... and of course the sportsmen who made it so. Abhinav Bindra. Sushil Kumar. Vijender Kumar. My heartiest congratulations to them for their dream achievement!
Also there are few more things to remember about India at Olympics 2008. We had a contingent of 56 athletes, and they had a support-staff of 42 officials. The athletics contingent was the largest, with 16 athletes. Still in very few events only we came close enough to think about medals and finally won 3 precious. No, I am not blaming the sportsmen/sportswomen. They would have worked really hard to be there and compete. Its the support structure which is weak. If you looks at the 3 medal winners they had their own personal support structure which supported them till they got those medals. Another thing which we should not forget is that India was not able to qualify for the hockey, our national sports. We should also remember these while thinking for London 2012 Games.
But now is a time to celebrate with Abhinav, Sushil and Vijender! Hip Hip Hurray!
bachna ae haseeno ... nice movie to watch! By the way ... 'Why do girls always fall for the wrong guy?' - read this in some acticle about the movie
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Celebrating Independence
Today was the first day of the 62nd year of independent India and yesterday we celebrated the 62nd Independence Day. My best wishes to every Indian!
But each year, one thought does come to my mind. What does this day mean for me? Is is just a holiday which comes every year? Maybe. I have read about the great and hard struggles which our freedom fighters have fought. I am very proud of them and really cherish the free India they have given us. But that feeling is not for only this one day. As a child it took me many years to understand the difference between the Republic Day and the Independence Day. Republic Day is my favorite of the two. I love the parade on Republic Day! Coming back to the question - what does this day mean to me? I am not sure. I tried searching web to see what others feel on this ... feeling of pride, remembering the sacrifices. These were some of the answers but question seeks an answer beyond that. And the answer comes - holiday!
It's not something to be ashamed of because its a fact. In fact its much honest an answer than saying we feel proud and remember the sacrifices of the freedom fighters, because not just individually but as nation we have forgotten many of them. Surely 61 years after we are not celebrating the freedom from foreign powers, especially that now there is lot of inter-dependencies with the same and other foreign powers.
There is one more answer for the question. If I ask this same question to my parents and grand-parents, for them the day brings back the painful memories of partition. For them happiness of 15 August 1947 was lost entirely on 14 August 1947. This is something which I definitely remember each year, with them, on this day. I hope one day we might be able to do what happened with the Berlin Wall.
Independence - if you go by the dictionary meaning, is a very Utopian concept. Each entity in this world is inter-dependent. In present day socio-economic system, each country is vulnerable to events much beyond its physical borders. The recent slow-down of the world economies and rise in oil prices, due to a crisis (sub-prime) in one country, is the perfect example. Even if we come down to individual level, I do not think anyone can say he/she is independent irrespective of where they stand in the socio-economic ladder. Each day if you look at the events, you will find a lot that happens is beyond your control, but directly impacts you and sometimes you do not like the impact.
Just other day, there was a protest organized by the a section of society to get their demands addressed and in doing so they took the rest hostage. Now many of those who were made hostage of the protest, might not agree with the demands but their 'independence' was constrained by those who wanted to excercise their democratic 'independence'. This is subjugation, but whom can we struggle against this time? It is very difficult to define the subjugator, like we did for the foriegn powers. Due this the struggle itself is getting distorted and we are getting 'solutions' like reservation, demads for new states, etc. These solutions are again seeds to new problems.
Like this questions are many. Though the answers are still clouded. I am not sad, because in last 61 years India has definitely grown into a stong player in the international arena, both politically and economically! We all should be extremely proud for this. But somewhere there is thought that we had the potential of achieving much more, if we had done few things differently.
Nevertheless, wishing every Indian out there a very happy, successful and exciting 62nd independent year which unfolding ahead!
But each year, one thought does come to my mind. What does this day mean for me? Is is just a holiday which comes every year? Maybe. I have read about the great and hard struggles which our freedom fighters have fought. I am very proud of them and really cherish the free India they have given us. But that feeling is not for only this one day. As a child it took me many years to understand the difference between the Republic Day and the Independence Day. Republic Day is my favorite of the two. I love the parade on Republic Day! Coming back to the question - what does this day mean to me? I am not sure. I tried searching web to see what others feel on this ... feeling of pride, remembering the sacrifices. These were some of the answers but question seeks an answer beyond that. And the answer comes - holiday!
It's not something to be ashamed of because its a fact. In fact its much honest an answer than saying we feel proud and remember the sacrifices of the freedom fighters, because not just individually but as nation we have forgotten many of them. Surely 61 years after we are not celebrating the freedom from foreign powers, especially that now there is lot of inter-dependencies with the same and other foreign powers.
There is one more answer for the question. If I ask this same question to my parents and grand-parents, for them the day brings back the painful memories of partition. For them happiness of 15 August 1947 was lost entirely on 14 August 1947. This is something which I definitely remember each year, with them, on this day. I hope one day we might be able to do what happened with the Berlin Wall.
Independence - if you go by the dictionary meaning, is a very Utopian concept. Each entity in this world is inter-dependent. In present day socio-economic system, each country is vulnerable to events much beyond its physical borders. The recent slow-down of the world economies and rise in oil prices, due to a crisis (sub-prime) in one country, is the perfect example. Even if we come down to individual level, I do not think anyone can say he/she is independent irrespective of where they stand in the socio-economic ladder. Each day if you look at the events, you will find a lot that happens is beyond your control, but directly impacts you and sometimes you do not like the impact.
Just other day, there was a protest organized by the a section of society to get their demands addressed and in doing so they took the rest hostage. Now many of those who were made hostage of the protest, might not agree with the demands but their 'independence' was constrained by those who wanted to excercise their democratic 'independence'. This is subjugation, but whom can we struggle against this time? It is very difficult to define the subjugator, like we did for the foriegn powers. Due this the struggle itself is getting distorted and we are getting 'solutions' like reservation, demads for new states, etc. These solutions are again seeds to new problems.
Like this questions are many. Though the answers are still clouded. I am not sad, because in last 61 years India has definitely grown into a stong player in the international arena, both politically and economically! We all should be extremely proud for this. But somewhere there is thought that we had the potential of achieving much more, if we had done few things differently.
Nevertheless, wishing every Indian out there a very happy, successful and exciting 62nd independent year which unfolding ahead!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Google explained
"Google Fellow Urs Hölzle describes the software and hardware infrastructure that makes searching a multi-terabyte web index for every query with an average response time of less than a quarter of a second, with near-100% uptime, possible, as well as provide an overview of the main problems facing a web search, software architecture, servers and compact rack hardware designs." - UWTV (Series Title: CSE Colloquia - 2002, The Google Linux Cluster)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Aamir might put a dent on Sarkar Raj
I am referring to the latest Bollywood releases - Aamir and Sarkar Raj. Frankly Aamir was not even on my to-watch list. I was eagerly waiting for Sarkar Raj though since I had enjoyed Sarkar a lot. But after reading through the reviews of Aamir and also I did like Rajeev Khandelwal in whatever few episodes of Left Right Left I watched; I decided to watch Aamir before Sarkar Raj.
When you go for something without any expectation; if it turns out to be bad you do not mind because no expectation means to expect it to be bad but if its good you are overwhelmed. With Aamir it was the second! Splendid acting by Rajeev with a fresh and crisp storyline. The movie is equally thought provoking. Its surely a must watch.
Sarkar Raj was bit less than what I expected. I felt it has the same storyline as Sarkar, I do not know how many of you will agree with me but I can draw parallel between the two in every sequence. I wont do that here as many of you are yet to watch it. For me, it was more if old wine in new bottle. Nevertheless is a RGV typical, topped with as always beautiful acting by Abhishek and Amitabh Bachan, so you will surely enjoy.
On pure merits both are very good movies, but Aamir edges ahead being different!
P.S. - Somehow I do not tend to agree that Sarkar or Sarkar Raj is based on any political family but I find it very close to what one would call an 'Indian' adaptation of The Godfather series.
When you go for something without any expectation; if it turns out to be bad you do not mind because no expectation means to expect it to be bad but if its good you are overwhelmed. With Aamir it was the second! Splendid acting by Rajeev with a fresh and crisp storyline. The movie is equally thought provoking. Its surely a must watch.
Sarkar Raj was bit less than what I expected. I felt it has the same storyline as Sarkar, I do not know how many of you will agree with me but I can draw parallel between the two in every sequence. I wont do that here as many of you are yet to watch it. For me, it was more if old wine in new bottle. Nevertheless is a RGV typical, topped with as always beautiful acting by Abhishek and Amitabh Bachan, so you will surely enjoy.
On pure merits both are very good movies, but Aamir edges ahead being different!
P.S. - Somehow I do not tend to agree that Sarkar or Sarkar Raj is based on any political family but I find it very close to what one would call an 'Indian' adaptation of The Godfather series.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Trip to McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh
Last weekend we went for team outing to McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh. It was almost 2 years since my last escape from office. Hill Stations are always my favorite. And with weeks of hot climate in Delhi, the whole team wanted to go to a cool place. There are so many options around Delhi deciding the destination was a tough call, but everyone agreed that it has to be a non-regular spot.
Many people know it by the name Dharamshala and actually McLeod is suburb of Dharamshala and also has second name 'Upper Dharamshala'. We started of from New Delhi on May 30 by train to Pathankot which we reached the next day. For Pathankot we took a cab for a 3-day to McLeod. It should take about 3 hours to reach McLeod but we reached in 6 hours thanks to Himachal RTO and the beautiful scenery on the way. McLeod is a very small place that you can mostly explore it on foot. The climate was very pleasant; exactly what we were expecting. Himalayas are so beautiful that you want to capture every second in your camera. We explored few far spots in McLeod on the second day.
On the last day it was really very sad to sign-off from such a soothing place but as someone has said life must go on. We pushed of from McLeod on June 2, exploring Kangra valley on the way. Its still very hard to believe we are back in the maddening traffic and heat of Delhi.
I do not think I did full justice to McLeod with my adjectives above, so experience it for yourself ...
Album URL: http://saptarshide.myphotoalbum.com/slideshow.php?set_albumName=album35
Many people know it by the name Dharamshala and actually McLeod is suburb of Dharamshala and also has second name 'Upper Dharamshala'. We started of from New Delhi on May 30 by train to Pathankot which we reached the next day. For Pathankot we took a cab for a 3-day to McLeod. It should take about 3 hours to reach McLeod but we reached in 6 hours thanks to Himachal RTO and the beautiful scenery on the way. McLeod is a very small place that you can mostly explore it on foot. The climate was very pleasant; exactly what we were expecting. Himalayas are so beautiful that you want to capture every second in your camera. We explored few far spots in McLeod on the second day.
On the last day it was really very sad to sign-off from such a soothing place but as someone has said life must go on. We pushed of from McLeod on June 2, exploring Kangra valley on the way. Its still very hard to believe we are back in the maddening traffic and heat of Delhi.
I do not think I did full justice to McLeod with my adjectives above, so experience it for yourself ...
Album URL: http://saptarshide.myphotoalbum.com/slideshow.php?set_albumName=album35
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Welcome! 2008!
Wish you all a very happy 2008! May you and your loved ones have all the joy, success and good health!
But I wrote 'Welcome' in the title with a dual reason. Today only I watched the recently released Hindi movie - Welcome. Laughed all the way through it. Akshay, Anil and of course Nana & Paresh rock!! Katrina and Mallika supported well :).
Go and watch for yourself! Have an exciting 2008!
But I wrote 'Welcome' in the title with a dual reason. Today only I watched the recently released Hindi movie - Welcome. Laughed all the way through it. Akshay, Anil and of course Nana & Paresh rock!! Katrina and Mallika supported well :).
Go and watch for yourself! Have an exciting 2008!
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