K. ARUMUGAM
History is not a priority thing in our collective thinking, but hockey is an honoured exception. It’s actually its history that saw it swim across the troubled phases in the past. However, it’s always cliche – 8 Olympic gold medalists etc. That the present powers that be thought of organizing a grand celebration to mark its 100th Year of Indian hockey is a welcome step. More so against the fact that their predecessors, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) let go the Platinum Jubilee milestone. I vividly remember I reminded them well on time. The IHF, however, led by Dr. MAM Ramaswamy celebrated the 50th Year in a grand manner by holding an international tournament for both men and women in Chennai. Fittingly, Indian men and women won and gave hockey a great visibility.
Therefore, the Hockey India’s celebrations are praiseworthy. With an exhibition depicting origin and growth of Indian hockey was put out. A bulky volume highlighting Indian hockey’s victorious stroll was also released. Mixed team of present-day men and women national teams played a each-quarter-seven-and-half minute game to entertain about 5000 early morning crowd. And then, almost 50 Indian hockey legends which included eldest living hockey Olympian Gurbux Singh — he is 91 years young – were honoured and presented a memento. This was the highlight of the celebrations.
Two Union Ministers and Hockey India president spoke elaboratively on the history of the Indian hockey. Each almost 10 minutes, though the blazing sun was unforgiving for those on the turf.
A closer look at the above will let you know that each of this deserves a separate occasion.
In this case, these would have got much more publicity, prime objective behind the whole effort, and helped the occasion sustain momentum. It would have been further more ideal had all these items were held in different cities. That would have been the icing on the cake.
Presence of Olympic heroes such as Gurbux Singh, Harbinder Singh, Ashok Kumar, Zafar Iqbal, BP Govinda, Aslam Sher Khan, Mervyn Fernandis, MM Somaya, Joaquim Carvalho, Jagbir Singh and others certainly added colour to the function. Others present included Md Riaz, Balwinder Singh, MP Singh, Vineet Kumar.
Presence of both men and women national team won the hearts of assembled youngsters.
But at the same time, absence of likes of Vasudevan Baskaran and Dhanraj Pillay did not go unnoticed. I am not sure whether they were invited, or they turned down or could not come. Whatever, their presence could have enriched the event further.