Jan26: “Centre-half gives the ball to the right-in, the ball now with the centre-forward, will she makes it to the goal… and it is goal”

It is not the run of the mill stuff of commentary we come across in hockey matches, or not even a bit re-cap of India-Belgium match that took place in Chennai yesterday.

But, it is what one heard in the Republic Day parade in Delhi, where India showcases annually this day its military might and cultural milieu in full view of political spectrum and visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The French president is the guest of this year’s parade, which marks 59th India’s Republic Day

In one of the 2-minute show piece of the parade that specially highlights the Women Empowerment theme, a dozen girls were shown playing hockey and the commentary was given when they played hockey in front of the Presidential (India and France) box.

Hockey came in another display also. Two hockey playing girls and a couple of badminton racquet wearing school children led their contingent. The parade took place on the road called Rajpath, which connects Rastrapati Bhawan (President’s Residence) to Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, where the first Asian Games was held — where our girls won their maiden Asia Cup four years ago.

In a not so disconnected thing, two girls playing hockey was opening shot of a patriotic theme song that is shown repeatedly on this day on DD National channel, which telecast the Republic Day Parade.

In all these three hockey things, one common observation is hockey was connected to girls, and is it because of Chak De? Yes it is.

Note: This writer has the habit of watching the Republic Day Parades (two hour live telecast in the morning), and in the two decades or so, perhaps hockey never had its presence in the parade. I think Chak De is working everywhere.