Demise of an Era

“He has done the crime against people of Iraq then, They should have decided what to do with their former ruler, Not the interim government that came into power due to an American support.. He has done Crime against Humanity, let the
International Tribunal decide what to do with him and Not any Country-Court.. ”

I said it last night and in a few hours time I’ve come to know that this is not going to happen... Never... Because, the Man I was talking about is no more.

I just watched it on TV; the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein is dead. He is hanged an hour before.

He was hanged today, as the Sun was rising in the City of Baghdad. But on whom the Sun was shining today?
The Dictator who dominated Iraq for over four decades, the Man who was causing nightmares for Bush (both Senior and Junior), is no more. The fiend that has been haunting psyches of America is no more.

But that isn’t what we Indians identify him as. For us he was not a fiend but a friend.

For us, he was a special friend. I’ll remember him as a man who, like a true friend, stood by India on many occasions. I’ll remember him as a secular leader who succeeded in keeping Iraq united for over a long period of time, despite the acute civil differences that were made by some selfish people. I’ll remember him as a leader who supported the modern living in Iraq, when some other countries of the region were going back in time.
We have lost a friend forever....

But I also can’t forget the inhuman steps he took during his regime. Inhuman to the extent that-one can not put it in words. I accept he was required to be punished but I won’t accept the way the punishment was carried out in hurry. (Well that shows how desperate Mr. Bush is to get rid of this all,).
Why they chose this particular date for execution, when the year 2006 is to end soon, when the Hajj is going on and when Muslims are to celebrate the Eid soon? (Well, they might have filmed this one too, and they may air it on prime time shows.)
Anyways, He is hanged till death for a crime he did around two and a half decade ago. What was America doing at that time? (Oh! How can I forget, he was in a fight with Iran and Communism, then, isn’t it?)
So why was he hanged now?
I simply refuse to accept this decision and the action over it. I believe that, execution is not the answer. It will end the person and not the thought.

Whatever it may be, but one thing is sure, Iraq will face tough time in the days ahead. There are pockets that are happy with Saddam’s execution and there are pockets who want to take revenge. There’re pockets that support US, there are pockets who oppose it. And there are pockets who want to get free. I feel that surely this is the Divide and Rule policy in place

Saddam To Be Hanged on Saturday?

Saddam Hussein will possibly be hanged in a few days. But I’m sensing a plot over here. Why he was denied of appeal? Why there is so rush about it? May be it’s all to deny him the right to be judged by an international court. Yes, He deserves a fair trial although he denied the same for several people.
What will be the difference between Saddam and his killers, if he’s really hanged? Nothing. Because already they have made a grave mistake by attacking Iraq and they are still to heal it Thousands of civilians and soldiers died in this war, and in Afghanistan, in Somalia and places like this.

He has done the crime against people of Iraq then, They should have decided what to do with their former ruler, Not the interim government that came into power due to an American support..

He has done Crime against Humanity, let the International Tribunal decide what to do with him and Not any Country-Court..

Two Years after Tsunami

Two Years ago, South Asia and South East Asia faced two Tsunami waves First that lasted for a few moments and took millions with her and Second, the Tidal wave of help and rehabilitation. That second Tsunami is still continuing and is required to continue for a long time.

The Physical damage done by the killer wave is a thing easy to recover, but that's not the case with minds. That's not the case with the thousands of little children who lost their childhood.

Although I live in a place long away from the one where Tsunamis struck, the pain is still alive in my heart and so is the case with several others.

Merry Christmas!!!!

It’s Christmas Time and I’m so happy today…!
It’s been a memorable Christmas for me; I spent it with some of my very close friends. I’d gone to Kadav yesterday. And although I’m so happy, I’m a bit tired and so I can’t write more.

Irfan Out of SA Series:

I am Happy today, but not so happy. I’m not happy with a decision taken by Indian Team Management. Indian Ace Seamer is asked to return home and play in the Ranji Series to get back his bowling form.
Now what they’re doing with him? You chose him as a bowler and then said that he’s a potential all-rounder. And then when your team is in need of all round performers, you deselect him saying that he is a bowler first. That too when he is the highest run-scorer and when your Great legends are going down.
Oh, I’m confused! Just imagine how confused he might be because of the changing nature of our game plans.
We worship the performers but when someone outperforms, we forget the previous one. This should not happen. I wish now he doesn’t feel like being thrown out of The Team.

Best Of Luck Irfan!

BMM Somaiya Festival: ESTRO 2006-07

I forgot to tell you, we today had our College Festival going on and our department has a special festival- Estro. We had our Film Festival Today and one of the Documentries was a really touchy one.It satirically talked about how Indians are unaware of their glorious past- the Freedom Movement, and even their currrent situations. It

Now what to call it???

I’m not so happy with the Indian Media especially the News Channels. Really Really Very Unhappy…
Well I’m angry with them all!!!!

They are spending hours and hours and hours on the loss of Indian team but nobody is bothered about the Glories in Asian Games

I’m so angry with them… And no it’s not because of the lost Cricket Series but it’s because we are not recognizing our heroes. I’m not angry or jealous with the game of Cricket. I just want to say LOOK AT THE SHOOTERS and other ATHLETES too! They are performing excellently.

And this suggestion is for the Indian Cricketers too!

Sadly, People are interested in Cricket only. And that’s why they are not so happy these days, they don’t know the other joys…

No cake and no cherry: India looses the series 4-0

On the first day of the series, I was praying for the “no rains”…
Five matches later, today I was praying for rains- both from the sky and from the bats of our Indian players…
Seems like when it comes to cricket, the Rain God doesn’t listen to us…

So it was at the Wanderers, Johannesburg that the story continued. India lost to South Africa again, and lost with a worst loss.
And with it the ODI Series has ended with Graeme Smith and boys holding Trophy in their hands.

The Indian Cricket Team is definitely going through a very very bad condition. All seem to have confused and there’s hardly anyone to play like a team. Most of the players seem to have lost on confidence. Yet there are a few people who showed a little glimpse of their talent. But over all, it was a bad performance, for sure.

When you have someone doing best and best again and again, you call it “The Cherry on the Cake”
Now What shall we call this Indian loss to South Africa? We have left very little to cheer, neither the cake not even the cherry.

The Series is Lost...

I just finished watching the fourth ODI between India and South Africa. Obviously, India lost.

Well, now-a-days, it becomes news when India wins... But this is certainly a ‘news’ as India lost the match and lost the series with it. We haven’t yet won a series in South Africa. But who expected such a bad performance from the “Men in Blue”?

I was still watching the match because of and only because of Irfan Pathan. He played a brilliant knock today. He showed more signs of maturity and patience. However I think he should concentrate on his bowling first. His bowling action seems to have changed. I think we need to give him some time.

As far the Indian team is concerned, what else remains to say? There is a talk going on about Saurav Ganguly to be selected.

So are we going back to the experience instead of youth? In my opinion, it’s not the question of youth or experience alone. It’s neither an easy thing to get a balance between them two. I feel what the Team needs most is not players but a proper game-plan. So let’s see when do they get it… and yes they need not to get overexposure in media. !

Final Flipper by Thrpedo: Ian Thorpe Retires:

“……You can swim lap after lap staring at a black line and all of a sudden you look up and see what’s around you. That’s what it feels like to me…”

-Ian Thorpe, The Australian Swimmer,

in a news conference announcing his retirement.

The famous man in his famous Black bodysuit won’t be seen cutting through the Olympic waters again.

One of the greatest Swimmers of all time, Ian Thorpe of Australia announced his retirement today signing the end of a record-breaking career at the age of just 24.
195 cm tall Thorpe who has an extra-ordinary flipper-size 17 feet, is one of the gifted Athletes. He could puff away other swimmers with his famed ‘Dolphin-kick’.

This Australian Olympic Superstar came to be known as a “Record-machine”.

He became The Youngest Men's world champion in swimming history at the age of 15, by winning the 400 freestyle final at the 1998 world championship, and since then, has been breaking a lot of records and making new ones. He celebrated The Sydney Olympics, 2000with three Golds and two Silvers.

Thorpe has not competed in any major international competition since the Athens Olympics 2004. Amidst the suspicions about his motivation ahead of coming Beijing Olympics 2008, the injury, illness, Thorpe said that he has realised –there was more to life than swimming.

Several brows rose to his decision to retire at so early of an age. Thorpe, however, said breaking records "wasn't as inspiring as it should have been."
Although he reportedly gets around US $2.6m as his sponsorship earnings, Thorpe said that Money was not his motivation. “I’m not driven by Finance, it’s not my thing. I’m lucky that I’m pretty financially secure. I’m not completely secure- I have to work or I’m going to run out. “

“As I got fit physically my mind also got fit, I started looking at myself not only as a swimmer but as a person.”

So he wants to whirl around in the new avenues of life. Best of Luck in your new journey, we’ll always miss you, Ian!

Here is Ian Thorpe in numbers

Thorpe has won 5 Olympic Golds. He also has won 10 Commonwealth Golds .

Since 1998 he dominated the 400 meter freestyle, winning the event at every Olympic, World; Commonwealth and Pan Pacific championships until he took break after Athens Olympics.

Thorpe stockpiled 11 World titles during his career - the most by any swimmer.
At the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Thorpe grabbed record six Titles.

Between 1999- 2002, Thorpe broke 13 World Records.

Ian, who also once has did a “catwalk” for Armani, is one of the graceful athletes of the era. He was a true champion of the game and a pin-up idol too…

Ashes begins

So the Ashes are finally here! ....

Do I need to say anything else to explain how enthusiastic people are about it? well they are, always... But this time- like it was last time- everyone is hoping for a battle. But I doubt what will happen because, looking at the present sides, I think Aussies are way too better. .

Anyways, let's see what happens...

The Indian Curse... Rain washed the play aside

Seems like Team India is facing some curse, wherever they go, Rains follow...

That's why, may be, today's ODI against South Africa was called off due to the heavy rains in Johanesberg.

Since past few days, the Indian Cricket team has't been performing well. Everyone is hoping for them to see on roll again... and due to the Rains -the wait continues a bit longer...

Roger Federer Coming to india???

I just came to know that,..... that Roger Federer will be in India mext month!!!!!!!!

Well, there is no official announcement yet, but I heard him say it very clearly in the audio of Post match Interview. He has said that he's going to India before Christmass for some UNISEF work.

Now I'm desperately waiting for the confirmation....

Roger is the "Shanghai-Knight"

Roger Federer defeated James blake 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 to win the final match of the season and lift the Masters Cup again. I am so petrified by the match that can't find the words to describe...

As Blake had said it rightly, we are at the loss of adjectives wehn we describe Roger's game. and not only game but to describe why and how he is best of the best.

He is such a humble athelete and an inspiration to all the young kids around the world. I think he is becoming just like an old tree, which when blossoms more and more, leans down to the Mother Earth more and more and more....

Musical Kalam

This picture came in today's Newspaper.

Our Dear President A P J Abdul Kalam gives ace percussionist Sivamani company after a function at Rashtrapti Bhavan on Tuesday..

"BOOKS" and not "BOMBS"

"If we had given them just one less plane
and taken that money and put it
into education,
God only knows how many fewer terrorists
and how many
more engineers and scientists we might have educated..."

- Bill Clinton

The Former US President spoke on arm-deals with Pakistan, during a conference in Canada. The Conference was about child Poverty and he regretted tha he couldn't

That's what I read him saying in today's Newspapers.
Well, It's never too late, Mr. Clinton!

Democrats Win in US mid-term polls

In short, it's the tendency of the Voters in US to vote like that.

In a deeper sense, it's the Victory of the Democrats.

In a much deeper sense, it's the loss of Bush Administration.

Whatever it may be, one thing is sure, people want a Change. And they want security and they want jobs and they want..........

Death Sentence for Saddam: A Farce?

So the so called court gave death Sentence to Saddam.
So what? what difference it made? virtually nothing, but I think one can't say anything by sitting by the Desks anywhere. Who knows the Realities over there?

My Basic question is: how accountable the court is? And why it's making such a hurry to give the punishment??

As for whether it's a right punishment or not? Well only time will answer it.

The Win In The Field, Lost On The Podium…

Yesterday, after Australia won the Champions Trophy, something happened during the prize ‘Distribution’ Ceremony that made many people unhappy. Some of the Aussie players nearly pushed BCCI Chief Sharad Pawar away in the heat of celebrations.

After the Interviews, the announcer Rameez Raja forgot to announce the Trophy and Mr. Pawar (who is also a Minister in the Union Govt.) was waiting for it. Australian Captain Rickey Ponting demanded the Trophy from Mr. Pawar. But Pawar responded him by asking him to step forward for the presentation. Ponting was so eager to wrap his hands around the Trophy that once Pawar gave him the Trophy, he and later Damien Martin nudged the BCCI Chief away and joined the Team in Celebrations.

Well, accepted that they are Australians and think of nothing ahead of a victory… Accepted, that this was like a Dream come true for the World Champions as they won the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time. Accepted, that they were too desperate to party…
Accepted, that this was a mistake.

Still, I think this is clearly an irresponsible behaviour and is punishable. Any Sportsperson, especially a team should never forget that they are being watched by thousands of people worldwide. They should not forget that they are Roll-models for many young kids.
Every game follows a code of conduct of some kind or the other. Cricket, the gentlemen’s game, needs a conscientious behaviour to retain its reputation.

I hope ICC takes some action- Oh! Well how can they? They’ll simply say that “Off- Field” things are not in their control or something like that. Pushing the things under the Carpet, that’s what they normally do, isn’t it?

An AUSSIE WIn

Australia won the Match and The ICC Champions Trophy and proved why they are World No One.
After an impressive Start given by Gayle, West Indies couldn't keep the momentum and were all out for 138. In the Rain inturrupted game on Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai Australia went on to score 116 Runs and were declared Winners according to D/L Method. The Aussies won by 8 wickets (with 41 balls remaining)

Here are a few pics:

Overcast skies in Mumbai during the final of the Champions Trophy, West Indies v Australia, Champions Trophy final, Mumbai, November 5, 2006. (Src: Crickinfo.com)

The World Champions went on to beat the Defending Champions to grab the ICC Trophy for the first time.






Ther was something for the West Indies to cheer for. Chris Gayle of WI won the 'Man of the Series' Award.

And Yes The Sunday Crowed in Mumbai was so cheerful and enthusiastic to support both the teams...

ICC Awards

It was a rather special evening in Mumbai.

The Cricketing City today hosted Hundai ICC Awards 2006, an event coloured in the colours of Cricket and Bollywood. (And an event which will make the last pages of tomorrow’s newspapers into ‘pg. 3’)

While Australia won five of the eight awards, India got none. The only thing to cheer for the Indian camp, apart from the beautiful arrangements, was declaration of Indian skipper Rahul Dravid as the Captain of All-Star Test XI of the year and inclusion of Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh in All-Star ODI XI of the year.

The players who were winners at the awards, also known as Cricket Oscars, this year are:

Rickey Ponting, Australia: Player of The Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy) and Best Test Player of the Year

This Aussie Captain is thrilled to receive both of these awards and also credited his fellow team-mates.
Ponting was presented the ICC Player of the Year award by Indian Meastro- Sachin Tendulkar.


Mahela Jayawardhane, Sri Lanka: The Captain of The Year

The 29 year old received his Trophy from legendary Imran Khan, former Pakistan Captain. Interestingly Mhela has just celebrated his marriage anniversary and walked in to the venue with his wife, Christina. And had this nice surprise waiting for him!

Michael Hussey, Australia: Best One-day Player of The year

Well records are enough to show how impressive he has been over the last year.

Karen Rolton, Australia: Women’s Player of The Year

Karen, Captain of Australian Women’s Cricket Team, went ahead of India’s Anjum Chopra and England’s Katherine Brunt to become the first to receive the first Women’s Player of The Year award. The addition of this new Award is a greatly appreciated move by ICC.

Ian Bell (England): Emerging player of the year:

Simon Taufel (Australia): Umpire of the year

Spirit of the Cricket Award: England


All-Star ODI XI of the year
Adam Gilchrist (wk), MS Ohoni, Ricky Panting, Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Michael Hussey, Andrew Flintoff, Irfan
Pathan, Brett Lee, Shane Bond, Muttiah Muralitharan.
12th man:
Andrew Symmonds.

All-Star Test XI of the year
Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Ricky Panting, Rahul Oravid (Captain), Mohd Yousuf, Kumar Sangakkara, Andrew Flintoff, Shane Warne, Makhaya Ntini, Muttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath.
12th man: Brett Lee.

photo curtesy: Crickinfo.com

New "TATA" Height

On the eve of Diwali, the TATA Steal announced the largest ever Indian takeover of a Foreign Company….and today came the news that the joint venture is about to bid for Brazil’s biggest Steal Firm CSN- Companhia Siderurgica nacional. Tata took over UK’s seven years old firm ‘Corus’ ranked ninth in the world.

Tata took over UK’s seven years old firm Corus, an Anglo-Dutch firm ranked ninth in the world. This has been a remarkable achievement for the celebrated Indian Firm who has played a part in the Country’s development. Let’s hope this recent take-over brings out another boom in Indian industry.

Sensex on another high

The BSE ‘Sensex’, finally reached to the much awaited peak for the last few weeks, it crossed the 13,000 mark. As the index went up 117 points to close at 13024 a wave of happiness spread among at the Dalal Street and the Investors and Traders worldwide leaped up with joy.

There has been a debate over whether the Share index is a real reflection of the country’s progress and whether it represents the commonest of the common. However, without doubt this is a remarkable achievement as far as the Indian Share Markets are concerned.

Finally the justice for Priyadarshini Mattoo

The Delhi High Court today gave Death Sentence to Santosh Singh who allegedly raped and killed 23 years old law student Priyadarshini Mattoo.
The justice came after 11 years, but It Came, finally, giving at least some relief to the Matto Family and a ray of hope to the families of victims in two other high-profile cases- Jessica Lal and Nitish Katara Murder Cases.

The Judges, while reading the Statement, observed the circumstance as rarest of the rare. However this has triggered the age long discussion over Death Penalty for Rapists again. Singh, a son of an IPS officer and a lawyer by himself brutally killed the victim. In my opinion, he deserves the biggest punishment.

However, I believe that killing a criminal is not the Answer. There is only one solution, which is a rather hard to implement, kill the criminal mentality and not the criminal. To develop a society with lesser no of crimes we need to work very hard. Till then, there appears to be only one punishment for a crime as wild as this one.

Is Roger's Dominance making Tennis boring? NO. Not at All.

In the life of every game there comes a time when someone or the other dominates the game.
and in the life of every Great Player there comes a time when he/she dominates the scenareo. (Golf and Tiger Woods, F1 and Schumacher, Cycling and Armstrong, Cricket and Australia, so on..)
and then Even a small loss by such kings of their time counts as much as a big victory.

This is Roger's turn. We should enjoy it and not get bored, well, It's not at all boring.

And by the way, Ther is nothing wrong if Roger dominates the game."Roger dominates" doesn't mean other players are not good enough.
It's just the class of this man that makes us forget about most of the others, including even Players of Caliber like Nadal or Roddic or Safin.

Tennis was always exciting and Roger has in fact made it more exciting.
He emerges as a great challange to every other player and they try to put their best efforts in.
So Roger has to win every match, every set, every game, every point on his own.

If not with the opponents, he is competing with himself, doing things he always dreamt of but couldn't do till now.

Although he has achieved so much, so much is to be achieved. He will have to continue fighting till there are players left on the face of the Earth... And I guess this struggle isn't less exciting!

Home win for Roger

A win in the Final, The Records, The Trophy, The Smile, The Emotions …

Roger Federer has done it again. Yet this one was a special one, a really really special one as it took seven attempts.
This time he has won at Basel a place where he once worked as a Ball-boy, a place where he dreamt to play one day, a place where he was born and brought up.

He won the Swiss Indoors, his fourth title in a row and eleventh of the year, beating the Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 6-36-2 7-6(3).

This is now becoming very customary that with every win he is setting new records.

With a win in Basel, Roger quenched his 44th ATP Title. And improved his winning record to 87-5
He has also become the first player in Open era to win 10 titles for three consecutive years.
Today, he celebrated his 100th day as World No.1
He also completed his 143rd week as World No. 1. (Only Ivan Lendle (157) and Jimmy Conners (160) are ahead of him)

A 2nd innings

He has retired from the driver’s seat but hasn’t left The Team. So in the near future, we will be able to find him on the Track again in those fiery red colours.

Michael Schumacher is all set to be a ‘super assistant’ to Jean Todt, the new Chief Executive of Team Ferrari.

However he is also searching ‘a new pace of life’ away from F1, as he described it at Ferrari World Finals- the traditional season closer of the racing team at Monza.

A Review of The Movie 'Iqbal'

This is a Post from my old blog, posted in June, 2006

Ashayein khili audience ki

Nagesh Kukunur is nursing a dream, but this time he isn’t acting in it.

Mukta Arts is selling the dream but this time, Showman Subhash Ghai is not into all glittery mahals or larger than life heroes.

‘Iqbal’ is something real- a story of a teenage boy, a journey of his dream, a dream that many thousand Indians nurture in their hearts- to play cricket for India.

So the story is of Iqbal Khan, 18 ( Shreyas Talpade ) who loves Cricket and dreams to earn a national cap. But the obstacles start from right within. Iqbal is deaf and mute. His father ( Yateen Karyekar ), a simple farmer from the remote village kolipad, is however not happy with his son’s passion and wants him to follow his footsteps. But his mother ( Pratiksha Lonkar ) and sister Khatija ( Shweta Prasad ), a schoolgirl, love the game equally and fully support him. Khatija is a great source of inspiration and a channel of communication with others for Iqbal. She makes him join a local Cricket academy run by a veteran coach ( Girish Karnad ). Here Iqbal fine-tunes his bowling skills but suddenly finds himself ruled out of the academy after a stiff with a batsman, of course, the politics.

All his dreams, all hopes seem to vanish away but then he accidentally comes to know that Mohit (Nasiruddin Shah) a village drunkard and an ex-cricketer could help him.

Thus the drama begins. Iqbal has to do many tasks to catch his dream- first, to make Mohit leave drinking, then train hard, run away from home to play in Ranji without even club experience, convince his father, overcome the selection politics and finally get a place in Team India.

So, it’s all about Iqbal’s battle against these challenges with the support of his loving mother, confident sister and friend, philosopher and guide- Mohit. But even more it’s a cricketer in making, a superstar on board. Still, it doesn’t even once get melodramatic although it has every chance to be a masala movie.

Kukunur made protagonist is deaf and mute but not weak. He not only makes Mohit his ‘Guruji’ (Teacher) but also tests him before taking coaching from him before taking coaching from him. This is where “Iqbal” scores over movies like ‘Black’. Similarly, unlike many other movies, Cricket emerges as a distinct character of Iqbal. The focus is on Iqbal’s journey and not on Cricket as a whole. Still what it tells is a story of Cricket- Surely, a rare occasion.

There are several light hearted and cheerful moments like Buffaloes named after Bowlers, Iqbal’s efforts to hide from his father his love for the game and ‘Secret’ Training, Mohit’s Encounters with Khatija and her Mother, and many more… What marks above them all is Mohit’s Mantra- “Heart Thinks like Head”

The Music by Saleem- Suleiman and Sukhvindar Singh, Particulary the Themes of “Ashayen” and “Jeetenge Jeetenge” take the Story to New Heights.

However, at the Climax, the match fails to generate euphoria like that in “Lagaan”. ‘Iqbal’also appears to slow down at times,But overall, it’s a job well done by the Editor Sanjeev Dutta.

The Silhouettes of Iqbal running around the fields, the village environment and the Match ambience reveal the brilliance of Sudeep Chatterjee’s Photography.

On acting front, Shreyas talpade steals the show right from the beginning and makes us identify with him as 18 years old Iqbal. He is well supported by the maestro- Nasiruddin Shah; Nasir’s Mohit is unarguably the best Coach to have. The duo is simply great to watch. While Shweta Prasad, Pratiksha Lonkar and Yateen Karyekar do a remarkable job, Girish Karnad leaves a wonderful impact as a villionous Coach- a symbol of Curruption in Cricket.

Last but not the least, ‘Iqbal’ once again proves Nagesh Kukunur’s excellent skills as a story-teller. This time Nagesh is a much more matured director who succeeds to keep the ‘Ashayein’ (Faith) of the audiences alive.

Imrana’s Struggle for Real Justice

On Oct 18, the Muzzafarnagar District Court passed a decision which is seen as a new ray of hope for women suppressed under the burden of Conservative Society. The Court sentenced Ali Mohammed,69, ten years of imprisonment for raping his daughter-in-law, Imrana,28.

Ali Mohmmed raped his daughter-in-law Imrana, mother of five children, on June 6, 2005. Before going to court, she took the complaint to the Panchayat and local religious heads had asked her to marry her father-in-law and treat her husband, Nur Ilahi, as he her ‘son’ (?)

When the case was finally registered by the police, several social activists including sections of Muslim Community and common people came to her support.

The Court has leaved it up Imrana, saying that there isn’t any condition under which her matrimony could be questioned. This act has laid down clear indications that The Court of Law is superior over any other court in this country. The Case is now a new ray of hope for several suppressed women in the country. At least I hope so.

Imrana, a mother of five says her priorities are with her children and she will abide by the law. She is now living at her parent’s home.

The struggle is not over yet.

Good-bye to the Festival of Lights...

So the Diwali ended today...

but the light it has spread may never end....

What happened to the Blogger????

This is becoming something usual with Blogger now, sudden failure and repairs.

I came in to write on "Monday" and now, it's Tuesday... for past three hours, I'm dealing with log-in and other problems....too hectic!!!! I'm too tired to write anything today...

2nd Airport at Mumbai

Navi Mumbai will soon be having another step forward in development. The Navi Mumbai Airport plan which has got clearance from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) is likely to get green signal from the Union Cabinet by the end of this month. So in a few years the wait for permission to land the aeroplanes will be a rare occurrence.

This is good news as for the development of Mumbai metropolitan area. The City of Mumbai is experiencing tremendous pressure of population and thus development is required to rach not only Navi Mumbai but other cities and distant areas too.

It’s a real good news on Diwali as this can bring a substantial growth in the imports from the region.

Goodbye Schumi, Congrats Rofer...

It’s been a very special day for me…not just because it’s Diwali, but more because today Michael Schumacher said Goodbye to F1
And even more special because, Roger Federer won another title in ATP Masters Cup Series…


The Final Lap...

Schumi played his last race in Brazil- on the home track of his hero Irton Senna, whom he succeeded as a champion of the game in a real sense.
And he came fourth, one place ahead of his successor in Team Ferrari Next Year- Kimi Raikkonen…

Like many millions, I’m so used to see Schumacher coming out of the Ferrari in all Red colours with an innocent Reddish victorious face - I’ll always miss him. I know, on the track he wasn’t ‘innocent’ but surely he looked one…and off the Track, he sure was an innocent one. He never wanted too much of fame, off-the-game media attention or things like that -he rather maintains a safe distance from publicity. What he always wanted was a win, a victory for which he was always ready to do anything and everything.

The Race was won bye his Brazilian Teammate- Massa while his nemesis Alonso won the Driver’s Title and Constructure’s Trophy went to Renault.

Sad that Schumi couldn’t make it to the Podium in the last F1Race he played but he has certainly climbed to a Podium from where no one can kick him down.

The records may break, of course, they are meant to break one day. But certain sportsmen create a place in the hearts of people, which is unbreakable. They take the game to a new height and dominate it completely and the game is known by their name. It happens every generation.
You think of the Sport and you immediately think of the Sportsperson. F1 and Michael Schumacher are like Football and Pele, Boxing and Mohammed Ali, Cycling and Lance Armstrong or Chess and Garry Casparove, Cricket and from Don Bradman to Sachin Tendulkar,

Tennis too have got a lot of them- from Maurine Connolly, Rod Lever, Margaret Court to Borg- Mc-Enroe to Navratilova-Evert to Steffie Graf to Boris Becker, Sampras and Agassi And…. To Roger Federer..


Roger, Roger, Roger....

Roger yesterday defeated Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 to set some new records, which he always does.

Roger has now won three titles in a row- US Open, Japan Open and Madrid Masters.
Roger won for the first time in Madrid, Spain-the country his nemesis Nadal comes from
He captured his 4th Master’s Title this year and 12th overall.
He’s beaten Pete Sampras’s record and stands second behind Andre’ Agassi, who has won 17.
With this win, Roger became first person since Ivan Lendl (in 1982) to win 80 or more matches two years in a row.

…The records may break, of course, they are meant to break one day. But certain sportsmen create a place in the hearts of people, which is unbreakable. They take the game to a new height and dominate it completely and the game is known by their name….

That’s what Schumacher and Federer have for our generation…
Both are real icons.

One comes from Germany, the other speaks Swiss German …
One drives swift cars and the other hits the ball swiftly…
One takes dangerous turns and other makes incredible returns…

Both have Spaniards as a their nemesis…

However, both are not all that same…

While one is a not so nice guy on Track, the other is the nicest guy on Tennis Court! But I’ll like them two…

Happy Diwali!

First of all, wish you all a very very very HAPPY DIWALI and a very very very very prosperous New Year….

Diwali… The Festival of Lights… A good time to do something new...

So this is my new Blog, (and I’m starting it on an auspicious day of Bali-Pratipada)

I have started this blog to put my voice on several Events, Happenings, Persons, Books, Quotes, whatever I feel as an important part of My World…

So come and take a look inside this World…