Amir Khan at IIM - Bangalore

A colleague of mine informed me that Aamir Khan was playing badminton at IIM(B). Big deal!!! But then I thought, it is less than a couple of minute's drive away...and let's face it...Amir Khan is a bigdeal!!

I have been reading in the newspapers that the Super Star and some of the cast and crew of Three Idiots were camping at IIM(B). So here was my chance.

I grabbed my camera and started off. True to its reputation, the couple of minute's drive on Banerghata Road proved a lot more than that with heavy traffic on Saturday night. Infact it was a big night at IIM(B) otherwise as well as there fest is going on.

Using my contact, and showing adequate at outrage at the poor security guard manning the side gate for trying to stop a Professor.... (my act of outrage actually provoked a stifled laughter from my colleague) I reached the badminton court and clicked away many a photographs and a few short videos.

Obviously, now I feel to bashful to show it around to my colleagues and friends....so here it is....on my blog!!!

You'll find the Ghajini star and also Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Raju Hirani and Prakash Padukone in the photographs.....

Btw...I found Amir K a pretty good player honestly, you was thorughly enjoying the game, partnered with Prakash Padukone. Even with so many people watching him and cameras clicking away (without Flash) you kept up a constant banter with his partner and cheered every good shot.

Petronas Towers

Here are a couple of pictures I recently got the opportunity to click....the majestic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lampur.

The advantage with this structure is, however you take a picture, it always comes out good ....something like photographing....Aishwarya? ... I would not know, but I guess it is something like that :-)

A man throwing a boomerang...and catching it back!!

During my recent travel, I visited a bird sanctuary. And for the first time I actually saw a man throwing a Boomerang.....and catching it on the way back. Enjoy the video!!

Para capitalism

Sometime back I wrote about my interaction with a Customs Officer in the Bangalore airport (read post).

Well I am travelling again and this time it is the new airport (the Customs desk did not have my friend from last time). This is the first time I am boarding an international flight from the new airport….(I just cannot get over a mindset that the phrase international flight sounds pompous)…and…this time...(music and cheering) there are separate lounges for First Class and Business Class passengers.

Well, in retrospect, I guess the new airport is symptomatic of the journey that India has made over the past decade and more.

The old airport, true to our country’s socialist roots, was class-less. Whether you are an Economy Class or a First Class passenger you would be treated the same way. It was only when you stepped into the plane (the check in counters and queue at boarding were not very significant) that class privileges kicked in.

Now India has moved well away from its socialist past into a new era of para-capitalism and Bangalore, which has been at the forefront of the new nation, appropriately has a new airport which provides added privileges as long as you can pay for it.

Is it a change for the better? Something inside tells me I liked it the way it was before, not the old airport, but the classless airport. And no, this is not a case of sour grapes.

By the way, my attempts at increasing hits by putting in semi-nude pictures in my previous post came a cropper. I somehow ended up with nil comments (not even from my good friend xh) and lowest hit rates ever. So much for sex sales!!