India wins 2011 World Cup

Posted on April 2, 2011
Filed Under India | 10 Comments

India defeated Sri Lanka today, April 2, to win the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai. Despite Shehwag and Sachin failing to fire up, Gambhir and skipper MS Dhoni added 109-run for the fourth wicket to lead the India run-chase of 275.

Congrats India! You have made us all proud by winning this world cup after 28 years.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka     274-6 (50)     Runs     Balls     4s     6s     SR
U Tharanga     c Sehwag b Zaheer    2    20    0    0    10.00
T Dilshan     b Harbhajan    33    49    3    0    67.35
*K Sangakkara    c Dhoni b Yuvraj    48    67    5    0    71.64
M Jayawardene    not out    103    88    13    0    117.05
T Samaraweera    lbw b Yuvraj    21    34    2    0    61.76
C Kapugedera     c Raina b Zaheer    1    5    0    0    20.00
N Kulasekara     run out (Dhoni)    32    30    1    1    106.67
T Perera    not out    22    9    3    1    244.44
S Randiv
L Malinga
M Muralitharan
Extras: 12 b:1 lb:3 nb:2 w:6
Total: 274-6 (50) | Curr. RR: 5.48

INDIA                                      Runs     Balls     4s     6s     SR
V Sehwag    lbw b Malinga     0    2    0    0    0.00
S Tendulkar    c Sangakkara b Malinga     18    14    2    0    128.57
G Gambhir    b Perera    97    122    9    0    79.51
V Kohli    c and b Dilshan     35    49    4    0    71.43
*MS Dhoni    not out    91    79    8    2    115.19
Yuvraj    not out    21    24    2    0    87.50
S Raina
Harbhajan
Zaheer khan
S Sreesanth
M Patel

TEAM
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Suraj Randiv, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

India beats Pakistan in World Cup semi final

Posted on March 30, 2011
Filed Under India | 3 Comments

India today has defeated Pakistan to enter the world cup final against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

The firecrackers here hasnt stopped. It will be on the entire night. Celebrations all over India for what was one of the best world cup matches so far.

Pakistan began well initially to India’s fighting total of 260 but lost both openers Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez for 70 runs.

Electing to bat, India made 260 for nine against Pakistan. Tendulkar (85), who survived three dropped catches and a referral reversal, gave India a scintillating start with Virender Sehwag (38)

Scoreboard

India:

Virender Sehwag lbw b Wahab Riaz 38
Sachin Tendulkar c Shahid Afridi b Saeed Ajmal 85
Gautam Gambhir st Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Hafeez 27
Virat Kohli c Umar Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9
Yuvraj Singh b Wahab Riaz 0
Mahendra Singh Dhoni lbw b Wahab Riaz 25
Suresh Raina not out 36
Harbhajan Singh st Kamran Akmal b Saeed Ajmal 12
Zaheer Khan c Kamran Akmal b Wahab Riaz 9
Ashish Nehra run out (Kamran Akmal/Wahab Riaz) 1
Munaf Patel not out 0

Pakistan

K Akmal    c Yuvraj b Zaheer    19
M Hafeez     c Dhoni b Patel    43
A Shafiq    b Yuvraj    30
Younis Khan    c Raina b Yuvraj 13
Misbah-ul-Haq    c Kohli b Zaheer 56
U Akmal    b Harbhajan    29
A Razzaq     b Patel    3
*S Afridi    c Sehwag b Harbhajan    19
W Riaz    c Tendulkar b Nehra    8
U Gul    lbw b Nehra    2
S Ajmal    not out    1

Man of the Match: Sachin Tendular

Good luck to India for the final match against Sri Lanka.

Adios ~

India vs Pak semi final today..

Posted on March 30, 2011
Filed Under Blogging, India | 10 Comments

Who is it going to be? India or Pakistan? One of the greatest matches of cricket history is going to be held today at the Indian city of Chandigarh, watched by hundreds of millions, and even by the two prime ministers in the stands. Here the country is already in frenzy, restaurants are booked, streets are empty, offices are closed…so much of expectation.

india vs pakCentral forces will guard the stadium. A multi-tier set-up including Special Protection Group and the National Security Guard will secure Indian and Pakistani political leaders scheduled to arrive in Mohali. Airspace over Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula has been declared a no-fly zone and Indian Air Force choppers would be on stand by for surveillance. Fighter jets would also be kept ready and unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, used during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi would carry out air surveys.

Now the winner of this match is going to play Sri Lanka in the final on Saturday. So who am I rooting to take this cup? Any doubt? India of course. But we have a theological issue here, for which I might just wish rain dampens the game ;-) Last week, I was told the Catholic bishops of Sri Lanka have been praying and fasting for their team to win. Indeed they have been winning all the recent matches, including yesterday’s semi final against New Zealand. In a similar fashion, their counterparts in India have also been praying and fasting for the Indian team which has won the last two matches, and now to semi final. Question is: If Sri Lanka and India both come for the finals, whose prayer would God hear? Church from Sl or Church from In? What a predicament :D . But God sure ought to favor India! Like the funny Sangh chauvinist would say, India has the second largest population (by the way we also have other ‘largest’ like illiteracy etc) ;-)

Anyways, am keeping my finger crossed at the same time I am positively predicting India’s win and its entry to finals with Sri Lanka. Coke, lays, fries, lays and coke is plenty on my table, waiting for the match to start. Can someone fast for these extra flabs of mine please? Now a message to my Indian brethren: Guys, India will win, have no doubt about that. But if at all India doesn’t, do not go frenzy about anything, looking at it as a war defeat, and the 1947 partition etc. Your behaviour will be closely watched from people all over the world. Huh! To who am I talking to? A country where cricket is religion and Sachin is God…umm…giving a second thought. Wishing India the best luck! Also wishing our Prime Minister a good cricket diplomacy!

Adios ~

About 90,000 in India die due to tobacco related diseases per year

Posted on March 27, 2011
Filed Under India | Leave a Comment

India is world’s second largest tobacco consuming nation. It has 34.6 per cent of adults as tobacco users. Students, professionals, taxi drivers, young and old – all take it. A recent survey identified the use of this bad habit by nearly 70% of college students in several Indian cities.

In India, tobacco contributes to 56.4% and 44.9% of cancers in men and women, respectively. India has the largest number of oral cancer cases in the world which is due to tobacco. About 900,000 people die due to tobacco related diseases per year. It is estimated that India as compared to any other country will have the fastest rise in tobacco related deaths each year.

In a small yet positive move, the Supreme Court recently ordered a ban on the sale of tobacco, gutka and pan masala in plastic pouches from March 2011. Gutka and other non-smoking tobacco products being sold in plastic packages have been the major cause behind India’s increasing mouth cancer cases.

Data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, released in October 2010, showed that smokeless tobacco, including Khaini, Pan, Gutka and Pan Masala, are the most widely consumed tobacco products in India. Nearly 26% of adults—33% of males and 18% of females—use these products daily.

The Indian Dental Association has launched an online campaign to spread awareness among people on the ill effects of tobacco products. I have posted a clipping below which they have published on Youtube and their website – chewonthis.in. If you have friends addicted to tobacco, share the link, save their life!

Adios ~

Teaching the art of giving..

Posted on March 27, 2011
Filed Under India | Leave a Comment

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates was in India last week having high-level business meetings and goading our leaders on need to fund social and health projects for the poor. Buffett, 80, the third richest, pledged in 2006 to give 99% of his shares and wealth to charitable causes. Much of that has gone to the Gates Foundation. Out of $17.5bn donations that the foundation has made so far, $1.25bn has come to India with $800m going to Bihar.

Writes a journalist with The Independent: “Apart from Tata, India’s biggest group, which is majority-owned by charitable trusts, and one or two other smaller examples, India’s wealthy old-style business families have traditionally built prestigious temples and sometimes schools, often in their home towns, but little else.” How true.

“The new mega-rich, who have emerged in information technology, real estate and elsewhere since the economy opened up 20 years ago, have not yet grasped the idea of giving outside their own geographical areas or business sectors, though some have made high profile donations to their universities (notably Harvard and Yale)…”

Buffett and Gates are urging India’s super rich to do some soul searching and join the noble mission. According to the consulting firm Bain & Company, philanthropic donations in India account for just 0.6 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Now the above fact is nothing new to many. But here is a positive development which I have been long anticipating and which I strongly believe will soon bring a progressive change. Children in our country, according to a survey, are passionate to work for causes like eradication of poverty and hunger, promotion of peace and protection of environment.

The study, carried out over a period of one year and released last week, surveyed 3,759 children aged 7-14 years across 19 cities. Over 1,000 parents of kids not older than six years were also asked about their preferences on all matters related to the use of technology, academics and even pocket money.

Now our schools and educational institutions have an onerous task of not producing ‘narcissistic’ children who seem to follow their parents’ attitude of “me-and-my-family”. Our country has some absolutely appalling poverty figures, and it is super high time the govt. take corrective action. But how long will it take for our govt – which is struggling to bring back an estimated $462 billion to $1.4 trillion black money stashed in tax havens abroad – to eradicate poverty? That is why it is imperative for our young generation to learn the art of giving!

Adios ~

Keeping the faith..

Posted on March 27, 2011
Filed Under Religion | 7 Comments

There I am sitting with the panelists in what “they” call a deliberation hall. Right, you guessed it…another meeting. Well this time, I heartily agreed, that’s the only difference. Should I have rather ignored that opportunity of speaking to what some call veteran leaders, bishops, activists and all those titles in between. The event place was none other than the epicenter of a largescale massacre against Christians in 2008. Besides an opportunity to talk, it was a blessing for me to listen to the cries of victims affected and their struggles in obtaining aid. At least 80 were killed and 50,000 rendered homeless in that violence against Christians in 2008.

If you dint know, the most difficult part of talking in an audience full of bishops and church leaders is diffusing the very Christ principles which they claim to stand for. I was asked to talk on the role of networking and communications during violence juxtaposing what happened during that massacre in Orissa. Frankly, that is the only incident that I have closely watched and written from the beginning to the end. Perceivably, Church has just been a silent spectator even as saffron extremists went on a rampage killing and burning thousands of Christian homes. The violence was fuelled by jealousy, hate and anger against Christians, mainly against tribals who converted to Christianity and who prospered with the help of missioners who provided them with education, healthcare and jobs.

This incident was one of the largest anti-Christian violence ever since India became a republic. Three years after the violence, there are thousands still homeless and without jobs. Is our Church here poor to take care of its own people…waiting for government compensations? Absolutely not! If you dint know, the Church here is the second largest employer after the Government of India. We have some of the best institutions, hospitals, and job centers that generate huge sums of money which if used rightly can empower these weak Christians. At least 70% of India’s Christians come from the lower strata of the society.

And here we are holding a deliberation, three years after the incident. The deliberation is to “study” the aftermath and to take measures to aid the suffering. Is there any need for “information”? I dint see any…there was only lack of action for which the message of Christ must be brought back to life. I did the same, rather than beating around the bush with abstract, chimerical and theoretical points that will remain on a paper what they “final statement”, I spoke on the need to not just empathise but to act on their problems…to do what just Christ would have done. What point in these bishops wearing a big cross in the front instead of carrying the same on their back. What is very funny is the last photo shoot…they are super excited about it. People who have done nothing for the issue, sitting with their legs crossed and staring at the camera. This picture travels from India to Antartica! Shameless..that is what you ought to call them. Not an iota of guilt of having done nothing, yet being in the limelight. You should read my last post, if you missed it. Read here.

I was shocked and pained as the response of my paper was largely discouraging. Truth sure is bitter to the ear. Gandhi once said: “Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.” I might have won more foes than friends, but I returned home with the thought that I goaded our leaders to act.

Love this my favourite Maya Angelou’s quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” How true friends. Finally what matters is, what impact you have made on the suffering and how they think about you.

Concludingly, the trip to this volatile region will hereon remain in my mind, bringing me memories of witnessing those that stood for their faith in times of harsh persecution; those that went hiding in the jungles but not renouncing their faith to protect their livelihood; of those that forgave their oppressors and continues to emulate the life of the first disciples. I know, I can’t be one of them who the Bible calls “Blessed”.  You need great faith to undergo such terrible oppression. May God Bless Them!

Pakistan Minority Minister’s shocking murder

Posted on March 8, 2011
Filed Under General | 8 Comments

Been very tied up lately, how I miss indianising y’all. In any case you can’t find an unoccupied hour in the midst of the World Cup cricket craze. The minnows seem to be doing better… wonder what is the benefit of lionizing our Indian players, showering millions of Rupees, deals and what not.

Cricket aside, news from Pakistan last week grieved me bitterly. It is a serious question where this country is heading. A federal minister, the only Christian in the cabinet, Mr. Shahbaz Bhatti, was gruesomely assassinated by extremists. The attack was carried out by a group of masked men who ambushed the minister on the street. They pulled him out of his car and opened fire at point blank range before fleeing. It is indubitably a big loss to minorities. Bhatti routinely had been receiving death threats for urging reform of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.

Last few years I had closely followed the events in Pakistan, and let it be the Gojra incident in 2009, or the Asia Bibi life sentence last year, this man Bhatti was present deprecating them all. He had unreservedly used his political influence and power to voice for the oppressed microscopic communities and address their problems.

In a YouTube video recorded by Bhatti a few months ago, he said that Al Qaeda and the Taliban “want to impose radical philosophy in Pakistan” including the blasphemy law and sharia Law, and he said he is “speaking for the oppressed and marginalized Christian minority.” He boldly said he would give his life to stand against religious discrimination in his country. Should it have been this quick? There are no “saviours” in that country. Either one, or none at all.

After the forced death of Salman Taseer, the governor of the Punjab region, on 4 January, this is the second assassination in a row of a senior Pakistani official who tried to reform the country’s blasphemy law. The blasphemy law dates back to 1860 when India was under British rule, and was designed to protect Muslims against the Hindu majority when Pakistan and India were combined. Wonder what Muhammad Ali Jinnah who vociferously called for a partition to establish what he calls a “secular state” will have to say on the current scenario. That is why every country needs a capable, visionary and characterful leader.

Till today none has ever been able to muster courage to repeal Section 295C of Pakistan’s Penal Code which stipulates that “derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet … either spoken or written, or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo or insinuation, directly or indirectly … shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.” Sample the case of this Karachi lawyer who found himself behind the bars on blasphemy charges just because he refused to take up the case of a client and threw into the dustbin his visiting card which had his name “Mohammed” printed on it.

Pakistan’s slide into religious fanaticism and fundamentalism is really very scary. As its neighbour India will suffer more specially with the infiltration of extremists into Kashmir that poses a threat to peace and harmony. Aint we really fortunate living in a country like India where despite our problems and little quandaries there is so much hope. Our democratic structures have paved ways for freedom, creativity and innovation. Saffron extremism, which minorities here are facing with, will soon end with education and training reaching every nook and corner of our vast nation. I always tell my fanatic Hindu friends, Christians and Muslims might be minorities in India…but in Pakistan, Christians and Hindus are minorities…so never compromise with equal treatment of people whether majority or minority. If not here, somewhere you are a minority. After all, what goes around comes around. A US lawyer once said: “It’s always the minorities who aren’t a part of the mainstream who define what the limits… of the majority are going to be.”

Concludingly, no government that fails to prioritise “people” and endow freedom and respect to minorities will succeed. We saw the spectacular downfall of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak that inspired the popular uprising against Libya’s Muammar Kadhafi and demonstrations in other Arab countries, including Yemen, Bahrain and Jordan. It might not take long for such an uprising in Pakistan.

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