The Underdog Saga

We all love a great ‘underdog’ story. I think it’s the human spirit of ‘believing’ and putting our ‘hearts’ to work that makes us all fall in love with the underdog saga. Be it the ‘Miracle Team’- The US Ice Hockey Olympic team of 1980 or ’Seabiscuit’ – The crooked leg, lazy horse who won the hearts of the Depression era Americans or the ‘World Champion’ Indian Cricket team of 1983, who defeated the mighty West Indians or the IPAC Garba team of America that went on to win the 2012 North American Garba competition by beating the crowd favorite and the previous champion, the Detroit team on their homes grounds.

Wait a minute, IPAC Garba team? That’s right, New Jersey based Indian Performing Art center. The brainchild of Mrs. Smita (Miki) Patel, The Garba team of IPAC was made up of hard working mothers, wives and professionals. The seeds of 2012 IPAC team were sown just 8 weeks back in May. Most of the team members were meeting for the first time. The road to the prestigious, FOGANA Garba competition was long and rough in terms of learning curve and competition. All the weekends leading up to the July 21^st competition comprised of 8 hour long daily practices. Husbands and children might have faced some difficult times in the absence of the women of the house; in fact it is during these times that we know how much of our lives are dependent on their presence.

For IPAC, the 600 mile journey to Detroit, the venue for the 2012 competition started at 4:30am from Edison, NJ. Three proud husbands were fortunate enough to join their future champions on this historic journey. The bus ride was a little tiring, especially for the competitors as they had their practice scheduled within an hour of reaching the destination. Thanks to our driver, Mr. Howard, we reached on time. The hard part was to be separated from our dear wives and spent the night in separate roomsJ, but knowing what was at stake, I think it was all worth it. IPAC team had their scheduled practice session and according to Miki Aunty everything seemed to be fine. The only glitch in the whole process was that there was no scheduled practice session on the performing stage, which would have helped the participants to draw a dimensional map of the stage in their minds. But little did I know the IPAC team was not playing with their minds but with their hearts. And when you believe in yourselves and your team, you don’t worry about these petty things.

The morning of the competition was hectic and busy as expected. Thanks to IPAC team manager Mr. Praful Patel, all the competitors were ready to compete on time. With their traditional dresses on they were looking angels. The competition started at 12pm at the Ford Performing Arts Center and IPAC team was scheduled to perform at 4pm. There were 27 competitors and IPAC was #23. I (Mr. Jeenal Shah), Nishil (Mr. Aripta Parikh), Lalubhai (Mr. Vaishali Parikh), Mr. Praful Patel and other IPAC supporters were sitting on the balcony holding their breaths and repeating “All Izzz Welll”. On the surface we 3 idiots were excited and just happy that our better halves were a part of a great team and ‘participating’ in famous competition. Winning the whole thing never crossed our minds. In fact we were just hoping that they finish their performance without creating any ‘scenes’ (Apologies to all the IPAC veterans, nothing against you, we were just thinking about our wives!!...apologies to our wives as well!!). Right before team IPAC’s performance I started panicking and saw the same scare on Nishil and Lalubhai faces. We started prepping our cameras to capture each and every moment. Our hands were shaking but I saw Jeenal and Arpita dancing in the back room, on the tunes of the team that was performing. I was thinking this is great it means that they are NOT nervous.

And then the announcement was made, New Jersey’s IPAC group is going to perform on “Piyu Maro”. The lights went off and the curtain started to rise. Then the music started. Lalubhai started his camera, Nishil started his camera. I started my camera. And I bet we all were saying ‘Sri Krishna Sarnam Mama’ at the same time. The entry went superb. All the steps were coming in sync. The circles formation went fine. No one dropped anything. The last time I remember, 5 minutes and 45 seconds passing that quickly was during my 12^th science Biology exams. The performance was breathtaking, mind-blowing, Aflatoon,  Bole to Ekdam Jhakaas!!!. Well, not so Jhakaas, at least according to some participants. Since we were sitting on the corner, we didn’t realize that the circle formation was not in the center and they also ‘messed up’ some of the steps. Arpita broke down, Jeenal was feeling low, Vaishali bhabhi was nervous and then everyone started to doubt themselves. I was just happy that they ‘completed’ there garba.

So now the long wait started for the announcements. There were 5 competitors in there group. We were hoping that IPAC will get #2. Third price was announced and it was not IPAC. We were all excited. This means that we were definitely getting the second prize. Hip Hip Horray!! Jai Ho!!...’and the second prize goes to…’ I don’t remember the name, because it was not IPAC. I thought that, yes it means that we won the whole thing, because at that moment I started hallucinating, thinking that there were only 3 competitors and if IPAC didn’t win 3^rd or 2^nd then they are the definite 1^st place winner. Lalubhai corrected me, saying that there are 5 and we are done. The feeling was mutual downstairs were all the IPAC team members were eagerly standing, waiting to be called upon. Miki aunty told some of them to start walking as the IPAC’s 2012 journey had ended. Well, not so early Miki aunty, because destiny had something else written for you and Team IPAC. The announcer goes, “and the prize for the 1^st place for the 2012 FOGANA Garba competition goes to New Jersey…blah blah blah…” We started shouting, yelling “Piyu, Piyu, Piyu”. Stage was flooded with the IPAC team members. Nishil ran downstairs to share their excitement. Lalubhai and I were high fiving and yelling. We all went downstairs and congratulated the new garba champs of 2012. We were just building the excitement as the party had just started. It continued in our hotel rooms and later in the bus. None of the IPAC souls were complaining about the pains or cramps for they were energized by holding the trophy.  

Now I, Nishil, lalubhai and all the husbands of the 2012 Team IPAC can proudly say that they and Dr. Sriram Nene have one thing in common. Our wives are champion dancers.

Thank you Miki aunty, Praful uncle and all the participants for giving us such a wonderful time. Of course the trophy is important, but the moments of playing Antakshari, taking Tequila shots, Eating 7 layer burrito in the middle of the night in a bus, listening to Praful uncle’s funny ‘one liners’, Kalpana aunty’s, sorry, Kalpanaben’s made up songs and the innumerable laughing moments that we had, will be cherished for a long long time to come.

Jai Ho Team IPAC, for you have added one more chapter in the book of ‘Underdog Winners’.

Takes Two To Tango

US & German Bald Eagles flying high...Thank You, 'Euro crisis'

I think Western political elites; especially the European Union (EU) leaders are taking a lesson or two from there Indian counterparts. Don’t solve the problem, treat them just enough, so to keep the citizenry quite. For, problems are the job security of our leaders. Treat them in such a fashion that they become recurring- Kick the can down the road

This is what European leaders are doing. No strong actions are taken to solve the current Euro crisis which is entering its third year. EU’s leadership is so much focused on the short term solutions that daily FTSE, DAX & CAC indices have become there focal point. Bond yields on Spanish & Greek securities have become the talking point for all and sundry, but after 20 EU leaders meetings there is no resolution in sight. The only policy European Monetary Union (EMU) was able to frame was setting up the 7% benchmark. Any government whose security crossed the 7% yield becomes eligible for the IMF/EMU support (‘Bailout’ has become a ‘Financially Incorrect’ term to use). It happened with Ireland, with Greece and with Spain to some extent. The funny part is it’s not an ‘official’ policy.

In the free capitalist world, someone’s Loss is almost always someone’s Gain. Euro crisis is no different. Two economies are gaining tremendously from the current euro crisis- The United States & the Deutsch Land.

US have its own macroeconomic issues. Unemployment is at almost 9% (shadow unemployment ~15%), GDP is growing at a meagerly rate of 1.5-2%, Housing market is still in shambles, Federal Reserve is almost out of ammo. The current drought is putting a stress on the inflation (CPI) and to add salt to the wound, Debt (& Deficit) is growing each and every passing day. But to everyone’s surprise Treasury yield are at historic low. In fact the yield on 6 month bills went into the ‘Negative’ territory. The only decent reason I have is that US is the Best House in the Worst neighborhood. Where else will the investor go; can’t go to Europe, Japan is forbidden since 90’s, China has not opened up its markets and Australia and Canada are not big enough. So the ‘only’ alternative is the US Treasury market. It’s not the Economic reason but the Political reason that’s attracting investors to the US. As they say sometimes, you have to be worried about the Return OF Principle then the Return ON Principle.

Germany, is gaining tremendously from its neighbors trouble. The current crisis has made Angela Merkel a very shrewd leader. She knows that the depressed Euro is good for Germany’s exports. Germany is the world’s fourth largest economy ($3.5 Trillion) and Export makes up 30% of its GDP. Of course it’s in Germany’s favor to keep her neighbors afloat but in the capitalist society there is no harm when you Gain from someone Pain.