By Sanjay Pinto
In a cricket crazy country obsessed with the demand for a Bharat Ratna for
Sachin Tendulkar, the spotlight is slowly being thrown on a male chauvinistic
mindset in Indian sport. Just recently, Sania Mirza took pot shots at the
tennis association for using her as "a bait" in pairing players
for the upcoming Olympics. Joining the chorus is India No.1 and World No.15
squash champion Dipika Pallikal, whose nomination for the Arjuna award seems to
have run into rough weather.
For starters, the Squash Federation, which, like all other sports bodies, got the Arjuna award nomination forms in January this year. It chose not to nominate Dipika, although she has broken into the top 15 in the world. Incidentally, squash enthusiasts point out that the federation had nominated a male player - Saurav Goshal for this award in 2007, although he was not among the top 20 and is still aiming to storm into the top 15 league.
Dipika is disappointed but says "Sport has always been male dominated in our country". What seems to rankle most is that she has been in "great form over the last several months having won a slew of tournaments". In May this year, Dipika won the Gold at the Asian Seniors beating World No.6 Anne Au of Hong Kong. Three months earlier, she bagged the Silver at the World Cup in Chennai. Towards the end of last year, her winning streak with the Orange County WISPA in Los Angeles in September, the Washington Open in October and the Crocodile Cup in Hong Kong in December, was all too obvious to be missed. "The Arjuna award is a recognition of hard work and merit. If there is any time I deserve it, it is now", adds the 20 year old sensation who spurned lucrative film offers to focus on her game.
Dipika's mother Susan Pallikal, a former all rounder in the Indian women's cricket team, who functions as her manager and escort, has been struggling to get the nomination in place. When the Squash Federation didn't forward Dipika's name, Susan knocked at the door of the Sports Development Authority Of Tamilnadu (SDAT). Unfortunately, some officials here seem to have dragged their feet over the nomination and the deadline of the 30th of April was not met. I have a copy of a letter dated 31st May written by the Member Secretary of SDAT M.Vijayakumar, to the Union Sports Secretary, in which the IAS official admits that "due to administrative delay the applications were sent late to the Government Of India through the Government Of Tamilnadu." The letter goes on to say that "the delay is not on the part of the applicants." (Tamilnadu athlete Renjith Maheshwari is the other nominee).
Officials in the Squash Federation have been evasive. Susan Pallikal has petitioned Sports Minister Ajay Maken. The Sports Ministry has now extended the deadline for nominations to the 20th of this month. The move is being seen as an attempt to accomodate the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI); a charge the Ministry denies.
As the wait continues, Dipika says she prefers to "let my medals do the talking". But an Arjuna award for a squash player at this stage can "brighten the game's chances of being included in the Olympics in 2020".
For starters, the Squash Federation, which, like all other sports bodies, got the Arjuna award nomination forms in January this year. It chose not to nominate Dipika, although she has broken into the top 15 in the world. Incidentally, squash enthusiasts point out that the federation had nominated a male player - Saurav Goshal for this award in 2007, although he was not among the top 20 and is still aiming to storm into the top 15 league.
Dipika is disappointed but says "Sport has always been male dominated in our country". What seems to rankle most is that she has been in "great form over the last several months having won a slew of tournaments". In May this year, Dipika won the Gold at the Asian Seniors beating World No.6 Anne Au of Hong Kong. Three months earlier, she bagged the Silver at the World Cup in Chennai. Towards the end of last year, her winning streak with the Orange County WISPA in Los Angeles in September, the Washington Open in October and the Crocodile Cup in Hong Kong in December, was all too obvious to be missed. "The Arjuna award is a recognition of hard work and merit. If there is any time I deserve it, it is now", adds the 20 year old sensation who spurned lucrative film offers to focus on her game.
Dipika's mother Susan Pallikal, a former all rounder in the Indian women's cricket team, who functions as her manager and escort, has been struggling to get the nomination in place. When the Squash Federation didn't forward Dipika's name, Susan knocked at the door of the Sports Development Authority Of Tamilnadu (SDAT). Unfortunately, some officials here seem to have dragged their feet over the nomination and the deadline of the 30th of April was not met. I have a copy of a letter dated 31st May written by the Member Secretary of SDAT M.Vijayakumar, to the Union Sports Secretary, in which the IAS official admits that "due to administrative delay the applications were sent late to the Government Of India through the Government Of Tamilnadu." The letter goes on to say that "the delay is not on the part of the applicants." (Tamilnadu athlete Renjith Maheshwari is the other nominee).
Officials in the Squash Federation have been evasive. Susan Pallikal has petitioned Sports Minister Ajay Maken. The Sports Ministry has now extended the deadline for nominations to the 20th of this month. The move is being seen as an attempt to accomodate the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI); a charge the Ministry denies.
As the wait continues, Dipika says she prefers to "let my medals do the talking". But an Arjuna award for a squash player at this stage can "brighten the game's chances of being included in the Olympics in 2020".
No comments:
Post a Comment