Save Indian Hockey

There is a little confusion regarding the earning of sportsmen in different Indian Sports. Everybody points at the money received by Cricketers but they ignore the fact the Indian Government never rewards Cricketers but they are rewarded by BCCI. BCCI never takes money from the Government, rather arranges the money by its own. So, yesterday when Hockey players were upset regarding the prize money of 25000 there shouldn’t be any surprise. Wouldn’t it be better if Hockey players and lovers give more emphasis and demanding for structural changes on the Hockey Federation so that it becomes functionally independent like BCCI and is able to promote Hockey to such level that eventually the mass viewership doesn’t remain concentrated with Cricket because Cricket is not our National Game, Hockey is.

Dhanraj Pillay who left Hockey long ago still has a heart which beats for Hockey. He became upset when Indian Hockey Team which arrived yesterday from China after defeating Pakistan to lift the Asian Champions Trophy was rewarded with prize money of 25 thousand rupees.  Well, everybody is upset. Sports Minister Ajay Makhan tweeted first about the prize money. He also mentioned Government spent 7.81 crore rupees on Hockey Team in last 6 months alone,5.97crore rupees for National Coaching camps, 1.75 crore rupees for  Foreign Visits and 8.75 lakh rupees on foreign experts. He wanted to mention that Government is spending a huge amount on Hockey. The Upset environment led to media questioning about the prize money which looks more like a charity donation. Checking this scenario, Punjab Government announced a prize amount of 25 lakh rupees. It is also not a large amount of money. Hockey players and other team members will receive an amount of around 1 lakh rupees and this decision not seems to be taken for rectification but rather politically inspired. It is true that if Cricket Team wins then Rewards starts raining from all sides. The rewards are so large that it becomes unmanageable. But it is also the fact the Cricketers are never awarded by Sports Ministry but by BCCI. Rewards are given to them different levels: National, State, District. Public and Private sectors start competing for being a bigger reward giver to Indian Cricket Team. Yuvraj Singh received 6 crore rupees for hitting 6 sixers in an over while same day a BSF soldier died while fighting terrorists and was given few lakhs of rupees which states a shameful truth that playing Cricket for India does make more money than dying to save this country. In a similar manner Hockey has also become a victim of negligence which happens to be our National Game. Hockey Players are not wage paid mercenaries who will not play for the country if they aren’t rewarded but when it comes to the pride of nation then keeping Hockey is lime light and when it comes to Money then pushing Cricket miles forward somewhere frustrates the sportsmen of other games. This frustration is genuine because Hockey Players are employed at lower ranks in Railways or Banks. Small rewards are given to them but at least they should be rewarded with honor. Cricket is undoubtedly more popular than Hockey; greater spectators support, greater number of sponsors and greater revenue. The same is not true with Hockey. Neither is it blessed with houseful stadiums nor handsome revenue. How can then Hockey players are rewarded with the rewards they really deserve.  Government should make the Hockey Federation more responsible and professional and powerful so that the Federation can arrange sponsors by their own and definitely money will come. Hockey is our National Game and has graced the nation with multiple Olympic Gold Medals in past. It is not enough to just display Hockey as a prestigious trophy of past. Whether it is Cricket or Hockey or any other sports, all players are young, are of similar age group, all want to earn respect and money so that they can afford better life.  A small effort of honest professionalism and we might see the state of Hockey in no miserable condition. I hope we can expect at least such will from the Government if we really want to save it. Hoping my wish will come true.  

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And I started reading Newspaper again

Of Course I never left reading newspaper as it marks the beginning of my day's ritual. During my School days I had a habit of reading English and a Hindi Newspaper in daily routine. Later College Life started and together came the vendors of DSL Broadband Connections which flooded the information flow. Unlimited High Speed Internet was new to all the Dialup users in which we used to limit our Internet usage so as to use the Internet time judiciously. Probably it was restricting the information flood that was to come. As Broadband connections started penetrating Indian Homes, a new media setup started to gear up in India which already had matured in West. This media platform was none other than the world wide web. Previously Indian News Websites existed, but the rate at which they were being updated was not so impressive if it is being compared to today’s date.  A fundamental shift started as people started substituting their Daily Newspaper with Internet Websites. It was cheap and it had lots of data which makes you feel that you are at advantage end. I also plugged in. Before this I was in habit of reading, skimming, scanning 2 to 3 newspapers but after joining the club of online news readers, I gradually realized that now I wasn’t reading even a single complete newspaper. I was getting mired in the Internet Matrix thinking that I am reading all the news all I can handle but somewhere the traditional complete and balanced diet supplied by the daily newspaper was missing in from the online nutrition. I switched back to traditional newspapers. Meanwhile this issue also struck the Media Mughals in west and soon arrived a range of display technology which was designed to mimic the appearance of ordinary ink on paper which led to creation of e-Paper and the standard newspaper hit the browser. As we use tested technologies of West, Indian Media pretty soon adapted the new technology and went for e-Papers. Majority of the e-Paper offerings are free and it was fascinating to visualize your daily newspaper on your computer screen. The best part was not that they were free but the fact they were put online hours before your newspaper boy delivers your newspaper. So, you have the privilege of reading the newspaper of the day even before the strike of first light of the day. I tried but even the first reader’s privilege didn’t diverted by fondness of real newspaper because I reading an e-Paper felt me in the servitude of constant clicking and the hectic need to scroll, to bounce between links of opening popups for individual article. 

When I shifted to Pune, I subscribed The Indian Express, TOI and ET simultaneously. I was enjoying the feel of reading physical Newspaper and was feeling privileged. The bulk of paper that was getting collected was finding innovative ideas to contribute to the household needs.  Later I shifted to a better flat but there was no Indian Express there. The newspaper vendor changed and he doesn’t seem to change his supplies due to one person. Frustrated and sad, I was scrolling through Indian Express Website and checked the new E-Paper mode. The new version was better, glossier, without popups and had smooth page switching options. It also caches each page so once you are done with turning all the pages for skimming, the pages are cached and you can switch back to any page of your choice without the use of Internet pretty fast.  Its 4:30am right now and I have already gone through today’s edition of Indian Express. Wherever you have Internet, you can go through the paper throughout the day. The Indian Express e-paper led me to investigate other newspaper. I realized TOI, ET, HT all didn’t have the interface which Indian Express accomplished. I went on to check the e-paper of International Newspapers which I found paid in majority but their interface was a little improved version of Indian Express. Finally I found a website that has evolved the online newspaper to its extremes. It is NY Times which uses the Chrome Web App and it is probably has heightened the standard and users expectations of reading their morning ritual. So, Finally I am reading my newspaper again in yet another format. I accept that nothing can substitute the sound of turning newspaper pages and the curiosity to identify celebs on Page 3. The significance of traditional ways will never go down but the newer interfaces will attract readers because of their anytime-anywhere availability and curiosity drawing interfaces.

 

Weblinks : i) http://epaper.indianexpress.com/ ii) http://www.nytimes.com/skimmer/

                 iii) http://epaper.timesofindia.com/index.asp

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Yet Another Wednesday

It’s now a tradition that right after bomb blasts in Mumbai or Delhi, News Channels start shouting फिर दहली मुंबई  or फिर  दहली दिल्ली . In reality life goes on, candles are lit and politicians get busy in visiting hospitals and making sympathy speeches. In today’s date how much rage has been accumulated for politicians was clearly visible when Rahul Gandhi faced wrath of angry victims' kin at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital when he went to meet the victims of the Delhi high court bomb blast. Undoubtedly the patients faced trouble due to his visit. On what account did Mr. Rahul Gandhi go to visit the victims? Because he is Congress General Secretary and Member of Parliament. Undoubtedly being son of Sonia Gandhi he possesses great political power but he doesn’t possess a representation from Government. Nowadays it’s been a fashion that just after such incidents, politicians and ministers start rushing to the hospitals for their attendance. They are accompanied by their party workers and supporters. Media also rushes to these hospitals as a part of their duty. By seeing the cameras, a lot of statements are addressed. L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari and V K Malhotra also performed this sympathy ritual together with their troupe. These people have definitely enhanced the troubles of hospital workers not eased by them. This is moreover a political tradition that is being followed from a long time.

My Question is why this can’t happens

•  Politicians without giving any statement silently visit the victim’s home or those who are injured. 
•  Politicians donate blood on this occasion and motivate their party workers and supporters for it.
•  Politicians ask their party workers not to come to follow them rather serve as volunteers to help the victims and hospital facility.
• Politicians come forward for financial aid on party level without waiting for official government financial aid.

But such things never happen. This is not true that each politician reach at these spot to cry crocodile tears and such incidents do not made them grief stricken but this can be said most of the politicians try to seek "political gain in public pain".   

There is nothing to say because the Home Minister himself has spoken that Delhi Police was on High Alert. Why not Delhi Police High Alert is made little more Higher, a little more active and agile.3 months 13 days ago on 25^th May there was a similar blast outside Delhi High Court whose investigation is going on and today another blast piled up. Both were similar and moreover Police never try to differentiate these blasts.

The things which happen every time and now can be called "bomb blast rituals" :

•   Initially off the record and then on the record the blast is declared to be Terrorist attack.
• After few hours some terrorist group’s name is declared stating their involvement.
• Next explosive chemical is told. Almost every time it is declared that it is Ammonium Nitrate later it is rectified with some other explosive chemical.
• Nails and bearings are retrieved from the spot.
• The explosive is either packaged inside a bag or suitcase.
• Security Agencies claim that they knew it was coming.

But in spite of all these stuff no one knows who were involved in the blasts and no one gets caught. The carelessness of Government Machinery gets exposed every-time but it gets buried with the passage of time. After 25^th May blast there was an order for installing CCTV camera but unfortunately those cameras got stuck in government files and red tapes.

 

Usually Delhi or Mumbai are on top lists of terrorist groups because a blast in these cities reaches across the world via New Channels because Delhi/Mumbai blasts are not like Kashmir or North East blasts where people are dying but attention is never given. Terrorist know that they can never beat Government with their tactics but can spread terror and for that bomb blast in a city like Delhi is the easiest medium.

We understand that Government can’t keep vigilance after each and every region but a little honest effort and terrorist themselves be terrorized. We don’t want to hear two words today: Condemnation and Resilience. They have become excuses for apathy and numbness. We just want an honest effort and nothing else.

Hope this wish come true.

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