Sporting windfall!

By Manish Anand


The Subhash Chandra backed Indian Cricket League has finally brought riches to the Indians sportsmen, which had been hitherto confined to few cricket superstars only. No one should be complaining as it's only good for the sports. This has also forced BCCI to open its huge cash reserves for the players. For BCCI, it might be collateral damage, but for players it's their dues kept away from them all these years.

The Yash Chopra film "Chak De, India" is doing remarkably well with the audience with a bunch of women players holding the hockey sticks. The people in movieplexes are clapping at most of the scenes as they fill them with pride as the women bring to them the charm of the National sport. Indian football team is also showing signs of resurgence hinting at the fleeting thought that the might elephant is finally waking up and raring to go for the kill in the international soccer meets.

Sania Mirza continues to pride the nation with her feats. Her youthful exuberance is inspiring a whole lot of generation to take to the sports with realistic dreams. Post-Greg Chappel, the Indian cricket team is also coming back to the winning habits though the fear of loss still cripple it.

Corporatisation of sports has been substantially responsible for the turnaround in the recent years. The inspiration for players have always been the visibility, praise and money. When the sportspersons around the world are digging in the riches, the Indians too can not be left behind. Sponsorships, advertisements and match fees are scaling up to boost the players to put in that extra effort, which makes them extraordinary from ordinary.

Big corporate houses who are sitting on high cash reserves thanks to the windfall of the new economy have reasons to foot the bills of the turnaround of the Indian sports. It will only benefit them, because the "image" has become all the more important. And, successes in sports are the easiest way to sneak into the hearts of the teeming millions of Indians, who have turned into crazy consumers now.

Nuke(d) polity

By Manish Anand

Indian political stability stands nuked thanks to the Left's allergy to anything that involves the US. The Central government is also to lose its credibility to do business with other countries. The immediate neighbour China must have been laughing its heart out at the ugly dance of the political divide of the Indian democracy. Also, the nuclear scientists, the blue eyed baby of the Indian policies for decades, would be whining for loss of chance to fill in the gap created by their lack of capabilities through the Indo-US nuclear deal.

As the Congress in an effort to cling to the chair at any cost would buy time in the name of holding more debate on the deal, it would be up front for it to divulge all details regarding the nuclear research in the country in the last six decades. The financial cost of the research as well as the tangible and intangible benefit out of it should be put into the public domain. And, also let the nuclear scientists tell the nation how many more years they would take to produce the dreamy 20,000 MW of nuclear power. Whether they can do it or not, they should tell the nation honestly.

Also, the Left must tell with which nation it wants India to have strategic relations and why and the rationale behind their formulations. China has been an enemy, which needs no further elaboration. Pakistan has given the "hundred cuts" and continue to do so with impunity. Russia is a power consigned to the history books. Europe has no political standing at all. So, Left should tell the nation if not the US then with which nation India should have strategic relations to protect its national interest.

The Left should also come clear on why it's helping quite tangibly China to remain the sole superpower in Asia. What it has to say on the issue of Tibet and China's claim on Arunachal Pradesh. At the same time, the Left should come clear on the question of its ideological sovereignty independent of the Chinese comrades.

It's definitely not the time for India to go to the poll. The outcome of a mid-term is known to all parties, hence the parties should inform the people why they are imposing an election and why in logical and clear cut terms.