The Biggest Indian Tennis Fight: Sania Mirza Lashes Out!

Sania Mirza, the No.1 female tennis star of India, had been silent throughout the biggest Indian tennis fight as she was not guaranteed to participate in the London Olympics. The moment she got the wild card entry into the Olympics Sania got wild and justifiably so. 

Sania Mirza attacked the All India Tennis Association (AITA) for using her as ‘bait’ to pacify and lure a disgruntled stalwart (read Leander Paes) to represent India in the London Olympics-2012. She interpreted AITA’s compromise as ‘an insult to womanhood’ and a decision that reeked of ‘male chauvinism’. She also alleged that the said compromise had broken up the French Open Grand Slam winning combination of herself with Mahesh Bhupathi in the mixed doubles.

She also criticized Paes’s father for demanding a written assurance from her that she would pair only with Leander in the London Olympics mixed doubles. While expressing her anguish for such an unwarranted demand Sania said that she was committed to her country and would play with Leander for the larger interests. She did not spare even the stalwarts for their egoistic and grumbling behavior—Leander wanted only the best to partner him, Bhupathi did not want to play with him, the next best option Rohan Bopanna wanted to play with Bhupathi only and therefore the helpless AITA worked out a compromise of sending two men’s doubles teams and offering Sania as a 'concession' to Leander in the mixed doubles. The AITA was a picture of helplessness in its so-called defense of Sania’s attack.

Sania Mirza wrote to Leander upholding the case of Vishnu Vardhan as a very talented player and that there ought to be no second thoughts on partnering with him. On a positive note she said she was thrilled to be playing at the Olympics and for that she was ready to put her most humiliating experience aside.

With the Wimbledon Championships, the third Grand Slam event of the year, in full swing it would be interesting to watch how the disgruntled Indian tennis stars fare up to the challenge. They should realize, of course, that the same grass courts are going to be used in the London Olympics tennis events.

Monsoon Mix: Flood Waters Sweep In Black Money!

The traditional date of arrival of the South West Monsoon in Mumbai is 10^thJune. This year the monsoon officially hit Mumbai on 16-17^th June, 2012. But there have been no rains thus far. As I was writing out this post a heavy downpour started and looked set to continue. Alas! It dried up very fast as if not at all in a mood.

For the coming days the met office has no optimistic forecast. But the met office is hardly taken seriously around this part of the world. Whenever it forecasts heavy to very heavy downpour in the next twenty four hours people think they can leave their umbrellas safely at home! The greatest deluge in recent times and many other major rain disasters caught the met office totally unawares.  

Apart from causing uncertainty for the Maharashtra farmers the no-rain situation worries the city as the authorities have declared that the city has a water reserve to last only 19 days more. After that water scarcity looms large, if monsoon does not still get into a mood.

Meanwhile the north eastern state of Assam has been reeling under flood with many areas in almost all parts getting inundated, streets and houses submerged. Due to incessant rains for the last three days flood waters have invaded roads and lanes and have sneaked into numerous houses in the city of Guwahati too. Our ancestral house where we enjoyed the beginning of the rains only recently has two-inch of water inside! 

And then the absurd! Flood waters in a wetland in the city have swept in a currency note bonanza. Local inhabitants while coping with rising water levels noticed currency notes of high denomination floating around! 

For two days now, they have been busy collecting the notes. The local authorities have done nothing so far despite people continuously searching for the windfall and demonstrating and drying up their find and one youth dying tragically in the mad rush. Maybe somebody’s treasure house of black money got devastated by the flash floods or maybe somebody took up the ‘natural’ opportunity to ‘legalize’ their black money! The police and the local authorities could be trying to hide somebody’s identity, perhaps! Nature cannot tell!

Meantime the rains pounced down again…and dried up again! 

Cat O' Nine Tails!

                                                                            
                                                                               

                                              

Neighbors'  Woe!   Non-Owners'  Cat  Vow!