Of cricket, school, and a visitor

The IPL cricket tournament is into its final stages. Rajasthan Royals are in the finals, and today is the other big semi-final in Mumbai where the Chennai Super Kings take on the Kings from Punjab. T20 matches are fun, although for the players it is serious stuff and I have never seen quite the kind of passion that has been displayed by the players in these matches. It’s not just the pressure of having to perform because of the money that they have been paid, there is a strong passion that has already built up in terms of individual team spirit. Well, there is glitz and glamour too, and with film stars like Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta, musicians like Sivamani, and former cricket stars like Gavaskar and Shastri actively taking part, there has never really been a dull moment. Now that the controversies of the Harbhajan slap and the cheer girls are on the backburner, the focus is more on cricket. And a heartening fact is that several young Indian players have benefited immensely from the experience. Chennai cricket fans are knowledgeable about the game and quite sporting. Streets in Chennai may be a bit deserted this evening as the Super Kings battle it out with the Punjab Kings in Mumbai. Anyway, may the better team win.

Summer holidays are almost over. Corporation schools in Chennai are slated to re-open in the second week of June – the State Government has extended holidays by a week because of the heat. But I wonder whether that is good news for children, many of who might be bored and are waiting to be back with their friends in school. Most private schools will re-open on June 2.

Barbara, from Germany, arrived yesterday for a month-long internship in my office. The original plan was to put her in a guesthouse near the office, but on second thoughts, we decided to find a paying guest accommodation for her. In today’s world, a guesthouse with a lone caretaker and rooms occupied by you-really-don’t-know-who may not be very safe for a young woman. Fortunately, a friend of mine offered to help and the last I heard from her was that Barbara’s had some rest and sleep after landing and is all set to begin work on Monday. Welcome to Chennai, Barbara! We will try and make your stay here as comfortable as possible.