Well done Anna, but can you and I change as well?

 People are pissed off. Very pissed off. We hear of corruption scams coming to light every single day. Politicians, bureaucrats, government staff. We pay bribes everyday - like its normal. And yes it is normal for us. 

One man decided to get up and act. Anna Hazare fasted for the Lok Pal bill, and unlike what many thought, he ended his fast successfully. The entire country, patriotic post World Cup, stood behind up and the media gave the movement all the coverage possible, and the Government gave in. War won? No, battle won. 

So this is a start. The intention of Anna is great. But how great is the Lokpal bill?

Based on what I've read, it creates regional and central Lokpal / Lokayuktas. Anyone citizen except a government servant can lodge corruption and related complaints against politicians, ministers, MPs, other non political government officials, and so on. The complaints have to be addressed within 6 months, and the concerned person will be fined equal to the amount of loss the country has suffered, along with imprisonment for the crime. 

Now it does look great on paper, but the journey has just begun. It will be interesting to see how the Lokpal bill keeps a check on the corruption amongst the Lokpals. We certainly don't want a new set of non political citizens who we have to pay additional bribe to. It will defeat the purpose completely, if corruption can't be checked at that level. 

In the name of patriotism, have we laid the seeds of something worse? I hope not.

Comparisons are being made, equating the Lokpal system to be autonomous like the Election Commission, or the Indian Judiciary. We all know how 'transparent' and 'non corrupt' they have been despite of being autonomous. 

Mr. Murthy says corruption does effect investments in the country. And of course it does, corruption is universal here, and we are all part of it. Right from the mega scams like the Rajas and the Kalmadis that hurt the country the most, to the 50 rupees to the hawaldar that you and I give while breaking a signal. All of us pay bribes, how ever small it is. Can you and I break the habit first? Its difficult to pay a 300 rupee fine for lane cutting, when you can get away by paying 20%. Its 80% off and we all love sales!

I guess we all have to answer, is small corruption also corruption?

the larger hearts theorem.

 Our journey to the cup wasn't very straight forward. We had to beat the teams to beat in the world cup to get up there. Australia. Pakistan. Sri Lanka.

Many of us were extremely pleased with what Pakistan's bad boy turned hero Shaheed Afridi had to say about his experience playing at Mohali during the presentation ceremony. He was cheered by the crowd - perhaps as much as MSD. We were happy. 

  

What came a few days later, shocked people on both sides of the border. "In my opinion, if I have to tell the truth, they (Indians) will never have hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. I don't think they have the large and clean hearts that Allah has given us," Afridi said during a talk show on Samaa news channel when he was asked about relations between the two countries. 

"It is a very difficult thing for us to live with them (Indians) or to have long-term relationship with them. Nothing will come out of talks. See how many times in the past 60 years we have had friendship and then how many times things have gone bad," he said as the audience in the TV channel's studio applauded him repeatedly. 

Afridi has to his disposal a country of loyal followers. He has an enormous following in India as well. Given the sour relations between the two countries, and the fact that a new series of talks had just begun, one would expect the Pakistani captain to be as mature as he was on the pitch while captaining the team to the Semis. It shows that maturity on the pitch does not translate into maturity off it.

All it would take is one positive statement. What did he have to lose in it? Would you ever expect Sachin Tendulkar to talk like that? I would be shocked if he would because I look at him with more respect than just a cricketing legend.

Giving trash to the Indian media was fine. All of us would run to back Afridi up for that. But why the religion card? Aren’t our leaders enough to play the religion card? People listen to you Afridi, don’t humiliate yourself.

Dear Afridi, the last time I checked, we have more Muslim brothers in India than in Pakistan. #largehearts

#isn'tsportareligion?

We are the CHAMPIONS - 1/6th of the world is celebrating!

No country can win a final in Wankhede against him. No country can break his dream in his own backyard. "He has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years," Kohli said, "It was high time we carried him around on our shoulders."

Sri Lanka was good, but India was better. This Indian team is different. It relies on no singular performance. It attacks like a pack of hungry wolves. Imagine a world cup tournament. And now imagine a team who has the balls to leave out a player who can ruin any bowling attack - Yusuf Pathan. Now think again - imagine the bloody talent of the team, that Yusuf Pathan does not find a place for himself in the playing 11. And yes, that team won it for Sachin. They won it for us, all the 1,210,193,422 of us.

The final was worthy of being a final. Sri Lanka elected to bat, and despite some great early bowling, they managed to make 274, all thanks to a splendid innings by the veteran - Mahela Jayawardhane. He followed the orders of his wife and held the Sri Lankan innings together despite of wickets falling on the other end.

The chase was brilliant. Some brilliant batting by Gambhir, Dhoni and Virat. Gambhir's mud - stained jersey proved Surf excel's claim 'Daag ache hain' and the Delhi boy took India through with the captain.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was his old self finally. He was cool, he knew he had to hang in there, and he lead from the front. He never let the pressure build up despite the wickets, he knew he had to shut his critics up. The T20 world cup, number one side in tests, the IPL trophy, the Champions League winner, this captain had done it all, except this. And he achieved that in style with a wonderful straight batted six for the winning runs. 

India won it for Sachin. No country has won a world cup on its own soil, not until now. And India did it after beating the best sides in the world. First ending the sledge regime in the quarters, then humbly outplaying its neighbor in the semis, and finally, crushing Sri Lanka despite their good show. 

Mitul Damani - SL ko WC jeetne ki kya aukad hai, woh to apne map ke sath bhi free atha hai!

Bhavesh Sanghvi - When the earth's tectonic plate movement created Sri Lanka, it purposely gave it a tear drop shape in anticipation of April 2, 2011.

What followed the winning runs was more spectacular than the whole World Cup journey. Sachin and the team performed the famous victory lap. The crowd was mad anyways, it got even better. Virat, Yusuf, Raina and everyone else took turns to carry Sachin around on their shoulders. It was the most important day in his life. He now has everything that one could get as a cricketer. He is the most successful cricketer in the history of the sport, and you and I know it that no one can ever exceed that. There were many legends, but no one was loved as much as Sachin. "We won it for Sachin" said an emotional Harbhajan as the entire crowd silenced to hear him speak. 

Every one was in tears. Yuvi, Bhajji, Virat, Raina, Munaf, Zaheer, Sehwag, Gauti. And of course, the legend himself - Sachin Tendulkar. "These are happy tears, I don't mind them." My father was in tears at home as well, and he was in tears after listening to the All India radio back in 1983. The nation was in tears. 1 AM at Marine Drive was totally insane. Hundreds of thousands of fans cheering for their country, it was bigger than anything I have ever seen - 10 people stuffed inside every car waving flags while halfway outside the windows - singing Vande Mataram. 

News channels have already started talking about Sachin's retirement. What they are forgetting and what all of us can see is that he yet bats like he's 17. He's in amazing form and NO Indian fan wants him to retire. Personally, I think he's fit enough and young enough to be able to play in the 2015 edition as well. Sachin CANNOT leave us right now, we wont let it happen.

The era of Dhoni and his men has now begun and is here to stay. We are the lucky generation that has seen magic repeat itself after 1983. The World Cup is no small thing. Only 14 nations take part - but at least 1/6th of the World is watching it every time India plays. 

Cricket is more than just cricket for us. Its about standing for a common cause. Its about being united irrespective of where you're born (# the Thackerays) or what you do or how much you earn or where you go to pray. Its about praying to one God that day, and all of us know who I'm talking about. A text I read doing the rounds said, Dear Mr. Thackeray, a Punjabi lad, a Jharkhand captain, and a Delhi boy won us the world cup at Mumbai, and dedicated it to a Marathi LEGEND.

Talking about world cricket, perhaps the only non choker in South Africa - Gary Kirsten. He was there when we were down and out in 2007, and he changed it for us. Thank you Sir, you will be missed.

The lamest thing I've heard after the victory (and no, it hasn't come from India TV) is Poonam Pandey's statement. She says she'll do her 'show' at Paris IF the BCCI allows her to. C'mon Pandey ji, its like Afridi asking Shiv Sena if he can inaugurate the Metro rail in Mumbai.  

What about growing up now? #manmohan #gilani

Yes the semi final match was amazing. People called it bigger than the finals and it did live up to our expectations, Sachin didn't look in great touch, but got the runs never the less. What differentiated the two teams is of course, that Kamran Akmal's team mates joined him in his fielding efforts, one catch after the other. As I read somewhere, Tendulkar was 85/6 when he got out.

Having said that, Shaheed Afridi and his boys showed great responsibility and sportsmanship. They were reciprocated our team as well. The crowd at Mohali cheered as much for Shaheed Afridi as for MSD.

Lets see if our politicians and the masses that they influence stop acting like kids and move on, its been 60+ years of hatred with people who share the same culture and history as us.

Both countries would be so much better off if they would concentrate on what they're doing wrong while ruling the parts they already have.

It pays off to be a good cook!

I've been getting texts everyday quoting 35000 for a 3500 Sachin Tendulkar stand tickets. 1000% of the original price. People are definitely buying tickets at these prices, the stocks are rolling, people are getting leave from work, schools and colleges shutting down early, major surgeries being postponed like its shoe bite, the country is definitely feeling good.

So all the mad rush about the tickets and the game in Mumbai, but we've heard President Pratibha Patil has 65 VVIP seats reserved for her. That amounts to Rs. 1 crore in tickets.

A spokesperson for the president said, "Of course she deserves the ticket, she's India's President." Asked if he knows that unlike the United States, India's 'real' head of state is the Prime Minister (or in our case, the leader of the party - Sonia Ji), the spokesperson promptly replied, "You see, our madam has two credits to her name. President toh theek hai, she was head cook for Indira Gandhi. Now you won't question her status, will you?"

The way to the country's ruling seat is through the Gandhi clan's stomach it seems. It definitely pays off exceedingly well to be a good cook.