Our society, culture and tradition always preach the values of equanimity and restraint. ‘Sthitapragnatva’ is our ideal. But sadly our public discourse, posturing and actions often betray short-term emotionalism, irrational exuberance or uncontrolled anger. Take for instance the developments in the sports arena. Tuesday’s papers carried headlines of Mohammed Khaif’s house being attacked by people who smeared the walls with black oil. The terrified family had to seek protection. The papers also carried photographs of Saurav Ganguly’s picture in flames.

International athletes waved goodbye to Sheroo in an impressive event, but the real chunk of Hyderabadi sports-lovers was not even there.  Only around 2000 tickets were sold to the enthusiastic public for the Afro-Asian Games’ (AAG) closing ceremony on November 1, even though the GMC Balayogi stadium can seat around 30,000.  The VIPs and their dear ones filled up almost the entire venue.  Even more shameful is that some people with valid tickets (costing 500 rupees, each!) were denied entry to the grand show staged at great public expense.

The press reported that Ms Humpy Koneru was in tears because she was not given the due recognition by the state government and the sports authorities for her recent accomplishment in becoming the youngest Indian grand master in chess. (Surely Humpy and her parents must have been aware that here even Nobel Prize winners are rarely given the media space they deserve - unless they happen to be controversial personalities. Only politicians, filmstars, and occasionally cricketers hog all the lime light in our society!) This set me thinking.