You work hard for equal rights if you’re a feminist. You work towards breaking gender stereotypes because you’re a feminist. You prove that the work a woman does is equal to the work a man does, because you’re a feminist.

And you will watch these remarkable women play out on the field because they’re brilliant football players.

The world went on shuffling channels as the entertainment was bountiful ever since Götze put the cherry on top of Germany’s cake. Mourinho showed us why he remains the best while Guardiola stumbled a bit, Arsenal gunned their way till the FA cup, the Old Italian lady got gold twice and PSG had the time of their lives. The 2014-15 season came to an end with the Catalans dethroning Real Madrid as Europe’s best. You were a spectator because you either shared the hopes and dreams of your club or you sought mere entertainment. Regardless, you were a football fan and now it’s time to live up to the bill. The international season has already kicked off with the Euro qualifiers and Chile hosting some fierce South American action. But why should boys have all the fun?

FIFA picked the Great North to host this year’s stellar world cup for women, but sadly half the world to this day remains oblivious to the existence of any such tournament, and quite a lot of that half are yet to hear about women playing the beautiful game. As football fans, what do we want? We want good football and that’s about all you can ask for. Admittedly, the games are played at a much slower tempo with much less physicality involved. Some might also say that this is a different sport altogether. The audience can choose not to support the sport, or to think of it the same way as men’s because they would rather spend their time watching a better standard of football. TRP has never been the real issue in women’s football, although Sep Blatter had a wildly unpolished take on the same. When asked about boosting viewership, the ex FIFA president asked the players to wear shorter shorts and that’s where the relevance to feminism ends. These hardworking women have loved the game as much as Maradona and Cruyff ever did, and a comment such as this, besides being grossly sexist, also insults the game as it is. Of course, for many people, any sort of men’s sport would rank above the women’s sport, but that, again, is an issue of popularizing. The girls are least bothered about that and they are as fantastic as their male counterparts. That is all what remains to realize.

The Second World War saw women foster the beautiful game for the first time. They had to fill in men’s position in factories and during lunch break the wives would kick around a ball every day. War continued, but sparks flew when the girls played the game and eventually they decided to form their own teams. Like most  social revolutions that evolved into the fight for women’s rights, such as the movement to wear pants or the one which caused hemlines to drastically rise all over the world, women’s football began to fill that void caused by the absence of men’s football. They weathered several challenges, such as concerns that ‘the game of football is considered unsuitable for women and ought not to be encouraged’ and the usual mildly sexist opposition that tends to rise when women do just about anything. Despite all that, the first football association of women was formed in December, 1921. The first recorded game ever played was in London, on the twenty third of March, 1985, between teams from North and South London. The players played in long skirts, and over ten thousand people were in attendance. After the war ended, it was a lot harder for women to play football. Most girls were summoned back to their household duties and as is somewhat the case today, women’s football stopped turning heads as men resumed playing the game which eventually shaped into the most watched sport ever. The problem lies elsewhere.
With a little over 130 caps, the most capped player in English history is no Lampard or Gerrard. Fara Williams, the central midfielder for Women’s Super League club Liverpool Ladies, who was homeless for six years during the virgin stages of her football calling, has achieved something millions can only dream of. In this patriarchal society, the odds of bagging such an accomplishment without attracting misogynistic spleen are rather low. The responses on England’s twitter handle varied from congratulations to cries that claimed “women’s football is shite”. Does reality check hold that the mere fact of a woman being graced with the highest of footballing honors is nothing but a threat to them? Are people so blind in pride that they remain oblivious to the greater gain of football and sulk in disappointment? How dare a woman, notwithstanding her talents rise above herself and accept an honor which belongs in the trophy cabinet of a real footballer? A male footballer.

Real football needs twenty two players, two goal posts and a ball where the aim remains to put it at the back of the net and stop the opposition from doing the same. The onlookers watch in awe the technique and skill of those before them, not stopping to wonder at the reproductive organs their body is home to. Yes, the reputation of women’s football has increased in the past decade, but sexism is taking a toll every time these beautiful women kick off. Today women’s football gets more coverage and publicity than ever before with a much diverse fan following but is sexism decreasing in the game at an appropriate rate?
A year ago we saw Daily Record happily spouting Tam Cowan’s column which was sexist beyond contempt, before passing it off as banter. The Premier League witnessed Richard Scudamore’s sexism case being scrapped off to make way for his promotion. The broadcasts of last year’s FIFA world cup had cameras zooming into women in the crowd and objectifying them only before the tournament’s swansong was sung by some article comparing the sex quotient of those football fans.

The groundbreaking survey of 2014 saw that two thirds of the players in the industry of women’s football had to face sexist rants in their workplace. But when Williams, a rousing footballer broke into the record of the most capped player in a country’s history, the world found it disrespectful. Agreed, a big part of the lack of popularity of women’s football can be accredited to sexism. But to say that one should watch women of the likes of  or Marta Viera da Silva play just because you’re a feminist?

That’s not just wrong, that’s insulting.
This year’s World Cup is another dawn and with the only difference of fewer shirtless players, footballing action remains the same, and as long as hardworking and determined players keep the ball in their feet, the beautiful game will remain beautiful.
While new precedents may be set, it is far from over.

College campuses throughout the world encourage cycling. Good for wallets and waistlines, students have used it for long, as a means of travel, throughout the campus. However, to Kartik Verma- a fourth year student in MIT, bicycling is much closer to the heart than that. Here is an insight into the planning and his journey from Manipal to Delhi.

1. There must have been a moment, when you decided to undertake this journey. From what source did you draw inspiration?
   The subconscious processes about 40; million bits of data per second. There was definitely a host of cues that directed my mind to come to this conclusion, and they lie beyond the scope of conscious scrutiny. It was also an answer to my ambition; I wanted to do something that was significant, that I could look back at and be proud of.

2. Negotiating 2000; kilometers on the most unexpected of all vehicles, a bicycle, needs to be planned meticulously, keeping in mind all the harshness of a road trip. How did you prepare for it?
   The planning for most outdoor adventures revolves around the following: Equipment, physical preparedness, destination planning (incudes itineraries, mode of transport, rough idea of travelling time, correspondence  –  friends/sponsors) and the degree of unpreparedness which differentiates an adventure from a ‘trip’. Another factor for me were the end semester examinations. The equipment was handled through correspondence with the sponsors. The physical preparedness through a lot of cycling and running. Destination planning was made possible through Google Maps, and help from a lot of sources (like Col. Kalakoti and Col. Sharma).The degree of unpreparedness and the end semester exams exhibited symbiotic behaviour.

3. In a journey as beautiful as this one, a treasury of memories and people are assured. What were the most interesting places you discovered? Who were the most interesting people you met?
   I rode through valleys and climbed ghats. I can’t pinpoint singular instances as there was a deluge of beauty throughout the trip. I vividly remember what I saw, but not where and this makes the beautiful places truly exceptional.

4. This expedition to a stranger, seems a little like man v/s wild which it surely isn’t. Describe a regular day for a guy  cycling across the country.
   0530;  –  0630; Hrs: Wake Up

Till 0730; Hrs: Mull about various existential questions, notice it is very cold (seasonal), wear short shorts (mandatory), clean shades and eat breakfast.

0730;  –  1000; Hrs –  Complete first 10;  –  30; Kms. Stop for Tea. Drink Tea that you’ve stopped for. Ask for biscuits. Make conversation about where you’ve come from and where you’re going. Ask what they are doing. Smile. Smile some more. DO NOT forget to pay.

1000;  –  1200; Hrs –  Cycle and sing ‘Life is a highway, I wanna ride it all night long’. Meet people on Motorcycles. Stop to pee (mandatory). Begin search for Dhaba when signaled by your stomach.

1200;  –  1400; Hrs: Find above said Dhaba, eat, chill, and spin some stories. Ask about them. Ask to see their (insert what they’ve told you about). If sugarcane farm, eat some sugarcane. If Orange orchard, eat Oranges. If people exceptionally nice, ask them where you can sleep. Get asked to sleep there. If want to sleep there, sleep there. Else, cycle.

1400;  –  Sunset: Reach town you’ve intended to reach. Look for a place to sleep. Find place. Shower. Explore. Find food. Snapchat your friends if Internet. Read book.

1930;  –  2130;: Eat again. Speak to everyone. Update social media. Read. Sleep.

5. Upon reaching Delhi, what were your first thoughts? After being unbound and free, roughing it out on the road for twenty nine days, how did it feel to be within the four walls and enjoying the comforts of home? During your journey, what were you most looking forward to, on reaching home? 

   My first thoughts were of sublime awe. The bike computer read 2304;.31; Kms. It was a proud moment. Over the next few days I contrasted my perceptions of the emotions people I met on the way (farmers, truck drivers, lower class  –  lower middle class) felt with the emotions people I know feel (students,businessmen, upper middle class  –  upper class). For example, I had stayed with this farmer (Annual income  –  3 lakhs) who was experiencing chagrin due to the prices he received for a ton of Sugarcane. I imagine a businessman (annual income –  20; + lakhs) feels similarly sometimes due to his dealings.
   I was looking forward to completing my journey. Nothing in particular. However, the morning after I reached home, I woke up at 8. I panicked when I looked at my watch because I thought I was late. But then it sunk in that I am home.

6. What did you expect your trip to be like before you set out? How different was the expectation from the actual experience?
   I didn’t expect, and I wasn’t disappointed.

7. Any trip that you take next would have to be enthralling to be a surprise. Anything up your sleeve yet?
   This trip has given me a radical, new perspective. I do not have anything concrete yet, but I see a ray of sunshine in the next 8 months.

Sports are a big part of Revels, and basketball is perhaps the most exciting of them all. Day one of this year’s fest proved to be a good one for fans of the sport with nail-biting finishes, showboating players and enthusiastic spectators that cheered their hearts out. The participating teams were divided into two pools, and games were held simultaneously at the Kamath Circle and Sharada courts.

The first match-up of the day was between M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology and Mangalore Institute of Technology and Engineering, and it had everyone on the edge of their seats. The game was close throughout, but MSRIT pulled out in the end for 34-30 victory. A memorable highlight was the thunderous slam dunk by the winners’ big man Saukin, which had the crowd going wild.

Soon after was the most anticipated game of the day between MIT’s own A-team and CBIT. A large group gathered to see the A-team take the court, and their new green, white, and black uniforms had everyone talking. MIT being favourites to win Revels ’15, it was surprising to see them down 10-11 in the first quarter to a team that was not expected to put up much of a fight. In the second, however, they showed who’s boss. With great tenacity, hustle, and pinpoint passing, MIT closed the half up 26-13. Spectator Prasham Ladha marked out a fantastic alley-oop finish by Samarth Hattangady as his favourite moment from the game. With the outcome of the game pretty much decided, they coasted to a 39-19 domination of the visitors. Veteran Jijo James proud of the team’s effort, said, “Our men played hard. It was an easy game, they were sluggish early on, but picked it up later.” He also spoke highly of the team’s two first-years, Bharat Alapati and Sohail Kumar, who put in valuable second half efforts, playing with much emotion and vigour.

After bagging the silver at VIT’s Riviera, the MIT team is riding high on confidence. Day two of Revels promises to bring much more action in terms of sports, so stay tuned.

The ICC Cricket World Cup, in its eleventh edition, has been a package of some high octane exhilarating action, with its share of ups and downs. As the World Cup approaches the business end of the tournament, it is only appropriate that we get our ABCs right.

1. AB de Villiers – The man has done anything and everything possible while wielding a cricket bat. To say he has been in red hot form in this world cup would be an understatement. He holds the record for the fastest 50, 100, and 150 in ODIs. He bludgeoned an unbeaten 66-ball 162 against a hapless West Indies attack. This probably had to be one of the most entertaining knocks in world cup history. Hopefully we get to see a few more of AB’s jaw dropping shots.

2. Boult’ing out the stumps – Trent Boult has been instrumental in New Zealand’s wonderful show in the WC so far. His 13 scalps so far keep him in the top rung of the leading wicket takers list along with his partner in crime, a certain Tim Southee. His career best figures of 5-27 against the Aussies.

3. Captain cool holds the fort- When the openers fall short, Kohli stands up, and if he doesn’t deliver, the middle order steadies the ship for India. But when all else fails, MSD takes charge. In India’s match against the West Indies, chasing a modest 182, India got into a bit of trouble. Being used to dealing with similar situations, Dhoni kept his composure and in company of R Ashwin chipped away the target.

4. DRS – The decision review system, only in its second World Cup, managed to stay away from controversy this time around. BCCI, however, is still not entirely happy about the encroachment of technology into the game. Hot Spot was not used this time, the official reason being cost efficiency and difficulty of transport.

5. Englishmen woes – England have had a dismissal showing so far in the World Cup, with their only victory coming against neighbours Scotland. There is a high chance of them being knocked out in the group stages, and their next clash against Bangladesh holds paramount importance.

6. Fantasy league madness- When the cricketers dish out performance on the field, their fans look towards the ICC fantasy league to earn glory. Fans all over have bettered their math skills, with endless permutation calculations as they try to get the best XI forward.

7. Gayleforce strikes – Christopher Henry Gayle joins the elite club of the 200ers. With his 215 off 147, the fastest double hundred in ODI history , he became the first non-Indian on non-Indian soil to reach this mark. His 372 run partnership with Marlon Samuels was on a record breaking spree, which the Zimbabweans were on the receiving end of.

8. Hashim the rock – Hashim Amla’s solidity has played the perfect foil for the mavericks of AB de Villiers. The run scoring machine of South Africa has been consistent ever since he wore the Protean cap. With 295 runs to his name so far, he is one of the leading run getters in the tournament, the 159 against Ireland being the best of the lot.

9. Irish coffee brewing surprises – Ireland coming into the tournament, with the modest tag of the minnows, has surprised quite a few people. Leaving aside the thrashing they received at the hands of the Proteas, they have had a decent tournament so far, and they go into the business end of the group stage with a genuine chance of making it through to the quarter- finals. Their batsmen, Ed Joyce, Paul Sterling, and Andy Balbirnie have all been leading the spirited Irish display. How long will it last? Time will tell.

10. Johnson barricade coming soon – Mitchell Johnson is yet to set the tournament on fire. Baring his 4-22 against Afghanistan, he is still to have an impact performance for the baggy greens. This could be an indication of the damage he can cause in the knock-out stages of the tournament.

11. Kiwis – Dark horses no more, New Zealand have had an enviable 100% winning streak. Much of this could be accounted for by how their pacers have conducted themselves. Boult and Southee have been wreaking havoc, ably supported by the uncanny Daniel Vettori. In Brendon McCullum, they have an inspiring leader who has been leading from the front. His 77 off 25 against England while chasing a paltry score of 123 symbolizes the team’s approach- they have been ruthless in their ways and this route has to be given credit for their winning streak.

12. Lankan trio’s last stand – This could likely be the last World Cup for the tested veterans of Lankan cricket, Kumar Sangakkara , Mahela Jayawardene, and Tillakaratne Dilshan. They have gone into the tournament with all guns blazing. Sangakkara with his hat-trick of centuries is the tournament’s leading run getter. Jayawardene and Dilshan have also scored sublime centuries. The trio has served Lankan Cricket for the past few decades, and is yet to take the Cup home.

13. Mauka Mauka – The words have rung a bell in every Indian household. There are hundreds of millions of hearts beating for the men in blue to grab this “mauka” and bring the crown back home untouched.

14. Not this time – The Protean jinx has finally been broken. South Africa was the only team to have never lost to India in World cup history. They emerged victorious in their three previous encounters, only to be thrashed later. The Indian batting juggernaut notched up 307 primarily due to the masterfully crafted 137 by Shikhar Dhawan. This was followed up by a disciplined bowling effort to bowl out the strong South African line up for 177.

15. Old horses’ resilient stand – This World Cup has seen seasoned veterans raise their hands up and deliver mesmerizing performances. Kumar Sangakkara is leading the charts as the leading run getter, while Chris Gayle’s 215 is the highest score of the tournament. Daniel Vettori has been at his miserly best and chipping away wickets for the Kiwis. Misbah-Ul-Haq very much holds the Pakistan line up on his own.

16. Pacers turning it on – Many speculate that cricket is turning into a batsmen’s game. With 400+ scores being accumulated on a regular basis and with the influences of T20 cricket, it should come as no surprise. Fortunately, this tournament has seen bowlers turn brickbats to bouquets. The Indian pacers Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Mohit Sharma have been bowling in the right lengths and lines, thereby reaping benefits. The South African, the Australian and the New Zealand attacks have blown their opposition away. Looks like the art of fast bowling isn’t dead yet.

17. Quinton de Kock’s woeful form – All the stalwarts of the Protean line up have fired at some point or the other and are in piping red hot form, except for de Kock. His string of low scores at the top of the innings has been a major concern for the South Africans. If they are to make in-roads into the tournament, de Kock needs to deliver right away.

18. Rivals awry – India 6, Pakistan 0. India’s record against arch rivals Pakistan remained intact for another day. India got to 300 on the back of Virat Kohli’s hundred, which was followed by a display of classic swing bowling by the Indian pacers. Mohammad Shami with figures of 4-35 was the destroyer-in-chief.

19. Starc terror – Mitchell Starc’s 6-28 will be remembered as one of the best spells of left arm bowling that couldn’t be part of a winning side. In one of the most contested high-voltage clashes of the tournament, NZ vs AUS turned out to be everything it was billed for. Boult blew away the Aussies for a modest 151, after which an inspired spell of bowling all but won the match for the Aussies, as NZ sneaked past with one wicket to spare, thanks to the heroics of McCullum and Kane Williamson.

20. Tim snares some timber – Tim Southee’s figures of 7-33 are the best bowling figures of the tournament, and third best overall. Southee looked good to take a wicket every other ball, and it looked like he would single-handedly bundle out the entire English line-up.

21. Unconquered Men in Blue – The Indian team, along with that of New Zealand’s, has an enviable 100% winning streak. India looks set to make it through the group stage undefeated, being up against relatively easier opponents. The improved performances of the bowlers had a lot to do with this turnaround in down under. India’s power-heavy batting line up can match up with any batting line up on paper, and at this point in the tournament, they are a cohesive unit that will only go from strength to strength.

22. Virat hunting for a big one – India’s batting mainstay has been amongst runs, but by his high standards, that tournament turning knock is yet to take place. A player of his calibre is always on the lookout for runs and that big knock is only some time away for India’s Vice Captain.

23. Warner Entertainment – David Warner’s 178(133) looked good to reach the 200ers club and maybe some more, helping Australia to a record breaking 417. Though the knock came against tournament minnows Afghanistan, it served to entertain the full capacity crowd gathered. The Australians on the fateful day tumbled upon many a records, and then bowled the Afghans out for a partly 142.

24. X-factor galore – Teams are in search for a player who can completely change the complexion of the game by his mere presence. The audacity of the shots played by Glenn Maxwell and the awe-inspiring 360 degree shorts of ABD can turn about the direction of the game. McCullum’s sheer bravado at the top of the innings leads the way for the rest of the Kiwi innings. The Indian line up is pumped with X-factor and each player is capable of single- handedly winning matches.

25. Young guns: Time to take centre stage – The ”Young players to watch out for” are yet to go all cylinders blazing. Kane Williamson (24) is a pivotal member of the Kiwi line-up. Jos Buttler (also 24) of England came into the tournament with high expectations, and will hopefully deliver soon. The youngest player in the tournament is 18-year-old Usman Ghani of Afganisthan, whereas the oldest is Khurram Khan of UAE, 43. There is still a long way to go and the young guns can be expected to fire at some stage or the other.

26. Zimbabwe : Not just making up the numbers – Zimbabwe mourns in the lower end of Pool B, but they have showed resilience and determination. They fought West Indies despite having been floored by Gayle’s 215. They also were part of highly contested matches against Pakistan and Ireland which could have gone either way. Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams have been the stars of this fight back, answering the age old question “Do these minnows have a place in a tournament like this?” with considerable conviction and strength. Ireland’s and Zimbabwe’s performances are making speculators rethink their claim.