AMRITA RAJAN // SINGER // INDIAN IDOL FAME

 

(Evana, our eight year old grand daughter, studying in the 3rd Standard ICSE at St.Thomas  Residential School, Mukkola, Trivandrum helped me come this far. I had no idea in the navigation. She learned this when she took drawing lessons online. I wondered how efficient today's children were, when I compared my own childhood with theirs'.

A few of her drawings have found a place in this blog)

Extracted from the  malayalam magazine 

VANITHA 

July 18-31, 2026 issue

published by 

M.M.Publications Ltd

Kottayam

(a Malayala Manorama Publication)

that highlights singer Amrita Rajan's 

journey through the reality show

Indian Idol 

Translated into English, it reads:

Amrita Rajan

One of the songs I had compiled while pursuing my College education manifests the essence of my own desires and vision for the present and the future. The song's ethos is defined and reflected in the music I composed for it.

"I  long to explore the ocean's depths

I wish to traverse the sky swift in a chariot 

I look to fly as a sparrow

Alone, around the world."

MAGIC MANTRAS

 

Magic happens when talent is provided ample opportunity

 A  region's economic strength and vibrance is highly dependent on its dynamic population. Migrants are  essential  for development. 

Trust people and bring them together.

Adherence to the common rule is the only way to spread success.

Build a golden system that is rare today: Institutions, Academies, Companies, and cultural traditions that keep discovering talent. Give it room to flourish.

Convert talent into excellence.

Good leadership is the difference between being ordinary and special.

NIRANJAN T G IN MALAYALA MANORAMA

 

തരിശിട്ട പാടങ്ങളിൽ വിളയാതെ പോയത് 

മലയാളികൾക്ക് ഏറ്റവും പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട വിനോദമായ തർക്കത്തിലേർപ്പെടാൻ തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പുകാലം കഴിഞ്ഞ് കിട്ടുന്ന ഒരു സന്ദർഭമാണ് ലോകകപ്പ് ഫുട്ബോൾ. ആ സീസണും അവസാനിക്കാൻ പോവുകയാണ്. പല പ്രമുഖ ടീമുകളും കളമൊഴിഞ്ഞുകഴിഞ്ഞു. അവരുടെ നിരാശരായ ആരാധകരെല്ലാം നിശബ്ദരായി. പടുകൂറ്റൻ ഫ്ലക്സുകൾ പലതും കവലകളിൽ നിന്ന് അപ്രത്യക്ഷമായി തുടങ്ങി. പൊതുവെ അപഹസിക്കപ്പെടാറുള്ളതുപോലെ മഴയിൽ കോഴിക്കൂടുകൾക്കോ ഷെഡ്ഡുകൾക്കോ മേൽവിരിപ്പുകളായോ, വെയിലിൽ കൊണ്ടാട്ടമോ ധാന്യങ്ങളോ ഉണക്കാനുള്ള തറവിരിപ്പുകളായോ മാറുക എന്ന ദൗത്യമേറ്റെടുക്കാനായി അവ ചുരുട്ടിവെയ്ക്കപ്പെട്ടു കഴിഞ്ഞു. 

തോറ്റാലും ജയിച്ചാലും ഫുട്ബോൾ തർക്കം തുടരാൻ മലയാളികളെ എക്കാലവും പ്രചോദിപ്പിക്കുന്ന രണ്ട് പ്രമുഖ ടീമുകളാണ് ബ്രസീലും അർജന്റീനയും. ഭൂഗോളത്തിന്റെ മറ്റൊരറ്റത്ത് കിടക്കുന്ന ലാറ്റിനമേരിക്കയുമായി അല്ലെങ്കിലും മലയാളികൾക്ക് പണ്ടേ ഒരു ‘ഇദുണ്ട്’.  പ്രത്യേകിച്ചും എഴുപതുകളിലെ ലിറ്റിൽ മാഗസിൻ കാലം മുതൽ. തൊട്ടടുത്ത പഞ്ചായത്തിനെക്കാൾ ലാറ്റിനമേരിക്കൻ രാജ്യങ്ങളെ അറിയാമെന്ന് കരുതിയിരുന്ന ഒരു തലമുറയിലെ യുവാക്കളെ മാർക്വസും യോസയും നെരൂദയും ബോർഹസും നിക്കനോർ പാർറയുമൊക്കെ മലയാളി എഴുത്തുകാരെപ്പോലെത്തന്നെ ബാധിച്ചിരുന്നു. സാംസ്കാരികകേരളത്തിനെന്ന പോലെ കായികകേരളത്തിനും കാൽപ്പന്തുകളിയുടെ ഈ വസന്തഭൂമി ഊർജം പകർന്നു. 

ഗയാനയും സുറിനാമും വെനിസ്വേലയുമൊഴിച്ചുള്ള തെക്കേ അമേരിക്കൻ രാജ്യങ്ങളെല്ലാം ഫുട്ബോൾ ലോക കപ്പ് കളിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. കേരളത്തിലെ ഫുട്ബോൾ ആരാധകർക്കിടയിലെ പരമ്പരാഗതവൈരികളായ ബ്രസീലിനും അർജന്റീനയ്ക്കുമിടയിൽ കൊയ്തൊഴിഞ്ഞ പാടത്ത് താൽക്കാലിക ഗോൾപോസ്റ്റുകളായി വെച്ച രണ്ടു ഉരുളൻകല്ലുകളെപ്പോലെ കിടക്കുന്ന ഉരുഗ്വേയും പരാഗ്വേയും പോലുമുണ്ട് അതിൽ. പുറമെ നെരൂദയുടേയും നിക്കനോർ പാർറയുടേയും ചിലിയും മാർക്വസിന്റെ കൊളംബിയയും ഇക്വഡോറും പെറുവും ലോകകപ്പ് യോഗ്യരായ രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ ഉൾപ്പെടും. 

ലാറ്റിനമേരിക്കൻ ഫുട്ബോളിനെ ഒരു വികാരമായി കൊണ്ടുനടക്കുന്ന മലയാളികൾക്ക് ഭാരതമെന്ന പേരുകേട്ട് അന്തരംഗം അഭിമാനപൂരിതമാവാൻ നിവൃത്തിയില്ലാത്തതു കൊണ്ടാവണം ബ്രസീൽ, അർജന്റീന എന്നൊക്കെ ഞരമ്പുകളിൽ ചോര തിളയ്ക്കുന്നത്. വാട്സപ്പ് ഗ്രൂപ്പുകളിലും സമൂഹമാദ്ധ്യമങ്ങളിലും ഈ ആരാധകർക്കിടയിലെ വെല്ലുവിളികളും വാഗ്വാദങ്ങളും അധിക്ഷേപങ്ങളുമൊക്കെ കാണുമ്പോൾ ഒമ്പതാം ക്ലാസിലെ കേരളപാഠാവലിയിൽ പഠിച്ച ഒരു കഥയോർത്തു. ഉറൂബിന്റെ 'അഭിപ്രായഭേദം'. 

അഭിപ്രായഭേദമാണല്ലോ പണ്ടുതൊട്ടേ നമുക്ക് ഊർജം തരുന്ന ഒരു പൊട്ടൻഷ്യൽ. കഥയിലാവട്ടെ അത് കഥാകൃത്തിനോടൊപ്പം ഒരു പാസഞ്ചർ ട്രെയിനിൽ സഞ്ചരിക്കുന്ന കണ്ണപ്പൻനായരും കിട്ടുണ്ണിക്കുറുപ്പും തമ്മിലുള്ള സംഭാഷണത്തിലെ ഒരു വിയോജിപ്പിൽ നിന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്നതാണ്. തന്റെ നാട്ടിലെ കാന്ത്രാട്ടു മനക്കാർക്ക് ഒന്നര ലക്ഷം പറ നെല്ല് പാട്ടമായി കിട്ടുന്നുണ്ടെന്ന് കണ്ണപ്പൻനായരുടെ ഒരു ചോദ്യത്തിന് ഉത്തരമായി കിട്ടുണ്ണിക്കുറുപ്പ് പറയുന്നതിൽ നിന്നാണ് തുടക്കം. അത്രയ്ക്കൊന്നുമുണ്ടാവില്ല, കൂടിയാൽ എഴുപത്തയ്യായിരം എന്ന് കണ്ണപ്പൻനായർ. എന്തിനേറെപ്പറയുന്നു, വിയോജിപ്പ് വളർന്ന് തർക്കമായി, സംഘർഷമായി, അടികലശലായി. കിട്ടുണ്ണിക്കുറുപ്പ് ക്ഷുഭിതനായി ഷൊർണൂരിൽ ഇറങ്ങിപ്പോവുന്നതു വരെ അത് തുടർന്നു. ഈ രണ്ടു പേർക്കും സ്വന്തമായി വല്ല കൃഷിയുമുണ്ടോ എന്നത് സംശയമാണു താനും!

വാട്സപ്പ് ഗ്രൂപ്പുകളിൽ തർക്കം തുടരുന്ന ബ്രസീൽ, അർജന്റീന ആരാധകർ ഷൊർണൂരിലിറങ്ങിയ കിട്ടുണ്ണിക്കുറുപ്പിനെ പോലെ എക്സിറ്റടിച്ചുപോയാലും കേരളത്തിലെ പ്രശ്നമവസാനിക്കില്ല. തരിശിട്ട പാടങ്ങളിൽ പോലും ഒരു പറയ്ക്കുള്ള ഫുട്ബോൾ കൃഷി നമുക്ക് സ്വന്തമായുമില്ല ! 

- നിരഞ്ജൻ ടി ജി

LIONEL MESSI THROUGH THE EYES OF XAVI HERNANDEZ AND JAVIER MASCHERANO

 "Nothing Messi does should surprise anyone - except, of course, that it does."

"He is a special one." 

"You cannot compare him with anyone. He's different, totally different."

"Always when we see him, always it's a surprise because he's doing a lot of things that we will never, never see in another player. Hence I think, in the future, it will be difficult to find a player like him. I think it's impossible."

Xavi, who shared years of midfield sorcery with Messi at Barcelona, said he watced Argentina's 2-1 win over England with Mascherano and could barely process what he was seeing.

"We were together watching the game, and he told me, "39 years(old), and what's he doing? It's amazing."

"In my opinion he's the best in history. And he's still making a difference on the pitch. And his ambition, his attitude. He's a warrior. He's absolutely the best."

Xavi Hernandez and Javier Mascherano had been Barcelona greats. They see the their old club's shadows everywhere.

Xavi was a pillar of Spain's side whose tiki-taka possession game won the country's first World cup in South africa in 2010.

Masscherano was Messi's teammate with Barcelona and Argentina and his coach at Inter Miami until early 2026.

According to them, Lionel Messi is Barca academy's most dazzling export still bending matches to his will at 39.   We can see that it is  the inluence of the club coming  very much alive in Messi's game.

They both were of the view that Barca's footballing idea runs through both Spain and Argentina.  They reiterated  whoever is crowned once the final is over, the winner would ultimately be Barca.

Times of india 19 July 2026
Invisible champions: Why Barca win, no matter the score

World Cup Final

 

When Spain meets Argentina on Monday, the 20th July 2026 in the football World Cup final, we can see  that  the protagonists will be representing two countries on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

While Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez has been the loudest voice for Palestine, inclusiveness and left ideology in Europe, his Argentine counterpart's political ideology can be summed up in him being one of the strongest supporters of US President Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Javier Milei has been famously quoted as saying that "the only left that works is the left foot of Messi."

It is a satire on history itself that the country once colonized by the Spanish empire - that rid the land of its own people - now has Milei's rightist government at the helm while its colonizers are standing to the left and advocating for diversity and socialism. 

Yet another paradox is that the Latin Americans are the sole all white team among the 48 nations at the World Cup whereas Spain will have players of immigrant descent.

That's the reality the world will stare at when the summit clash kicks off in New Jersey.

Sudeshna Ghosh
in The Times of India on 19 July 2006
ALSO PLAYING POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES

The Spanish Govt's Leftist Ideals Will Clash With Argentina's Far-Right Stance in The Final

How good the church election is?

 

How good the church election is?

I think we must have elections, every Sunday, every day.

All of a sudden, people who have ignored you so far, people who always keep a stiff upper lip, people who turn the other way when you approach them, people who wouldn't smile even if you offer a smile,  people who think of themselves alone, people who are never responsive and people who are never aware of your existence start looking you up. They phone you. They smile, really smile at you. They share messages with you.

You find to your  surprise the active presence of Christianity everywhere. It is just what Jesus  advocated. 

You know very well, come the result you would be dumped again, you would be cast away into ignominy for the next three years. The smiles would fade. You would just become an inconvenience if you happen to cross their path. The world would become normal again as it had been before the elections. No one would know anyone else once again.

You become yourself.

It began with a shocking message triggering messages to and fro

It began with a shocking message triggering messages to and fro.

"Sabu is in a very bad situation. He had a massive heart attack and is hospitalized 100%block in all arteries. They put one stent on. They got a heartbeat for a while."

(Information was Sabu had collapsed in the restroom. Fortunately, his wife and younger daughter were at home. They found him unconscious. He was almost gone. They administered CPR. He was transferred to the hospital.at once. A friend who is a doctor tells, most heart attacks occur in the bathrooms. He says when the heart attack is on people do not realise it. They have the urge to relieve themselves. They rush to the toilet. They collapse there)

"I am in the hospital waiting room"

"I am at a loss. Auntie too."

"When asked the doctor said we should be praying for his brain functioning. All healing comes from God but that is the functionality they are going to check for."

"This was the exact issue they had told me they were afraid of when my Papa was  incapacitated beyond redemption."

"When Papa had a Cardiac arrest in June 1980, the doctor said he'd be gone in half an hour at the most.

Papa opened his eyes after 48 hours.He was in the post operative room connected to the ventilator in the theatre. They had put him back there from the ward.

It was night around 11 or 12 the following night.

The doctor came out from theatre. He asked who was Roji. When I went up, he asked me to follow him into the theatre. I said I didn't have their theatre wear. He asked me to take off my footwear and follow him. 

I saw Papa on the bed with tubes and attachments. His eyes were wide open.

They asked him who I was. He was definite. He said this is my son Roji, Roji Mathew.

They laughed. They advised me to go out.

Later, I understood they were checking his senses or functioning of his brain

(This was the exact issue they had told me they were afraid of.)

He remained there for one more day and it was back to the General Ward and afterwards two weeks in the Pay Ward"

"Pray without ceasing. Our Lord provides. Always"

"I, we, prayed incessantly."

"When he was discharged, he walked out of the hospital. No trolly or wheel chair."

"Daivame. Our God provides. Always."

"He was 62.

After CPR he was  on the Ventilator for 48 hours.

When the doctor said half an hour it was around 10 pm night.

I sat on the floor outside

B-Theatre - no benches or seats there - and began praying. 

I prayed just one sentence repeatedly staying awake the whole night.

"Daivame ente Papa ye ee rathri kondupokaruthe"

(Oh God, please don't take away my Papa this night)

I could have been naive. But a thought, a crazy one, was in me. That God would let him be in this world if Papa had survived till 6 am  the next morning.

The supplication was relentless 

Morning around 8 AM next day, word was, he was alive. 

The doctor told me there was some improvement.

God gave him back

He lived on 28 years.

Miracle.

I understood one thing. 

God acts at the right time.

To this day, it has been true in my life, our life.

It will be in yours too.

We are praying for Sabu and you and everyone there."

"Can't write anything more"

"Pray without ceasing. Our Lord provides. Always."

"We are doing that. We'll keep on doing that."

"Our God provides. Always."

"They just updated us. He had purposeful movement, they confirmed 3 times, he squeezed their hands and opened and closed eyes on command. They increased sedation again so he doesn’t get restless or move too much. Otherwise status quo"

"By God’s Immense Grace, Sabu is now off heart support (no ecmo, and no impella) 

Sabu did well overnight, CT surgeon said his heart is recovering well. Today the plan is to extubate him. Please pray"

"Thank God"

"This morning only at 6.51am we spoke for 18mins. It's crux was how God acts

Now it's 6.48 pm. All it took was slightly less than 12hrs.

As I said God knows what He's doing. 

The wheels grind slow. But they surely grind.

Now the recovery will be quick

We keep praying for him, for you. We know it's tough for you acting double"

"Not extubated. Please pray."

"Sabu was stable today. They will do an echo tomorrow and then decide the next steps. The Pastor visited. Sabu recognized the Pastor.  We pray without ceasing."

"No update."

"When  you are free and have a mind to talk, please message. I'll call"

"When I am free, I will message you."

"Sabu’s lungs are slowly recovering. They are slowly lowering sedation so they can make extubation easier" 

"Sabu has been off sedation all day. He is aware of the surroundings. He is recognizing us and communicating well. The doctors are happy with his progress"

*Daivame sthothram"

"Sabu was very lively today. He was off the vent for the entire day. Our Pastor came by and we all talked with Sabu about what had happened and why he is hospitalized?" 

"Sabu is in a much better space now" 

"Sabu is getting stronger day by day. Today he stood up with PT and SLP put in a speech valve so he was able to talk all day. He was also on the trach collar for about 16 hours today, doing well"

"Sabu passed speech and swallow and is now having a full meal for dinner today. He’s doing great." 

"Great news.

Praise God.

Miracles do happen in this world.

Sabu is the miracle.

As I had told my Papa after his survival - cardiac arrest and momentary or virtual death -  take each moment, each second and each day as a bonus gifted by God almighty.

As the bible says, do good unto others.

Find joy in looking after the needs, both material and spiritual, of the others, the needy.

Please don't dump money into the coffers of the church or the pockets of the Priests when you see misappropriation. 

The fashion I have observed from my large extended family or the people around is, they would never lift even the little finger to help or assist those who are in  real need within the family.

While I have seen in many instances is that, Christians or people from other religions do help people to migrate or assist them materially. However, my own people had never taken any interest to help those in penury or in real need within the large ambit of family.

They would happily tell us they would pray whereas that is the last thing they would ever do in this world.

As I said, treat people well. Help them within your means.

The rewards will flow to you and your successors"

"Great advice and observation. Starred the message"

LAMINE YAMAL IS THE FIRST YAMAL, NOT THE NEXT MESSI

 

Lamine Yamal is the face of Spanish soccer today. He is dazzling. He is the undisputed leader of the Barcelona football team. He is the creative fulcrum of Spain.

His ascent as one of the best footballers in the world has been relentless though he is yet to leap into the highest station.

When Spain's World Cup 2026 debut began in Atlanta, the Mecedez-Benz Stadium was throbbing with team's supporters. They had arrived early to savour the debut in large numbers. However one detail was impossible to ignore. It was a sea of red. The vast majority of those red shirts, old and new, with different designs, carried the same number and the same name. 

19, Lamine Yamal.

His appeal to younger audiences, effortless authenticity and remarkable composure have made him a marketer's dream, making him one of the most sought after faces among the world's biggest brands. Though he may still be chasing the achievements of Messi, Mbappe or Haaland, he already belongs to the same commercial league.

Yamal's relaxed personality, infectious confidence and seemingly effortless ability to handle immense pressure have made him a magnet for advertisers.

His legend has spread through newspaper reports, TV highlights and word of mouth. Yamal belongs to a different age in comparison with Messi as he began his career.

Here, every dribble becomes a viral clip within minutes. Every celebration is a meme. Every appearance generates millions of impressions before the final whistle. 

Talent still matters, but the machinery of fame now works at a speed Messi never experienced in his youth.

Yamal has made his neighbourhood part of his identity. Even as his global fame multiplies, he often celebrates goals by making the numbers 304 with his fingers. It is a tribute to the last three digits of Rocafonda's postal code (08304. It is the place of his birth.   The gesture is unusual in modern football, where stars often distance themselves from their roots.

The Lamine Yamal phenomenon is almost unstoppable.  It grows with every performance, every headline and every campaign.

Excerpts from Luis Buxeres' article in.                    The Times of India of 14 July 2026.                         'Not The Next Messi, The First Yamal'

INAKI WILLIAMS AND NICO WILLIAMS

 Iñaki and Nico Williams are a historic pair of brothers who play together for La Liga's Athletic Club in Bilbao, Spain.  Born to Ghanaian refugees who survived a harrowing, barefoot trek across the Sahara Desert, the siblings share a remarkably close bond but represent different national teams—Iñaki for Ghana and Nico for Spain. 

The Family's Sahara Journey

In the late 1990s, their parents, Felix and Maria, left Ghana on a perilous journey seeking a better life in Europe. While crossing the Sahara Desert, they were abandoned by the human traffickers and  were forced to walk through extreme, 50°C temperatures without shoes—a trek that cost many in their group their lives. Maria was pregnant with Iñaki at the time, and her survival is a testament to the family's resilience. 

After scaling a border fence into the Spanish enclave of Melilla, a lawyer advised them to claim they were fleeing the Liberian civil war to seek political asylum. The family was eventually relocated to Bilbao by a Catholic priest, who even baptized Iñaki and served as his godfather.

Rise to Football Stardom

Growing up in Pamplona and Bilbao, football served as a crucial outlet for the brothers. 

Felix did not let poverty drain his sons. He introduced football to them. The parents did not tell the children till they reached 18 years of age why Felix lived with incapacitated feet. The trek through Sahara braving instant death had engineered the disability, they finally revealed to the children when they turned eighteen..

Iñaki Williams: The older brother (born in 1994), Iñaki joined Athletic Club's academy and became an iconic figure at the club. He famously set an all-time La Liga record by making over 250 consecutive appearances for the club, a streak that earned him immense respect. 

Nico Williams: The younger brother (born in 2002), Nico, who is often called "Williams Jr.," also rose through the ranks at Athletic Bilbao. He is celebrated for his incredible pace, creativity, and explosive wing play, becoming a crucial player on the world stage.

A Family Divided on the International Stage

While the brothers play side-by-side for Athletic Club—even combining to assist each other's goals in crucial Copa del Rey victories—they made the unique decision to represent different countries internationally. Iñaki chose to switch his international allegiance to Ghana in 2022 to represent his parents' homeland, while Nico rapidly rose through the youth ranks to become a star forward for the Spanish senior national team. 

Both Inaki and Nico, whenever they get an opportunity to address a meeting acknowledge with a grateful heart,. the sacrifices their parents had undergone for their sake. 

DOES THIS STRIKE A CHORD SOMEWHERE?

 

That dishonesty and prayers coexist in places of worship, seems routine to us. We are confronted with allegations that the very people entrusted with serving a religious organisation may have misappropriated  its assets. This is not a routine scam on the generally accepted morality scale that come to light every day. 

Now corruption is no longer a moral failure. It is a life skill. To many, religiosity and morality are one and the same.  They are not. As it is,.a person can perform elaborate rituals,donate generously, attend all functions and still behave dishonestly in everyday life. 

Ethics has no place here. Lack of integrity is compensated by liberal donations, even as the money flows in through dishonest means. Organisations are helmed by the greedy lacking character. The existence of corruption elsewhere does not justify corruption within an organisation by insiders entrusted with serving it. 

The lesson is that no institution should rely solely on trust. When the Bank of Cochin Ltd was taken over by State Bank of India, the primary lesson taught to the former's employees who were absorbed by the latter was 'never conduct your work on trust alone.' 

It is a lesson for life. 

One of the recurring mistakes today is that we assume certain people who lead us  are beyond temptation. Human beings are human beings. Accountability has to matter. If not, any group with enough money, influence and freedom from scrutiny would implode the system. For the majority, when those in power indulge in corruption, it is plausible, not shocking.

We have become a society that's become comfortable looking the other way. When the leaders ruin the organisation through corruption and dishonesty, the long hours they spend over prayers and rituals become worthless. 

What matters is how honestly you conduct yourself when nobody is watching and what choices you make when wrongdoing would be the easiest.  

 

NATURE'S BOUQUETS

                                                        JULY OVER THE YEARS

                                                    NATURE'S BOUQUETS

THE FOOTBALL THAT WENT TO SPACE TWICE

 In a recent issue of the Malyala Manorama newspaper there had been an article in Malayalam on the Football that went to  space twice. I was transfixed. Like everyone else on earth I had watched the astronauts waving and striding into the Challenger capsule for the launch. It was a perfect launch. Then it was an explosion, fire and disintegration. We were shocked. We were stricken by overwhelming grief.  We could only cry. The images stay with us forever. Even if we willed it, they would not desert us. Life is just like that, it was a painful revelation. 

Unfortunately the newspaper went missing soon after I read it. I felt disappointed. Undaunted, I searched the web. There it was, in English. 

Let me share it.

The "football that went to space twice" is a poignant, historic soccer ball carried by astronaut Ellison Onizuka aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. After surviving the 1986 disaster, it was recovered from the ocean, returned to Earth, and years later taken to the International Space Station by his daughter's principal.The incredible journey of the Clear Lake High School soccer ball is a story of tragedy, endurance, and a touching tribute:

The First Launch (1986):

Before boarding the Space Shuttle Challenger, NASA astronaut Ellison Onizuka was gifted a soccer ball by his daughter Janelle and her teammates at Clear Lake High School in Houston. Onizuka brought the ball aboard as a personal item, but the mission ended in tragedy when the shuttle broke apart shortly after liftoff.

The Miraculous Recovery

Against all odds, the soccer ball was found among the floating debris in the Atlantic Ocean by the U.S. Coast Guard and returned to Onizuka's family. His widow, Lorna Onizuka, later returned the tattered and autographed ball to the high school, where it sat hidden behind trophies for years.

The Second Journey (2017): 

Decades later, astronaut Shane Kimbrough, whose own children attended the same Clear Lake High School, was preparing for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). He requested permission to take the ball back into space on behalf of the school. The ball officially went to space for a second time, serving as a powerful tribute to Onizuka's legacy.

Returning Home

After completing its second historic spaceflight, the ball was brought back to Earth by Kimbrough and permanently returned to the Onizuka family and the high school.

PART OF GOD AND ONE WITH HIM

 

From the moment we are born, our first and primary relationship is with our parents.

Through them, we become related to siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many others. These relationships are not of our making. They come with our birth. Thus, whether we like or dislike them, own or disown them, they continue to exist. 

Relationships with friends and spouses are formed (inorganic formation) and can therefore be broken. Our relationship with our parents, however, lasts only during our lives..

Who is truly related to us in our life? Which relationship is the fundamental and the absolute one?

It is our relationship with God. I am a part and He is the whole. I am an individual  and He is the total. 

Can the part exist without the whole? How intimately is a part related to the whole? Is a part ever separated from the whole?

Upanishads describe God as the Virat Purush, Cosmic Being and every individual as part of God. 

While we are aware that the universe is made up of the five elements, space, air, water, fire and earth, are not individual bodies, made of the five elements, part of the totality of the five elements?

We are indeed an aggregate of these elements. 

There are countless waves in the ocean. Each wave is born in the ocean, exists in it, and subsides into it. Its relationship with other waves is temporary. But its relationship with the ocean is primary and absolute. 

Likewise we are all a part of God and one with him. How can we ignore this eternal relationship?

The Mundaka Upanishad offers a beautiful metaphor.

In a tree like body, two birds who are friends, dwell. One is God and the other is the individual.. The individual keeps pecking at sweet and sour fruits, alternating between happiness and unhappiness. Helplessly caught in the conflicts and confusions of life, it looks up to its God-friend and becomes truly happy.

Relationships bind us. We suffer because we seek support from those who are helpless and who are dependent elsewhere. We feel burdened by responsibilities. We are attached to possessions. We are worried about our children. We are hurt by rejection and insult. It happens like that because we forget that relatives and relationships are only relative - not absolute. We do not have to renounce worldly relationships to reiterate our relationship with God. 

When we realise it, we understand that not only do we belong to God, but so does everyone else - equally, totally and absolutely.  The awareness divinises all worldly relationships.

When we ignore our relationship with God, we suffer. 

How can I feel helpless when I am aware of God's support? How can I feel insecure when I am under the protection of the omnipotent? How can I feel lonely when I am always in His embrace?

Our relationship with God is binding forever.  It is the product of listening to and understanding the scripture and through the grace of God. The relationship is at once primary and absolute.

When the individual  through ignorance feels he is separated from the omnipotent, God nourishes him with the knowledge that  He never abandons him. He guides him through thick and thin.

You become one with God

Swami Tejomayananda of Chinmaya Mission in The Times of india of 30 June 2026 -          The Relationship Nobody Talks About - (slightly edited)

 

  

VIKING ROW

 THE STORY OF THE VIKING ROW

Norway had beaten Brazil 2 - 1 in the World Cup football tournament 2026.

At the close of the match the Norway team sat on the pitch. A drum was placed there on the ground. Erling Haaland who scored  both the goals began rhythmically beating the drum.The team rowed forth and back. The large crowd of supporters of Norway did the same on the stands.

It was inspiring. It was beautiful. It was the Viking Row.

I came across an article in English, The Story of the Viking Row, in the Malayala Manorama of 11th July 2026. It was lucid.

Placing it here:

Long ago, the Vikings ruled the northern seas of Europe..Thes brave explorers travelled to distant lands without modern engines or GPS. Their most remarkable invention was the Viking longship.

Viking longships were masterpieces of ancient engineering. They were built with overlapping wood to make them light and flexible. This allowed the ships to ride over rough ocean waves. Crucially, they had a very shallow bottom.

A longship could float in as little as one metre of water, so it could sail up shallow rivers or land directly on beaches. When there was no wind, the crew rowed together to a steady, rhythmic beat. 

In the summer of 2026, this ancient history suddenly became a massive global trend. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Norway made a historic run in the tournament. Their fans stole the show by turning this ancient rowing motion into a stadium celebration called the "Viking Row."

To do the Viking row thousands of fans sit together on the ground. They lean back and pretend to pull giant oars while shouting "Ro!" (the Norwegian word for row) to a fast drumbeat. The trend quickly spread beyond World Cup stadiums and across social media.

Today, when school students do the Viking Row, they are recreating a piece of living history.

It reminds us how rhythm, teamwork and determination helped ancient explorers conquer the seas.

KYLIAN MBAPPE

 KYLIAN MBAPPE

Greats keep growing. Conjuring magic and moves.Inventing and reinventing. Inspiring. Putting society and sport in a perfect syphony of dreams and fulfilment.

A horizon opening onto new frontiers. He is the adjective for the beautiful game. Football. 

He has matured, trading efficiency to become executioner.Except that in his case, efficiency is also elegant. He creates space and finds the net with the support of Michael Olise and Desire Doue. He was elegant completing a hat-trick in the final 10 minutes. He was elegant, but also brutally effective.. He was mesmerising. He was a bundle of energy. 

Mbappe has spent the past month producing exquisite performance leaving the world gasping for breath. It has been breathless and beautiful.

People have realised that this effectiveness of execution, built on intelligence and embellishment with elegance transcends football.

It has a universal appeal.

Subodh Ghildiyal in The  Times of india of 12 July 2026

TESSY WRITES ON 'YOU CAN CREATE YOUR FUTURE'

 

TESSY IS THOMAS JACOB

TESSY REFLECTS ON 'YOU CAN CREATE YOUR FUTURE'

A little bit of this and and a little bit of that.... The team selection happened at the end of June or probably early July.... How does a team gel together before a tournament? How do you plan? How do you gauge your strengths and weakness? How can you work on the weakness of the opponents and how to restrict their strengths? All this needs time and a team that has been together for some time... 

A simple example is how Argentina came back in the 79th minute... Team work needs time and planning... I would like to tell Aaron all this, but I am positive that you will be able to pass it on to him better.... 

I was sharing an incident with Vinaya about my school days with St. Joseph's Boys Hr. Sec. School, Coonoor... We had a great football culture in the school... I played in the defense (full back) and for one match, I was asked to play half back (midfield) and this decision was taken a day before the match... The idea was to stop the opposing team captain who was very fast and I was the 100 mts champ... so there came in the planning part and then the rest of the team understanding the sudden change of plan, worked accordingly... We won that match 3-0.

Now Aaron and his friends need to come back and practice together and start to understand the chemistry of team bonding, and this only will help them form a formidable team and in the process, a team to beat! 

I replied:

Thank you for the wonderful impassionate analysis

And the creative imaginative tackle.

Happy it drew the real sportsman Tessy out into the open.

YOU CAN CREATE YOUR FUTURE

Aaron is our grandson.

Along with his Appa, he visits us on Sundays. They stay with Dr.Rajan Varghese, his maternal grandfather at Paruthippara.

We are happy to have him whenever he presents himself. 

He told us on his visit on the last Sunday of June, that he had to attend the selection trials for the 

nder 17 Basketball Team of his School (St.Thomas Residential School), Mukkola,Trivandrum, the following week. Later we learned he had been selected as a member of the School's Basketball team - under 17. Anoop who came to our residence on Tuesday told us he was on leave on Wednesday for taking Aaron to Loyola School to participate in a Basketball Tournament there. 

Anoop phoned us after the game. St.Thomas had badly lost to Lecole Chempaka. He said they were the better team. But Aaron was devastated as well as depressed on his poor performance.  They had taken him out to Dominos to lift up his spirits.

Here is the message I had sent  to Anoop and Reshma for Aaron. They are Aaron's parents.

Please tell Aaron that losing 33 - 3 to a much better opponent is not something to cry about.

What he has to or his team has to do is, do a SWOT  analysis. It opens up reform.

One thing is certain. They cannot fall any farther than this. They can only improve from there.

If we care to learn from Roger Federer or Virat Kohli or Lionel Messi or many other super heroes , we can see they go back to basics after a scintillating performance or a rout.

They spend hours together practicing - their shots, kicks or serves.

When we are enthralled by those curving grounded or flying shots from Messi you can be certain he has practiced hours together over them. 

When we see Federer's aces chipping the inner edge of the baseline, it is not a magic in operation, but the result of painstaking practice over hours and hours.

And the ease with which  Magic Jordan find the hoop need not astound us. It is his persevering practice that is edging him on.

To put it in a nutshell, efffort+effort=excellence

Speaking on failure, remember,  failures are our finest teachers. Successes  do take us forth. But they don't teach like failures do. Failures make us introspect. Then refine. Then surge ahead with a new found vigour.

It is said, 'fail and fail to win.'

Go back to the drawing board and plan your strategy to make 33-3, 33-66

This is true everywhere. 

There is no easy way out. You will have to sweat it out away from public glare.

Victory beckons you. 

You can create your future.

YOU CAN CREATE YOUR FUTURE

Aaron is our grandson.

Along with his Appa, he visits us on Sundays. They stay with Dr.Rajan Varghese, his maternal grandfather at Paruthippara.

We are happy to have him whenever he presents himself. 

He told us on his visit on the last Sunday of June, that he had to attend the selection trials for the under 17 Basketball Team of his School (St.Thomas Residential School), Mukkola,Trivandrum, the following week. Later we learned he had been selected as a member of the School's Basketball team - under 17. Anoop who came to our residence on Tuesday told us he was on leave on Wednesday for taking Aaron to Loyola School to participate in a Basketball Tournament there. 

Anoop phoned us after the game. St.Thomas had badly lost to Lecole Chempaka. He said they were the better team. But Aaron was devastated as well as depressed on his poor performance.  They had taken him out to Dominos to lift up his spirits.

Here is the message I had sent  to Anoop and Reshma for Aaron. They are Aaron's parents.

Please tell Aaron that losing 33 - 3 to a much better opponent is not something to cry about.

What he has to or his team has to do is, do a SWOT  analysis. It opens up reform.

One thing is certain. They cannot fall any farther than this. They can only improve from there.

If we care to learn from Roger Federer or Virat Kohli or Lionel Messi or many other super heroes , we can see they go back to basics after a scintillating performance or a rout.

They spend hours together practicing - their shots, kicks or serves.

When we are enthralled by those curving grounded or flying shots from Messi you can be certain he has practiced hours together over them. 

When we see Federer's aces chipping the inner edge of the baseline, it is not magic in operation, but the result of painstaking practice over hours and hours.

And the ease with which  Magic Jordan find the hoop need not astound us. It is his persevering practice that is edging him on.

To put it in a nutshell, efffort+effort=excellence

Speaking on failure, remember,  failures are our finest teachers. Successes  do take us forth. But they don't teach like failures do. Failures make us introspect. Then refine. Then surge ahead with a new found vigour.

It is said, 'fail and fail, to win.'

Go back to the drawing board and plan your strategy to make 33-3, 33-66

This is true everywhere. 

There is no easy way out. You will have to sweat it out away from public glare.

Victory beckons you. 

You can create your future.

CANNA //VERY COMMON BUT MESMERISING FLOWER

                           CANNA //VERY COMMON BUT MESMERISING FLOWER

We were mesmerised by this flower at CSI Christ Church, Palayam, Trivandrum

When we requested the gardener Roy for a seedling, he was gracious enough to provide us one.

It flourished in our garden. There were several varieties of the plant in front of our house. 

It was beautiful when they flowered.

But they were crowded

However when we lost our Dachshund through Krait bite we engaged our worker Babu to partially take out a few of the plants to open up the space.

Babu had no inhibitions. He had no finer feelings. He uprooted everything in the garden so that the the garden was devoid of the Canna Plant.

We felt sad. especially, Lila, who was instrumental in the obtention of the original Canna revolution.

But one shoot had somehow escaped Babu's ravages.

It sprouted. 

And here we are with Canna flower once again

IRIDESCENCE

 iridescence

noun

ir·​i·​des·​cence ˌir-ə-ˈde-sᵊn(t)s 

A lustrous rainbowlike play of color caused by differential refraction of light waves (as from an oil slick, soap bubble, or fish scales) that tends to change as the angle of view changes

A  lustrous or attractive quality or effect

 

Iridescence is an optical phenomenon in which the hue of a surface appears to change depending on the angle of observation and the angle of illumination. It is typically produced when light waves reflect and interfere with one another as they hit semi-transparent, structured layers.

Key Concepts and Occurrence

 and the Science Behind It: 

Unlike colors created by pigments (which absorb or reflect specific wavelengths of light), iridescence is a product of structural coloration. It is caused by physical structures like thin films, ridges, or scales that cause light to bend and interfere constructively or destructively.

Etymology: 

The term originates from the Greek word ἶρις (îris), meaning rainbow, combined with the Latin suffix -escent, which means "having a tendency toward". Iris is also the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow.

Where It's Found:

 

Iridescence is widely observed both in nature and daily life. 

Common examples 

Include soap bubbles, thin oil slicks on water, precious opals, the mother-of-pearl (nacre) lining mollusk shells, butterfly wings, and the colorful feathers of hummingbirds.

Iridescence: 

 

 

It is Nature's Most Beautiful Physics Trick  

Iridescence is a shiny, glowing quality.  It is like the bright, colorful surface of a soap bubble that is a beautiful visual.

Iridescence is an optical phenomenon that causes colors to change depending on the angle of light and the angle of observation. It's caused by diffraction 

It is  play of colors producing rainbow effects (as in a soap bubble)

IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER

                  IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER

Egypt were playing Argentina, current World Champions,  in the pre quarter final of the World Cup football tournament 2026. The North Africans gave a masterclass. The South Americans seemed resigned to watch their World Cup dreams vanish. 

At the 79th minute of the 90 minutes' encounter, Egypt was up 2 - 0.

Like the wounded lion refusing to lie down, Messi roared with a resilience everyone knew he possessed.. Each of his teammates rose to the occasion. 

Paredes, whose name literally means 'Walls' prevented a third goal from Egypt. Then Cristian Romero powered a header past  Egypt's goalkeeper. Messi scored too. He scores every game now, breaking his own record each time. Finally, during stoppage time,  Enzo Fernandez slammed the ball into the Egyptian net. 

Enzo weeps after the match trying to describe Messi. Scaloni, the coach, who had also cried ptchside, said, he gets goosebumps just thinking about him.

Messi too wept at the final whistle where the score board read Argentina -3. Egypt -2. He seemed like a wounded beast able to breathe again, knowing fully well, it's not over until it's over.

French veteran, Thiery Henry reminisced.,"He gets a look in his eyes when things aren't going his way and he transforms and slams one, two, three goals."

The Messi factor is undeniable. Business needs him to keep eyes on the screen. 

Yet, the emotional response football elicits is real. And Messi is the most emblematic exponent of the art of the unthinkable. 

Egypt are giants. Their goalkeeper, Mostafa Shobeir, had saved many shots including a penalty from Messi. The crestfallen goalkeeper's legendary father had been instrumental in the creation of the back pass law. This is how the game constantly shifts and forges ahead. Ultimately it belongs to the people who play it and love it. 

Cruel, unfair, redemptive and divine.

While this World Cup is over for Egypt, Argentina remains for at least one more game.

An enduring image is that of Argentine Alexis Mac Allister, who couldn't bear to watch Egypt's Mo Salah heartbroken. 

"He is the second best player I've played with after Lionel Messi. I had to exchange shirts with him because this might be the last time seeing him or playing with him on the same pitch. I have learnt a lot from him. He deserves my respect for everything."

Mac Allister, on the pitch raised his arms above his head with Salah's red jersey held up high

Marcela Mora y Araujo, Argentine columnist based in London, 
in The Times of India of 9 July 2026

"Football like many games is deceptive. Victory doesnot belong to the team that gets most things right, but to the one that makes the fewest mistakes."

Javier Dale, Spanish Columnist based in Barcelona

in The Times of India of 9 July 2026

If Messi had never stirred your soul before, he probably did on Tuesday night. The end was nigh. But the horizon moved farther, or was pushed away by a Messi refusiing to fade away like a swan with a sad song. 

But Leo, whose unrequitted love for the World Cup ended in fulfilment in Doha almost four years ago, was the Lion King who had tasted the feast of success. That hunger, a hurried chase, with eyes only focussed on the goal, drove him to tear the improbable script apart and create a legend of his own, again.

Never mind that the Fates escorted him along the way."It gives me goosebumps," said coach Lionel Scaloni in wonder.  For Messi, the uncontrollable tears said it all. "We didn't want today to be the end, we didn't want to go home."

It seemed he had expeienced the circle of life within 90 minutes, moving him in despair and hope. Despair, then desperation after missing a penalty that could have tied the match at 1-1 and let  the match take its natural course.  Human yet again from the penalty spot. 

Then Egypt dealt the double hook.

The 39 year old Peter Pan and his band of Lost Boys were staggering, as the boat rocked back and forth in fast motion and the matchclock ticked towards 79 minutes.

The story book figure took flight again. Slinging the ball into the box for Cristiano Romero to power a header past Mostafa Shobeir, the hope surged back. Five minutes later Messi was magically at the right place in a scramble, striking in a half volley, whisking the Argentines away on a cloud of belief.

Seven more minutes and the twisting kaleidoscope moved them all in turns. Mo Salah believed he had a penalty in Martinez's box and a quick counter resulted in Enzo Fernandez cushioning a header past a stunned Shobeir.

Messi had ensured the adventure continued.

Big boys don't cry, but they do!

How many times have we seen Roger Federer shed those winning tears, experiencing that release of emotions welling up inside?

On the court, on the pitch, you are immersed in the moment, trying to change history with a sleight of hand or feet. You are not meant to waver. When it's done, let it flow...

"I was very angry about the missed penalty, about how I kicked it. I felt that at an important moment I had let the group down. God once again had something special in store for me at the end," Messi said.

The cameras had earlier panned on a bare-chested Messi, the tattoo of Jesus with a "crown of thorns" on his right upper arm, looking up at the sky, eyes closed after his deluge of tears.

Throughout the East, tears are often associated with pearls. Their shimmering iridescence is believed to reflect the heavens. 

Pearls symbolize repentance and hope. 

Messi's dreams are still alive.

Moushami Bora, 'Tears of Messi, When the Big Boy Cries, It Stirs The World's Soul.....'

in The Times of India of 9 July 2026