Death of a Dear

The toughest thing to face is probably death- of a dear one. A friend, a guide and above all a human being who deserved to live in every way. Gone from the world at just 44, battling sarcoma for less than two weeks! Mind stops for seconds as you realize, the only symptoms were persistent cough and breathlessness that went untreated until the time she was on ventilator support without any hope from specialists to bounce back again. Life had been cruel and circumstances most unacceptable. 

Met Shilpa Srivastava as center head for Delhi-based company Compare Infobase Pvt Ltd in the year 2010 at their Kolkata Knowledge Center. The perfect social being right from the start, she was the most dominant factor of work life there. Having less than 50 employees at that time, the office atmosphere was fairly friendly. Shilpa Di (as we addressed her) and I grew closer and slowly the line between boss and junior began to fade.

 Apart from content marketing, she was a social media evangelist who encouraged her team to spend time over social sites- interact, converse and debate over Facebook and Twitter. Telling the batch every moment, that social media was the future. After working for around 3 years, I moved to another firm. Eventually, I left Kolkata and moved Mumbai with marriage. Whatever, we stayed in touch. Actually, hard not to, given the social media buff that we both were. We dropped comments on Facebook, occasional chat on Facebook Messenger too but never made a phone call to each other. Social Media remained the media and it is there that one fine morning I realized people talking about how unwell she has been for sometime and how serious it was. 

She went viral over social networks. It was the best she has ever done! Almost "Break the Internet". People sending good wishes, prayers and luck. How close ones prayed she came back soon. How her "non-friends regretted not being with her so long. Life could have been better if she would open her eyes to see her efforts paying off. But she didn't. She passed away at CMRI hospital on Feb 28, 2015 at around 12:30 pm 

Home Decor

I love lights

Isn't this one cool for my garden

It is another of my passions- I love shopping for my home, especially bedroom. Right from my bedsheets, to linens and towels, everything is brought with a thought. I love bright colors and on dull days, I simply enjoy the room.  I dream of having the most elegant stuffs that is cheap, environment friendly and electricity saver

No better ways to arrange to arrange your utilities

am big with my home.

The laundry room can be so chic

Love my bedroom to be like this

Where sports is Religion

The spotlight during the 2010 FIFA World Cup was strictly on South Africa. The reason was, in South Africa football necessarily does not mean the glitzy stadiums and cheering crowd. Instead, there are far off villages where still bamboo and wood sticks make a good goal post. One book that is worth reading in this context is Amen: Football's Forgotten Heroes. I read the first snapshot of this book in an article of the popular, The Guardian, prior to its release. The book is not about football but how the game is a deeper aspect of South African life. The book gave me goosebumps! One stark similarity that I find with an old city in India, Kolkata better known as Calcutta. My birth land, the place I grew up, to listen football gossips. I heard about football at railway stations and bus stops in autos and trams. Wherever a Kolkatan walked, football followed. People could stake their property rights in order to win an argument over a match! In my childhood, it was a city where stadiums were worth temples. Over many years, several things have changed. Except one, football is still religion to men! 

India wins the Champions Trophy, 2013

Never before Dhoni thought that even this would not remain a dream, he has within minutes turned the world to look at him and say, "Dhoni is the best captain that India has seen". Undoubtedly, he is the watch winner and the Champions Trophy was something that was missing from his treasury. The sheer brilliancy of captaincy, calmness and calculation has given him that too. What remains awe inspiring is that a bunch of young and brand new cricketers went ahead, batted, bowled in the worse weather condition to bring in the cup of Dhoni's dreams. Even if the world gossips about "lady luck", its no marriage that can make you a good leader. It is potential to protect all under you, remain calm and controlled in challenges and push in to handle right things at the right time! Dhoni did just that...Long Live the King

The Australian Massacre: INDIA TAKE SERIES

The scoreboard stands to 3-0 after the Mohali test. Australian bowling has never been this ashamed before. There was so much to this series: the debuting  187 knock of Dhawan which is also the fastest in cricketing history as he surpassed English cricketer Matt Prior. Dhawan has safely landed his name in the list of stars who made a ton on their debut though it does not assure him a  place in the team in the upcoming series at New Delhi. 

The next, Sehwag and Gambhir dropped. India went up to bag the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This series went on to make Dhoni the most successful test cricket captain after Azharuddin too. Not only will Indians remember an excellent debut and win, I am sure many are also thinking how many more can take the place of Sachin Tendulkar in the team. It also remains a question among the cricket fanatics, how soon will Sachin plan his retirement.

If not a Lord's day (where Sourav had answered Flintoff by swinging his shirt on the air), Dhoni is nevertheless deserves a great show. The next talk however will be the South Africa series and off course the heart is beating for IPL. There is never less of cricket. 

How many cricketers started with a bang

This article is a collection from various sources. 

How many started with a perfect bang or a ton in cricket history? It is important after the recent hit by Dhawan. Although he failed to make a double ton, nevertheless, he is in the premier list of Indian and global cricketers who have done so on their first match. The reason why Indians should remember this scoreboard is: its against Australian bowling and a complete series win. 

Lala Amarnath made it against England in 1933. He was the first Indian to do so as well. Can you guess the next name in line? Its Pataudi, better known as the Tiger or Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. He set a mark in Sydney with his 102 knock. He went on to become one of India's most successful captains. India lost at the 1959 England series 5-0, but the only silver lining was the debut century hit by Abbas Ali Baug. If you have to remember another player who battered Australian bowling on debut match it is Gundappa Vishwanath in 1969. 

Still it is former Indian captain Mohd Azharuddin who should be placed in cloud nine. He is the only man to score centuries in the first three tests of his career. The first century being against England with a whooping 110 of 322 balls. Salute!

The path to tread

Not looking at the back is my policy and not to plan too ahead is a principle. I live the present and thoroughly. I fulfill everyday. I eat the ice cream I want and not keep it for tomorrow. Today I know there are more challenges than what yesterday gave me. I have relations to develop, professional goals to meet and smiling faces to make. I have a challenge to be a part of someone..everyway. That does nit make me less or more, I feel the same vibrant and active. There are passive prayers and lot of hopes.