The world around me... some wandering thoughts

TV, FM, News Paper, Net... it's OBAMA everywhere. Conversation in a FM program here in Bangalore this morning:         FM      : Who is the president of America?         Caller : Obama               (May not be a write answer as of now)         FM      : Who is the president of India?         Caller : ????....gr####@@@@...

This not about the victory of Barack Hussein Obama ... its about the announcement of the highest civilian award in one of the largest democracies of the world. Bharat Ratna , the highest honor awarded for an Indian, has been trivialized with politicians, demanding the honor to be awarded to the party leaders, was last announced in 2001. In a nation where there were leaders who said NO to top awards for great genuine reasons, Bharath Ratna was not announced for the past 6 years just because of fierce politicking. Lots of names were on row: Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Jyoti Basu, Biju Patnaik, Kanshi Ram, Karpoori Thakur, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram, Jyotiba Phule ... a lot more. Atlast on 4th of November 2008, they announced a non-politician: "The Hindustani classical music legend Pandit Bhimsen Joshi is chosen for the Bharat Rathna award ".

Sachin and Sensex used to hit records together. Latest of Sachin: Highest scorer in test cricket and the latest in the Bombay Stock Exchange, sensex plunged below10K, both happened on the same day.Similarly when Sachin crossed 15K mark in his ODI career, Sensex too crossed 15K. On that day, TOI published the milestones in the front page: Most of time, its like when Sachin did well Sensex flattered, when Sachin slumped Sensex rocked.Hope this time, Sensex will catchup with Sachin soon!!

Certain words in the dictionary remain as an antonym to typical Indian nature. No need to tell, "PUNCTUALITY" is one among them. Shashi Tharoor's series in TOI on Indianness had a lot to mention about it. One among the very first things that flashes in our mind when we think of our punctual habits is the timing being maintained by our transport system. Be it road or rail or air: no partiality, its same everywhere, none used to be on time :) I don't think, we ever we had a history of all flights on single day in a single airport took-off and landed on time. But history changes and the gets the credit too! Yes, this is about none other than landing of two spice jet flights in the nation's second private bound airport - Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The two spicejet flights from Ahemedabad and Mumbai landed 40 mins ahead of schedule at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on the day when the airport's commercial operations commenced. But the most surpris...

Got a mail today morning from my PL with the subject :oyesumi wo itadakimasu [I'm on leave]. So thought of looking to the list of Japanese holidays and there came the surpising facts abt the holidays these hard workers are njoying. Always I thought India is the country with higher number of holidays : 13 national hoilidays a year and few more local holidays. But now I feel Japanese are njoing more holidays than we Indians. Number of official holidays in Japan is 15. List of Japanese National holidays : Jan 1 : o-shogatsu [New Year Day] Jan 2nd Mon : seijin-no-hi [Coming of Age Day] Feb 11 : kenkoku-kinenbi [National Foundation Day] March 21 : shumbun-no-hi [Vernal Equinox Day] April 29 : midori-no-hi [Greenery Day] May 3 : kempo-kinembi [Constitution Day] May 4 : Kokumin-no-kyujitsu [People's Day] May 5 : kodomo-no-hi [Children's Day] July 20 : umi-no-hi [Maraine Day] Sep18 : keiro-no-hi [Respect For Aged Day] Sep 23 : shubun-no-hi [Autumnal Equinox Day] Oct 2nd Mon : taiik...

Closing ceremony of 18th edition of Common Wealth Games : With the pride to host next event of Common wealth Games, India had a major role to play. The country with diversified history, culture welcomed Common Wealth Games 2010 in Delhi with dance of it's ex. Ms World and Ms Universe. Who's it that brilliant idea to make Rani and Aaishwarya to dance in a sports meet? It's not a bollywood award function. Media came out with the snaps of Aishwarya and Sushmitha... but where gone is the best athlete of Common Wealth Games 2006, Samaresh Jung. Don't we have any thing else other than bollywood to potray our culture and tradition? 2010 is supposed to be the time when sports will take precedence in this country and unfortunately the beginning was the biggest disappointment ever!!!!

It's New year in one week....crazy Tennis fans in the country can look forward to the only ATP tournament of South Asia. Its' returning back to Chennai.....once Gold Flake Open ....then Tata Open and now aptly named "Chennai Open". Chennai has hosted this tournament for the past eight yrs but...it's been not sure after last year's tournament whether Chennai will hold on ATP tournament with it or not. And now it's made sure Chennai, with pride, will host the nation's biggest Tennis tournament till 2009. It's goin to be festival time again for Tennis lovers here in the city from 3rd of Jan till 9th of Jan 2005. Music, Dance....and now Tennis it's really an njoyable life in Chennai .