WHAT YOU DEEPLY ADMIRE, YOU ATTRACT







Pic.: Milind Gangurde

It is difficult to think clearly when you are under pressure... It is difficult to concentrate when you are disturbed. And, it is difficult to retain you cool and grace when you are provoked... Above all, it is difficult to lead when your personal integrity is questioned, debated over... and watched by millions across the globe...

Barely a week ago, when our cricket captain, M.S. Dhoni’s personal integrity was questioned, I really felt sad for him... The T-20 World-Cup matches were underway and he was leading our team. As usual, the panelists on the national televisions were   nasty, too ruthless. Being a great admirer of M.S., I was keen to see as to how he would handle this challenge...

Oh my God! Once again, Dhoni gave us ample reason why he was called - ‘The Captain Cool’... Not a single word, either in defense or offence, did I hear from his mouth... Not a single sign of irritation, anxiety or guilt did I see on his face... He played and led, as usual, like a Gladiator, a real fighter. And, yes, won our hearts over!

And, last night when I watched the India Vs SA semifinals, what impressed me the most was how M.S. handled that lone delivery he faced... Just one run was needed to clinch the victory... and, he was facing an easy delivery... But, being the kind of leader that he is, he showed it by his example... He did not want to take away the glorious moment from Kohli’s exceptional innings... So, he downplayed himself, and allowed Kohli to take the first bowl of the last over... which Kohli greeted with a four, and, behold, the whole world stood up to salute!

Yes, most of us knew that we were, also, saluting this silent, graceful, and thoughtful gesture of M.S.Dhoni... My other idol, Amitabh Bachchan, was one of these many fans who had stood up, last night, to salute the ‘True Captain’... Here is what the ‘Big B’ had written in his FB Post – 540, today. I am sharing it with my readers, without waiting for Bachchan sir’s permission:


“FB 540 - India won to day at the World Cup semifinal of the T20 competition against South Africa ... in the finals now to play Sri Lanka ..
Victory yes ... but the moment of the game to me was when India were batting last .. Raina out, 7 balls to go and 1 run to make to win .. Dhoni comes in to face the last ball of the over ... could have finished the game by scoring 1 run and kept up his reputation of being a finisher .. but played that one remaining ball of the over, blocked it, made no effort to make that 1 run ... and ... allowed the over to finish, so Virat batting other end and having played magnificently, could have the honor of finishing the game by scoring the winning run .. GREAT .. 
This is what a leader should be like .. Greatly appreciated !!”


“What you deeply admire, you attract,” I had reminded, my students, during the training sessions, today, in one of Mumbai’s colleges, “You become the hero you deeply worship.”

So deeply I admire both M.S.Dhoni for his poise and leadership... and, so deeply I admire Amitabh Bachchan for his matchless talent, grace and humility... that, even if a little shadow of these two heroes falls on me, I would consider it to be my great fortune...

My salutations!!!

GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Anonymous said…
Very inspiring sir. Keep writing. Ranveer Singh
April 7, 2014 at 7:05 PM
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