INFLUENCES
Greatness has many faces. But more often than not, we’re drawn to only one of them. The one that shines the most; sometimes blinding us from the person behind the personality.
If you think about it, what makes a person great may not be such an obvious answer after all. But once you know, that person becomes an inspiration, a source of strength, for life.
Here are a few people I continue to be influenced and inspired by. Not only for what they have achieved; but for the reasons why I think they did so.
You know it's MILES DAVIS playing when a distinct sharpness pierces your soul. A trumpeter with limited technical ability but an innovator every time he picked up the horn. He is credited with not one but four big innovations in jazz and an influence that spread beyond his field. His true greatness lay in the fact that he never repeated what he played...except at the Montreux Festival 1992.
As much as I love MUHAMMAD ALI and the choreography he brought to the ring, I do not think he is the greatest boxer ever. But I’ve always been moved by his heartfelt refusal to participate in the Vietnam War on human grounds. That, at the cost of giving up his titles and prime years. But such was his greatness that he came back after the ban and won everything there was to be won.
Some see what others don’t. Only JOHN LENNON could see a song in the scrappy drawing his son Julian’s friend Lucy had drawn in their nursery class. And, as the story goes, he always remained disappointed with the way it was sung…“but the lyrics were okay”, he said.
I never appreciated MAHATMA GANDHI. Neither for his freedom struggle through non violent means. Nor for the simplicity and fairness with which he lived. Well, not until, as an ardent student of Economics, I read Gandhinomics: A way of life based on “create what you consume and consume what you create”. So simple, so effective...one of the pillars on which the fight against the British Raj was successfully waged. Once I was drawn, I was in. And finally, I felt the bigness of non violent struggle as a world changing idea. Not to forget, the greatness of the man that lay in his simplicity.
Few will dispute that amongst the giants of Indian Classical music, USTAD BISMILLAH KHAN stands the tallest. His life was marked by brilliance with the shenaai (sort of a trumpet), simple living, absolute passion, a firm belief that “a musician should be heard not seen”…and an innocent, childlike smile that never left him in all those 91 years. A pious Shi’ite Muslim, he was a devotee of Saraswati (Hindu Goddess of wisdom and arts). He was a beacon of Hindu-Muslim unity in a very communally charged part of India. In fact, for decades his early mornings began with a recital at Varanasi’s famous Vishwanath temple before it ceremoniously opened its doors to the faithful. When asked about it by a cheeky journalist at the height of communal riots, he smiled and said: “For years it's been that way. First shenaai, then namaz (Muslim prayer). Why would that change?”
SACHIN TENDULKAR is the world’s best batsman. Ever. Period. Not only because he owns most of cricket’s records; but for his remarkable humility. It's what has ensured a long, unbroken rise from middle-class to mega millions and uber stardom. It's also given him Godlike status in a subcontinent that is notoriously fickle when it comes to maligning its heroes. Sachin, even after decades, remains untouched, adored and worshipped. When he batted, India paused.
I love Lionel Messi and I’ve never ever seen anyone else do what he does on a football pitch — human, robot or alien. I love Johann Cruyff who had more influence on the history of the game, and the culture it affected, than anyone else. I love Pele, Garrincha, Beckenbauer, Zico, Socrates, Platini, Baggio, Romario, Stoichkov, Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and half a dozen incredible philosopher managers of the beautiful game. But, growing up, I’ve never loved any footballer as much as I’ve loved the inspirational genius of DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA — with all his faults. There have arguably been and possibly will be others as good with the ball as he was. I don’t know any other sportsperson who was so mauled, hacked and kicked on and off the field; yet so joyfully and bravely lead unfancied teams to unimaginable glory, give so much pride to those spat upon, and lift an entire nation crushed by military dictatorship.
I do think there are architects who create(d) sexier stuff than FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. (Gaudi or Calatrava, for instance, who I utterly love.) But I’m not sure there’s anyone with his fierce persistence of vision and defiance of the norm. He never went by precedent but set them. When asked about his best work ever he said: “It's my next one.”
Actor, musician, illustrator, dramatist, poet, novelist, humorist, stand-up comedian, philantropist, but most importantly, an accurate and sensitive observationist. That DR P.L. DESHPANDE didn’t write in the more popular English but just his native Marathi is not his loss. It’s ours. There hasn’t been a single occasion when I haven’t been moved to tears at the end of a "Pula" recital.
The history of Indian cinema (annoyingly referred to as Bollywood) is graced by some colossal personalities; I refer to a few of them as genius. There’s one in particular, perhaps because I am a writer, who astonishes me every time I come across his work. That is GULZAR. Songwriter and poet immaculate. Enslaving words and using them at will is one thing. But introducing an obvious idea in a way you never thought about and mischievously changing it once you do, is quite another.
Nothing gives me as much hope as the YOUTH. Not just ‘famous’ kids but even that kid next door, or my own kids with whom I continue to grow up with. The best thing about them is that they don’t give a damn but actually, they do. They do want to make a difference and change the world that we’ve screwed up for them. They want to pick up the ball we’ve dropped but refuse to carry our baggage. Or they just want to be themselves, singularly loving whatever they do; so the world watching can be touched by their drive, bravery, joy or genius. They dare us. They seek our encouragement. And if we can’t give them that, the next best thing we can do is to get out of the way and let them happen. These kids, man. May your tribe increase...untouched by the meddlesome cynicism of adulthood.
Okay then. I am afraid this section’s started to look a bit like the old Apple campaign with some local adaptations. Here’s someone who’s been my biggest influence and love. Those who know, know;)
