My heartiest congratulations to Abhinav Bindra for winning the Gold Medal in 10meter Air Rifle event. It is indeed a rare feet. Abhinav richly deserves all the attention and felicitation.

Kudos Abhinav! And very good luck for future, may you keep on doing us proud for the long time to come.

Amen!

Of course it is indeed a mater of pride for all Indians and I do not want to spoil the party, yet I am hardly in a mood to go on the celebration binge since One Individual Indian has won One Gold Medal, in an Individual Event in past 28 years!

Just as I am punching keys, my TV set tuned to some so called ‘News Channel’ is blaring out “Chak De India…Chak de India….” every 30 seconds punctuated with another 30 seconds of commercial break!

Though nothing wrong in praising Abhinav for this ‘achievement’ but what the fuck is “Chak de India” all about? What is this ‘euphoria’?

Is winning an Individual Gold Medal in 28 years for a BILLION PLUS nation is “Chak De India’!

Or is it that we know that we did not expect any Indian to go this far because we know how ‘pathetic’ our record in International Sport arena has been!

Is this “Chak de India” moment? Just because, one Individual through his own efforts excelled in an individual sport, not because he is an Indian but because his “Despite Being an Indian”!

“Blood Stained Olympic” is still on and I pray and hope to be ‘Pleasantly Surprised’ with many many more ‘rebuffs’ to my embedded cynicism. Nevertheless, I am just as optimistic as any of you are.

Let us reflect collectively. Is an ‘Individual Brilliance’ a moment for “Chak De India” celebrations or collective National Shame! I leave this to you.

Hundredths time I heard them again “Chak de India”…- other NEWS CHANNELS are equally ecstatic if not more- I am not sure if it really mean “Chuck India”!

Congrats to Abhinav once again, and time for other Indians to ponder.

PI.