2009: the year in review

Looking back, 2009 was 1 year on the calendar but a lot more off it. In an attempt to write without lengthy opening paragraphs (read put-offs) - here's my list of arbit (arbitrary, to the pedants) stuff that caught my attention/captured my fancy/set me thinking, this year:

And the nobel peace prize for 2009 goes to ....... Barack Obama? Okay, you gotta be kidding! A vast majority of the second most popular ('believed', if you are agnostic!) religion in the world consider the US to be the root cause of half the world's problems. A neutral would probably say that they have a point. And the Nobel committee nominates the US President for the Nobel Peace prize less than 2 weeks after he has assumed office. The question in everybody's minds- "What the ____ did this guy do in 12 days (outside of signing papers) to convince the Nobel committee to nominate him for the Nobel? " CLEARLY, a case of giving the little boy a lollipop to shut his mouth. If this is how world order is going to be restored, then so be it. But if not, well, chew gum.

28 year old cabinet mantri ...... Agatha Sangma, all of 28 years, became the youngest ever cabinet minister this year. Cynics may point at her political lineage. Detractors might say she is unproven and untested. But hellooo, what about the 80 year olds she shares office space with? What have they proved over the years, other than their utter ineptitude? And talking of tested, have some of them even ever faced a 12th standard exam? If 28 year old Agatha does a good job, then maybe, just maybe, she might be the defining trendsetter the next decade - by inspiring educated (yes, she is well educated!) youth to jump into political waters. And if she fails, well, the country has already gone to the dogs, hasn't it?

Tata Nano, Tata Indian roads ........ Yes, it was a technological miracle (so was the atom bomb, by the way). Yes, it brought the CAR down to the 'common' man's grapple. Yes, it was a landmark for Indian industry. But, hell, who cares about all that when I won't have roads to drive on quite soon? (mild hyperbole) With the Nano, India's already burgeoning roads, which literally stretch their limits, are now officially doomed. After all, at just a lakh, a whole gamut of our population can now afford a car. Unless it is restricted to towns (like Trichy), get ready to spend more time on the roads than ever before. And then some more.

No more tenth boards ???? ....... Shower hosannas on him or call him names, you cannot deny one thing about Mr Kapil Sibal. He has his heart in the right place (not only literally). This outrage over the scrapping of the tenth boards must have been along expected lines for him. After all, in a nation that has grown up on exams, tests and plenty more of the same, the abolition of the 'very purpose of education' (at the 10th grade level, now) must seem outrageous. Well, if India needs to have the best education system in the world, then Indians need to alter their perceptions of education. And there can be no better way to plant the seeds of a new system than by removing the very roots of the old one. If the concept does not seem practical enough to my dear uncles and aunties in the country, then I am a little surprised. I don't recall hearing them ask why their children had to learn hoardes of pointless stuff (that they would forget seconds after the exam anyways!) in the name of, say, social science. Grrrrrr! (sorry, that's how I react to the mention of that subject I supposedly scored 97 in)

20 years of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar - Over the years, he has made bowlers look downright silly, fielders feel totally out of place and team mates look terribly redundant. And yes, commentators (AND BLOGGERS) seem so lost for words. I could try and describe his supreme batting prowess to you. Or I could possibly tell you why I feel he is the greatest cricketer ever and the greatest Indian post the Mahatma. Or probably, I could run you through some of the highlights of his (my) last 20 years. Or maybe, I could just simply thank him.

Thank you, Sachin. For the memories. (even this turned out to be cliched, unfortunately!)

---A lot more happened in 2009, but there is a limit to the amount of time I can spend thinking and typing--- Let's all carry forward our cherished memories and hope 2010 is every bit as wonderful as 2009, minus some of the gloom.

Cheers :)