I have written many articles and poems in this year and it was a wonderful experience being able to write regularly all through the year. What’s more satisfying is that how well some of my articles have been received and shared over the internet! As 2011 draws to an end, I am writing this post to highlight my favorite 15 posts which I wrote in the year 2011.

1. 10 Things I am glad I had done (or do) in my life

I wrote this post in the beginning of the year on Jan 20, and has remained my favorite ever since. I often read this post again and again to measure myself against the 10 points I wrote in this article.

2. Only If You Knew

What if you are a poor and illiterate child who is exploited by the world around you and have no idea how to fight it? What do you say to the normal human being going about his life chasing his dreams and making his mark in the world? This poem is imagined from this little poor child to the average middle class Indian.

3. What is Jan Lokpal Bill?

I wrote this post before most of the country has heard of the Jan Lokpal Bill or Anna Hazare, on 12 March… Read the rest

Another year is coming to an end. As 2011 says good-bye for ever and we welcome 2012, let’s take a look at who all 2011 took with it. I can distinctly remember the passing away of some great personalities this year, who will forever be missed in the years to come. There are people from all walks of life – from art, sports, technology and bollywood who were luminaries in their respective fields but are no more with us today.

Shammi Kapoor

The original ‘yahoo‘ man, the youth icon of the 60s, Shammi Kapoor was as famous for his boyish looks and trademark dance movies as he was for his acting. Some of his most famous movies were Tumsa Nahi Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Professor, China Town, Junglee, Kashmir Ki Kali, and Brahmachari, among others. He was often hailed as the ‘Elvis Presley‘ of India. Later in this life, he also appeared in a lot of character roles and those were always well received. His demise has certainly left a big gap in Indian cinema.

MF Hussain

Often called India’s Picasso, he was without doubt the best artist ‘in the country‘, which is actually ironical as he spent his… Read the rest

This was the World Cup everybody hoped for after the debacle in 2007. With India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka reaching the last four, and an Indian victory, the ICC could not have asked for a better script. This World Cup will also be remembered for a dream of a billion people getting fulfilled, and Sachin Tendulkar getting this one final jewel in his bag of crowns, which was no secret. India won the World Cup after 28 years, putting Dhoni right among the top when it comes to captaincy greats.

This World Cup will also be known for some extraordinary and unexpected performances from few players, like how Pakistan rallied behind Shahid Afridi the bowler to surprise many and reaching the semis, or how Yuvraj marked his comeback with superb all round performance which won him four man of match and the man of the series award. It was also marked by the clear end of Australian dominance in ODI cricket. England proved the most entertaining team of the tournament, losing to Ireland and then winning against South Africa, who in-fact, did a deja-vu by confirming their ‘chokers’ tag by losing to New Zealand in the quarters.

How my… Read the rest

An year has come to an end. A decade has come to an end. And what a remarkable decade that was. In the last 10 years, so much changed in the world, and specifically in India, that it is difficult to believe that was only 10 years ago. I am going to write down what all has changed in the last decade in the bullet points that follow.

When this decade started -

• Bill Clinton was still the US President. Can’t believe it, George Bush was sworn in only in 2001
• People used to listen music on Sony WalkMan, as there was no iPod, which was launched only in 2001
• The Twin Towers were still standing on the New York skyline, and nobody cared about Al-Qaeda or Osama.
• US was not at war. Now they are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Saddam Hussein is dead.
• Kalpana Chawla was still alive, her space shuttle Columbia exploded on re-entry in Feb 2003
• The 2004 tsunami was yet to happen, which would wipe out hundreds of thousands of lives.
• Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were still together, they separated in 2005 after which Brangelina came.
• Major cities were… Read the rest