The curtain falls on the GREATEST Formula1 driver EVER

And it finally came. Michael Schumacher will be retiring after the end of the 2006 season...



After winning an incredible race at Monza in front of thousands and thousands ot tifosi, MSC announced that this race would be his last at Monza, he would leave F1 after the remaining three races. He started off by apologising to his fans about the delay. He described his career, thanked Ferrari, his race crew and engineers, his dad, his late mother, and most importantly, his family - his wife and kids. He also spoke about being very happy about his replacement, but never mentioned his name. He also clarified that the announcement had to come now because Felipe Massa, whom MSC described as a 'great guy and team-mate' had to decide his future, which he could not do without MSC's decision.

There were no tears, no exaggerated emotions, no melodrama. It was MSC being totally forthright touching the chords of millions all around, his fans, and his detractors. It was in this very simple fashion that the curtain has fallen on the greatest Formula1 driver ever.

Yes, the greatest Formula1 driver ever. Yes, better than anyone in this era. Yes, better than anyone in any area. I can hardly stake claim to be a huge MSC fan, I started watching F1 barely 3 years ago, when MSC was already twice as good as anyone in the field. I, sadly, missed the time when he was a mere rookie, but had the greats of that time cowering in fear - messrs Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Damon Hill, amongst others.

Starting out in 1991 in a pathetic Jordan, MSC stamped his authority right in that year qualifying 7th in his debut race at the Spa. In the next year, he finished 3rd in the championship in a far from perfect Benetton, no mean feat for a mere rookie. In 3 years after joining, in 1994, MSC won the first on his seven WDCs with Benetton. After that he won with Benetton in the succeding year, and then with Ferrari in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. His worst finish in all these years has been in 5th in 1999, which was right before his run of 5 straight WDC's.

As a driver, MSC has always been characterised by a killer instinct, steely nerve, absolute focus and a will to stop at nothing to achieve what he must. This is reflected in the "infamous" incidents which are routinely quoted to undermine MSC - be it the Damon Hill incident of '94, the Villeneuve incident of '97, the team orders incident of '02 or the Monaco incident of '06. No, he isn't a cheat, it is just his evil genuis at play. Pray tell me, how can a cheat win 7 WDCs and win the admiration of countless fans across the globe?

Imagine a man who had to tolerate "pundits" declaring him an also-ran because a new-kid-on-the-block with a better car was doing better than him. Imagine a man who holds more than half of all records in F1 having to listen to these people who couldn't even get an F1 car started, let alone race, let alone win. The cycle then repeats in 2006, all hail Alonso, MSC is just too old, he no longer has the fire to win. Suddenly, the genius awakens, and when he does, you can't speak, you can neither appreciate nor criticise, you can just stare in open-mouthed awe, thank God for giving you a chance to be looking at what unfolds in front of your eyes.

MSC is now 2 points adrift of FA, Ferrari now lead the constructors' championship by 3 points.

Love him, hate him. There are still 3 races to go. Savour it while you still can. F1 will never be the same again...

Must watch: http://youtube.com/watch?v=AM0OgnWSZrA
Michael Schumacher Goodbye video by his greatest fan ever - Arun Retro-Virus



Michael Schumacher Factfile:

Starts: 247
Victories: 90 (record)
Poles: 69 (record)
Podiums: 138 (record)
Maximum wins in a season: 13 with Ferrari in 2004 (record)
Championship points: 1344 (record)
Triples: 22 (record)

Sources:
http://www.sportinglife.com/clients/planetf1/formula1/drivers/mschumacher.insdat
http://www.sportinglife.com/others/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=others/06/09/10/AUTO_Schumacher_Best_and_worst.html

Undeniable Greatness

"Har sant kahe, sadhu kahe,
Sach aur saahas hai jiske man main,
Ant main jeet usi ki rahe"

- Mitwa
Lagaan

Yes, you guessed right, I did happen to catch "Lage Raho Munnabhai" yesterday. Say what you must, throw as much mud as need be, but you have to accept that Mahatma Gandhi is the greatest Indian to date, and will stay so for many, many more years to come.

Find me another person who could bring together thousands of people at any given time, time and again. Find me another person whose each word a million would hang on to. Find me another person who could quell riots by simply standing there. If there is one man who could stir the collective conscience of such a diverse people, inspire within them a concrete belief, guide them along a path hitherto unheard of, and defeat colonial rulers without might, purely by belief, faith, and the power within a million souls - then that man is undoubtedly Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

I won't ever say he was the perfect man. He had his flaws. Obvious ones, and major ones. But no one on this whole ruddy planet can deny him his achievements, can discredit his intentions, can unlock the enigma of this almost naked man in a dhoti who could hold crowds in a trance and break the backbone of an imperial power without so much as ever raising his hand.

The more pertinent point is whether Gandhian principles can truly work today. A quick recap states that the primary ones are truth, non-violence, compassion, cleanliness. Now, what is bad about any of these? Is it possible to debate the validity or sanctity of any of these basic tenets? I guess not. It is the application part where things go sour. Continuous use on on-violence in the big, bad world makes you look weak, proves that you aren't capable of defending yourself, standing up for what is yours. But then again, does it?

Part of accepting Gandhian philosophy is looking at the bigger picture. It is closely intertwined with the very fundamental karma philosophy. While following what Gandhi says, don't look at immediate consequences, also think of that final meeting which will be only between you and The Maker. Do you ever worry about the abyss mankind is plunging into where momentary gain is worth perdition?

If there is something which can lead us out, it is the truth, it is faith, it is belief...

---

Does anyone remember the name of the movie starring Robin Williams where he is a do-gooder doctor? The movie which inspired Munnabhai-I? If you ever feel low, watch it. If you can't get your hands on it, watch "The Terminal". All hope isn't yet lost for mankind :)

When retrograde is progressive...

A nation on the brink, ruled by people living in an eternal flashback...a flashback would have been far better than the present state of affairs.

Long gone are the days when India used to be a proverbial "golden nest", aplace where science, philosophy and religion flourished, when India was the nerve centre of education and trade. After a lean patch, it truly seemed for a while that "India Shining" was more than just a gimmick. A recent Newsweek survey reveals that the maximum number of respondents (33%) in a survey on which country would produce the best engineers 10 years hence, voted for India. Our demographic is more than impressive, with a working populace of well over half the total, India should today be at a crucial juncture, at a point of take off.

There is global as well as domestic optimism about the future of our nation, but is everything as hunky-dory as it seems? Hardly. Take a look at most of the news items in our papers and the optimism will decay exponentially. While the semblance of progress is maintained, there is deep reaching rot in our psyche. Each day, we become less tolerant as a society, each day we justify untenable foolishness, each day we drive a nail in the coffin of our country. What brought on this piece is the recent banning of so called "adult content" from satellite television channels. Another one in a string of forcing a conscience on every mature person, of every citizen.

The attempts at moral policing were first comical, then irritating, and have now reached the level of downright abhorrence. How long can we let out choices and morality be dictated to us? Aren't these issues of purely personal preference? Why do I need to be told to not do a gazillion odd things some freak finds "morally offensive" and "against our culture"?

The point is how long we intend to keep yielding to this, and where will the line be drawn? If the nation is going to continue along the same path, people who wish to settle abroad can hardly be blamed to want to be leaving this place. Let me not even get started on reservations, which are going to make sure that all talent is forced to leave this country even if they dont want to, purely because he sees incapable people doing better than him. It seems to be fashionable to be a reactionary, to be impractical and stubborn, to hinder progress in any way possible, then be it religion or "culture".

The irony of this situation can escape no one, in light of just having celebrated our 59th Independence Day a few days back. We are destined to remain a third world nation, after all, we are the ones who want it that way...

Oblivion

A large room preferably, with most of the area at the centre cleared off. Close the windows, draw the curtains. Close the doors. Reach for the light switches. Even the fans. All turned off? Now raise your hand, bring it till your face till you can feel your breath. Do you see it? If yes, you're doing something wrong, check for that small sliver of light from under some door, a gap in the blinds perhaps. Done? Good.

Try and make your way back to the centre of the room, dont grab on anything. Just stand. Close your eyes. Now open them. How do you know they're open? Blink. Turn around a few times. Do you know which direction you're facing in? Where are you? Is the ground still beneath your feet? You feel like your falling, falling into an endless void, falling into oblivion.

Be quiet. Listen. To your heart, your breathing. The steady beat of your heart, in the percussion section. Move your hand through the darkness, smooth as satin, slipping like silk from between your fingers. Listen very carefully, hear the rustling sound. Your mind plays games with you, a light breeze feels like a hurricane tearing through your consciousness. Each sound amplified a million times, completing the symphony of the night along with your heart.

Are you afraid? Do you feel the beads of sweat on your forehead? There is nothing, nobody around...but the mind, yet again, plays games. What is it that you fear? The nothingness, the oblivion? The feeling of chaos in order, of delirium standing still, of absolute cluelessness though you know perfectly well - or think you do - of where you are?

Be afraid. Close your eyes, again. Listen, again. Unknowingly, your lips curl into a smile, you open your eyes. You feel the darkness wash all over you, a cold shudder makes its way through your body, the head, the shoulders, right upto the toes. It is then that you see - there is such beauty in it! Beauty in simplicity personified. Mission accomplished. Make your way back to the switches, grappling around. See your world, seemingly originating from thin air, originating from oblivion...

Silk, symphony, simplicity...how had you missed it all these years?