The Diner's Dilemma

In a quiet corner between Karjat station and the desolate highway, a small diner stood as a refuge for an elderly couple. They worked tirelessly, the old man cooking in the kitchen listening to his music while his wife attended to the customers. During the day, college students filled the diner, seeking a break from their studies. But at night, it was mostly empty, save for the occasional traveler passing through.

The old man always grumbled about the lack of customers, suggesting they close early. But the old lady held onto hope, cherishing the conversations they had with those who did visit.

One night, a mysterious stranger entered the diner and sat alone in a secluded corner. The old lady approached him and asked what he wanted.

"Coffee," said the stranger.

"Oh, Sorry sir, its 11 PM, I think, we are out of coffee powder"

"I want coffee" The man's eyes bore into her soul, his gaze unfathomable, as he insisted on having a cup of coffee.

The atmosphere grew tense, and the old lady noticed a red stain on the stranger's clothes. Unseen by most, a television murmured in the background, casting flickering images upon the diner's walls. The news spoke of a heinous murder, the perpetrator eluding the clutches of justice. As the old lady turned her attention to the television, a shiver traced its way down her spine. Sensing an impending storm, she hurriedly advised her husband to prepare the requested coffee, hoping to appease the visitor's restless spirit.

The old man retreated into the confines of the kitchen, the sounds of his labor muffled by the weight of uncertainty as he searched for coffee powder. Meanwhile, the stranger's restless eyes darted between the old lady and the television screen, his discomfort mounting with every passing second. Silence pervaded the air, broken only by the faint hum of the TV's whispers.

"Do you believe in second chances?" the stranger suddenly whispered, his voice laden with unspoken pain. Startled, the old lady responded softly, "Yes, dear. Life often grants us opportunities for redemption."

The stranger scoffed, a bitter twist marring his lips. "Not for me," he retorted.

"In this world, second chances are but illusions. There are no absolution for those who tread the path of darkness. Tell me something, how long have you guys been together," the Visitor asked

"More than 50 years now," said the old lady. "Did you always love him?" "Always"

The stranger, his eyes clouded by desolation, shook his head in defiance. "Love," he mused, "a mere specter that leads humans astray. Is it truly worth sacrificing one's soul? Is it worth staining one's hands with the lifeblood of another?"

"What if one day you realized your husband is not what he seems to be? That he has betrayed you." the stranger continued to question while wincing in pain. "I would definitely be angry then" "Wouldn't you want to kill him then?" As the old man emerged from the kitchen, bearing the steaming coffee, sweating profusely. Looking at him, the lady continued, "No matter what he does, there is no reason for me to kill him, I loved him truly. Maybe I would leave him but never kill him." "Such people deserve to die" "Everyone deserves a second chance" said the old lady As they continued talking, the stranger flipped a coin he had removed from his pocket to pay the couple. Just then at a distance, the wails of police sirens could be heard, the stranger winced, the pain chewing at his being, as he retrieved a concealed weapon from his pocket. Cold steel glinted under the flickering lights, casting shadows upon the worn out floor.

The stranger raised his weapon, "What did you do Old man? I just wanted to rest for some time and was going to pay and leave you guys alone. But now."

Scared the old man dropped his cup, while the lady shouted at the visitor "No!! Please don't do it. I can see you didn't intend to kill us."

"Why not? I have been betrayed all my life. There is no point to my actions now" cried the stranger

"Sometimes, Life gives us a hard deal but it's all about choices, you can choose to not kill us. Please!!" Said the old lady still trying to convince the stranger.

The stranger looked at the lady for moment before adding, "Second Chance! Right? Fine, I'll give you a Chance. Lets see what has your fate left for you" Showcasing the coin in his hand, the stranger said "Heads you live, tails you die."

The stranger flipped the coin into the air, the metallic glimmer catching the dim light. Time seemed suspended, each heartbeat echoing in the stillness. As the coin arched and twirled, the old couple held their breath, their intertwined hands clinging to each other for solace.

The coin landed with a soft thud before rolling into a side, its verdict revealed to the world. Heads! A tremor of relief washed over the couple, their eyes meeting in a shared moment of gratitude. But the stranger's features remained stoic, feeling betrayed once again. He raised his weapon once more, his resolve unyielding. "Life," he whispered, his voice brittle, "is more than chances. It is about decisions and consequences."

"Sorry, What sir?" the old lady asked

"You said it yourself. Sometimes Life gives us a hard deal but it's all about choices, Am I right?"

"Yes"

"Then I still choose to kill you"

"No! Please don't" said the scared couple

The visitor aimed his gun at the old couple. Realizing that their end is very near, the old couple hugged each other in fear with their eyes closed.

As he looked on at them, something within him shifted, a fleeting glimpse of humanity breaking through the cracks of his tormented soul. He lowered the gun, his gaze lingering on the old couple, who clung to each other, their eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resilience.

With each step, the stranger retreated, his footsteps echoing against the worn floor. Outside, raindrops danced, caressed by the cold breeze. The world seemed to hold its breath, suspended in the quiet aftermath of the chaos. As the stranger emerged into the open, his footsteps faltered, and his body weakened by the pain surging through his right abdomen. With a final act of surrender, he let go of his weapon, relinquishing the weight of his burdens. He sank to his knees, raindrops mingling with the tears on his face. The police cars screeched to a halt, their officers descending upon the scene. Their presence marking the end of an elusive chase. Yet, amidst the chaos, the stranger remained, his body yielding to the ground. Rain poured down, washing away the stains of his past. The stranger's eyes closed, a serene smile gracing his lips. In the symphony of sirens and rainfall, his journey found an unforeseen resolution.

The old couple watched as the man fell to the ground, his life ending in a peaceful moment amidst the chaos. The lady felt relieved that the ordeal was over but understood the tragedy that had unfolded in front of her. As they cleaned up the diner later on, the old lady couldn't help but think about the stranger and the decisions he had made in his life that brought him to that moment of life and death in the diner.

How much Term Insurance is sufficient?

(Source - Mint)

The covid-19 pandemic has driven home the point that taking life insurance is one of the most important financial decisions that one can make.

However, just buying life insurance is not enough. The key is to get an adequate sum assured to take care of your family’s needs. But how much is enough?

We look at four methods—human life value, income replacement value, expense replacement method, and underwriter’s thumb rule—that can help you calculate how much life cover you need.

Human life value

This method considers the economic value or human life value (HLV) of a person to the family. The concept primarily considers the value of future income, expenses, liabilities and investments.

“Under the HLV method, you need to consider your income, expenses, expected future responsibilities, and goals to determine the insurance need. This method is suggested as this gives better clarity keeping in mind the inflation," said Santosh Agarwal, chief business officer, life insurance, Policybazaar.com, an online marketplace for insurance.

If your goal is to sustain the present lifestyle of your family in the future, then determine how much it costs in today’s rupee value. This will help decide the amount of cover that you should take.

This method is recommended by most insurance companies, and many insurers have an HLV calculator on their websites.

Below is one such calculator:

https://www.hdfclife.com/financial-tools-calculators/human-life-value-calculator

Income replacement

Under this method, it is assumed that life insurance should replace the lost earnings of the breadwinner. One of the simplest ways to calculate your income replacement value is: insurance cover = current annual income x years left to retirement.

For example, if you are 40 years old, your yearly salary is ₹15 lakh and you plan to retire at the age of 60 years, the cover you will need is ₹3 crores ( ₹15 lakh x 20).

However, according to Melvin Joseph, a Sebi-registered investment adviser and founder of Finvin Financial Planners, one of the drawbacks of this method is that it can suggest a very high cover by considering future income.

Expense replacement

Under this method, which is recommended by financial planners, individuals need to calculate their day-to-day household expenses, loans, and goals such as children’s education, as well as providing for financially dependant parents for their entire lives. The figure you reach is the total money that your family will need.

The next step is to deduct the present value of your investments and the life cover you already have. While calculating the value of your investments, excluding assets such as the house you live in home and car, as your family members are likely to continue using them. The figure you get by deducting investments and insurance cover from expenses and goals will give you an idea of how much cover you need.

“I suggest expense replacement method, as it gives a more accurate picture of the insurance coverage amount and cover expenses of the survivors till the insured’s life expectancy," said Joseph.

Underwriter’s rule

For calculating the minimum cover you need, you can go by the common thumb rule of having a sum assured that is 10 times your annual income. So if your current annual income is ₹10 lakh, you should have a life cover worth at least ₹1 crore.

However, according to investment advisers, this method does not give the exact picture. “Most of the insurance companies promote insurance cover of 10 times your annual income. That is the reason it has become a thumb rule. The minimum cover should be at least 15-20 times your annual income," said Joseph. Insurance companies also offer cover of 25 times your annual income.

Take professional help to determine the policy type and the coverage that will best fit your budget and your family’s financial needs.

Written by - Suketh Shetty 

A Life Story that needs to Live on

On August 8th, 2021 I lost my mom to Ovarian Cancer. It was a long battle of about 4 years in which she underwent series of chemotherapy sessions, so much so that now I have lost the count (probably 40+). In the last 1 month of her life when she was hospitalized, I would almost spend 16-18 hours of the day with her, and as doctors gave up on her and as she neared her end, I realized how unfair Life has been on her. It was at that moment that I decided that I would pen her life journey here, her story needs to live on.

Growing up, although very much interested in studies, she did not have the opportunity to complete her schooling and had to quit school in 6th standard for failing to pay the 1 Rupee School Fees. The fact that she could not complete her own education may have motivated her heavily to have us educated to the best of her ability. My dad wanted us to study in good schools and so brought us to Mumbai in the early 1990s. However, to sustain ourselves in the city of dreams he decided to leave for middle-east while leaving us under the care of my Mom's younger brother, who was himself trying to find his feet. Despite living in a completely new city, with no knowledge of either Hindi or the local Language, my mom carried on bravely and raised us well for the next few years as we would switch from one rented home to another every now and then.

Happy times!! 6 months before she was diagnosed with Cancer, Mom (in Orange) enjoying her life in her hometown 

In 1997, my father had managed to save enough to buy our own home in Thane and was planning to come back too. For my Mom, it seemed like our one problem of switching homes had come to an end. However, disaster struck not long after, in Nov 1998, we lost our home after a series of buildings neighboring to ours collapsed due to faulty construction or foundation. One of those buildings had collapsed on ours which meant our building had to be demolished too. And just like that, we were back again in search of rented homes. Being just 7 years of age myself, little did I realize the magnitude of what had happened probably because my mom stood strong and did not break down at our situation.

After 3 more years of staying in rented homes, my dad had once again managed to save just enough to buy a new home in a chawl. While everyone around us including my dad was apprehensive of living in a chawl, my Mom wasn't. She had a simple philosophy - There was a school nearby, a hospital for an emergency, no problems with a water supply and more importantly we will have a home to live in and stop worrying about rents and moving from home to home, don't care what family friends or relatives would say about living in a chawl" In 2002, we moved to our new home in chawl in Airoli, 19 years later we are still living there and perhaps happy with where we live.

By 2017, I had graduated from Engineering and had taken up a steady job, and it had seemed that her days of struggles are coming to an end. My dad was thinking of taking retirement and coming back for good. However, it seemed like God wasn't done with her as in November of that year, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer. Not long ago, she had lost her youngest sister to cancer, so even when we were thinking of not telling her about her cancer she had probably figured it out herself. She showed enough fighting spirit and willingness to fight it out. An Operation and six rounds of chemo later, the reports came out good and she was declared cancer-free, However, the doctors had warned that cancer shouldn't relapse within 2 years. 

Some Good days

Unfortunately for her, she relapsed just within a year. After another bout of chemotherapy, she was cleared for the 2nd time in 2019 but once again, days before nationwide covid lockdown she relapsed for the 2nd time. It was downhill ever since, although we tried everything the results never improved, and at some point, she had accepted her fate. More than her impending death she was more concerned about us and what would happen to us without her.

During her last days in the hospital, I would spend 14-16 hours a day beside her. As the doctors confirmed the inevitable, all I hoped and prayed for from god was to not make her struggle in pain. For once, I guess he listened to my prayers. Her last few days went ok, she didn't look in pain, or at least she didn't show the pain, and the evening of August 7th, she closed her eyes never to open again. She breathed her last on the morning of August 8th.

Few days before her death on her hospital bed, she had mentioned to me that she was very proud of us and that it is one of the few good things in her life. I played it down at that time but that is the only thing I remember the most. I am not sure how to end this post, been stalling this for weeks now, just didn't have the courage to write about those moments. 

I hope she is in a better place now and that is all I want for her.

These are the major companies that accept Bitcoin as payment.

Cryptocurrencies are never far from the headlines these days.

 
While buying and selling cryptos is becoming increasingly mainstream, the opportunities to spend virtual currencies are somewhat limited in comparison due to its volatility.

There are, however, a growing number of companies across a plethora of industries - from big tech to airlines - who are embracing cryptocurrencies, allowing customers to use them as an official method of payment for their goods and services.

Here are some of the biggest and more well-known companies using cryptos:

1. Pavilion Hotels & Resorts

As the latest company to permit crypto transactions, the Hong Kong-based Pavilion Hotels & Resorts group has also become the first international hotel chain to embrace virtual currency payments. The group - which owns properties in Amsterdam, Madrid, Lisbon, and Rome as well as Bali and Phuket - will accept bookings using 40 different tokens, including Bitcoin and Ethereum from July through their partnership with payment platform Coindirect.

2. AXA Insurance

As of the start of April, the insurance broker behemoth will allow customers in Switzerland to use Bitcoin as a payment option for their bills. The decision to embrace cryptocurrencies has been in the pipeline since market research conducted by the company in 2019 found that nearly a third of respondents aged 18 to 55 had either already invested in them or were interested in doing so.

Customers will now have a reference code printed on bills for non-life insurance policies in order to pay their premiums through crypto exchange Bitcoin Suisse which will then convert them into Swiss Francs.

 
3. Microsoft

As one of the largest software companies in the world, it is significant that Microsoft accepts Bitcoin payments, going some way to instill a degree of confidence in using cryptos. Redeemed for credit in topping up user accounts, Bitcoin can be used to pay for an array of services, including Xbox Live and Skype.The company’s interest in crypto technology doesn’t end there. Utilizing blockchain, Microsoft has also launched ION, a two-layered authentication platform on the Bitcoin network in late March. Instead of payments, the technology creates digital IDs to authenticate online identities.

 
4. Starbucks

Following an extensive trial, Starbucks customers can now use the new Bakkt app to pay for drinks and goods at the coffee chain with converted Bitcoin. According to the app’s creators, 500,000 people took up the invitation-only, early access programme to test the digital wallet as a method of payment.

5. Tesla

The CEO of electric carmaker Tesla Elon Musk has an up and down relationship with Bitcoin. Initially, the company announced earlier this year that it would accept Bitcoin payments for vehicle purchases in the US. It comes off the back of a $1.5 billion (€1.2 billion) investment in the cryptocurrency by Elon Musk’s company in February. However, this has now been turned on its head with pronouncements that Tesla will put Bitcoin transactions on hold until more than 50 per cent of tokens are mined using renewable energy.

 
6. Amazon

It was reported earlier this year that Amazon was joining the ranks of other tech giants, including Facebook, in laying the groundwork for its own exclusive cryptocurrency. That said, the e-commerce company doesn’t directly accept cryptos yet. You can, however, buy Amazon vouchers through crypto-only company Bitrefill, a platform that makes living on cryptocurrencies easier by converting Bitcoin into gift cards, refill phones, and so on.

7. Visa

Credit card company Visa confirmed at the end of March that it was piloting a scheme with the platform Crypto.com to accept cryptocurrency to settle transactions on its payment network. It will now accept USD Coin (USDC), a stablecoin crypto that is pegged to the value of the US dollar.

8. PayPal

Following an announcement in October last year, PayPal users can now buy, sell or hold a select few cryptos, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin. In addition, you’ll be able to track cryptocurrencies through the PayPal app. The only drawback is that money can’t be transferred out of the company’s digital wallet.

9. airBaltic

Latvian airline airBaltic became the first aviation company in the world to accept Bitcoin as payment for fares back in 2014. According to the company, it has processed more than 1,000 Bitcoin transactions since it launched the payment option seven years ago. Its decision to do so saw another eastern European airline, LOT Polish Airlines, follow suit the following year.


10. Coca Cola

Amatil, the drinks’ giant’s bottler and distributor in the Asia-Pacific region, has enabled cryptocurrency as a method of payment through its partnership with the Centrapay platform. As of 2020, there are now over 2,000 vending machines in Australia and New Zealand which are geared to accept cryptos to pay for drinks.

11. LOT Polish Airlines

Following in the wake of airBaltic, LOT Polish Airlines announced in 2015 that it would also accept Bitcoin as a payment method for flights. Despite the six years that have passed since its decision, LOT remains one of the only European airlines to allow cryptocurrency as a payment option.

12. Expedia

Travel giant Expedia is one of the most prominent travel agencies to accept Bitcoin through its partnership with crypto-friendly travel booking platform Travala. You can now book 700,000 hotels from the website’s listings with more than 30 different cryptos, including Bitcoin.

13. Lush

Lush was one of the first global companies to adapt to the use of cryptocurrencies, fully embracing them in 2017 when the handmade cosmetics company started to allow Bitcoin payments for orders on its website through a partnership with Bitpay.com.

Written by - Suketh Shetty

The investment hack that supersedes all: Invest in yourself.

You need to look at ROI – Return on Investment. One of the best investments you will ever make is in your own human capital.

10 mistakes people make while buying Term Insurance Plan

Our world is full of uncertainties and hence Term Insurance is incredibly important. Since the market is flooded with a multitude of options, choosing the best term plan could be potentially daunting.

In my previous blog I have mentioned why should we take Term Insurance. Now let’s look at Top 10 mistakes that people make while buying Term Insurance in India.

Should you opt for Term plan while Financial Planning?

Financial planning refers to the process of meeting financial goals with the help of appropriate management of your finances. This includes elements of wealth creation, protection, retirement planning, planning for specific milestones, and most importantly planning for emergencies and contingencies. But where does the term plan fit in?

Cryptocurrency – Why do Governments fear them?

Cryptocurrency should be declared word of the decade – I mean even non-saving groups are all praises about this form of “currency” (or not? Let’s call it crypto rather than currency for now)

Now, why do almighty Governments of various countries fear crypto?

That lack of central authority is the primary reason governments are afraid of cryptocurrency. To understand this fear, it is important to know a little bit about governments and their conventional currencies.

Beware of using the ‘100 minus age’ thumb rule for equity allocation

Have you ever heard about the “100 minus age” thumb rule?

NO?

The rule says that you subtract your age from 100 to arrive at the ideal asset allocation for your investments. So, if you are 30, then 100-30 would give 70, which is the percentage of equity you can have in your portfolio. That is, you have Equity: Debt in 70:30 ratio. For someone who is 35, the rule will suggest 65 percent (= 100 - age 35) as the equity allocation. This rule is majorly used to calculate retirement corpus.

One major problem with this rule is that it simply assumes that age alone decides a person’s asset allocation. This not true. Factors such as investor’s risk appetite, goal timelines,tax, and return requirements are the major factors that decide asset allocation as well.

Wait...Wait...Wait...

बाबा - BABA

बाबा तुझं नाव लावताना वाटतो मला गर्व,

तुझ्याच अवती भवती आहे जीवन सर्व

म्हणतोस जेव्हा बाबा माझी लेक माझा स्वाभिमान,

तेव्हा मात्र आपसूकच ताट होते मान.

घोडागाडी करत मी दुखवली तुझी पाठ,

घोडेस्वार होऊन मिरवला माझा थाट

आमचा सुखासाठी किती करशील कष्ट,

घे आता आराम आणि जीवन जग मस्त

तुझा डोळ्यात बाबा कधी पाणी नाही आणणार,

म्हणून तुला लग्नात रुखवत म्हणून न्हेणार

तुझा त्रास बाबा एक लेकच समजू शकते,

कितीही नाही बोललास तरी तुला मीच समजू शकते

माझी काळजी बाबा किती रे तू करणार,

लेक झाली मोठी हे कधी रे तुला कळणार

झाले किती मोठी, झाले जरी नवरी,

ओळख माझी कायम राहील, "बाबाची मी गौरी....."

- By Gouri Gandhi

Picture Credit:www.wallpaperflare.com

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A Broken Heart

The day we met was just so bright,

Everything from then seemed so right. 

Your cuddles and kisses made me glow,

Now their memories make me low.

All you gave me were beautiful dreams, 

Which now are just my nightmare screams.

Dreams are something,

that can't always come true,

All I try and survive through.

All your love was just a lie,

When u called me your cutiepie.

I kept all your memories in a rack, 

Hoping that one day you'll be back.

But now that I know you r gone,

And will Never be back till the end horizon.

All I wish for you is your happy life,

With the one whom you'll call your "wife".

- By Gouri Gandhi

Picture Credit: wallpaperaccess.com

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Butterfly on Flower

“When she transformed into a butterfly, the caterpillars spoke not of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change back into what she always had been. But she had wings.”

― Dean Jackson

Picture Taken by: Abhishek Jain

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Rising beyond the hills a spectacular sight

“Sunrise looks spectacular in the nature; sunrise looks spectacular in the photos; sunrise looks spectacular in our dreams; sunrise looks spectacular in the paintings, because it really is spectacular!”

― Mehmet Murat Ildan

Picture Taken by: Abhishek Jain

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Wifi on the streets

A unique view of street lighting's that looks more like a Wifi bar on the streets

The light traffic on one side and the busy one on the other shows the cycle of life. 

Picture Taken by: Abhishek Jain

Share your opinions on what comes to your mind when you see this picture?

My short excerpt on Experiencing the college atmosphere…. again

It was already hard....very hard….to make a decision of going back to college in pursuit of a MBA degree. It wasn't the impending studies that were worrying me, but the fact that I would be doing it after three years of finishing my engineering degree.

After the last job where I worked as a Service Engineer at Mumbai Airport for more than 17 months, I had realized that I could do better than this and that there are lots of places that I could contribute to. So I set my sights on clearing CET and CMAT and by the end of cap rounds in July 2018, I was here taking admission at VESIM. Choosing VESIM wasn't that hard a decision, while it does not parade itself as the best MBA College of the city, it is definitely among the Top 10 and has quite a decent reputation.

So it was mid-august and I was back in a college campus. To start off, it was a nervy experience, meeting new people has always been uncomfortable for me although I do get accustomed to them quickly; it's always finding the conversation starter that I struggled at. With no known faces alongside, I attended the Induction day and everything there was a surreal experience. The campus had a good vibe about it and so did the atmosphere in around the college, unlike my dull engineering college campus located at the outskirts of the city.

When it comes to making friends, what better way than complaining about something together and that’s where I made some friends too, we all had a similar distaste for the food and soon by the end of day one, I had made 5 friends. Our college soon introduced us to a unique outbound program where we were pushed to introduce our self to random fellow students, which was soon followed by bunch of Management games. While I seemed to hate this approach at first, I had started liking it within couple of hours. The group activity helped me bond with few more guys and by the end of the program, I was already beginning to settle in. 

Also Read: My Take-Beautiful Sikkim


Our regular college life started with a bang as we were given a activity in the very first week in which we were divided into different teams and were told to sell about 120 bags – as much as this activity was for us to develop our communication and marketing skills, it was also about helping an NGO to market their products. And thus began my new college life, every other week College would organize a seminar or invite a guest lecturer, helping me knowing the world of business in much better way.

The different cells like Marketing cell, Finance cell, Women development cell, Sports cell, etc where students would be part of some initiatives taken by respective cell was also something of an unexpected turn for me, after all this kind of push for participation were a rare case in my previous college. But one of the cells that I was very much interested in was the BIC - Business Incubation cell, where the members were encouraged in developing their own business ideas.

The Library, the canteens, the neighboring engineering building, the atmosphere around it all brought back my engineering memories. Reminiscing those days, I realized that while I should enjoy the fun and adventures that would come across me in the next 2 years it was also important that I concentrate and keep my focus steady on why I decided to do MBA and make the best use of this second lease of college life.

Also Read: 3 Movies that outshined Books

The various names of India

"What's in a name?" The famous quote from Shakespeare's world renowned 'Romeo and Juliet' talks about the little difference a name makes to things stating that a 'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet'.

Taking this into equation lets take a look at all the names the world has called India ever since it was discovered. From Ancient books to Independent India, India has been named and renamed numerous times often by travelers of the world.

In recent times, I have seen my friends fighting over these silly and nonsensical issues like why India should be called Bharat and not India as the word India means the Independent Nation declared in August (Based on what they read on Whatsapp). 

Well for those guys just stop using WhatsApp and call our country whatever you like whether it is India or Bharat or Hindustan because, at the end of the day, all those names will still remain our 'Country'.

सुचलेल्या ओळी - पावसाचा थेंब

सुचलेल्या ओळी - पावसाचा थेंब

- by Prasad Shendage

If you want to use any of the Prasad's work from the above collection for your Websites, Blogs, Magazines or any other stuffs feel free to contact any of us here

सुचलेल्या ओळी - शब्द म्हणजे सर्व काही

सुचलेल्या ओळी - शब्द म्हणजे सर्व काही

- by Prasad Shendage

If you want to use any of the Prasad's work from the above collection for your Websites, Blogs, Magazines or any other stuffs feel free to contact any of us here

                             

From Sprinter to football, Usain Bolt en-route to new tracks

The worlds fastest man was floating with the idea of playing football professionally for quite a long time after retiring from his sprinting career and now Bolt will actually be seen donning the football boots.

Bolt, 31, retired from athletics last summer after a glittering running career in which he won eight Olympic gold medals and holds world records in 100 m and 200 m. Back in 2016, Bolt had frequently hinted at a career as a footballer stating that he would like to join Manchester United - the Club he supports.

I've signed for a football team! Find out which one this Tuesday at 8am GMT 👀 pic.twitter.com/iFTlWxfy7x

— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) February 25, 2018

Earlier in the year, while speaking to Daily Express Bolt had revealed plans of trials with Dortmund, "In March we're going to do a trials with Dortmund and that will determine what I do with that career, which way it goes. If they say I'm good, and that I need a bit of training, I'll do it."

On Sunday (25th Feb), Usain Bolt teased that he had signed for a football club, making the announcement on Twitter, although he did not reveal the club he had signed for, he asked his fans to wait till Tuesday (27th Feb). A South African top division club soon came up with a sly tweet stating "Football will never be the same".

Football will never be the same. Find out tomorrow 8am GMT! 😏👆 #Sundowns pic.twitter.com/nifRZFR62s

— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) February 26, 2018

Soon enough the football frenzied world started linking the world's fastest man to the south African club. However in the recent tweet by the Jamaican Legend things has cleared out a bit. 

Excited to announce that I will be playing in @socceraid for @UNICEF_uk 2018 at Old Trafford on Sunday 10th June. Make sure you're ready @robbiewilliams! ⚽️🌍 pic.twitter.com/t2sDB1iLP8

— Usain St. Leo Bolt (@usainbolt) February 27, 2018

So apparently Usain Bolt is donning the football boots but only for a game as he will lead Soccer Aid World XI against England XI in a charity game for UNICEF. The match will be held on 10th June at Old Trafford and while Usain Bolt's wish for signing for his favorite football club Manchester United may have to wait, nobody is stopping him from dazzling the world with a ball at his feet on the red devils home ground.

The Future of Indian Football

By comparison with Cricket, scope in Indian football was very limited. Although there has been a huge paradigm shift in the last couple of years.

Football always had a particular set of loyal fans(considering only Indian clubs and Indian football team) while there are European football fans too who would know more about an El Clasico rather than a Mohan Bagan-East Bengal derby.

Over the last few years, a lot has been happening in the Indian football circuit. While the national team ranking has touched a 21 year high - 96th position in FIFA ranking this July, interest and excitement around clubs and league has also been high.

The domestic Clubs circuit in India has shown a rise in number of followers, while the game always had huge number of fans from the NorthEast, Kerala and Kolkata. IMG-R’s Indian Super League brought in a wave of new fans from other cities to the game.

A file photo of football fans during the Kolkata derby

Although AIFF and IMG-R are often criticized for poor scheduling of ISL and ignoring the Domestic league of India, one cannot ignore the fact that the ISL has definitely improved the picture of Indian Football. While the I league clubs has kept Football in India running over the years, ISL with its new franchise based clubs has brought in a new set of Indian football fans to the picture, while also bringing international interest to Indian football.

Domestic Leagues has also grown in quality and excitement, with even smaller clubs producing some extra-ordinary performance. Aizawl FC, a team that was relegated in 2016 season and played this year due to many others clubs pulling out, had a Leicester city kind of run in this year's I league. Winning the league beating the likes of Mohan Bagan, East Bengal and Bengaluru FC. Such was the fairy tale turnaround that apparently there will be a Bollywood movie regarding them.

While there is a long road for India to reach the World class level, among the Asians, India has seen a lot of Improvements. Bengaluru FC a club born in 2014 has already created a name for themselves with consistent performances both at the domestic and Asian level. The Club has already won 4 trophies in 4 years and finished as runners-up in 2016 AFC Cup (The Europa Cup of Asia) and a semi-final finish in this years edition.

After the disastrous world cup qualification run in 2015, the Indian National team went on to improve a lot, winning games regularly and eventually qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup - Only the second time in 3 decades.

Jeakson Singh - The lad who made billion dreams come true with a moment of brilliance. Indian U17 football teams lanky defender. Pic Credit: Nikhil Patil

Football in India is slowly picking up with possible merger of the top two leagues- ISL and I league by next year. The recently concluded U-17 FIFA world cup has given Indian football a much needed boost with more and more youths getting interested in sports, while clubs are to getting involved in developing these talents by creating youth Academies.

So scope for Indian football may not have been the best, but now is the time for any youngsters to get into the game as they have the best possible chance to change the football scene in India.

For more of my work on Indian Football, visit Football Counter

Also Read: Are the popularity of other Indian sports back?