ChinmayC Blog

The Republic of India has completed 63 glorious years today. The 64 th Republic Day has been celebrated across the country with the main spectacular parade function in the national Capital of India, New Delhi. Honorable President of India, Pranab Mukherjee took the customary 21-gun salute and ceremonially unfurled the national tricolor for the first time after being elected into the top post. The chief guest of the function was the King of Bhutan. The great martyrs of the Indian struggle for independence were remembered with the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh paying homage to unknown heroes. All of the three wings of the Indian Defense forces showcased their strength and the most advanced and latest technological equipments and capabilities. Beautiful tableaux from 19 states of India had been presented highlighting the unity amidst diversity. Huge crowds braved the winter chill and filled in this historical treat of a magnificent display of India’s rich cultural heritage ...

The nationwide awareness and repulsion about the crimes against women and the media plus government initiated campaigns notwithstanding there has been hardly a let up in more heinous crimes. The horrifying question that looms large before us is “Do these in fact inspire male India to learn more about how to commit crimes against women rather than preventing them from such acts?” The ineffective and ridiculous rape laws in the country are also contributing for such an ominously emerging scenario. Few days back another heinous gangrape of a 29 year old woman happened in a moving public bus in Punjab. Contrary to the ‘Bharat’ theory it was a line bus that normally plies in rural routes and there was question of the lady dressing improperly. Still, the bus driver and the conductor overshot her destination village and took the bus to a distant location where five more fiends joined for the crime. In another shocking case a serial rapist was caught and sentenced to death by a Maharashtra cou...

In the aftermath of the horrific Delhi Gangrape Young India decided to come out in the streets to build a movement for change. As the movement became stronger and spread across the country various changes in fact took place from banning of tinted glass vehicles to setting up of fast track courts. But the typically chauvinistic males of the patriarchal India hardly changed. On the contrary absurd reactions kept coming in casting aspersions on the victims rather than on the perpetrating fiends. And, ridiculously ineffective and archaic rape laws have been making the proceedings repulsive. The commonest ‘advisory’ has been on the ‘clothing’ factor—what the victims wore and what the prospective victims should not wear. Surprisingly this huge group most often included ladies too—maybe due to the everlasting impressions imbibed from a patriarchal setting.   They say that girls or women tend to wear dresses that expose and naturally catch male attentions and provoke them into acts they wo...

England’s record of ODI defeats in India got no better whey they lost the 18 th one in the last 20 one day internationals played in India in Mohali today. India defeated England by 5 wickets with more than 2 overs to spare in the fourth one day international--a match that was far from being one sided like the last two. England started a bit too cautiously perhaps and seemed to be headed for another lackluster batting display when Root (57 not out off 45 balls) in combination charge with Kevin Pietersen (76) and Buttler (14 off 9) plundered nearly 100 runs from the last 10 overs giving the innings (257 for 7 off 50 overs) some respectability. Captain Cook tried his best putting up 76, but he had consumed far too many balls for that. The Indian chase too was not without hiccups and it could have gone either way more than halfway through. It was basically thanks to the Player of the Match Suresh Raina (89 not out off 79 balls) who was overdue to fire for India that India made it look eas...

With two back to back one sided victories India have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match ODI cricket series against England. The last win in MS Dhoni’s hometown Ranchi was the most resounding one. One was in some bit of a doubt when Dhoni won the toss and put England in, but who would understand the Ranchi pitch behavior better than Dhoni himself! The Indian bowlers rallied behind a resolutely positive skipper to skittle England all out for 155 in the 43 rd over. With a rejuvenated Team India the chase was a forgone conclusion as they romped home with nearly 22 overs to spare. The biggest plus of the match for India was Virat Kohli who roared back into form with a masterful 77 not out with 9 fours and 2 sixes. To the great delight of the home crowds Dhoni came in to hit the winning stroke remaining not out one more time at 10. India won the match by 7 wickets . After a long phase of indifferent performances, team selection issues and reported division within the team, India now look se...

Kumar Strikes For India!  After losing the ODI Cricket Series against Pakistan and then the high scoring first one day international against England in Rajkot Team India at last found its winning ways in Kochi today when they crushed England by 127 runs and drew level at 1-1 in the five-match series. The victory came thanks to a positive MS Dhoni (72 off 66 balls) batting well with 7 fours and 2 sixes, and captaining his team well, and of course, the flyer from the Player of the Match all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who made 61 in just 37 balls with 8 fours and 2 sixes. India plundered 108 runs in the last ten overs and 68 off the last five thus neutralizing their tentative finishing blues of late and posting a competitive 285/8 in allotted fifty overs on a pitch that promised to help the bowlers in the second session. Though the Indian opening pair struggled again, the team progressed predictably to 174/4 off nearly 40 overs and the worries about Virat Kohli continued despite his 37 ...

Last few days we had been talking about revival of India-Pakistan bilateral cricket relations and expressed hope for a positive chapter of amiable relations between the two neighboring countries. But unfortunately today we are again jerked back into the usual sticky atmosphere of suspicion, distrust and denial. Why and how the same sore comes up again and again is the question that never gets answered. Cricket or not cricket. Taking advantage of the dense fog and mist a group of Pakistan troops infiltrated hundred meters into Indian Territory across the Line of Control (LOC) in the Mendhar sector and ambushed an Indian patrol party. The attackers brutally killed two Indian soldiers and injured one. The marauders reportedly beheaded the two soldiers and carried one head back into their country. This is a blatant violation of  the LOC and ceasefire regulations. The brutal act cannot be accepted in any form of military confrontation. We strongly condemn this act and Pakistan must ans...

The Airtel ODI Series between India and Pakistan was lost and gone when Pakistan routed India in Kolkata on January 3 and the third ODI in Delhi was reduced to a match of academic interest. But it was still India Vs Pakistan, and the crowds were all there to enjoy every bit of a rare encounter in the capital. When the two neighboring giants are involved every match is bound to be riveting whatever the statistics say. And what a match it turned out to be! It had all the ingredients of a typical India-Pakistan thriller strongly reminding one of the Sharjah low scoring classics. This ‘inconsequential’ match was almost written off by many when India winning the toss and batting first huffed and puffed, as usual nowadays, to just 167 all out in the 44 th over. But Dhoni and his team sensed something in there for the bowlers and after a long time the Indian skipper looked positive and determined to make a fight out of it. The crowds stayed put there to cheer on the impossible. The Indian w...

The rot in the Indian cricket team became only too visible again today at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata when Pakistan thrashed the hosts in the second one day international by a massive 85 runs taking an invincible 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI cricket Series. The money spinning and superstar-laden hosts are no longer safe even in their own backyard. It was not for nothing that India suffered successive eight Test defeats abroad; it was not for nothing that England visited them at home and annihilated them in Tests; it was not for nothing that their batsmen, spinners, pacers and fielders continued to fail miserably match after match. The IPL brand icons could not even win the T20 Cricket Series both against England and Pakistan. And, nothing still is going to happen to the Indian team as we had said earlier . How could anyone dare change it? Once the superstars are out of the national team their respective club teams would be thrown out of business!  Overcast conditions again her...

New Year 2013 had been ushered in on a sad and heavy note throughout India . The horrific  gang-rape  of a 23 year old girl on a moving public bus in New Delhi on the evening of 16 th December, 2012 had cast a shadow of anger, anguish and grief all over the country. Spontaneous protests broke out mainly in Delhi where the girl battled for life for days and the Young India Movement For Change started spreading to other parts as safety for women became the primary concern. The suffering girl was shifted to Singapore early morning on 26 th for better treatment, but her brutalized and battered body gave up the fight early morning of 29 th December. The nation plunged into grief. The sad mood got further accentuated by more crimes against women reported from various parts of the country in a brazen display of indifference. The Government of India at its highest level decided to cancel all New Year parties and celebrations. The Indian Army issued advisory to all its formations ...