Monsoon Please Pour!

India achieved independence on 15th August, 1947. But it's dependence on the monsoon rains still continues.

Now it's a delay of over 15 days and all villages and cities are reeling under water and electricity cuts. Farmers are worried for crop failures. Drought like situations in many regions.

What to do? Infrastructure cannot be changed over night.

So, pour and pour and pour!

Raghu Krishna: Adieu!

The man in the blue suit

He was more of a dear friend than a boss. Raghu Krishna, the former Chief Producer of Films Division, Mumbai and Director of MIFF(Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films) for 2004 and 2006 versions, passed away today following a brain stroke and coma.

I first knew him as a film director in Films Division, Mumbai. As we became close we started playing table tennis. He was an attacking player specializing in smashes. Once I was defeated by a colleague and next game Raghu defeated him. Later, Raghu came over to my room for a fag and told me proudly, ‘I wanted to beat him because he beat you!’ I sensed his love for me instantly.

Raghu appeared for an interview for the top post and finally got selected. He joined as Chief Producer in January 2004 and immediately took charge of MIFF 2004 as Festival Director.

Till MIFF 2006 I worked under him and enjoyed every bit of it. He showed tremendous faith in me in the role of a writer-editor. Once I showed him an article to be printed in the official festival book. He read it intently and uttered, ‘Fantastic! See to it that not even a comma gets changed in the final print!’ For any kind of meetings and festival inaugurations he always insisted that I write his speeches.

He had a great heart and believed people easily. So, he got entangled in admin complexities and was eventually disillusioned.

As I moved out of Films Division in 2006 we hardly met after that. Today his death came as an absolute shock. Fond memories rushed to my mind and I realized how dearly I missed him.

We pray for the eternal bliss of his noble soul and offer our condolences to his family.

Diagnosing the Ganguly Malady

In my cricket articles you find one called ‘Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Traces of Arrogance?’ where I tried to point out telltale signs of Dhoni going off the positive track. After ICC T20 experience I feel Dhoni is fast going the Ganguly way.

I give below a few symptoms of the Ganguly Malady which can be diagnosed in Dhoni too:

• Creating friction between captain and vice-captain and between team members.
• Showing favoritism to some players and lobbying with the selection committee to include them in the playing eleven.
• Taking unpredictable strategic decisions.
• Success bred arrogant behavior.
• Getting into a consistent out-of-form black hole.
• Passing on the buck.

Please prove me wrong and help us all to bring Dhoni back to the right track.