Hungry for heroes

If you're an Indian like me, chances are that you would rever one or more of the following
1. Amitabh Bachchan
2. Shahrukh Khan
3. Sachin Tendulkar

In addition to this "big guys club" we always have people whom we take to the top and then bring them to the ground. But lets not waste our time in trivia. Lets talk facts.

Why do you think this nation of 1.2 billion, we don't produce any world beaters, world champions, or even world class players? Or actors?

The answer lies in the psyche of the Indian populace. And our upbringing. We, as a people are so hungry for heroes that we go gaga over anyone who does even fairly anywhere. We rever them. We adore them. We pray for them. And we end up giving them much more than their fair share, much before its due.

A sportsman, like anyone else is fuelled by a desire to get the accolades. A desire to be the cynosure of all eyes. A desire to be applauded, to be talked about. And when you get that, what's left to take you ahead? Precious nothing.

I am reminded of tons of people who got accolades before it was due. And faded into the oblivion before one could say the word "fade". Some might recall a guy called Limba Ram. He was supposedly a world record breaking archer. He ended not even clearing the heats. PT Usha who burst into the national scene with her golds at Asian Games, was out in the heats in the Olympics. In cricket, how many times did we hear that Yuvraj Singh was the guy India had been looking for after his performance in the Natwest Series. And how many times he's been in and out of the team after that, and performed?

The latest is Sania Mirza who's already "achieved a celebrity status", is an "advertiser's dream" and what not. Rubbing shoulders with politicians and speaking on women's meet isn't what you should be doing at 18, when you're a sportsperson. Basking in the glory comes with its fair price. Unfortunately, nither the Indians realize this, not the sportspersons themselves.

Narain KArthikeyan generated the same brouhaha last year when he made it to F1. A string of 17th ranks later, no one talks about him anymore. To be fair to him, he does come across someone who's his head over his shoulders.

Not the same for Sania.

I'd be glad if she does as well at French Open as she did at Australian Open and breaks into top 50 and does even better next year. But I admit, I am more optimistic than hopeful.

Call me the doubting thomas, but I'd say just wait and watch.

The humble telephone

Some days ago I read that after the discovery of the telephone by AG Bell, the then US President Rutherford Hayes commented "It's a great invention but who would want to use it anyway?".

Imagine if you didn't have a phone.
1. You could not call up home every weekend to ask how your parents were doing.
2. You could not hear your little niece in years.
3. You could not tell your friend that you were sick and would not be able to come and play.
4. You could not ask your friend for directions if you got lost.
5. You could not dial 911 for emergency.
6. You would be wondering what it means in the forms where they mention "Home telephone number"
7. You could not set up a wake up alarm call.
8. You could not talk about Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and the likes.

More than 1 century later, I am trying to imagine life without the humble telephone.

But I can't. Can you?