After almost 4 years of stay at Google,I moved to my own place. It is always good to have your own identity rite? so welcome to sandeepvarma.com

I presume you all will like my new home. Thanks for the support and encouragement, see you @sandeepvarma.com

My article on e-waste,published in On Sale Express




The mid gap is actually stylish rite? not done purposely but...

Sebastian Wernicke talks about how to make "the optimum TEDTalk" based on user ratings.

Lies, damned lies and statistics (about TEDTalks) | Video on TED.com

Nainamvalappu: The football capital of Kozhikode: Part II

N.V.Subair,President-NFFA,says there is so much talent here when it comes to football but lack of facilities is the biggest impediment.


Replica of FIFA World cup trophy, made by this person in wood.There is a purpose for this replica of World cup trophy kept here. This trophy is made in wood. During the final of the World cup when the winner lifts the original FIFA World cup trophy, this replica at Nainamvalappu will be handed over to the respective fan club members!so this time members of the Spain fans club lifted the trophy.

Even I had this rare opportunity of holding FIFA World cup trophy, a replica atleast!

Banners from Nainamvalappu!

Holland fans Club


Some section of the people here hope that one day India will make it to FIFA World cup football! Jai Ho!


The only place throughout Malabar where I saw a banner for Korean team!


Some local heroes playing with legendary Pele (good photoshop work!)


And an entire fence wall dedicated to World cup fixture!



NFFA even has a blog dedicated to football related news.

Nainamvalappu: The football capital of Kozhikode: Part I

Nainamvalappu, a small town in Kozhikode, predominantly comprises of fishing community.

Founded in 1996,Nainamvalappu Football Fans Association, NFFA is in constant touch with FIFA. They send regular magazines,a copy of the new rules, brochures and miniatures. NFFA has a mini FIFA museum. “This time, FIFA sent us a gold key chain carrying its logo. We have displayed all our curios here,” says Subair, the President of NFFA.


Zakumi banner ,the Official Mascot for the 2010 FIFA World Cup


Gold and silver plated replica of World cup, key chains, buttons, stickers, all sent by FIFA!


FIFA World cup 2010 official poster!


The original Jabulani, official football of FIFA World cup 2010!


Official postcards of all the entire FIFA World cup matches!


FIFA Bag


Members of Nainamvalappu Football Fans Association, NFFA in front of the office.

To be continued..

Hans Rosling's interesting TED talk about World population
Hans Rosling on global population growth | Video on TED.com

Image of the week

Seen three, five and even seven star hotels but what about up star

World Cup football banners: A visual treat! Part VI

This one for the Holland fans!


Found this banner near Nainamvalappu football fans association building in Calicut.You can see some of the fans also, wearing Holland jersey and one guy riding a horse!

The story of FIFA World cup trophy and it's replica

Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga designed the FIFA World cup trophy. The trophy stands 36.5 centimetres tall and is made of 5 kg of 18 carat gold Produced by Bertoni, Milano.

It weighs 6.175 kg in total and depicts two human figures holding up the Earth. That’s about the original FIFA World cup trophy now,through out my travel in Malabar I happened to see so many replicas of the FIFA World cup trophy!
World cup trophy at Aricode, Malappuram!

This one made by a person named Sukumaran in cement.

It took two days for him to make this. One day for molding and another for painting. He says he has made this World cup for Brazil to win.

This cup was given to the winning team, Brazil in the match organized at a place named Makkarapparamba, near Malappuram and again in Aricode match. There both Brazil and Argentina were declared joint winners.

I also had the rare privilege (as far as an Indian is concerned)to hold the FIFA World cup trophy, I mean at least the replica.
World cup trophy at Nainamvalappu!
There is a purpose for this replica of World cup trophy kept in Nainamvalappu, (considered as the football capital of Calicut) football fans association. This trophy is made in wood. During the final of the World cup when the winner lifts the original FIFA World cup trophy, this replica at Nainamvalappu will be handed over to the respective fan club members!

The person who made this replica!

Myself with the FIFA World cup trophy (replica)! holding the cup for the second time in a week.wasn't that great?

Even my uncle who arranged all the meetings in Calicut was so happy to hold the World Cup!
World cup trophy at Puthanathani!

This is the biggest replica of FIFA World Cup trophy I saw, stands almost 4 ft, made in Gypsum! in front of the Nice Coffee Day!

Urban designer Mitchell Joachim presents his vision for sustainable, organic architecture: eco-friendly abodes grown from plants and meat.

Mitchell Joachim: Don't build your home, grow it! | Video on TED.com

Day 4: Puthanathani, Malappuram district
Nice Coffee Day: 2 Argentina, 1 Brazil and 1 Germany please!

Through one of Malayalam dailies, I came to know about this wonderful Coffee shop in Puthanathani, a small town in Malappuram district.

So what's the specialty of this Coffee shop? and how is it related to the football World cup?


This is one sure sign of soccer mania!almost 4 ft replica of FIFA World Cup made in Gypsum! in front of the Nice Coffee Day!


Set of Brazilian and Argentinian juice glasses! Then I met Mr. Khalid who runs the shop, along with Mr. Abdul Karim. So if you ask for juice you are most likely get a menu like this "Brazil, Argentina, England, Italy, France and Germany".


"We wanted to do something very different this World cup , and we came out this concept of naming various juices as leading football playing nations", says Khalid who himself is a juice maker.

And the name is not only in the juice, so you have various tables branded as different nations like

Germany table



Italy, all you have to do is come and sit in your favourite nation's table, the particular juice, named after that nation we come to you!

The Samba table, for the fans of Brazil!So there are like friends, who will come as a gang and once they enter they split and sit in their respective team's table.

You have England table also. He is planning to show the semis and final live adjacent to the shop itself so that people can see the matches while sipping the juice.

So I went and sat in Argetina table and ordered, 1 Argentina please!


And enjoyed my Argentina shake, it was complimentary from the owner!

Later in Chennai at Cafe Coffee Day I found this, but according to me Nice Coffee Day is more connected to World Cup Soccer brand and represents the true spirit of people of Malabar towards Football!

To be continued...