School Hockey: Sacred Heart seeks hockey’s glory b

Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Majitha Road, Amritsar is a unit of the Institution of Sisters of Charity of Jesus & Mary which has branches in all the continents. This school was established in 1937 and is open to girls students irrespective of which strata of the society they belong to.

At present Sister Regis is the Principal. Sacred Heart school has a spacious playground with stadium, three sports teachers — S. Harmail Singh Sidhu, S. Ajit Singh and Mrs. Daljeet Saini –take care of the sports activities. In the past, the school was known for its hockey achievements, which it lacked now.

Under the able guidance of Principal, Sister Regis, the school is again planning to repeat it’s golden past. The school management invited Prof. Randhawa of DAV college Amritsar, to deliver a hockey lecture to inspire students so that they take up hockey.

Prof. Randhawa lamented that though hockey is played by more than 120 countries in the world, it is ignored in India which dominated the world in the past, annexed 8 Olympic Gold Medals. He exhorted the students saying, it is high time to forget the mistakes made in the past, and make efforts to rectify them right now. He wished that if the schools in the holy city of Amritsar told the students that they are indifferent to hockey just because we are no longer the champions, things might look better.

“We have all lost the idea of our ancient glory. That is why they haven’t taken any initiative to introduce Hockey in our Institutions”, the Prof asked. He also wondered where were those great hockey-minded institutions? What was their contribution to the development of the National game when it was at the peak of its glory and passing through its golden era from 1940’s to 1980’s. In those times, the reins of premier Institutions were in the hands of renowned, wise, prudent and patriotic principals who used to boast of their spirit of nationalism. Didn’t their nationalism inspire them to work for their National Game Hockey?.

Prof. Randhawa said: “Our national anthem, the national language and the national flag are given due reverence and honour but it is matter of great pity that the National Game suffered on account of indifference of the Institutions, as well as the Government. Many Institutions in Amritsar introduced and removed Hockey simply because due to whim and fancy of principals and the sports teachers”.

Terming this is not good, he suggested all schools to have a uniform sports policy. He also warned that as regards the National Flag, the National Language and the National Game, their respect and dignity must not depend upon the personal attitude of the principals and the teachers. He said that he has found in banks & other govt. institutions written on the walls “Rashtriya Bhasha Hindi Bolo Hamein Garav Hoga”. But no voice from any corner of India came telling us “Rashtriya Khel Hockey Khelo Hamein Garav Hoga”. The first priority of the Indian Institutions should be the promotion and growth of National Game, but the case is quite contrary. Where is their national spirit in case of Hockey? Where is their enthusiasm and zeal for this national game? Their national spirit will always be questioned in this regard. One of the leading newspapers of Holland had to give the view that the struggle of India in the field of Hockey is the National fighting spirit of India. But where has that National spirit gone? One poet got very emotional & passionate and instinctively remarked “Kuchh Baat Hai Aisi Ke Hasti Mit ti Nahin Hamari” but now that Hasti is in question in the field of Hockey. Why so? because the personalities who brought laurels to India has been forgotten by us.

Getting emotional, Randhawa remembered Hockey wizard Dhiyan Chand and reminded the educational institutions how the national hero suffered at the hands of indifference of the government. During his last days he suffered from liver cancer and was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in a general ward. Then a Delhi based Hockey Journalist raised his voice against the maltreatment meted out to the National Hero. Then he was taken to the special ward just two days before his death. He told his wife with tears in eyes “when I die, the world will cry but India’s people won’t shed a tear for me I know them”. Prof. Randhawa told the students that once he talked to Dhyan Chand’s son Mr. Ashok Kumar, who scored the match winner goal in the 1975 World Cup, who said, “After his father’s death early in the morning at 4:13 am in front of the premises of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, searching for a taxi to carry the corpse of his father to his native village Jhansi”.

What a respect being given to the National Hero. After the death of this National Hero, the Indian Government declared his birth date as the National Sports day and installed his statue in the National Stadium of Delhi and forgot to take care of the both. Prof. Randhawa told the students that Mr. Ashok Kumar advised that as Hockey was the soul of his great father, so make efforts to revive it in India where his father had suffered neglect and indifference. He further told the students from that day he took the pledge to move from school to school for the sake of Hockey.

The Amritsar based Hockey writer said what a pity that India has forgotten not only Dhyan Chand but also hockey. It is good thing that central sports minister Dr. M.S. Gill, while addressing the Indians through media sometimes, gets emotional saying Hockey is not only a game, it is the spiritual culture of India. Hockey enthusiast while carrying on his lecture said that India has taught the whole world the great lessons of religion and spiritualism. But these days the Indians have adopted cricket to such an extent that it has become their religion. Even Indian media remarked that Cricket is the religion of India and entitled Sachin Tendulkar as their Devta.

“If this is the case then what is the concept of religion and Devta in India”, Prof. Sahib asked the students. “Can a human being be a Devta of Indians and can a game like Cricket take the place of religion?”. He queried, “What is the meaning of religion and Devta in Indian context? If Indian media and Indian people are allergic to Hockey, they need treatment to be cured”, he said sarcastically of course.

“Hockey’s plight is like a helpless old man who has been deserted by his own heirs and is walking on crutches crying for help and to regain its lost identity and glory”

The Professor stressed the point that it is no less then a crime to neglect our own heritage and culture. He likened schools and colleges to criminals if they just say students prefer cricket. Then why do they have infrastructure for the promotion of game. They make lame excuses that they can afford to promote only one team game, either Hockey or Cricket. But these great educationists and scholars forget that it is their duty to revive and preserve the Indian culture. It is they who should guide the students for the betterment of national interests and not let the students be their guide. So Hockey should be the top priority in the educational institutions being the national game. Prof.Randhawa threw the light on the fact that Hockey was made the National Game of India on account of its great achievements in this field. The government has not obliged in any way by declaring it the national game.

The speaker of the day asked the students have they seen “Chak De India”? Have they realised the pain and anguish of Mr. Jai Deep Sahni, the writer of the film. He might have undergone great pain which inspired him to write the script of “Chak De”. The real message is “Chak De India — Hockey”. If they have heard the song “Chak De, Chak De India…………. Koi to Chal Zid Fadiye”. They must have realised the feelings of its singer Mr. Sukhwinder Singh. No they never have. Absolutely a big no. After the release of the movie “Chak De India”, many slogans became popular like “Chak De Bachey”, Chak De Bhojpuri” Chak De Amritsar”, etc. But no voice came from any corner of India saying “Chak De Hockey”. To tell you the truth it was the Zid to support Hockey whole heartedly.

It was the Zid to bring name and fame to the ignored and neglected game. Prof. Randhawa coated an Urdu Couplet “Bol Ke Labh Azad Hai Tere” saying that it always encourages him to speak in favour of a game that has suffered a lot on account of the indifferent attitude of the people and the government. He has started a campaign to bring awakening among the masses for the betterment and development of Hockey. The song “Chak De India” was meant for the promotion and growth of Hockey. Does it make any sense to say “Chak De Cricket?”, the professor wondered. “We may be a great fans of Shah-Rukh-Khan but they have not understood the message of Shah-Rukh-Khan in the movie given through the character of Kabir Khan. After becoming the world champion coach Shah-Rukh-Khan i.e. Kabir Khan handed over the Hockey stick to a little child that meant to carry forward the glory of national game Hockey. To make the younger generation aware of their National heritage and culture in the field of sports. If they have forgotten the message of 1930’s to 1980’s when India became world champion under the dynamic leadership and captaincy of Major Dhyan Chand, Leslie Claudius, Roop Singh, Balbir Singh, Mohammad Sahid, Ajit Pal and Vasudevan Baskaran then they must not hesitate to implant the message firmly into their minds given through “Chak De India”.

Prof. Randhawa rues that the glamour of cricket may multiply in the days to come on account of its commercialization. The dialogue delivery of the movie “Chak De India” proves the above given facts. The message of the movie seems to have been lost in the glamour and Chauke Chhakey of Cricket.

Randhawa asked the students will their national game continue to remain a non-entity? Will it continue to suffer at the hands of cricket? If you people won’t change the present scenario, then, who else it will be? He told the students to show their strength and will power, the true virtues of true Indians. He exhorted students to say in a chorus “Chak De Hockey” with raised hands. So that he may feel satisfied that his visit has proved fruitful to the prestigious institutions as well as to the nation and particularly to Hockey for which he is working tirelessly.

He further said that being an educationist he does not have any claim over the government, the media and the corporate world but he certainly have the claim over educational institutions. He is sure that his hockey loving voice would be heard in these institutions. Finally, at the conclusion of his speech, the visiting professor found keenness and great curiosity among the students who enthusiastically raised slogans like “Chak De Hockey” and “Chak De India”.

The students later formed a circle around the speaker, demanded sticks to play the game. The school management made them available. Prof. Randhawa gave some tips to the students. The students spent quality time to enjoy and play hockey. The students and the school management assured him to practice playing hockey routinely.