, to the extent that it needed a lot of persuasion from the team management for him to commit to continue playing.

It was a wise decision all around, because the new season turned out to be Vardy's breakout year. He became Leicester's most prolific scorer, with them winning the Football League Championship, and earning a promotion to the Premier League.

The following year, 2014-15, Vardy's performance ensured them a relegation-free spot in the League table, finishing at number 14. On the personal front, Vardy won the Premier League Player of the Month for April 2015. He was also included in the English national team for the first time, and although was only brought up as a substitute, he justified his inclusion by scoring for his country in 2 matches in 2016.

In the current season, Vardy is the architect behind Leicester's astonishing climb to the top of the table. His flexible ability to play as both midfielder and striker ensures that he is either scoring or setting up assists for other players like Mahrez and Kanté to score. In Claudio Ranieri's words: "He has great intensity, great concentration. He's got a strong mentality and never gives up. He's an inspiration with the way he is because then others believe."

Tenacity and grit...those are the two adjectives that come to mind when one sees Vardy weave his way around the field, outfoxing opponents (pun intended here as Leicester are known as 'The Foxes'), and finding the goal. Coming from a working class background, he has not had the benefit of a football academy like Leo Messi, but like Cristiano Ronaldo, he has put his heart and soul into the game. And all that hard work has put him in top of the pedestal.

With 19 goals (and counting) this season for Leicester, Vardy is certainly a late bloomer (like Salvatore Schillaci for Itali in the 1996 World Cup), but he has come into his own as a player and team leader, leading by example and inspiration to a whole new generation of players and fans alike.Leicester, Vardy is certainly a late bloomer (like Salvatore Schillaci for Italy in the 1996 World Cup), but he has come into his own as a player and team leader, leading by example and inspiration to a whole new generation of players and fans alike.

He's already been called England's great hope for the upcoming Euro Championship. Take a bow, Jaime, you've certainly earned your glory and honours.

The League is still up for grabs, although Leicester is enjoying a 9-point lead over Tottenham Hotspurs, ranked second in the table. There are 6 more matches to be played, and as the British have long displayed an affinity for the underdogs, it is ensured that new admirers along with die-hard Leicester supporters will be cheering them on....hopefully all the way to the podium for the lifting of the Cup.

And no one would contradict me when I say that it'll be a victory most justified.

Xavi Hérnandez: The maestro of tika-taka

"Like so many of the players, I started at La Masia at the age of 11. I can't ever imagine not playing for Barcelona, let alone not playing soccer for a career. I don't ever want to play anywhere else."

-- Xavi

The shouting of the crowd rises to a crescendo "XAVI! XAVI!" Xavi Hérnandez is waiting to take the free kick. The ball soars over the wall of players attempting to block it, and curves with a will of its own, and neatly finds its way into the goal, just out of the grasp of the goalkeeper.

He wakes up with a thudding heart, eyes shining in the dark. He knows it was just a dream, but one that would soon come true.

Xavi Hérnandez Creus, known the world over as simply Xavi, was born on January 25, 1980 in Terrassa, a suburb of Barcelona. It is inevitable that this will affect the way he grows up - living and breathing football. His family conversations are mostly about football - they are true culés - they don't know to be any different.

Xavi grows up, as does every little boy in the area, dreaming only of playing football. There is never a thought of any other choice. His biggest blessing - the club he revers more than anything right at his doorstep; it is also his biggest challenge - how to get be so good that he can get into La Masia.

It doesn't turn out to be so difficult after  all. He is born with such talent, and the hard work that he puts in, ensures that he enters the Academy in 1991, at the age of 11.

By this time, the late legendary Johan Cruyff has already graced Camp Nou twice - once as player and the other as manager. He has established the concept of "Total Football", where every player in the team moves around the field not adhering to rigid positions, that has been seen in trading football playing till now. He is also instrumental in establishing the La Masia, the Barcelona Youth Academy, where Xavi learns to perfect his style of play.

He makes his debut for the 'A' team in 1998, scoring his first goal in August of the same year. However, it is not for his goal making abilities that he makes his mark.

His greatest achievement is in orchestrating the game on the field like a music conductor. The way he creates opportunities for players like Henry, Messi, Villa, Fabregas. In his own words, "I look for spaces. All day. I'm always looking. All day, all day. Here? No. There? People who haven't played don't know how hard that is. Space, space, space.....I see the space and pass. That's what I do."

And what a dancer he is with the ball literally glued to his feet. The tiki-taka, the entire philosophy of that style of play... he owns it. 

But the Barcelona philosophy of humility also keeps him grounded. He is one of the few players who has never received a red card in his entire career. He's down to earth beyond imagination, letting his talent on the ground do the talking. 

He is also the most respected player, not only in the FCB dressing room but also in the Spanish national team. Along with his long time friend Iker Casillas, the Real Madrid captain, bitter Barcelona rivals traditionally, he maintains equilibrium in a team that has strong nationalistic tendencies. Both Casillas and Xavi are honoured with the "Prince of the Asturias" award by the king of Spain himself.

He is also the player to win the most trophies...28 and counting... than other player. Yet he is first to heap praise on other players; one of the midfielders he admires most is Paul Scholes; coming from Xavi it is high praise indeed.

To his legions of fans however it is of absolute disbelief that he has never won the Ballon d'Or despite being nominated 3 times. However for Xavi the fact that he got to live that little boy's dream is his greatest achievement.

In the words of Pep Guardiola, "Xavi is a player who has the Barcelona DNA, someone who has the taste for good football, someone who is humble and someone who has loyalty to this club. From the first moment I saw him play, I knew he would become the brain behind Barcelona for years to come."

Words cannot really capture the talent behind the man; they seem superfluous in the face of such greatness.

Ballon d'Or winner or not, Xavi is undoubtedly a legend in his way....a role model revered by the players he has left behind in Barcelona, and for an entire generation of aspirants in La Masia and other countries across the globe.

An homage to the Messi(ah)

"I don't need the best hairstyle or the best body. Just give me a ball at my feet and I'll show you what I can do".

- Lionel Messi

The man held his son's hand tightly, trying not to let his anxiety show. They had travelled a long way, armed with only his intense conviction in his son's ability. The promised land lay ahead, either their fortunes would be made or their hopes dashed cruelly to the ground. Either way, the man thought, as they walked out of the airport, they would have given it their best shot. Only time would tell if his gamble would pay off.

Thirteen year-old Lio was taking in the sights of the new city, filing every new thing in his memory, so that he could tell his mother, his brothers and sister when he returned to his hometown. Of course they would return, and soon. Why would they want to live in a big city, where people seemed to be in a great hurry to get somewhere, as if they'd lost their way... like the ants in his backyard.

The next morning they arrived at the football stadium, where a group of young boys where already in the middle of a game. Charly Rexach, a friendly man who had met them in Rosario, their hometown, gestured to Lio to join the game. The moment he let go of his father's hand and stepped onto the grass, all his apprehensions faded. He confidently tackled the ball passed to him, and with an agility and speed in one so young, he criss crossed the field, leaving his tacklers behind, scoring with ease. This was to become a common sight in a few years.

Rexach looked at the other men with him, and introduced the lone figure who had been watching his son's magic on the field, " This is Jorge Messi, and that little magician on the field is his son, Lio".

Had it not been for his growth deficiency problem, would the world have known about Lionel Andres Messi, 6-time Ballon d'Or winner? Would he have stayed on in Rosario, playing for his beloved team Newell's Old Boys? Would there have been millions of frenzied fans across the world passionately arguing about the beauty of his left foot and Cristiano Ronaldo's right? Would FC Barcelona be the club it is today...feared, fearless, envied, untouchable by even the best teams in the other football leagues?

Maybe, maybe not. His beginnings in Barcelona seem like a fairy tale... the third son of Argentine factory workers impressing the mighty FCB to sponsor his treatment for growth hormone deficiency. But it is a decision that landed FCB the best player in the world, who has won plenty of silverware for them, who owes the club his utmost loyalty.

It is true that FC Barcelona has been a force to reckon with even before the arrival of Messi into La Masia, the famed school that has churned out gems like Pep Guardiola. Luis Enrique, Xavi Hérnandez, Andres Iniesta, to name a few.

Then what is it that has these two intertwined.. their glories on the rise since  2006. The club has long boasted world class players in their ranks. But with the coming of age of Messi, FCB has become seemingly invincible. Is it due to the ease with which they win their matches or is it the complete cohesion with which they play, giving the impression of being one mind one unit.

And that one mind surely is Messi's. He commands the field like a Colossus, directing the passes, gauging the situation and taking advantage of the opportunities presented, giving life to the coach's strategy. It would be difficult to envisage Barca without Lio, the two having been synonymous for so long.

The heights of success to which Messi has taken Barca sounds almost too good to be true...seven La Liga titles (and in the running for an eighth), four UEFA Champions League titles, three Copa del Rey titles. With him FC Barcelona has become the only club to win the treble twice.

But what makes him truly unique, what resonates with his die-hard fans is his child-like delight in the club's victories, his ashen-faced countenance at unbelievable losses, his speed, his sharp reading of the situation inside the goal box, his inclusion of every Barca team member, his selflessness which prompts him to assist others with goal opportunities, the quiet man happy to let his on-ground activities speak to him.

Detractors are many though...and in my personal opinion they are wasting their breath...with no dearth of topics highlighting Messi's failures or shortcomings. The top two debates are a complete waste of time: a) Who is better - Messi or Ronaldo? and b) How can Messi be the best ever if he's not done for country what he's achieved for club?

The first, is without doubt, completely insulting and totally unfair to these two phenomenal players. Both have different styles of play, different roles in their teams, but the rivalry between their fans seems to have caught on at some level in the players' own psyches, each trying to one-up the other, each pushing the other to further heights of brilliance. Instead of arguing, let's just sit slack-jawed in front of our TV sets, as these two magicians mesmerize us on a weekly basis.

The second, seems on the face of it, to be a valid point raised by football pundits.  However, the onus on winning the Cup should not rest on Messi alone but also on the other players like Sergio "Kun" Agüero, Angel diMaria, Higuaín, Otamendi, Rojo, Lavezzi, DiMichelis, Mascherano, Zabaletta, Dyabla, Pastore...are they not contributing mightily to their respective clubs? Yes they are. Are they playing at the same level for country? No they are not.

So why is Messi's name offered as bait? Why is he alone labelled anti-national? The coaching staff and entire team have to sit and work out ways to stem this unfortunate situation

People who know Messi have vouched for the fact that the lack of a World Cup title rankles in his mind..in 2014 they reached the finals only to have their hopes dashed by a lone Mario Götze goal. And he has said that he would willingly give up his titles for that one elusive cup.

What a blessed lot we football fans are...to live in an era studded with such  players, whose love for the game comes through every time they are on the ground, whether playing for club or country.

Why is it then not enough to avoid such negativity from the beautiful game...to take a leaf out of Messi's book and exult with that unadulterated joy that radiates on his face, commiserate with the runners-up and come back the next week with renewed optimism?  (After all, we Arsenal fans do this week in and week out, don't we?)

The 13 year-old boy has surely come a long long away, amassing accolades, wealth and a fan following that would make anyone envious. Did he know when he left his beloved Rosario and his family that one day the world would know him simply as Messi? All he wanted and still wants is to play football. And what a legacy it is...impossible to emulate certainly in this lifetime. He's a gift that keeps on giving to this world.

The Messi(ah) of football, the most famous no. 10 in the world, the creator of wondrous passes, the gifter of mouthwatering goals....has many years and much more football left in him. As if to reiterate his love for his homeland he has hinted many times that he'd like to retire in Argentina...millions of fans are already praying he does so with both the Copa and FIFA titles on his shelf.

Tennis: A dedication from a lifelong fan

“Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.”
- Billie Jean King

My first memory of watching a tennis match was Björn Borg playing Ilie Nastase. I saw the match on a black and white TV, complete with grains; the match did not make sense to me. Two tall men hitting a little ball across a net, crowds cheering wildly sometimes politely, my father sitting at the edge of his seat. And I couldn’t even pronounce the names, let alone spell them.

Then maybe a couple of years later when I could read, the names John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors came into play (pun not intended). Although the game still didn’t make sense, I did manage to develop a crush on McEnroe, the brat of the tennis world. I would support his ravings, his rantings, his verbal abuse of the umpires, the smashing of rackets.
But the game, rather its existence was firmly seared on my conscious mind.

Those were the days when tennis was ruled by Borg, McEnroe, Ashe, and Connors ably challenged by Vitas Gerulaitis, Guillermo Vilas, John Lloyd, and Peter Fleming. Borg was the “ice man” from Sweden, the cool unflappable gentleman, the classicist, his style sending fans into raptures. The contrast offered by McEnroe was extreme; he was rash, loudmouthed, unpredictable, irreverent, and yet somehow cool.
McEnroe finally took over the No. 1 spot from Borg, though he had a worthy opponent in the indefatigable Jimmy Connors, yet another unpredictable, loudmouthed player. And yet they instilled the love for the game in the hearts of fans everywhere. Serve and volley was the way to play the game – nearly every player in the top 10 were proponents of this kind of play with their special skills added in.

And although not all matches or tournaments were telecast in India, there were still enough to whet the appetite.

The 80s saw the arrival of the Swedes into the world of tennis – Stefan Edberg, Mats Wilander, Anders Järryd, Joakim Nyström - to name a few. It’s interesting to see how in every decade there have been extraordinarily good players from a single country. For example, if the 70s were dominated by the Americans, the 80s definitely belonged to the Swedes. There were also very good players like Kevin Curren, Pat Cash, our very own Ramesh Krishnan, lest you think that tennis was played only by a few people!

But of all the Swedish players who made their debut at the world stage, Stefan Edberg remains, after Borg, the most respected and beloved. Graceful, cool as ice, stylish, he was a worthy successor to the great man from Stockholm.

He took over from John McEnroe, but this perfect scenario was shaken by Ivan Lendl, one of the greatest Czech players ever. Lendl was pure hard work, his grouchy demeanour, however, not winning him too many women fans. Between Edberg, Lendl and Wilander, one could be guaranteed a real entertainer of a match.

And then on July 7, 1984 everything changed and that too at the most classical Centre Courts in the Slams – Wimbledon. An unseeded player Boris Becker became the first German and the youngest player to win at Wimbledon. He brought with him a giant serve, earning him the nickname “Boom Boom Becker”. My second crush…I admit I still have a soft spot for the guy.

Ivan Lendl did offer stiff competition, as did Goran Ivanisevic, and Frenchmen Henri Leconte and Yannick Noah, but for a time it was the Boris Becker Show, till the arrival upon the scene of a completely unassuming man, Pete Sampras.

Sampras, one of the greatest players of this era, had the most unlikely persona needed for a champion. He wasn’t the glamorous type, not flashy, no chocolate good looks, but he was pure god-gifted talent. His laidback approach was as misleading to his opponents as to the hordes of tennis lovers across the globe. He also led a fresh stock of American blood into the tennis world – Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Micahel Chang. Among them they dominated the game till the 2000s.

I must admit, here, to liking Agassi more than Sampras. Agassi was the guy with the heart of a lion, talent infused with hard work. It wasn’t hard to feel sorry for Agassi who gave his all to his matches, as Sampras took every title he possibly could time and again with seemingly little effort. (No crush there though, and I can feel a few people wanting to ask the question: are you a lover of the game or do you watch it for the guys? Well...duh...both...why can’t it be both? After all the guys do watch the ladies play, and it’s not just for the game…we all know that! Double standards, as always.)

I still have a huge respect for Sampras – 14 Grand Slam titles - whose achievements paved the way for the next champion, and a fan of the great Sampras himself.

I talk about none other than the legend himself - Roger Federer; in my view the greatest tennis player yet. I know a lot of objections will be raised, but frankly no one can argue away his style, his grace, his unflappable nature, his forehand, his backhand, his humility…you get my drift. In short (sorry to disappoint you guys) my feelings for Federer border on reverence. Pukish yet, anyone?

This is yet another player who makes it look so easy, so simple, you wonder why you aren’t out there hitting balls across the net. But then that’s what makes champions – the ability to not fold under pressure, the level-headedness needed at crucial turning points, and of course the ability to hit winners even on an off-day.

In the present era, we tennis fans are blessed to witness not only Federer, but Rafael Nadal (another lion-hearted player and Federer’s fiercest rival), Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. And what matches they have given us….surely a just reward for supporting and adoring them?
In all my musings above, one might ask the question, and justly so, if tennis is just a man’s sport. I mean, I haven’t mentioned a single female player till now, have I?

The answer is of course, no, tennis is not just a man’s sport. We have had the pleasure of watching many lovely (and not so lovely) ladies over the years…champions, great fighters, delicate-seeming yet with a serve that makes you wonder where that strength came from.

The legendary Billie Jean King (the only woman with an arena named after her), Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Gabriela Sabatini (which guy hasn’t had a crush on her?), Maria Sharapova, Anna Kournikova (the only tennis player known for purely looks and oomph), the extraordinary Williams sisters (Serena and Venus), and last but definitely not the least our very own Sania Mirza, who has shown all her detractors that you cannot break the spirit with inane objections like religion, and length of dress (could anything be more ridiculous).

And I haven’t even mentioned the Indian contingent (the Amritraj brothers, Ramesh Krishnan, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi), who in various decades, have made the Indian flag soar with pride, and Indian hearts swell with patriotic spirit.

But it is not because they haven’t been great, but it’s just that the sport has been dominated by players from the Western world. We can only hope that kids from India take Sania as their role model; that sports in India will someday be free of political interferences; that Indian parents will understand that sports as a career is an option too.

We are a country of more than a billion people…we are a sports loving nation, we have had great role models in almost every sport, and yet when it comes to encouraging our child to pick up a bat, a racket or kick a ball, we are scared that he or she might not concentrate on studies, and become successful.

I can only thank god (and I hope some of you will agree with me) that Borg, Becker, Sampras, Federer et al were supported by their parents, otherwise this article would not have been written. Jokes apart, I bow my head in respect to the many greats who have entertained us on the tennis courts over the years, both champions and runners-up. To play in front of millions, to hold your head up high in defeat, to dissolve in tears when holding the trophy…there are life lessons here…and as a fan of the sport I look forward to many more matches and players.

The burden of being India

"India is my country. All Indians are my brothers and sisters. I love my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage. I shall always strive to be worthy of it. I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect and treat everyone with courtesy. To my country and all my people, I pledge my devotion. In their well being and prosperity alone lies my happiness. Jai Hind."
,
- The National Pledge of India

When Pydimarri Venkata Subba Rao wrote this in 1962, he had no idea it would eventually be adopted as the National Pledge. In fact, it is said that he realised it had become so only after he heard his granddaughter reciting it.

Such simple words and yet so full of lofty intentions. Simple promises so easy to keep. But when an Indian student recites this in his or her school, do they pause to think about what it is they are saying?... what are they pledging to do?

I don't think so...it is a case of parroting this just the way we all recite the National Anthem, or the National Song.

And since it is so, we have spectacularly failed to instill in our children the values we "pledge" to uphold.  We, none of us, were ever explained the meaning of or reason for reciting the pledge. And what we weren't explained we couldn't pass on to the next generation... and so the dichotomy continues.

Just read the words and you'll begin to realize their improbability. The sheer burden of these simple words are heavier than that of Atlas.

We may say that all Indians are my brothers and sisters but do we ensure safety for our women? The number of rape cases tell us that we do not. Women face harassment and humiliation everyday...be it at home, at the work place, on the streets, on public or private transport. We have to constantly prove our worth, justify our existence, all the while juggling multiple roles, and we are expected to do a fantastic job.

Are we really proud of our rich heritage and culture? Because if we did we would not deface the numerous historical monuments that make India an interesting tourism destination. If "athithi devo bhava" is indeed our philosophy, then why are we so disrespectful of foreign tourists... women and men alike? Why do we misbehave with the very people who respected our country enough to come and see its wonders? Why do we cheat them, make fun of them, lech at the 'gori chori', try to take their money and leave them cursing the day they decided to come and see "Incredible India"?

If we are really brothers and sisters, why so many riots? Why this need for reservations? Why do we court the backward castes only at the time of elections? Why not do away with this wretched caste system that gives the general masses the right to play judge, jury and executioner? Why can we not employ or honour a person solely on their merit? It would at least curb student suicides and associated political dramas.

And do we treat everyone with respect? No, we do not. We have been so unjustly treated by our rulers that we feel justified in taking out our frustrations on all around us. Our elders, our teachers, our peers, even our children and parents. If it were not so, how do we account for the rampant child labour, girls sold into prostitution, growing number of old age home, beggars on the roads, dowry deaths, honour killings...the list is exhaustive and exhausting.

We are divided into so many factions...religious, caste-based, political...that we have become immune to each other. The sole purpose of living seems to being successful at everybody else's expense.

Why go to places of worship then? Why behave like hooligans in the name of these very gods before whom we prostrate? Do we not see the irony in our behaviour? When we show off our material possessions, are we not being bad role models to our children? And by polluting our cities, are we not turning them into patients and shortening their life span?

It is still not too late, you know. We can instill in our children a sense of pride and a sense of ownership. We are born in this great nation of ours...a nation that has never tresspassed onto a neighbour's land...a nation full of wisdom and spirituality...a nation that gives to us in the form of agriculture, industries, verdant forests, the wide rivers that have seen countless generations pass by.

If we are as educated as we take pride in declaring, if we are born in this nation, why do we denounce it on foreign soils? Why do we not champion it's limitless opportunities, its varied heritage, its wisdom, it's ability to embrace foreign cultures and give them the space need to grow and thrive? If Indians denounce their own country then who will speak in its favour?

How can we look at ourselves in the mirror and not feel the shame? How did we bring ourselves down to the level of squabblers, killers, rioters?

Why not give each other a helping hand and feel the pleasure when their faces light up? Why not defend one of another faith and come closer to the God. Almighty who had created us all?

Because only if we do that can we really justify reciting the National Pledge. Otherwise, we might as well do away with it, get rid of the pretense of being a civilised people, and definitely do away with the holier-than-thou ailment we all suffer from.

Jai Hind.

Ode to friendship

"Trust is hard to come by. That's why my circle is small and tight. I'm kind of funny about making new friends". Eminem

Let me say at the outset that I never thought that I'd ever listen to Eminem.. let alone quote him. But if a friend you trust tells you there's merit in listening to Eminem... well then you listen to him..and quote him.

But here's the thing...I would have agreed with him a couple of years ago. But not anymore.

My friends circle has been very small..I too don't trust easily, and I was doing just fine with the two I had. And then a third friend just happened... when I was least expecting it.

And unlike the other two, this one just came in and threw the way I looked at things off kilter. And I started to look at things differently. I slowly started to look at everything from all kinds of perspectives.

Going through the worst phase of my life, I clung to the three of them like white on rice. And they let me...held my hand, bolstered my sagging spirit, spoke encouraging words, gave me tough love...the last one was the most needed  one...the one that toughened me up. The saying...and I'm paraphrasing here...about true friends telling what you need to hear and not what you want to hear...is so very true.

I was hiding from the world, licking my wounds in private, blindly going through the motions, introspecting a lot, slowly gaining my confidence, like a fledgling with one wing out of the nest.

The need to prove myself... to myself, and my loved ones...made me desperate at times. Countless hours I spent wondering whether I should just quit, forget about it, or gird my loins and take that first flight out of my insecure world. My friends sustained me through it all, and applauded my efforts, gave me suggestions, nudged me when I went off course.

And they gave me my confidence back... and some new friends. New friends who took on my case like determined soldiers, merely on the words of the mutual friends we shared. These new friends championed my cause, working in the background, to make sure I succeeded in my quest.

Suddenly there were cloudless sunny skies, where there had been a gloomy outcast; a hint of hope in the air, where there had been stifling silence. Suddenly things started to look up, and I rode on that wave of hope.

And rediscovered some old friends, who welcomed me back into their warm embrace, with nary a thought of my earlier extended silence. The outpouring of joy from that quarter fuelled my flight even more.

It is heartening to know that it doesn't matter what you've done...or not done...to the people who actually care for you. Yes, the need to prove myself is what is keeping me going, but it is also the assurance that there is this wonderful cheerleader squad on my side.

God does work in mysterious ways...an altogether too often used statement.. a cliché I had taken for granted...till now. I do not take anything for granted anymore.

A supportive family is the safety net around us, and this net is made stronger by friends....the net is made stronger by friends...and I'm saying this twice to drive home the point.

And blood may be thicker than water, but its water that quenches parched throats. And there is no ego where friends are involved. You are simply you, you are not the result of your education, job, automobile, mobile...to your friends you are the goof who makes them laugh, the one who gives good advice but refuses to take his own, the one who gets tricked into sponsoring a beer and pizza party.

So when with a friend...leave your ego outside the door. Listen, watch and speak...to what they say, why/how they say it, and more importantly what is being said.

And never ever think you can impress your friends with your salary or your job. I know I cant, I got here because of them, and I owe them my unflinching loyalty and friendship.