Hero

On Independence Day this year, Hero Motorcorp released their new branding campaign in India. Composed by Maestro AR Rahman, the title song for the campain “Hum mein hai Hero” was an instant hit with me and Kumbhi baby. While I responded in true adult fashion by looking outside the window contemplating and then writing this blog, Kumbhi’s vigorous kicking was truly a more honest response.
Its funny, just a few days ago, the air rife with anti corruption protests, bomb blast witch hunts, oil spills and riots in the so called civilized developed world, I sat in bumper to bumper traffic staring at the potholes on the highway of life. I could not help but wonder what kind of a world was it was going to be for the new generation that will make its way to planet earth this year. What would their values be? Who would their heros be?
The funny thing is – that its hard to remember sometimes the most basic of things. Its great to see public figures on the television…politicians, nobel prize winners, scientists, sportsstars and literary gurus. But how many of them can you truly recall as core inspirational quotient generators in your life. Our personal heros are always and almost certainly those just around us.. our parents or a teacher who is patient with our failings or a sibling that holds our hand in the dark or a friend who stays positive through a difficult time or a classmate who overcomes defying odds to make it big or one that simply gives it up to help others. A small kid that stands up to the neighborhood bully, an old frailing dog that still ferociously guards the entrance to our apartment, the cleaning lady who never misses a day or a doctor that makes a dreaded midnight call to help a loved one.
The truth is that you don’t have to go to war to be a hero. Even just saying “No” can be so hard sometimes its an act of bravery. In one way or the one, we are all our own heros.
Seeing the small kid say “No” to giving up his bat and sticking to the crease in the commercial, brought me tears and perspective.
I am a fool to worry about the last action heros of the world. There will be plenty of everyday acts of bravery and heroism to inspire young and old in the days to come. And that will help us all hold on ..just five minutes longer ..to that ray of hope, that sliver of a dream and that will make all the difference.

I am 32 years old and my city is Mumbai.
Thank God I have enough.