2011: Of turning 18 and..

Status of 2010: Successful. Wiser. Smarter(!). Fatter.

Resolutions for this year:

To get a backstage entry into a Victoria’s Secret Angels‘ show.

Love the parents.

Pass out respectably from the School, and get into a decent college.

Get laid before turning.. 18?

Learn to cook.

#4 Again. (Wait, you were not numbering these commandments?!)

Unsubscribe all the useless magazines that I don’t even have the time to read.

Make some real contribution and help the needy. Yes, I will finally seed my torrents!

Won’t judge a book by it’s cover.

Become friendly, and stay in touch with all of my friends! And make some new ones too.

Will give heavy metal one more chance.

Will curb my desire to troll, and be nice. Or nicer.

And see all the Movies that are stacked up in my computer hard drive.

And, and write more frequently on this Blog. Say it with me – Alas!

And, and, and be happy.

Oh, also Happy New Year 2011 to all of you who read that shit. Any help in achieving all these aims is welcome.

 

P.S. : Sorry for the self-indulgence, freaks. Ah, nevermind..

P.S. II : I only have 278 days to carry out #4. Shucks.

The Women’s Reservation Bill & The Women in My Life

Fourteen years after it was first tabled, the women’s reservation Bill – which faces stiff opposition from regional outfits that depend on caste vote banks for political survival – looked set to be passed fairly easily in the Rajya Sabha yesterday when the BJP and the Left pledged support. Both these parties must be commended for displaying exemplary bipartisanship on such a nationally significant issue and we hope they will remain steadfast in their commitment. But as was proved yet again yesterday, one can never underestimate the resolution of parties like the RJD, SP and BSP to employ any tactic possible to stall the progress of the women’s reservation Bill.

When outnumbered, legislators from these parties resorted to unruly obstructionism, which increasingly seems to be the preferred mode of expressing dissent at the highest platform of our democracy. The RJD and SP have withdrawn support to the government, a choice they are entitled to. But they have no right to create a ruckus in Parliament, wasting precious business hours funded by taxpayers and holding the nation to ransom. The hooliganism we witnessed yesterday underlines the need for an overhaul of parliamentary politics in India. Easing the path for women to participate in greater numbers at the highest levels of legislation cannot come a moment too soon.

The government should have seen this coming and have been better prepared to ensure that the Bill went through this time around. Every time this Bill – which holds the potential of transforming India’s political reality and substantially empowering women – has been tabled in the past, it has met with stiff opposition from the RJD, SP and BSP, among others. These parties want further quotas for their own constituencies (OBCs, Muslims and Dalits) within the 33 per cent women’s quota, ostensibly because they are concerned about women from these disadvantaged groups getting fair representation. As I have pointed out before, if that concern was indeed genuine, why have these parties not nominated greater numbers of OBC, Muslim and Dalit women candidates so far? In fact, it’s the deep-rooted reluctance among some sections of our political class to create more space for women in our Parliament and state legislatures that is the real issue.

The government, along with the BJP, Left parties and other supporters of the Bill like the JD(U), should stand up to the opponents of women’s reservation and ensure that it is voted upon and passed today. Otherwise it will not only cut a very sorry figure but also pay a heavy political price.

Now, the invariable question which arises is why am I, of all people, so interested about the rights of Women. I say, that I am a great advocate for equality. Every human being should have all the privileges of life, and the perks associated with it. But when I don’t see it coming, it ruffs a few feathers, and makes me question myself if I am living in a just world. But I do have wholesome belief in the law and order of our Country. I have always been taught by my Late paternal grandfather than out of all the people in this world, women deserve the utmost respect, and affection because our Mothers are Women too. Before mistreating a Woman, he said, we should think that it is our mother who is being mistreated.

Hence, following his path, I have always had an immense respect for women. I have grown up with women. My maternal grandmother almost fostered me, my mother, my aunt, my cousin Poulami, and now many of my Best friends are women. This is why I understand women more than most guys. Also, the women in my life have given me a deeper insight into womankind. And, I have no problem in admitting that a lot of my mindset has been influenced by all these women. We are nothing without women. The improvement of the Society depends on the role they play in it.

So, here’s my all to Woman Power.

Sincerely,

Dipanjan

The Great Indian Hoax

The Save Our Tigers Campaign by Aircel has been a great tool to generate publicity for the Company. What? Only 1411 Tigers left? The assertion of the number in itself was strange, because nobody can ever be sure of their population.  Most of us have failed to understand that there are ulterior motives to this Campaign by the moderately successful Telecom Company. It is clear that they have commercially exploited our National Animal. Yes, awareness about Tigers has been generated but the Campaign itself has always been a mercantile one. They could just have used any other animal, but they are fully aware that no other Animal is associated with the Country’s pride as much as the Tiger. Hence this movement did achieve success in touching the emotional chords of the general public.

The number of tigers present in India in 1952 is estimated to be about 10,000. A little research provided me this data. But, what has been the major cause(s) that have led to the steady decline of Tiger Numbers in our Nation? The Biggest reasons are undoubtedly Poaching and the rapid loss of Tiger Habitat. The poor people who poach these poor animals do so for their livelihood. They sell Tiger skins, and hides/pelts at reasonably high prices. The folks who splash out on these bits and pieces are mainly foreign based Non-Indians. These poachers are adroit in hunting down these creatures. Poaching is their source of revenue. They do not know anything else. The loss of Tiger Habitats so hastily and so enormously, is very simply baffling, to say the least. Jungles have been brought down arbitrarily to make way for farm lands, and industrial purposes.

If any body or anybody can do anything about the dwindling tiger numbers then it has to be the Indian Government. And even, they can do only so much about it. The people who poach the tigers of India, the people who bring down their habitat will still continue to do so because they are not even aware about the potential annihilation of Tigers from our Nation. Awareness among the poor who poach and cut down tress need to be commenced in the grass-root level. So what can the Uber Cool people of India do, after all? Nothing much, actually in realistic terms. The netizens of the Country who Blog, Tweet can do nothing about this crisis plaguing our Motherland.

So what are the Aircel people trying to tell us? On visiting their official website they urge us to “Speak Up. Blog. Share. Campaign” about the whole issue. But unfortunately, many of us are not even aware that a moderately successful campaign was launched in the mid 2000s by many NGOs. And under the able guidance of our Honourable Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, an initiate had been undertaken and the highly sought after but much less publicized ‘Project Tiger’ was embarked upon. This has been serving in the restoration of Tiger numbers across the Nation. The number of Tigers in India presently is higher than it was in dismal 1990s.

There are probably more Communities, Pages, and Groups in reinforcement of this ‘Save our Tigers Campaign’ than even the 1411 [as stated by they themselves!] Tigers left in India. Their official site gives us links to Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Blogspot and other popular platforms to share their pain. All of this has been a fallacy in bona fide terminology. They [Aircel’s marketing Team] have very uniquely but sadly conned the people of India. Every day a tiger is killed, and on the dead animal’s account they increase their reputation furthermore as an Environment friendly Corporation. And what the Telecom Giants have devised is not even illegal! They have all the right in the world to start a crusade like this. But what pains me is that the Indian public has ignorantly played into their eager hands.

Nevertheless, let’s not constantly look at the dark side of stuff. Many people in India now do know that our National Animal is facing extinction in out country. Coming back to the much more nifty ‘Project Tiger’, we don’t know that the Prime Minister himself is in charge of this Operation. This project needs to be meticulously planned, and carried out in a professional manner with full time employees being in charge of this. And sadly, the run of the mill Indian can do nothing about it except for playing into the hands of one more Multinational Company’s next Big marketing gimmick.

Yours sincerely,

Dipanjan.

India’s Olympic Sojourn Over!

The coming of age of India in the Olympics, and on the World Sporting and Cultural map might just have been given a boost by the tremendous effort of the 25 year old Chandigarh lad, Abhinav Bindra. With his Gold in the 10m Air Rifle Event at the Beijing Shooting Range Complex, he has not only given India her first gold medal at the World’s Biggest Sporting Stage, but also her first ever Individual Gold Medal in her 108 year long history at the Olympics. India’s first individual medals were the two Silver medals India got in the 1900 Paris Olympics due to the fantastic work by an Anglo-Indian lad from Calcutta, Norman Prichard. He had dreamt of seeing India making it big in the world stage. His dream has finally been fulfilled but only to some extent by Abhinav Bindra’s gold medal winning performance at Beijing 2008.

We, Sports Enthusiasts, are hopeful that Abhinav’s remarkable achievement will open the flood gates for our Improvement in the Sports other than obviously, Cricket. We hope it will bring about a sea change in the Indian Sports scene. Vishwanathan Anand winning the World Championships made us all very happy; the Indian media heaped him with praises and admiration. This continued for a week or so and then it slowly faded away. The same will probably happen in Abhinav’s case as well. We will bask in Abhinav’s glory for as long as Cricket takes centre stage.

One year ago, Indian shooters threatened to boycott the Olympics because of lack of ammunition, rifles, pistols and the lack of world class facilities. Abhinav will be given a lot of cash awards and incentives now by publicity seeking people, but where were these people when Indian shooters were ruing the negligence given to them?

Even if we add up all the incentives given to Abhinav it will only add up to a meager 3 crores which looks like popcorn compared to what Dhoni earns weekly. But comparing Dhoni’s achievements and Abhinav Bindra’s achievements, it is Dhoni’s performance which looks like popcorn.

Let me point out a few of the reasons why Abhinav Bindra’s achievement really matters for us Indians:

1. It is India’s First Individual Gold in the World’s Biggest Sporting Stage, The Olympics.

2. First Olympic Gold for India in 28 years since Indian Hockey Team’s Gold in the widely boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics.

3. For the first time in 28 years we were able to hear our National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana being played in the World’s Biggest Stage, Olympics. I don’t know about anyone else but the moment really sent a shiver down my neck.

4. It also the first gold medal for a South Asian and also only the third individual medal if we also add South-East Asia.

But some things never change. Here are few of them which will stay as it is:

1. Optimists might think the Abhinav’s Gold inspire many young Indians to take up non-Cricketing Sports. But due to the lack of facilities and infrastructure, they will eventually get disheartened at henceforth quit their sports. Lack of career opportunities also plays a major role in this. Not everyone is as lucky as Abhinav, to have a personal Shooting Range in his 18 Acre House on the outskirts of Chandigarh.

2. Optimists might also think that Abhinav’s Gold Medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympics will open up the eyes of the Cricket loving administrators and power hungry politicians and also that of the Cricket mad people of India. But it is as good as guaranteed that this will basically not happen. Thus, Cricket will again play spoilsport in the development of other Sports in India. They will get nothing but a step motherly treatment. This has been the case for the last 25 years.

3. Dhoni and his cricketing compatriots will still do the bulk of the advertisements. He will be building more Swimming Pools in his Ranchi Bungalow. But ironically Indian swimmers don’t have enough pools to practice in.

4. Abhinav Bindra, in spite of all the accolades given to him will still not get the due recognition form us, Indians. Although he has won The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2005, hardly anyone knew him before 11^th August, 2008. I was amazed and shocked to see some of my friends asking me who Abhinav Bindra is even after his astonishing effort in Beijing. Everybody will forget this History Creating young guy.

5. Even after Kapil Dev said that Abhinav’s Victory is “ far far bigger than the 1983 World Cup “, Cricket will still be our religion and it’s cricketers our Demy Gods. Other sports will receive a step motherly treatment from us, Indians.

6. Other Sports will still get only a few seconds of bulletin and a small column in the Newspapers, while Cricket takes away all the limelight. Whole shows and whole pages will be devoted to only cricket. Cricketers will be still covered with sponsors from their head to toes but other Sportspersons have to buy kits and other things needed for their training and practice by their hard earned money.

But ignoring all this negativism let me now come to the Man of the Moment, ABHINAV BINDRA. Some critics might argue that he has been lucky to receive all the Best facilities. But it is only recently that he had a shooting range built for himself. It was built by his father’s money. It is to be again clarified that he has been anything but lucky especially regarding the facilities he has received.

Lastly, I must confess that my heart goes out for all the young aspiring Sportspersons, who want to emulate the success of Abhinav Bindra (Gold in Being 2008 Olympics), Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Silver at the Athens 2004 Olympics), Karnam Malleshwari (Bronze in 2000 Sydney Olympics), Leander Paes (Bronze in the 1996 Atlanta Games), because even though they have got the talent, ambition and will for success they will not able to fulfill their dreams due to the slapstick behavior of everyone else concerned i.e. the various sports authorities. But people like Sushil Kumar, Akhil Kumar, and Vijender Kumar Singh have earned success despite the system that is prevalent.

Ounce for Ounce, pound for pound, if we want to see the best athletes in the world, scour the roads of our cities. In the midst of all the traffic, we will find men pulling and pushing cargo by hand, just like they have done for millennia. It’s pure brute strength that pushes the cargo. Sit down with these men, who we all pass daily, and we will find the lowest body-fat ratios of any men anywhere in this world. Take the best of them and train them for the track and field events and a whole bunch of champions will emerge.

Each year, the Best American athletes go to train in Colorado, 5000 feet above sea level. Colorado is chosen because training at high altitudes makes the lungs stronger. If we take our best and train them in Leh, 14000 feet above sea level, imagine what supermen and superwomen we might develop. The Indian Countryside and cities are replete with future Olympians. These men and women train daily in the harshest of conditions with simple diets. Without a doubt, with proper training and infrastructure, these men and women will add to our Olympic golds. It’s a shame that the world has missed 100 years of Indian Olympics prowess; it would be a travesty if the world misses another 100 years.

Bye,

Dipanjan