India United!

Team India lifted the Cricket World Cup after almost 3 decades. The entire nation has not stopped celebrating since the last shot of MS Dhoni. 1.2 bn people are united in a joy that in only coloured by team spirit. Strangers on the street are dancing and exchanging sweets. Neighbours in cosmos who had never spoken beyond a Hello are hugging each other. These scenes of an ecstatic crowd brings tears to my eyes.
The sounds of Vande Matram playing in the stadium, the common man idol worship of Sachin Tendulkar by his team mates, the flow of emotions on the ground - makes me believe that sports can still do it. Thanks to the Greeks who thought of community gaming events :)

Nothing can be 'overdone' while celebrating this dream come true for India. But one thing which struck me was an announcement by BCCI of giving away 1cr each to the 15 player squad and 50L each to a 12 member support staff, and this is just a beginning. Monetary rewards by the government would continue to come in I am sure. By the way of commercialisation Cricket is one game in India where players are financially strong and stable. Perhaps we could have used this money in a better way, for a better cause.

I wish Indian soldiers and their families didn't have to spend years doing the paper work to get their meagre sums of rewards. But I wont let this thought dampen my high spirits!!

So well done team India - We are super proud of you!

PS: Special mention to Gautam Gambhir for dedicating the win to Indian forces. He was very correct in pointing out - a cricketing win makes an ordinary man as well as a soldier very happy :)