India holds over half the world's tiger population. According to the latest tiger census report released on March 28, 2011 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the current tiger population estimated is 1,706. Not many years ago this number was above 5000. That dwindled alarmingly to around low 1300's . Some focused preservation of the tiger habitat and good protection strategies in recent times have ensured this new encouraging number. It is an achievement of sorts.
However the fact remains that overall more tigers are dying than are being born. And now Tiger Pataudi is dead too! The fact that he captained India in old times is not important in my opinion. The fact that he played that spoiled brat of a game - cricket is of lesser importance. He did not earn his nick name because he was born with a silver spoon in nobility and managed to sweep a reigning queen of the silver screen, off her feet. In fact some of those facts and events that followed them are a cross mark against him. Anyway they are not of any consequence. They did not make him a tiger.
What made him a tiger was the fact that he followed his dreams. Lot of us do. We do not all become tigers. He followed his when he had no eyes to see those dreams much less follow them. I realized this the other day while playing street cricket with a tennis ball. It was so difficult to follow a circle about 3" diameter with two eyes much less hit it with any success on a regular basis. Even when it was thrown at me by a mere child. Tiger faced the fastest bowlers of his time unmindful of his handicap. He Overcame his partial blindness in one eye. He changed his stance;he changed his style; he curbed his strokes ; he did everything but he played. Only because he wanted to play and it did not matter if he had only one good eye where even two sharp young eyes are not enough.
Last time I saw him was at opening of an exhibition in Delhi. He quietly studied the canvases on show; made a couple of very informed comments and generally behaved in a most graceful manner . No fuss , no nawabi tantrums and no throwing his weight around.
There is a lesson in his life for the rest of us. There are obstacles galore and life invariably throws curved balls at us . When life hands us a lemon we must bravely make lemon juice and try to be a tiger.
There is a lesson in his life for the rest of us. There are obstacles galore and life invariably throws curved balls at us . When life hands us a lemon we must bravely make lemon juice and try to be a tiger.
