Cricket: Sachin Tendulkar Announces Retirement, Vintage Yuvraj Steers India Beat Australia In T20 Encounter!

Now it is final. Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is going to be missed fully in the cricket field in a matter of days. Sachin has announced his retirement in Mumbai today from Test cricket after his 200th Test likely to be played in his hometown Mumbai this November. At the moment he has 198 Tests to his credit and two Test matches have been specially arranged by the BCCI inviting West Indies in short notice. West Indies has already agreed and the BCCI succeeded in its bid to capture the momentous occasion for the world's best cricketer. Sachin Tendulkar had earlier retired from one-day, IPL and all varieties of T20 cricket. The greatest cricket spectacle will no longer be in display and a superlative records-breaking career spanning more than twenty years is coming to an inevitable close.

Meanwhile the hurried through fast-paced Australian tour of India for which Cricket Australia has faced a lot of criticism back home has taken off tonight with a T20 international match in Rajkot. After a good show in the last few weeks die-hard Yuvraj Singh was included in the playing eleven and how he justified his selection. He was effortless, elegant and aggressive with sixes and fours flowing from his bat all around the ground.

Australia made a tall score of 201 losing 7 wickets. It was a challenging total on any ground and under all conditions. India lost Rohit Sharma early and at 100/4 off 11 overs it was like looking upto someone to deliver one incredible innings. With 77 runs not out off just 35 balls Yuvraj did just that helping India beat Australia by 6 wickets sparing two balls. It was vintage Yuvraj and Australia could not do much about it. Captain Dhoni provided perfect company scoring 101 runs in last 51 balls for the unbeaten partnership. For Australia Finch gave the momentum scoring brilliant 89 runs from 52 balls. Shane Watson kept India in check, but the format allowed him to bowl only 4 overs.The Scorecard:

It is a good start for India with 7 one-day internationals to follow at break neck speed.

Eventful Sunday: Painting, Rains And Bipul Deuri Gets Assam Translation Literature Award-2013!

 22nd Death Anniversary of Amulya Kumar Chakravarty

We had the Sunday, the 6th of October, lined up with two back to back programmes. First at 10.30am, a Painting Competition for little kids organized for the first time by Shrutinaad, and then the main sixth Amulya Kumar Chakravarty Memorial Translation Literature Award-2013 Ceremony at 3pm at the same venue that is Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati. But Sunday morning brought us some disappointment. Heavy overnight downpour filled our campus. We hoped the day would light up later. Nature had other plans though. 

Rains started first with a drizzle and then pouring down. However we were ecstatic seeing huge groups of kids with parents filling out the forms defying rains. Due to the torrential rains that followed we were allotted an inner veranda. The start was a little delayed, but everything was in order with our dear friend and renowned sculptor Biren Singha as Chief Guest guiding the kids to perfection. 

Meanwhile it turned out to be an unprecedented downpour in these parts continuing with unabated fury till about 2.30pm and flooding the main road outside the venue and homes all around. We got the information that rain water was rushing into our home too and that we would not be able to return home after the programmes. We prepared emboldened by the grand success of the Painting Competition. Only prayed at least the Award winner would arrive for the Ceremony. 

Award Winner Bipul Deuri Felicitated

The award function was a dignified affair too. The President of Assam Sahitya Sabha, Imran Shah, formally presented the 6th biennial Amulya Kumar Chakravarty Memorial Translation Literature Award-2013 to Bipul Deuri, a very popular Author-Translator of recent times, for his brilliant rendering of Mark Shand's epic travelogue 'River Dog' into Assamese. The meeting was presided over by Urmila Chakravarty, President of Panzabari Sahitya Sabha-the joint organizer with Amulya Kumar Chakravarty Memorial Trust. Rousing and enlightening speeches were delivered by Professor Imran Shah and Special Guest ex-MP Jayanta Rongpi. Rongpi emphasized the fact that in today's times of rampant corruption the down to earth honesty of Amulya Kumar Chakravarty as a civil service officer must get highlighted along with his literary Translation genius. Speech by the convener and member of the Trust Chinmay Chakravarty (this writer) was also appreciated. Ragini Chakravarty presided over the Painting Competition awards distribution event for Shrutinaad, the joint organizer of the Competition. Three top awards and two consolation awards were presented.

As anticipated we could not return home that evening and spent the night at relatives' places. In our hearts we were very happy for the success and grateful for the audience who almost filled the auditorium despite calamitous weather. There were endless calls from all those who could not make it. 

We came home last evening and by late night could somehow control the 'flood' inside! We are still waiting for the 'outside' one to subside. There are some damages, but the spirit reigns supreme.

Kill Bill, Lalu Shrill, Election Drill, Voters Thrill!

As I cool my heels in my native city Guwahati make no frills about all the thrills of politicking in the meantime. Starting with the Bill or rather the Ordinance to protect convicted politicians the Prime Minister of India returned from the US and, as anticipated widely, decided to kill the Bill in his Cabinet meeting thanks to Rahul Gandhi's vitriolics. All got seemingly well between the head of the Government and the Vice President of the party that leads the Government.

As an immediate casualty of the killed bill Bihar veteran Lalu Prasad Yadav got convicted for stealing food from the animals and sentenced five years in jail. At the moment the politician is having sleepless nights thanks to the jail mosquitoes and insects that do not discriminate. Some other about to be convicted criminal politicians are fast losing hope in their own system.

And today Assembly Elections are declared for five states starting November 11 to December 4 with the date of counting fixed on 8th December--a date that could greatly impact General Elections-2014. More thrillingly for voters and non-voters, the Right to Reject is set to start with these polls. Election Commission officials point out that the electronic voting machines have an in-built system to take more options like 'None of the Above'. So, no frills, only thrills!