In Awe of the “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius

This writer is in absolute awe of the “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee who made it to the London Olympics to participate in both the individual 400 and the 4x400 relay. The sprinter from South Africa, who is also known as “the fastest man on no legs” will thus become the first amputee track athlete to compete at any Olympic games.

Oscar Pistorius was born with a congenital absence of the fibula in both legs and hence had to amputate his legs halfway between his knees and ankles when he was only 11 months old. However even in his childhood days Pistorius challenged his disability and played rugby, water polo and tennis in his school. He also played water polo and tennis at the provincial level in his country and took part in club Olympic wrestling as well. In the year 2003 he had a serious rugby knee injury and then he was introduced to running in 2004 while he was undergoing rehabilitation. 

Oscar Pistorius is a role model for all and it is almost impossible not to look at him with respect and awe. It is common sense that one of the most difficult things for a person with artificial legs would be to run. But Pistorius has overcome this difficulty and has become a professional runner and is going to run in the greatest sporting event in the world as a sprinter. He is a living example of what human mind is capable of doing if you have courage, grit and determination. As Oscar Pistorius’ sporting motto says, “You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have.” This writer would like to wish Oscar Pistorius all the very best for his sporting endeavours at the London Olympics. Viva Blade Runner!!!

Problem with the use of ‘send’ and ‘sent’? Now fix it

Many of us have problem with the usage of ‘send’ and ‘sent’, where we are often unsure about which one to use when we make a sentence. There is a quick fix to this problem and it is the use of ‘dispatch’ and ‘dispatched’ in the place of ‘send’ and ‘sent’.

Whenever in doubt of whether to use ‘send’ or ‘sent’, try making the sentence using ‘dispatch’ and ‘dispatched’. If you would use ‘dispatch’ then the right usage is ‘send’ and if you would use ‘dispatched’ the correct word to use is ‘sent’.

For example, if you are in doubt about whether to use ‘send’ or ‘sent’ in the sentence “I will send/sent the report now”, try making the sentence using ‘dispatch’. So will you write “I will dispatch the report now” OR “I will dispatched the report now”? You would use “I will dispatch the report now”, isn’t it? So here the right usage is ‘send’.

Similarly, if you are in doubt about whether to use ‘send’ or ‘sent’ in the sentence “I have already send/sent the report”, use ‘dispatch’ and see. Will you write “I have already dispatch the report” OR “I have already dispatched the report”? You would use “I have already dispatched the report”, right? So the correct usage here is ‘sent’.

Hope this helps.

CPI (M) in a Fix Over Political Murders in Kerala

The killing of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader TP Chandrasekharan in the night of 4th May at Kozhikode has shocked and outraged the conscience of the state. A defenceless man was mercilessly hacked to death in the dead of the night by some brutes, who planned and murdered the ex-CPI (M) leader in cold blood. The unidentified assailants who were travelling in a car, hurled country made bombs at TP Chandrasekharan, who was riding a bike, and hacked him to death using sharp weapons. This murder with a lot of political overtones has since become a matter of great political controversy in the state and it has put the CPI (M) in a fix as many of its activists and local leaders are getting arrested on murder charges.

No other political occurrence since TP murder has shocked and appalled the state as much as the hate speech by MM Mani, the Idukki District Secretary of the CPI (M). His revelation that the CPI (M) had in the past planned and killed their political enemies shocked the whole state. It was not a general statement, but the speech was made with all the specifics of the killing mentioned in it, about the places of those killings, about who was killed and about how each of them was killed. He boasted that the party activists shot dead one political foe, another one was beaten to death and a third one stabbed to death. MM Mani also said that CPI (M) had often eliminated political foes and many Congress activists at his place stayed in the Congress party at the mercy of the CPI (M). He had also said that whenever his party had eliminated their political foes they had always proudly accepted it publicly. The hostile body language with which MM Mani was speaking was quite uncharacteristic of a politician. His ludicrous assertions landed him in trouble as his own party disowned his comments, made statements that MM Mani deviated from party line and whatever he said was not party policy. He landed in further trouble as the Police booked him on conspiracy and murder charges. MM Mani’s statements not only embarrassed the CPI (M), but put the party in the defensive in West Bengal, as they are fighting the Trinamool Congress’ violence in that state.  

Now that the CPI (M) is in trouble after many of its activists and local committee and area committee members are being arrested in the TP murder case, they are trying to defend the party by taking party supporters to the street. Leaders like Ilamaram Kareem are not mincing any words in his accusation of the Police and Congress government on arresting party activists on TP murder. The party accuse that this is political vendetta by the Congress and the party and its activists have no connection with the murder of TP Chandrashekaran. If that is the case then it would have been wise for the party to challenge the arrests in a court of law and not in the streets as they are doing right now. Only the court would be able to find out and judge who is really behind the killing of TP and since that time it would be stupid to predict who the perpetrator is. However the panic with which the CPI (M) is reacting to this murder case makes it appear that they have something to hide. Therefore it would be wise for the party to take this easy and challenge the case lawfully whenever the case appears in a court of justice, to remove all the doubts from the minds of people of Kerala.

Making a list of political foes and eliminating them one by one is a style of medieval politics and it has no place in modern day political scene. If the statements made by MM Mani that the CPI (M) has always committed that as a party policy is true, then it is a serious crime and people of our country would never pardon the party for that. If the boasting made by MM Mani is found out to be true by the court of law in our country then the party must be banned in the country. However the people of India hope that what MM Mani said in his speech was just a boasting and there is no truth in it as it is very important to have a strong left force in the country to guard against the very serious and dangerous rightward movement of the country in the economic and political spheres of life.

Fifth Minister Row – UDF Appears a Pack of Jokers

Muslim League has got their fifth minister in the UDF government and as of now the most critical issue that threatened the existence of the ministry appears to have died down. However it must be noted that the shameful way in which the Congress party, the leader of the UDF coalition, gave in to the demands of their junior partner is a sign to the future and it will give other coalition partners more courage to flex their muscles and demand many more things from the Congress. In the name of ‘coalition dharma’ Congress has created a scenario in the state where the regional parties of the coalition have more power in the government than the national party, which is not a favourable situation.

Congress’ headache has only started now. With the Neyyattinkara election quite imminent, the way in which the fifth minister allowed to the Muslim League has angered the religious majority groups like the NSS and SNDP will have its effect. Though the NSS and SNDP don’t have the sort of influence on their respective communities as that of the Christian organisations, their influence can’t be completely ignored. The reshuffle in the cabinet done by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to appease the NSS and SNDP doesn’t appear to have impressed them. By relinquishing the Home Ministry and giving it to Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, a member of the majority community, the Chief Minister was trying to pacify the NSS and SNDP.

Though India is a secular country, caste and religious sentiments are still quite high among the people. Therefore political parties also do consider these factors in determining their candidates during election and in determining ministers during the creation of a cabinet. Even the left parties, who profess not only secularism, but even atheism, are known to give a lot of consideration to the caste and religious sentiments while selecting their candidates and ministers, because they know that only then they can have any realistic chance to gain power. However all responsible political parties should know the limit to which they can consider this caste factor, for once it goes over that limit it would be a threat to the secular fabric of our country.

The fifth minister row has made the UDF appear to be a pack of jokers who are ready to do whatever to hung on to power. If the Muslim League had threatened that they will pull out of the UDF, the Congress party should have told them that they are free to move out. Then the state would have got the chance to see how the LDF and Muslim League would have handle the situation. Would the LDF accept Muslim League in their front? Would League and LDF in that way create a new government? Would the CPI (M), who is quite averse of Manjalankuzhi Ali, make him a minister as League wished? These all would have been questions that we Keralites would have got an answer to. Though CPI (M) had once said that they will never create a front with Muslim League as it is a religious party, it is almost sure that they would have accepted league had they come out of UDF. For usurping power they would have no prick of conscience to team up with any religious party as was seen during last parliament election when they partnered with and shared dias with PDP.

As this writer had earlier observed, politicians epitomise all the vices that human ingenuity could invent. They can do anything to cling on to power, can partner with anyone, can embrace the ones they had showered expletives earlier, can disown anyone who have been with them for years, can change their promises anytime and can fool people with ridiculous audacity. And if about the present UDF government, it must be seen how long they can go on with such demanding coalition partners. If the Congress party continues to buckle down under the pressure of the coalition partners it would surely cut a sorry figure in front of the people and the nation.

Congrats Sachin Tendulkar on Your 100th Hundred

I congratulate my hero Sachin Tendulkar on achieving the unachievable landmark of 100 hundreds in international cricket. One could be reasonably sure that this landmark would never again be achieved in the history of this great game, at least not in the lifetime of this generation. Your dedication, discipline and hard work have made it possible for you, not to mention the God-gifted natural genius you have.

You have been an inspiration to a whole generation, to rise above mediocrity, to confront the greatest of challenges with iron heart, to thrash down idiotic criticisms of ordinary men, to march ahead of the naysayers’ negative opinions and to win over the world with confidence, courage and grit. You epitomised India’s rise as a major force to reckon with in the world stage by your single handed dominance of the world’s most ferocious bowling attacks of our generation. You made those detractors of our country to stand up and notice, to respect you and thereby our country, you are one of the greatest sons of our nations and without any doubt the greatest exponent of Indian cricket, the greatest of them all.

May you continue many more years, bringing more joy to the millions of Indians, making more tons and bringing more triumphs. For the moment let us, your die-hard fans, bask in your glory, for you have brought us more joy, confidence and pride than any other single man in this universe. Thank you very much Sir.

Cricket Now a Much Poorer Game as Rahul Dravid Retires

And then what we all dreaded was confirmed to be true - Rahul Dravid has called it a day and he has declared his retirement from international cricket. A man who stood like a wall when his team mates, many a time, fell like nine pins will no longer wield a bat and saunter on to a cricket field to calm nerves and to fill hopes in the minds of thousands of Indian cricket lovers. I bow my head in profound respect in front of a man who has been more than a mere batsman, for he was a gentleman to the core, a real master of the game and a great role model for a whole generation.

The great man had always been in the shadows of one performance or one man. When he made 95 on test debut against England at Lords, his performance was overshadowed by the century on debut by Sourav Ganguly. When he revived Indian cricket’s fortunes at the Eden Gardens in 2001 with a hard fought 180, it was overshadowed by the epic 281 by VVS Laxman, one of the greatest innings in the history of test match cricket (this writer considers that innings of VVS as the greatest test match innings he has ever witnessed). And all through his career he was perpetually under the shadow of the greatest cricketer of his generation Sachin Tendulkar. However it must be said that he carved a niche for himself in world cricket, for there are few better than him at No: 3, often considered as the most difficult of all batting positions.

Just take a look at some of the records that the great man possesses. Second highest run getter in test match cricket; only Indian to score four centuries in a trot; with a tally of 210, he has the most number of catches by a fielder in test matches; he has been involved in most century partnerships in test cricket (88) and the most awesome record among all, he has faced 31258 deliveries in Test cricket, more than any other batsman in the history of the game.

When he walks on to the shades of international cricket he will be remembered as one of the greatest champions of the art of batting, a true legend, and an embodiment of patience, discipline, consistency, dependability and what not. The great game of cricket will be a much poorer game, now that Rahul Dravid has retired from it. But it could be said without any doubt that his name would shine in the annals of the game always. Thank you very much Rahul Dravid for being a role model for all of us, who have looked up to you for inspiration to weather down calamities in life as you often did when you went out to bat for the Indian cricket team as a real wall, as the great wall of India. We salute you.

International Women's Day

Its International Women's Day and let me use this occasion to thank all those wonderful women who have influenced me and my life. First of all a big thanks to my Amma, for all that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother; my sweet elder sister, who always trusted in my abilities and talents and stood by me when even I had doubts in my abilities; my best friend, my most favourite sister, who has been a source of great support and consolation whenever I had been emotionally down. And a big thanks to all my other soul sisters for their unswerving affection, who have made my life worth living, my friends and colleagues who reserved their unwavering support exclusively for me. Thank you all.

Image: Google doodle on International Women's Day

A Twisted Thought on a Valentine's Day

Had I been in a love relationship with a girl all these while, I would have spent all my quality time with her and would have squandered all chances of getting acquainted with and in starting affectionate relationship with many other wonderful men and women in this world.

She would have prevented me from getting in such close relationship with others and with her possessiveness, which is often considered a great quality when young men and women are in love, she would have find fault with all such relationships I would have perchance entered into. Worried about finding her quite out of humour with my relationships I would have switched my mind off to others and would have become a mono-faceted individual. Had it been the case, what a shame it would have been. For I have shielded myself from getting into the catastrophic world of love (or because many girls have wisely chosen not to get involved with such a catastrophe as I), I have had many opportunities to be in affectionate relationship with many and develop my emotional qualities to a much greater level, which helped me to become a better individual than I would have become if I had been in a love relationship with a girl.

Anyways, Happy Valentine’s Day to all those who consider it to be a pious occasion and wish all among them a great day together with those with whom they are in a love relationship with. Yes, I am single, no, I am not lonely.

200th Birthday of Charles Dickens

Today is the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens, the greatest novelist in English literature. He tirelessly wrote all his life and created some of the most famous characters in literature including Ebenezer Scrooge, the Fagin, Samuel Pickwick, Oliver Twist, Wilkins Micawber and many more. Global celebrations are being planned on the occasion of the great writer’s 200th birthday and wreaths would be laid on the author’s grave in the Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey. A 24 hours ‘readathon’ will take place in many countries where reading of Dickens’ books will mark the occasion. Charles Dickens remains and would remain as a source of inspiration for millions of readers all over the world. His legacy will remain as long as there is English literature.

When I am Emotional, I Write

To get lost in a deluge of emotions and to get settled down in a black hole of profound solitude, blessedly oblivious of the multitude of brighter things unfolding around, is a quality that even the angels in the heaven and the beasts in the earth are envious of the humans, for the human mind in such a state of supreme existence is capable of doing greater things, which in its customary state it may not be capable of achieving. I, being a writer, am one of the most emotional human beings to have ever lived in this world, a truth which I am quite proud to declare to this world, for I dare say there is nothing to be ashamed of being emotional, contrary to what this world foolishly believes. When I am emotional, I write.

A writer, who is usually known for his ability to analyse human emotions and to instil such emotions inside those people about whom he writes, real and imaginary, is always almost a man of many emotions himself. Being with a stupidly emotional heart is a matter of great benefit to a writer, for with it he gets umpteen numbers of occasions to prosper in a plethora of human sentiments - good, bad and the ugly - as his heart is prone to many ludicrous numbers of mood swings, which if he is in a mental atmosphere of creativity would result in writings that have the mark of literary brilliance. When I am emotional, I write.

When I am immersed in that finest emotion of happiness, I would float in its mirth and would hear, like many poets in the past, the skylarks sing, the honey bees murmur, the wind whistling and I would see the daffodils and many other flowers of its kind fluttering and dancing in the breeze. When my mind is gay, merry thoughts of the past would come out of the oblivion, as the bright sun would come out of the veil of the dark clouds, and I would sing, Blue skies of yore, In my remembrances, Still, thick and alive, Like my nursery rhymes. When I am emotional, I write.

When I am deeply drenched in despair, perchance the strongest of all emotions, my mind will wander to many queer places, conjure many farcical ideas, imagine things that have escaped the minds of far greater imaginative people than I, think about the many sacrifices I have made, real and presumed, bask in the glory of such assumed sacrifices and sometimes with a bit of moisture in my eyes I would make me convinced that I was young and foolish, and now am full of tears. As I despise being swept away in those strong currents of despair, I would amass all the courage I could and would ignite the flame of hope inside me believing If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?; and would write with audacity, Cold winters won’t make me shiver, Am a leaf, floating lonely in the river. When I am emotional, I write.

Moral indignation on an injustice done to me, to those of my own or to the society as a whole brings in the emotion of anger in me and My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break. When my soul gets burnt by the emotion of anger, the vilest of all emotions, I would seethe fire and would pin down the subject of my aversion and anger with sharp words intended to arouse the same feelings in my readers. In a fit of annoyance I would rant and rue on the moral turpitude of those perpetrators of injustice, boast boorishly on my moral supremacy over them and would write, Four years is a long time, For their lewd relationship, To blossom into passionate love, And in these last four years, When they’ve stooped from bad to worse, I’ve risen from bad to great. When I am emotional, I write.

The ability of the human spirit to march ahead of mediocre human existence in a struggle to attain those horizons of exceptional existence is often strengthened by passionate emotions. A human mind is a goldmine of superior abilities, of finer talents and sometimes, of immaculate genius. So be emotional, be proud of it, declare it to the world and make use of your emotional brilliance to fire up your imagination and creativity. When I am emotional, I write.