The choice between fascists and fools

Posted on September 17, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

“Casteism, after all is not all that bad. The essence of casteism is something people now are mathematically talking about in Game Theory. Conflicting sections of an entity keep a check on the others, and hence improve performance. Like we have the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary in governance. Caste-based discrimination, that Hinduism is tainted so badly was one such attempt in keeping the society at check by division based on labour”.

I heard this line of argument from one of the scientists in India’s premier research institution. Coming from a person who could distinguish the nuanced difference between proprietary and Free Software, but who vouches for casteism, even more openly than the argument above.
This to me did a lot more than remove any trace of respect I had for him. It demystified many things.

My then held belief that education can emancipate people, because it leads them out of ignorance was washed to the gutter. And what has followed is my understanding of how the machinery of propaganda gets better for the literate class- thanks to the increased access points.

Today, there is plethora of propaganda that has turned out trash into facts, and what might qualify to be parody into reality.  I am not surprised at all, for I have witnessed the depth and sophistication of fundamentalists’ preaching. What does strike me unusual is its massive scale this time around.

On the other hand, the dynastic political party that has pushed India into an unrecoverable neo-liberalised economy – must be embarrased by now, as to how their ‘heir apparent’ does not seem to be all that apparent. Every press interaction, people get to witness the shallow and gullible highfalutin that could be the other Prime Ministerial candidate.

“Politics is everywhere. It is in your shirt, in your pant. That is why we are here.”, and more goof-ups on a daily basis.

Irrespective of the fool or the fascist, the underlying policies of their parties are going to remain the same. Both the political parties are poised to hamper sovereign interests. Both have at some point in time, even in the last decade vouched for policy-making that directly has conflicted with the interests of India’s people, to favour the coroporates.

Because I have the privilege of being hounded by fanatic supporters of either one of these candidates, I am asked if not the two, what is my ‘solution’.

Beyond the fool, or the fascist we need a political alternative that will not bend to serve the interests of crony capitalists, who are the rock-bed upon whom both the major political parties stand, and stand strong.

I don’t see a better opportunity than now to dismiss the two majority parties and give rise to a third alternative. A coalition of moderate forces who are not driven by religious vendetta or are policy ridden, but are not partisans and have clear priorties in policy making.
Might sound Utopian, but I cannot simply confine myself to choose between fascists and fools!

Posted in India, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Lessons from Sweden: Learning semantics over syntax!

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

Again, an early observation this post might seem. Within 5 days, and after 5 lectures one cannot understand an education system that exists in ‘the West’. But, with my experiences in these five lectures, and the rich background in Indian academic scenario both as a student and a teacher, I have already been able to ascertain some of the hitherto (to me) made claims about the education away from home.

Simply to encapsulate the value of the education here, one rule as stated in the course memo of my course will do.

It reads: On the written exam, the solutions are more important than the answers. Hence, a good solution that yields an incorrect (but reasonable) answer because of a minor mistake can give almost full score, whereas a correct answer without a correct solution may give 0 points.

The statement above to a great extent tells what the core of the education here is, in comparison to that still is going on with tremendous momentum back at home.

The emphasis is entirely given to deep understanding ideas and applications of concepts, and almost no emphasis is given in rote-learning monstrous empirical formulae. Almost all written exams allow students to bring the formula sheet, or other catalogues which have results that need to be applied in the exams. Like one of my professor said “In solving real world problems you can always look up the books or the Internet, what is important is to visualise the solution using these formuale, so you are free to get your formula sheets”.

In these few lectures that have passed, I have come to realise very quickly that all I thought I knew were still unknown to me.

The syntax evaluation rather than semantic evaluation, that is so prevalent in India has to vanish, if we truly have to increase the standards of education. This is one, simple but massive lacuna in the education. Like Feynman says, “Knowing the name of something, is different from knowing that something”. Unfortunately, in most higher education courses all we learn is the name of many many things, which we really don’t know anything about.

Also, one other distinct feature here in Sweden is the truly flat model of the society, and hence also in education. The rapport between the teachers and students, even based on my personal experience is immensely improved which reflects in the quality of work that can happen in the interaction.

Another important aspect of academics is the emphasis on original research.

This post might not be a comprehensive treatise on the pedagogical differences, with deep understanding of the social conditions between the two countries. But, a personal observation of the stark contrast that seems to exist at every step, and that is simply hard to miss.

I will keep a close watch on not only learning new technical concepts, but also the motivation behind the pedagogy that is adapted here, and what other reasons might be preventing us in India to hop on to this model.

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Why am I in love with Gothenburg?!

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

People who are part of my online social network must be thinking that something must have gone wrong with Raghav that he has gone gaga over the new city he’s moved into. It’s been less than a week, and how can one go crazy about a new living place as I have?

No. It did not even take a week! It happened within the first sighting of the city and the first few hours here.

I have never lived out of Bangalore. Never liked living in Chennai, Hyderabad or Delhi (these being the cities I have frequented most in India). I myself was skeptical as to how I would adjust to another city, and that too far out of India; How would I respond to the people, the culture and the burden of living away from the home, where I’ve grown up and lived for the last 25 or so years.

A small digression before I answer that question. Couple of things not many know about me:

1. I love to travel, and although this is my first trip outside India, I have always fancied the idea of going to a new place, getting surprised by the nuances of the culture and to relish the food, what come may.

2. I am a blue person. Not in the sense that I am gloomy (never liked that attribution to such a wonderfully expressive colour). I love the colour blue. Hence, the sky and the seas have been most favorite natural solace seeking places.

3. Fan of clouds. The enigmatic patterns in the clouds, have always enticed me with the ‘open to imagine platform’ that they offer to me.

4. Never been a summer person. Winters have been my favorite. Of course the coldest weather I have faced is in Delhi, where the temperature was about 3-4 degree celsius.

These factors taken into consideration, let me talk about the first few minutes into the flight after the pilot announced that we will be landing in Gothenburg.

All I saw was green and brown patches of islands surrounded by the most elegant of blue hues for the water, the everlasting and ever calm blue in the sky with clouds that were herding like a flock of sheep immediately elated me. Until then an exhausted international traveler that I was sat upright in my seat and was all ecstatic.

This first impression, added to the reputation of the Swedes who had already interacted with me during the scholarship challenge, made it more conducive for me. Just before a couple of hours, I was at the Brussels International airport and maybe because of the trauma of the previous flight and the burden of the impending flight I did not like the place at all. Not that airports represent a country, but the feel was not right after all. Whereas, the same feel in the Gothenburg airport was so much more relaxed, and cosy.

After that, it was to learn how amicable the local people were. That just made it irresistible for me.

It’s been 5 days in Gothenburg as I write this, and if anything, all these spontaneous observations have only been ascertained with deeper insight into the lives of people here and the culture that as I have heard is so unique to the city.

But, when I do express these elated expressions to my new acquaintances here, most of them have only one thing to say – “Wait until the winter pitches in”. Of course, I am trying to prepare mentally and wardrobe-wise for a winter, that might even be bad. But how does that hamper one’s experience in this moment, right now? And if the weather is going to adverse too, I am going to try and brace it like the people here do. It is part of the package, and I am at least hoping that I won’t end up cribbing about the cold weather.

All said and done, I am not simply a traveler. I am on an agenda of learning – academically and also the society as it is here. Without the endurance, if I may call so, I shall be a bad student of nature.

Göteborg it is, and I love the place.

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Challenging Yourself, the Swedish Way

Posted on August 24, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

So, here is my long pending post, mostly informative about the process and not about my personal motivations that have brought me this far in the journey to Sweden. Jotting this down, as at least some of you have been wanting to know.


Firstly, just to put things in place, I am the recipient of a popularly awarded scholarship by the Swedish Institute (entity governing the Universities in Sweden). This scholarship covers living expenses, that are pretty exorbitant when compared to ours in India. The worth of the scholarship is 90,000 SEK (9,000 x 10 months) for two years, and a one time travel grant of 15,000 SEK. I will not talk in INR, for it is very volatile and does not entirely make sense (do check up on the exchange rates so that the finances make sense to you).

The SI scholarship, if granted, the recipient is guaranteed the funds for the first year, and if the scholarship holder scores at least 22.5 credits out of 30 (equivalent of passing in 3 out of the 4 subjects with a minimum of 50% marks) in the first semester, only then will the scholarship will be extended to the second year.

Also, the university I am getting admitted into for the Master of Science, in Communication Engineering – Chalmers University of Technology, has awarded me a full tution fee waiver – that is about, 280,000 SEK.

This being the consequence, let me talk about the process that has led me into this beautiful city – Gothenburg.

The website, http://www.challengeyourself.in/ initially when I stumbled upon during my hunt for scholarships, seemed to convince me little about its authenticity. There were many sites that seemed like spam, and I did not give too much heed to the literature on the site. Then, serenditpitously I happened to be at the Swedish Education Day that happened in Bangalore on the 31st of October, 2012 and it is here that I witnessed the Swedish way of taking things to a new level. The earnestness in the attempt to popularise their higher education in India, with the scholarship as one of the incentives was clear and I was convinced about the seriousness of the website.

A small hindrance then was that, the challenge said it was only fee waiver for the students who won the scholarship. I was again not very keen on it, for the living expenses would be lot more than if I opted for a course in Germany (Germany, even now does not charge tuition fee for many international programs). Nonetheless, without lot of seriousness I took up the challenges on the http://www.challengeyourself.in/

The tests, if you check up even now are online and were not very difficult. General information quiz about Sweden, some analytical tests and then I had to choose between three programs. From the Swedish education day, and based on my interests the course offered by Chalmers University best fit my need. Also, while researching for Universities abroad, Chalmers was one of my favorites but because of the heavy tuition fee I had given up on it.

So, choosing Chalmers led me into two rounds of test by Chalmers; One included a multiple choice quiz on signal processing and related ideas to my course. It was followed by a technical essay on a topic related to networks in India and how a wireless backhaul could benefit the networks. With my experience as a networks engineer, I could write out a 500 word essay which clearly depicted my hands-on experience. A personal statement of motivation of about 300 words was needed. I did write it and completed my application.

As I mentioned already, because the scholarship challenge included only fee waiver I did not take up the challenge with dead seriousness. And that in a way helped in keeping my approach casual I must add.

In about ten days, I was informed that I was shortlisted in the top 20 candidates. That did not greatly excite me, but as I read the mail there was a new point added stating, that my living expenses will be taken care off with a stipend with travel grant. NOW, the challenge was more realistic to me.

Immediately, I had a paradigm shift about the challenge and I got ready for the next procedure. It involved doing lot of documentation, A LOT of it and sending it to the organisers and the University. My documents reached the University on the day of the deadline at 3PM! The next step was if the documents were adequately sent and based on the profile video interviews would be conducted.

The video interview did happen, wherein a personnel from the university conducted a personal interview, which was intended at understanding the motivation of me applying to the course and the University. I was honest and told them as to it was Germany I was looking at, and because of the scholarship I had the opportunity to apply to Chalmers. And more detailed questions probing my future aspirations and other skills of mine. No technical questions were asked, and I did think that the interview went on well.

After again a week, I was declared to be one amongst the 3 finalists who could have won the Challenge.

The next month was torturous, becuase I had narrowed down to the top 3 and I did not want to miss out on the opportunity to go to Chalmers.

On 13th of January, 2013 the entire crew including members from Student Competitions, SI and Universities who were involved in the challenge came down to Bangalore and in a day long event, finally declared the winner. I must admit, I usually am never very excited, nervous or do I have any expectations. But, on that specific day I was swelling with all of these, and the result that I was the winner simply quenched these emotions. I knew that moment was going to be the fulcrum point in my life, from where on I was going to progress into a different path.

And, now after 7 months I am here, savouring the Swedish summer in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, walking up to ‘my University’.

It’s been a wonderful journey, and I am all set to making it better. I already have found hints that I will have to work harder, and that is the least I can be doing to value the opportunity that is at hand, while I also learn the Swedish way of life.

Cheers.

PS:  This post was intended to answer some of the queries, many of you have been asking me through the last few months. I haven’t dealt with many specifics. If you are interested to know, do drop me a personal mail or post a comment 🙂

Posted in Personal, Sweden | Tagged | 5 Comments

Growing up, demystifying logic.

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

What is the most ludicrous reasoning that you remember from your childhood?

Take a moment and just think about all the answers that you had convinced yourself with, when you were still discovering the world.

I have ranging from cute to hilarious memories from my childhood, here are a few:

I don’t think now the gurkhas,  the night watchmen who go on strolls at midnight still do it. When I was really small, maybe when in class one or two, I remember how scared I used to be to the ‘hooooot. tappp. tapppp….’ rhythm, when it would reverberate at midnight. In Rajajinagar, then it was on Thursdays.
I was too scared to ask my parents what it was, and reasoned out to myself that a special police was scaring off the ghosts from the night business. Now it seems unbelievable, as to how I almost never missed any Thursday, and was trembling in my bed thinking hard not to think about it.The demystification happened maybe when I had seen the gurkha in broad daylight collecting money from my mom, after a few years.

My sister once when asked in her kindergarten class, “How do radios work”, supposedly said “My dad puts batteries in it, and it works”, and the entire incident got amusingly reported back to my parents.

Likewise, there was this hoax that was being circulated and with all the adults I too was victimised. This was a case where a ghost supposedly was attacking homes, and if you had written “naale baa” (come tomorrow), it would read this instruction, and come for the next tomorrow, hence indefinitely delaying its attack. Tomorrow Never Dies, released well after this incident. Now you know where they got the title.
Well, I too wrote it on my door, with wet white chalk! Of course I wondered, why should I write only in Kannada, and what if the ghost did not know Kannada!

These incidents from my experience, can be no different for many of you. Answering questions with our imagination is a very humane trait. We are designed to learn, and understand, or at least fill voids in understanding with answers. And the answer also to the conception of God is evident from these personal experiences. If we look at society, or civilisation as an entity the collective cognisance also craves for answers, and by now it is well established that ignorance and natural imagination led us into personifying God/Gods.

Personally, the bigger demystification about religion and God took more time. Nonetheless, the ‘God is the creator’ argument never had convinced me. When in class 5 or close to that I learnt about Darwin’s theory of Evolution, it seemed to make perfect sense. And the agnostic started thriving in me ever since. From a born polytheist, to a monotheist, then a brief period of being an agnostic it has taken me a journey to attain the salvation of being an atheist.

On the other hand, the society is struggling with questions. When it has taken me, an individual with moderate thinking abilities close to 20 years to learn the truth about God or religion, that does not sound absurd or hilarious, societies even after millennia are stuck in awkward positions with the questions about God and Science.

Sadly still satisfied with hypothesis, I must say.

Posted in Philosophy, Rants | Tagged | 1 Comment

Why I chose to be a teacher :)

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

It’s been two years, and now at the end of this tenure of my teaching I am trying to answer the various questions that never mellowed down, till even today, as to “Why I  chose to be a teacher!”.

The skepticism was mainly from people who knew me only from the outside, and had gone bonkers over how a promising, successful industry resource was whiling away himself within an academic institution. Not just peers, but even many of my teachers were ‘surprised’ at what I got into.

As I said, it’s been two years of teaching, and now with one more month to go in this term, I can proudly confess that these two years have been the best time hitherto in my life. Not about the supposedly ‘relaxed’ time one gets to spend within the campus – I was busier than ever, doing things that I love the most.

Teaching, brought me back in touch with myself. Like I usually quote a friend, it connected me with myself. The last two years, I have not been working, just doing things I love to do most of the time, and getting rewarded in more than what even a bulky pay could have brought me in any IT company.

I do not intend to demean all the others who are working in industry, but this is only a case of me.

A small anecdote that I quote, may well also get on to record.

It was one full semester, close to 6 months into teaching, and post exams there is a trend of teachers also going on vacations. I was in my first year of teaching, and I was not going to get any vacations, which did not bother me at all. So, this one other colleague of mine in the college comes up to me and mockingly asks me “So you don’t get a vacation this time? So sad. Huhaahaaa”. I look up and then tell, “Ever since I quit my industry job and got into teaching, I’ve been vacationing. Hehe”.

This anecdote is not about the little triumph I had in the conversation, but even now, after two years I have never felt that I was ‘working’, in the modern sense, where I would have to stretch myself beyond what I naturally could do, and then crib about it. The stress and strain associated with working were all gone. I was happy, and getting enriched, and importantly on a daily basis.

The day-to-day gratification I would get, after every class , every interaction with my students (more friends than students) was immeasurable. That small speck of inspiration they seem to get, because of something that I had done, or were doing together is the biggest impetus that simply kept me ease through these two years.

The decision of wanting to teach, against common advice has been the grandest thing that I led myself into. The immense joy, deep sense of satisfaction, the inspiration I derived from my students, the learning I was constantly engaged in, the friends I’ve made and all the transformations that have happened to me over these two years shall remain the epoch of this life. The transformation of Raghavendra into ‘Raghav’ will be the one I will forever cherish, and carry on proudly.

Posted in People, Personal, Philosophy | Tagged | 3 Comments

No expertise, whatsoever

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

Standing where I am, I can feel the ground beneath my feet move – not just drift slowly, but slip away quickly. There are so many transformations that are underway – not just in my personal ambit, but also the global social and political climate, which in a contrived manner are also tied with my agenda that lies ahead.

I am bracing for the new changes that I will plunge into. While I do that, I do not want to have lost a dear portion of me, who has kept me going, and great for the last few years of my uphill climb – writing. I am full with newer ideas, thoughtful debates and exhilarating experiences to share – I will do all of it, now more consistently. A personal promise made public.

While writing has considerably become sparse, reading and learning on the other hand has grown tremendously, at least in my own relative sense. Particularly, the last couple of months have revealed deeper questions I now want to pursue : particularly in my work, and in general my living. If not anything, the last few months have only made me humbler, it has shown me how silly my claims of cognisance, even in one or two domains have been. The single most important understanding I have come to is, there is no expertise as such – only the process of getting better.

While I try to get better, and in the process discourse it on my blog here, more frequently.

 

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mARyan!:D

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

Listening to AR Rahman’s music on the day it is released has been a ritual that I follow almost for all his albums. Before the era of the CDs, I remember commuting to the music stores umpteen number of times on the music release days to get hold of the cassettes, and then excitedly open the inlay card to see the stills and lyrics, attempting to read the Tamil lyrics, while my Tape recorder would reveal to me the magic of AR’s music.

The digital revolution has of course deprived me of all these small joys and I get streams of binary!

What hasn’t changed of course is the impact the music has on me. After Kadal, I knew ARR was back in his best form after some digression into hasty and incomplete compositions (Jab Tak Hai Jaan, People like Us etc)

And now every bit of music I have heard from Maryan, since the teasers to the trailers had upped the expectations, and the euphoria I experienced while listening to it has been gratifying, as always.

As I have mentioned in one of my previous posts too, I am not reviewing the music at all – I am not capable of doing it. Just trying to capture my first emotions to the songs are being articulated here.

Nenjae Ezhu
Singers: A.R.Rahman
Lyrics: A.R.Rahman, Kutti Revathi

The teaser itself had gotten me crazy and I bored many around me by trying to sing all that was played in the teaser, and after the single released have had it like my mantra. Listening to the awesome lyrics and the divinely voice of AR just made it soothing. It has the power to lift you up! Nenje Ezhu

Innum Konjam
Singers: Shweta Mohan, Vijay Prakash
Lyrics: A. R. Rahman, Kabilan

And my favorite track from the album! Lyrics are the best part of it, and also the arrangement. A feeling similar to that of Nenjukule from Kadal is what one feels again, and only better. Its been on loop for an hour now as I write the post. The first 5 seconds reminded me of “Aye hairathe aashiqui” from Guru though, which is erased once the strings begin.

Naetru Aval
Singers: Chinmayi, Vijay Prakash
Lyrics: Vaali

A small bit from the trailer had a magical two seconds “hey mariyaan” sung by a female vocalist. And this is the song which has Chinmayi’s magical voice, appeased by Vijay Prakash who is only getting better with every song. A somber song, but the musical treat is simply irresistible. The violin in the background, the piano and the chorus all impeccably done. Might not go one to become a crowd favorite but to ardent aficionados like myself it is a treat!

Sonapareeya
Singers: Haricharan, Javed Ali, Nakash Aziz
Lyrics: Vaali

AR hasd not done any funky tracks, which might get picked by kids for long now. Here’s the piece. Funky at many levels, the beats, lyrics and a peppy trumpet/nadaswaram piece 😛 This is the one that is going to be danced all the way in schools and at homes! Javed Ali in this song is like the mint leaf in lime tea! Refreshing.

Enga Pona Raasaa
Singers: Shakthisree Gopalan
Lyrics: A.R.Rahman, Kutti Revathi

This song happens to be my mom’s favorite song. The first few lines are hilariously about the phone calls she has to make to get me home! “It is late, dinner is going cold, when are you coming?”, wonderfully sung by Sakthisri of Nenjukule fame.

I Love Africa
Singers: A.R.Rahman, blaaze
Lyrics: blaaze, Brian Kabwe

Excerpt from the BGM. Yes, it is peppy, but I would have wanted it not present in the Sound Track. Seems a misfit, although well done 🙂

Kadal Raasa Naan
Singers: A.R.Rahman, Yuvan Shankar Raja
Lyrics: Dhanush

What do you get when ARR composes a tune, Dhanush pens the lyrics for that and you get Yuvan to sing? Kadal Raasa. Addictive and groovy, will make it to the top of charts. Yuvan sounds unlike in his own compositions, but only better.

All said and done, the sound track sounds unusually AR Rahman, yet no one but he can render it this way.

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Sophie’s World, a world philosophy tour

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

The purpose of philosophy, if one call so would in its simplest expression to enable our minds to remain open, encourage us to question everything and motivate us to doubt everything and to be engaged in a constant process of refinement to our answers to the mysteries of life and the Universe.

This gist, with a tour of western world philosophy was in the most effective manner delivered by Jostien Gaarder in his book Sophie’s World.

Reading this book has been a personal favourite experience, for my evolution of philosophies and understanding has to a great extent tread the same path as the humanity has. From being brought up as a pious Hindu with idol worship and other superstitions, I took a step into interpreting religion as the worship of one formless, thus letting go the bindings of religion. ‘Either one God, or No God’, was my mantra during the transitionary phase of my theism. With increasing influence of Science, and the pursuit of rationalism and logic, I delved into the state of mind where it seemed quite obvious that Man created God, and not vice versa. My own question of ethics and its relation to religion seemed to take shape as a simple, personal ideology that I am convinved to follow, and live by.

Sophie’s World is remarkable in many ways.

The ease with which millennia of ideas pertaining to philosophy have been made comprehensive is a feat by itself. A gradual increment from one idea to another emphasising on the motives for the ‘philosophy project’, in a particular zeitgeist of society has been the missing piece of understanding philosophy. My previous attempt at philosophy ,with dialectic materialism was a non starter because the historical context of the ideas are not clear.

The problems haunting the inquisitory sense of us humans, can be quenched only at least we are engaged in pursuit of some of the questions about our own existence and that of the Universe.

A peek into the sky at night, with the curtain of glittering stars , beyond a spectacle, is as if I am standing and staring at the mystery of the world. The questions which can arise from this sight are disturbing, in a pleasant way. The sheer number of these stars, the light years of distance, the expanse and our contemplation of this wonder! I wonder, how can a mind not wonder at itself when engaged in the wonder of universe.

The faculty of wonder, that which is bestowed to us, and that is manifested while we are infants has to be carried on and must be used as the forceps using which we must probe into the Universe, seeking gratification in reason and comprehension. That again is the purpose of Philosophy!

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Why you shouldn’t be doing the I-Pee-L!

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Raghav/Raghu

Yes, it was another of my wordplay’s about the IPL – Indian Premier League, or the marketised version of a sport that has now turned into the biggest scam at many levels.

Watching cricket has for long been nostalgic, but not anymore.

The charisma of the cricketing strokes without the intervention of ads was such a bliss, then. When was this then? Not long ago, before five – six years maybe. The experience started declining, steadily and I ended up watching less of cricket but to some extent had been playing. The final nails on the coffin of the cricket enthusiast in me was successfully done in by the “commodification” of this sport that for decades has been the unproclaimed national sport of India.

A market they saw in tapping the pulse of a cricket loving country, to make them choose the brands they own. And guess what – the prey fell! The nation now forgets inflation, or drought, or their own personal discontents hoping to get a glimpse of not a sport, but an ad machine.

What started as a genuine attempt to make leagues popular to act as stepping stone for upcoming cricketers in Indian Cricket League, soon found itself being stared by the richest of the richest, intending to make this “business venture”. The rich in a plutocracy by definition are powerful and ICL was trampled and arose the omnipotent IPL. Dizzying amounts of money and perfect commodification of the sport happened with IPL. A great business idea, yes, granted. But not for the sport enthusiast in me.

Even on a 32 inch screen, I don’t see players but only ads. The run up of bowlers also get less screen size, and rest is used to show ads. Now, that’s ingenious while some of you might add, I see it as simply disgusting.

Players are auctioned, actresses brought in to cheer, and bands of cheer girls? Really?

Yes, maybe the cheer-girls concept too worked wonders; in a country where sex or pleasure in general is tabooed, cheer girls trick also serves like the item number in our movies. Shame. The psychology of our people have been understood to the deepest extent by these game planners, who know which string to be plucked!

The post match parties? Won’t even speak about the enormous value addition it has brough into the quality of the sport, as such.

If all this was not adequate, the media (of course, who else) cut down all issues and instigate the cricket crazy country to catch IPL, and not even the impending elections (like in Karnataka, it’s due in 20 days if some of you did not even know).

The team owners!

While one owner has had to shut down his airline, without paying thousands of his employees their salaries still is the big baron of IPL, it is the same about most of the owners. Fraudsters, scamsters and corrupt, most of them, but are the powerful puppeteers who decide the fate and fortune of the games, while also altering what the youngistan wants for Hindustan! Huff.

And where is cricket at all?

All one wants is jhumpak-jhapang, or a hypocrisy dipped hysteria about the regional teams (I still haven’t understood the team frenzy!).

And, the cricket fan in me dies a new death every time, when I see the flashing, colourful circus where the theme supposedly is cricket.

A cricket loving country, no longer understands cricket, or love for it.
IPL: Rest in pee!

Posted in India, Rants | Tagged | 1 Comment