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.