No More 20s .....

I started writing this one with a dilemma . Whats should be the Title ?  'Turning 30' or 'No more 20s' . First one reflects assurance and sense of direction. Where else the second one is nostalgic and gives a sense of  mourning of the old days.

Nostalgia comes easy to me. And I do find occasions to feel nostalgic. Brings a distant sense of pleasure and relief to me. And this occasion is something special as I turn 30 !!!

30 Years !!!

Almost half of one's life. By this time the previous generation, including my Father, was happily married with 2-3 kids. But I am still unmarried and hence kids are out of questions. Not sure what kind of feeling I should have. Happy that I have survived, excelled or managed to stay float ??  Majority of my friends would be experiencing the same feeling during this year or may be next year. The little ones would have to wait for another 2-3 years .

My 20s, like most people, started in college. College, Hostels, Teachers, Classes, Assignments, Books, Projects, Grades, Festivals, Cricket, Movies, Crushes, Many friends, some close some distant. And lots of memorable moments. Have fond memories of the birthday celebrations back in AMU Hostel and the parties at 'Centre Point' restaurants. Life moved fast. HCL, Noida, Gurgaon, New York, More Friends, more moments to cherish. 

Will it be just another day, just another year ? Honesty I don't know. Neither I do get any signs like wise men do. Not sure that how much things will change from tomorrow but one thing is sure I wont be '20 Something' ever in my life....... again.

Men never grow old. Thats what I have heard. They always have fun. Kind of a true notion. But loosing hairs and gaining weight with age doesn't help in having fun. 20s are crazy. People get naughty in 40s. Never heard what wise men said about 30s.

How good were these 30 years? What different could have I done? What have I achieved so far ? Any regrets? Questions keep pouring to your mind once you start the introspection. I wish I could have answered 'No' to the last one.

Wishing for a better tomorrow !!!

Goodbye 20s !!!

Classic Bollywood Posters

Good old days. Hand painted posters, full of colors.  when the size of an actor’s face on the poster directly reflected his prominence and stardom.

Sharing some of the vintage Bollywood posters.

Movie Review : Kahaani

It's an exciting experience when a Bollywood movie entertains you without a single song and dance sequence. Kahaani falls into that category. A well made thriller with a believable screenplay and without any HiFi Hollywoodish Gadgets and exaggerated action sequence.

Credit should go to the Director and the Cameraman for creating such an ambience for the story-line. Kolkata has been has been captured in the same light as Slumdog Millionaire captured Mumbai. The not so bright side. And it makes an impact.

The director takes the liberty of 'absence of any superstar' to create solid characters. One of the most interesting is the character of the contract killer. You will like him.

Credit should also go to Vidya Balan for making everyone notice that actresses in Bollywood can have more to do than just be a romantic link to super powerful Hero and observe Karwa Chauth for that superhero. Back to Back superb performances. Paa, Ishikiya,No One Killed Jessica, The Dirty Picture and now Kahaani. A female Aamir Khan in making.

One of the very taut thriller in long time from Bollywood. Realistic, Original and never goes over the top. The investigation unfolds in the way our good old Byomkesh Bakshi would have done it. And suspense is successfully maintained till the end.

Not to be Missed !!

The Great Wall Of India : Rahul Dravid

One of the emotional cricketing moment for me since I started following Cricket Religiously. It started in the Summers of 1996 and Dravid retires in the Winters in 2012.

Many people walk into your life but few leave foot prints. Dravid was one of them. Its hard to see those people leave, with whom you have grown up in life. Dravid's career consided with my growth from a Teenager to the Man I am now. Full of high and lows. But moments to cherish for.

Dravid, along with his peers Sachin, Ganguly & Laxman, has given our generation some of the lasting memories in Cricket. Nothing can replace the sight of Ganguly taking his shirt off at Lords after that famous win, Sachin hitting Six of Shoaib Akhtar in that World Cup mactch in 2003 , Laxman playing that knock from heaven at Eden Gardens and Dravid raising his arms in the middle of the Pitch at Adelaide in 2003.

The T20 Generation will never the know worth of Rahul Dravid.

If it wasn't for the injury of Sanjay Manjerakar and Temper of Sidhu, we wouldn't have seen Dravid debut at Lords with that fluent 95. When he came on the scene in that summer of 1996, he was soon crowned the title of 'The Wall'. Back in late 90s one of the media person asked how it feel to be called  'The Wall', and he replied "I don't mind it but I know someday same people will write that they see cracks in the The Wall". He was right.

"I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride".


Often overshadowed by his dynamic peers, what made him special was his selfless approach to the game. Always giving himself to the Team's demands. Be it keeping wickets in ODIs, opening the innings in difficult conditions, resigning as Captain after 2007 World Cup debacle, declaring the team inning with Sachin at 194 not out and now retiring from the game when he feels that younger generation should take lead.

In his famous speech at Bradman Oration he said "One of the things that has always lifted me as a player is looking out of the team bus when we travelled somewhere in India. When people see the Indian bus going by, see some of us sitting with our curtains drawn back, it always amazes me how much they light up. There is an instantaneous smile, directed not just at the player they see - but at the game we play that, for whatever reason, means something to people's lives".

I wish I was there at the Press Conference to wish him Goodbye , with a smile.

Yusuf Pathan's Amazing Innings

Despite his limited success in the International Arena and limited technique to counter bounce and swing , Yusuf  Pathan has played some really amazing innings in his career. His style of play may give an illusion that he is best suited for T20 Cricket but he has been part of some world records in Domestic Cricket. Innings, either long or short, have had his trademark big hits over the fence.


Here I have compiled some of his amazing innings in his career. Innings with big impact on the game and over the audience.

210* Vs South Zone (Duleep Trophy)

Highest Score ever Chased In First Class Cricket

It was a moment to cherish! Not very often does one see a world record in a domestic, first-class game.

Yusuf Pathan played one of the most audacious knocks in the history of the game (210 not out, 190 balls, 19 x 4, 10 x 6), to successfully chase a target of 536 against South Zone and set a new world record in the Duleep Trophy final at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.


After the match , Yusuf himself rated this as 'Best Inning Of His Career'.

105 Vs South Africa

One of the only 5 Hundreds scored by a No. 7 Batsman in an ODI chase.

Yusuf, who came out in the 14th over when India were tottering at 74 for 6, hit 8 stunning sixes and as many fours and threatened to single handedly pull off a sensational victory with a brutal 70 ball 105.

In the process, Yusuf Pathan hit his second ODI century in 5th ODI of South Africa v India series at Centurion on January 23, 2011.
He completed his incredible hundred with Big 6. Its pity that an inning of such excellence couldn't achieve victory for Team India.

100  Off 37 Balls Vs Mumbai Indians

3rd Fastest Hundred in T20 Cricket

Yusuf Pathan unleashed an assault, as delicate as it was brutal, hitting 9 fours and 8 sixes in a 37-ball hundred. From needing 143 off 57, Yusuf brought equation down to 40 off 17 for Rajasthan Royals Vs Mumbai Indians.
He was finally out in only possible fashion that Mumbai Indians could have managed that day. His run out at the crucial stage did cost Rajasthan Royals the match. Had he won the match on his own, there would have been lesser debate to the Shane Warne's remark that this was the 'Best Inning He Had Ever Seen'.


It was the second-fastest Twenty20 hundred, and fastest in IPL till date.

123* Vs New Zealand

Highest score by a No. 6 Batsman in an ODI chase of  300 or more.

It looked grim for India when they were tottering at 188 for 5 in the 34th over in their chase of 316, after the fall of Rohit Sharma, but Yusuf Pathan pulled off a heist.

Yusuf Pathan hit his maiden One Day International (ODI) century of 79 Balls vs New Zealand, with 7 Fours and 7 Sixes at the Mangalam Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on 7th Dec 2010.

This is how Cricinfo describes this inning.
"Years from now, when people think of Yusuf Pathan's maiden one-day century, they are unlikely to remember much more than the sheer brutality of it all. Yet, there was so much more to the innings than the clinical straight-hitting, which admittedly was in a league of its own. A batsman's response when his weaknesses are targeted can say a lot about his state of mind. While Yusuf dismantled New Zealand when they served him freebies in his hitting areas, the clarity he showed when tested with the short ball was even more telling."

148 Vs  New Zealand A

Barely 12 overs into the game, India A had lost half their side Vs New Zealand A. 
Yusuf Pathan, walking in at No.7, repaired a broken innings with an assault that included 9 sixes and propelled the Indians to 305 for 8. 
Indians were 66 for 5. It was in this disarray that Yusuf began his innings and scored 148 off 127 at MA Chidambaram Stadium , Chennai.

18* Vs Kolkata Night Riders In Super Over

Highest Score Chased In Super Over

Yusuf Pathan plundered 18 runs from the first four balls of the Super Over, bowled by Ajantha Mendis to give the defending champions Rajasthan Royals their first win of IPL2.
Chasing a target of 16 runs in the Super Over, Pathan scored 6,2,6,4 of the first 4 balls to deliver in yet another Man-of-the-Match performance.


Kolkata Knight Riders never recovered from this assault and went on to finish the tournament with 11 losses.

108 Off  42 Balls Vs  Maharashtra

3rd Fastest Hundred in List A Cricket

Yusuf Pathan entered the record books as he slammed the third-fastest hundred in List A history, off 40 balls, to help Baroda stun Maharashtra at the Sardar Patel Stadium C Ground.

Chasing 231, Pathan walked in at the 23rd over with the score at 99 for 3. By the 37th over, he had finished the game after scoring 108 off 42 balls.

4 consecutive Sixes Vs Somerset

Yusuf Pathan slammed four consecutive sixes for Kolkata Knight Riders vs Somerset in the Champions League T20, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on September 25, 2011.

In a dull match, the crowd was brought to life by Yusuf Pathan, who decided to make Somerset pay for bringing on their fourth left-arm spinner, Arul Suppiah. Coming on strike for the second delivery, Yusuf gave the crowd its voice as he launched it over long-on. Each of the next three deliveries disappeared into a sea of delirium between long-on and deep midwicket.

To Friends....From Archives !!

Yesterday it was Minhaj's Birthday. I was going through some archives and found this one..


I wrote this one on Saad's Birthday. 30th January 2009. It was an Orkut Testimonial for Cheeku( Minhaj ). A year later as Facebook took over the nation I deleted my Orkut Account .....but managed to save this .

Sharing this again with Friends who have known Me , Saad & Minhaj over the Years.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well.. these days most of the people don't write testimonials ... infact.. they post testimonials.

But there are some people who write Testimonials to acknowledge someone's worth in their Life. In fact this the least they can do.

Coming to Minhaj. I can visualize the events and the times we have been together. From studying in AMU to Working in IT Industry.From Minhaj being "Cheeku" To being "Min The Rock". And these days "Min Rock Beta Version ".

Take One.

Back to Senior Secondary, AMU.We first met way back in 99. He was a chubby Boy, with strange hair Style. We were Just schoolmates. Salam Dua, thats it.. He had his own group. I had bunch of mine friends. Saad was the common friend.

Take Two.

Fast Forward to College. Jump on to Second Year. And I found him Driving me on his Enviable Enticer. Many more Eventful Rides Followed. To Sightful Amir Nisha. To charming Centre Point. To Sweet Saad's Home. Across the University. And the one I will never forget.. to Upper Court along with Saad ... for Nahaari...

(He is crazy about foods.. it reflects too). That was like "Arre kahan Arre kab !!!"

Many Birthday Parties.Many Kodak Moments. A Few Colg Fests.A few Movies (He is not movie freak like me, will go out if only gals are around) .A few Dhaba Nighout (He wasnt hostler.. So Not avilable for .. Daba Nightouts !!!). Many Jokes. Many Pranks. I still remember the fun we have while preparing the List of Names/Songs for our fellow Students in 2nd Year. And he was like "Yaar mere ko ye mat do" when I and Saad decided "Main Nikla Gaddi le ke !!!!!!" for him. Hmm ..one of our Colg secret revealed.

Take Three

Colg passed. He got Distinction , I missed. Now In the IT World.We were out together again. Noida was the place to be.Enticer replaced Scorpio.Hundreds replaced thousands. Fun was Bigger.We were the same old friends.

Take Four

Gurgaon. A year into Corporate world. More Confident. More Dreams. More Work. I got busy.He got busier. And he is like "kabhi hume bhi yaad kar liya karo...".

But he has been there whenever even I needed him.

All these years, even though he has changed his versions (or tried to...) for quite sometime, he has being the same man for me. Caring. Funny Jamalpuri.Nobody is perfect. And he not an exception. But this is not the rite place to reveal all the secrets.

Today its Saad's Birthday.A person close to both of us. I am writing this from New York. Minhaj wud be sleeping Back In Gurgaon. And Saad would be Preparing for evening party in Melbourne. Three different world. We used to be at same place. And I still remember these two bringing Cake for me In Hostel on my birthday.

Memories Remain.

We will be together again.

We will have more memorable moments.

Iran Question ??

This morning I heard about the attack on Israel Diplomats in New Delhi. Its sad newz and at the same time frustrating that that India as a nation still fails to counter these acts of violence. We have forgot the number of attacks that we have been through in the last 10 years. Attacks of any form should be condemned and thoroughly investigated.

But as I was going through the news and hopping from one article to another reading about the blasts , Indo-Iran ties and recent developments in US-Iran relation, I noticed a sequence in the occurence of events. May be I am mistaken or thinking way too much but this is what I compiled from the leading news websites.

Sequence of Events in last couple of weeks leading to Delhi Car Blast. ( Sequential Headlines from leading Newspapers)

Feb 3   : Fear of Israel War With Iran Grows Amid Heightened Nuke Concerns [ Zee News]

Feb 6   : U.S. tightens noose on Iran. More Sanctions. [ New York Times ]

Feb 6   : India says Iran ties not in contradiction with US relationship. [ The Hindu ]

Feb 8   : US senators irked by India’s Iran ties, stalled nuclear trade. [ Times Of India ]

Feb 11  : India Defends Oil Purchases From Iran. [ New York Times ]

Feb 11  : Indian trade delegation to Iran may put Indo-US ties under strain. [ Economics Times ]

 

Feb 13  : Israeli diplomat's car attacked in New Delhi. [ Times Of India ]

 

Feb 13  : Israel blames Iran of bombings in India, Georgia. [ New York Times ]

Feb 13  : Iran has denied it was behind car bomb attacks against Israel. [The Australian ]

Feb 13  : Delhi Police says Bomber knew area, evaded CCTV. [Times Of India ]

Feb 13  : Indo-Iran trade ties under pressure. US Jewish lobby wants Delhi to join embargo. [Times Of India ]

I am not sure if I am misinterpreting anything but one question still ponders me.

Why would Iran want India, one of its ‘only friend’, AGAINST it ??

It really doesn't make any sense that Iran would get hostile with a nation that has respected its Trade Relations despite western pressure.

Do we need another war ??

Give it a thought !!