Field of dreams

Mukul Kesavan is the author of Men in White: A Book of Cricket, Looking Through Glass, and Secular Common Sense. While Looking Through Glass is a novel that takes place at the heart of the Hindu-Muslim riots during the independence era as narrated through an anonymous photographer, in Secular Common Sense (a political tract) Mukul argues that secularism is, and always has been, the political common sense of the Indian republic. The third book Men In White: A Book of Cricket, however, is, as the name suggests, all about cricket; with a history of how the game has fared and progressed through the years, the advent, and implementation, of technology, as well as profiles of various Indian heroes to have donned the whites.

Fervent cricket fan and writer, Mukul says he ‘wanted to become a particular kind of author, a novelist, because reading fiction was the thing that gave me the most pleasure as a child. So, I wrote a novel on the partition of the subcontinent called Looking Through Glass and then a short book on politics and religion in India called Secular Common Sense.’

As for the inspiration for and objective behind Men In White, he says: ‘Men in White is a good example of how an ambitious magazine can encourage particular sorts of non-fiction writing. I had written the odd piece on cricket when, in the year 2000, Wisden Asia Cricket (WAC), a monthly magazine, began publishing out of Bombay. It carried vivid, informed and adventurous writing about cricket which was literate without being self-consciously literary. I knew I was never going to set aside time to write a book on cricket, so writing regularly for WAC (that later mutated into the Cricinfo magazine) seemed a way of making that book painlessly. Once I got going, I wrote about cricket for other newspapers and magazines, but in the main it was contingent upon WAC just happening.’

Luckily he has not had to face any problems publishing his books: ‘Not publishing, just writing them and that is the hard part! I sent my novel off to an agent in London who agreed to represent me and sold it there and elsewhere. The next two books, both non-fictions, were published by Penguin India. Permanent Black, an Indian imprint that mainly publishes academic work, will publish a collection of essays I have written over several years that is called The Ugliness of the Indian Male and Other Findings. I am lucky to be writing at a time when a generation of Indian writing in English has helped create an audience and a professional book publishing industry in the country.’

As for the act of writing itself he admits, ‘My difficulty has been falling into a productive routine. I should have a structured writing day, but so far I have not had one. I’ve written in fits and starts, in little bursts, which is not a good way to set about ambitious writing. I am trying to reform so I can get to the end of my second novel.’

His readers, however, have had no complaints: ‘The reviews have been enthusiastic and readers enjoyed reading the book. I have had a couple of mistakes unearthed by alert readers (in one instance, I got the name of a cricket stadium wrong!) which should make the paperback version of the book better. But all in all, the response has been pleasing so far. I was shortlisted for a couple of best first novel prizes when Looking Through Glass was published. The Yorkshire Post award for Best First Novel and the Los Angeles Times prize for the same category. Unfortunately, I didn’t win either.’

Listing the books and authors that have inspired him, he says ‘Sticking to cricket, I think the three best cricket books I have read are Beyond a Boundary by CLR James, Anyone but England by Mike Marqusee, and A Corner of a Foreign Field by Ramachandra Guha.

‘However, the book that prompted me to write Men In White was a book about baseball, Triumph and Tragedy in Mudville, a book by the great paleontologist and evolutionary theorist, Stephen Jay Gould. For every deluded fan who thinks he can make up for his hopelessness with the bat and ball with his blinding insights into the game, this is the book to read for encouragement! It’s a great example of how a first-rate mind trained to consider matters scientific, can light up a game using the same attitude of disciplined curiosity.’

Like the majority of cricket followers around the world, the author has also formed an opinion of Australia; the worthy world champions but not everyone’s favourites due to their on-field behaviour, their pompous attitude (they do have a right to that, mind you) and the respect (or lack of) shown towards their competitors. However, as before, like most people who have been following the real cricket, from its glory days, before the Packer invasion, before the advent of technology, and before the 13-degree bend became a topic of conversation, he rates the mighty West Indies as the true soul-bearers of test cricket.

‘About the Australians there’s no question that they are bona fide world champions. You would have to be daft to be in denial about that. However, I do think that they are unattractive compared to their predecessors, the West Indies, but that’s separate from the fact that they’re indisputably number one. They have, after all, won the World Cup three times in a row.’

And as for his greatest cricket moment, ‘That, I can safely say, has to be V.V.S. Laxman’s 281 against Australia in Calcutta during the 2001 test series. That innings helped India beat Australia after following-on in that match and eventually helped them take the series 2-1 against a team which had won 16 (or was it 17?) tests in a row up until that point.’

Apart from writing, Mukul also teaches social history at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, as well as blogging on Cricinfo. According to him, his ‘credentials for writing about the game are founded on a spectatorial axiom: distance brings perspective’ as he is fond of the game, but only from a distance. He has a large readership on Cricinfo and attracts a horde of comments on every post he makes, be it on India’s coach selection, or the worthy successor to the throne of the ICC (a post that came about as a reply to an article by one of Cricinfo’s editors, and got the world involved). It helps when you have been to the media gallery at Lord’s.

© Faras Ghani 2007

Published in Books & Authors (Dawn) 26th Aug 2007

It's rocking!

An awe-inspiring finale to a constructive and colourful festival; Rock Your Shanaakht not only drew the largest — and most vociferous — of crowds but also witnessed thunderous applause from seated guests that would have seldom graced that indoor auditorium.

With the inspiring Shanaakht backdrop, the stage lineup consisted of Taal Kharisma, Ali Alam, Zeb & Haniya with ADP’s collaborative efforts with the latter two before their own virtuoso performance. Saad Haroon, father and former member of Blackfish, was handed the responsibility of hosting the event and a 20-minute slot to get the audience’s stomachs rolling before they got their heads banging.

Initiating the euphonic passage of play, Taal Kharisma, a group of final-year students at National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA), captivated the public with an intro that consisted of tapping hands on knees, blown-up cheeks and the snapping of fingers. All in a rhythm, of course. With Gul Mohammad on the sarangi, Farhan Anwar on keyboards, Ahsan Bari on guitar and Josh Fernandez on percussions and drums, there was plenty of instruments, sounds and activities to watch out for as displayed in the brief on-stage stint with C’est La Vie and Soul.

A short delay hindered the proceedings (providing a deserving break) as the equipment was ushered off and the stage revamped to a more standing, and vocal, act of Ali Alam (remember Ganda Banda?). Taking lead, Ali, assisted by Omar Bilal Akhtar (OBA) on guitars and backing vocals, Yasir Qureshi, the maestro Darbukian and the menacingly ferocious drumbeats of Omar Khalid, dived in right away. An apt delivery of Jaanay Walay and Raat Jagi shoved the soothing and calm atmosphere that previously prevailed due to Taal Kharisma. Hum Na Rahay, Ali Alam’s final performance of the night, however, sent cronies head-banging and speaker cones begging for mercy as Rock took centre stage.

Perhaps to calm things down or maybe the need for pretty faces was pressingly felt, Zeb & Haniya were introduced to the Karachi audience for the very first time. As pertinently put forward to the world by the act, Z&H were not just two pretty ladies from Lahore and Islamabad (well, they are, but there is more). Performing Rona Chor Diya, the blues-inspired Aitebaar and rounding thing off with Chup, which had the audience shushing each other for a long time, the duo had a pleasant and glitch-free synch not only between themselves, but also the supporting cast of ADP. Zeb & Haniya had clearly gained admirers in Karachi as well.

As the pony-tailed Imran Lodhi appeared with a smile to join his ADP members, the crowd braced themselves for a clobbering of culmination to the event. OBA, with his pre-concert verdict of “it’s going to be one hell of a night” did his all to stick to that. And succeed he did. Opening with Sultanat, which has hit the radio waves and television screens by a storm, ADP once again stimulated an excellent night of rock to a truly exceptional one. A solo by OBA, lead by Imran, conjury of the often-forgotten Yasir and brief solo by Omar Akhtar comprised ADP’s sojourn on-stage.

And then came Meray Dost. Probably the loudest and the most complete single by the band, a pruned (from 19 minutes to about five minutes) version of Meray Dost not only allowed for individual brilliances, but a sign-off to an event that should have enlightened Karachiites about the history of the nation, providing that much inspiration to be a part of a better future.

© Faras Ghani 2007

Published in Images (Dawn) 19th Aug 2007

The countdown that was

The Last Days of The Raj depicts the struggle faced by not only the once-knotted community of India that comprises Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, but also the British forces in getting the Congress and Muslim League to reach a compromise when it came to dividing India.

This Channel4 documentary is sure to be centre of a few controversies. With insights from people within touching distance of the likes of Gandhi, Nehru and Jinnah, The Last Days of The Raj depicts the rush of blood that forced hasty decisions, including the appointment of Sir Cyril Radcliffe to draw out the borders. Radcliffe, it must be mentioned, had never been to India before and had only read about the wonders, the conflicts and the amount at stake.

Featuring Gandhi’s grandson, Nehru’s niece, an All India Radio presenter and a presence from the Mountbatten abode, we not only get personal opinions of what should and should not have happened, but also what was supposed to happen and did not; from the days when the Muslims and Hindus were fighting to rid India of the British monarch, to the presenting of the Two-Nation theory. And from how Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim voice, termed a westerner due to his attire and lifestyle, to how he suddenly changed to a more accepted set of clothing (and a Jinnah cap), we see the tragedy that befell the suffering public as Partition was brought forward by over 10 months.

Much of the first-half is about Lord Mountbatten convincing Jinnah to drop the idea of a separate nation. With Gandhi offering Jinnah the position of prime minister, an order reluctantly accepted by the Nehru-led Congress after warning Gandhi of severe consequences by the masses, a truce was in sight. However, with Jinnah’s repeated refusals led by “the cow I wish to eat is worshipped by the Hindus and every time I shake a Hindu’s hand, he needs to wash it” left Mountbatten with no choice but to allow Radcliffe to draw the lines behind closed doors.

Not knowing what side of the border their homes may end up, a chaos was given birth to. Swords were drawn to slay the opposition; Sikhs were killed by Muslims, a severe retaliation saw the tide turn the other way as well. Trains full of emigrants attacked and no one spared. Wives, sisters and daughters were attacked and raped as the men were cut open. With over a million people killed and over 14 million displaced, the Partition days brought more misery and bloodshed than during the entire British rule over India.

The Last Days of The Raj depicts a balanced view of what happened during Partition and how the British found India in a disastrous state and left it worse off. It is a story of many individuals with conflicting desires, a story of sacrifices, and a story strange decision-making.

© Faras Ghani 2007

Published in Images (Dawn) 19th Aug 2007

Loose cannon

There’s never a dull moment in Shoaib Akhtar’s life. He is always in the news for one reason or the other. Sometimes it is his shaky fitness that forces him not to play international cricket and on other occasions he is facing some kind of charge that keeps him under the spotlight.

The latest being that Shoaib has been fined $3,000 for leaving the fitness and training camp early at the National Stadium, Karachi, and without seeking the manager’s approval as well as not being present at the disciplinary hearing. The camp comprised fitness drills as well as practice Twenty20 matches between the two probable teams in order to prepare for the forthcoming inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.

As he returned to international cricket after a long lay-off due to injury and a ban related to charges of using performance-enhancing drugs, Shoaib was, as expected, eager to prove a point. The point, however, was dismissed ruthlessly by the surprisingly assertive batsmen on the opposing team who, for a change, looked in command while out in the middle. The show of power owed much, though, to the flat track and the scorching Karachi afternoons that had deprived the speed-merchant of the vigour and zeal that’s associated with his bowling.

Add to all of that, the question mark over his fitness. Shoaib faced a severe case of dehydration and was ushered back to the caring hands of the trainer in the dressing room. What followed was a broken mirror, a complaint of a stiff neck and Shoaib was never again witnessed at the camp.

The team of selectors then announced the 15-man squad to board the plane to South Africa for the championship and Shoaib’s name, along with many others’ whose wasn’t, made the headlines. Shoaib has played only a solitary day of Test cricket and a handful of ODIs in the last 14 months. He was pulled out from the Champions Trophy after a urine sample proved he had taken nandrolone, a performance-enhancing drug. Different versions were presented to the jury as to why and how that substance made its way into his, and Mohammad Asif’s, body. And as we all saw, Shoaib and Asif were cleared.

What followed was a day in the field against South Africa where we all thought Shoaib was back. A satisfying performance and a televised argument later (with the coach Bob Woolmer at the time), Shoaib was back on the stretcher again. Omitted from the West Indies-bound team for the World Cup due to injury concerns (although the nandrolone-factor won more votes from the doubters) Shoaib’s career was sliding back into oblivion, as far as his cricket was concerned, at least.

As with injuries with him before, Shoaib emerged confident and ‘fitter’, although he wasn’t selected for the Abu Dhabi tour and was later dropped from the Asian XI squad for fitness reasons and was said to be carrying extra baggage after the training camp in Abbottabad. The determination and the will to prove them wrong took Shoaib on a rectification path and the lighter international load allowed him to ‘invest time in himself’.

Shoaib’s attitude has always been mystifying. Even his peers have taken to that. Inzamam’s public outburst against him during the home series against England, when he ‘chose’ not to bowl and was duly able to smack a few around the ground, being the prime example. Shoaib has been tagged his own man, an individual, a spotlight-hogger. He, in my opinion, with over 370 international wickets and a horde of bruises that he inflicted on batsmen (physically and psychologically) does deserve some.

Shoaib’s aggression off the field, however, remains mysterious and bewildering. However, it’s the attitude of those who don’t know him and still choose to comment is more shocking. The mirror incident at the training camp was a frustration-venting act. The alleged violence and usage of obscene language at the PCB headquarters that landed him the latest of his fines was apparently brewed by an official’s tone while speaking to his family. However, what the world saw was a broken mirror and heard an array of foul words.

Going by the one-off meeting, I would say Shoaib is just about as human as any of us. He had aspired to become the world’s fastest bowler. He has had problems within his playing circle and even during his short stint with county cricket. Some say he chases fame and doesn’t concentrate on cricket. They probably haven’t seen Shoaib standing in the Edinburgh rain signing autographs for youngsters as well as imparting cricket knowledge to them.

Shoaib once told someone, “Everyone says 11 men make a winning team. They don’t. It’s the fast bowlers that win you matches.”

He has certainly proved that in the past. The public awaits another glimpse of that, maybe not in the dramatic form of shelling Brian Lara on all fours or the infamous Kolkata (Calcutta) inswingers to Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, but in the form of speed, aggression and most importantly, the sight of Shoaib donning the green and whites, on a regular basis.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published in Magazine (Dawn) 19th Aug 2007

In tune with future

While attendance at this year’s ITCN Asia International Conference and Exhibition remained low, the intermittent monsoon showers to be blamed for that, the quality of visitors and the legitimacy of interest was as deplorable as previous years.

The exhibition, in its seventh year of running, comprised over 320 stalls occupied by 130 exhibitors that, which were attended by over 10,000 visitors including international and local corporate guests and delegates, IT professionals, investors as well as students. There also existed, in large majority, the fervent fun-loving individuals who had braved the threatening and testing weather conditions to attend the exhibition in anticipation of yet another freebie galore as it rained bags, pens, badges and T-shirts. All this, while some families enjoyed a day out.

Contradicting this, Ashar Noman, speaking on behalf of Ecommerce Gateway, the event organisers, said: “We do get a fair few uninterested people whose sole purpose in life is to enter empty-handed and leave with whatever free stuff, including leaflets, they can get their hands on. However, majority of visitors witnessed in these halls are genuinely interested personnel who visit ITCN, the exhibition and conference, to get enlightened on new happenings in the technology world.”

ITCN, according to him, allows the smaller companies and individuals to witness technology, and its advent and spread under one roof that would otherwise be impossible for them to see or even hear about otherwise.

“Since we invite foreign companies and delegates to this exhibition, our visitors get to see how people in foreign countries think and how they use the tools and knowledge available to them. You can’t expect these people to visit events such as these abroad for reasons that are obvious.”

But does it really help the smaller companies located in Pakistan? According to a few present at the exhibition, yes.

“ITCN gives us a chance to present our products and solutions to customers and well as the general public in a collective manner,” a spokesperson for Amyn Associates confirmed. “Neither do we need to go out and advertise hoping that a customer pays heed and visits us, nor do we have to wait till someone actually requires those services or products. Being present at this exhibition, it enables a company like ours to approach them and make them aware of our existence and services and by offering special discount, we not only increase our sales instantly, but also build a stable customer-base for the future.”

Amyn Associates seemed to have greatly benefited from their presence at ITCN last year as well with a reported 40 per cent increase in sales resulting directly from the exhibition. However, the consensus on the level of interest in technology within the crowd is agreed as previously.

“Although we tend to benefit due to the presence of genuinely interested people in the crowd, I would say that only 30 per cent of what you see here can be counted as part of that.”

So why have such a huge event if only 30 per cent are interested?

“Because the scope of information technology in Pakistan is now huge,” Ashar said. “You have a neighbouring country like India as a technology giant and you have China breathing down as well. There is no way Pakistan can afford to stay too far back anymore.”

It is perhaps due to that vision that the city government decided to establish the IT Complex in Karachi. Due to be completed in 2008, as hoped by CDGK officials present at ITCN, it will not just be the exterior structure that will dazzle one and all.

“Even though the project is entirely funded by foreign investment, the companies operating in the premises will all be local. There will be call centres, IT departments and small companies who will get the guidance as well as exposure to take their business, and Pakistan’s economy forward, and in turn, increase the level of interest and awareness in the public,” a CDGK spokesman said.

With so much effort being put into how things are shaping up for the future in terms of infrastructure and technology, students, the future workforce, were being treated indifferently at the event.

“The event is closed for general public and students are not allowed to visit in uniforms,” the organisers told us. “This is due to reluctance on international delegates’ part as they deem it unprofessional.”

A bizarre statement and strategy given that up till now, it was all about how these companies and the events can help draw a better future for Pakistan’s IT industry. However, the fair few students who did manage to make it past security had mostly positive response for an event they were not the centre of attention.

“It is an excellent opportunity for us to come across the technology that is shaping the world today, something that we would never have been able to fall upon otherwise,” said a 2nd-year engineering student.

According to a computer science student, such events not only create awareness in the public, especially students who are aspiring towards creating their own software and hardware, but also come face-to-face with it. This is far better than reading about it on the internet or watching them on a television programme.”

Sir Syed Institute of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) seemed to have benefited well from ITCN. Final-year students who have had their projects displayed in the exhibition have, in the past, been approached by professionals present at the event and handed internship opportunities, guidance and even permanent employment offered to them.

“Here, we don’t have to go running around searching for the right contacts and the right channels. We have people head-hunting and by presenting our projects to them, we get the chance to interact with the right person without wasting time,” a SSUET student said.

Emphasis on students had formed a general trend even with the entry restrictions that had been placed. Arena Multimedia, for example, had set up a stall to offer guidance and information on how multimedia (three-dimensional and video) had now taken off and how imperative it was for technology students to be aware and in command of that.

“Media is the fastest growing sector in Pakistan. With new television channels, production houses and magazines cropping up, requirement for design has increased considerably,” Asma Fazil, a multimedia instructor, said.

The Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) had also thought of it as a worthy venture to set up a stall with 18 of its partner companies. However, theirs seemed to be a lackadaisical affair, with minimal interest due to the lack of giveaways.

The Marketing Officer for PSEB, Ayesha Ahmed, was quite aware of the situation, both in terms of how Pakistan is faring in the technology world and how freebies play an essential part of drawing crowds.

“Out of the 40 per cent people that are actually interested in what the companies really have to offer apart from freebies, students have made up a big number. Freebies do, however, play an integral role in bringing people to your stalls. From then on, it is the quality of information that you disseminate that keeps or breaks their attention.”

On initial thoughts, ITCN Asia provided an entertainment mode for the otherwise starved Karachiites. However, the amount of information gained from the experts solely depended on the individuals seeking it. And even though the telecom companies gathered the largest crowds, an ardent hoard of cronies, thanks mainly to the ample supply of T-shirts and caps, there was vital information being etched onto the visitors’ brains. Increasing the level of awareness is a gradual process and has to be undertaken in a sly manner. The methods chosen appeared crummy, but were effective as now a commoner knew that a mobile phone can be used for functions other than calls and text messaging.

And even though this writer left the event without any freebies (perhaps the only one), there prevailed a serene level of satisfaction that the future of information technology in Pakistan is on the road to recovery at a decent pace.

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published in Sci-tech World (Dawn) 18th Aug 2007

Yousuf and Razzaq omitted from Twenty20

Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq have been omitted from the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.

Misbah-ul-Haq, back in the side after three years in the wilderness, and Fawad Alam, the talented young allrounder, have been chosen as replacements while left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman, who took a hat-trick in the last of the practice matches in Karachi, also makes a comeback.

"Mohammad Yousuf is a world-class player. However, we have decided to give him a break because we want him fit and fresh for the following series and include some new faces for the South Africa tour," Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, said.

Yousuf was not disappointed at being left out of the team and was confident that it would not affect his long-term future. "Selection was in God's hands and I can't force myself into the team." When asked if he felt he could perform in this format of the game, Yousuf said: "You will have to ask the selectors".

While Misbah has not represented Pakistan for over three years, his record in the shortest version of the game, including an unbeaten century, impressed the selectors. Alam also had a phenomenal domestic Twenty20 tournament last year that included a half- century and a five-wicket haul in the final.

Continue reading this on Cricinfo

© Faras Ghani 2007
Published on Cricinfo 7th Aug 2007