State Diary: Demise of Indian hockey in Hindi heartland

CHUCK DE! HOCKEY: In the Hindi heartland, no one seems interested in India's national game anymore.

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Q). But...but...(I tried to interrupt him)

A). ... You must have seen the crowd outside his house when India won the U19 cup. . You know where he lives? In Alambagh. 12 kms from here.

Q). People often get confused with the two Sharmas - Rohit and Ishant. Who is better?

A). Oh yes...Ishant is tall. 6 feet. 4 inch. I am telling you this lad will make it big in the modeling arena one day. Rohit he is also quite handsome and stylish. They both...

Q). Hang on...hang on...I was asking about their performance. Not looks.

A). Well, who cares...they have already got so much money. Even if they fail they will become TV commentators. Aaj kaal har TV channel par ek cricket ka expert bathta hai. Apne zamane main balla (bat) to chala nahin aab mooh (mouth) chala raha hai.

Q). Well can you name few hockey players.

A). Yes....Yes... Dhoni, Yuvraj, Tendulkar, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan, Kaif, Chawla...

Q). Hang on...hang on...I am asking you hockey players NOT cricket players!

A). Well hockey...hockey...I know...a few...they are....I do not remember their names. Do not see them often on TV.

Q). Sir ji...can you at least tell me about Dhaynchand?

A). Dhyanchand....Oh...Yes I have heard about him. He was....He played something....well...for India...I don't know much.

After I finished my assignment I was quite ashamed to tell all those who had come to give us sound-bites; perhaps too embarrassed to tell them, that they are born in the same state where more than 100 years back was born a hockey wizard who was part of the fabled India hockey team which won three straight gold medals in Olympics - Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936. This wizard was none other than Major Dhyan Chand who was born in August 1905, in Allahabad --- same town which now prefers to remember Mohammad Kaif for his runs with the bat than legendary Dhyanchand for his deft magic with the hockey stick.