Skip to main content

Fans get money's worth at toll plaza


Your car is approaching a toll booth, what do you do? Fumble for change, switch the frequency on the radio, look around to see other glum faces queuing up? If you were at the Ghaziabad-Meerut toll plaza on Friday afternoon, however, you would've got your autograph book out as the man in the SUV parked next to your car was cricket star Suresh Raina. And, so it was...
Ever willing to give back to the ones who cherish it the most, Raina took time out – he was excitedly being chauffeured to the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit – to sign autographs and pose for photographs with frenzied fans who jumped out of their cars to catch a glimpse of the man who two years ago scored a century on his Test debut.
"It's the fans who make you who you are. It's very important to acknowledge that and show gratitude," said Raina, who played a record 98 ODIs before making his Test debut. However, in a country where cricketing stars are worshipped like gods, things can sometimes get out of control. Raina remembers one such incident in Kerala, when a pack of eager autograph-seekers were swarming around him.

"For a moment I was boxed in, there were people all around. It took me almost half-an-hour to find my way out among the sea of bodies. These sort of things happen when you're a celebrity in this country; the key is how you handle such situations," he added.
Die-hard foodie
The 25-year-old has sampled the culinary delights across five continents on his cricketing travels. However, its desi food that really makes his mouth water. Even a roadside eatery selling choley bhature caught his fancy, but lack of time forced him to give it a miss. "I remember the good old days when I would gorge on these roadside delights before my matches in Lucknow," he recalled. "Arhar ki daal, and Lucknavi kebabs were my favourites."
A family man
While the car passed through Raj Nagar Extension in Ghaziabad, where his family lives, he got a call from father, Trilok Nath Raina, informing about the wedding ceremony of a family friend in New Delhi on Friday evening.
Owing to his participation in the Ranji Trophy, Raina informed his father that he won't be able to make it to the wedding, but promised to return home as soon as the match was over on Tuesday evening. "I always try to spend time with my family. Before leaving for the next Ranji match, I will spend a few days with them," he said.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DPS Ghaziabad sports to the top

he red brick structure of Delhi Public School (DPS) Ghaziabad stands in stark contrast to the dusty road that leads to the school. Located on the Delhi-Meerut highway and spread over 15 acres, the campus offers Wi-Fi facility and is also home to six international-quality cricket pitches,  four basketball courts and a skating rink. The 29-year-old school is naturally one of the popular choices for parents in Ghaziabad. "The school has a unique login ID for each student. This system allows us to be in touch with the progress in the classrooms. The teachers are very tech-savvy and are extremely organised," said Dr Anju Rai, a gynaecologist, whose two sons study in the school. "If my child is unable to attend school, we can access the lessons taught in class through this system." The school has 3,000 students and 160 permanent teachers led by an award-winning principal. "The teacher student ratio is 35:1. This helps us give individualised att...
Post a Comment
Read more

GDA, builders unite to decongest Raj Nagar Extension

GHAZIABAD: Builders in  Raj Nagar Extension  and the Ghaziabad Development Authority  (GDA) have joined hands to put an end to congestion woes in the area. The move would give a breather to the people commuting through the area and builders believe that this will entice more people into buying a property in the area. "To execute the proposed traffic decongestion plan for NH 58 and other roads in Ghaziabad,  GDA  has decided to complete these works in association with Raj Nagar Extension Developers Association," said Gaurav Gupta, spokesperson of the Association. Mr Gupta added, "The authorities propose to restructure of the NH-58 stretch - from Meerut-crossing (near new bus stand) to ALT-cut."  The builder and GDA team will undertake maintenance of the road and close down illegal cuts on the road (used for taking U-tunr) which have been the main reason behind the mess. The project is already underway and is expected to incur a cost of Rs 2 crore.  The...
3 comments
Read more

Fee hike: Strike called, 128 private schools in Ghaziabad shut today

Independent Schools’ Federation of India is observing a ‘token strike’ on Thursday against the district administration’s order to set up the committee to scrutinise their accounts. The committee is to look into the schools’ accounts and investigate other complaints forwarded by parents and associations. An association of private schools in Ghaziabad has decided to shut nearly 128 schools on Thursday as a mark of protest against the district administration’s decision to set up a committee to inquire into allegations of the unjustified fee hike. The committee comprises the additional district magistrate (finance), district inspector of schools and the basic education officer. The president of the Independent Schools’ Federation of India (ISFI) on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the district officials and said that 128 private schools will observe a ‘token strike’ on Thursday against the district administration’s order to set up the committee. The committee is to look in...
1 comment
Read more