ELECTIONS IN SBBJ

Hello,

Elections in SBBJ used to be a dull and drab affair with Sanghi and company always sweeping the polls and winning by huge margins. In my fifteen years in SBBJ (1985-2000) I remember only one election when a viable opposition had come up but they lost because the opposition was from more or less people with similar attitude who had cobbled up a team against Sanghi because they were not getting the taste of power which Sanghi dominated through distribution of assignments to his stooges.

Sanghi also had the power backing of the Jains, who blindly voted for him against assurances of plum assignments.

The 2009 elections appear to be going in a different direction. As already done in SBH, the group which is openly pro merger is challenging the hegomony of the Sanghi group and for the first time the Sanghi camp is actually jittery.

My friend Sanjoy is part of the team which has put up the challenge and I really appreciate the guts these new faces in SBBJ politics have exhibited.

Sanjoy and his team have the right agenda and designs and it would be interesting to see if the officers of SBBJ can see beyond caste and petty assignments.

Best wishes to Sanjoy and his entire team.

Manoj

SAINA NEHWAL - INDIAN CHAMPION

Hello,
With the Indian cricket team going out of the world cup without a fight and Jeev Milkha Singh struggling for form I had thought it would take a long while before I wrote about an Indian Champion.
It is my mistake that I missed writing on Suranjoy Singh who gave India its first Asian championship gold in 15 years. Thokchom Nanao Singh and Jai Bhagwan who got silver medals and Jitender Kumar (54kg) Vijender Singh (75kg), Dinesh Kumar (81kg) and Paramjit Samota (+91kg) who won bronze are the unsung heroes in the Indian Sporting arena.
The country’s boxers rounded off a 27-year best performance in the elite event in Zhuhai, China ending the campaign with a gold, two silver and four bronze medals. The team was placed third in the overall standings behind host China and Uzbekistan.
Coming back to my search for an Indian Champion. Saina Nehwal has finally delivered. She was always at the rim of the steep incline to being called the best and she has shown tremendous character in working hard to finally reach there. Victory in Indonesia Super Series badminton tournament is the first ever Super Series win by an Indian and she can now proudly step on the pedestal that was till now reserved for our All England heroes Prakash Padukone and Gopichand.
The BAI, a very poor cousin of the BCCI, has announced an award of Rs. 2,00,000/= peanuts when compared to what BCCI distributed to schools in South Africa (Rs. 5,30,00,000/=) during the IPL. Does this raise a question about loyalty to the nation?
But it has always been like this in India. A politician can donate a gold crown with diamond studs worth Rs. 4,00,00,000/= at Tirupati Balaji when he just has to step out of his house and see people who do not get a single meal every day.
The focus is wrong and till we get it right we shall continue to be a nation without many heroes.
Regards,
Manoj

SECOND INNINGS - REINCARNATION OF MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN

HELLO ALL,
YESTERDAY WE SAW THE WIZARD OF THE LEG SIDE - A MICHELANGELO IN THE MIDST OF HOUSEPAINTERS, START HIS SECOND INNINGS ON A DIFFERENT PITCH.
VERY RARELY DO PEOPLE GET ANOTHER CHANCE IN LIFE. SECOND CHANCES ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BASICALLY GOOD. WITH AZHAR MY GUT FEELING THAT HE WAS SUCKED INTO THE MATCH FIXING.
HE CONTINUES TO SHOW RISK TAKING ABILITIES BY PUTTING UP HIS T SHIRT COLLAR ON NATIONAL TELEVISION AND I AM SURE HE IS STILL SUSCEPTIBLE TO QUICK GET RICH SCHEMES.
AZHAR IS THE GUY WHO HIT THREE CENTURIES ON THE TROT (AFTER DEBUT) AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A FOURTH IF HE HAD A MORE MATURE PLAYER AT THE NON STRIKERS END AT EDEN GARDENS. I WAS THERE AT THE GROUND THAT DAY AND SAW HIS FACE DROP WHEN HE WAS BERATED BY MOHINDER FOR TRYING TO PLAY AGGRESSIVELY AFTER REACHING HIS FIFTY.
TWO SENTENCES WHICH WILL ALWAYS BE ETCHED IN MIND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AZHAR ARE 'MIYA, CAPTAN BANOGE?' ASKED BY RAJ SINGH DUNGARPUR AND 'MAINE MATCH BANAYA' REPORTEDLY TOLD BY AZHAR AFTER HE WAS ACCUSED ON MATCH FIXING.
A NOTED CRICKET WRITER ONCE SAID, "IT'S NO USE ASKING AN ENGLISHMAN TO BAT LIKE AZHARUDDIN. IT WOULD BE LIKE EXPECTING A GREYHOUND TO WIN THE LONDON DERBY!'
BRAVO AHZAR ON YOUR 100TH TEST MATCH. LET US HOPE YOU HIT CENTURIES IN YOUR SECOND INNINGS AS WELL.
BEST WISHES TO MY HERO OF THE LEGSIDE
MANOJ