Games may crash over cash
K. Datta

At a time when our MPs think nothing of voting themselves a trebling of wages and perks, why blame our tennis players for wanting their old dues to be cleared? If the MPs have had their way, the issue of the tennis players is also likely to be resolved. To compare MPs with sportspersons may be inappropriate, but is not untimely.

With the Commonwealth Games a few weeks away, all that the tennis players were asking was that they be reimbursed the expenses, which, they say, have been incurred by them over the last year or two. The Sports Ministry, on its part, sees little difficulty in paying. With a sum of Rs.678 crore allocated for the training expenses of sportspersons for the CWG, money is no problem. But there is a procedure to be followed. Where are the bills and supporting paperwork for the expenses incurred? Is it mere lack of procedure that is holding up a settlement? If so, then it is only a matter of time that the matter is resolved. Remember, Anil Khanna, secretary of the All India Tennis Association, is a chartered accountant by profession.

Tennis players are reportedly sore that what they thought was in the nature of a private communication to the tennis body was leaked to the media. But they need not feel embarrassed at being made to look like persons trying to blackmail the authorities into accepting their demands. This writer, for one, would refuse to believe that tennis players of elite international standing like Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathy, Somdev Devverman, Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza would think of boycotting the Commonwealth Games on the question of settlement of dues.

But don’t blame the media for the expose. It’s only when the media makes a noise that people wake up and mend their ways. It is not the first time that this has happened. The grievances of the hockey players training at Pune prior to the World Cup in March were addressed to after the matter blew up in the media. If the Madhya Pradesh Government came to the aid of the women hockey players, it is not a little due to the media, which highlighted their plight.

Somehow the bills will be found and the documentation completed to get Leander and Co. the money due to them. There is now even the happy prospect of seeing Paes and Bhupathy joining forces and bumping their chests, like they once used to, and see their way to a medal or two at the renovated R. K. Khanna tennis stadium next month. Why, for goodness’ sake, did they have to part ways?

Tennis stars like Paes and Bhupathy belong to the category of elite athletes, who make enough money playing as professionals in tournaments abroad. But even they are entitled to raise the issue of payments due to them. Who isn’t? Their letter raises a larger issue: the setting up a proper system where disbursements to athletes are made without their resorting to sending reminders about it. That makes you look like asking for favours. What about those seen as lesser athletes? One does hear of complaints from them of unpaid dues and broken promises.

In the case of the elite signatories to the communication under question, it may be questioned if the expenses incurred by them can be taken as money spent to prepare for the coming CWG. Games or no games, being professionals they would still have arranged their own personal tour itineraries and even coaching. But don’t let that stand in the way of paying what is rightfully due to them.

At last, after all the recent adverse publicity caused by alleged irregularities in the preparations for the next month’s CWG, the focus has shifted to players and their preparations. Investigation into the charges of corruption can wait, but not the preparation of the athletes and their problems. It is towards the athletes that the people will look for the medals, including some on the tennis courts. Keep them happy.

Money makes the players go

While, on the one hand, the state awards and incentives, both cash and kind, that the government offers to medal-winning sportspersons is a source of encouragement, on the other hand, there is no denying that there are others who are left disgruntled at the lack of support.

While there are weightlifters like Karnam Malleswari and Kunjarani Devi, or four-time world women’s boxing champion Mary Kom, who are now comfortably well off in life, thanks to the cash awards and jobs offered to them, it is equally true that there are many who feel ignored.

The plight of hockey players, both men and women, readily comes to mind. They were once even told they were not mercenaries. Only mercenaries demand money for winning matches for their country. They may no longer be faring as well now as they did a few years ago.

When the Indian hockey team won the Asia Cup in Chennai, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s cricketers lifted the T20 world title in South Africa. On their return to Mumbai, life in the city came to a standstill as the players were taken out in a triumphant procession. The Carvalho-coached hockey team threatened a hunger strike, demanding at least some reward, which finally came in the shape of cash from the State Bank of India.

The reclusive Leo Pinto, goalkeeper of the 1948 gold medal-winning Olympic hockey team, who died recently at the age of 96, speaking to me from his Mumbai home earlier, was angry that the hockey players were made to look like beggars. There could be no comment more telling on the plight of players of what we Indians describe as their national game.

The gold medal won by Tejaswini Sawant in the Munich World Shooting Championship earlier this month was an amazing feat. But how many know that she could not buy a weapon of her own till the German gun manufacturing firm of Walther presented her one along with an endorsement fee. Tejaswini’s plight will be shared by many others in Indian sport with less fortunate backgrounds. They keep struggling till they can do so no longer.

Poses for pregnancy
Subhangi Baspure

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful aspects of womanhood. Each pregnancy, each child born, is a special opportunity for a woman to discover within herself great strength and flexibility. Motherhood is the most precious moment for a woman. Harmony in the mother’s mind, body and soul is important for the emotional, physical and spiritual development of the child. Yoga and meditation have the capacity to produce a higher quality of conception, a healthier maternal environment for pregnancy and a more harmonious birthing experience.

Meditation is the spiritual side of yoga and the mother can increase her flexibility through yoga, increase her vitality with pranayama and meditation can help in spiritual development. The practice of yoga helps the mother become a good host for the arrival of the new soul.

Practising yoga before and during pregnancy increases the chances of natural childbirth. It helps develop the reproductive system and pelvis such that it supports natural childbirth and also helps the mother to deal with pain during delivery. Yoga also provides lots of post-delivery benefits, which includes giving proper body shape.

Deep relaxation (yoga nidra) is particularly effective during pregnancy. A child’s rearing and development begins from the time it is conceived, rather than once it is born. The foetus in the womb registers everything that the mother goes through – mental, emotional, physical, etc. With the help of yoga nidra one can experience healthy pregnancy and garbha sanskar helps to deliver a baby with healthy physical and emotional status

The following are the yoga poses that can help you in dealing with pregnancy, ensuring smoother and easier delivery and faster recovery after childbirth.

Vrikshasana

Sidhhasana: Place the left heel at the anus, the terminal opening of the alimentary canal or digestive tube. Keep the right heel on the root of the generative organ.
It should be placed in a way that the knees and the heels lie upon the other. The hands must be placed on either sole of the feet. Keep the eyes half closed.

Uttan bhadrasana: Sit straight and then stretch your legs in the backward direction. Try to sit on your feet and stay straight, keeping your hand behind your head.

Vrikshasana: Stand erect with your feet joined together. Lift your right leg and fold it at the knee and rest your right foot on the upper part of the left leg. Join the palms of both hands in front of your chest. Then, inhale slowly and gradually raise the hands up above your head.

Baddhakonasana

Bidalasana: Put your hands just in front of your shoulders and your legs apart. As you start inhaling, incline the tailbone and pelvis upwards and let the spine curve go downward, putting the stomach low, lift your head up. Stretch out smoothly. As you start the exhaling part, move into the cat pose by reversing the spinal bend, sloping the pelvis down, pulling the spine up and drawing the chest and stomach in.

Baddhakonasana: Bring your feet together and close to your body with the soles touching. If you need to, you can bring your body closer to your feet by lifting it up and moving it. Don't force it; make sure that you are comfortable. So, pull the feet back as far as you most comfortably can. Grip your feet with the thumbs between the soles. Allow your thumbs to press against the balls of your feet. With the ankles touching, open the feet so that the entire sole is visible. You will notice that the hips will open and the knees will drop.

Trikonasana

Trikonasana: Stand erect with the legs together, hands by the side of the thighs. Put two feet between two legs and raise both the hands towards each side. Slowly, bending towards the right side, touch the toe of the right leg with the forefinger and raise the left hand towards the sky. After maintaining it, slowly return it to the second position.

Once out of the womb, the life begins for the child where learning is about concrete concepts and experiences. However, it has been proven that the foundation of the human character is laid in the womb, through the pregnancy tenure. Thus, meditation and yoga nidra helps to communicate and build the character of the baby in the womb itself.

The writer is a yoga expert at The Cradle, Gurgaon

Fit for the world

With the Khel Ratna in her kitty, ace badminton player Saina Nehwal is now aiming for the world No.1 position. Aviroop Mukherjee catches up with her

Already a world No.2, the country is expecting nothing but the world title from the Hyderabad girl, who is riding high on confidence after her hat-trick of Super Series win in the last four months.

In 2008, in front of her home crowd in Hyderabad, Saina reached the quarterfinals of the World Championships before losing to China's Lin Wang. But much has changed in the last two years and the 20-year-old Haryanavi says that she is better prepared this time to give India its maiden World Championships medal.

“I am on the top of my game and feel this time the Indian team is better prepared to win at least two medals at the World Championships. I have some expectations from myself and also feel that our mixed doubles team of Jwala Gutta and V. Diju have a good chance of winning a medal,” says Saina, who has been seeded second for the tournament.

Gruelling training sessions under head coach Pullela Gopichand, who is also an All-England champion, has put Saina in top form for the World Championships.

“I have been continuously playing for the last four-five months and that has put me in top shape. Under Gopi sir,I have trained for eight hours everyday in the last one month. I have worked on some areas of my game like defence, net play and backhand. I don't want to sound over-confident, but yes I am in the best frame of mind. The circuit is also getting tougher everyday and to stay on top of your game you have to put in lot of hard work,” she says.

For Saina, the dream is to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna from the President with a World Championship medal in her pocket.

“I am tired after all the felicitations following my victories, and the announcement of the Khel Ratna Award. I could not get the rest I wanted. But it is a great honour for me to get this award and it would be a double bonanza if I get a World Championship medal, too, when I receive this award. But I am not thinking of anything. My focus is on the World Championships,” she says.

Saina has also been named as the captain of the Indian team but for her, the captaincy comes with some added responsibilities.

“In badminton, captaincy doesn’t mean much, because it is an individual sport. All the players in the team are aware of each other’s responsibilities. But, after all, when I am the captain that means my responsibilities towards myself increases. There are a lot of expectations from me and I have to fulfill them. So, captaincy comes with some responsibilities,” she says.

Asked about the field in the World Championships, Saina says: “It is a World Championship, so I don’t expect things to be easy. That’s how things are meant to be. But I am not bothered about the draw. I have to take one match at a time and that will be the key.”

“I know my critics say that I have not performed well against the Chinese players. But now I am no longer scared of the Chinese players. However, I am a bit apprehensive about playing against unknown rivals,” she says.

To keep her pre-occupied off the court, Saina is carrying a bagful of DVDs to relax herself in Paris.

"I always watch films to keep myself relaxed. On every tour, I keep lot of DVDs to keep myself pre-occupied. Don't forget I am young. I am a huge Bollywood fan. I particularly like watching movies which feature Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan. And after a high-intensity match, these flicks help me release pressure and calm my nerves. The latest Peepli Live is surely there in my bag," says Nehwal. — TWF