Sympathy swells for VJ Peter’s widow after Nehru Society’s gesture

The catalyst role played by the Delhi-based Nehru Hockey Society – which announced a Rs.2 lac purse to the needy widow of triple Olympian VJ Peter – catches up.

The gesture seemed to have set many a heart thinking about the 71-year old Santhi Mary. According to her, many former players called her up and spoke warmly of the late star.

In a recent school hockey tournament organized by the St. Paul’s, which also held in memory of late Nabi Md, father of Riaz, Chennai based former players’ sentiments came to the fore.

They collected among themselves Rs.20, 000 and presented to her on the final day of the tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium. Santhi Mary was invited to the final as well. Perhaps, this is first time in Chennai, a group of players did so to another players’ family.

Spurred by the media reports of her condition, a commandant from Bangalore based MEG too visited her, and took stock of the situation. MEG is the former employer of late VJ Philips. On their invitation, Mary is likely to visit Bangalore shortly.

Meanwhile, the locals organized a VJ Peter Memorial Hockey Match on last Sunday, a small but well-organized event. At least now, after a Delhi spurt, the locals remembered their own hero.

In Delhi, Dronacharya award winner AK Bansal extended, and is extending, a helping hand to the cause of the widow. He has mobilized vast number of present, players, coaches, umpires and those who regularly come to practice on the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, each one contributing to their mite.

Nehru Society, which is organizing a function on the 29th of this month, has improved its website (www.nehruhockey.com), and has presented the list of donors. The list is getting long each day.

What counts at this juncture is, everyone can help. Those who are willing to help her can send the cheque in the name of Santhi Mary and send it to the Nehru Society.

“The biggest worry for me is not my husband not getting financial helps when we needed. But the reasons for that. Here in the State they told he played for Karnataka, and thus did not offer much.

“He played for the country and also for the Indian Army. How can then anybody say he did not play here or there. I have been carrying this tragedy with me for long, but now India has come to the help. The Nehru Society has remembered us, brought us to the focus. It feels nice”.

The lady in anguish said to me when I met her here in Chennai during my ‘One Thousand Hockey Legs’ visit.

She also confirmed her visit to Delhi on 29th for which the Society has already made all arrangements including dispatching flight tickets.

According to Kukoo Walia, the Secretary of the Nehru Society, they are well set to receive the widow in Delhi.

“We have invited Sports Minister Ajay Maken for the purse giving function”, beaming Walia said.

Pic: Shanti Mary holding the Olympic Gold that her husband VJ Peter won in 1964