Whacked them at WACA

Last Saturday afternoon just about time for my next class, the expected which was unexpected 4 days ago happened. Yes its India winning the match against the Aussies in their own den Perth. While we started celebrating the victoryalmost immediately after RP Singh cleaned up the last man, one of the Aussie supporter here quickly prompted “guys we have won 16 tests in a row and its just one test you guys won and you are celebrating as though you won a championship”. True its just one test but considering the venue and the time at which it came by its no less than a championship victory. I reluctantly left for my class after that wicket without watching the presentation ceremony.

People always like to see the under dogs win. Though Will Smith has given few big box office hits everyone talks about his performance in “In pursuit of happiness”, that because it wasn’t expected. Also we feel sorry for him for not have won the Oscar for that performance, the same way we will feel sorry for India for not have won the Sydney test or atleast to have drawn it. Before the start of the match I like most of us here, I prayed for a drawn match as I/we thought that’s the best possible result India can hope for considering the history and nature of WACA wicket.

After so much of both on field and off field action in Sydney test its really a great victory for India. Its not the first time in the series that India has dominated the Aussies. We have been doing that in all the three test only to loose the initiative some time later, thanks to both the way the team played and other things that team didn’t have much control on. But this time they were not ready to loose the initiative and went on to build on, to script the most unexpected.

Before the start of the match many of the Aussie players had given a statement that the match would not last for more than 4 days and damn yes they were right.

One man who should be praised is the captain himself Anil Kumble. The way he rallied his men both on and off the field was simply fantastic. Being an ardent fan of Jumbo I have always liked the way he played his game “no fuss, no buzz, just business”. Looking at the way he has performed as a captain one just wonders why he wasn’t made a captain much before.

Lot of commentators during the match had commented that India- Australia test series is shaping into the next big thing after India Vs Pakistan series. But now since India and Pakistan are playing series on a regular basis its just about loosing the shine and India Vs Aus series is proving to be the best in the world. With India being the only opponent capable of defeating Australia in recent times it’s the best contest in cricket right now.

With the fight India has shown in this series one hopes they continue with their win to add one more in Adelaide.

RJ

People's Car - making the impossible POSSIBLE

The last blog I had scribbled was some time back and I had written about the TATA’s super computer. The first blog I am writing this year also happens to be about TATA , but this time around its not the super computer but a “super simple” car NANO.

Couple of days back TATA had unveiled its much awaited Rs. 1 Lakh car. It’s been in the news for nearly 4 years now ever since TATA announced its plan to build such a car. Much was talked about the car and both the industry people as well as the consumers were eagerly waiting for it to be released. There were very few takers for a concept like this. Most of us baring a few actually believed that this could be made.

Many people from industry came out with statements on the dream of Mr. Ratan Tata to build such car and why it will remain only as a dream and never see the market. There were even media reports that it will look like an Auto Rickshaw without doors. Reading all this I had imagined a design in my mind (being a mechanical engineer I had visualized more than one design, most of them no where resembling a car). But to the surprise of all TATA launched a car that by all means not only looks like a car but also looks attractive.

I first happened to see the pictures of the car in website during the lunch break I had between classes. Since I hadn’t slept the previous night and was a bit tired I first thought that I read a news article about the car and that the picture is of some other concept car. But a careful look at it the second time made me sit up and read the article more carefully. As I had already said I hadn’t imagined in my wildest dreams that the car would look like what it is.

I think one should thank TATA for keeping the common man in mind and creating a car that is supposed to be the cheapest in the world. Now that TATA has proved that it is possible to manufacture a decent car priced at Rs 1 Lakh, I think the market will be witnessing the launch of more such cars.

In recent years I have not been such a great fan of the TATA group as such, but looking at the vision and the commitment in bringing NANO I am sure to change my view. With TATA almost assured of bagging the Jaguar deal, if that comes through it can now target both ends of the spectrum. If the “ Law of unintended consequences” hold good this NANO will not only end the dreams of a common man owning a car but will also make way for India finding its way on the Global Manufacturing Arena. Right now China holds a huge portion of the global manufacturing outsourcing and is rightly called the manufacturing hub of the world. With efforts like this India is sure to cut into a considerable portion of the manufacturing pie.

Every Indian owes a Royal Salute to Mr.Ratan Tata for dreaming of a thing like this and more importantly giving shape to the dream.

RJ