THE LONE INSTITUTION BUILDER IN INDIAN HOCKEY, KRISHNAMURTHY

K. ARUMUGAM & ERROL D’CRUZ

It takes a lot to be different. It takes even more to be un-individual in a social milieu where individualism counts in the collective consciousness rather than the collective spirit and a pledge for the future.

That’s why we don’t find many, if any, institution builders in hockey. The lack of interest in building an institution in India, more so in our sport, is obvious and stems from many factors. Take this fact for instance: every secretary or president, state or national body did one thing in common – when they left office they faded into oblivion once for all. Their love for hockey faded with the chair they occupied. Not only that, they carried records and files of their tenure with them!

It’s a kind of individualism that prevented the development of state hockey units as institutions in India despite a 100-odd year history for most of them. Those who managed state units for decades lacked vision and a sense of accomplishing a mission. More importantly, they considered themselves bigger than the post they held and that’s why there was no intention or spirit to build their units as an institution that would serve the cause of hockey for generations to come.

Thankfully, we have one Kannan Krishnamurthy, ‘Kitta’ to the hockey world, who stands out in the pitiable history of officialdom. There is no second person in the 95-year old history of the Indian Hockey Federation (now Hockey India for the last decade) who would spend equal measure in building sustainable institutions and managing current affairs as ‘Kitta’.

The Karnataka State Hockey Association (KSHA), where he is a secretary for about two decades, has assets worth a few crores with a guest house, rooms for rent, gymnasium, clubhouse etc. in place. Such assets may be a regular feature in even, say, every cricket club in the country but seldom in hockey.

Strictly speaking, the KSHA is a lone oasis in the vast swathe of hockey desert. Its standout building and allied activities bore the stamp of team effort, however. But Kitta remains the engine room of those transformations as the process started midway through the 1990s with him as secretary.

Modest and unassuming, he promotes collective will rather than those who practise autocracy if given the chance to rule for more than a season! That the KSHA’s electoral college consists of about 150 Clubs/ 2500 members is ample proof, if there was needed about Kitta’s credentials. Elections take place as a matter of routine with everybody’s knowledge and transparency. How many units can boast such a set up and environ? These are the things that help build institutions which KSHA under Kitta did.

Nowhere in the State hockey Units  does this miracle happen: Players who represented the State are given life membership and voting rights, as in the ‘kitta’s realm.  

How a simpleton exuding team spirit and vision transformed the KSHA into an enviable asset is a story that stands out as an example to every genuine aspiring sports administrator. More so against the backdrop of dismal hockey history in this respect.

In Indian hockey, only four state units have some property of their own – the Bengal Hockey Association’s office in the centre of the city (Kolkata), the pitch at the Vidarbha Hockey Association (Nagpur), at the KSHA and the one at Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd along with the office. These associations hold the aforesaid assets either on long-term lease or freehold.

It’s a sad state of affairs that even the states that traditionally produced — and are still producing – an unending stream of hockey stars like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh etc did not even own a room for their offices! And these units are even older than the IHF / HI !

In this context, what Kitta and his team achieved should be viewed closely to understand its significance, pathbreaking and potential trend setting.

Just glance at the hockey turf in Shanti Nagar, Bengaluru. One side is overlooked by a simple single storey structure while the other is by a multi-storeyed edifice, improving the skyline developed in the late 1990s. The rooms, clubhouse, gym etc generate revenue. This may seem minor compared to some other sports in India like cricket, football, tennis etc but no other state unit in the IHF /HI possesses such a model. When it comes to hockey, Kolkata, BHA, VHA were content on maintaining their assets in status quo but KSHA looked forward and generated growth.

That’s why we bring out this story about an individual for the positive vibes it would radiate in the New Year, 2021.

II

As a winger Kannan Krishnamurthy was confined to the left-hand side of the field. Off the pitch, however, his presence in the hockey fraternity was omnipresent, especially in Bengaluru circles. He has experienced and served the sport donning all possible hats – player, umpire, technical official, coaching associate and finally an administrator.

As secretary of the Karnataka State Hockey Association (KSHA), Krishnamurthy has presided over the growth of the body to become probably the most equipped and professional body for the sport in the country.

Krishnamurthy’s leadership has withstood the test of time, change and upheavals. Today, he continues in the same vein. Unhindered, unfettered and unflappable. The KSHA co-exists with Hockey Karnataka, the unit affiliated to Hockey India, the governing body of the game in India more than a decade after a new order was set in motion following the dissolution of the Indian Hockey Federation.

“I still enjoy serving the game and helping hockey develop,” he says as he reflects on his role down the years. There’s a hint of destiny when you consider Krishnamurthy’s career in the game.

“I became an administrator by sheer chance,” he says. “Members of the association forced me to take up the position. I was never interested in administration.”

Krishnamurthy, now in his 60s, was content on being as good a hockey players as he could and was attentive to his banking career while serving RBI. “Hockey, however, drove me from my aspirations as a banker,” he says.

“Had I given my banking career first preference, I would have been DGM or AGM someday.” As things transpired, he grabbed a VRS offer which enabled him concentrate on things hockey. “In reality, however, there was no retirement,” Krishnamurthy recollects. “It was as good as a full-time job — going to the KSHA office in the morning and often staying there till 9 in the evening. “It didn’t occur to me that I had retired. It was just a change of job,” he says with a chuckle. He doesn’t, however, refer to this engagement as a sacrifice.

“Hockey’s my passion and I have never regarded the energy and time spent to serve the game as a sacrifice”. 

Krishnamurthy played for RBI and Karnataka in National Championships. He also represented RBI in the KSHA which was as far he wanted to go in administration.

But events proved otherwise. It was a déjà vu moment. He was drawn into umpiring  by similar persuasion and soon began blowing the whistle astutely. After being inducted into the KSHA Executive Committee, Krishnamurthy’s natural flair for administration and fine communication skills brought him the coveted secretary’s post in 1996, a position he still holds after nearly a quarter century!

“It made me a sort of an all-rounder not everyone can be because you must be good at everything – possess sound knowledge of the game and the constitution of the association,” he opines. “I can’t be compared to the great Gurbux Singh (legendary Olympian) but he too was a player, umpire and administrator rolled into one.”

Umpiring duties took Krishnamurthy the length and breadth of the country.

One moment, frightening though, stood out. The scene: Bombay Gymkhana. The year: 1995. The event: The Aga Khan Cup final. Yes, Krishnamurthy umpired the infamous match of hockey’s blue riband tournament. A bloody brawl took place between Punjab Police and Indian Airlines and Krishnamurthy was called upon to use all his knowledge, tact and presence of mind to deal with the situation.

“I remember Ashish Ballal, the Indian Airlines goalkeeper, standing tall, taking stick blows to his helmet while protecting his national and club teammate Shakeel Ahmed Khan, the left-half, who was badly injured in the fracas,” says Krishamurthy. “I remember flashing yellow cards to Punjab Police’s Pargat Singh and Jagdev Singh at different instances,” he continues. “Suddenly, in my half of the pitch, it flared up after a tackle on Shakeel and it went out of control in mere seconds. “I tried my best to separate players involved but decided it wise to step back after there was no sign of things calming down. “The spectators got involved after a while and I recall clearly the Punjab Police players running for their lives to the clubhouse,” Krishnamurthy recalls.

He officiated at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games and although he didn’t umpire a high-profile match there, he fondly recalls India’s gold medal triumph after 32 years. He was also an umpire when India won the 1995 Sulan Azlan Shah Cup.

Another pleasant memory concerns a high moment in Indian hockey – the winning of the 2003 Asia Cup. It was for this campaign that he made his debut as manager of the India team. “The final was a see-saw match but India clinched it. “It was an emotional win and the team dedicated the trophy to Jugraj Singh who watched the matches from his hospital bed,” Krishnamurthy goes down memory lane. The triumph, as he sees it, was a watershed moment in Indian hockey. “Sahara, Subrata Roy at the helm, came on board as sponsors of the team and each player received a purse for the achievement.

The next year, Krishnamurthy managed the team at the Olympic Qualifying tournament in Madrid where terrorist bombs caused death and destruction on a train. Fortunately it didn’t harm any player participating in the tournament. As a technical official, Krishnamurthy served the FIH at manifold events at home and abroad.

The role as an administrator, you could say was the final frontier.

III

Krishnamurthy says that he could hold his own because of the cross-section of experience and expertise over all parameters of the game. It was a strong foundation to meet the challenge. “But I must also appreciate the encouragement, backing and support of my team. Krishnamurthy’s acumen as a banker could well have held the KSHA in good stead.

“We were granted land on lease admeasuring 5.71 acres by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Corporation in 1977,” he pin-points a significant moment in KSHA’s history since formation in 1937. “We consolidated on our resources. From a barren “lake land”, it grew into the plush facility of today. It took us time to develop the facility at Langford Town but things moved rapidly when Bengaluru was awarded the 1996 National Games.

“It brought us an artificial (Poligras) pitch and two galleries that flank the pitch. Now, we have a fully-equipped stadium seating 7,000 with a club house, fitness centre and facilities for a host of indoor sports, swimming pool and a banquet hall.

The SAI hostel adjacent to the stadium helps in cohesion to make the KSHA abuzz with activity.

The KSHA’s policy for membership also proved exemplary. “Players who represented the state were given life membership and voting rights,” Krishnamurthy reveals. “They can also vie for places in the management committee by contesting elections. We also welcome international players from other sports,” he adds.

According to Krishnamurthy, the KSHA managed affairs independently. “Revenue amounted to a pittance,” he recalls. “There was no revenue model and gate collections at tournaments was our only source of earnings and grants from the national federation were small and far from substantial,” he adds.

But the association was soon to emerge from a frugal existence. Membership fees, a nominal Rs 300/- in the early days has grown steadily and at Rs three and a half lakh today it has enabled the KSHA develop its impressive infrastructure. “The contribution from a membership which has now grown to 2,500 has enabled us build a sports development fund,” Krishnamurthy explains.

“It was made possible by a resolution at our AGM that such a fund was necessary and it’s our main strength. The grants from Hockey India we received were only for the National Championships.

“We were able to win sponsors for our various hockey activities. This has helped us spend Rs 50 lakh annually for leagues and tournaments in the Super Division and four lower divisions. Our leagues have been held regularly for years. This season, however, we won’t be holding the leagues because of the Covid-19 crisis.”

The KSHA has also been sensitive towards the game in other units of the state. “We have been extending monetary assistance to those units travelling to Bengaluru for tournaments,” he elaborates. The stature of the KSHA expressed itself in a very competitive league drawing teams and players from other parts of the country.

The now defunct Premier Hockey League saw the city’s teams lift the title twice. Playing as Bangalore Hi-Fliers, who changed their name to Bangalore Lions, the city outfit won the title in 2006 and 2008.

Something missing though is the city’s representation in the now stalled Hockey India League (HIL). “We were on the verge of forming a team for the HIL but the league was discontinued after the 2017 edition,” says Krishnamurthy.

Former India captain and goalkeeper Ashish Ballal is in awe of Krishnamurthy’s leadership.

“Full credit to Mr Krishnamurthy’s formidable presence in the KSHA for almost four decades. “He has virtually single-handedly guided the association to what it is today with his interest, passion and man-management skills,” says the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games gold medal winning goalkeeper.

“To have the leagues running each year for decades and presiding over 150 clubs all over the state is a remarkable achievement,” adds Ballal.

Arjun Hallapa, another former India captain and 250+ international caps, echoes Ballal’s views.

“Players have benefitted from the growth and development of Karnataka hockey, thanks to Mr Krishnamurthy’s leadership, performance and influence.  “But above all, he’s a good human being, always obliging even though it’s tough to keep everyone happy,” added the former forward.

Krishnamurthy, a father of two sons Vikram and Varun, acknowledges the support of his wife Geeta which has enabled him do the hard yards in both his banking career and that of a hockey “all-rounder”.

“Her’s was support in a big way that enabled me juggle both pursuits.

So what’s Krishnamurthy’s vision for the future?

He focuses on pertinent points concerning the sport starting with cost. “Hockey is cost prohibitive and it should be made affordable to all,” he advises. “The game is largely urban-oriented largely and it must be spread to rural areas from where a talent pool would emerge.”

For Karnataka, Krishnamurthy calls for a compact international hockey stadium. “The state has always been in the forefront for decades and our supply chain to the national team had been enviable,” he reflects. “However, in recent years there is a decline in this respect. A modern stadium and more international matches will bring back fans,” he says.

For a generation now, Krishnamurthy’s leadership has taken Karnataka hockey several notches higher. By all accounts and impressions, his prescriptions could work wonders for the sport in the state when it comes to GenNext, crucial for the sport’s future.

The mere sad fact that his wings and those of his painstakingly created Institution are clipped at present is a different story reserved for another occasion.

Photos: K Arumugam collection