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T20 arrived on the world scene with a bang few expected to last beyond the initial hype. But the euphoria refuses to diminish…in fact it grows stronger with every tournament played at the international level. Like many modern day revolutions T20 too is shattering old notions of sports in particular and life in general. For example, there are no favourites or guaranteed winners – in life and in sports. Success and excellence are shifting targets with the bar on winning performance being raised continuously. So in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, the one time invincible Team Australia were out in the first round itself and ‘hot’ favourites India with some of the best cricketers (on paper) were out in the second round. The team that had been written off at the start of the tournament went on to be crowned the ultimate winners. It is rumoured that Pakistan team owed its win to a Delhi cricketer…Gautam Gambhir gave vital tips to Afridi (they were staying in the same hotel) on how to tackle Sri Lanka’s mystery bowler Mendis. Even in IPL-2 the fancied teams of Delhi Dare Devils and Chennai Super Kings lost at the semi final stage.
 
T20 is thus creating winners from dust and is telling the world that winning is all about hard work, guts and even more hard work. Even a momentary lapse of concentration can rob proven professionals of victory. Hence there are no sure shot winners. The same is true in real life. Thanks to the internet and global outsourcing ‘wave’ jobs and competence are today internationally benchmarked and companies seek competence and work passion over mere qualifications. To survive and thrive you need to be the best in what you do and there are little or no ‘secret’ tricks of the trade thanks to the all pervasiveness of internet spread information and work communities on social networking sites.

The cut-off figures in many ‘famed’ DU colleges are becoming crazier than ever, with people having 90% marks not confident of getting through…the first cut off figures in so called prestigious courses in many a famous North Campus college were crazily high. But DU aspirants should take comfort from the recent T20 wave…that the so called brands of yester years are no guarantee of success in future. There is no substitute to continued hard work. With so many professional courses and other educational avenues (Delhi is really spoilt for choice…you realise this when you live outside Delhi for a few years…like I did when I was in Pune), DU aspirants should not feel cut off from success just because they cant make it to a North Campus college or a course of their choice. There are numerous post graduation professional courses for which you can start your preparation from first year itself and leave your college peers behind after graduation. For example, you could join a little known college in South Delhi, slog to get good marks and work hard to prepare for IIM entrance all the 3 years. With a dogged determination and well planned time management you could, like Pakistan or Deccan Chargers humble many a giant and reach the moon much before all your fancied college peers. T20 teaches us that success belongs to people who perform on all crunch situations and not to those who get lethargic and start basking in their fame.
 
So Dilliwallas, take the world in your stride even though you may not have famed credentials….hasn’t Delhi been the favourite of the most globalised industry sectors: IT and ITES/BPO when its famed counterparts – Mumbai (financial capital), Kalkotta (metro) and Chennai (Mathematics and engineering graduates)had better credentials? Be thankful to being in Delhi, India’s global melting pot and education Mecca and learn from T20 on how ordinary people can achieve extraordinary fame.