Peter’s family struggles to make ends meet

V Narayan Swamy, TNN

BANGALORE: He is credited to have been the backbone of the Madras Engineers Group hockey team; a stadium at MEG’s sprawling unit here is named after him. But for VJ Peter’s family these are just footnotes of a glorious past. Life for them is more about making ends meet.

Thirteen years after the triple Olympian’s death, Peter’s family – comprising his widow Shanti Mary, 69, and five children – is struggling to keep its head above water. With the meagre pension that Peter paved the way for, thanks to his stint with MEG, and the money that her two daughters earn, Shanti Mary’s story is not so much about poverty and indigence. It is about managing the family, getting her two daughters married and ensuring that her needs are met.

Years of deprivation have led two of Mary’s three daughters – Gerry (40) and Jacqueline Maria (38) – to think of little else other than supporting their mother. They continue to stay with her in their dilapidated home at St Thomas Mount in Chennai.

Mary’s other daughter, Anita, is married. Her first son Christopher is with MEG but earns enough to take care only of himself. Her second son Samson was a junior National player but has met with little luck in his search for a good job. He works in the security department of a courier firm.

“We have got no support from anybody. The pension I get is just enough to meet our daily needs. We were receiving Rs 2,000 from the central government for the Arjuna award my husband got in 1967. Even that stopped once he died,” Mary told TOI. “Ever since, with hardly any savings to fall back on, we have been struggling.”

Peter’s post-retirement phase from 1983 wasn’t too memorable although he coached Indian Bank amongst other teams and also worked in an engineering college as a physical education official. Of course, Christopher, did find a job in MEG but meagre additions to the family’s income weren’t enough to goad them into big decisions – including their daughters’ marriage.

And, having brought her kids up virtually alone in Chennai – she and her children would visit Peter in Bangalore occasionally during his playing days – Mary gets emotional when she realizes that she has neither the wherewithal nor anybody’s backing to emerge out of the crisis.

Mary was thankful to Nehru Hockey Tournament Society for deciding to present a purse of Rs 2 lakh but said she would be even more grateful if her second son Samson got a good job. “I want to see him well settled in life,” she says.

India hockey coach Mohd Riaz was among those who reacted positively to helping the family. “I need to talk to their family. We will see how best we can help them,” he said.

Gurbux Singh, who played with Peter at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, too has promised help. MEG is keen to reach out as were other Olympians, including MP Ganesh.

KNOW VJ PETER

VJ Peter played in three Olympics – Rome 1960 (silver), Tokyo 1964 (gold) & Mexico 1968 (bronze) – and two Asian Games – 1962 Jakarta (silver) and 1966 Bangkok (gold).

He was employed with Madras Engineers Group, Bangalore and turned out for Services. MEG emerged as a strong team under him. His association With Samuel, Manuel, Thangaraj and Govindaraj on the frontline was legendary.

Position: Inside right. Known for his superb dribbling skills, ball control and playmaking.

Awarded Arjuna in 1967. Passed away in 1998.