Cricket and India
Look at the recent statement of Shri Sharad Powar, President BCCI; we were agreed to play Twenty-20 only because we don't wish to be left alone on world platform. It was beyond imagination that India, with so many youngsters and even with inexperienced captain Dhoni will go on winning the ever first world cup. Enthusiasm of Dhoni and his boys proved a high mountain to cross even for the strongest teams like the South Africa and Australia and proving wrong to every expertise view India won the twenty-20 world cup. As was expected a grand celebration started in the cricket passionate country and this was sure to go on most grand scales especially after the early exit of India from ODI world cup at West Indies early this year. It is natural to celebrate wins but the felicitation of twenty-20 world cup winner team has brought two important issues at the central stage of discussion.
The first issue that seating arrangement at Wankhede stadium, during the public felicitation of team brought under discussion that, who are more important the players of winning team or the politicians and officials of sport administrative body? The ideal seating for such a felicitation was that president of association and Deputy Chief Minister of state [Who was chief guest of function] were seating in front row along with members of winning team but we had totally opposite picture if we leave the captain, other players from the winning team were almost non visible to millions of people who were gathered in the stadium for the felicitation of team. It has also put the fact under questioning why should not the politicians banned for acquiring an official post in any sporting association. If you look it at reaction of Shri Sharad Powar, who is also agricultural minister in the central government, about the sudden price rise of onion, "I don't know the matter as I was out of my office". I am a great admire of Powar sahib, his political vision, his dedication towards the nation and above all his eagerness to work for the deprived classes of the society but this has also forced me to ask Powar Sahib, is he politicians first or a sport administrator? It is politics or the sport administration is on the priority list of Powar Sahib? Surely it is fame of politics that fetched Powar Sahib, post of president of BCCI and it is heart breaking in true sense that a leaders and minister like him is not aware of difficult situations which a common man is facing? Surely this is happening because politicians are busy with other activities. My question is that to avoid this why should it not be made mandatory that politicians are not supposed to acquire any official position in any of sport administrative body? India is much more vast country in experience and ability than any other country, if the other countries are finding specialists to run the sports associations, surely it will be not a tough job in India.
The felicitation of twenty-20 world cup, underlined the neglected attitude towards the achievements of Indians in other sport disciplines. For instant recently India won in Hockey very conveniently but neither the hockey association nor any government, State or Central had announced any additional financial benefit for the players of winning team, even the corporate world was in the silent mood. Pankaj Advani, Vishawnathan Anand and many more, who, by their individual efforts always succeeded to bring glory for the nation, are also complaining about the partial and bias treatment in announcing the rewards. Why it is always the cricket player are the front runners for the financial benefits even after being paid most handsomely? The probable reason is that cricket is not just another game in India; it is a passion, a life style. The players are more than human beings and we Indians are, extremist in the expression of our emotions, It must be remembered that the people of Jharkhand, Ranchi, Who today feel it proud in saying Dhoni belongs to them [State government had announced highest public award "Jharkhand Ratana" for Dhoni] are the same who had taken the funeral procession of Dhoni and demolished his under construction house in Ranchi, when Indian team exited early from the ODI world cup early this year. I don't wish to say that other players and their family members should under go such painful and insulting experience before asking the equality for the financial benefits. I just wish to underline the fact that we are living in the world of finance and the related person will get financial benefits according to earnings. If the cricket is the highest earning game, player are bound to get more financial benefits but surely government, state or central must behave with equality.
If we look at the cricket it was just another game till the 1983, it was the World cup win by the team lead by Kapil Dev, which boosted favorable atmosphere for cricket and started to make it odd in the sporting world of India. Professional attitude of players and officials of cricket associations of the country had insured the flow of money into game. If the people like Jagmohan Dalmiya and others are succeeded in doing this for the cricket, why the other sport associations are not able to do the same? We can't punish others for our failure. It was time, when India was undisputed king of hockey field but where are we today? Surely not among the top six teams of the world. Let the hockey players, associations and all other sports associations and players develop the professional attitude for brining glory for the nation more frequently surely this will work in bringing the needed mental attitude change of public and corporate houses and this inequality will not be visible more. The state and central government can help these associations by providing facility of live telecast of sports on Doordarshan at low rates to make these sporting events more popular. This will also help to see India figuring in the top list of Medal tally at Olympics.
Look at the recent statement of Shri Sharad Powar, President BCCI; we were agreed to play Twenty-20 only because we don't wish to be left alone on world platform. It was beyond imagination that India, with so many youngsters and even with inexperienced captain Dhoni will go on winning the ever first world cup. Enthusiasm of Dhoni and his boys proved a high mountain to cross even for the strongest teams like the South Africa and Australia and proving wrong to every expertise view India won the twenty-20 world cup. As was expected a grand celebration started in the cricket passionate country and this was sure to go on most grand scales especially after the early exit of India from ODI world cup at West Indies early this year. It is natural to celebrate wins but the felicitation of twenty-20 world cup winner team has brought two important issues at the central stage of discussion.
The first issue that seating arrangement at Wankhede stadium, during the public felicitation of team brought under discussion that, who are more important the players of winning team or the politicians and officials of sport administrative body? The ideal seating for such a felicitation was that president of association and Deputy Chief Minister of state [Who was chief guest of function] were seating in front row along with members of winning team but we had totally opposite picture if we leave the captain, other players from the winning team were almost non visible to millions of people who were gathered in the stadium for the felicitation of team. It has also put the fact under questioning why should not the politicians banned for acquiring an official post in any sporting association. If you look it at reaction of Shri Sharad Powar, who is also agricultural minister in the central government, about the sudden price rise of onion, "I don't know the matter as I was out of my office". I am a great admire of Powar sahib, his political vision, his dedication towards the nation and above all his eagerness to work for the deprived classes of the society but this has also forced me to ask Powar Sahib, is he politicians first or a sport administrator? It is politics or the sport administration is on the priority list of Powar Sahib? Surely it is fame of politics that fetched Powar Sahib, post of president of BCCI and it is heart breaking in true sense that a leaders and minister like him is not aware of difficult situations which a common man is facing? Surely this is happening because politicians are busy with other activities. My question is that to avoid this why should it not be made mandatory that politicians are not supposed to acquire any official position in any of sport administrative body? India is much more vast country in experience and ability than any other country, if the other countries are finding specialists to run the sports associations, surely it will be not a tough job in India.
The felicitation of twenty-20 world cup, underlined the neglected attitude towards the achievements of Indians in other sport disciplines. For instant recently India won in Hockey very conveniently but neither the hockey association nor any government, State or Central had announced any additional financial benefit for the players of winning team, even the corporate world was in the silent mood. Pankaj Advani, Vishawnathan Anand and many more, who, by their individual efforts always succeeded to bring glory for the nation, are also complaining about the partial and bias treatment in announcing the rewards. Why it is always the cricket player are the front runners for the financial benefits even after being paid most handsomely? The probable reason is that cricket is not just another game in India; it is a passion, a life style. The players are more than human beings and we Indians are, extremist in the expression of our emotions, It must be remembered that the people of Jharkhand, Ranchi, Who today feel it proud in saying Dhoni belongs to them [State government had announced highest public award "Jharkhand Ratana" for Dhoni] are the same who had taken the funeral procession of Dhoni and demolished his under construction house in Ranchi, when Indian team exited early from the ODI world cup early this year. I don't wish to say that other players and their family members should under go such painful and insulting experience before asking the equality for the financial benefits. I just wish to underline the fact that we are living in the world of finance and the related person will get financial benefits according to earnings. If the cricket is the highest earning game, player are bound to get more financial benefits but surely government, state or central must behave with equality.
If we look at the cricket it was just another game till the 1983, it was the World cup win by the team lead by Kapil Dev, which boosted favorable atmosphere for cricket and started to make it odd in the sporting world of India. Professional attitude of players and officials of cricket associations of the country had insured the flow of money into game. If the people like Jagmohan Dalmiya and others are succeeded in doing this for the cricket, why the other sport associations are not able to do the same? We can't punish others for our failure. It was time, when India was undisputed king of hockey field but where are we today? Surely not among the top six teams of the world. Let the hockey players, associations and all other sports associations and players develop the professional attitude for brining glory for the nation more frequently surely this will work in bringing the needed mental attitude change of public and corporate houses and this inequality will not be visible more. The state and central government can help these associations by providing facility of live telecast of sports on Doordarshan at low rates to make these sporting events more popular. This will also help to see India figuring in the top list of Medal tally at Olympics.
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