PUNE AT THE GAMES

Striding the sports and battlefield

Shantaram Jadhav Lost Hockey Gold To Pakistan But Won In War

Pune: If Major Shantaram Jadhav was an Olympic hockey silver medallist now, he would have been among then élitist club of Indian sportsmen. But at Rome in 1960, despite finishing runners-up, his team was seen as a failure. For, that was the first time our hockey team returned from the quadrennial event without the yellow metal. And that too after losing to Pakistan in the final.

“Though I didn’t make the playing XI in that particular match, we dominated the proceedings,” said 78-yearold Jadhav, an armyman to the core: from his neatly-combed white hair to the clean footwear he was wearing along with his Rome blazer to pose for TOI. “We had many opportunities inside the ‘D’. But somehow we lost. I remember the entire team sobbed after the match,” he added with still eyes and a slight shake of head.

Being in the Army, Jadhav had the opportunity to make amends. And he did it in 1965 and 1971 as India and Pakistan were engaged in wars. “I was on the warfront in Ranikhet and Jamnagar. And on both occasions, we succeeded,” he said at his Tridal residential society near Yerawada.

“He was also posted at Nathu La pass during the war against China in 1962,” said Pushpalata, his wife for 57 years. “Thankfully, in all those wars, he didn’t suffer a major injury.”

She said their eldest son Colonel Satish, who continued the family tradition of being in the Army, was not so lucky. During the Kargil war, he was posted at the Tiger Hill and a bullet hit his toe. The Kolkata-based brave man is now partially disabled.

Jadhavs were also saddened by Indian hockey team’s failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics this time and the poor state of former Olympians. Deaths of his team-mates Mohinder Lal and Prithpal Singh also hampered his spirit. But there were some high moments too. “After the Olympics, our team (MLI) won the Aga Khan Trophy in 1962. I also had the honour of interacting with the great Dhyan Chand. He was our coach at the Services for three years. He taught us the art of taking bully,” recalled Jadhav.

The moment of fulfilment also happened in 2004 when they went on the European tour accompanied by a daughter and son-in-law. “We spent almost six months there,” he said. “And yes, we visited the Olympic stadium in Rome 44 years after I went there first. It was such an overwhelming occasion.”

Sadly, his silver medal is not at his home. That’s put at the Army museum in Belgaum. But he has no complaints.

“We have a lot of memorabilia of his hockey days,” said the better half of a left-back. “We will ask our children if they want to keep it. If not, we will give to the Army museum where it will remain in safe hands.”

Mrs. Jadhav also said that her hubby was in great shape three-four months ago. “But a pacemaker had to be fitted because some blockages were found in his veins behind the neck. After that illness, he has become a bit circumspect and can’t recall things swiftly,” she said.

But the Jadhavs generally look at life without remorse. They are independent with two pensions (one from the army and one from the government to the tune of Rs. 5,000 being an Olympian which will be doubled soon) and though their sons and daughters are away, they are one big family.

As the life goes to the sunset point, this village boy from Masrang (Ratnagiri) remembers his moment under the sun at the Olympic village. Indeed, his silver medal has a tinge of defeat. But if life is a war, Jadhav has taken it chest-on.

Shantaram Jadhav file

• From Masrang in Ratnagiri district, Sangameshwar taluka

• Trained at Ajmer, Rajasthan

• Joined army in 1947 after Matriculation

• Married in 1950. Has two sons (one in army, one in Navy) and three daughters

• Olympic silver medal, 1960

• Aga Khan Cup winner, 1962

• Fought three wars: vs. China (1962) and vs. Pak (1965 and ’71)

• Came to Pune in 1973

• Was posted at Nagaland, Sikkim, Jamnagar, Bangalore, Belgaum, Hyderabad and Pune

• Handled one lakh Bangladeshi prisoners at Bareilly

• Retired as a Major from the 2nd Mah NCC Battalion in Pune in 1981

• A wing of an army stadium in Belgaum has been named after him in 2007

Family tradition of service

Pushpalata Jadhav is not an ordinary lady. Not just because she is married to a silver-medallist Olympian. But because she has performed her roles to perfection. She doesn’t have a towering presence, but her depth is palpable. Her father was an armyman in a British Regiment. Her brother was also in the army. And to top it, she married Jadhav, whose father was also in the army. Not surprisingly, her son Satish continues the family tradition. “I’m proud to be daughter, sister, daughter-in-law, wife and mother of army people,” she said. “While my husband was busy as a sportsman and armyman, I alone had to look after daily routine of our children. We decided to shift to Pune. Our elder son harboured dreams of becoming a sportsman. But his father discouraged him. And we have no regrets. This city set the foundation of our children with wonderful education.” Her silence about Pune’s current educational scene was….well, golden!