A New Beginning..!

I wasn’t really sure what to address in this first post of 2010 and therefore thought of writing a review of the last decade and along with it do some crystal gazing for the next. But then haven’t you been reading many such columns that succinctly summarise the decade. So what’s new about this post? …Honestly nothing!

Personally, it is daunting to even attempt and prognosticate how the next decade and New Year 2010 will unfold. I reckon the easiest way to summarize this decade and perhaps even imagine how the new decade could unfold, is to remember Dickens:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”

In “A Tale of Two Cites” , Charles Dickens writes that the French Revolution was inevitable because the aristocracy exploited and plundered the poor, driving them to revolt.

Apparently the London of Dicken’s is eerily alive…Only this time, it is not the French Revolution, or the downturn of tumultuous socialism – instead it is about the global recession, social networks, terrorism, rapid increase in teenage crimes, corporate scams and bankruptcy. It is about the abhorrent social decay, surge in religious fundamentalism and the narrow understanding of secularism. The surge in yellow journalism and electronic media, its perfidy of breaking news, reckless intrusion and the clamour to regulate and control the fourth estate.

It is about political dynasty, corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, growing xenophobia and the continued deprivation and humiliation of common man. It is enamored with antiquated legislations, delayed justice, superficial democracy and the growing indifference with thick geographical boundaries. It is about racism, parochialism, mounting disenchantment and the concomitant clash of civilization between east and west. It is about a flat world excoriated by trade barriers, monopolies, sanctions and regulations. It is about the arrival of new superpower armed with nuclear arsenals. It is about impending tsunamis, melting ice, rising temperatures, global warming, enamored with inane and shameless indifference at Copenhagen.

Amidst these onslaughts, the last decade clearly demonstrates the courageous resilience of developing nations. Towards the end, it promised some bleak signs of revival supported by governmental stimulus and some 'Audacity of hope'!

When it comes to sports, we were fortunate to witness the remarkable achievements of Phelf, the magic of Beckham, the speed of Usain Bolt, the return of Schumacher, the ascent of champion Roger Federer, the arrogance and skills of Williams sister’s. But the decade would be remembered for the shocking revelations of Agassi, the fragile life of sportstars, and the sleazy romps of Tiger Woods.

For India, the last decade was phenomenal. We were finally able to witness Abhinav Bindra winning gold in individual sports, see the arrival of Vijendra, young boxing sensation and the two prodigal lasses - Sania and Saina. Vishwanathan Anand continues to remain the undisputed King of chess for more than two decades.

Hockey has almost become extinct, but Formulae 1 and football promises some hopes. Sadly our interest and patience in cricket have waned, just as we reached the pinnacle. T20, IPL and instant gratification has become a way of life and cricket continues to be administered by politicians, businessmen, bollywood celebrities and marketing moguls. New innovations are being explored and the games alliance with technology would soon become a marriage of convenience.

For the next few years, hopefully the infants in mothers arm would get to witness the legends of the game. Tendulkar still runs and bats like 20 year old, coupled with his dogged passion and Dhoni’s Midas touch, India seems to be poised to clinch the world cup. Sehwag and Dhoni have redefined cricket but it was the fabulous four who crafted the way to make India a champion side. Leadership has got a new definition – sense of conviction, aggression and perseverance cleverly demonstrated by the Prince of Kolkatta, Saurav Ganguly and Anil Kumble and these have become necessary even in the corporate boardrooms. Thankfully, the men who started our ascent to supremacy – Laxman and Dravid with their batting exploits in 2001, will be around to selflessly serve in the new decade.

On the personal and professional front, the decade has given us some wonderful and bitter experiences. Meeting our old friends, colleagues and staying connected with them has been one of the best offerings by the last decade. Internet, search engines, email, mobile and satellite communication have reduced distances but what has generated the loudest buzz … it was the advent of Google, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube that made social networking a bare necessity. But this is just the beginning…

Thankfully the last decade also taught us to live in an age of uncertainty, become more resilient, humble, wise and stronger than before. Nonetheless believe in the old Samurai saying, “Expect the Unexpected” and stop worrying about how the future unfolds.

Looking back, we bid the decade and year 2009 a fond adieu and welcome 2010 with open arms, optimism and dedication. May you experience good tidings and that feeling of joy throughout the next year …and may the next decade be as fruitful, and hopefully more so, than the last.