JOY FROM DELAY

ETD 0310 hours. Dropped off at airport five minutes to midnight. Informed at check in counter that the revised ETD is 0600 hours - reason for delay not disclosed? First reaction is anger at airlines for failing to give prior intimation. Despair of sitting out quarter of a day on an upright chair in the holding area of departure lounge caused irritation for a bad beginning.

Set myself up in a chair close to the departure gate allocated for the flight after completing immigration formalities (super fast at CSIA - Mumbai). Activities at this deserted gate commenced around 0130 in the morning with boarding announcement for Air France to Paris. Next was Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, followed by Sri Lankan, Ethiopian and Turkish. Our Kenya Airways flight was finally announced at 0645, which ultimately folded its landing gear around 0745!!

On settling into my requested aisle seat of the 2-3-2 seating arrangement in 'cattle class' (thanks to Shashi's sense of humour), was threatened by the sight of my fellow passenger at the window seat being an over size 'cattle'!! Thankfully, it turned out that he is a regular on this route and knows a trick or two to charm the cabin crew, so managed to find a vacant three seater at the rear of the craft.

Within the first hour of being air borne breakfast was served. Soon after consuming two cups of black tea, obtained a blanket and squeezed up in the classic 'mother's womb' position on my 'two seater' with the luxury of an extra pillow in an attempt to rest my smarting eyes from lack of sleep coupled with the body wanting to stretch out.

For the next three hours tossed and turned with the contour of the seats starting to hurt if stuck in one position for too long along with the neck precariously balanced on the arm rest. Funnily, when I got up to sit on the seat after this attempt to sleep, felt much rested and relaxed to enjoy the snack pack of nuts with apple juice!!

The long pre-flight wait permitted me to observe and understand why certain airlines get categorised highly and are perceived as god, bad or worse. The simple SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) associated with announcing the boarding and clearing the passengers to proceed through the aero bridge to the aircraft was an eye opener as to why the same task gets done better by different airlines - thus adding value to their brand. No marks for guessing who is the best amongst the mentioned airlines. Cathay Pacific. (Worse - Kenya Airways.)

By the way, substantial portions of the sprawling Mumbai airport is put on 'hold mode' for a short period during night time. Lights and other facilities are switched off in parts which are not in use till next day's activities commence.

The unexpected delay caused the connecting flight from Nairobi to depart without me. For once the airlines offered to accommodate passengers at a star hotel without much fuss.

The upside of the over 36 hours forced lay off in transit was that I caught up with a dear friend stationed in town. Some things happen for good. We caught up after twenty long years and spent quality time together. His lovely wife arranging to lend me her husband's kurta pajama for the night (as my suitcase was not accessible before reaching final destination). After a simple home cooked impromptu dinner they dropped me back at the hotel.

It is humbling to realize that we are pawns on the large chess board of life. The joy and fun experienced because of the delayed flight was the best compensation that could have been remotely imagined.

Lesson learnt - train to be positive when faced with unexpected situation. Live the moment by accepting a given condition with least resistance.

BALL(?) GAME

The ugly public spat between the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Indian Organising Committee (OC) on display over the forthcoming Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Delhi next year reflects the accumulated rubbish in sports related activities.
The international bosses of the Games have been aware for long of the mess in which the preparations are – but have been nervous about putting their foot down to pull up their Indian counterparts. In fact, they have unwittingly got caught in a well planned trap set up by OC under the leadership of a politician turned sports administrator.
Now that push has come to shove and certain accepted project management tools have been imposed by CGO on OC to salvage the terrible ‘behind schedule’ status of the event – the Indian team headed by Kalmadi with his cronies (who has managed to make himself a ‘fixed asset’ for donkeys years in mismanaging Indian sports as its ‘sports mafia’) has with adroit political crookedness commenced dirty tactics.
It is a national shame that a bunch of inefficient people are permitted to treat sports related international events as their personal fiefdom and misbehave publicly by hiding behind ‘non-issues’ to jeopardize Indian reputation as a host destination.
The CGO has inadvertently given Kalmadi and his team of crooks an ‘escape route’ to justify their anticipated criminal failure to hold the games successfully.
The ‘tantrums’ for public consumption are ‘tested tactics’ to win the ‘blame game’ practiced for decades to hang on to power and mismanage resources to make a living by destroying sports and sports persons in the country.
Immediate reforms have to be introduced to remove politicians from the arena of sports management to attain India’s latent potential in sports which is evident when private enterprise and personal determination is allowed to win.

NOBEL BARACK OBAMA

On November 5 last year my post titled - A NEW PRESIDENT expressed a latent wish that Barack Obama who had the potential to change the world will be a ray of hope in the days to come.
It appears that a collective desire for peace and harmony that his Presidency managed to raise in the hearts of millions around the world has been more than justified by today’s announcement from Oslo of the Nobel Peace Prize for Barack Obama – President of the United States of America.
He deserves the heartiest congratulations from the world at large for this awesome achievement well within a year of entering the White House.
This announcement indicates that the power of good can be harnessed to make a change for a better quality of life on planet earth.
Let us once again pledge our positive thoughts in the making of a great person who has just begun to impact you, me and the world around us.
WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO WITNESS THE BARACK OBAMA PHENOMENON!!

BOMBAY MERI JAAN!!

Bombay ho gaya Mumbai – aur Raj ho gaya Raja!!
Gully ka Kutta ho gaya Sher – would be more appropriate considering the growls emanating from a goon pretending to be protector of ‘Marathi Manoos’ in the name of ‘vote bank’ politics.
It is unfortunate that our law and order structure tolerates blatant abuse of the Indian Constitution by wily power hungry individuals and governments remain dummy spectators in the drama directed by threat to life and property.
The audacity of a MNS threat and subsequent submission to it by Karan in the interest of peace and harmony is indicative of slow but steady break down of law and order.
One unpunished audacity will lead to another – the ‘Goon Brigade’ has floated a proposal to issue ‘Entry Permits’ to Indians not being a ‘Marathi Manoos’ for entering Maharashtra and obtain ‘Resident Permit’ to stay in the State?
Such utterances would immediately trigger arrest for high treason in any other law abiding country – but our tooth less system governed by spineless Ministers (who take oath in the name of protecting the Indian Constitution) prefer to only watch from the sidelines lest they get derailed from their own gravy trains.
It is distressing to note that there is not a single word of protest from any party or politician to this idea floated by Raj under the banner of his party and in the name of the 'Marathi Manoos'?

CATTLE CLASS VS TWITTER

Tharoor's offence :
"Tell us minister, next time you travel to Kerala, will it be cattle class?" His reply: "Absolutely, in cattle class out of solidarity with all our holy cows."
Congress is no different from other political parties which indulges in 'lip service' to democratic values. Freedom of speech and personal opinion should not be compromised for party politics.
Inability to appreciate basic humour involved in Shashi's twitter remarks is disturbing for other decent Indians who may be contemplating joining politics for service to the nation rather than for vested personal interest.
The tone and vocabulary used by Jayanthi Natarajan as Congress spokesperson (to reprimand Shashi Tharoor), sounds more like a Mynamar General rather than of a political party in democratic India?
Most Indians will support Shashi's sense of humour and dignified international exposure rather than petty minded one dimension thinking of hard core political pretenders, for whom retaining the status-quo by maintaining (or increasing) the 'cattle class' generates political dividends as 'holy cows'.
May be Shashi should reconsider his honest decision to serve the country which expects devaluing his value systems and inclusive modern attitude with a contemporary out look?
Sorry Shashi, Indian political space is not for decent successful meritorious individuals!!
Majority of our politicians do not know the difference between "Twitter" and "Cattle Class" any way!!

AUSTERITY CLASS

The politics of farce being played out by the Congress party is an insult to the common man.
‘Vote Bank’ politics appears to take ever deeper plunge into falsehood as evidenced by the recent well publicized ‘AUSTERITY CLASS’ travel plans being indulged in by Congress (wo)men. Sonia takes a seat in economy class and her “Rahul Baba” travels by train – not to mention the desire by all and sundry group of sycophants to follow the leader(s)!!
The sudden rush to be seen in economy class, may be a good omen for airlines struggling to fill their air crafts – because more business/first class seats become available for genuine “CLASS” passengers rather than the “RIFF RAFF CLASS” travelling at the cost of the tax payer!!
Pranab Babu the “Bhodrolok” Minister of Finance has of course not revealed the savings expected to be released for more pressing demands on the kitty under his care!!
The ostensible logic behind shedding crocodile tears is the looming drought and the need to empathize with the “Aam Aadmi” – the more real strategy behind this symbolism is it offers photo-ops which may convert into votes in the upcoming State elections??

TRIBUTE

The tragic end caused by an unfortunate chopper crash yesterday (2nd September) closes Dr. Yeduguri Sandinti Rajasekhara Reddy’s, more popularly known as YSR, successful and eventful political journey achieved by sheer hard work and charisma.
The untimely death of this sprightly Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh will be a game changing event in the political canvass of the State and in New Delhi.

An achiever and committed person brought much needed sense of discipline in public life while ensuring tight control over the team he led for result oriented governance. He brought freshness in the dreaded corridors of government that ails our system. An uncompromising task master has suddenly left a huge vacuum.
Facts and figures available in the public domain of achievements under his able leadership should be made compulsory ‘case study’ for all other politicians to drive home the point that ‘public service’ without ‘private greed’ is very much possible with focus and desire to be inclusive. The thumping victory in the recent Assembly and Lok Sabha elections also proved that political dividends can be generated by honesty of purpose minus manipulation.
YSR brand of politics and governance can be made the basis of reforms in our mostly rotten political frame work.
MHSRIP.