Salutations Rupesh Shah
:: by
Ishmit Singh Malik ::
Even as the Indian Hockey
team , a bunch of resurgent players of the stick were cornering
glory for themselves in Chennai by lifting the Asian Cup in Men’s
field hockey, another Indian boy was making the country proud in
Singapore. He was the 34 year old "gujju chhora", Rupesh Shah.
Despite the presence of the
reigning champion, Pankaj Advani and another world beater, Geet
Sethi, both of India as also Peter Gilchrist of Singapore and Praput
C. of Thailand, all champions of the past, this achiever, annexed
the World billiards title (Points format) in the just concluded
competition.
Having won the National
billiards title way back in 1993 as a young strapping boy of 20 he
had shown great promise only to recede in the background due to the
immense pressures of big time billiards in the country, a country
which has produced 21 world titles in cue sports.
One cannot understand why
the Indian media, both the written on and the visual one is inimical
to properly covering the glorious feats of our "Gentleman sportsmen
of the green baize".
When our cricketers bring
good cheer which is not often enough (as they very seldom do so)
this country which worships this crazy game like the only true
religion and the cricketers like their main deities, the Indians go
mad in their frenzy.
Recently, a slight change is
perceptible as the feats of Vishwanathan Anand, Sania Mirza, the
Great Khali and now the Men’s Hockey team are also being
acknowledged. But where are the fair minded people sleeping. How are
they ignoring the splendid and consistent achievements of our
cueists. One may argue that Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani have been
conferred the "Khel Ratna Awards", Michael Ferreira, the Padma
Bhushan, Geet, the Padmashree and others of the cue sports Arjuna
Awards as well. But the Government is not being blamed. The lament
is for the so called "Gentleman of the fourth estate".
The moot point is why is the
media blind and slow in taking recognition of the cue sports
especially the hindi newspapers who feign ignorance about billiards
& snooker even when they have been constantly fed by necessary
inputs. Maybe, this biased, deliberate and un understandable
attitude will now change and we will take cognizance of our poor
cousins of cue sports as also other meritorious sportsmen in the
same way as our much pampered and hyped cricketers.
Coming back to Rupesh, his
feat has to be appreciated warmly for not only he has shown great
strength of character but also a high degree of consistency, a
necessary requisite to touch and retain heights in any sphere of
competition in our modern world. The promise shown in this years
nationals in Bangalore has brought fruitition in Singapore.
Salutation to him for
keeping up the continuity of excellence of our great cueists.
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh :: 10th
September 2007
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