Sticky summer, birthday blues and movies

In this racially surcharged environment that engulfs our world today, I believe it is our responsibility to give everyone a fair hearing. As we make the painful transition from hot May to hotter June, here are a few reasons that might help the next few days fly by-:

• Bhutta (corn on the cob)
• The five-buck ice cream
• Excessive sweating makes the face clear. Mathews, are you sure about that?
• Summer Holidays. Sorry Garry, no such thing exists on this side of 20.
• You appreciate the early mornings and the late evenings because the days are just so darned hot
• Mangoes..  
• Blah. 

Ok, I'm done. This wretched season is getting to my head, melting my brain and sucking away all energy. Ban summer I say! After two days of brainstorming, I have nothing more than a meek defence. It might be easier to find reasons to like Nadal. Then again, maybe not.

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I really love people who look forward to their birthdays. People have a tendency to act supercool and pretend that it is just another day. It's NOT. IT'S YOUR HAPPY BIRTHDAY. So stop acting pseudo-cool, get off your haunches and start counting down the days to your birthday.

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After months of keeping their heads buried in the sand, multiplex owners and producers have finally buried their differences. The strike is officially (alomst) over. Now I don't have to suffer the ignominy of going to watch Yeh Pal Ho Na Ho... Kal.

Instead, get ready to come with me to watch the first big, post-strike, release-- Kal Kisne Dekha, starring Jacky Bhagnani. Woohoo, anyone?

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• The term 'racially surcharged' is in no way used to play down the seriousness of the prevalent problem or ridicule, insult or offend anybody. 

• Don't you dare make fun of 'corn on the cob'! It is just used to enlighten any international reader who might stumble across this blog.

• I have nothing but total respect for the Bhagnani family.

• Nandu, we know you love that dog (There, I saved you 200 words of coochiecooing the dog).

Image Courtesy: www.ahajokes.com

In conversation with Mr Krishnan

I have wanted to inject some energy into this space for a while but I really didn't know what to write about. This four-day (yup, that's 4) weekend gave me a lot of time to browse through some old photographs. And boy did I trip on some good ones.

The picture above is of Ramanathan Krishnan, possibly India's finest tennis player. He created history by reaching the semi-finals of the Wimbledon in '60 and '61. Some would say "he was the most recognisable Indian face after Nehru during that period."

My grandfather was under the impression that Rod Laver was present at the Gymkhana when he clicked this picture. I decided to do some investigation. I called up the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium in Madras and requested them to give me Krishan's contact number.

Armed with the information, I called up the number and a lady put me through me to him. All that I told him was "a picture in the 50s" and the "Delhi Gymkhana Club" and he immediately rattled off the details. In the picture, he is shaking hands with Jack Arkinstall after beating him in the final of the Northern India Championship in the January of '54 or '55 at the Delhi Gymkhana Club.

According to him, Laver only gained prominence around '59 and never played a competitive match in India. It was Laver who defeated him in the semi-finals of Wimbledon in '61. What amazed me was the power of his memory. Most sportsmen seem to possess this quality.

I was actually planning to brag about a rare picture of Rod Laver but instead I will just have to be content with sharing this little conversation. 

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This here is a historic picture that my grandfather procured from someone. The scene is set in the heart of Delhi. The many thousands gathered are part of Mahatma Gandhi's funeral procession on January 31, 1948 -:

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Look who's back in town! Nope, I am not talking about Papa Bachchan and Bachcha Bachchan in Delhi. I am just indulging in truckloads of vanity.

And now that I have decided to get back to my old ways, I really do hope that the three of you will come back to me blog.

p.s. Why, Cricinfo, why?

Eid reporting at its best

A must watch for anyone who wants to learn how to become an ideal reporter-:

Now that's what you call a good gift

Winter is here! And the joy that accompanies the announcement is purely because I can put my birthday gift to full use. On 6th when I received the putter and a few days later, a sleeve of John Daly golf balls, I did not hesitate for a moment before trying it out on the marbled greens at my place. Unfortunately, putting on that surface felt like putting at Oakmont. It left me ego shattered, my game in a shambles, and my confidence severely dented. I contemplated giving up the game. And I did.




But with the fog that clouds the air, winter brings with it those wonderful persian rugs, more commonly referred to as 'carpets'. That is the tonic my game needed. I pulled out the wood out of my bag ( vintage three-wood walking stick) and the cutely assembled putter to show the world, the champion is back! Now my swing feels great, no divots to be found and you should have seen the ball fly from the room next to the balcony over the dining room and into the drawing room as it landed three feet from the pin. Sheer joy. One that can only be experienced when you play top level golf like I do. And yesterday in the championship round at Augusta, I had a 25-foot putt for birdie. Stroked it gently and the ball followed different paths on the two-tiered green. Raced quickly off the bat through a downhill lie before climbing the last few feet upto the pin. I thought the ball would break right, it didn't! Missed the cup by a whisker and the green jacket failed to embrace my shoulder. But one day I will win it.

Till that day arrives, I will practice diligently, night and day, mostly night and irritate the hell out of everyone at home :)

BTW, did I tell you guys, my favourite Titleist Pro v1 plastic ball went out of bounds on one of the holes, as it found its way down the bottom of the drainage pipe in the toilet :C It was my favourite ball but I shall not wallow in my misery. I will get out there and buy a new ten buck plastic ball and work my magic on it.

And, yeah, Thank You guys. What a super-duper-fantastic birthday gift it was, infact, it is, it IS!


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Did you know Shiela Dixit is 71 now? Come to think of it, the age is beginning to show on her face. But I always thought she was 50 something. And five more years, attagirl!

Teeing off with Free Radical 6

I got a message from Mathews in the morning telling me that I would find my copy of Free Radical when I get home. I was already at work by then and had no other option but to wait. But through the day, a series of emotions raced through my mind.

It was nearly two and a half years ago, during one of the club meetings, that the idea was put forth. Within an hour of animated discussion, the four page newsletter turned into a magazine and after a few months of wading through what seemed like truckloads of red tape, we finally had a college magazine.

Today, sitting in the Times of India office, working on a book, a sense of deja vu overcame me. After all it was the same thing all over again. The hunt for sponsors (made ToI richer by 50 lakhs), finding content, finding pictures, proofreading, re-proofreading and then getting excited by that first, low-res A-4 sheet printout which suddenly makes all those random pages strung together, feel like something publishable.

And, lest I forget, great job guys! The magazine has a very nice and refreshing feel about it and for you Rohit, who thought this would be an apt reply for our negative thoughts about this magazine not coming out, sorry boss, can't hide my happiness :)

Aastha, Krits, Varuni, Srb n Sid..I am sure you guys too share my happiness!

Shashwat, Deepak, Yash, Shashank, Nandita, Nitish, Shaurya, Gargi, Etika and Rohit..Carry on guys. You've done a great job!


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Was at the Qutub Golf Course yesterday where Kapil and Nikhil Chopra were also there. Kapil actually wears a stud on the left ear; sad, very sad. But it was the sight of Nikhil Chopra that really could not stop me from feeling sorry for you know who (Sid, you do know!)

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Tom Cruise (in cocktail)-:

"Talk is terribly overrrated as a means of solving dispute"

I always knose this..

Here is the result of a poll conducted online-:





Now who wouldn't want to pick that nose!

Hot Sizzling Pics of Mallika Sherawat

It all started in a mad rush with me having to leave for the tournament within four hours of my sister’s wedding. I don’t think I managed a proper goodbye either, of which I would have had a lot of chances because on their way to the Andamans, they ( Ro n Arti) had to deplane coz my sister had left her handbag in the terminal. So that basically meant a shorter honeymoon!


I have always been told that Chandigarh is a beautiful and organized city but I never really understood the statement till I was in the city. Beautiful roads, lined by trees on both sides and perfect symmetry maintained with respect to numbering of the sectors gave the city a very elegant touch. It was more like a magnified version of Lutyen's Delhi.


I also bit into a temptation which I had managed to avoid with steadfast resolution. Spent the last few months of college playing flash, using Garry’s scrabble pieces as tokens. so I was all game for it when the guys said “let’s play flash”. It’s only when they asked me to cough up money after giving the tokens did I realize what I had gotten myself into! Unfortunately, I must confess, it was good fun and I was tempted to give it a shot again the next day. Greed is the root of all evil! Something that the tournament director found out to his misfortune :). No wonder then that he took the first flight back home the day the tournament finished!


On tour one gets the opportunity to meet and interact with so many players and other people that you feel you are looking at the start of new friendships.That, I like, for sure.

The week has come to an end and with all the wonderful newspaper clippings in tow, I write this on my way back on the Shatabdi that lets my Data Card access the cyber world with astonishing ease.


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Highlights of the week

* Rashid won his third straight title on the National Amateur Tour

* I had a phone conversation with Peter Thomson, five time winner of the British Open

* Apparently ‘cards’ is also played with money!

* Chandigarh is as much Haryana as it is Punjab

* APPARENTLY ‘cards’ is also played with money


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While Geroge Bush was saying something on T.V. , my room mate looks at the screen and says-:


“Doesn’t he look a little bit like a monkey”


DUDE! A little?


Anyway, Ab Dilli door nahin.


p.s. there was no other way you were going to read this ;-)


Get Lost you Mallikaphiles.