Chennai Diary: Equally aggressive hockey on the turfs
Chennai is a place where I did my post-graduation, and it is always pleasant for me to visit the city. One of my all time favourite eateries is Mathsya, located close to MRK stadium. So, am in Chennai.
The moment I checked in my routine hotel, the manager was happy to tell me a hockey news. “Sir, some officers of your hockey are staying here”. What he meant was, some officials part of the ongoing Syed Ahmed Memorial hockey tournament are put up in the hotel.
There is one common thing between Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai. Go to these places any part of the year, there will be some hockey happening on the turfs. Unlike Delhi where I live and work, where hockey by and large means press conferences and with it the egoistic declarations, these cities always gives me a fresh air.
Chennai now clearly overtakes the other two cities. It is increasingly replete with hockey on the MRK Stadium. We know the power mongers here also greedy, and are at the throat of each other like anywhere else, I can even say the power struggle here is far more stretched than one can imagine, and intensive in Chennai. But thankfully, that doesn’t seem to stop hockey on the turf, courtesy lot of hockey buffs.
In the past three years, MCC Murugappa was held with élan for which it is known for. There was one vintage stuff called Anglo-Indians meet 6 or 7 months ago. In my last trip I saw international umpire Munir actively being part of Chennai Hockey League. In between the great old competition, Basheer Ahmad Khan was revived and held. Which actually means the teams and the players here are kept busy, they are not rotting at least.
Now on my trip I was pleasantly surprised to see a state level tournament is fabulously organized.
This is nothing but what the manager of the hotel informed me about. In the evening I was in the stadium, watched the last match. There were around 500 spectators including omnipresent Perumal, in his spick and span white gear, an ardent hockey fan who also runs a fans association.
Olympian Md. Riaz’s father, a former international umpire, is the Tournament Director, gives me some tips on vintage hockey players, exactly for which purpose am in the city. IOB, the local superstar team, was playing the match, a forward (jersey No.9) scored a goal through a beautiful forehander, it was on the side where I was sitting; as usual the stands stadium offered a great sight to watch action, a beauty of MRK stadium where you are not far away from the action.
Another beauty is, all papers here are appreciative of the effort behind a state level tournament; it’s not a lip service, there is good coverage with action photo next day on the media. This is one area where Delhi lacks. There is no media enthusiasm for local events. They ignore, its not good, mere coverage of national news won’t help the cause of home hockey.
Reehan Ahmed is the man behind the tournament which is on its second year. Reehan is a Railways’ hockey player, the tournament is organized in the name of his father, believed to be one of the finest, stylish, crowd pulling forwards of his times.
The tournament possesses a website (syedahmedhockey.com), which, to me, is the second best in India after Surjit Hockey insofar as domestic hockey sites are concerned.
The final will be played under floodlights on Sunday. All Olympians and present and former internationals have been invited, their name appearing on one side of the beautifully printed invitation, which I got served at the reception desk at night 10.30 when I came to retire for the day.
After being watchful of state and national level politics, I have come to a conclusion to go to any tournament that will be organized, irrespective of which faction or by whom. That’s why I was in Bhopal recently. A miniature national was held there. What counts, and what should matter, is hockey on the ground, as the power struggle seem to prolong endlessly.
I am happy politics did not harm hockey on the ground in Chennai. Their League was on time, MCC-Murugappa was successful, Basher Ahmad hockey revived, a chapter of Anglo-Indian congregation added, now a player himself is successfully organizing a tournament in a proper manner with some impact on the market as well, if the billboards on the stadium are any indications.
Today morning when I returned after morning walk, another person manning the reception was quick to add, “Sir, Do you know who is going to come tonight and stay here, a big player from Singapore”.
He means Jude Felix, who will be here for the Sunday final.