Yesterday Pargat Singh organized a press conference. It was in Punjab Bhawan, where after the press conference the journalists were served simple snack and a cup of coffee / tea.

In all practical purpose, the cost of the press conference could well be a few hundred rupees.

Despite too early in the day, and once advanced from the originally scheduled time, the Delhi media (print and electronic) was in full attendance, and whatever he said was on the prominent display of today’s newspapers.

The coverage next day was complete and comprehensive.

What is news in this for me to explain what looks like a routine stuff?

Its not routine stuff. Those who contested election in the hockey history before never organized press conference before election, only after wining or losing — winners to rejoice and the loser to complain something. Because they will all be busy in manipulation before the election.

Pargat Singh being a player, he thought of sharing his views with the public before the election, perhaps he need not indulge in manipulation.

Secondly, till now all the press conferences held by the rival of this triple-Olympian has been in a five-star hotel. If you know about five-star hotel costs, each press conference must have cost a few lakh rupees, and I sincerely feel all the monies the Hockey India spent on five-star hotels could have easily been used to conduct National championship which was not held in the last three years. But these bigwigs chose to showcase their status than doing even the bare minimum for the sport.

A mere ten cups of tea in those five-star hotels would have matched the entire cost of Pargat Singh’s press conference on Monday.

This one comparison strikes me because (a)Pargat is straight-forward, has time for sharing his thoughts with public which the politicians who contested elections so far have not done, (b) He has no money power.

Now, we have to see which one wins, the player who believes in transparency, connect with people, seemingly relay on sincerity of genuine voters unlike those on the rival camp who have nothing to give to hockey rather than benefit from it.

Pargat Singh may win or not, but has set an example for many things. Primarily, no use in shouting from outside the systems, its better to enter into it if one wants clean it up. Second, money or no money fight is important to prove the fact that Indian hockey players so far played for the country whether money was there or not.

Pargat, for once, did not target puppies and dummies who dance to the tune of some masters. As a true sportsman, he plays straight. He takes on the supremo of Indian Olympic Association Suresh Kalmadi on face to face. How correct? Who is Batra, who are those others who control hockey now, without the blessings of Kalmadi?

Kalmadi was supposed to be a judge for a disputed party (IHF and IWHF) but usurped the property of the litigants for himself! And there are many superb organizations in the world to say what they have done is right and legitimate!!

But for Pargat and his bold fighting spirit, the likes of Kalmadis would have run away with hockey without getting sullied.

So, a few cups of tea which you and I normally spend each day in small stalls, and a place that is government owned, Pargat Singh is rattling the whole corrupt sports system.

We salute Pargat Singh for daring to do all these, and willing to be different.