When hockey was 'lighting' up social life

By Paritosh Pramanik
(Published on May 20, 2012)
THE year was 1994. It was that time when Sadar was a fort of hockey in Nagpur. At dusk, a bright glow would attract over thousands to the ground near Kasturba library. No invitations, all would come voluntary like a happy function in the family. Every inch of the sidelines of the makeshift hockey field would be full with 2000-odd fans. The Ganesh Siriah memorial six-a-side hockey tournament under lights was a celebration of the national game and brotherhood.
The tournament was a tribute to late Siriah, a former player-cum-coach, by Sadar-based hockey players. The summer event was a result of sheer passion and devotion of these players from Accountant General and Central Excise office.
“We used to return from office at around 6.30-7.00 in the evening. Those days mobile phones was still a dream. Yet, without intimation, everybody would reach the venue for preparation. There was no time to go home. Preparations would continue till late night, sometimes till 4 am. But nobody complained. It was our event.,” recalled Pervez Qureshi while talking to ‘The Hitavada’.
Everything related to the meet was indigenous. Special white ‘murrum’ used to be re-laid on the makeshift 40m x 20m playfield. The goal-posts too would be smaller than the normal one. The four corners would have light towers erected. And all this would be borne by the game’s lovers.“We used to visit construction sites in search of white murrum. Truckloads of mud would be spread on the field,” said Qureshi, who works with Accountant General (AG) Office and is goal-keeper of AGRC team.
The tournament was not only for players. It was a sort of get-together for family members too. Families used to throng the venue and spend time enjoying the game.“Be it a player or a friend or a family member. Everyone would stay back till late night. There was no time barrier from local authorities as well as from family members. Hence, matches used to continue till midnight,” said Satish Fulsunge, who works with Central Excise.The tournament was a huge hit. Teams not only from Nagpur, but from other parts of Vidarbha and Madhya Pradesh too were regular participants.
“Teams from Amravati, Bhandara, Wardha used to take part in the tournament apart from Madhya Pradesh. Bhilai Steel Plant too participated once. It was a league-cum-knock-out tournament and teams used to play around three to four matches,” Anil Daral, AG officer who was also instrumental in organising the tournament, recollected.
“We got a lot of help from the then Sadar corporator Sunil Agrawal. He helped us in getting electricity. Watering the ground was a big hurdle. But Mr Bundiwal offered water from his own boring well for all three years,” informed Qureshi, adding, “Kanchu Rajput of Rajput Restaurant used to provide drinks and snacks to players.”
The players bore the expenses first year. But after that sponsors and well wishers extended their help.“In the first year, it took around Rs 1,00,000 to organise the tournament. We all gave it from our pockets. But second year was different. Sponsors and well-wishers came forward on their own.
“The tournament became such a hit that one year, candidates contesting NMC elections made organising the tournament as a part of their manifesto,” Fulsunge said. Apart from Daral, Qureshi and Fulsunge, the other pillars of this tournament were Vivek Siriah, Kuldeep Reddy, Ravi James and Anil Fulsunge.With passage of time the cost of organising too went up. The third year was too costly. Around Rs 4,00,000 were spent and it became difficult to arrange funds.
The tournament saw an abrupt end due to unavoidable circumstances. The social get-together, too, lost to changing lifestyles.
One among the dreamers, Anil Fulsunge, passed away last year. His brother, Satish, re-started the six-a-side floodlit meet in his memory at VHA ground. Though the tournament is not held at Sadar, it has definitely rekindled old memories.
The only thing missing is the family atmosphere.

Twenty games on blue turf sufficient before London Olympics: Khandker

By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, May 10

INDIAN coach Michael Nobbs and Australian Ric Charlesworth might have criticised the ‘Blue Monster’ turf at London Test Event but Indian striker Tushar Khandker finds no evil in the blue-pink rectangle on which hockey matches would be played during Olympics.
The Indian forward felt that 15-20 games on blue turf would be enough for India to get used to it.
After SV Sunil, Khandker too gave the new turf a thumbs up.
“It was a good experience. We played for the first time on the blue turf. Unfortunately we couldn’t win any game but we played really well. The way we performed in qualifiers, we played the same way at the London test event. The result was not in our favour but the performance was good,” said Khandker while talking exclusively to ‘The Hitavada’ from Bhopal.
Khandker said the team had no difficulty in sighting the yellow ball on blue turf but added that the turf was a bit slippery.
“Frankly speaking, there was no problem in sighting the ball as such but yes the new turf was a bit slippery. The turf was new and hence it was a bit slow and had a little bounce too. But that’s how any new turf behaves,” he said.
The Indian forward admitted that there was an issue with the turf regarding the ball moving fast on one side and getting slow while moving on the opposite.
“That problem was there. I don’t know the technical part of how the turf was laid but yes the ball used to move fast at some area. We had to hit the ball with a bit of more power so that it reaches the player in proper time. That was the only problem.”
India would be playing around 15 games on the blue turf before Olympic begins in July end and Khandker feels that it would be enough to prepare for the quadrennial event. India would be playing seven games at Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament then will travel to France for a six-match Test series and then will play two matches with Spain. All the matches would be played on blue turf.
“Why leave the four matches we played at London Test event. I think 20-odd matches would be sufficient. Above all we would be playing against top countries. That would be of great help. It’s not that we will be playing against lowly-ranked team.
“At Sultan Azlan Shah we would be playing Great Britain, Korea, Argentina, New Zealand and Pakistan. Then we will be going to play France and Spain. They all are top teams and it would be a good preparation for us. Twenty games against top teams would be good enough I think. Then we will be practising on the blue turf,” said Khandker.
The Indian forward doesn’t want to buy the theory that India should have played more games on the blue turf. “That’s not my concern. It’s not in my hand and I don’t have a choice. My job is to play for the country, give 100 per cent whatever the colour of the pitch,” asserted Khandker.
India failed to earn much short corners during the London Test event and the two time world cupper admitted that it was an area of concern.
“Yes, we forwards failed to earn much short corners for Sandeep (Singh) and Raghunath but in the coming tournaments we would work hard and try to give more opportunities to our drag flickers. We will work hard and wipe out this problem,” concluded Khandker.

We can throw up a surprise in Olympics: SV Sunil

By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, May 9

INDIA have failed to register even a single win at the four-nation Olympic Test event in London but Somwarpet Vittalacharya Sunil is confident of the team throwing up a big surprise when the actual tournament begins.
Back in India after getting a feel of the new ‘Blue Monster’ turf, the goal machine of Indian hockey said the team was doing well at the top level and would perform much better in Olympics.
“At present we are standing at 85 per cent (fitness and performance wise) for Olympics. I promise a surprise to our hockey lovers (when the London Games begin in July end). I am confident that we will do something different this Olympics,” Sunil said while talking exclusively to ‘The Hitavada’ from Mumbai.
The Indian team played on the new blue turf for the first time in London and Sunil said it was a great experience while playing on the new turf.
“It was a great experience. The turf is totally different from the green turf.”
The Coorg striker said the turf was bumpy but the team did well despite playing on it for the first time.
“I think the blue turf is bumpy. At times we had difficulty in stopping the ball. The ball runs fast if played on one side and the speed reduces when played on the opposite. It breaks the momentum and flow of our moves but we will have to adjust to it. That’s all we can do. But I will give a big thumbs up to the blue turf,” explained Sunil, who had to miss 2010 World Cup due to a major injury in his right knee.
Sunil, who was instrumental in India’s qualification for London Olympics at the New Delhi qualifiers, felt that India should have started practicing on the blue turf much before like other countries. Germany, Australia, Britain are practicing on the new turf since last six months.
“The reason we lost is we were playing for the first time on the new blue turf. Had we started playing earlier the story would have been different,” said Sunil.
The forward said the four-nation test event helped the team a lot and they would iron out flaws while preparing for Olympics.
“We have to improve our scoring. The forwards need to convert more chances. In all the matches we got ample of chances but we didn’t utilise it. Had we converted them, who knows, we would have finished at the top,” said Sunil.
Sunil said the same bunch of players would go for Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament, starting from May 24.
Great Britain, Korea, New Zealand, Pakistan, Argentina are participating in the tournament apart from hosts Malaysia.
“It will be a great build up for Olympics as some of the countries which are in our group in Olympics are also participating. Above all, the tournament will be played again on blue turf. That will help us a lot,” Sunil signed off.