Unknown ‘Hero’ of Emerging India

Indian history is least researched, more so in the case of our sport, hockey. What we know today is tip of the iceberg, one can easily conclude so.

Jaipal Singh Munda and his role not only in hockey but also in evolving our nationhood is almost unknown because of lack of interest in sports history. Jaipal is hockey hero, and also contributed to the finalization of constitution.

His views, keeping ear on the ground, for the purpose of people not just for the heck it, contributed to shaping various aspects of Constitution that was under preparation and discussion during the formative early days of Independence.

The Indian Constitution drafted by Dr. Ambedkar and a team of luminaries is a well known fact. But a little known fact maybe is not known to the hockey fraternity of this country-that of a hockey player’s role in Ambedkar’s team for emancipating the cause of tribals of the country at large.

We all all know that Jaipal Singh Munda, an ‘Adibasi’ or an original inhabitant was the Captain of the Indian hockey team that won us the 1928 Olympic gold-the first in our history. Christian missionaries sponsored his education and he went on to Oxford, obtaining the coveted Blue after showcasing his super prowress in hockey.

With an Oxford education and the Olympic gold, this lad from Chotanagpur(now in the state of Jharkhand), then Bihar.

He took upon himself the resonsibility of getting a better patronage from the state for his marginalised community. Thanks to his demand for a seperate state of Jharkhand then in 1946, the adivasi community realised their objective almost five decades later when the resource rich state of Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar.

He was a gifted orator, and shrewd brainw which made them wake up to reality of the adivasis, the original inhabitants being left out of the mainstream thereby marginalising them and of not understanding their problems. He spoke against the Gandhian practice of prohibition being enforced on the community as their rice beer( a tonic for their health and immunity system) essential to them for their religious practices and their daily diet. He drove home the point by taking the example of the Santhals in Bengal working in knee deep waters who needed the home brewed alcohol for sustenance. hard work as also their right to the natural resources of which they were the rightful owners. He went onto assert his community was either ignored or exploited by the Hindu society as a whole ( of which they were an integral part). ‘Sinned against’ they were pushed into the ‘debt trap’ of usurers. This led to the Constituent Assembly members making reservations for tribals in the legislature as also jobs in the government.

The Government also promised to reach them modern facilities of education and health.

And it is sad today the man who championed the cause of the tribals is no longer venerated.

But it is a matter of pride that an Indian hockey player had a major role in creating a positive change in society that would uplift the lives of many a downtrodden.

The author further adds,

The Indian Constitution with its 1670 articles and 94 amendments is a volumnous document. Drafted by an earnest body of men who sincerely believed in democracy, set about engineering a pathway for generations to come to hold up as a beacon of hope in times of darkness.

Decades back, then President Narayanan had remarked in the Upper House “The Constitution of India has not failed us. We have failed the Constitution.”

It can be extended to hockey — Indian hockey has not failed, we have failed it.