tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48851868106874348952024-02-19T20:41:22.672+05:30My Thoughts, My MindPrasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-78202580270436495172009-02-13T23:27:00.003+05:302009-02-13T23:50:16.551+05:30Spiritual Quest - Day 1My trip to Haridwar and Rishikesh, two of the holiest places for Hindus, made me realize how little I know about Hinduism and its philosophy. I know the stories like Ramayana and the Mahabharata but there is so much more to know. I am not a deeply religious person (I went for years without entering a temple) but I want to be spiritual. I have decided to dig deeper into Hinduism and force myself to share atleast one interesting thing that I learn each day.<br /><br />Let me start off with knowledge acquired on day 1:<br /><ul><li>A prayer that I have learnt to chant as a kid but I never fully understood<br /><br />"asato ma sadgamaya<br /> tamaso ma jyotirgamaya<br /> mrtyorma amrtam gamaya"<br /><br />Means<br /><br />Lead me from unreal to the real (or untrue to truth)<br />Lead me from darkness to light<br />Lead me from death to immortality<br /><br /> How beautiful!!<br /><br /></li><li>"Prana" is sanskrit for "breath". (I always thought Prana literally meant life)<br /><br />Also came across an interesting parable on this matter. According to the upanishads, the 5 senses were having a discussion about which is the most important. They decide the only way to find out would be if they leave one by one and the others experience life without one sense. First, sight goes off for 1 year and once it is back, it asks the others, "how was life without light?". The other senses say, "the world was plunged in darkness. Life was bad but we got used to it and we began to rely on touch, sound etc to fill the void left. Life went on.". Similarly, hearing, touch, taste go out one by one and realize that life continues in their absence. Finally, it is breath's turn to leave. As it starts making its exit, the other senses realize that they too were disappearing along with breath. They realize their folly and accept that breath is the most important of the 5 senses. This is why prana, the word for breath, is often used to denote life. Infact, "prani" is the word used for "creatures". Interesting.<br /></li></ul>Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-48307836126249664472009-02-13T22:11:00.002+05:302009-02-13T23:24:04.876+05:30AreteI love the book "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" because so many of the ideas put forth in the book have made an impact on me and they continue to influence my life. My favorite passage from the book is as follows:<br /><br /><blockquote>"What moves the Greek warrior to deeds of heroism," Kitto comments, "is not a sense of duty as we understand it...duty towards others: it is rather duty towards himself. He strives after that which we translate `virtue' but is in Greek areté, `excellence' -- we shall have much to say about areté. It runs through Greek life."<br />.....<br /><br />Thus the hero of the Odyssey is a great fighter, a wily schemer, a ready speaker, a man of stout heart and broad wisdom who knows that he must endure without too much complaining what the gods send; and he can both build and sail a boat, drive a furrow as straight as anyone, beat a young braggart at throwing the discus, challenge the Pheacian youthat boxing, wrestling or running; flay, skin, cut up and cook an ox, and be moved to tears by a song. He is in fact an excellent all-rounder; he has surpassing areté.<br /><br />Areté implies a respect for the wholeness or oneness of life, and a consequent dislike of specialization. It implies a contempt for efficiency...or rather a much higher idea of efficiency, an efficiency which exists not in one department of life but in life itself."<br /></blockquote><br />I read this at a time when I was at crossroads in my life. I was to make important decisions on my interests, career, future plans etc etc. I was expected to choose my area of expertise and work on it like almost everyone else of my age. The idea that I need to excel not at one or two things that will keep me going, but all things life made a huge impact on my life. I started to give my job my everything for the time that I was in office. I tried my best to excel at interpersonal skills and in the process established many relationships that have added a lot of excitement to my life. I joined a gym to be physically fit and took it to the next level with routine participation in many sporting events in addition to the gym. I realized the importance of lifelong learning and made a very conscious effort to keep myself informed of and interested in things I did not know anything about. I am a much better person today for each of these decisions.<br /><br />Read the book, it is amazing.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-55750917235227387622009-02-11T14:10:00.002+05:302009-02-11T14:23:00.749+05:30Nadal - FedererI caught the Australian Open 2009 final between Nadal and Federer on tv last night. What a game! This is probably the best rivalry in all of sports at this current juncture. Although I knew the result, I was sitting with baited breath watching Nadal and Federer hit one incredible shot after another. It is unbelievable how good both of these players are. Granted Fernando Verdasco played an amazing semi-final but it is clear that Federer and Nadal are above and beyond rest of the competition in world tennis. I really wanted Federer to win but more than that, I wanted to see an amazing game of tennis and it exceeded my expectations.<div><br /></div><div>Watching Nadal in the first round was enough for me to annoint him the champion because he looked invincible, even for Federer. I hope Federer improves certain facets of his game to replace Nadal again at the top of the rankings. It is clear that Federer can no longer just rely on his skill level and elegance to get the better of Nadal. He needs to improve his serve (especially the second) because he gets to deuce on his service game way too often for a top player. I think a marginal improvement (one more point in his favor per game on serve) would do wonders for his overall record.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think it is time Federer gets a coach as well. He can beat anybody (other than Nadal) by relying on his in game adjustments and ground game. To beat Nadal though, he will have to formulate a new strategy because Nadal's quickness and accuracy negates Federer's biggest strengths quite effectively.</div><div><br /></div><div>Federer can improve his conditioning as well. It was apparent to anyone who watched the game that Fedex ran out of steam in the pivotal fifth set though Nadal should have been the exhausted one considering he played a thrilling 5 setter with Verdasco just 24 hours earlier. When you are competing against Nadal, who is probably the fittest tennis player ever, you need to be in great shape yourself to have any chance. Federer just wasnt.</div><div><br /></div><div>Federer is certainly one of the greatest players to ever step on a tennis court and I want to see him return to the #1 ranking and provide more of a challenge to Nadal.</div>Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-7971484760924574852009-01-26T12:00:00.002+05:302009-01-26T12:11:58.740+05:30Slumdog Millionaire EffectsThis just occurred to me ...<br /><br />Slumdog Millionaire is coming under criticism in India for showing India's underbelly and profiting from it. Yes, I agree that the movie does not show India in a good light. However, by showing the plight of the slum dwellers and showing the tough conditions that they live in, it is definitely raising the awareness levels internationally. Also, the movie focuses on the hardships faced by children living in such tough environments - children who have lost their parents to riots, children living in poverty without a roof over their head or food to feed themselves, children forced into begging for a living etc.<br /><br />One of the effects of this should be an increase in charitable contributions coming from outside India to improve the situation in the slums. The donors who are deciding how to dispense their charity dollars will now have a connection that they have not had previously. They may donate to many causes - like orphanages and schools for kids. I think this is a great opportunity for the non-profit organizations working to improve the life in the slums. The movie does a great job of portraying the poverty. At the end of the movie, people feel compelled to help ease the situation in anyway. The fore-mentioned organizations should use this chance to garner more aid and spend it wisely to improve the life in the slums.<br /><br />Just a thought ...Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-78382178991223504052009-01-23T10:42:00.002+05:302009-01-23T13:33:13.402+05:30Oscar for the Best Picture<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.elitecastinglist.com/oscar%20award.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 196px;" src="http://www.elitecastinglist.com/oscar%20award.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The Academy Awards are around the corner and entertainment shows are rife with speculation on the would-be winners. Lots of people are complaining that "<some movie=""> was obviously the best of 2008 and it did not even get nominated" (Dark Knight, Wrestler, Wall-E ...).<br /><br />I think the academy awards, and for that matter all movie awards, are bullshit. If you put a gun to my head and asked me to name the best movie that I have seen last week (let alone last year), I would not be able to. How can one compare the incredible Slumdog Millionaire to Milk or to Curious Case of Benjamin Button? What is the criteria that is used to make this comparison?<br /><br />All the nominees and some that got snubbed are all great movies in their own right. I think one of the pros coming from these award ceremonies is the recognition and the publicity for some of the excellent movies that do not have a Dark Knight-like budget for marketing. At the same time, the ceremonies somehow imply that the best picture winner is somehow better than the nominees or other good films made in the year which is absolutely untrue.<br /><br />PS: 2008 was a year that provided many excellent movies and I am very happy for that.<br /></some>Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-28699117003087377992009-01-20T23:01:00.003+05:302009-01-21T00:24:17.124+05:30Obama of IndiaThe Obama fever has swept the Indian media as well. Whole talk shows were dedicated to the debate on the topic ... Will India have an Obama-esque leader in the near future?<br /><br />Let me first set forward the criteria that I think defines Obama-esque:<br /><ol><li>Not from a family that constitutes the national elite. (Obama was hardly a household name)<br /></li><li>Highly educated. (Obama is from the Harvard Law school)<br /></li><li>Young. (Obama is 47)<br /></li></ol>So, will we have such a leader in India - NO! Not in the foreseeable future. The reasons are manifold.<br /><br />Firstly, in India, it takes many decades of being active in politics before a candidate is recognized as a leader at a national level. This is even more true when it comes to prime ministerial hopefuls. I could not find the average age of the Prime Ministers of India - but I am pretty sure it will be in the late 60s. the average age of the current cabinet ministers is 60. In India, it is inconceivable to even think that a candidate can rise through the ranks nearly as quickly as Obama has in the United States.<br /><br />Secondly, there is a lot less glory in being actively involved in politics in India compared to USA. The term "politics" itself is used in everyday conversation to denote negative tactics that people sometimes use to rise to the top. As a result, those among the highly educated lot who are inclined towards servicing people prefer to achieve that motive through charitable organizations or private sector rather than jump into the realm of politics.<br /><br />The message is not all negative. There are many areas in which America should aspire to be more like India. We may not be able to answer the question "Where is Obama of India?", but more barriers have been overcome in the 61 years of Indian independence than 230+ years that America has been independent. We have had a female head of state and heads of states from 3 different religions. To this day, we have not seen an American president who was not a male christian. Obama has broken the race barrier but it has taken 230 years.<br /><br />Something interesting to ponder over - Would Obama win the Indian parliamentary elections if he were to contest? - Lets say for the upcoming Indian elections, we have an candidate who is under 5o years of age, armed with a message of hope, having the best education, short but sound legislation history, no political pedigree and has been in the parliament for only 4 years - would we even consider that candidate for the highest office in the country? Would he stand a chance against Gandhis and Advanis of India? I think we would tell him - "We like you, but wait for another 20 years and we might consider you. We are too busy electing 80 year olds to lead a country where more than half the population is under 25."Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-61270519086449733452009-01-20T16:58:00.003+05:302009-01-20T17:08:27.126+05:30Nadal will win 2009 Australian Open<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://sachatamiagroup.blogsome.com/images/060304_nadal_vsml_10a.widec.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 246px;" src="http://sachatamiagroup.blogsome.com/images/060304_nadal_vsml_10a.widec.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Prediction: Australian Open 2009 Winner - Rafael Nadal<br /><br />Reasons: Nadal has played 1 set in the Australian Open 2009 and he played it well enough to convince me that he is going to win the tournament.<br /><br /><ul><li>Skill: His forehand and backhand have been nothing short of spectacular. His serve is quite solid too.</li><li>Movement: He is moving extremely well and hasn't been out of position for a single point.</li><li>Challengers: The other contenders are Federer, Djokovic and Tsonga. The way Nadal is playing, none of them have a chance.</li></ul>7 games into the match, Nadal is 7-0 and his opponent looks defeated already.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-89086767735796969162009-01-20T12:46:00.003+05:302009-01-20T13:03:18.482+05:30Uttarakhand TripSome time ago, I had made a resolution that I would go on at least 2 vacations every year. I kept that up in 2008 with visits to Goa, Kashmir, Sikkim and Nepal. However, 2009 does not look very promising because once I enroll in ISB in April, I am going to have 1 day off (diwali) for the rest of the year. That is a scary thought! I decided to get a head start by taking my first trip in February.<br /><br />I will be going to Uttarakhand. To be precise, I will be going to Delhi-Agra-Haridwar-Rishikesh-Joshimath-Auli.<br /><br />Things I plan to do on this trip:<br />- Ski. ski. ski.<br />- Ski downhill while recording the journey through a camcorder.<br />- Take a dip in the near freezing Ganga.<br />- Finally see the Taj Mahal.<br />- Take a lot of pictures.<br /><br />I am at a point where the names on the map of Uttarakhand are starting to sound familiar which means I have done enough research. Wish me a good trip!<br /><br />Some pictures of the places that I mentioned above:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrRof66nvVxNZ56elBCbXAvCQuDW1Y34Ku-zdGy8JoTDG5V2c8hmJUL1yyssGKQjw2PWqg6gfVBQRYgGzo8iCpQsSOcgjxRrwFK_NSjdfRFwLa8Ig0U6mLway5USMbdy3wzrV5nsSxADZ/s1600-h/2086852016_5a58dd1881_m.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrRof66nvVxNZ56elBCbXAvCQuDW1Y34Ku-zdGy8JoTDG5V2c8hmJUL1yyssGKQjw2PWqg6gfVBQRYgGzo8iCpQsSOcgjxRrwFK_NSjdfRFwLa8Ig0U6mLway5USMbdy3wzrV5nsSxADZ/s200/2086852016_5a58dd1881_m.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293274800911779410" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><-- No explanation necessary I hope.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWC2WzVYt9lhNemyQ1Ku_CNhYKY-0zlg5akhaYlrdBB5xlaMhJOEcoxUYICYPhrhF1FRTSD0vnwWe0D80jnwYhAzjrAc6IuWQCxtT4BV9ZDqJMBcL5Ri0B5jMVhHbC4zH4RWlAn9VU5a0/s1600-h/243135106_6f52a10345.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWC2WzVYt9lhNemyQ1Ku_CNhYKY-0zlg5akhaYlrdBB5xlaMhJOEcoxUYICYPhrhF1FRTSD0vnwWe0D80jnwYhAzjrAc6IuWQCxtT4BV9ZDqJMBcL5Ri0B5jMVhHbC4zH4RWlAn9VU5a0/s200/243135106_6f52a10345.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293274800097792034" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><-- Har Ki Pauri - Prayer on the bank of Ganga in Haridwar<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYjYSC8puq8xw9BNwv5AOUUWT-sy1nW-1r9YKXlz7yYOXp04mzmo1Y1w4lFxHTkj8AeYeSwZGkodwEm09Pl2u3Vdy6wzH_eSUJ0I3IKXcabb9rRakFjCrTtGIYIgDLc99Ia_1NCp3xvwp/s1600-h/auli.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYjYSC8puq8xw9BNwv5AOUUWT-sy1nW-1r9YKXlz7yYOXp04mzmo1Y1w4lFxHTkj8AeYeSwZGkodwEm09Pl2u3Vdy6wzH_eSUJ0I3IKXcabb9rRakFjCrTtGIYIgDLc99Ia_1NCp3xvwp/s200/auli.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293274805567287602" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><-- Ski. ski. ski. Auli, Uttarakhand.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSbXQrdg3SDKYPu5cXdxFw3uwaYlkGXXxLrBlaquyratje4-bJMlBNxswvQXUiZOU4SJvu6s0R0ng32JQQgWIguNeI-XLoQ58DN1ym3eroCQ3uGd7AZO5oiZ__WH-peTMF2rS4TY7orfg/s1600-h/452014934_5e0aa84d9c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiSbXQrdg3SDKYPu5cXdxFw3uwaYlkGXXxLrBlaquyratje4-bJMlBNxswvQXUiZOU4SJvu6s0R0ng32JQQgWIguNeI-XLoQ58DN1ym3eroCQ3uGd7AZO5oiZ__WH-peTMF2rS4TY7orfg/s200/452014934_5e0aa84d9c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293274805052681106" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><-- Mountain on the left with cloud on it is Mt. Nanda Devi (7800mts +). Tallest mountain that is completely within India.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-70739989984857239582009-01-17T17:01:00.005+05:302009-01-20T17:10:26.523+05:30The Visitor<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://graphics.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/04/17/1208481431_5000/539w.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 329px; height: 252px;" src="http://graphics.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/04/17/1208481431_5000/539w.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Since I moved to India, I have missed quite a lot of the small budget movies that Hollywood churns out every year. In the last couple of weeks, I have started watching the best of those that I missed in the last year and a half. One of those is "The Visitor" and this is a great movie.<br /><br />The Visitor highlights the plight of illegal immigrants in the USA. Walt, a professor in Connecticut goes to New York (where he owns an apartment) for a few days to attend a conference. He is surprised to find a young immigrant couple (Tareek and Zainab) staying there. The couple offer to move out immediately but they realize their friends are not too willing to accommodate them on that short a notice. Walt lets the couple stay in his apartment with him for a little while, till they find a new place for themselves. Tareek is a musician who plays the african drums (djembe) and Zainab makes jewelry that she sells on the street. Walt and Tareek connect through the universal language of music and Tareek teaches Walt how to play the drums. The scenes between Tarek and Walt at this juncture are truly heartening to watch. Walt and Tareek become good friends and play the drums in central park in the evenings.<br /><br />On their way back one evening, Tareek gets stuck in a subway turnstop and jumps it. The NYPD arrest him immediately and send him to a detention center (broken windows policy in action). His immigration status is then realized and he is shceduled for deportation (to Syria). Tareek, who has been leading a happy life for the last several years in the USA, finds his life shattered in a matter of seconds. He cannot even meet his girlfriend, Zainab, because their meeting would mean Zainab would be deported too. Meanwhile, Tareek's worried mother, Mouna also makes it to New York to check on her son. She is devastated to find out that Tareek is being held by immigration. Walt tries to speak with immigration attorneys but to no avail. He remains the only connection between Tareek and his loved ones (Mouna and Zainab). The scenes where Walt holds up letters from Mouna and Zainab for Tareek to read in the detention center are gut wrenching.<br /><br />Overall, "The Visitor" is about USA's policies towards illegal immigrants. In the wake of 911, thousands of American dreams are being shattered every day by the immigration department. A passport, which was the license to travel, has now become a means to restrict travel. Millions of stories of heart break part of the price that America pays for increased security. It is a touching movie laced with brilliant performances. Watch it!Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-26907463270470484192009-01-14T14:36:00.009+05:302009-01-14T16:34:21.740+05:30Slumdog MillionaireThe following post is a collection of all of my thoughts on the amazing movie that is "Slumdog Millionaire":<br /><br />The movie is being released in India next week and along with the english version, it is being dubbed into Hindi with the title "Slumdog Crorepati". Wouldn't "Jhopadpatti Crorepati" make for a much better title? It even rhymes!<br /><br />The Indian media has been quick to eat up the success of the movie and they keep reminding the people that we need to take pride in the movie because it is the first "Indian movie" which has tasted such international success. That is bullshit. The actors and technicians may be Indian, but the screenplay and direction, which control the way story unfolds, were in the hands of Britishers. I think Slumdog is no more an Indian movie than Gandhi is - and Gandhi even won an Oscar. Having said that, the work that the actors have put in and the music by A.R. Rehman are awesome. The praise that is being heaped on them is very well deserved indeed.<br /><br />There is a section of people who are not happy about the way India is depicted in the movie. They are afraid that the western audience watch the movie and come away with the opinion that the whole of India is the way it is shown. I think that the intelligence of the audience is being greatly underestimated in making this argument. Slumdog Millionaire depicts an extreme section of the Indian society - the ground realities that are faced by the poorest of the poor. It is not showing India in a bad light, it is raising awareness. The solution is not to stop showing it, it is doing something about it. Besides, this movie is just the latest in a long list of movies that show the dark side of India. Salaam Bombay, Parzania etc come to mind. If anything, I believe there is a shortage of movies like Slumdog Millionaire that hold a mirror up and show us the terrible side of our society that we ignore. Besides, I do not think this movie exaggerates the reality. The scenes from the slums are extremely real which is mind blowing considering that the movie is directed by a non-Indian. Kudos to Danny Boyle.<br /><br />Last I checked, Slumdog Millionaire is not a documentary about India shining, so stop expecting it to showcase India. Slumdog Millionaire is an amazingly inspiring story of a poor orphan who overcomes insurmountable hurdles on his way to riches, that just happens to be set in India. The movie celebrates Jamal and his qualities - honesty, innocence and compassion. In the end, Jamal triumphs over all of the evil forces (his semi-evil brother, mafia, communal riots) that are to derail him.<br /><br />In the end, the fact remains that everything shown in the movie is real and accurately depicts the plight of kids in the poorest neighborhoods of the country. Sadly, the one part that is a fantasy is of the kid escaping poverty by winning the crorepati show.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-65597484012649022272009-01-03T21:49:00.002+05:302009-01-03T22:12:56.687+05:30Benjamin ButtonI got to watch "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" yesterday. I have been waiting for this movie ever since I heard about it, and the wait was worth it. Benjamin Button ages forward mentally, but backwards physically. The movie has good performances from Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The story is extremely creative and the film is well directed. Its 2.5 hour length might be a problem to some people but it did not bother me at all. In fact, I did not want the movie to end - but it is tough to continue the story after the protagonist is dead. Another thing that I was impressed by are the dialogues in the movie. Few of the ones I love (more or less accurate):<br /><br /><ul><li>For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit ... start whenever you want … you can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again. - Benjamin Button</li><li>I know the circumstances and I've accepted that. Loving you is worth all of it. -Daisy</li><li>We are defined by opportunities even the ones we miss.</li><li>We were meant to lose people we love. How else would we know how important they are?</li><li>I was thinking how nothing lasts, and what a shame that is</li><li>Life can only be understood looking backward. It must be lived forward.</li><li>It’s a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what’s changed, is you.</li><li>Along the way you bump into people who make a dent on your life. Some people get struck by lightning. Some are born to sit by a river. Some have an ear for music. Some are artists. Some swim the English Channel. Some know buttons. Some know Shakespeare. Some are mothers. And some people can dance.<br /></li></ul>Watch this movie!Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-59587359351284785362008-12-22T09:37:00.001+05:302008-12-22T09:40:38.050+05:30RPS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/49/053picsyy3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 359px; height: 246px;" src="http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/49/053picsyy3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />RPS - Rocket Propelled Shoes!!Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-83947670225225985772008-12-17T00:05:00.003+05:302008-12-17T00:14:20.728+05:30George Bush - Ninja?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i36.tinypic.com/2uyod3k.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 240px;" src="http://i36.tinypic.com/2uyod3k.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I dont think throwing shoes at George Bush is classy but it gave him an opportunity to show off his Ninja skills in Matrix style moves. I think he can even dodge a bullet. I guess he has found his true calling now ... Dodge ball. He did it all without losing the smile on his face ... I guess he was having fun. Looks like all the practice dodging questions from the American public paid off.<br /><br />One more point of note, the shoe throwers aim was terrific. He was right on the mark with both of his throws. Was he practicing or what? Considering the distance of the target, the lack of time and the awkward shape of the weapon, the result was extra-ordinary. Anyone other than Ninja Bush would have had footprints on his face. I think Iraq has found its next Olympic Gold Medalist.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-43880471672561848792008-12-16T23:56:00.002+05:302008-12-17T00:02:10.261+05:30Quick Question<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Watched the Miss World pageant and here is the Miss World 2008</span><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x31/misscontest/miss_universe_2008/Ksenia_Sukhinova_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 427px; height: 600px;" src="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x31/misscontest/miss_universe_2008/Ksenia_Sukhinova_01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Now, my question is: Who is officially the 2nd most beautiful woman in the world? We know that Miss Universe is supposedly the most beautiful. How does Miss World compare to runner-up Miss Universe? I think I am gonna need a ranked list of the top 10 most beautiful women in this world. Why? I don't know. Having it wont do any harm ...Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-22619827228718677092008-12-13T14:28:00.002+05:302008-12-13T14:40:09.903+05:30Good ShepherdI watched "The Good Shepherd" yesterday. It was very intriguing and kept me glued for almost 3 hours. The theme of the movie is the birth of the CIA and its failure during the Cuban Missle Crisis in the Bay of Pigs.<br /><br />The following is an exchange from the movie:<br /><br /><br />[Bill Sullivan visits Ed at home to let him know that they're forming the CIA as a peacetime OSS]<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bill Sullivan:</span> I have to tell you, I have some real problems with this whole thing despite how much we need it. I'm concerned that too much power will end up in the hands of too few. It's always in somebody's best interest to promote enemies real or imagined. I see this as America's eyes and ears; I don't want it to become its heart and soul. So I told the president for this to work there is going to have to be some kind of civilian oversight.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Edward Wilson:</span> Oversight? How can you have a covert organization if you have people looking over your shoulder?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bill Sullivan:</span> You know who gave Hitler his power? The clerks and the bookkeepers, the civil servants. I have this one weakness: I believe in a just God. I always seem to err on the side of democracy.<br /><br />Given the goings on in the last couple of weeks following the Mumbai attacks, one thing is evident - The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan, which is meant to be its CIA equivalent, has become the heart and soul of the country.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-10063839839211104432008-12-09T10:12:00.002+05:302008-12-09T10:40:31.378+05:30India - England Test SeriesThe England Cricket Team arrived in Chennai last night to play 2 test matches that were scheduled as part of their tour. The team had canceled the last 2 ODIs and returned to England following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.<br /><br />I hope people recognize the bravado displayed by the English team in returning to India despite all the hoopla being made of the security situation. To people in India, this may not seem like a heroic thing - after all we live in this country without 1/100th of the security offered to them. Put yourself in Kevin Petersen's shoes, you will start to see the gravity of the decision.<br /><ul><li>You are touring a country that has long been a terror target weeks after the biggest attack in its history.</li><li>Citizens from UK were actively sought by the terrorists.<br /></li><li>You are indirectly responsible for the safety of all of your teammates.</li><li>There is a remote threat of war with a neighboring country. Tensions are high.<br /></li><li>There is no penalty for opting out of the tour - BCCI made this concession.</li></ul>Considering all this, it is definitely inviting to opt out but I salute the English team for continuing the tour and help in healing a country where cricket is a religion. I hope the spectators in India realize this. The England team deserves standing ovations and cheers wherever they go.<br /><br />Hugh Morris, Managing Director of English cricket team said it best: "Every now and again sportsmen and women have the chance to do something beyond their performances on the field. For very tragic reasons, the England team have that opportunity, they have made a very brave, a very courageous decision and one which will be really respected right across the world."Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-73233204729359124082008-12-03T23:45:00.002+05:302008-12-03T23:57:57.968+05:30ReligionTimes Now today featured a conversation with one of the activists at a rally in Hyderabad ... his message was clear - Religion is the root cause of all evil in the world and the whole establishment has to be cleansed of religious beliefs. Once this is done, peace will prevail and we will all live happily thereafter.<br /><br />I feel blaming religion for all the problems has become a serious trend these days. However, I know for a fact that religion teaches a lot more than that. The purpose of religion is not to give people reasons to murder each other. It is unfortunate that some people are inspired to commit heinous crimes using religion as their base, but the fault lies in the particular person and not the religion. We need to recognize this. Even if we eliminate all the religions in the world, we will still find reasons to kill each other - race, linguistic differences, whatever.<br /><br />We should take a moment to look at the positive impacts that religion has. Above all, religion gives people a major incentive to lead a good and moral life. Without it, there is little penalty for being immoral and cruel.<br /><br />I am looking forward to the day when we as a human race evolve beyond violence.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-47408615844633252942008-11-30T13:52:00.002+05:302008-11-30T13:54:10.216+05:30MumbaiThe brazen attack on Mumbai is just the latest in a string of attacks on India that are growing bolder by the day. The pictures of terrorists walking around the lobbies of Taj, Oberoi and the Trident, flashing a smile while unleashing carnage with their automatic rifles and grenades are etched in the minds of all of us, Indians. Mumbai has been a target of terrorists attacks in the past and it has always managed to bounce back in no time. The "Spirit of Mumbai" - getting on with life as if nothing happened - has been appreciated so much that it has become stuff of legends. Dare I say, we have always mistook the helplessness of Mumbaikars to be the "Spirit of Mumbai".<br /><br />Some of the hostages speaking out on TV tell tales of the terrorists laughing while spraying bullets at the helpless hostages. This is beyond my comprehension. I can comprehend a person being angry about Kashmir or about India's proximity to the west but what can drive a person to grab an automatic rifle and shoot innocent civilians is something that I will never ever understand.<br /><br />Although anything concrete is yet to emerge from the tough stance displayed by India, but it is a welcome development to see the response of the Government. The demand made to Pakistan to send the ISI chief to India showed their resolve. It is true that Pakistan is also a victim of terror but we should be able to separate the different forces at work. Pakistan's conflict is with the Al-Qaeda groups in its North West Frontier that wish to unleash terror in the interior. Pakistan is not concerned about the groups like Lashkar which are not out to create disturbance in Pakistan but are out to destroy India. Faces of terror like Dawood Ibrahim and the leader of Lashkar-e-Toiba roam freely in the heart of Pakistan, often under security cover provided by the Government.<br /><br />There are a million things that the Government could do to prevent a repeat of an attack of this magnitude. The biggest failure was that of intelligence. It is impossible and unacceptable to believe that the police had no inkling of such an attack. Also, the coast guard is a joke and we cannot count on them to keep our coasts safe. At the same time, the fact that we had to fly in NSG from Delhi to flush out 10 terrorists in Mumbai is a scary reminder that our local law<br />enforcement is not in a position to deal with the new age threats.<br /><br />In my opinion, the first course of action should be a cash reward and provision of a safe haven for anyone who gives information that leads to discovery of weapon staches and prevention of attacks. This I find is sorely lacking today. An attack of this magnitude takes involvement of tens if not hundreds of people and all we would need to foil this attack is for one of the members involved to be motivated by the cash reward. Also, we need an overhaul of the whole intelligence system which is clearly incapable of protecting us from the threat that we are faced with.<br /><br />I have no doubts that India will recover from the attacks as it always has - mostly because there is no other choice. The overwhelming majority of Indians are sensible enough to understand the situation and not let the heightened communal forces tear them apart. From the news programs, it is clear that we are sick and tired of divisional politics and I hope this serves as a warning for idiots like Raj Thackerey and Narendra Modi who bank on creating divisions within us.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-14968339336328702008-11-29T13:22:00.002+05:302008-11-29T13:35:44.588+05:30ISB AdmitThis post comes more than a week after I found out the great news - I have been admitted into the Indian School of Business - Class of 2010. ISB had promised that the results would be out "on or before Nov 20" and true to their word, the results were out around 9PM on the 20th.<br /><br />ISB is the first and so far, the only Business school that I have applied to. My attitude post-interview could be best described as "nervously optimistic". I felt that I had a good diverse background and I knew that I had confidently addressed the biggest question marks during my interview. At the same time, knowing some of the details about the fantastic pool of applicants that ISB was choosing from, I could not be sure.<br /><br />I got the admission letter by mail today and I have read it 3 times already. It is such a fantastic feeling ... I dont think I can put it in words. Now I cant wait for April 12th!Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-88615455402009899012008-11-25T22:43:00.003+05:302008-11-25T23:29:21.293+05:30Interview - Indian School of BusinessSept 2008 - Applied to Indian School of Business ... an emerging business school based in Hyderabad.I was shortlisted for the interview which was set for Nov 8. <br /><br />Panel: 2 alumni and 1 member from admissions<br /><br />This is how the interview went:<br /><br /><ul><li>Why do you want to do a MBA?<br /><br />I was quite clear about my reasons behind wanting to do a MBA. I had quite a varied work experience working in many different functions within my company. I had acquired many skills and I was looking to develop a holistic view of business. Also, I wanted to fill in the gaps in my skill set. I told them that I was at cross-roads in my career, either continue in my path taking strides and getting promoted every alternate year, or opt for a MBA and make a leap. I preferred the leap. The panel was satisfied with my response.<br /><br /></li><li>You just have 2.5 years of work experience, dont you think you will benefit from more before you do your MBA?<br /><br />I was anticipating this question and I was prepared with a response. I talked about my part time work experience from 12th grade onwards. I had continued to work my way through college and I developed fiscal responsibility, planning etc as a result of the limited income and huge expenses. I stressed on why I consider my work experience to be 5+ years and not just the 2-3 since college. In my opinion, this was the single biggest factor against my candidature and I was glad I could make my case in a convincing manner.<br /><br /></li><li>What is the ideal company that you would like to work for?<br /><br />McKinsey. I got smiles from the panel. I guess it is a common answer.<br /><br /></li><li>What about that company do you admire?<br /><br />I talked about the commitment that McKinsey has for adding maximum value to their customers. I read their reports on a frequent basis and they are always well researched and top notch in all ways. They share these with their clients. I was also impressed by the clientèle that they cater to. I named a few examples which scored me some points with the panel because I demonstrated some depth behind my response. I also told them that I had applied for a position with them last year and I had been rejected. I was in two minds whether I should share that last piece of information, but I took the rejection in my stride and I had no issues sharing it with the panel.<br /><br /></li><li>You have a better chance of getting into that company if you go for a US MBA. Why do you want to choose ISB?<br /><br />This was a tough one to answer. I am also considering US MBAs and I honestly had very little reason to choose ISB over a similar colleges elsewhere. It was the learning that I was after and not really the place. But, I did love working in India so far and I would love to continue here. ISB being the best in India was an easy choice.<br /><br /></li><li>I see on your application that you have a degree in economics, you must be following the financial crisis closely. In your opinion, what are the 3 biggest causes for the crisis that we see today?<br /><br />Ah. I was prepared for questions on the crisis but not directly for this. I asked for a second to gather my thoughts. I responded with failure in credit capability checks of mortgage applicants, failure of rating agencies in detecting the risk early and the Govt. letting Lehman fail. Not the best response, but will do. Obviously the panel was not looking for a Warren Buffet like response, just a response that shows I am in the know of the latest updates.<br /><br /></li><li>What is Capital Adequacy Ratio? Definition.<br /><br />I was not sure of the text book definition. I did not want to blabber on so I admitted the same to the panel. I ventured a guess that turned out to be quite close to the definition.<br /><br /></li><li>What is your take on Barack Obama?<br /><br />I was glad to hear Obama's name. I had followed the elections very closely and I was a proponent of Obama from day 1 of his campaign. I told the same to the panel. It is tough not to be impressed by the way he has overcome all the hurdles in his path (race, lack of pedigree, experience etc) with grace. His positive campaign was a welcome change and he did not stoop to negative campaigning even though his opponents were. I believe his message of change truly resonated with the american voters. Hillary was his toughest competitor and he had the presidency secured the minute he got the democratic nomination. He was successful in labeling McCain as Bush - Term 3 which secured his presidency.<br /><br /></li><li>If present day Obama had contested against George Bush in 2000, would he have won the vote?<br /><br />Good question. I asked the panel if they meant Obama of 2008 or 2000. They made it easy for me by saying 2008 - the current day Obama. Without much thought, I told the panel that I was sure Obama would have won the race. I remember the 2000 campaign and the race was extremely close between the two parties. It basically came down to who is more personable (Bush) and Florida (Bush). Obama is a lot more charming than Al Gore and also in 2008, Obama secured a sizeable majority in Florida - both factors that lead me to believe Obama would triumph. I was proud of this response.<br /><br /></li><li>How would Obama's campaign have fared in those circumstances?<br /><br />Obviously, the message of change would not resonate with the voters of 2000. The economy was great, no major wars, terrorism was yet to rear its ugly head and overall, things were awesome. Obama would have changed his campaign to reflect the times and would have to focus on continuing more of the Clinton policies and implement tighter fiscal responsibility. Satisfied with my response on this.<br /><br /></li><li>You have mentioned that you have a collection of quotes. What is your favorite?<br /><br />My mind went blank. I had mentioned sports, travel etc but they chose the quotes. I stumbled for a minute or two and told them something from "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance"- Areté implies a respect for the wholeness or oneness of life, and a consequent dislike of specialization. It implies a contempt for efficiency...or rather a much higher idea of efficiency, an efficiency which exists not in one department of life but in life itself.<br /><br /></li><li>Any quotes from Indian authors?<br /><br />Couldnt think of any at that moment. After the interview, I had 100s running through my head.<br /><br /></li><li>Any telugu quotes?<br /><br />Told the panel that I could not read/ write telugu. I regret that and I would like to fix that ASAP. Honestly, I need to work on this! Any willing teachers?<br /><br /></li><li>Do you have any questions for the panel?<br /><br />Asked them a couple. Somehow we ended up discussing about the new ISB campus in Mohali that will be operational in a couple of years.</li></ul>Overall, I thought I interviewed quite well. I felt quite relaxed and I could confidently allay all of the questions that panel had on the "weaknesses" in my application. I got a lot of help the night before from my parents and that helped me a great deal. It was almost like my mom knew what exactly I was going to be asked. She predicted almost all of the big questions the night before.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-41396637949355649752008-11-09T16:36:00.001+05:302008-11-09T16:36:37.537+05:30Don't QuitWhen things go wrong, as they sometimes will,<br />When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,<br />When funds are low and the debts are high,<br />And you want to smile but you have to sigh,<br />When care is pressing you down a bit,<br />Rest if you must, but don't you quit.<br /><br />Life is queer with its twists and turns,<br />As every one of us sometimes learns,<br />And many a failure turns about,<br />When he might have won if he'd stuck it out.<br />Don't give up, though the pace seems slow -<br />You may succeed with another blow.<br /><br />Often the goal is nearer than<br />It seems to a faint and faltering man;<br />Often the struggler has given up<br />When he might have captured the victor's cup,<br />And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,<br />How close he was to the golden crown.<br /><br />Success is failure turned inside out -<br />The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,<br />And you never can tell how close you are -<br />It may be near when it seems afar;<br />So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -<br />It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-19340509745762399072008-11-09T16:31:00.000+05:302008-11-09T16:32:44.341+05:30Advice from AmbaniIf you have the belief to choose your road<br />If you have the courage to stay on it<br />If you have the conviction to surmount the rough stretches<br />If you do..you will find the road begins to follow you<br /><br />-- Dhirubai AmbaniPrasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-31389113994981323072008-11-09T16:28:00.000+05:302008-11-09T16:29:53.775+05:30Loss and GainWhen I compare<br />What I have lost with what I have gained,<br />What I have missed with what attained,<br />Little room do I find for pride.<br /><br />I am aware<br />How many days have been idly spent;<br />How like an arrow the good intent<br />Has fallen short or been turned aside.<br /><br />But who shall dare<br />To measure loss and gain in this wise?<br />Defeat may be victory in disguise;<br />The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.<br /><br />-- Henry Wadsworth LongfellowPrasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-68993232012861212862008-10-19T17:59:00.002+05:302008-10-19T18:15:56.682+05:30Kashmir Ki Kali LyricsI was watching tv in the afternoon and I happened to catch a special on Shammi Kapoor, a legend of Indian Cinema. This program reminded me of the beautiful songs in Kashmir Ki Kali among other movies. So I did the logical thing and downloaded all the songs :)<br /><br />Some of the lyrics which make the whole album amazing:<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Isharon Isharon mein dile lene wale</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">bata ye hunar tune sikha kahaan se</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The one who wins hearts through mere signals</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tell me where have you learnt this art?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Nigaahon Nigaahon mein jadoo chalana</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">mere jaan sikha hai tumne jahaan se</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Creating magic through glances of eyes</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Wherever you have learnt this skill, my love<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">Maanaa ke jaana-ye-jahaa laakhon mein tum yek ho </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">humaaree kee nigaahon kee bhee kuchh to magar daad do </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">bahaaron ko bhee naaj jis fool par thaa</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">wahee fool hum ne chunaa gulasitaa se</span><br /><br />I agree that you are but one in millions<br />You have to give some credit to my eyes<br />The one flower that spring was most proud of<br />That is the flower I have chosen from the garden<br /></span>Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4885186810687434895.post-44747114660135652562008-10-18T11:38:00.005+05:302008-10-19T18:23:04.907+05:30Sachin - Random Observations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2998/94988tr4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2998/94988tr4.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Unless you have been living under a rock, you must now be aware of Tendulkar's amazing feat. He has set the record for Most Runs in Test Matches. I am not much of a cricket fan, but I dont think it is necessary for you to be one to appreciate that moment. I have seen the news reports and replays on tv and observed:<br /><br /><ul><li>Tendulkar started playing in 1989 and 19 years later, he stands alone on top of his game. It is an amazing feat that speaks volumes about his talent as well as endurance.</li><li>Considering India's pathetic showing at the Olympics, it's nice to see someone holding their own on the international stage.</li><li>It was fantastic to watch the whole Aussie team come up to congratulate him. He is the most respected cricketer of modern times.</li><li>Tendulkar is 5'4", a little guy, yet one of the best players in the sport</li><li>He spent the tea interval on 13 not out, just one run away from Lara's record. But after the 20-minute break he hit his first ball for three down to third man and saluted the crowd before the Australian fielders went to shake his hand.</li><li>He has been in the spotlight for 2 decades now but there is not a single negative incident that can scar his gentlemanly image. In the age of 24 hour news and sports channels, it is an achievement that showcases his character.</li></ul>Prasanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07859456834332811808noreply@blogger.com0