A lookback at 2022
What a year 2022 has been for the UAE! I am proud to be in this country for more than three decades. The year 2022 saw the climax of the Expo 2020, the most incredible event hosted by the UAE. It was the grand finale of the most fabulous event on earth. To end the year, during the World Cup Football hosted by Qatar, the UAE became the main transit point. Daily flights arranged by the authorities here - a great thing for football lovers. Now, I’m waiting for the New Year fireworks at Burj Khalifa. Wishing everyone a very happy new year.
From Mr Ajeetkumar Pillai
UAE
Cricket T20: Hardik Pandya will captain India
Hats off to the Board of Control for Cricket in India who have, by and large, selected the best team to face the Sri Lankan team in the white ball games (“Hardik Pandya to lead India in Sri Lanka T20Is, Rohit Sharma returns as captain in ODIs”, Gulf News, December 27). It is good that out-of-form players like Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Rishab Pant have been excluded. It is a golden opportunity for youngsters like Ishan Kishan, Rituraj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, provided they get a place in the playing XI to seal a place in the T20 games. Very rightly, the T20 captaincy has been given to Hardik Pandya, who has already proved his mettle. I wish Pandya and his team the best.
From Mr N Mahadevan
India
India’s economy
Unfortunately, India is setting small goals and comparing its economic strength with countries such as the UK, Germany, and France, but ignoring the size of the country and its people. It would be logical for India to compare their economic strength with China. Consider the current economy of India ($3.53 trillion as per IMF (International Monetary Fund) projection, which constitutes just the Forex reserves of China alone.
Companies leaving China prefer Vietnam over India, because they know the fate of automobile companies like General Motors, Ford and Harley-Davidson in India.
India has the youngest population in the world. Are they appropriately used for nation-building? And, since India does not allow dual citizenship, nearly 160,000 Indians surrendered their citizenship in 2021 and over 100,000 in the first 10 months of 2022.
Is this a manageable brain drain? Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a $5 trillion hole in the global economy. What is India’s rank in the Passport index, freedom of the press, religious freedom, and happiness index? Instead of boasting about natural growth (Fixed deposit doubles every ten years), the government of India is answerable to the nation about the lack of substantial economic growth.
From Mr Girish R Edathitta
India
Embrace flaws
We meet numerous people in this busy world; some can connect, and others can’t. We build a great foundation with few people in a short span or over time. If you find someone like that, make sure you always treasure it. However, some relationships don’t work, no matter how hard you try to hold onto them. Letting go of some people in life is okay to experience a new dynamic. Every person doesn’t have to coincide with each other’s choices and preferences. And let’s learn to admire the way it is. Some people can have a good influence on you, and some people, on the other hand, can be slightly toxic. Personality and attitude vary from person to person. The key is in our hands to differentiate good from bad. Always remember everything happens for a reason. Take every chapter as a stepping stone and learning experience. Always try not to discourage yourself from trying and building new relationships. Never seek perfection in others. Flaws and imperfections embrace every relationship. Let this be our new year reminder, to begin with, love and hope.
From Ms Amina Abdul Khader
UAE
Cricket: Australia versus South Africa
Hats off to the Australian bowlers, especially Cameron Green, who bundled out the South African team to a minor score of 189 runs. It is also celebration time for the dynamic David Warner, for scoring a timely century, that too in his hundredth Test match, to break the jinx of three years’ Test century drought. By scoring this ton, he has become the second Australian, after Ricky Ponting, to score a ton in their hundredth Test and the 10th cricketer to achieve the rare milestones in Test Cricket. Unfortunately, although, as things stand, Warner is still going strong along with Smith, it will be another box-out defeat for the South African team.
From Mr N. Viswanathan
India
