In the recently concluded One Day International between India and Sri Lanka, the end result, an Indian victory was completely overshadowed by what has now become the "No-Ball Gate". Of late there is no restriction on what can become a-----Gate or a scandal.
Scene 1: Sehwag was on 99, India needed 1 run and our Sehwag hits a 6 and India win. But the bowler (Suraj Randiv) bowled a big no-ball and so Sehwag is stranded in 99 and India still win because one run was awarded for the no-ball. The match is over.
Scene 2: Sehwag at the post match presentation accuses Randiv of deliberately bowling a no-ball so as to deny him a century and notes another instance when Sachin Tendulkar was stranded on 96 because another Lankan bowler (Malinga) conceded 4 byes and the match was over.
Scene 3: The controversy seemed over until our Sehwag to show off his technological prowess decidestp twitter more about this, then the SriLankan Cricket board conducts an inquiry and Dilshan apparently suggested to Randiv that he bowl a no-ball and the bowler obliged. But Sehwag states about Life will go on..win or loss ..truth etc....
My question to Sehwag and I wish someone else had the nerve to ask him this. If he was on 93 and he hit a 6 and the same scene was enacted, would he have created such a huge issue out of this. So does it mean he is concerned about losing a 100. If you saw his comments, he said he certainly missed a 100 but happy that India won. So why cant it always be the latter INDIA WINNING!!!
Why are we so obsessed with personal records and Please don't accuse other teams of "lack of spirit" when your team(a few members have indulged in the same". Where was the spirit in question roaming around when Symonds was sledged by Harbhajan?. Oh we hypocrites say Aussies provoked it and Bhajji gave a fitting reply and when it is your team facing such a thing, cry loud as if the world has fallen over your head!!. Well, during the Symonds-Harbhajan fiasco, didn't the famous SRT protect Harbhajan? Where did the Spirit of the game go then?
The only reason that Indian board and a few Indian cricketers do these sorts of bragging and acting as if they are the epitome of "gentlemanly conduct" is BCCI's bullying power(money). Sangakkara rightly said that we all should act responsibly. So when Randiv went up to Sehwag and apologised, the matter was closed. Why did our Sehwag have to twitter about Truth, Win or Lose etc??
Sangakkara summed up perfectly. He said this is India and the Indian team involved and we have to aware of the repurcussions.
In my view, if Randiv was banned for one ODI, it would not be wrong to ban Sehwag for the next ODI for making a big fuss about nothing. All because he lost out on a 100. Once again, someone please ask what his reaction would have been if he was on 93 and the no-ball scenario had occured!!
August 20, 2010
My Experience at the Regional Transport Office (RTO), Yelahanka
Continuing with my earlier blog entry, I wanted to share my experience of trying to obtain my Driver’s License (DL) for a car. I already had a DL for a two-wheeler and needed to get one for my car. So here is how it happened (rather happening, as after 2 weeks, and in spite of knowing a high ranking inspector, yet to obtain my license!!). My 2-wheeler DL was at a different address to the current address where I am staying. Apparently, the rules state that the address has to be changed to the current one first and only then I can apply to a DL for car. SO I put all these in one file and took it to the case worker!!. It was supposed to be done in a day but read below for what happened.
The next day when I went, I was told to finish some formality with the paperwork and I did it myself and handed over the file to the caseworker. He said that O could come later in the afternoon but since I was going elsewhere, I told him I will collect the file next day, get the signature of a higher ranking officer (who had refused to sign the day before and was talking about rules….when he didn’t sign the file for my sister all because of the fact her LL was through a Driving School and apparently she has to approach for the DL test through the school because if we start coming directly, his varamana(income) is affected!!!) and take my DL test. I was happy when I left the RTO building. The next day things took a turn for the worse. They couldn’t locate the file that I had personally handed over to them. Finally after a wait for nearly a month where my file was lost and the reason they gave was priceless.
Officer : Nimdu file na separate aagi idu antha helidde mix maadbittidaare nanna assistant
I had asked my assistant to keep your file separate, but she (my assistant) has mixed it up
Assistant(Lady): Illi ondu file ithu, naanu boss na kelde avru return maadbidu andru…Naanu hesaru nodlilla, adhu nimde aagirbahudu
I saw one file here and asked about it to my boss and he asked me to return it to the other side. That file might be yours (as I didn’t see the name or details)
Lady 2:Naanu hordavaaga aa madam ondu file thandru…Naanu table mele ittbittu horte, naanu hesarella nodlilla, adhe irbahudu nimma file
When I was leaving, that lady (Assistant/Lady1) gave me a file and as I was in a hurry to leave, I left it on my table. I didn’t check the name or details, that file may be the one!!!
So after a week of these excuses, it was decided that the file was lost and because I was from “officer kade” (meaning officer’s side), they were going to prepare a duplicate file and made me pay an additional 200Rs (I had already paid 270Rs for the test fee, card fees and the address change). I then went with the same officer to the ARTO’s office as his signature was required and while talking to me, he asked me about my background, stay in the US( during the conversation, I had to tell him that I had just returned from USA) and he asked me where in the US and I said Boston. He looked up and suddenly things or rather the situation changed. He said that instead of wasting another card, they could use the Smart Card for the two wheeler and endorse the same for the 4-wheeler also. He then told me through his assistant that after I am done with the formalities, he wanted to talk to me. Suddenly the respect you get increases exponentially. It seems that his daughter was going to Boston for higher studies and he needed as much information as possible regarding US and more specifically Boston. For all the delay, here was the icing on the cake, He let me use his car to take the test and I got my license in an hour. So finally I found one honest and sincere individual in the entire RTO building and that too at the highest level (ARTO is second to RTO). I thanked him wholeheartedly and came back happy and of course with my DL!!!
The next day when I went, I was told to finish some formality with the paperwork and I did it myself and handed over the file to the caseworker. He said that O could come later in the afternoon but since I was going elsewhere, I told him I will collect the file next day, get the signature of a higher ranking officer (who had refused to sign the day before and was talking about rules….when he didn’t sign the file for my sister all because of the fact her LL was through a Driving School and apparently she has to approach for the DL test through the school because if we start coming directly, his varamana(income) is affected!!!) and take my DL test. I was happy when I left the RTO building. The next day things took a turn for the worse. They couldn’t locate the file that I had personally handed over to them. Finally after a wait for nearly a month where my file was lost and the reason they gave was priceless.
Officer : Nimdu file na separate aagi idu antha helidde mix maadbittidaare nanna assistant
I had asked my assistant to keep your file separate, but she (my assistant) has mixed it up
Assistant(Lady): Illi ondu file ithu, naanu boss na kelde avru return maadbidu andru…Naanu hesaru nodlilla, adhu nimde aagirbahudu
I saw one file here and asked about it to my boss and he asked me to return it to the other side. That file might be yours (as I didn’t see the name or details)
Lady 2:Naanu hordavaaga aa madam ondu file thandru…Naanu table mele ittbittu horte, naanu hesarella nodlilla, adhe irbahudu nimma file
When I was leaving, that lady (Assistant/Lady1) gave me a file and as I was in a hurry to leave, I left it on my table. I didn’t check the name or details, that file may be the one!!!
So after a week of these excuses, it was decided that the file was lost and because I was from “officer kade” (meaning officer’s side), they were going to prepare a duplicate file and made me pay an additional 200Rs (I had already paid 270Rs for the test fee, card fees and the address change). I then went with the same officer to the ARTO’s office as his signature was required and while talking to me, he asked me about my background, stay in the US( during the conversation, I had to tell him that I had just returned from USA) and he asked me where in the US and I said Boston. He looked up and suddenly things or rather the situation changed. He said that instead of wasting another card, they could use the Smart Card for the two wheeler and endorse the same for the 4-wheeler also. He then told me through his assistant that after I am done with the formalities, he wanted to talk to me. Suddenly the respect you get increases exponentially. It seems that his daughter was going to Boston for higher studies and he needed as much information as possible regarding US and more specifically Boston. For all the delay, here was the icing on the cake, He let me use his car to take the test and I got my license in an hour. So finally I found one honest and sincere individual in the entire RTO building and that too at the highest level (ARTO is second to RTO). I thanked him wholeheartedly and came back happy and of course with my DL!!!
Welcome to Bengaluru
I had read a lot of articles, newspapers and blogs explaining the traffic chaos in Bengaluru and was always under the impression that they may be “exaggerating” their reporting but when I experienced it myself, I realised that they were spot on and sometimes being polite about the situation. There is no way that this situation will change or improve, even for an optimist like me. It is not the lack of road awareness that is the problem but “A Total Lack of Respect” for smaller vehicles, drivers who are “learning” to drive, pedestrians. Plus add the never ending constructions (see iimage, courtesy Hindu). The first few days were a nightmare but over a period of time, you do what everyone does here, just drive without losing your “cool”. Be aware of the minute spaces next to your car or bike as there will be another bike or a car almost sticking to your vehicle. The biggest culprits are the taxi drivers, buses and of course who can forget the “evergreen” autos (some of the autos are painted “green”!!!) who will turn without warning, stop without indication, and of course turn in the tiniest of spaces if the front wheel of their auto can fit in!!!. What surprises me is that the person who has to turn left in say 50 meters will be on the right most lane and will decide ….Oh my God, I have to turn now!!! And then there are these special people who will see the vehicle in front of them with their turn signals (right turn) on and these people will have to go straight ahead and keep honking and try to join the other traffic going straight, and of course you guessed it right, they are not allowed an easy path……But the funny part is when you try to tell them about this, their response would be “Namgu gotthu, neenyaar helakke? (We (respect for themselves!!!) know the rules, who are you to tell us the right thing?). Of course, every time I am asked such a question, I end up speechless!!!. Bharat Bundh was one of the best days to enjoy driving on city roads as there are no autos, taxis and in some areas, the local transport (BMTC buses). The pollution levels fell to an all-time low in
A bundh one day a month is very very healthy for the environment!!!
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