The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

SPORTS

IN FOCUS
Modern Arjunas & Dronas lack sheen
M. S. Unnikrishnan

New Delhi, August 17
Not long ago, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) were the targets of ire when the Arjuna, Dronacharya and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award winners were chosen. These awards carry so much prestige—and cash too—that the authorities have to cope with pressures from all sides and still end up displeasing many.

When criticism mounted about the mode and method of the selection process of the awardees, the Government decided to pack the selection panels with eminent sportspersons.

Unfortunately, these ‘eminent’ sportspersons proved to be inept and petty, like the ‘babus’ of the Government. To top it all, the expert panel would ‘leak out’ the names even before the list was forwarded to the Government for final approval.

The selection panel composed of sportspersons has another inherent flaw as the talking is mostly done by a few ‘bossy’ types while the modest ones either keep a low profile or do not speak out their mind, for or against anyone, when their turn comes.

In the past, dirty linen was often washed in the open when disgruntled sportspersons, denied of the awards they fancied, went public with their grouse. Some even took legal recourse to get their grievances addressed. The irony of it all is that the deserving ones, when denied of the award they richly deserve, rarely speak out.

There are several instances of the deserving ones waiting in the wings while the pushy types get away with the honours. There are many outstanding coaches, who too have been denied the Dronacharya Award. A couple of years back, veteran hockey coach Balkrishan Singh had the mortification of being selected for the Arjuna Award while a coach of lesser substance was bestowed with the Dronacharya Award. But Balkrishan Singh did not make a hue and cry, and smilingly accepted the Arjuna Award. That was sportsmanship at its noble best.

Flying Sikh Milkha Singh’s refusal to accept the Arjuna Award for being clubbed with ‘lesser mortals’ created a flutter. Though Milkha Singh had a point, the manner in which he voiced his resentment, earned him more critics than supporters.

A former sports minister is ‘credited’ with diluting the image of the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards when sportspersons and coaches, belonging to her State, were dusted out of moth balls to be honoured with the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards, in blatant violation of the existing rules.

Ever since, the selection process has been mired in controversy, with many deserving sportspersons yet to get a ‘look-in’.

The Government has adopted a tough stance this time around though controversy continues to dog the selection process. That an eminent panel, headed a former Indian cricket captain, did not deem it fit to pick tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi for the Rajiv Gandhi Kehl Ratna Award last year speaks loudly about the selection process.

The Government, mercifully, has done away with the practice of sportspersons themselves applying for the awards or through some political bosses. The Government has now made it mandatory that the names of the awardees should be recommended by the concerned federation, as fair play can be expected when federations nominate names, though in team games, the selection process is often very subjective.

Some of the experts in the selection panel also cannot see beyond their own discipline and some even lack basic knowledge about other sports disciplines. They are, therefore, not in a position to voice their considered opinion. As a result, ‘experts’ with the gift of the gab, hold the fort, and often succeed in foisting their views.

Some federations do not bother to recommend names for the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards, and when they do, they do not recommend the names of the deserving ones. That an outstanding hockey player like Mervyn Fernandes was not given the Arjuna Award when he was in his dazzling best, did not speak high of the award selection process. He was eventually given the award after he had hung up his hockey sticks. Former Indian football team captain and an outstanding goalkeeper Brahmanand Sangawalkar too was made to suffer for far too long before he was picked for the coveted award.

Now football star I. M. Vijayan is on the horns of a similar dilemma, though his name reportedly figures in this year’s award list.

The Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) refused to recommend names for any award for several years because a top official of the SAI would not entertain its recommendations. Those were the days when athletes had to run from pillar to post, literally, to get the Arjuna Award. And there were also instances when unknown sportspersons from little known disciplines cantered away with the awards while the deserving ones cooled their heels on the sidewalk.

Though times are a-changing, the mindset of some people remains the same, even after scaling sporting heights.

Consequently, the Arjuna, Dronacharya and Khel Ratna Awards are bestowed only on the chosen ones, particularly from those sports disciplines headed by influential politicians.

“The system can be overhauled only if the award selection panel is composed of truly enlightened and impartial souls, with a sound knowledge of sports. These awards will, then, be devoid of any controversy”, remarked a veteran sportsperson, who preferred to remain anonymous.

Mukesh Kumar’s team bag title
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, August 17
Champion golfer of the year Mukesh Kumar fired seven birdies (43 stableford points) to lead his team of V. P. Subbiah, P. Kumaraswamy and Anish Kumar to victory in the DHL Pro-Am Tournament at the Coimbatore Golf Club course. The winners logged 111 stableford points.

Rafiq Ali of Kolkata almost matched Mukesh’s effort with a six-under par (42 stableford points) while helping his amateur trio of V Jagannathan, P Venkateshwaran and Joseph Chakola to tally 107 points and finish second. The quartet of R. Gopinath, D. Lakshminarayanaswamy, P. R. Ramakrishnan and Vijay Kumar aggregated 105 points for the third place. Mukesh Kumar bagged most of the booty at stake, claiming the ‘best round’ prize of Rs 2,500 and Rs 5000 for the winning team’s pro. Rafiq Ali earned Rs 3,000 while Vijay Kumar had to settle for Rs 2,000.

Meanwhile, Doulathram Ahuja showed accuracy in his round as he made 23 putts and hit the greens in regulation on 14 occasions to bag the LaSalle Best Putter Award. P Kumaraswamy and K Kandavadivel finished second and third respectively.

This was for the first time that such a competition was introduced in a pro-am where the ‘greens in regulation’ and the total number of putts were taken into account to arrive at the winner.

“I am very happy to win the tournament. But more than that, it is the sheer pleasure of playing with top professionals”, said Subbiah after the victory. “I was there just to enjoy myself. And it was good that we ended up winning,” he added.