The captain cool, Dhoni marshaled his troops well (as usual).  No fuss, no emotions guy, Dhoni has demonstrated repeatedly that he is the best cricket captain ever to wear the Indian cap.  A T20 world cup win, a 50 over world cup win, 2 IPL wins and a Champions league T20 win, taking India to the top ranking test team, he has achieved probably everything that he needs to.  And when asked, he simply retorted that he wouldn’t mind repeating the whole thing again.  That’s the kind of hunger that drives champions.

On the other hand, Barcelona showed why they are the best footballing club in the world.  Money can only buy you this much.  The most important thing is for the group to gel well and play as a team.  If at all money could buy success, the musical chairs of managers being played at Chelsea and Real Madrid would have won them tons of trophies.  Or for that matter if star players could power teams to victory, then Sachin Tendulkar would have been a great captain.  These are great examples for teams who have no qualms splashing out millions of bucks to snap up superstars for their teams.

Manchester United might be the best in England, but two consecutive losses to Barcelona in the past 3 years shows that they still have a mountain to climb when it comes to the Champions League.  And if Manchester United cant make it, then it just shows the hollowness of the other teams in the English Premier League (Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal included).

And now i shudder to think that i have no sports to look forward to for the next couple of months, with both IPL, Champs League and all the European leagues coming to and end for the season.

The only thing to look forward in the next month is if the second sting Indian team traveling to the West Indies can pull off a miracle.  And to see how the new coach of India, Duncan Fletcher manages the egos in the team.

Above pictures courtesy: Cricinfo & Sun

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The terrorists born and bred under the patronage of the Pakistani military which was pursued as a strategic interest has now attacked the PNS Mehran naval base and destroyed 2 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (bought from the US as strategic interest against India).  Ironical how one strategic interest is conflicting with the other.

After being kicked in the butt by the US who unilaterally took action to kill Bin Laden in Abbotabad, now Pakistan has run to its other “all-weather” friend China.  What is funny is how Pakistan has no qualms prostrating itself in front of anyone who can give it alms.  There is no shame or determination to take the country on the path of economic development or spine demonstrated by successive governments.

The begging is what takes the cake.  After leeching off almost $15 billion from a naive American government post 9/11 in the guise of “war on terror”, they have run to their other friend, China who has over the decades not even given $500 million in aid.   In an effort to pitch one superpower against the other, Pakistan is now trying to threaten US that if it doesnt stop the attacks on its soil, it will run into the willing arms of its rival, China.

Pakistan is like the country who keeps a gun to its own head and threatens everyone else.  Its high time the US government calls its bluff and cuts off all aid.  Then see how long Pakistan can sustain itself.  You will soon see the Pakistanis grovelling on all fours and coming back apologising.

One is confused if one should sympathise with the thousands of innocents being killed in Pakistan by suicide bombers and other terrorist acts.  The Indian government’s constant harping that a peaceful and stable Pakistan is in our own interest is nothing but hogwash.  A stable and peaceful Pakistan is nothing but a bigger headache for India than one that is broken up into a few pieces and let all the pieces either live in peace of fight amongst themselves.

The earlier the Indian government realises the folly of engaging the Pakistani government or its masters (their Army & ISI), the better it is for them.  I rather the Indian government put their energies in building better relations with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar & Sri Lanka.

For starters, how about throwing open our economy to the above mentioned 5 countries for free trade.  Its time we stopped behaving like a big brother in the neighborhood and display our large heartedness to these countries who are more worthy of our time, money and friendship.

Above pictures courtesy: NDTV

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Also bought more stocks of MIC Electronics & Graphite India

This year the dividend payout has been pretty good. Add to that bonus shares from both Dabur (1:1) and & TVS Motors (1:1)

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The final battle lines are drawn. Its Rajasthan versus Chennai to decide the champions of the inagural Indian Premier League. Both won their respective one-sided pathetic semi finals. I never thought Chennai would reach the finals. But then, stranger things have happened in this IPL.

So, now my favourites change to the Chennai Super Kings All for just one reason. Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Let the battle begin.

Above picture from the IPL T20 website

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Some sense has dawned on the Deccan Chargers and Gilchrist has been made the captain. Of course, the real reason is that Laxman is injured, but then its better that even if Laxman is playing, he should never be the captain. He cant even guarantee his place in a 50 over game, forget a T20 match.

Finally Deccan Chargers have registered their 2nd win. Hope they can maintain the tempo. 7 more matches to go and DC has to make sure that they win all the remaining games and hope that the opposition makes mistakes so that they can move into the semi finals.

The most heartening aspect of the DC games have been the consistency of Rohit Sharma. He is indeed the find of the tournament. Gibbs, Afridi and Styris desperately need to fire, now that most of the Australian, Kiwis and West Indians have gone back for national duty. This is the right time to go in for the kill and pick up the wins. And please, can someone kick out that bugger called Arjun Yadav from the team. A bloody parasite who is in the team just because his father Shivlal Yadav is the head of the Hyderabad Cricket Board. Cant bat, cant bowl, cant field. Like father, like son. Morons.

Go Chargers Go

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Eight things I am passionate about

1. Movies
2. Sports
3. Books
4. Blogging
5. Food
6. Child and women’s empowerment
7. My family
8. Gym
9. Investing. Yup, i have an extra passion

Eight things I want to do before I die

1. Adopt a child legally. Preferably, a girl child.
2. Travel to eastern Europe.
3. Take a bike and drive the whole length and breadth of India. Stay overnight in some tiger sanctuary and see the animals up close in their natural habitat.
4. Direct a movie. I have some pretty controversial topics in my mind.
5. Retire at 40. Wake up at 0900 hrs daily, have breakfast, switch on CNBC at 1000 hrs. Watch the market and invest. Stop work at 1530 hrs when the stock market closes. Work only 5 days a week.
6. Build a 6 pack ab.
7. Watch an India that treats every human being equally. Where no one is discriminated based on their race, region, religion, caste, creed, sexual orientation, political or other beliefs.
8. Write a will that will donate all my earnings to charity. All that my kids will get will be a good education and some money in the bank as safety deposit. If i ever have my own business, they will be run by professionals and not by my kids just because they are my kids.

Eight things I say often

1. Shucks
2. F*** you
3. Gimme a ring later
4. Freakin hell
5. Nee pani bagundi raa (Telugu)
6. Inkem raa (Telugu)
7. C****** hai kya be (Hyderabadi lingo)
8. Teri joint mein grease (Hyderabadi lingo)

Eight books I have read recently

1. Eleven Minutes – Paulo Coelho
2. Reluctant Fundamentalist – Mohsin Hamid
3. Freakonomics – Steven Levitt
4. Barefoot Investor – Scott Pape
5. Undercover Economist – Tim Harford
6. It happened in India – Kishore Biyani
7. Lots of MBA books – IGNOU
8. We are like that only – Rama Bijapurkar (now reading)

Eight songs I could listen to over and over

Hardly any. I easily get bored after listening to a song 4-5 times. No matter how good/bad it is.

Eight things that attract me to my friends

Let my friends tell that about me. Its not for me to speak about myself.

Four people I think should do this tag

Akhil
Dinsan
Ramya

and anyone else who wants to do it, please go ahead.

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Is this the reason why Deccan Chargers lost both its opening matches?

Pictures courtesy: Great Andhra

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One of the world’s largest cargo planes, the Antonov at the new Hyderabad airport

Hard Rock Cafe

Plaza Premium Lounge

Coffee Bean

IIFA Bar

Indian Paradise Food Court

International Arrival Baggage Carousel

Duty Free Shopping

Duty Free Shopping

The first commercial flight “Lufthansa” at the new Hyderabad airport.

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The whole thing looks so surreal. I suddenly have another pair of parents. My family has suddenly extended with so many relatives who are constantly being introduced to me. Since Iam someone who has difficulty remembering names, its funny when I meet people again. I can remember their faces very well, but cannot find their corresponding names.

Things change. You are suddenly not the same person anymore. You just cant simply jump a job or plan a move to another city/country, or just pack you bags and go on a holiday. There is someone who has become a significant part of your life.

All these years, all the marriages that i have attended have been where i just put my feet up and relaxed. Here suddenly, i was thrust into the limelight with pictures being clicked and the videographer thrusting his camera and the extra spot light into our faces. We are sitting on the dias with more than a hundred people looking on and passing comments about both of us.

Anyways, almost everyone goes through this ritual at least once in their lifetimes. And am sure, everyone might have had the same feelings. Meanwhile, I still have one paper of MBA pending in June. Hope i can find enough motivation to study well and clear the paper this time itself. Hope i can also find time to write the NSE exams that i had planned for earlier. Maybe on my next trip home, i need to find some time to write them.

Meanwhile, i landed at the new Hyderabad airport on this trip. Just one word to describe it. Fabulous. True, its not a patch on the Singapore airport, but its surely the best in India. The airport is very big, airy, spacious, metal and glass monster. The roof is beautiful and wavy, the shops are still coming up. Service is damn good by the GMR personnel. I took a few pictures of the airport on my lousy O2 cellphone camera. A bit shaky, but still good.

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