Hungry Kya ? Call Dominoes!

There is this oft repeated phrase /cliche which goes "If you want to succeed, you must have that hunger within, that fire in your belly".

One of the Pakistani cricketers, Salman Butt, i guess took this phrase literally and during the one off centenary match that was played at the Eden Gardens, Kolkatta; Salman Butt maintained a fast, and did not have and food intake either before or during the progress of the match...he survived purely on fluids, and ofcourse that will to succeed, and suceed he did...

He scored a magnificent century studded with some amazing display of drives, cuts, pulls et all, and helped Pak beat India in that one off.

http://ind.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2004-05/OD_TOURNEYS/PLATINUM/SCORECARDS/IND_PAK_PLATINUM_ODI_13NOV2004.html

I wonder whether any of our current Indian team cricketers would be ready to anything of that sort. News keeps pouring in the papers, that so fussy are our cricketers about their food, that they have outsourced their meals to an Indian caterer, who prepares made to order Indian dishes and delivers the same at the team hotel.

No doubt, with their stomachs filled, they tend to spene more time in the dressing room than on the filed these days...

To succeed in sport, or any other sphere of life, one needs to have that will, an indomitable will to succeed against all odds, come what may. And this comes purely from within, you cannot pay some thousand bucks, and get yourself all charged up with that will; what you can do, certainly, is to introspect, set new realistic targets, reach for new horizons, and challenge yourself to achieve the same; after all Success is but what, but, 99% perspiration and 1 % inspiration.

NOTE: All names mentioned here are only for illusionary purposes. No offence meant whatsover to any person, place, firm etc.

Source of Inspiration

The other day i was at the photoshop waiting to get my photos to be delivered, when an aged woman came along asking the person behind the counter for her photographs.
From the ascent of her tone, and her peach red hair she appeared French.
The person behind the counter promptly delivered her the photographs while i still stay waititng.

I was actually sort of surprised to see the photographs that she had in her hand and was admiring; these photographs were of steet urchins playing on the streets; of half derssed beggars, of street children playing next to garbage depots and the like...

Instinctively, i asked her "Madam, are these the only imags of India that you would carry with you ?"
With a glean in her eyes, she looked staright at me giving me a wry smile.
She then told in broken English, "these are the source of my inspiration".

I was taken aback and asked her,"What do these people have that happens to inspire you"

She replied, "just look at their faces, thir innocent faces, their smiling faces...inspite of having most the basic necessities we people always live with a sense of dissatisfaction...and look at these people, they dont know where their next meal will come, will it come or not and still they are enjoing all that life has to offer to them...we have to be like them to be really happy"

I then realised that a majority of us people look at persons like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the likes when asked "Who is your source of inspiration ??"

We seldom do realise that the worlds toughes of questions have the simplest of answers..and more often than not these answers are found in near surroundings..

First Line of Defence

They are all behind you, they are all honking for you.
All that they want is that you move forward; if atleast, not in life, then at this signal stop.

What do you do at this juncture ?
Do you buckle under pressure, and jump the gun, or do you give your best performance by staying put...

This is the condition most motorists (specially two wheel riders) face at most of the signal posts in Pune. While it is a known fact that the traffic (or put it traffic sense!) in Pune city is highly irregulated, things get worse when you have a row of two wheel riders lined up at a signal post, trying to be as law abiding as possible; and behind them is a slew of motorists who do not take their hands of their horns.

This is where the "First Line of Defence" is reminded, if your"First Line of Defence" is good ie law abiding, courageous, one which would not buckle under pressue; be rest assured that there would be discipline follwed to the last d.

This is when i get reminded of our nations "First Line of Defence".
Is because of all our brave Jawans who man our vast and trecherous borders that we live in a "Colision Free" world.
Just imagine if the nations "First Line of Defence" would buckle under pressure (not of blaring horns ! but real PRESSURE) , what would be our condition ??

With that thought in mind, i stay put at the signal post; forgetting all the blaring behind my back, only the thought that i am part of the "First Line of Defence" (atleast over here that keeps me stay put)

The Unshakable
Manish Gajjaria