Olympics at Rio, an event that grapples the world stage of sports. You
win or lose, you are there, you may be an ‘also ran’ but you are there to be
noticed.
A stalwart at home or an event sponsored by money bags, doesn’t matter,
yet records at the Olympics still fly high, even if it means the last laugh for
the participant.
Every nation occupies the stage to be noticed. The most heart-warming
and heart-rending participation came from the contingent that represented the
‘refugees’ from Syria, Libya, Yemen, all war-ridden nations. All for a
universal circus. They came, they played, they left. Where are the Greeks?
India’s heroes – hope eternal
Our country also represented with enthusiasm and hope, the former attribute led
to a whimper of controversies but soon brushed under the carpet. Most
participants did well in the qualifying rounds and reached the Quarter Finals.
There dropped the curtain and lo! We retrace our steps. All deserve a clap! A
handful of participants stood out like P V Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Abhinav Bindra,
Dipa Karmakar, the hockey team, the wrestlers' team, the sprinters…so on.
From Sindhu to Sindhi
We haven’t yet finished with felicitations for Sindhu when we begin
hearing the whines of Balochs and Sindhis fighting for a homeland. How valid is
the whine? It is not grapevine but two countries are witness to the whine now.
The cataclysmic element being Kashmir. Regions and regional politics cry ‘war’
and civilians bear the brunt. Are we stepping backwards?
After the Gujjus and Marwaris, the Sindhis are an enterprising lot, a
ripe corn left on a hot pan to ‘pop’ up ready to serve you the crisp form of
corn. They ‘toil’. I know not how but are so humble and down-to-earth that
after clinching a deal with you, they (Sindhis) seem ready to enter a carpeted
palace/mansion, an affluent empire built with sweat and blood. Other hardworkers never mention sweat and blood. In my entire life, I
have known only three Sindhis, one a boy next-door, brilliant coeval and rich.
Next a colleague who exudes the most endearing smile but will not fail to
borrow cash from you with that smile (cash duly returned too). A third is a
snappy receptionist who will part with anything but not her comfort,
self-centered. The job says it.
Feline links
War reminds me of cats, the most aggressive of domestic animals. But
why are they called domestic? China recently hosted a contest on a global level
to select the best cats. We all know China preens its boundaries but it does
not give up the hard stare on them. Unfortunately, many of China’s neighbours
are ready for a full-fledged war with claws drawn and ready to fight like
Kilkenny cats. God save China’s borders. So much for cats. But the dogs are not
being spared in some states, the stray ones. Man can stray but not a dog. The dog
is a faithful breed but faces culling and killing. Man is after canine blood!
Surrogacy in India
To hold the reins over surrogacy by the government, is a healthy step
to check wayward procreations on ethical grounds. Belonging to the older school
of thought, a country like India, where the youth wish to free themselves from the
shackles of familial burdens, check eligibility on multiple grounds but
restrain emotional chords. Accountability these days is on a corroding path but
demographically you are countable. Mind that!
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