Rahul, naam to suna hi hoga!

Baby Dravid

In Indore, 42 years ago, Mr and Mrs Dravid welcomed a new member into their family. Fans of Bollywood music as they were, they named their son after the then-reigning music director, RD Burman. They little knew that this boy would soon match, if not eclipse his namesake's popularity.

Debut at Lord's

Cut to June 22, 1996. Dravid Jr is all set for a dream debut innings at the Lord's, the Mecca of cricket. The whole Dravid family must have been incredibly proud of their son. After all, it is not a cakewalk to get selected for the Indian Test XI. Stitching together a 96-run partnership with fellow debutant, Sourav Ganguly, this young lad impressed many, and most importantly, the selectors. He departed five agonizing runs short of a memorable century-on-debut at Lord's but the Test had marked the arrival of a technically perfect batsman. Dravid. Rahul Sharad Dravid. Naam to suna hi hoga!

Rahul Dravid was one of the mainstays of the Indian top-order for the better part of the previous decade and made the one-drop position his own. (Un)surprisingly, however, some of his best innings came when he was not batting at his most preferred position.

The Joy of Eden--After a string of failures early in the series, Dravid's place in the XI was seriously threatened. The match seemed to be all but over for India when he came out on the third day at No. 6 and joined Laxman in the second innings. With a stand that lasted for more than a 100 overs, the Southern gentlemen had turned the tables on the visitors. 

The Wall v Windies--Having lost two wickets early, India were reeling at 99-3, still facing a 402-run deficit. That was when The Wall of All Times walked out to the pitch at No. 5. Although struck by a Mervyn Dillon bouncer, he refused to bow down and swallowed a few painkillers. He laboured for more than seven-long hours for his 144* which eventually saved the match.

A Dravidesque Effort--Having scored a ton in the first, Dravid was asked to open in the second Test. He responded with a stoic 117 of 235 balls. The lower order, however, could not capitalize and capitulated to 288 all out. This set the tone for a forgettable series for India, being whitewashed 4-0. Dravid however had a good run, scoring three centuries and topping the Indian batting charts with 461 runs @ avg. 76.83. In the fourth Test at the Oval, he became only the seventh batsman to carry his bat through a completed innings and straight into the follow-on. 

I could go on and on and on, his Adelaide innings, 270 at Rawalpindi, 148 at Headingley, et al. I would rather leave the job to Google and ESPNCricinfo. Dravid's records themselves speak about the man he is. Highest catches by a non-wicketkeeper, highest balls faced at the crease in Tests, most partnerships and partnership runs, only batsman to have scored a century in all the test-playing nations, only batsman to have been involved in two ODI partnerships exceeding 300 runs and has the record of not being dismissed on duck for the most number of consecutive ODI matches.

More than the runs, his leadership qualities and team-spirit are what make him my favourite cricketer. Rahul Dravid led India to a historic Test series win, against the West Indies in their home soil in 2006. Since 1971, India had never won a Test series in the West Indies. Rahul Dravid was also the first captain to lead India to a Test match victory against South Africa on South African soil (2006/07). Opener injured? Need a wicketkeeper-batsman? Captaincy problems? No worries dear, Mr Dependable is here! His Lord's century came, not on his debut, when he would have wanted it the most; but, in the 2011 series, when the team needed it the most.

The Lord's Century, Finally!

My tryst with Dravid fandom began when  he joined Rajasthan Royals in the 2011 Auctions. RR had always been my favourite team as they'd always been a lot more than the sum of individual players. The value he brought to the team cannot be matched by any salary. Not only did he play well, but more importantly, mentored young (and old) talent and boosted their confidence. Cases in point: Virat Kohli (at RCB), Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Dhawal Kulkarni, Pravin Tambe, and to an extent, James Faulkner, Steve Smith and Shane Watson. Currently, he is mentoring India's future Olympians and Paralympians as part of the Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme.

Don't ANGRY me!

Ever the sportsman, Dravid
congratulates Ian Bell for his 150

Rahul Dravid, forever
the Humble Gentleman

Above all, it is his nature that endears him to many. His humility and 'gentlemanliness' are as legendary as the man himself. It was only fitting that he became the first Indian to deliver the Sir Donald Bradman Oration. Rahul Dravid was known for his equanimity, on and off the field. There must have been rare moments when he must have lost his temper. In fact, during the IPL, one commentator joked that, ‛You simply give Rajasthan Royals an extra point in the Fair Play Award because they have Dravid in their team.' 

Announcing his retirement from FC
 and international cricket.

Today, as Jammy turns 42, I hope that he finds out the answers to life. Just joking!

I hope that he finally wins a trophy. The match-fixing scandal in 2013 must have left him shocked and, in his own words, 'bereaved'. That too, having come at such an important juncture in the tournament. The heart-wrenching loss against Mumbai Indians last year, showed how near yet so far the team was. But Dravid is not the one to get bowed down. He will surely rise up and inspire the Royals to greater successes.

I hope that I get to talk with him. Okay, at least a selfie? If even that's not possible, an autographed autobiography? Talking of which, I seriously need to buy 'Timeless Steel'. I can get that autographed, pleeease? Well, I wish...

Thanks Sharad and Pushpa Dravid for bringing your son up so wonderfully.

Thanks Vijeeta Dravid (née Pendharkar) for taking care of your husband. I do wonder how you broke his defences and 'won' him over!

Thanks Samit and Anvay for sharing your father's love with millions of fans like me.

Thanks ESPNCricinfo, Quora and Wikipedia for teaching me more about him.

Thanks Rahul Dravid for the innumerable moments of joy and reasons to smile that you have given me. 

Thanks.

यह धरती है बलिदान की

My heartfelt gratitude to the makers of the Constitution who provided India with a strong framework of democracy, secularism and equality. #ConstitutionDay

My sincere tributes to all those bravehearts who sacrificed their lives and defended the prestige of our Motherland. #MumbaiHorror

EDIT:
How did I even forget this man? He turned India from a milk-deficient nation to the world's largest milk producer in the world. Presenting to you, 'Father of the White Revolution', Dr. Verghese Kurien, whose 93^rd birth anniversary falls today. #MilkManofIndia

/EDIT


We are blessed to have such noble people for countrymen. Let us all honour their work and sacrifice by rededicating ourselves to the cause of our nation.

Jai Hind!

Vande Mataram! 

Error 404: Suitable Topic Not Found

Down with dengue, I am grounded at home
In a flash of inspiration, I decided to pen this poem
I am still searching left, center and right
For a suitable topic on which I can write.

Let me write about the Father of my Nation
He is one helluva inspiration
Already done a piece on him, I guess
Alas! I'll have to go to another address

A political party could be a potential theme
Being a centrist, don't care much for Modi's team
Meanwhile the Congress is in a decline ultra-rapid
All the other parties seem insipid

Let me rant about the ALS Ice Bucket
Or the futility of launching a rocket
I could indulge in some verbal arson
Maybe, I could go about belittling a person

What if I publish a post about racism?
Or on the visible day-to-day sexism?
Attempt these topics another day I might
For now, I'd like something light

If you have an idea, please comment
Thanks to you guys, I may get my 'Eureka!' moment
Till then, with folded hands, I'll fervently pray
That, soon, the 'hypo-creativity' phase passes away
And a wonderful topic comes my way

Even this will pass away!!

Ever been stuck in an unholy mess?
Or been under great stress?
Been there, done that; ladies and gents
In the form of lyrical, my two cents

When your life is down in the dumps
When you hit too many bumps
You may be down but surely not out
Never put yourself in doubt

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

Life may punch you, kick you hard

People may try to tear you apart

Just picture a traditional Jap doll

Be a fighter and rise after every fall

Some may term you a jarring misfit

They may try to dampen your spirits

Remember a child who shared your plight

He went on to brighten the world with light

Some days might be filled with sorrow

You might lose hope of a better 'morrow

Spring, however, follows every winter

A time shall come when the ice will splinter

Life, at times, will seem very unfair
When you are chest deep in despair
Try not to let go of your beautiful smile
'Cause the troubles will surely recede after a while

Even when you're at the end of your wits
Never ever call it quits
Eventually—as Tilton did say
Even this shall pass away!!

Courtesy istakebroad.deviantart.com

Addendum

I wish all Indians a happy Diwali
This year, let the celebration be nirali
Avoid crackers and save the hariyali
After all, even nature deserves khushiyali

Gandhian Values in Daily Life

Courtesy--Wikimedia

Well, readers, I was not feeling well (down with Arctic Sniffles!) so I decided to indulge in some therapeutic reading. I took up a copy of 'My Experiments with Truth' by Mahatma Gandhi and got started. He says, 'Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.' His life, built upon the cornerstones of Peace, Truth and Service, is surely something worth learning from for all of us.

Even under the most extraordinary circumstances, Mahatma never wavered from the twin paths of peace and nonviolence. According to him, an eye for an eye would eventually turn the whole world blind. Time and again, history has proved him right by showing that any victory achieved solely through violence and bloodshed will eventually leave the mankind in tatters. With so many brutal conflicts underway around the world, it is now, more than ever, that we must pay heed to him. Before brokering peace outside, however, we must first be at peace with ourselves.

A crystal clear conscience is something that can take days to be built, but only a moment to get spoilt. You can fool all the others all the time but never your own self. If you feel that you have transgressed your limits with someone, then never hesitate to apologize. Try not to harbour any ill will or hatred towards others or even yourself. Whenever you find that thoughts of revenge are creeping up in your mind, think of Demi Lovato singing Let it go/Let it go/Can't hold hate anymore/. The day you're at peace with yourself, you will find that life is simpler than you'd have ever imagined.

Now that you are a peaceful guy (or girl, as the case may be), can you honestly answer this question: How true am I to myself? More often than not, the answer is likely to be 'rarely'. 'It was just an ordinary test tube. No harm if one broke. There's no need to go and tell the teacher about it.' Sure enough, a broken test tube won't cause much harm, but then, why not rather admit your fault? Mistakes do happen and, in most cases, your honesty will be appreciated. On the other hand, a single lie will soon lead to a vicious cycle, wherein you  will be lying nonchalantly to justify the previous lies. Sooner or later, when the truth is discovered, your house of cards lies will come crashing down. And since the house would have become a skyscraper, it will hurt like hell.

A person, a business or an institution built on the hollow foundations of lies and deceit is bound to fail the test of time. Many a time, it may seem difficult to speak the truth. Actually, speaking the truth is always the best bet as you will never be on the wrong side. In Gandhiji's words, 'When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it—always.'

Mahatma Gandhi lived by the principle—To serve the God is to serve the mankind. The society is never richer than the poorest person, stronger than the weakest person or freer than the most oppressed person. Imagine what would happen if all sweepers, domestic help and truck drivers went on strike for a day or two. The house would be plunged into mayhem, streets would be covered with filth and transport of goods would come to a standstill. Yet, we often downplay their contributions in our lives. True progress can come about only when every person has access to basic facilities and equal opportunities for growth and development.

It is not beyond us to make this happen. Not surprisingly, each of us wants it to happen. The very fact that you haven't exited the blog is a testimony to this. All we need to do is transform our ideas and ideals to deeds. Khalil Gibran beautifully sums it up—

I slept and I dreamed that life is all joy.

I woke and I saw that life is all service.

I served and I saw that service is joy. 

The Joy of Giving Week is an excellent opportunity for you to do something. Gandhiji correctly said that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Rather than giving you ideas, I'd love it if you could come up with something creative and share it here. Who knows, maybe this small step can become a giant stride towards progress and happiness!

Gandhiji's life is really an unending source of inspiration for people around the world. No one puts it better than his contemporary, THE scientist Albert Einstein—

Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to share your creative ideas and valuable feedback. Will be back in a week or two, with a new post.

Courtesy--Arbor Vitae (Flickr)

Till then, keep reading and embracing Peace, Truth and Service.

Happy Dusshera and Eid Mubarak to all those who celebrate!!

Good Bye!!!

Finally, a blogger!

A big hello to all readers!!

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet   Not the most ideal way to begin your first blog, I suppose. Let us pretend as if the above line was never typed. I guess I can start with a short introduction, so I'd better get weaving.

I am Kumaresh Ramesh, 16 and Indian. A bit too lazy and laid back for my liking, I guess I suffer from Compulsive Procrastination Disorder. In fact, I hadn't finalized the theme until yesterday. (Really!) If Jerome Weidman was tone-deaf, I am art-blind as well. Unfortunately, there is no Einstein to teach me (sobs). 

Writing is something that I appreciate and probably, the only outlet for my creativity. As I turned 16 on 9/25 (that's a Pythagorean triplet!), I thought that it would be fun to have your own virtual space. Playing with words and sentences would also provide the ideal foil for my two-year preparation for JEE. So, I decided to commemorate my birthday with a blog.

With these thoughts, a newbie blogger was born. I intend to make this my inroad replays personal diary (anyway, the order of letters doesn't matter) with lots of teenage armchair expertise coming on your way. All ye readers, comment to your heart's content, like, share and follow.

Good Bye and Happy Reading!!!