my inspiration
Atal-Ji
“WITH THE BANNER OF NATIONALISM IN OUR HEARTS TO BUILD UP A MIGHTY INDIA, LET US MARCH FORWARD ON THE PATH OF DUTY. THIS IS NO TIME FOR REST; THIS IS NO OCCASION FOR FALTERING. LET US GO ONWARDS AND ONWARDS, TILL WE REACH THE GOAL.”
SHRI ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE (JULY, 1970, CHANDIGARH)
Born on 25th December 1924, Atal Bihari Vajpayee is a once in a generation leader who set India on the path of progress and prosperity. The strength of conviction, probity, statesmanship and vision for India he displayed over five decades in public life constantly inspire me in all endeavors. He gave a new voice and direction to our political discourse by helping found the Bharatiya Jan Sangh and then the Bharatiya Janata Party. A multifaceted leader, he is a highly regarded writer and poet whose work has shaped my thoughts. His work ‘Unchai’ will forever be my favorite composition along with ‘Aao Phir se Diya Jalaen’.
He was briefly jailed in his youth for taking part in India’s freedom movement. In 1957, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji was first elected to the Lok Sabha, the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru was so impressed by his oratorical skill that he commented to his fellow parliamentarians that this young MP would lead the nation one day. As a leader, Atal Ji was one of the best orators of his generation who attracted huge crowds at rallies. As External Affairs Minister in the Morarji Desai Government, Vajpayee Ji charmed the world with his a stirring speech at the United Nations. Growing up, the video of that speech served as a source of motivation for me.
Atal Ji’s Legacy: Leadership with Heart and Honor
His tireless work over half a century culminated with him leading the BJP and the NDA to power over 3 terms of 13 days, 13 months and a complete 5 year term starting in the late 90s. Vajpayee’s 1998-99 tenure as prime minister was characterized as ‘one year of courage of conviction’. It was during this period that India conducted a series of successive nuclear tests at Pokhran in May 1998. His speech before the fall of the 13 month govt. is said to be among the most moving speeches in Parliament, particularly for his calling on the Congress Party to think of the country than hanker after power. He emphasized his opposition to horse trading (poaching opposition MPs by offering something) to win a majority for his government and that he would come back as prime minister if he deserved to lead the country. He led the NDA to victory in the subsequent elections to resume his duties as Prime Minister.
Being the global statesman that he was, he tried to build bridges with Pakistan through the historic Lahore Bus Yatra. When Pakistan subsequently spurned his hand of friendship and launched the Kargil incursions, he ensured India gave a fitting reply. I consider ‘Operation Vijay’ under Atal Ji’s leadership to thwart Pakistan’s sinister design a high point in his career. He will forever be remembered by the nation for conducting the historic nuclear test in Pokhran in May, 1998 and approving the Chandrayaan-1 mission on August 15, 2003. These steps continue to inspire generations of Indian scientists. He handled tough situations like the attack on the Indian Parliament and the Hijack of IC814 in the best possible way earning respect and goodwill for our nation across the world.
Nation First, Always — The Atal Way
The concept of ‘Good Governance’ in India was introduced by Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji. His work in connecting and upgrading the National Highways of our country through the ‘Golden Quadrilateral’ project displayed an unparalleled vision. The measures he initiated to strengthen the Indian economy delivered high GDP growth rates during his tenure and laid the foundations for India’s high growth trajectory in the 21st century. The ‘New Telecom Policy’ unveiled during Vajpayee’s tenure led to a telecom revolution with telecom penetration rising from below 3% in 1999 to over 75% by 2014.
His charismatic appeal cut across caste, community and religious boundaries. He groomed leaders like Vasundhara Raje Ji, Late Pramod Mahajan Ji, Shivraj Singh Chauhan Ji who are today leading the nation and continuing his good work. His decision to retire from active politics in 2005 displayed an immense faith in the ability of BJP’s next generation leadership to take the country forward. The recent Bharat Ratna awarded to Atal Ji is a just recognition by a grateful nation to a towering leader who gave so much for our
country.
Sachine Tendulkar
Sachine
“I’M REALLY FOCUSING NOW ON HOW I CAN GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL AS A BATSMAN.
HOW CAN I GET EVEN MORE COMPETITIVE?
HOW CAN I GET EVEN MORE CONSISTENT?
HOW CAN I GET BETTER?”
-SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the greatest batsman India and arguably the world has produced is the pride of our nation.
Sachin-Sketch
A 24 year career, where he went to break every record that was there to be broken, all the while shouldering the expectations of a billion Indians requires immense fortitude, equanimity and humility – all attributes I find inspirational.
I am fortunate to have seen him in action since his early days to his last match in Mumbai. Though his generation saw several great performers in Ricky Ponting, Brain Lara, Steve Waugh, Rahul Dravid, etc., he has been the standout sportsperson for multiple
Starting his international career at just 16 years, he displayed a maturity far beyond his age. His grit and supreme skill were tested at a very early age when he faced Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis only to emerge unscathed. reasons.
Sachin: A Symbol of Patience, Passion, and Perfection
His test hundred in Perth, Australia which is considered one of the fastest tracks in the world is a worthy lesson on perseverance and concentration. A gentleman on and off the field, he was all style and aggression with the bat. Sachin’s duel with Shane Warne in 1998 on dusty Indian wickets where he displayed relentless aggression against the leg spin great gave the latter nightmares. He never let himself be distracted by sundry critics always letting his bat do the talking
One misplaced but often repeated critic is that India loses whenever he scored. Out of the 49 centuries he scored in ODIs, India won 33 matches and lost just 16 matches – irrefutable statistical proof of his match winning characteristic. He was a true team player modifying his attacking style in the initial years of his career to being the back bone of the team as the Indian team progressively strengthened with the addition of quality players like Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and V. V. S. Laxman over the years. instead.
His test innings against Pakistan in Chennai where he battled severe back spasms in an attempt to take India home or the century innings against Kenya in the 1999 World Cup just three days after his father’s funeral are proofs that he always put team above self. It was perhaps his unwavering work ethic and approach towards a match and the game as a whole that made him a success. He has stated a number of times that he attached equal importance to all games, be it a Ranji trophy match or a World Cup match.
The God of Cricket, The Hero of Hope
He was unlike any other player in the Indian cricketing circuit at the time when it comes to his ease on the front as well as the back foot. His high level of preparedness, a quick mind and sharp hand eye coordination helped him read the bowler’s mind. Tendulkar’s ability to learn from past mistakes was revealed on an occasion when Australia’s Brad Hodge dismissed him round his legs. After the match, he autographed the ball and wrote “This will never happen again.” Such was his confidence; he was never again dismissed in a similar fashion.
Sachin shared the field with three generations of Indian cricketers transcending different eras and formats of the game. Playing with a high level of motivation at the highest level of the game for nearly a quarter century requires an element of pride in representing India beyond just a love for the game. With his passion and hard work, Sachin delighted his fans and his every outing brought our nation together.
