Sharoor Mania

Many years ago…

I carelessly glance through the papers…

Local news …. interesting

What’s on TV …? interesting

Editorial ….. hmmm

Politics …. yawn…

My eyes scan across some names flashed across the newspaper…. Princess Diana……Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan…….Clinton……Kofi Annan……Nelson Mandela…….Prince Charles……..Atal Bihari Vajpayee…….Shashi Tharoor……..Sachin Tendulkar…….

Year - 2009

Umsy mentions supporting Shashi Tharoor. Ok.

I come across more stuff about Shashi Tharoor randomly. Hmmm….this person is popular.

All this while, I had read about him and occasionally spotted his name here and there. I never knew what he looked like, nor do I remember him speaking about anything. All this thanks to the ignorant life I lead and hence thoughts about him do not linger for long like many others.

May 28, 2009

I landed back in India on May 17 from London and decided to go on vacation during the last week of May. It was good to be back in Kerala after 5 months. I lazily switched from one channel to the next. I stopped to see the news telecast on CNN IBN about the oath-taking of the MPs of Lok Sabha. I watched various MPs taking the oath; some fumbling despite reading it out; some making funny careless mistakes; some half-heartedly blurting out stuff which I don’t think made any sense to them. I was almost fed up and was about to change the channel when I heard one of the MPs taking the oath. From what I saw and heard. I was stunned. I could see a gleam in his eyes when he spoke each word; I could hear each word pronounced correctly (for a change); I could see there was an air of confidence and freshness in his mannerisms. Who is this person?

…what was his name again? Shashi Tharoor. Yes, this was my first introduction to the Sharoor Mania. I was mesmerised by his personality. Later on, I was mesmerised also by his handsome looks. Ok, I am giving a damp opinion on his looks because I am trying to control my words and thoughts otherwise you would think I am just another crazy girl with a stupid crush….sigh. Moreover, I was thrilled to know he is a Mallu like me…or let me use a more politically correct term - he is a Keralite like me!

I decided to blog about him after a conversation I had with one of my friends about his interesting personality and decided it was high time that I mentioned him.

I have never failed to sit back and listen to his interviews on various news channels. I am a fan of his communication skills and look forward to hearing more positive feedback. I have not read any of his books yet but would like to read them sometime soon. He is on Twitter and so am I but I have no clue on how to use it. :-D

I felt sorry when I heard that initially, people used to point out that he could not speak Malayalam but he proved everyone wrong. Probably he has an accent in the way he speaks which is obvious if you consider the number of years he has spent outside India. It would be the same case for a Keralite who spent most of his lifetime in Kerala and then decides to speak in Hindi which without doubt will have a Malayalam accent to it. C’mon people, give him a break. It is his mother tongue, he knows what he is talking about, and as long as you can understand, what he speaks….then what is the big deal? Our attitude has to change; only then, the State can really declare itself as literate. Literacy is just not about whether you get your A, B and Cs correctly, it is about opening up your mind to fresh ideas and thoughts and not being sunk deep in narrow-minded conventions.

It is still early to declare if I am a fan of his work but he sure can be a promising personality if he keeps his word of taking care of his constituency in Kerala. I wish him all the very best!

(Photo courtesy - The Internet)