As the year draws close, newspapers, magazines and TV stations unfailingly announce their man of the year, woman of the year, Indian of the year, product of the year, etc. So for Time magazine, 2011 was the year of the protester. For India Today, its newsmaker was Anna Hazare, as he was for NDTV 24×7. For The Week, it will be some unsung hero. Etcetera.

There is no reason to doubt these fine editorial choices, duly audited by Ernst & Young, PricewaterHouse Coopers and other fine accounting firms. But the world is not all full of heroes. The reason we have a man of the year, woman of the year, etc, is because several worthies paved the way for these worthy souls by gladly voting themselves out.

Call them the villains of the year. Or A-holes Of The Year*. Or whatever. It is they who enable our world to get its rightful share of heroes each year by their execrable behaviour, by their obnoxious conduct, by being what they are: A-holes. And you find them everywhere: in politics, business, sport, cinema, media, everywhere.

So, tongue firmly in churumuri-lined cheek, let us give them their due. Let them know we care. Let them know that their efforts do not go unremembered, unrecognised or unrewarded. Let them know we would be a poorer world without them. Let them know who they are.

Who, therefore, is your A-hole Of The Year*?

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* churumuri.com cannot guarantee that the phraseology of this poll will meet the approval of everybody.