Welcoming IPL 2009 Champions

The victorious Deccan Chargers team returned back to Hyderabad on May 27th, 2009 at 9.00 pm to a rousing welcome by fans. The team consisted of T. Suman, Shoaib Muqsusi, Harmeet Singh, Jaskarandeep Singh, Y. venugopal Rao, Arjun Yadav, Abhinav Kumar, Ravi Teja and Azhar Anjum Bilakhia. It was good to see these young confident cricketers cordially meeting fans and speaking to the Press.

Adithi was again excited to meet the cricketers and patiently waited with us at Shamshabad airport. She was joined by her cousins Pinky and Ashish and friends Vyapti and Rutwik, so the fun doubled. The response from the fans was overwhelming. The Deccan Chargers were taken in an open bus for the victory ride from the airport to Hotel ITC Kakatiya.

The roads were jam packed with fans on motorbikes and cars. We followed them for sometime and then managed to drive ahead to the Hotel and had to wait for a good 2 hours before the team bus paved its way through the crowd and reached the hotel. It was 1.00 am.





The kids though hungry and tired, never complained. The team cut a cake and opened a Champagne bottle and then we moved to have our dinner at 2.00 am. It was an exciting evening ! We reached home by 3.00 am !! And I was up again by 5.00 am!!! Back to work...

Deccan Chargers reach IPL 2009 Finals

Deccan Chargers, charged their way to IPL 2009 finals, to be played at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa on May 24, 2009. Tremendous game by Adam Gilchrist! No doubt he is considered amongst the greatest cricketers in the world.

Though I was not in South Africa to see all the action live and meet this great player; I thoroughly enjoyed watching it on TV and see my enthusiastic colleagues cheer the team. At home, I experienced the same cheering atmosphere with two little Charger fans and Cheer leaders - my daughter Adithi and her cousin Chinmayi who came from Bangalore for vacation. They cheered the Chargers by breaking into dance for every fours, sixes and wickets taken by Deccan Chargers.They sure are competitors for the original Cheer leaders. And both the kids have a new ambition...they are going to be Cheer leaders for Deccan Chargers when they grow up!

Both these young Charger fans spent an evening preparing this card with their best wishes to the Deccan Chargers team.

Lucky Chargers for having such sweet, innocent and
sincere fans!

Information Galore - 11

Official Website of Hyderabad Traffic Police
http://www.htp.gov.in/

The Hyderabad traffic police launched this website on April 25, 2009. It will help motorists with information on traffic jams anywhere in the city. It will also alert on alternative routes to avoid being stuck in traffic blocks.

There is a Traffic Help Desk for any emergency, e-challans status finder, traffic statistics, Complaints on getting wrong challan, a list of towing zones and parking places in the city.

Every Day...Mother's Day !

Being mom is the best and craziest thing in the world. As I always say, “the Psychologist and Counsellor in me goes for a toss” when it comes to my soon-to-be-nine, daughter. She is my most precious little angel. I love her! But she can quickly turn into my most precious little devil too.

I am amazed, how cool she is about her school, teachers, homework, grades, etc. I always have a feeling , it is I who is studying in the 4^th grade, it is my homework, my exams, my studies… and just before her exams, my friends convey their “All the best” messages to me. I also receive the “Congrats & You did well” messages when she gets good marks. Didn’t I tell you being mom is the best and the craziest…

It turned crazier when she shared her aspirations with me. We are in Kolkata Airport at 5.30 am to board a flight; she gives admiring and enviable glances at the airhostesses. I was feeling sleepy and grumpy and she kept pulling my hand and when I clenched my teeth and asked her, what is it? She said these airhostesses are so lucky. I asked, why? She said, they can wear makeup and lipstick all the time and look good. And in the same breath declared, therefore I want to be an airhostess. The reason: I don’t allow her to use lipstick. Can anything be crazier for a mom at 5.30 am?

Yesterday, she unexpectedly questioned me – Do you like One Child, two or three Children? I casually said “three” and I saw her face fall and she asked why? I had to answer something, so I said because we are three siblings and so was the same with her dad. As I told her this, she starts howling, and said “that means you don’t love me because I am the only Child and I don’t want any brother or sister”. I felt like yelling “Are you mad”, but instead took her close to me and hugged her. I told her, I love her the most and she is very important to me. She said “I love you mom” and held on to me very tightly…I grasp for breath, I understand she has had a bad day with friends. It was indeed a mother’s day, isn’t it?

Enjoy being a MOM !!!

Please Vote

We were prepared to go and vote today and my Father-in-law went ahead of us and came back after half an hour, saying that our names were not in the voters list. He was asked to go to some other place and find our names. So he went around and came back with some incomplete slips. In the meanwhile my neighbour told me that the voters list was available with all relevant details on the Web. So I thought I may as well share this information as we found ours.

The Website is Find your Polling Booth. It is the Final Electoral Rolls SSR-2009 Published of 23 Assembly Constituencies of Hyderabad District.

Cheering the Chargers !

Look who's cheering the Chargers...

Adithi was excited about meeting Deccan Chargers Cricketers at the Hyderabad Airport in the early hours of April 9th, 2009. The team left for South Africa to participate in the DLF IPL 2009 tournament. Adithi cheered the Deccan Chargers and took their autographs. She was very impressed with Mohd Shoaib, a new talented bowler of Deccan Chargers and found him very cute.

Adithi with T. Suman & Mohd Shoaib

Taking autograph from Pragyan Ohja

Autograph from Abhinav Kumar

Adithi - the young cricket fan

Meeting Actor Venkatesh

I and my husband had the opportunity to attend the PUMA Deccan Chargers Apparel Launch Party at 360 ° pub in Hyderabad on April 1, 2009.

360 ° Pub is a happening place, very popular with film stars and Page 3 crowd. The ambiance is too good and it has a big dance floor. The restaurant serves some great food and the setting is romantic. It is a nice place for couples who enjoy to dance and have a good drink. Anyway we being non-drinkers, enjoyed the mocktails and starters. The owner of the pub Raj Singh is a great host. The DJ was playing some peppy Bollywood numbers. Some of the cricketers had a good dance after the launch and introductions.

The highlight of the party was meeting Telugu film actor Venkatesh. I like him and his movies, so it was nice seeing him in person and talking to him. I felt he looks smarter in person than in films. He was very cordial and polite. My husband took his autograph for our daughter. He happily posed with us for a snap.

The Deccan Chargers were in town for a practice session before leaving for South Africa for the IPL tournament. RP Singh, Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Venugopal Rao and others were present that evening. We also met Venkatpathi Raju.

While having our dinner, actor Sumanth walked in and as we were leaving, actress Ramya Krishna was entering with Tamil actor Arya. So it was an evening spent with celebrities.

Information Galore - 10

Consumers : Be Alert, Stay Safe !

You are an Aware Consumer if you...

• Don't pay more than M.R.P.
• Don't let advertisements mislead you.
• Insist on Warranty Card.
• Always ask for a receipt.
• Check expiry date.
• Check net weight.

Consumers can call: National Consumer Helpline No. 1800-11-4000 Toll Free from BSNL/MTNL Lines.

011-27662955,56,57,58 (Normal Call Charges Apply) Between 9.30 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Saturday.

Courtesy: "Jago Grahak Jago", issued in public interest by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Deccan chronicle, Hyderabad Ed, dated March 16, 2009.

Oscars 2009 - Jai ho

What a day it was! I was glued to the TV since 8.00 am to watch the 81st Oscar Academy Awards presentation ceremony at the Kodak Theater, Hollywood, USA. "Slumdog Millionaire "bagging 8 Oscars out of the 10 nominations was just superb.

But the proudest moment for us Indians was Resul Pookutty winning the Oscar for Sound Mixing and the very talented A. R. Rahman for original score and original song for the movie of the year " Slumdog Millionaire."

Both the winners gave a very touching and original thanksgiving speech. Rahman said " The essence of the film is optimism and hope. All through my life I had the choice of love and hate…I chose love and I am here.” It reinforced my belief in the word "Hope."

Resul Pookutty said "I come from a country and a civilization that has given the universal word. That word is preceded by silence, followed by more silence. That word is 'Om.' So I dedicate this award to my country. Thank you, Academy, this is not just a sound award, this is history being handed over to me." What a tribute to your country ! Jai Ho !

Information Galore - 9

ATTENTION TELECOM CONSUMERS !


Are you aware of the guidelines issued by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) regarding Value Added Services ?

• The fact is that no chargeable value added service shall be provided to a customer without his/her explicit consent.

• The subscriber for international roaming can opt a particular ring back tone from their service provider to avoid unwanted / unimportant calls by indicating message to the calling party in the ring back tone about his/her international roaming status.

National Consumer Helpline No: 1800-11-4000


Courtesy : Advertisement "Jago Grahak Jago", issued in public interest by TRAI & Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Govt of India in The Times of India, Hyderabad, February 19, 2009

Dollar Bahu by Sudha Murthy - Book Review

For quite sometime now, I desired to read Sudha Murthy's novels in Kannada. But somehow I did not do it. Last week I went to a well known book store "Akshara" in Hyderabad to buy a book as birthday gift for a friend's son and laid my hands on "Dollar Bahu" - an English novel by Sudha Murthy, originally written in Kannada and translated into many Indian Languages. The book is published by Penguin Books, India and priced at Rs. 150/- which I feel is slightly on the expensive side. The novel comprises of 142 pages.

Dollar Bahu is certainly a short and sweet novel. The story is simple and well told, like the author says in the preface - "This story can happen in any part of India but I have set it in Karnataka, the region most familiar to me". As I read the book I could sense the protagonist's emotions and travails.

The story revolves around a middle class family and how the lure of the Dollar affects relationships within that family. Sudha Murthy hopes that this story will show some families that love and affection can be more important than money. And I think she has successfully conveyed her sentiments.

Vinuta, the protagonist is an orphan who lives in Dharwad. She is a beautiful girl , hardworking, sweet natured and a talented singer. Chandra Shekar, an Engineer from Bangalore is posted in Dharwad and stays as a tenant in her house. He likes her and wishes to propose to her, but his ambition to settle well monetarily or rather to fulfill his mother Gouramma's ambition to see her son earn loads of money and marry off her daughter Surabhi into a well to do family.

Chandra Shekar's destiny takes him to the land of opportunities - The United States of America. Vinuta's destiny brings her to Banagalore and she becomes a teacher in the school where Chandra Sekhar's father Shamanna works as a School teacher. Shamanna is a simple, kindhearted gentleman and a highly regarded teacher. Again destiny brings Chandra Shekhar's younger brother Girish, a bank clerk and a good human being into Vinuta's life and she marries him and starts living with his family in Bangalore.

Meanwhile Chandra Shekhar settles in the United States and sends his mother Dollars, which keeps her happy as it has brought affluence to her family . Though Girish and Vinuta take care of the household and parents, their contribution is ignored by Gouramma and she constantly picks at Vinuta, but Shamanna cares about them and he is supportive of his daughter-in-law . And more trouble starts for Vinuta when Chandra Shekar marries a rich girl, Jamuna from Bangalore. Jamuna becomes the "Dollar Bahu" for Gouramma and Vinuta is subject to constant comparisons and humiliation.

Gouramma decides to visit her son and daughter-in-law in the United States. Her stay in that country makes her realize the importance of human relationships, and that the love and respect she got back home, cannot be bought by Dollars. The story ends on a positive note with an unexpected twist.

Dollar Bahu definitely qualifies for a good, light and meaningful reading. My rating of "Dollar Bahu" *****

My Ratings:

***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** OK
* Yuck

The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan - Book Review

The first book I read this year is "The Zoya Factor" by Anuja Chauhan. It is the author's first novel, published by Harper Collins, India and priced at Rs. 295/- . Anuja Chauhan is an advertising professional who has penned the famous Pepsi advertisement liner "Yeh Dil Maange More".

The novel is set in the backdrop of the advertising and cricket scenario in India. Anuja has used her knowledge and experience of the advertising world, to perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it hilarious, especially the usage of the Rupa Underwear and Banian advertisement's liner " yeh toh bada toinnngg hai" at various contexts. While listening to FM Radio on my way to work everyday, I hear this advertisement and rumble with laughter. Initially, I used to think that I was hearing the word "toinnngg" wrongly or was unable to grasp the word. Now, I know for sure what the word means.

The story revolves around, the young advertising executive, Zoya Singh Solanki who was born the moment India clinched the Prudential World Cup in 1983. During her advertising assignment with the Indian Cricket team, she happens to have her breakfast with them and casually mentions that the Indian team had won a match previously on one such occasion when she had her breakfast with them. The event is recollected by some members of the team and it is prophetically followed by, the Indian team winning that day's match and some of the team players strongly believing in this phenomenon. But the new talented Skipper of the Indian team Nikhil Khoda does not believe in this luck factor. Zoya is now pursued by the IBCC -Indian Board of Cricket Control's eccentric President Jogpal Lohia to accompany the Indian team to Australia for the tenth ICC World Cup . The cricket crazy nation is also in a frenzy over Zoya's luck factor and elevate her to the status of a Goddess.

Zoya's dilema over her 'lucky' status, offers of big money from major companies to advertise their brand, her feelings for the dashing Skipper and manipulations by the IBCC's President form the crux of this well written and easily readable novel, The Zoya Factor.

My rating of The Zoya Factor ***** .


My Ratings:

*****Excellent

****Good

***Average

**OK

*Yuck

The year that was...

The year 2008 has been an eventful year with few ups and lots of down 'moments' for me, personally and professionally. Last year on 31 st December I and my family ushered in the New year at Kolkata with my mom and brothers and their families. Mom was always very enthusiastic about welcoming the New year by cutting a cake at the stroke of midnight and holding us close to her, would wish us with a hug, followed by lighting diyas and saying a small prayer for a healthy and peaceful New Year. We, her children were her world and everything she did was for our well being. I will miss wishing her in person, but memories of her vibrant and enthusiastic spirit brings to me a smile and a tear at the same time.

The last week of this year was eventful for me, as my 8 year old daughter took off on her first week long vacation alone, to Bangalore. Adithi was very keen to visit her paternal cousin, Chinmayi who is 9 months younger to her. They are very fond of each other. Luckily, our family friends who were travelling to Bangalore were happy to take her along and bring her back, and Adithi was more than delighted to travel with them. She was received at the railway station by Arun mama and had a great time in Bangalore playing non stop with Chinmayi and her friends; visiting Wonder La, Bangalore Zoo, a local exhibition, restaurant and shopping malls. She relished all the tasty snacks prepared by her Latha atte.

We spoke to her everyday and she did say she missed us, but I am not too sure about it. We throughly missed her histrionics, but nonetheless had a good time watching "Rab ne bana di jodi ", in a theater. I seem to have come out of my lethargy and suddenly grown fond of the friendly neighbourhood cinema house. Last month saw "Dostana" and liked both the movies. My sister-in-law Suma, a movie and theater buff is very excited about this latest development in my life. I am sure her nephew Aditya, another movie and theater buff will be pleased. He writes great movie reviews.

On a closing note, just before my daughter was leaving for Hyderabad, I called her to give some last minute instructions which obviously disrupted her playing session. I told her to thank her aunt and uncle, and she promptly asked me WHY ? and I began my sermon about them having taken her to visit so many places and got her gifts etc and the fact that she had enjoyed her vacation with them. Her reply was OH ! and as I am still on the phone she yells, " Latha atte, my mom tells me to thank you" and I can overhear my sister-in-law say, Why ? and my daughter yells back " my mom says because you have taken me to Wonder La ... blah...blah..." . I went, " NOT AGAIN Baby" and rumbled with laughter. She returned yesterday morning with lots of goodies which included 2 packets of crayons and a pencil box. She showed them to me and before I could say anything, she proudly stated "See haven't I chosen useful things for gifts". I am mighty pleased by the fact that she understands the word Useful.

So cheers to the child's innocence and the learning process and hope the New Year 2009 will bring peace and happiness to all of us. Have a great year ahead !