World Cup of India

The hangover is still there and it will be there for days to come, for months to come. After 28 long years India has lifted the Cricket World Cup. 1983, when we did it for the first time, no one expected it. In 2011 we have done it when expectations were really high. And that’s why, I feel, it was a tough task. Fulfilling expectations of 1 billion people is a big big achievement.

It was important for India to win it, more than ever before. Not only because it was the last world cup of that outstanding cricketer called Sachin Tendulkar. Yes, he deserved it more than any cricket player in the world; no doubt, but the importance of this world cup win doesn’t end there.

Things have changed drastically since 1983. A lot has happened in the last 28 years. The game itself has changed. But the country and it’s people? Yes change is what even they have gone through. 1991 was the year when India introduced new economic policies and we opened our gates for the whole world to enter. This economic change not only brought imported brands into the country but it also brought a huge change in the mindset of the people of this country. Materialism got more than it’s due and it still is at it’s peak. What followed was greed for money; greed, that has no end.

Several government officials started featuring on the front page of newspapers for all wrong reasons. Scams after scams started to unearth themselves. Not only stockbrokers and politicians but even the commissioner of police has been charged for corruption. The penetration of Internet and FaceBook kept no secrets. India earned a reputation for being one of the most corrupt nations in the world. Last few months saw a new scam finding it’s way to the surface almost every week. Every new scam was bigger than the previous one. And this was indeed disturbing. People like me, an average Indian citizen found the vent for his anger, frustration on social networking sites.

He is hurt; deeply hurt, for the nation he loves is getting robbed by people in power. And he can’t do much than being a mere spectator, a rather helpless spectator.

On Wednesday night when India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit the ball, he not only hit the ball out of the ground but with it he sent the depression of billion Indian minds out in the oblivion. When the ball landed on the other side of the rope the entire country, a giant of more than billion heads jumped with joy. When was the last time we felt such emotions. When was the last time anyone made us feel so proud to be an Indian. In one stroke from his bat he managed what thousands of religious leaders and political speakers have failed to do. He made us proud. When I read status updates written by people born in and after early 80’s, people who represent the young India, the future of the country I realize how important it was to win this cup. ‘Feel so proud to be an Indian’ seems to be the most commonly used phrase last couple of days and that’s according to me is greater an achievement than India’s ICC ranking.

I am aware, with time this emotion will phase out. It will die. Time doesn’t make anything last forever but there is no doubt that at this very moment the entire nation is feeling a sudden surge of positive feeling. And for me, that’s important, that’s important for one to carry on. That’s important for one to keep his hope intact. Vande Mataram!