Happy Birthday Ashwin

Its been a little over a year since I joined ranks with one of the greatest cricketers that the game of cricket has ever produced. In this one year there have been moments of pure joy, excitement and awe. In front of a star you have to constantly remember that he is the worlds best. I for sure have those spurts of fan boy moments but then the realization that Ashwin is now your boss.

Constant focus remains the key and in my numerous conversations with him the messaging is very clear, that of building a world class organization. I know that he has the welfare of people in his mind. Star for the World but a compassionate heart nonetheless. He is a remarkable leader and this I say with conviction. Say He delegates a Task to me, he expects that I would complete it and report back to him, that level of confidence. In between there is freedom to get the job done as I wish. It empowers me with responsibility to take decisions that will mean successful closure of the job. Ashwin treats me like family, his very own and this he does not just with me but with each one of us who work along with him. A Man who is fiercely passionate about the game of cricket but with a golden heart.

The very mention of cricket lights up his eyes, and he is ever eager to help young cricketers achieve their dreams. At the Gennext Cricket Institute where he mentors, he knows each cricketer by name building a special and loving bond with each one of them. I have seen so many celebrities but he is ever so grounded at all times. Guess it comes from the upbringing he has had earlier in his life from his parents Mr Ravichandran(Popularly and lovingly referred to as Uncle) and Mrs.Chitra- both charming personalities who have played a huge role in Ashwins success. Equal measures of credit in his success goes to his wife Ms. Prithi who has ensured that while Ashwin remains focussed on the game, the home front and the daily churns of the household are taken care of. I work a lot with Prithi and she does manage to multitask between home and office with great panache.

However This blog has another dimension to it. It is his birthday today. He has a huge number of fan following and most of them die hard. We run a WhatsApp group called Ashwin Army where the discussion is all about him. Most animated discussions, I have never seen a bunch of kids so excited, elated, happy, thrilled at the same time. There are moments when the chips are down but then they are young and fast to recover and again there are discussions about Ashwin. From IPL, to local matches and the league matches they follow him almost like a shadow. Sometimes they get news about Ashwin even faster than I do and I am left short of words by the love and passion that they demonstrate. So they came up to me saying that they wanted to send in their wishes to Ashwin, I could never refuse. I had to oblige.

 So let me move over to Ashwin Army. First up is this young girl called Smriti. (By the Way here is a small secret let out, Ashwin knows a lot of his fans by their names) . Smriti is from Jharkhand- Yes you heard it right from where Dhoni's roots are . This is what Smriti had to say:

Your old unique bowling action made my heart skip a beat as you took a slight pause before delivering the ball and I've been your fan since then. Whenever an old acquaintance catches up with me, the first thing they ask is whether I'm still a fan of yours and my answer has remained the same over the years.

I admire your courage to experiment new things. You have always come up with new variations and stunned the batsmen. You're an efficient bowler who can also add crucial runs to the scoreboard. You are an intelligent and fearless player.

I'm extremely lucky to have a miniature bat and a ball with your autograph. Though I haven't had the opportunity to meet you, the interactions on social media have made me feel like I'm on cloud 99. I wish to meet you and thank you for teaching me so much.When I look at you as a human being without thinking of you as a cricketer, I feel that you are still as inspiring as you are as a cricketer. I admire your humility and optimism. My heart is full of utmost respect and adoration for you.

Many more happy returns of the day (yes, I copied your style :P). I wish you a year full of happiness and success ahead.

Thank you Smriti for those loving words. Next Up is Ayush Aman, perhaps the youngest member of Ashwin Army. He is such a livewire and difficult to control at most times but I let him have his way in the group because he is such a bundle of positive energy. You ask him anything about Ashwin, and he will be ready to jump and fly in excitement:

Have been a die heart fan of Ash anna since 2013. Close relative and friends know me by the name of Ashwin(even though I am Ayush😂) . I have celebrated as hell whenever you took a wicket, cried as hell whenever you failed but that's very rare of you being failed. I remember me giving treat to my friend on 17th Sept.almost every year because it's your birthday. Your birthday means to me more than mine. I think this should prove how much respect I have for you anna. Waking up whole night just to witness your awesomeness in the carribean island in 2016, those centuries and ya one of them in which you were dropped on 46 by Shane Dowrich, I still remember how I yelled in happiness. 

Your county stint, wow, you are an unbelievable fighter,sir.Taking inspiration from you only, I start to do any work, believe me. Your cover drives are love. Your carrom ball is heart. Your pull shot is, can't express in words.Taking blows for Rabada and then hitting him for hatrick of boundaries, your interviews, your appearance on cricket shows, all these things are lifelines of Ashwinist, anna.

I would like to wish you a  very very very Happy birthday anna.

Then there is this almost quiet and silent Vino Parvathy whose admiration for Ashwin is no less:

The man with positive energy! So much doubts, so many haters, so many naysayers; yet you do what is to be done to go search for success. Every time they hit you, you have only hit them back stronger, the county stint in England right now is proof of them.   Your engineering mind always make me go awe in every cricketing experiment you tries! As a fan then, now and forever I wish you a very happy Birthday.Keep going, keep inspiring, stay the same, Ash!

Vishal one more fan had this to say to Ashwin on the occasion of his birthday:

Many more happy returns of the Ashwin Anna 🎂🎉🎊. I wish to see you again in blues.
Hope you remember the gift presented on 17/9/2016 @12am-Vishal

Bliss Sharma a very die hard and passionate fan of Ashwin :

Last 5 years have been so special for me. I was 10 when I saw you, you were playing for csk since then my love for you has only increased♥ I can very well remember, just like now, then too I used to watch all your interviews million number of times that I remembered every dialogue by heart. Then I used to go to people and tell them about everything you said in those interviews. Also, my scrapbook is the most precious possession in my life and I am so thankful that you gave me an autograph in it and also that note. All this means so much to me. Every time you come to Delhi for a match, I make it a point to go to the stadium and watch it. Also not to forget, you made me such a better human being. I have learnt so much from you. Thanks for giving me so many reasons to be happy. I am proud to be a fan of you and will always be. 

Hope to meet you one day♥ HAPPY BIRTHDAY 

And yes, words can never express how I feel for you ♥

In the words of Abhishek Murali again a member of Ashwin Army:

When I was 10 year old I saw you bowl soon I  realized that I started admiring you. I still remember the day I tried to mail you at age of 11 and when I read it  now I can remember from  thar  day how I loved you when I read it now I laugh though 😂 you know how a 11 year old boy writes to someone whom he is fond of .when u tried spikes even I tried and tried to bowl like u in my play area.Time went like something.I still remember when i asked the reply from Karthik sir about my meme he said  "excellent was the word from Anna " it was like un imaginable I was out of this world .My everyday morning routine was to search for "RAVI ASHWIN" in Twitter recents to know your daily activities  .On the very day when you retweed me on my neasamani meme you know I was into the skies and screamed like something . 

I love the way you face things and go on The least think that I want is pls give a stunning comeback in blue jersey the and I  know you will . I would like to wish you a very happy birthday from bottom of my heart may you and your family live  in prosperity may God shower blessings on all of you .
     
Kaustubh is a very very special and loving young boy, not because of his disabilities but the way he displays his passion and love for the game. He is a creative young writer and loves the play of words:

I talked to Ashwin at Gen Next Academy back when it was in T Nagar. It was the time when he withdrew from IPL due to sports hernia in 2017... Still when talking to me he had his hand on my wheelchair and bent down to talk to me.. I was always used to craning my neck to talk to people since I'm in a wheelchair. This was a pleasant shock for me. Was dumbfounded by his humility. I had sent few of my articles and posts on cricket to the COO of the Academy, Sudarshan. I was informed that Ashwin read those writeups and when I met him he appreciated my communication skills(something which even I didn't think of myself). He saw me and my personality and not my disability, something I always wanted. He didn't show me sympathy, rather acknowledged my skills. His encouragement really gave me confidence in the sports writing journey which I had started few weeks before that day. That was the spark that made me sure of what career path I was going to take.

We have some great talent within the group. Here is Muthu our poet spinning in with his magical words:

Spinning the ball left and right;
The legend in making came in sight.
Lengths and variations being tight,
Batsmen struggle against his fight.

Crashing through the openers down;
Inventing the carrom ball, also credits to his hometown! 
A Great unveiling of Apocalypse!
Who knows? Is he the spin bowling Jacques Kallis?

The TN Lion giving the ball, a flight;
Croud's heavy roars, not too light;
Applying Perfections, worth the wait.
Wishing him on his birthday to reach Greater heights!

Birthday wishes 💖 Ashwin Ravichandran

Ashwin Tamilmani, this is how he calls himself. Again loves Ashwin from the core of his heart and He wants to express his feelings in Tamil:

MAY 28, 2011. CSKல யாரும் இந்த தேதி மறக்க மாட்டாங்க.. சென்னைக்கும் நம்ம பரம எதிரி  பெங்களூருக்கும் பைனல் நடந்துச்சு... சென்னை 205 ரன் அடிச்சாங்க. 2வது தடவை எப்படியும் கப் வாங்கிடலாம்னு நினைச்சா, ஒரே ஒரு வில்லன். கெய்ல் தான். "அவரை அவுட் ஆக்கினா போதும், ஜெயிச்சிடலாம்"னு நினைச்சேன். 

ஆனா வெறும் மூணு பந்துல gayle அவுட்.. அப்போ தாங்க. எனக்கு அஷ்வின்ங்கற பிளேயர் அறிமுகம் ஆகிறார். 

அந்த விக்கெட் விழுந்தப்போ மேலயும் கீழயும் துள்ளி குதிச்சேன்...

அதுக்கு முன்னாடி பெருசா கிரிக்கெட் தெரியாது. அதுனால பௌலர் யாரும் எனக்கு ஞாபகம் இருக்க மாட்டாங்க. ஆனா அதுக்கு அப்புறம் ஒவ்வொரு மேட்ச்சும் 'அஷ்வின் இருக்காரா இருக்காரா' னு தேடி தேடி பாப்பேன். அப்படியே டெஸ்ட் மேட்ச் எல்லாம் பாக்க ஆரம்பிச்சுட்டேன்.

ஸ்டார் ஸ்போர்ட்ஸ் சேனல் "All Rounder Ashwin"ங்கர ப்ரோக்ராம், எத்தனை தடவை போட்டாலும் திரும்ப திரும்ப பாத்திருக்கேன்.

அவரோட பௌலிங் ஸ்டைலே கொஞ்சம் வித்தியாசமா இருக்கும்.. ஒரு செகண்ட் நிறுத்தி போடும் போது என் இதயம் ஒரு செகண்ட் துடிப்பை நிறுத்திட்டு "அவுட்" னு கத்தும்.

ஒவ்வொரு விக்கெட்டும் special தான். Gayle அவுட் பண்ணிட்டு ஏரோபிளேன் மாதிரி ஒடுனது, மேக்ஸ்வெல் அவுட் பண்ணிட்டு "ப்ப்பூ"னு ஊதி காட்டுனது, எல்கர் அவுட் பண்ணிட்டு 'இது உங்க ஊரு இல்ல தம்பி' னு சொல்லி அனுப்புனது மாதிரி நிறைய ஸ்பெசல் மொமெண்ட்ஸ் இருந்தாலும், 2013 சாம்பியன்ஸ் டிராஃபி பைனல் தான் கெத்து சீன்... அவ்ளோ பெரிய மேட்ச் ல எந்த பதட்டமும் இல்லாம கடைசி ஓவர் போட்டு மேட்ச் ஜெயிச்சு கைல கொடுத்துட்டு நிப்பார்... அது தாங்க. எப்பவும் மறக்க முடியாத சீன்...

ஒரு தடவ ஏதோ ஒரு  முகநூல் பக்கத்துல ' ட்விட்டரில் அஷ்வின் ஏதோ ரசிகருக்கு சொன்ன பதில்'னு ஒரு பதிவை படிச்சேன். அப்போ அவர் கூட நானும் பேசணும்னு ட்விட்டர் கணக்கு ஒன்னு ஆரம்பிச்சேன். 

அத்தனை ரசிகர்கள் போடுற பதிவுகளில் என்னோட பதிவுகளும் ஒரு சில அவரோட கண்ணுக்கு தென்பட்டிருக்கும் போல. அப்பப்போ லைக் பண்ணுவார். அதுவே அவ்ளோ சந்தோசமா இருக்கும்.

ஆனா ஆகஸ்ட் 6, 2016 என்னோட வாழ்க்கையில மறக்க முடியாத காலைப்பொழுதா இருந்துச்சு.., "அஷ்வின்"  என்னை 'follow' பண்ண ஆரம்பிச்சுட்டார். அவர் என்ன "Follow" பண்ணறார்ங்கர notification பாத்து நான் பயங்கர சந்தோசத்துல சத்தமா கத்திட்டேன். வீட்டுல எல்லாம் பயந்து திட்டிட்டாங்க. ஆனா எனக்கு சந்தோஷத்துக்கு அளவே இல்லை... 

அவர்க்கு அப்பப்போ DM ல ஏதாவது அனுப்புவேன். அவர் முதல் தடவை பதில் அனுப்புனது "I know you are a great fan. Appreciate it". 
அதை படிச்சதும் சந்தோசம் என்னை எங்கயோ மேல தூக்கிட்டு போய் பறக்க வச்சுடுச்சு.

அதுக்கு அப்புறம் ஒவ்வொரு பிறந்தநாளுக்கும் அவருக்கு நான் வாழ்த்து சொல்லும் போதும் எனக்கு அவர் தனியா பதில் அனுப்புவார். அதே மாதிரி என்னோட பிறந்தநாளுக்கும் அவர் எனக்கு வாழ்த்து சொல்லுவார். இதை எல்லாம் பாக்கும் போது உலகத்துலயே பெருசா யாரும் சாதிக்காதத நான் செஞ்ச மாதிரி ஒரு சந்தோசம், திருப்தி, பெருமை எல்லாம் இருக்கும்.

இதோ இந்த வருஷமும் அவர் பிறந்தநாளுக்கு தான் இதை எழுதுறேன். அவர் இப்போ டீம்ல உள்ள வெளிய னு மாறி மாறி விளையாண்டாலும், அவரோட ரசிகனா, தம்பியா எப்பவும் கூட இருப்பேன்னு நான் அவருக்கு பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்து சொல்லிக்கிறேன். 

இனிய பிறந்தநாள் வாழ்த்துக்கள் அண்ணா.. நீடுழி வாழ்க...

-தமிழ்மணி....

All our collective wishes will keep him going. All of us wish Ashwin a very Happy Birthday and pray that he continues to thrill us for many more years to come. As we ring in one more of our dearest Ashwins Birthday, His words continue to ring in my ears: "Put in all your effort, Give in your 100%. Practice till you struggle to breathe, that is the way to success."