GREAT WALL IN A FLAT WORLD (20-Nov-2021)

Opened the book; his autograph brought fond memories given his new role…

The World is Flat is Thomas Friedman’s prize winning and popular book where the opening line reads: “No one ever gave me direction like this on a golf course before: ‘Aim at either Microsoft or IBM.’”  This book was published in 2005 and pure coincidence that I worked for IBM, then in my 3^rd year and my work location was Embassy Golf Links office on Intermediate Ring Road in Bangalore that is called out in that line.  A good read that dealt with a contemporary subject of outsourcing of IT services work from USA and other countries and successfully delivered by the Indian knowledge talent pool. 

Bibliosmia or book-smell is what I yearned for as I waited to lay my hands on this book.  Same year 2005 on Christmas day, I purchased this book at the airport bookstore enroute my return flight to Bangalore.  The last line of a section on page 5 read “‘Honey,’ I confided, ‘I think the world is flat.’”  As I started to ponder this ground-breaking concept, the little mid-air movement in the aircraft put me into a stupor. 

I was yanked out from my reverie when the aroma from the snacks enveloped the air; the newspaper in the front pocket drew my attention to the news of Indian cricket team’s impending Pakistan tour of 2005-06 under the captaincy of The Wall, our own Rahul Dravid, commencing in January 2006.

Lo behold!  The whispers travelled to my seating row.  My neighbour poured into my ears ‘Can you believe our star player Dravid is on this aircraft seated in the back row?!’  I stood up and noticed to my bewilderment that the truth was some ten rows behind.  A much later Tharoor-sque garrulous remark notwithstanding, rest of us hardly resembled cattle while our man’s august presence was akin to The Great Wall.

As he weaved his way through post our touchdown in Bangalore, it was my turn to 'perfectly time it.'  I positioned next to him as we both disembarked the aircraft, my step in perfect harmony so as not to lose sight of the legend.  I struck a conversation, mostly asking him on overall preparation for the upcoming tour.  He was an epitome of confidence on his team’s abilities to win the series.  I wished him the best of luck.

My protagonist forced the way back into this plot.  All the while, as I sauntered along and chatted with Dravid, I held on dearly in its truest sense to the 500-page hardcover book.  To Dravid’s question about my profession I took pride that I worked for the world’s largest technology company IBM and made a quick mention about the book in my hand.  Bangalore was in the thick of things that catapulted our famed city to the position as the Knowledge Capital of the World, and that made us both proud.

The opportunity presented itself to me for a tete-a-tete with a phenomenon whose reverence has only grown in recent times as a major force to mould the skills of our young cricketers. His recent appointment as the head coach of the Indian team a true testament to his contribution.  He then gracefully agreed to my request; his pen touched the flat cover page of the book to sign his autograph, and it was a moment of realization.

True to the title of this book, a metaphor to view this world as a level-playing field I thanked my stars.  One of my favorite books with my favorite cricketer’s autograph, it’s cherished by me to this day.  Unless one is a Columbus, this world is truly flat!  A cover drive by the Great Wall in a Flat World. 

Good luck Rahul The Wall Dravid with your new head coach role of the Indian team.