Podcast from World Bank Y2Y conference on October 22, 2009

Teaching basketball in Mumbai, India

Every end is a new beginning, 2009 Fall JDBASKETBALL INDIA Tour

Another tour, another daily book of stories and incredible india happenings!

There is some divinity behind the mission, which is in the forefront sometimes, my creativity and love of india basketball or something greater?

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Although there were many happenings, a few things that will stay in my mind forever from this latest trip:

FIBA Asia championships!

The kindness of SDAT in chennai and tamil nadu -- of which I already blogged

The coolest uniforms in all of Tamil Nadu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz_HcXNktyU&feature=player_embedded

The famous cab driver videos: actually the fact that his English is better than my Hindi is something i am working hard to change!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnpYGbyEL1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vaHtBkWyg0

The warm welcome and speaking engagement with Extentia and the kindness of the folks at Persistence. Especially, Dr. Srikanth and Anaand Deshponde

Looking for land in the jungle for a basketball court in undisclosed locations...

An amazing story, by a passionate indian hoops lover - i did not even know our chat was would end up as a story liek this in Slam Mag:

http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/international/2009/10/breaking-old-habits/

Ramesh and crew taking me to my first Dusshera- and the sheer mass amount of people.

My three vists to Mr. Jockin in Dharavi Slums.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1233152981346&ref=mf

Tennis lesson with Indian great Jasit Singh at Delhi Gymkhana, one of the most giving people I ever met.

Dinner with Satish Jha from OLPC

The Puja ceramony that I was allowed to tag- a-long too and some of the real indians i was able to interview:

Success of the programs in New Delhi and Mumbai, all the coaches who made the programs great: Barry, Brent, Poonam, Mohit, AB, Prashant, Madhu, Monica, and Tug

The countless drivers, especially Maxwell!

My friends and tailors at Michelle Boutique!

The kindness of Dharmendra and Digvijay at Taj Mansingh, Apoorv and Ajinka - Hotel Royalty and Ilan - Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Prashant

The Taj Hotel, standing in all her glory!

Dinner at the Lodi gardens, coffee at cafe Indigo, Hard Rock Cafe - Pune

The Italian play @humanity center

Most of all:

All the the kids I met who love basketball!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1233169741765&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1227062709093&ref=mf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnwdFiMImro

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1227072069327&ref=mf

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1225577551965&ref=mf

And of course, all the love shown to me by the children and Salaam Bombay team at 'The Biggest Diwali Party' in Mumbai. i will never forget being part of the volunteers handing out 1500 diwali gifts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZlLOOB8BsE

THANK YOU INDIA for helping to make everyday in your beautiful world extraordinary.

I am back in the US now for about two weeks to speak at Y2Y Conference at the World Bank but returning to the subcontinent, my second home on Nov 2 to attend TEDIndia Conference in Mysore.

Post TED I am doing two more basketball clinics as part of US Department of State Sports Initiative Grant w/ Coach Craig Esherick (Former Georgetown U, Head Coach, US Olympic team Assistant) and Robert Baker (George Mason U)

We will be conducting clinics in two cities:

November 9-11 (New Delhi) w/ New Delhi YMCA

November 12-14 (Calcutta) w/ West Bengal Basketball Association

I am really excited to give back to India basketball part of our mission is in working with the Basketball Federation of India to select 10 coaches to bring to GMU for traingin in the summer of 2010, they will impliment and sustain a distance learning program!

Keep on the look-out for our new website....

Please keep in touch, love to hear from you all!

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jd@jdbasketball.com

@jdbasketball (twitter)