Monday, July 9, 2012

"I'm getting closer!" - Andy Murray

It was the clash most of the world was waiting for for the last couple of days! Almost all of UK was closed, centre-stage all packed with ticket rates on the last day soaring to 42K UK pounds, all gathering at large screens setup in various parts of the country and this all to support their own, Andy Murray (25), in Wimbledon final against one of the titans and champion of grass court, Roger Federer (30).
Roger Federer, world number three and already six times Wimbledon champion, was to battle for his seventh title the second time after losing to Rafa in 2010. Roger, having beaten world number one Djokovic in semis, was in great form to take the Brit by his horns. For Andy, though it was his first Wimbledon final and he needed more luck than Roger.
Andy, after beating Roger in the first set 6-4 - it looked as if Andy was going to sweep it off. He really tested Roger in the second set. It was really more than tennis that Roger stood there and came out victorious. It was the test of his nerves. Sometimes I wonder how much these sportsmen are tested - more so in individual sports where you are all by yourself. One point, one game, one break has so big an effect (what would have been 3-3 from 2-3, can very well turn out to be 2-4). It was very tricky situation for Federer and breaking the service was the crux of it. 
Federer having won the toss, chose to serve in first three of the four sets they played. Only in the last set he thought of taking advantage of pressure built in after winning two consecutive sets and so put Andy in. Second and third set saw a really big games, one almost 11 mins and the other almost twenty minutes of relentless rally - both were to break Andy's service. There was no looking back for Federer - having beaten Andy 7-5, 6-3 in second and third sets. The last one was the easiest of them all, with Andy losing 4-6.
Federer, after equaling legend Pete Sampras's record of seven Wimbledon wins and after regaining world number title, was ecstatic. But it was Andy who got all the cheer, more so because he is a local boy. It was unlike the famous ABBA song - the winner takes it all, the loser standing small! Here the loser got quite a bit in return from the crowd for all his efforts and dedication. When invited to say a few words for his supporters, he was so much emotional that every sigh of his got the crowd to cheer. He knew and he said it that it was going to be tough to utter a word, he was avoiding to look at the corner where his girl friend sat - who probably supported him the most. He said, and said it right, that he is getting closer - closer to his destiny - that someday he will win it for all his supporters, for his country the much sought Wimbledon title.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Forgotten Ratna - P.V. Narsimha Rao

Nehru had a dream, a socialist dream! Inspired by Soviet Union, Nehru showed the socialist path to India. He invested then limited funds in government founded enterprises - few among them are known to be the Nav-Ratnas (the 9 diamonds) of Indian industrial revolution. With that he also went on to put heavy restrictions on private investments in many of the sectors during this period, which is infamously known as the License RajDuring License Raj, private players could manufacture goods only with official license and quantity of goods manufactured was also decided by the government. Industrialist like Birla had to opt for other countries like Indonesia / Europe to setup their business instead of just knocking onto politicians  and bureaucrats door for as long as ten years to setup an industry.
By and large, the decade after independence was very crucial, as that decided the path India would take and as always changing an established system is always difficult - if not impossible. If License Raj was not enough, Nehru also promoted worker unions, who had their own set of rules. India being democratic country unions got employee friendly and went against the employers - going on strike being their ultimate weapon to turn on any argument in their favor. This made already inefficient and corrupt government establishments more inefficient and Nehru's dream more distant satellite.
In July 1991, it was P.V. Narsimha Rao's government who ended this License Raj and allowed 51% foreign direct investment in India. It was Narsimha Rao who with help of his team - including Manmohan Singh and P. Chidambaram - liberated India from the clutches of License Raj. There were some compulsions to do this as well (India was economically in very bad shape then and India had to pledge huge amount of gold in foreign market), but Narsimha Rao dared and did majors economic reforms in just 2 days (which actually continued until 2 years). Though this credit goes to Rajiv Gandhi, with Rao himself declaring that it was Rajiv Gandhi's undone work that he is completing, it was part of 1991 Congress election manifesto that was written under Narsimha Rao's leadership.
So to speak, greater portion of this credit should go to P.V. Narsimha Rao, whose bold decision gave India the much needed economical reforms. This more so because former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was much against this liberalization for government might lose control. But today after 21 years of end of License Raj, P.V. Narsimha Rao's work in still undone and economic reforms are still a way to go. This clearly puts Narsimha Rao in spot light in the history of Indian economy and makes him a true Bharat Ratna, though this award hasn't come his way as yet. His contribution is forgotten and there are hardly any government schemes by his name - more so the newly inaugurated airport in Hyderadad, Rao's home state, was named after Rajiv Gandhi.

References:
India Unbound by Gurcharan Das