Lighting up Lives……

A smile lit up the whole face on a child as his mother lit the small oil lamp on the occasion of Diwali. The happiness on his face was seen to be believed and his mom looked on cuddled him kissed his face. The child ran and started playing with his friends. His mom just made sure he is in the confines of their neighborhood and sat on the door step. As I looked back at his mother I realized the lamp she just lit was only lamp in the house. The only source of light in the house was this small oil lamp which was now lit at the door step so that it not only illuminates the inside but also the outside of the house.
I thought the lamp was synonymous to her as it was fighting the darkness inside the house as well as outside single-handedly. His mother would be living this struggle day in and day out. She sat in the small hut beside the lamp seeing her son play in the vicinity. I probably even saw a tear “lit” up in her eye seeing her son happy with only the mention of the festival called Diwali. He probably did not understand the importance of any of the 5 days which constitute the festival but the innocence in him was keeping him happy for the mere mention of it. He did not know what was supposed to be done on these days. I thought whether he even knew something called as sweets, new clothes (shopping), crackers etc….
I moved on into the market and the whole scene was reversed. The whole market was illuminated with various lanterns and various designs of them in various colors. There were many electric shops which sold bulbs of various colours and shapes and small mud lamps of various sizes and colors. There were other shops selling sweets, crackers and attractive gift items and what not!!!!!
The whole scene in front of me just made me forget what I just saw at the small hut. The parameters of happiness changed in me taking just few steps. Now a mere mention of Diwali was no longer a criteria to be happy but there were lot of other things ……materialistic things……… which made Diwali…..which make people like us happy…….
I walked wondering what and how the mother convinced that child about these things being non consequential or even a factor for being happy. But the fact was her son was happy just by lighting up the small lamp.
I walked through the market seeing people buy bulbs, lanterns, rangolis, crackers, sweets, new clothes etc etc…. and all returned with happy faces. There was not a single soul which was sad or dissatisfied. Everyone bought what they could and walked home being satisfied. I stopped by a shop which was selling crackers. I literally saw myself growing up at that shop from when my dad used to carry me on his shoulders to buy crackers to the point today when I have come to buy it with my own hard earned money.
I stood there saw a whole spectrum of generation from dads to children and then to dads becoming children to convince their children that these crackers are too expensive or enough and how they are not worth and how they can buy something later during the 5 days to other such reasons. I watched all the fun and then again thought of that mother who just simply said its Diwali and the child was happy. I thought I witnessed 2 different contrast worlds, economies or whatever you call them……
I bought some crackers to enjoy with my friends and started the walk back to my house. The whole scene and atmosphere was electric and as I returned to the hut again I saw the child sitting in his mother’s lap adjacent to the same lamp and looking at the children bursting crackers and eating sweets with their new clothes on. The child was still happy; he was not crying or persuading his mother to get those things for him. Every burst of a cracker would not only lit up his face with light but also with a smile. He would then look at his mother and his mother would return the smile back at him or showed him some other fireworks to enjoy. I was standing there surprised to see the child enjoy and filled with happiness which was so pure and simple that I almost laughed at myself to have bought crackers to have fun and enjoy.
Another burst of crackers and he jumped with joy on his mother’s lap and for the first time in this whole episode the child showed his finger to the cracker. As he showed his finger to one his mom showed another firecracker, the funniest part of was she did not evade his temptation of having one for himself. I initially did not understand why did not she evade, instead she showed better fireworks than earlier. The child moved to the better one and to the next one and eventually stopped showing fingers or left the will to have any one of those. I instantly understood she was not evading her son’s attention to the something better but she was killing the temptations of demanding and having those crackers.
She was still smiling and killing each attempt of her son to get tempt for some crackers but now the smile had tinge of sadness, a feeling of helplessness… a feeling of vulnerability to one own-self that she could not afford even one. As I was witnessing this I felt tears rolling down my cheeks having bought bag full of them myself as even I standing at the cracker shop could not resist myself from buying them. How is this child resisting itself was out of my imagination.
I went back at the shop and after standing in long queue waiting for my turn finally got hold of some crackers and sweets and came back at the hut. I saw the mother-son siting there and this time the child was only seeing the crackers being burst by his friends. He was still smiling and was enjoying but lacked enthusiasm. I asked his mother if I can give some crackers to him and to my utter shock she refused to take any.
Her logic was simple she had successfully killed the child’s temptation of bursting crackers, she had taught her son to kill such temptations and did not wish that I should in any way disturb the equilibrium. I tried convincing her but she refused. His mother took the sweets and gave me greetings for Diwali. As I looked back at the child he was back to his antics and enjoying seeing others burst crackers. I thought, in the time I took to buy crackers the child grew up leaps and bounds and learned a very important lesson in his life so early that we being grownups don’t learn. She gave him very important lesson on how to control temptations which could possibly leads us in crossing boundaries to fulfill them. She gave the sweets to her son and he was thrilled, I wished him and hugged him and came back home.
I did burst the crackers I had bought but none of them at that night could lit up my face or bring up the smile that the child had. I thought what would make the child smile and I instantly ran downstairs went to the shop bought a gift for them and again gave it to his mother. She opened it and this time did not refuse but smiled at me and folded her hands in acknowledgment as tears rolled from her eyes.
I had bought nothing but oil for them to lit up the lamp which was now dying for the want of it and her son was trying to save it desperately. She went there and instantly poured some oil into it and the lamp revived again with that the child and his smile was back as I had seen it the first time……..
I went back home and enjoyed the Diwali like never before….. That was the best Diwali of my life…..

BUT....... I like BUT...

BUT …….. I LIKE “BUT” !!!!!!!!!!!
It is strange how so many times we have seen time changing from good to bad, and many times from bad to worse. We always remember the times when it was good and how one instance changed it all for us. Have we ever realized that we always have memories or should I say strong memories of the time changing from good to unexpectedly bad all of a sudden? Do we remember instances when time just changed to bad to good suddenly; I think all of us would be having no or very few instances of it. But have we encountered an instance where time just nearly changed, I mean it just taught you that it can change and gave you some advanced notification of sorts that it can could or would “but” ………. Did not change….
I had one such instance where time could have changed 3 lives permanently “BUT” it chose otherwise at the last moment. On Sunday when we left our home to attend a wedding reception at Pune and to push our housing loan application ahead, we in our wildest dreams did not think that such an incident will occur. My friend called me saying that he will accompany us to the reception as his train was cancelled in the morning; it was like he was destined to be a part of the whole drama that was going unfold. In the hind sight I think it was a like introducing a character in a mystery movie and while watching you all the time think why he was introduced.
After all the usual rituals of topping up the fuels and bidding good bye to parents we started to Pune at somewhere around 5pm … I was driving and we were chatting and having fun as we were on a picnic. The plan was simple to attend the friends’ reception on Sunday night and then on Monday push the housing loan application and come back….. On the way we had planned to meet Bala as he was going to stay with us at Anita’s place…. So in all a fun filled trip to Pune as it’s always and with that a little boring housing loan formalities.
We reached the express way in no time as Sunday afternoon or early evening we hardly got any traffic anywhere. After negotiating the Karjat Ghat and that too after a refreshments break at the Food Court we were all set to reach the reception hall before time. We already started to plan how and from where we will pick Bala and My friend started to think how he will go to his sister’s place after the reception. As we were 1000 meters from the Pune toll naka I heard a blasting sound from right hand rear side and before I could realize or even contemplate of what it could be my steering wheel was going out of control and within seconds the whole car started to wobble. That’s when I realized the blast sound was of the rear right wheel bursting. The thought terrified me as Prachi and Suhas sitting inside the car could not gauge what the problem was. The car then started to go off the road on the othe side of the expressway as I was in the rightmost lane at somewhere around 140km/h. someone in the car shouted about the drift and I at the steering applied brakes in the whole panic. But as I was about to apply full brakes something inside me told not to do so and just mere turned the steering towards left to control the speedy right drift, the sudden slowing down of right most wheel and my turning left both accounted for the car completing a full 360 degree in the middle of the road and when trying another circle hit the railing on the express way to come to halt in the middle of a busy express way. After a second when I realized that the car was at stand still and I looked out of the window I realized the car is perpendicular to the Expressway and spanned 2 lanes of it..

As I realized where it has come to standstill I frantically tried starting the car giving the ignition but failed for first 2-3 times, then realizing I was driving on the CNG I changed the fuel option to petrol and then again tried it and this time the car cranked and the engine came to life….. I was relieved and without even thinking which way I was going I got the car on the side of the road. Prachi and Suhas in the meantime had come out of the car and I joined them after parking the car at the side of the road facing the opposite direction from the one we were driving moments ago…. After some time when the whole incident settled we started looking at the options. Suhas then called the highway assistance who came and at the start where wondering how our car is facing the opposite direction. As the time started to pass and our nerves settled, each of us started to think what could have happened and what has happened.
Some strange things happened during the whole course of this accident and one most important thing was that during the whole incident there was not a single vehicle who was behind us or passed by us till the time I parked the car by the road side….. the time that the whole incident took place it was really lucky that there was no vehicle small or big following our trail we were all alone on the express way. The highway assistance that was patrolling were so surprised by the way all the 3 of us were unhurt and all the blow of the railing was taken by the rear of the car.
Just by thinking of what would have happened if there was a huge trailer or truck or for that matter any other private vehicle right behind us when we were coming to halt in circles is frightening but nothing happened………. if I would have applied sudden breaks then car would have turned on its head BUT I did not ……. If there was no railing at that place we would have fallen in the pit BUT nothing such happened….…… if I did not have turned left we would have drifted to the other side of the express way where vehicles were speeding in the opposite direction and what has hit the rear would have been a Head-on collision BUT …….. Nothing such happened…… and for a change I started to like the word BUT for the first time in my life …. …
In the end not only the car was intact, we attended the reception and also finished the housing loan formalities the next day BUT also came back to Mumbai safe and sound……. For what would have changed lives of 3 people “BUT” time just decided not to at the very last moment……

History....... for Present--->to Future

It was 1st August a Sunday and after some morning rituals I was in front of the Television to catch up on some programs, news and sports events missed in the busy week gone by. A news channel was showing what happened in the television “shows” during the past week. It was shocking to see a news channel in a huge country like India had nothing important or relevant to broadcast and was showing what happened in TV shows during last week. I initially thought it was one such news channel but found most of them doing that.

After some time the focus shifted on the Friendship Day celebrations and which celebrity celebrated it and who did not. Whose friendships in Glamour world lasted and whose broke and why.

After this valuable information I ventured out for the evening stroll. The nearby ice-cream parlor was buzzing with college/school students celebrating Friendship Day by tying friendship bands. It was very nice to see them as it reminded me of my college days. But as I was thinking of my college and school days it struck me that there was another important occasion which we must remember. It was the Death Anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. I instantly recollected that on 1st august 1920 this great man died and I felt proud as I remembered the year as well. Suddenly looking around the bunch of students I thought whether they even remembered him today; forget paying respects and more so learning from his experiences. I started to think why wouldn’t those news channels who were updating viewers on some stupid TV shows did not even bother to mention about Tilak even in their news broadcasts, why wouldn’t these guys who were so fresh from their schools could not even remember such a great statesman. I smiled on the irony of the title conferred upon this great man “Lokmanya” means one who is accepted by the people and now is someone even remembering; forget accepting…….. Didn’t they study History in school? I asked myself………………

HISTORY…… when I say this word what is the first thought that comes to our mind, if we do a survey and collect samples of different individual’s answers then we will receive some of the below responses:

1. There was a useless paper during my school days, which I struggled to mug up and/or a sleepy lecture of a subject during school days.
2. Those dates which we had to remember during our exams and/or I never scored in this paper.
And some more similar responses to the ones above…………

If we then summarize the above responses we find, the opinion that comes in forefront is that “History” was a paper in school days which was compelled upon to study and in which we had to score well to get higher percentages though I never ad any practical application of the subject in my entire life.

There will be very few who would say I Loved History and/or I studied History in the Literal meaning and sense of the word Study. I think most of us have this notion about History that it was a sheer burden imposed upon us as kids; we had no say whatsoever in what we wanted to study in school. I always believed that what happens after school is a different question but the educational content during our school days was very apt, adept in building successful careers.

I think the primary reason behind this is the upbringing. The importance of knowing our own history is not imbibed upon us to say the least. Our parents did not properly emphasize upon the importance of history. Even career options that are showcased to us and the examples put forward in front of a child are such which do not need History and sometimes completely undermines it. It’s also the most weakest and/or disliked of subjects of the either or both parents in their school days.

Have we ever heard of a story from our history books as child? We always hear and tell about Ramayana, Mahabharata or any other fairy tale but no stories from our own History. Its such an irony that when we say to ourselves that we should learn from our past mistakes or learn from the past Project “history” but we don’t see the importance of learning History that made, formed and influenced our society. We are too self-centric in that regards that we hardly care about these sociological influences upon us. There are some things which have a bad or ugly influence on society. We hardly learn from our History to change those prejudices rather, we knowingly-unknowingly have passed it across to generations in free India.

There are many reasons for this lack of interest, inquisitiveness in knowing and studying our own history. The first and foremost that comes to my mind is the complete lack of seriousness and regards our households or earlier generations have for our country and its history. I have not seen a single household where our “NATION”, Society, civic responsibilities are discussed, spoken seriously. The first thing that we see as a child is that 15th August, 26th January (leave aside 2nd October) are holidays and are meant for rest or get together with friends/relatives. The importance of these days in our lives are not spoken and remembered but in turn what is remembered is a holiday. We are more excited when it comes on a weekday and our spirits are dampened when it comes on weekend. We are not excited for its 15th Aug or 26th Jan, we are excited because it’s a compulsory holiday for one all. We have grown up watching this attitude towards our Independence Day.

After reading History books in school and some from the library, a strange feeling of disconnect is felt in between us and the people involved then. Initially I thought the difference may be ideological or it’s just a mere generation gap but later I realized we don’t even feel proud of reading our history. We do what I term it as “Critical Reading” of our history and very conveniently forget that we are now talking in the hindsight. I tried putting myself in the shoes of those leaders, people and think, could we in those times would have done things differently. The next thought that came to the mind was; are we now even making an effort to do things differently or change things around us. The answer is no and we will be criticized or rather blamed for not doing anything. I think its better to do things and get criticized rather than not doing anything at all.

This unfortunately does not change when we go to school as well. First mistake that our system does is teaching “Localized History”. Localized History means History taught in Maharashtra is probably not taught in Arunachal Pradesh or Mizoram or far north eastern states in India. I think the seeds of disorientation from “One Country” ideology and state-wise orientation are sowed here. History should be common, it should touch every aspect of India, every state of India, and it should be India’s History and not state’s History. I don’t mean that we should not be told about our state or province but the way it should be done has to be changed.

The other problem with History books is that they state the happenings in chronological order but don’t state the reasons of why it happened. It looks like an FIR of our History with a mention of every major incident, event and character involved in that event. It does not mention the ideology behind it. It does not promote the intentions, the ideas, reasoning and neither projects the patriotism. The consequence of this is that it does not create respect, honor neither it creates a patriotic feeling of India-ness. The unfortunate part of those History books is that it merely tells us what was the History but does not influence our actions to create a better History for our future generations to learn.

One more important thing that I found wanting in those books is over emphasizing of one particular individuals contribution in a particular event in History. It was an effort of a united India and it’s time that it should be projected that way. The importance of being united is lost. This does not mean we should undermine the great leaders but those leaders should be used to build the characters of the students rather than projecting them to be some one extra-ordinary that we cannot be like. They should be projected like one of us and the students should relate with them. As a student if I start to relate with my leaders then I shall try to emulate at least some of their qualities if not all.

Another variation that can be done is by changing the syllabus of History as the students approach their SSC. Computer syllabus for example changes with any advent of new Langauges or Technology, we should also change our History syllabus to include recent events. Events like Babri Masjid demolition, the Mandal Commission, Operation Blue Star and its consequences, Emergency of ’77 etc. should also be told to students as that will bring the Modern India into perspective and as a student I shall relate to those incidences much more than the incidences in past century. We could probably give ourselves a chance of harvesting a generation who not only knows but also have “studied/Learnt” History.

These I think are the primary reasons why we grow up to become irresponsible, corrupt citizens who want all the benefits, rights but don’t want to work for it. We want the nation, the government to work on their relationship with people but as people are we working on these relationships. I think this is why we all feel disconnected from our own country at times. To bring us together we need a Kargil or 26/11 to happen and then and only then we feel together or part of one big nation. Do we need an adversity forced upon us to get together? Can India not be the reason for us to come together?

The Human God-----Part 2

A career that took off approximately 20 years ago as a 17 year old has spanned and captivated not only a whole generation but also people belonging to all generations. If we for sometime keep aside the love Sachin has for the game and the passion he exudes for playing and representing his country aside and look Cricket as his mere career option like each one of us has our own like being a Software, HR, Legal or Teaching, we will understand the work that has gone into it is enormous.
If we see compare ourselves today, what is the amount of efforts we put in our careers to make them more interesting or challenging for our ownself. Here am not saying that we must put something out of the ordinary to excel or chalk out better careers but what am trying to emphasize is the effort and sincerity being put in our day to day activities. I think the most important facet of Sachin’s glorious career is what I term it as the LOVE FOR the ROUTINE. He must be in love with his routine so much so that he has continued that routine for 33 years of his life. This is probably the same amount of time we will have our career spanned as well. But I think the main difference between him and us is the Love for the routine which we keep whining about.
I always keep hearing myself and others that there is nothing new and I have the same old routine going on which is boring, sedentary, and monotonous etc etc…… I think what he found out very early in his career or what was imbibed on his mind very early was that the routine is what makes or breaks careers. The routine is what the difference between good and great careers. People work hard and then we usually see a lot of promise fade away with time. I think the promise is still there but the problem is that the person is not fallen in love with his routine.
We join a new project, a firm, and/or any endeavor we see ourselves thinking and working towards it but as day’s progress we find thinking about some other things or in plain terms “Distractions”. Here again am not emphasizing on focus, its slightly different we all are focused but the intensity in which we pursue things at the start fades away till we reach the middle and completely fizzles out till we reach the end.
It’s like rowing in a river, the time we left the bank we are rowing with all the intensity and vigor and then as the rigors of rowing start to take effect the speed is slowed then the effort and then finally the will to take the effort. This is something I felt never happened to Tendulkar, he never stopped rowing and went on and on until people looking at him got tired seeing him and started to question whether he will ever stop or no.
His career if you look at it resembles how our career goes about. There is hardly any difference except for the one mentioned above. Likewise when we join a new project or a new firm we work hard and one of the other reasons might be establishing the credibility or proving ourselves. As a 17 year old dropped from the team even he had to prove his credibility. He came back stronger mentally and technically and also worked upon his defense and excelled in the tours of England and Australia the most difficult for any Indian batsman. He hit his maiden Test hundred in Nottingham in 1990 and the wonderful hundreds in Perth “the fastest ground” till Wanderers came up and a sedate knock at Sydney before the world cup of 92.
By this time he has shown a lot of promise but was still regarded as a “late middle order” batsman a term used to glorify his batting position at 5 or 6 during those times. He was not getting enough deliveries to face in the One dayers due to his low batting position and therefore a lad with such a high potential though recognized was wasted so low in the batting order. How often we get frustrated by this lack of opportunities and easily blame the people responsible or the circumstances prevailing or both. Some of us we even get de-motivated and fade away or leave the challenge half way. But Sachin stuck to it till the people responsible realized his potential after starting his career in 1989.
The most rewarding and interesting part of Sachin’s career or for that matter anybodies career is the belief or the vision that the superiors or seniors see in you. I think his career really took off in the early part of year 1994 when then Indian captain due to lack of choice promoted him to open the batting for India due to injury to one of the regular openers. The Indian team management took 6 years of his career to realize the true potential and perfect batting position for the greatest batsman ever. This is very important in everyone career where someone realizes the perfect role, the perfect position, the perfect job that you can do the best. So in March 1994 at Napier started a new phase in Sachin life, a phase where there was to be tremendous expectations, pressure and which required highly skilled technique and a strong mind. As an opener he not only had to negate the early swing or freshness in the pitch but also make sure that he scores freely and briskly in the power play to give the perfect starts for his team.
The first match in Napier he proved how the Indian think tank had got it right but got it right a little late. He samshed 80-odd in some 40 deliveries and it was treat to watch him. The more satisfying thing was he had used the opportunity very well and also filled up a void in the team for a solid opening batsman. For the next 15 years Sachin was batting at the helm of line up and the only thing changed over these years were his partners at the other end.
This opportunity also got him his maiden century in later that year in 1994 and it took 6 long years of wait to achieve that. Someone who had such a proven ability took 6 years for his first major success. His next 45-odd centuries came in a span of less than 15 years. Sometimes opportunities come late in our life and we rue the fact that it’s late now and we cannot achieve what we could have, would have or should have achieved otherwise but what we forget is when the opportunity has come up what can be achieved. I think what we perceive is the amount of success we can or could achieve in the given opportunity at that given time; we always tend to measure the amount of success or try to somehow quantify it. If this quantification does not amount to a satisfying amount we many times tend to let go the opportunity. Many times we don’t take up the opportunity don’t work on it and see if something else comes up from it. Sachin not only took the opportunity but excelled in it and the most rewarding phase of his career started. This was a prolific start but it did not go the same way as it started. It had all the ingredients of a fight and fights with none other than one own self.

The Human GOD---Part 1

The year circa, 1989, I heard a 16 year old boy in his feeble, shaky, trembling voice saying to his partner “Mein Khelega” (I will play). How often we see, hear, experience a young boy/girl at such a tender age putting up a brave fight in adversity and coming out with flying colors? The moment we see those flying colors, we easily forget the pains and labors of a fight that prevailed earlier. It’s like celebrating victory in a war without realizing the supreme sacrifices some had to make to get that victory home. In the world we live a 16 year old either is giving his/her SSC/HSC and people are pestering poor child as to how his/her next year is a make or break year. I always failed to understand that how one academic year can make or break a lifespan of 60-70 years, though it’s always been imbibed that way in the Indian families. The race to the top, everyone feels, is won in those 2 years itself. Midst all this there are students who commit suicide, though their whole family is supposed to be supporting them and here was a young baby-faced teenager in his early sixteen making a statement “mein khelga” to his partner who was astonished by the courageous words, one, who was without his family, friends, well wishers and most importantly also not in the confines of his secure world…… he was all alone in an alien hostile country where he was not welcomed at all. His nose was bleeding and he was on the ground as he was hit by one of the fastest bowlers of that time. The young “man” not only said that to his partner or to those 11 Pakistani players on field gunning for his wicket but also to the world that "I will play"…….. The boy got up and played a fighting 57 not out to save his country from a humiliating defeat from the hands of its arch rivals. The young boy was none other than our own Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

The last three words “Sachin Ramesh Tendlkar” bear so much weight now that anyone hardly talks about that 57 at Sialkot from a 16 year old boy whose nose was hit by a Waqar bouncer but still not only stayed there, stood up to fight but also ensured that his country is not let down. His name did not bear the weight that it does now, there was no reputation of being world’s greatest batsman nor sportsman, no fame no adulation no hopes as well. At least the 100 crore Indians, at that time did not hope from him to save the blushes for us as there were other heavy weights in the team. He had courage, the audacity, to stand up and deliver.

In writing as well I made the same mistake of looking at those flying colors i.e. 57 not out in a difficult situation but what I overlooked is the struggle put forth to reach that stage. The focus and perseverance to reach a position where he got this opportunity to score those invaluable runs for himself. The real struggle, though, started after this as in the one-dayers that followed, he hardly scored anything, in fact he scored 2-3 ducks.

Now here is the situation for you…… a young boy 16 years of age scoring a hard fought much appraised 57 in a Test match then gets 2-3 ducks in the following one-dayers. The adulation, praise suddenly turns into criticisms, doubts are raised over his selection rather consequentially he is dropped from the team. Can we imagine the state of his mind as a boy next door or putting ourself in his position? He was among the same 16 year olds who give their SSC or are entering HSC, he is same boy we see next door who is trying desperately to get the first taste of success, first step towards a career. In his very first step he experienced both success and failure.

If we compare his successes and failure then to his career spanning 24 years, does those 2-3 ducks matter, or have being dropped from the team is of any significance now……. The answer would be no!!!!. It does not matter because someone at that time point believed in him and not only believed in him but made sure he also believes in himself. Something told him at that delicate stage to look beyond that failure, someone made him visualize these 24 years. Someone made that failure look so small that it did not really matter as it does not matter to anyone of us now, I shall dare to say it does not matter to even Sachin now.

I think the difference between then and now is the immediate next failure. The success should be measured not by how much, or many times you “succeed” but is there a difference between two consecutive failures. Has the benchmark of your failures risen??

Success is relative and so is failure, the definition of success and failure defines the person. Today the benchmark for failure for Sachin is not getting off the mark but has he hit a century, is he scored most centuries, has he scored most runs in Test and One dayers. The benchmark of his failure has risen and that’s one of the most important factors which keeps him going or keeps him aiming higher. He is successful because the parameters, we say, that he has failed keeps growing higher and higher.

The other important aspect which normally we forget completely is the notion of being failed to achieve something. We forget the 2 most important aspects here;

• Journey taken to pursue the success which eluded you……
• Learning till the failures …….mind the words….. I am not saying Learnings from the failure.....

The Journey in pursuit of achieving something itself is so interesting but we are so obsessed with its result that we completely  ignore its wonderful aspects, learning’s and experiences that it is teaching us.It’s like taking a toy train to Darjeeling and rather than experiencing the journey and looking at the scenic nature, the passenger is more eager and interested to reach Darjeeling. Most of the times, people reach the destination but on reaching there they miss out on all the beautiful mystifying moments that journey produced. We don’t enjoy the journey sighting the destination being too far. There are people who leave the journey in between and new ones join but sometimes we just hardly care.

In most of Sachin’s interviews he has always maintained that he never looked to achieve something like this he just wanted to play, play hard, play honestly and with full vigor. I think what he is emphasizing here is that he never waited for a destination, he concentrated in enjoying the journey of playing for his nation and playing the sport he loved. What he enjoyed most is his journey, the transition of being one of the premier batsman of India and then of the world. For him most important was playing with full honesty and giving it 100% and then wait for the success to follow rather than following the success. It’s not that he did not get his share of failures. He did have his ups and downs as his track record as a captain says it all….. His 2nd innings low scores says it all ……………. His performances in crucial matches had been found wanting at times.

Such is the enormity of his failures at crucial finals or must win matches that in 2003World Cup Final I have seen no one ever utter a single word of criticism to the bowling that gave away 350 runs in the most crucial match any player can play but instead what people talk about is the Sachin dismissal on the 4th delivery of the Indian innings. People did not expect Indian bowling to restrict Aussies but they were expecting Sachin to make those runs for them. I somehow think even then Indian players were also hoping the same. This is what I mean when I said earlier about raising the failure benchmarks to an extent where no one expects any other to even contemplate to achieve that feat but if you don’t achieve its your failure.

All of us remember him smashing bowlers all round the park at Napier, Nottingham, Perth, Mumbai, Chennai and the unforgettable 2003 world cup match against Pakistan. The list will go on and on but how many of us remember the struggle before coming up with Sydney test double century that he carved after series of low scores. The scores that preceded the double hundred were so disappointing that he hardly got over 20 in 6 innings. That’s one of the sluggish I remember him playing. The flamboyance was back only after he had scored 150 but till then he was no more the Sachin we knew. It was not like watching millionaire spending his worth but a hard working middle class man thinking and spending and working hard for every penny. The innings did not have any classical Sachin touch till 150 but it was made up of immense concentration, will power to fight and stay at the wicket and most importantly tremendous control over mind to not to play a false stroke or for that matter any stroke outside the off stump. He controlled his instincts to play on the offside and that started to pay dividends as he was just impregnable after sometime. Two things that stand out which says about the character of this man.

The first thing to stand out was the honesty of the man to none other than himself; normally we tend to hide behind various superficial reasons which are not at all true or should I dare to say honest. We most of the times prepare a justification to our short comings and tend to avoid the facts behind it. I think I have the utmost respect for this man because he does not find any reason to blame, he knows he is the reason and needs no one to correct himself. The innings was the correction done to himself by himself. He was not playing well outside off stump and there would be hardly anybody in the team who had the audacity to walk to him and tell him what to do. The only one person who had that was Sachin himself and he did it with a masterful, chanceless 241 not out in what was Steven Waugh final test match.

The second thing to stand out was the tremendous control over his mind. People who have seen cricket or played it, would agree with me that batting is full of instinct as you have to decide in seconds what shot to play and here was a man who had so much time in his hand as if he would ask his mind which shot not to play and then reiterate to his own mind during the delivery that he is not supposed to play any shot outside off stump. This is an example of focus and determination of one self over none other ones own self. He was determined to prove himself wrong, focused on getting himself right or perfect. He did it in style. The focus and determination and control that I saw on display was Godly and if we can posses half what this man has we would be largely successful in our endeavors. His career is not an example of how a Cricketer should be but how every career oriented or focused person should be.