Verma's Perspective

Confessions of a Madhesi

2012-01-19T08:37:00.000+05:30

Yours truly has been affected, both emotionally and ethically, with two cases this week.

Case 1: Most of the people who subscribe to daily newspapers were shocked while having their morning tea, reading of the arrest of Former Minister and current lawmaker Shyam Sundar Gupta (Longer power cut hours has made sure not many can watch Television). The reason was simple, somebody as powerful as a former minister getting nabbed in course of investigation of high-profile abduction case. This was certainly no storm in a teacup.

Case 2: Government decided to appoint Nagendra Jha as Director General of Survey Department. Not many have forgotten that the man in question is the same person who has been accused in past, of giving Rs 800,000 to the family of late Hindu Yuva Sangh leader Kashi Tiwari. That was no gift but an offer of payment to keep their mouth shut and not to drag then Land Reforms and Management Minister Prabhu Sah into Tiwari’s murder case. Minister Sah was the prime accused in the murder case. Now Mr. Jha is the same person, who, during his tenure as Chief District Officer of Parsa was held by the locals of Birgunj while using a stolen vehicle last year.

Now, if you look at it, both are separate incidents. But yours truly was reminded that both central figures in these cases shared a common trait. Both are ethnic Madhesis. Yeah, true. And so is Yours Truly. Bitter, eh! Does it hurt to be reminded as such? Yes, it does. After all, you feel that you’re being equated to wrongdoers. After all, I take pride in being an honest citizen of this country.

In defense of both the men, we must also agree that the cases against both have not been proven at the court of law and hence can’t charge them as guilty. But then we might also remember that Mr Jha had been using the stolen vehicle for some 9 months when the locals decided that enough is enough. Similarly, Mr Gupta, while in-charge of Ministry of Supplies was not popular for keeping things transparent.

But then, one has to look beyond the surface. Both the men have not made many Madhesis proud. Both have, at a level, shamed the community they came from. I would agree that people should be called innocent until they’re proven otherwise. But there’s life outside court, in the domain of public sphere. And these two will be quoted as examples of wrongdoers. And they cannot shrug off their ethnicity. To remember a friend’s quote, “They have given bad name to their community.”

Ethnicity, especially that of Madhes has been hotly debated in the past few years. At this moment, one might remember the uprising in the southern plains before the Constituent Assembly elections. I have always been of the view that, the uprising was against the representatives that Madhes had had till then, as it was an expression of Center’s apathy to their plights. However, some smart (read: opportunist) politicians cashed it as a platform and the people of Madhes (or Terai, if you might like it) were deceived. Some fresh faces were added as representatives, but the true representation could not be established. The failure of the representatives that they’ve had – who speak one line in Kathmandu and exactly opposite line when they descend to the plains – have made sure that the real issues have been sidelined. Worse still, their doublespeak has antagonized a lot of people, apolitical people, who want Nepal to be a peaceful and fair place. It has created fears that the nation could disintegrate.

However, one should not read too much into disintegration issues, as it’s the social fiber that holds a country and not mere representatives at the top. The real worry here would be: How can true representation be established? One cannot deny that there is more to this strip of land than what we have seen. There are people who love the country as much as they love their ethnicity (which again has only been a lip service so far). And they should be given a chance. If not, people will one day do that, although the process could be far from comfortable for those sitting at the top now. It is time, perhaps to have a fresher crop to emerge. Madhes needs fresh representation, a changed approach. People with self-interest and greed will have to give way to newer leadership. A leadership, which leads with vision, and empathy towards the so called Non-Madhesi. For they know what apathy can do to an entire community.

As far as some corrupt names from the community that crop up in everyday news, corrupt is corrupt and has no ethnicity except greed. Our country might be in transition, but a civilized society has no place for corruption, forget abduction. And civilized we aim to be.

A Cause to Worry?

2012-01-17T08:33:00.000+05:30

“Hello”

The word is enough to startle you, especially when it’s loud enough and you’re not expecting to meet anyone, walking through the capital’s streets. Your eyes are on the pavement that you’re walking and suddenly you lift your head. It was a stranger, not even remotely close to anyone I’ve seen or met.

In a matter of split second, I realized that he was not calling me, and had stopped another passer-by. But then, as I passed by, I happened to be close enough to hear what they were speaking.

“Nepali blue film, dai,” the caller was saying, carrying a bunch of CDs in his hand.

“What? Have I gone nuts?” Thoughts raced across my head.

This is broad daylight, and this is no lonely alley. For God’s sake, this is pavement in front of Kathmandu Mall, opposite Tundikhel, and has public transport stand, where thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles stop. It is one of the busiest streets of Kathmandu during daytime.

But this was for real. The guy, with worn look but agile movement, was trying to convince another gentleman, perhaps in his Mid-20s, to buy porn.

“Nepali ho dai, ramro chha. Kati bideshi hernu hunchha,” he was saying. (Meaning: It is Nepali and is good. How much of foreign ones would you watch?)

The prospective buyer, who apparently was as shocked as yours truly was, shook his head in refusal and walked off. But yours truly was too shocked to move. Feet stuck in cement. How can this be? I turned back (by then had already passed both), tried to have a glance. This did not look like a joke. He meant business.

This is was not a shop, and there was no hush-hush conversation. He was speaking normally, as if selling socks or other clothing items, just like many others in this pavement do.

Million thoughts raced my mind till then. I also thought – “Why did he not ask me?” – just as I was trying to spot any police nearby. But I hardly would recognize one, even if I saw one. I was blank. Having made a few circles around him, I tried to take a picture with my mobile device. Not to show him in public, but to remind myself, if at all it was real.

I needed some time to cool down. Have a coffee. To reflect upon what was happening. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, walk that street. Children, young adults, women. He was trying to speak to almost everyone.

“Is it legal now?” I was thinking, answering to myself “Of course not”.

“Nobody stops it? Where are those, who talk of market regulation and raid on shops and eateries.” Of course, no answers…

Reminded me of a story I’d read in Nepali Times (English weekly) some time earlier, about how children are exposed to pornography at early age. Maybe last year. Maybe year before that. Luckily, I found it on the internet. It was in the issue #507 (18 – 24 JUNE 2010).

It reads:

[A ten-year-old student was throwing up, complaining of headaches, and refused to go to school for days. Unable to identify any physical causes for the child’s distress, his father (a child counselor) sat him down and asked him if anything out of the ordinary had happened. After much coaxing, the boy revealed that his computer teacher had shown him pornographic images online.]

The same story also quoted an NGO CWIN (Child Workers in Nepal) data saying 79 percent of young Internet users had seen offensive materials online, either accidently or intentionally. It also talked about parents not knowing what their children were viewing in the World Wide Web. It was an interesting story as it said 2 percent of the child respondents (1,430 children aged 12 to 18) said porn sites were among their favorites.

It would be interesting for most adults my age that during our growing up years, we heard of so many stories of dingy rooms in some areas of Kathmandu showing pornographic movies. Those days, it was talked in the hush-hush tones. Those were early 90s. Move over 20^th century, this is second decade of 21^st century and whatever you thought of as clandestine is ready to be hurled down your throat. That too, with a lot of noise…

Thankfully, yours truly realized, he doesn’t have children. If he had, he would be worried… Very Very worried…

New Year, New Hopes…

2012-01-07T10:08:00.000+05:30

The New Yearhas begun for sports sector in slightly unconventional way. Right on the secondday of the brand new year, we saw an exchange of blows on a football pitch. Yes,don't be surprised… A football pitch. If you witnessed the players in thatexchange, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the players had one drink toomany, while bidding adieu to the past year.

Some went onto call it undesirable, while some chose to ignore it. Correct me if I amwrong, but there is no place for violence in sports. I've never ever been ableto understand if there could be 'desire' for such a thing. It has to becondemned in the strongest of words, and actions. If your children want to be afootball player in future and if they saw it, tell them this is exactly whatthey should avoid on a pitch, and off the pitch too. Hopefully, it was aone-off incident and we don't see it replicated in future. Five red cards in amatch involving top teams cannot be a matter of pride for any.

A few days beforefootballers – along with them their clubs and their governing authority –shamed 'the beautiful game' in a beautiful city called Pokhara, some cricketerswere trying to showcase their talent.

Nepal'scricket coach, Pubudu Dassanayake was on his mission to find new talent. Hehas, in a few months that he's taken charge of the team, said that Nepal needsmore players playing at the highest level. He witnessed some players at thecamps held in Pokhara and Bhairahawa.

"Fromwhat I saw at the camps, the players look very promising," Dassanayakesays. "The good thing is, some of them have raw talent, which can bedeveloped." Now he wants to bring these players to the capital next weekand have a separate camp for some of these players selected from the camp.

This could,perhaps be the shot-in-the-arm that Nepali cricket has been looking for. Havingraw, promising talent being groomed at a camp will effectively increase theplayer pool for national selection. There is hardly any better sight in cricketthan a raw fast bowler running in and bowling at full throttle or a youngbatsman cutting or pulling short balls with a gay abandon, without paying anyrespect to their opponents.

It should benoted here that Pubudu acquired a speed gun – machine that measures speed ofthe ball – when his wife was coming to Nepal from Canada. Now this doesn't onlyshowcase his commitment to Nepali cricket, but also tells us that we will beable to know exactly what speed our bowlers bowl at. We don't have to talkabout the relative speed of our bowlers anymore. The speed gun was used inthese camps.

"Thefastest bowler I found was clocking 75 miles an hour. And he was a rawtalent," Dassanayake says, "With a fitness regimen in place, he shouldbe able to bowl at 80 mph."

This meanswe could now have bowlers bowling at a lively pace, pushing the opposition onthe backfoot, early on.

Interestingly,some players that were in the national scheme at some point, Akash Gupta, AntimThapa and Dipesh Khatri have also been respotted for future. Akash, despitebeing a free flowing batsman, had been fed up of the system and had removedhimself from reckoning. Now that these players have a chance to be back,there's every possibility that more talents would be positive towards cricket.At the same time, those players who think national team is their birthright,may be shaken to perform. It's always good to have healthy competition withinthe pool.

Plans are tohave a separate bowlers' camp and a tournament involving 50 best players ofNepal sometime later this month, followed by a trip to India for the team toplay with local teams. Now it's up to Cricket Association to see it as a cost,or an investment.

Whatever bethe case, yours truly sees it as new hopes emerging in the New Year. The year,when we are to play in T20 World Cup Qualifiers…

(PS: The write-upappeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The KathmanduPost, on 7th January, 2012)

Have a start, got to score…

2011-12-31T18:22:00.000+05:30

End of the year is always a time for stock taking. What weachieved in the year; Where we failed; How much could have been done and Howmuch is left.

But it's also a time to think, what we could do more. As ayear ends, another one begins. That's the beauty of time. That's the beauty ofsport. After every year, another one has to follow. After every match, despitefailures, another is always in waiting. Life goes on.

But some years leave their mark. Some delible, someindelible. Nepali sport saw a few of those. Both of the popular team sport,Football and Cricket, saw changes. Both sport got new coaches, foreign bred,tested. Graham Roberts in Football and Pubudu Dassanayake in Cricket. Bothaggressive in their own styles. Both deserving respect because of their pastdeeds. And if initial performances – especially the mindset of players – areanything to go by, both look capable enough to take their respective teams toanother level.

Coaches come and go. Their contribution is judged withperformance of their team, as long as they stay. But one thing that has longterm effect on the sport is its infrastructure. And that, thankfully, is likelyto change with the beginning of football's National League.

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) could not have chosen abetter time for the league, as it falls, right at the end of one year and startof another. This could be the best transition in football that we have seenyet. It has been long that centralized structure of football has beencriticized in Nepal and rightly so. The game's structure has hardly given muchto the players from out of the valley to ply their trade. Since the leagues,for years, have been played only among clubs of the capital, it has made theplayers from countryside toil harder to make the cut. Likewise, the fan base ofthe game has also dwindled. This has been seen several times in Dashrathstadium, which has had to host close to hundred matches a year. Apart frommatches where some big clubs play, spectators have refused to come to the stadium.One visit to Dharan, where Budha Subba Gold Cup is held, and Pokhara, whereSahara Cup is held, is good enough to show you how much football is lovedoutside capital. The fan base is there, and unless they see their teams playingat the biggest stage possible at the national level, European football willtake them away from Nepali football.

Although ANFA hails it as the first ever National League,football pundits would remember that such similar tourneys were held in 1998and 1999. In these two editions, four clubs from mofussil played with thebiggest clubs in Nepal. ValleySporting from Pokhara and Munal Club from Jhapa had participated in 1998. In1999, The Boys Group from Dharan and another club from Rupandehi participatedin 1999. The Police Club took the title on both occasions, but if you askplayers from these four clubs about the best experience they've had on footballfield, they'd tell you these tourneys meant a lot for them. They played withwho's who of Nepali football, and after the matches, they came back richer inexperience, skill and temperament. Everyone associated with the sport will tellyou, there's nothing like playing at the highest level. No matter how muchdrills you have, it's nothing compared to match practice.

Mitra Milan Club of Dharan and Sangam from Pokhara have thepotential to change the game forever in Nepal. If they play hard, whichfootball lovers would want them to, they might register a strong case in favorof matches being played out of Kathmandu more often. There could be a strongcase of having home and away matches right now, but at least this is a start.

This would be a very good opportunity for football fans inPokhara and Butwal to enjoy nation's best footballers showcasing their skills.It should, but doesn't happen very often in Nepal. So fans, as the New Yearbegins, go to the stadia not only to enjoy matches, but to make sure you put upa strong case that there are venues outside capital for football in Nepal.

The league is being organized outside the valley, sincecapital's venues are being readied for AFC Challenge Cup. Hopefully, ANFAorganizes more such tourneys outside, even when the stadia in the capital arein good shape.

If that happens, weknow for sure, Nepali sport will be happy in the coming years.

(This post, unlike other posts on Sports by yours truly, did not appear in anywhere and is exclusive on Verma's Perspective)
Pic courtesy: cricketfootball.com

Poem? You must be kidding!

2011-12-29T10:06:00.001+05:30

Yours truly had never ever attempted a poem, let alone write one. The idea was simple: You should not ruin something you respect. And never ever try to malign the field. Never ever, for a moment, I could see myself up to it. It was sacrosanct, beyond touch, beyond reach.
At the age when you start thinking more about receding hairline than the lines of verse, there has been an attempt. This is a naive, silly attempt and should not be mistaken as anything serious. Whether yours truly tries any further, should not be an issue of speculation. The idea is: Enjoy it, if you can...

धड्कन

अपने धड्कन को सुना है आजकल ?

घडी सी, टिक-टिक...

मेकानाइज्ड सा, नन-स्टप सा...

कभी न खतम होने वाली, बोरिङ सी धुन कि तरह...

लेकिन अब, दो टिक टिक के बीच का वक्त...

लम्बा होने लगा है...

इन्तजार, अब मुश्किल हो चला है...

(for my babe)

If everything goes well…

2011-12-24T06:44:00.000+05:30

"If everything goes according to the plan, we mightqualify for the World Cup," said Nepal's cricket coach Pubudu Dassanayake,in a conversation to yours truly recently, before he was to present his 3-monthplan to Nepal's cricket leaders.

The point that the Sri Lankan born coach means well forCricket Nepal could be denied here. For the line is an optimist one. But thecatch, for many, would be the big 'if' present there. Many would say: Ifeverything went according to the plan, we would have played previous world cup.For around a decade ago, we were 'readying' ourselves to become the next bigthing in Asian Cricket.

The fact is, not many things went according to the plan. Itwas not us, but Afghanistan, that rode that 'elite' bus, becoming the next ODIteam. For there was no plan, on our side. So there was no following it. Promiseswere made. But the promises made were not translated into plans.

But now, Cricket Nepal has a coach, who's not just followedplayer's manuals, but has gone through modern coach's manual too. And a modernday coach plans and helps players execute them. It's a regimen he has to livesthrough. It's a talk that he has to walk. It's a routine that he has to follow.

Incidentally, Dassanayake's plans coincide with the historicchange in Nepal's cricket. Historic change being the first ever election inCricket Association of Nepal. The historic change being a non-cricketer comingto lead cricket.

And this event itself needs some reflection, ahead of scrutinizingwhether the plans will be executed or not. The sports journalists are like anyother journalists, except that they're not cynical. We might be skeptic, butcynicism eludes us. At worst, we still believe in guarded optimism. No wonderyours truly has taken pride in saying, "Sports page is the one thatrecords achievements. The front page is full of failures."

To reuse the phrase, 'If everything goes according to theplan', Cricket Nepal will now be led by Tanka Angbuhang for four more years.President of CAN has already told media about 'his' plans, which he expects tocarry out during his tenure. And the plans include, National Cricket Academy aswell as development of cricket infrastructure across the country, among severalothers. These are noble plans, even if we were to say they're not new. Oftrepeated, they've just not been put into proper implementation.

The point here would not be contesting the plans, but themanner in which the first ever election at CAN happened. If you ask PawanAgrawal, the Presidential candidate who withdrew at the last moment, he'd tellyou, "I withdrew, but I would continue working for cricket." He mightalso tell you, the cricketers will get a chance to lead CAN, when the nextelection comes, or if the present committee fails.

But the insiders will tell you, what kind of people went toconvince Agrawal to withdraw his candidacy. How some other big names weresidelined, prior to the election. Here, we would not even go to the extent oftalking about the venue chosen for election. Some would see a plan there, but that'snot the point.

Despite the start, which obviously has not send goodsignals, Angbuhang has some credentials that can help. At 30 odd years, he'syoung and comes from a regimented background not much different from modern daycricketer's drills. He's got an organization that could back him to the core.Not having cricketing background could also help at times, as he would be freeof bias that comes from representing certain regions.

He has plans, he says, which obviously is a good start. Butthen, he has to realize, not everything goes according to the plan.

If everything went according to the plan, Sachin Tendulkarwould have become a decent medium pacer (Given his height and the fact that, atyoung age, he registered himself to a fast bowling academy).

And if everything went according to plan, Angbuhang wouldhave become Sports Minister and not CAN President (Given the background he has).

About Dassanayake's plans? Well, we'd definitely know in 3months whether they work or not!

(PS: The write-upappeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The KathmanduPost, on 24th December, 2011)

The Will to Win

2011-12-20T09:29:00.000+05:30

"Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing."

Perhaps the adage exemplifies how sports changed in thelatter half of the 20th century. Attributed to UCLA coach Henry Russell Sanders and/or Americanfootball coach Vince Lombardi, the saying exemplifies how professionally sportsbegan to be taken post 1950s.

There was a clear shift from the Olympic spirit from thenon, which preached us that 'The most important thing is not to win but to takepart, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but thestruggle '. While the Olympic spirit gave us a 'chance to celebrate our sharedhumanity', Sanders and Lombardi taught us how to be 'winners'.

This line made the marketers (read mega brands) crazy, andthe players; along with them the administrators, and also the fans, theenthusiasts. Players, for their wins, needed more money, administrators needed moremoney to sell the sport to mega brands, and mega brands wanted to collect allthe money from the fans. The fans, paying more than ever now, wanted result oftheir payment in the form of wins and were desperate for that. And the cyclecontinued. The only problem was it happened mostly in the nations that wereahead of us, in terms of development.

As we lay behind in development, so were our sports administrators.They found an excuse for their lethargy, saying 'at least we are participating'.We took the bait, we felt that's true. We knew we deserved better, but we wereready to wait… eternally.

But now, with the turn of the century and reach of media,thing are no more same. Tiger Woods' failing marriage is watched as eagerly inNepal as in USA. Globalization has made sure same things are offered on plattereverywhere. It has made sure Nepal has F1 enthusiasts, despite knowing hostingsuch races in the country would require a miracle of gigantic proportions.

With the change, demands of the fans have changed. They nolonger want their players to lose, nowhere. They back their players, so thatthey finish top of the podium.

They become disappointed when their cricket and footballteam lose semi-finals on the same day (ACC T20 Cup and SAFF Championship). Theyalso resort to throwing stones at opponents, in hope and in frustration. Unpardonable,but something that needs to be understood... The administrators may need toimprove security, but they also need to understand that wins actually help inthese cases.

For that, it needs to be instilled in the players that theycan win. If Nepali footballers can play good enough to be in semi-final anddominate possession, they can surely win.

Till now our performance shows that: If points were givenfor ball possession, our side would edge out many, except perhaps the world cupwinning Spanish side. Likewise, if points were given for crowd presence (andmissiles hurled by them to the visiting teams), Nepal would edge out Australia(and perhaps, India – unless the match is played in Eden Gardens).

The belief, the push for the win was not visible from theplayers' body language – both in football and cricket. Their shoulders droopedwith every advancing moment, fear evident on their faces. Winners prowl withpride and not crawl in fear.

We saw New Zealand side beating Australia in Australia aftera gap of 26 years. For these many years, they could not, since they did nothave enough belief.

One should note that we have teams better than what theresults has shown us, in both the games. And we need results now to prove theskill, the class they have.

Before new lines are written in these columns, we are likelyto have new executive committee of Cricket Association of Nepal, following itsfirst ever election. Whoever leads it, regardless of the political affiliation,he will have to work on the will to win for the players. Sooner, than later…

Underdeveloped and developing may not be excuse anymore.Some insiders say, CAN has more money in its coffers than Sri Lankan CricketBoard. And Sri Lanka, we know, have been the world champions.

Winning isn't everything. The will to win is the only thing.

(PS: The write-upappeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The KathmanduPost, on 17rd December, 2011)

The 'F' Factor

2011-12-03T06:02:00.001+05:30

2001: An important year inhistory of Nepali sport, especially cricket. The year was to change how cricketwas viewed in Nepal. As Kathmandu played host to Youth Asia Cup (later termedas ACC U-19 Cup), the home team defeated Malaysia in the final, with Roy Dias –former Test Cricketer from Sri Lanka – in charge of young boys that were toform a core for the senior team later.

As Malaysian Colts faced Nepaliboys in the final, the Malaysian coach – incidentally a Sri Lankan – told yours truly, during the innings break, "It’s difficult for my boys playingagainst a good team and such a huge crowd. When they play at home, not morethan 100-150 people watch them."

That quote sounded like aforfeit already, although half of the match still remained. Indeed, the size ofthe crowd at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground was many folds that thevisiting team had ever seen. And they were vociferous too, making it very clearwhom they supported. Every delivery that Lakpa Lama tweaked, every ball BinodDas swung, were cheered and made even more difficult to face for the batsmen.For they all came with a roaring noise in the background. And the Malaysianteam succumbed, handing Roy Dias and his wards the biggest trophy for Nepaltill then.

That is what fans can do. Maketheir heroes look larger than life, turn them into invincible beings. Theclapping hands and roar can create doubts in the opponents' mind, making themfalter at the slightest opportunity.

2011: A decade has passed andNepal stands at another crossroads. There is a change in the team, thein-charge is different. New Coach Pubudu Dassanayake is definitely a breed thatthe previous coach was not. The players have grown up, and are not slaves toteenagers' anxiety anymore. And together they are working to modernize theirapproach to cricket. They are ready to turn a corner.

But the fans are the same. Theystill want the trophy. They still want their players to play like invincibles.They still are ready to back their team, with their claps, with their roars andquite possibly, with their aggression.

Sports watchers, across theworld, have a sense of solidarity with their teams. While watching sport, theirblood pressure rises, just like the players, and you can see them yelling evenat the television screen at home. Crowded by identical beings, their behavioron the ground can go awry at times.

Here, we've seen the best of thefan factor; we've also seen the worst of it. We've seen them queuing up forautographs; we've also seen them invading the pitch.

Fans, as they are biased, can bea double edged sword. They can kill for you, and sometimes they can get youkilled. For every cricket enthusiast, it would be wise to remember the incidentof February last year and the embarrassment it caused us internationally. Thepitch invasion by the crowd during Nepal's match against US in ICC World LeagueDivision 5, would always remain as a dark spot in Nepali cricket. As the matchwas disrupted, Nepali cricket was shamed. ICC, following its own investigation,slapped a conditional ban on hosting matches at the Tribhuvan UniversityGround.

None, who love cricket in thecountry, would want a repeat. And for that, the onus is on the spectatorsthemselves. They don't want to be taken as a bad host. For that, they have toprove that they've matured, just as their players have over the years. Theyneed to ensure that the opponent team has to be respected, even if they don'treceive moral support. After all, they're also trying to prove themselves, as muchas our team does.

And the day fans start beingjust, nobody can stop cricket development in the country. Not even politicalinterference.

(PS: The write-up appeared inYours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 3rd December, 2011)

Photo: taken by self

We Will Wait !

2011-11-26T07:17:00.001+05:30

“Don't whisper a word. The whole worldwill be able to hear you. Wankhede is stunned into silence. Rampaul spoils theparty, Sammy holds the catch at second slip.”

Perhaps obituaries would soundcomparatively pleasant to some cricket fans. The lines appeared on ESPNCricinfoweb portal, as Sachin Tendulkar departed without scoring what could have been his100^th international century – just one-hit-over-the-boundary shortof it. As many firsts that the man has pocketed, this would be another first inthe history of the game.

The dreaded words appeared: 'SRTendulkar c Sammy b Rampaul 94'. At little under 140 kmph, this may not be thebest ball West Indian pacer Ravi Rampaul might have bowled, but certainly willbe the most memorable for him.

Right atthe moment, the waving flags stopped, as if time froze. The clapping hands wereon the heads. The crowd remained glued to their seats – silent in disbelief –as if this was not real. It couldn't be, they'd come in hordes to see theirfavorite player touch a milestone nobody else had dreamt of before. The shockon the faces of spectators, beamed through the TV, looked as if a catastrophehad struck the stadium.

A long walk for the most covetedbatsman in cricket history followed, at the ground that’s been called his homeground, for past couple of decades. A sigh came from him. He looked at his bat.He looked at the crowd, as if to say, I’m sorry…

Before that very moment, all media,including social media was abuzz with mention of SRT's possible century. Fanscrying out for support, anticipating a celebration… A tweet read: "In thetrain, around me everyone is logged onto either ESPNcricinfo or radio.Smiles and random fist pumps." Then, Tendulkar was going more thanrun-a-ball, having scored a four and a six in a Fidel Edwards over, bowledclose to 150 kmph. Tendulkar looked ominous, giving people glimpses of hiscreativity, as he leaned back, played upper cut to score two sixes off Edwards,in the innings and also showcased the best of his straight drives. As thousandsroared, the century was for his taking.

Just a moment later, after his shockdismissal, a frustrated tweet read: "No he is not out. That was a wideball and no ball and dead ball and Ravi Rampaul is involved in match fixing andtakes drugs." Anger, just because he ousted Sachin.

This is the awe that he inspires in acountry of more than a billion, and beyond. Having been a witness to hisbatting and spectators' admiration in the Test Match in Delhi recently, thisscribe learnt a few things about what cricket is for his fans. For them,cricket exists because SRT plays it. Yours truly - being an admirer of thecricketer and watching the match in expectation of his 100^th ton -was still amazed to see fans chanting "Sachin, Sachin" at theirloudest, even when he picked the ball that rolled to him. For others, boundary-savingefforts were treated with mere claps.

A fellow spectator said, "I wonderhow he is able to pick his bat, under such pressure. I've seen, this is evenlouder in Mumbai". During the match, when Virender Sehwag was out, thenoise reached its crescendo. Not in appreciation of Sehwag's batting, but becauseTendulkar was coming in to bat. Everybody wanted him to score the 100^th.However, he missed it, and the fans still clapped. They were frustrated, but Icould not hear a word of criticism.

It's not easy to manage such adulation,being human. It's not easy to shut your ears to such decibels. But then, it'snot easy to be Sachin Tendulkar.

He will definitely score his 100^th,sooner or later, as Amitabh Bachchan tweeted: "Heartbroken! Ah wellanother day maybe. We'll wait!"

Another fan, in yours truly could notresist the temptation and wrote: "Sad that Sachin did not scorethe 100th... Proud that he played like Sachin we admire... Would be sadderto see him crawl to it..."

(PS: The write-up appeared in YoursTruly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 26th November,2011)

Is it Cricket?

2011-11-19T08:20:00.001+05:30

These aredifficult times to be a cricketer here. Mind you, under normal circumstances itwould be busy times with a major championship not too far away (ACC T20 Cupgets underway in a fortnight).

Cricketers inNepal have always considered themselves unlucky. In the beginning days ofcricket here, most could not play, given it was only within a reach of richerfew. Hence most were unlucky. Till late 90s, Nepal had no participation atinternational level, so the players were said to be unlucky. When the cricketadministration prospered and coffers did not show zero balance, the cricketerssaid they were unlucky as they did not receive anything out of it.

Circa 2001, yourstruly once met a national level cricketer who said he was unlucky not to be inthe national team, forgetting a small matter of letting nearly 50 wide balls,in a small matter of 4-5 matches.

But thecricketers, for now, really have a difficult time. For, they're caught intransition. As if transition from long standing coach was not difficult initself, they have an unenviable task of going through the restructuring – orshould one say, reconfiguration – of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). Itshould be noted here that the past coach, Roy Dias, coached Nepali team sincebeginning of this century, and had played majority of his cricket in the 80s.Meanwhile, the new coach, Pubudu Dassanayake, played his cricket in modern eraand coached a team to the World Cup. He is used to more modern ways andequipments of coaching and is trying to use it with the boys here. The nationalteam players, though young, will take some time to adapt to that mechanism.

And, during thesame time, they have to deal with the new administration of CAN, led by aCentral Committee Member of a political party. Imagine the confusion, when thecoach hardly knows the abilities of the players and the whole cricketadministration is into the hands of someone totally alien to cricket. If we addto that the Nepali organizational culture of never keeping institutionalknowledge or memory, you know what could go wrong. For players, it's likestarting afresh, akin to doing an entry level job in a fast food joint, aftermanaging it for five years.

If you were aplayer, it could be difficult not to be scared. The new CAN, the ad-hoc bodysupposed to hold election for an executive body, has announced that its newstatute will not be in compliance with the ICC provisions. The personresponsible for recommending the statute says, he was not aware of ICC provisions.That coming from a former cricketer and administrator sounds like a blatantexcuse. World governing body of almost every sport has some provisions for thenational bodies, especially on governance. If you are not aware of that, andare still preparing something as important as statute, you have disqualifiedyourself.

ICC is very clearon stopping political or government interference in national cricket boards.That would also include National Sports Council (NSC), known for dissolving thenational sporting bodies, upon the whim of its chief. Continuing the tradition,Member Secretary of NSC, Yubraj Lama, appointed Tanka Angbuhang – MaoistCentral Committee Member – as President of CAN. Perhaps to return the favor tothe party that got him the most powerful position in Nepali sport. He was asportsman once, but what he is practicing right now is definitely not cricket.Special mention should be given NSC appointing past president Binay Raj Pandeyas Patron of CAN, without even notifying him.

With all of itgoing on in the background, one would be surprised if the players can stillfocus on learning newer techniques in cricket. And cricket fans would just hopethat in this insane environment, at least the players would keep their sanity.

(PS: The write-upappeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The KathmanduPost, on 19th November, 2011)

The Worry Called Cricket

2011-10-22T06:46:00.000+05:30

If you were tovisit Tribhuvan University Grounds these days, you could see Nepali cricketers,led by captain Paras Khadka, in practice drills. They are busy in preparationfor the SAARC Under-25 Twenty20 Cricket, which Maldives will host.

As the boys looksprightly during the net sessions, a rumor that yours truly heard this weekcomes as a flash. The story is: Recently, President of Cricket Association ofNepal, Binay Raj Pandey called Paras Khadka for a meeting. Paras sent a messagesaying he would meet the new President of CAN, as the change of guards islikely.

The truth in thestory cannot be verified and hence should be called a rumor. But the anecdotalreference gives you a rough sketch of behind the scenes in Nepali cricket.We’ve heard of Nepal cricket skipper’s dissatisfaction over CAN’s handling ofcricketers, and sometimes they’ve been justified too.

Even if the storymentioned above is rejected completely, what cannot be undermined is that CANhas not been able to hold elections for a new executive committee. Pandeyascended to the throne five years ago, and has been time and again been told tohold elections, especially after Yubraj Lama became Member Secretary of theNational Sports Council.

The scene is fastheating, as Pandey tries to take stock of what his team has done during theirtenure. And we cannot forget the division within the executive committee due topolitical appointment of some members.

Rumor mill alsohas it – mentioned to this scribe on the condition of keeping it off-the-record– that a certain section of present CAN executive committee members lobbied fora politically affiliated head of the cricket body. Their logic was that theyalready have a team, and the team can handle cricket even if the chief is apolitician. Logic seems right. One person cannot just do everything. He needs ateam to accomplish things. A good team, to be precise…

The worry is notthe logic, but the division within the so called ‘guardians’ of cricket. Theworry is, their lobby is getting stronger. The worry is, there are somepoliticos from the ruling party who are providing these lobbyists with fodder,and incentive.

In a recentmeeting, Rumesh Ratnayake, Development Officer of ACC, told the writer of thesecolumns, “The pace of growth of cricket in Nepal in last decade hasn’t beenwhat we expected. We thought it would go at 70 miles per hour but it was at20.”

Now Rumesh was afast bowler as a cricketer and his love with speed can be understood. But thegap in expectation and results has been worrisome. Ratnayake said, “At a pointwe thought Nepal could achieve Test status, not only ODI.”

Somehow, thecustodians for past half a decade have to realize they’ve fallen short onpromises. Half a decade ago, Pandey was labeled a savior for Nepali cricket.Now, he looks a sorry figure, with his comrades fast disappearing.

But what shouldalso be remembered is that present team inherited virtually empty coffers whenthey took over and now CAN balance could read anywhere between 70-90 millionrupees. While the failings are listed, the achievements also have to beaccounted.

Onecannot deny the change needed to modernize Nepali cricket. But the changecannot be whimsical, which is what may happen, given the stance taken by variousplayers in sports right now. Too much of political interest is not likely tohelp the sector. We’ve already seen that with the executive committee headed byPandey, which was for most of its tenure, split into half.

(PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 22nd October, 2011)

Curious case of Sharad Veswakar

2011-10-15T07:22:00.001+05:30

'I love scoring goals for England and playing for England. That's one of the reasons I didn't retire – I love playing for my country.' said David Beckham once, despite knowing he did not feature in the future plan of English football team. Arguably, David Beckham is one of the most celebrated names, if you consider European football post 1990s.

Sports psychologists tell you: Pride of playing for the country does make sportsmen run that extra mile, push the barriers a bit further, and makes them feel responsible. Because, in the back of their head, they're thinking about trying to uplift masses that back them.

But can we imagine a situation where a player plays without a country? Impossible you'd say? Then what is the case of Sharad Veswakar, one of the mainstays of Nepali Cricket team?

Sharad Veswakar, who has represented Nepal right from Under-15 level to national cricket team does not have a citizenship of Nepal. Something wrong there? Yours truly says – it's completely insane. It's as if he doesn't exist, except in the record books, where his century for Nepal stands.

Nepal Citizenship Act 2006 says, "Any person born at the time when his father or mother is a citizen of Nepal, shall be a citizen of Nepal by descent." Furthermore, it adds, "A child born to a Nepali female citizen from marriage with a foreign citizen in Nepal and having permanent domicile in Nepal may be granted naturalized citizenship as prescribed, provided the child has not acquired the citizenship of a foreign country on the basis of citizenship of his father."

Yes, Veswakar has a Nepali mother and has been residing in the country as far as he can remember. Yet the boy in his mid-twenties is not our own, at least legally. Worse, this is the status WE have given him. We take a lot of pride in collecting hundreds of thousands of rupees to send SMS to India, just to help a Nepali-speaking person become an Indian Idol (It should be noted that yours truly has no malice against Prashant Tamang or his singing). Yet we act indifferent, when somebody takes pride in playing for us and treat him with disdain.

"President is the only person we've not spoken to, this issue. From the rest we've already received assurances," This is what Nepali captain Paras Khadka had to tell this scribe, during a conversation some time ago. Just over two years ago, a delegation of cricketers had met Madhav Kumar Nepal, then Prime Minister, to return with a bagful of promises. Two Prime Ministers later, the issue is just there, while several thousand more – a number of them non-Nepalis – have become 'proud' citizens of this country.

Over the years, we've seen so many cricketers, who showed a lot of promise at early age, taking to a foreign land, to have a secure future. But this man hasn't budged. Whether he could not go out or did not wish to – is not the question. The question is: Can't somebody stand up and say – you've done us proud and deserve to be a citizen of this country? Not that giving him citizenship would hurt national coffers.

He told this scribe once, "Whenever the issue is raised, I feel as if it's a joke. I try not to think about it and focus on my cricket." But any sane man can understand focus becomes a tad more difficult when you have more serious issues in your head.

Perhaps, it is a joke. Some cruel joke, where he is a victim of his own stardom, for he can't go and pay a few thousand rupees – just like many do – to become a Nepali citizen. Till he musters up courage to do that, perhaps he will remain a refugee in his own country. For we have a habit of forgetting things - taking it too easy - especially if the issues are related to sports, no matter how important.

But, yours truly wishes his status would change and change for good. No matter how faint, hope remains.

(PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 15th October, 2011)

Of Departure and Arrival

2011-09-24T07:09:00.001+05:30

"I reallyrespected him" – This remark may neither raise eyebrows nor would itregister very strongly on anyone's mind. But if you know that it was SachinTendulkar making such a remark, you would stick to the word 'really' and startadmiring the person, whoever the great batsman is referring to.

Tendulkar wasreferring to Former Indian captain MansoorAli Khan Pataudi, who passed away on 22^nd of September 2011. Itwould be interesting to know that Tendulkar was barely a 2-year old whenPataudi played his last International match. It needs sheer genius in a personto earn respect, in the heart of a cricketer who started playing seriouscricket, a decade after he had retired.

Most of us, who have grown in the constant shower of cricket, justbecause we are close to India, have heard of him. Hardly a few have seen himplay. Yet we know of him. Probably, among the cricketers who played before thetelevision era, he was the only icon that we knew, with the exception of Sir DonBradman and Great Garry Sobers. Not many can boast to have such a longshelf-life after retiring, something most sportsmen would envy.

Having seen him only in interviews, except some grainy black and whitetelevision footages, yours truly learnt that cricket is just an extension ofthis princely being. The aura of the Republican Prince – as termed by a cricketwriter – was overwhelming. A desire to interview the person behind Ray Banglasses grew. It's perhaps not worth mentioning that yours truly could only getto as far as meeting Sharmila Tagore, his wife for 4 decades.

As I asked her, how it felt to have been married to a Rockstar cricketer,she would reply, "I married a human being. His cricket never interferedour lives." A line with a smile, which used to floor millions during herfilm days, now with added affection... A lesson you learn, in life – Keepthings simple.

We've seen a lotof cricketers who could not carry the weight of their lineage. Ask, RohanGavaskar (son of Sunil Gavaskar) and Liam Botham (son of Ian Botham), howdifficult it could be. Mansoor Ali Khan had a proud lineage to live up to,cricket historians and writers still write about Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi'sleg glance and his famous opposition to Douglas Jardine's Bodyline tactics.

Yet he became theyoungest Test captain of the world – the record remained till Tatenda Taibubecame Zimbabwe's captain in 2004 – and made India a team that could winmatches abroad (India won its first abroad series under him). He is the onecredited with giving Indian cricket a new and proud face, 4 decades beforeSourav Ganguly patented the style towards turn of the century. Khan would beremembered for developing Indian spin quartet as a force, akin to what the WestIndians developed in form of the pace quartet, albeit much later. All thishappened, after he had already lost vision in one of his eyes. Interesting tolearn that he donated another one, a week before he died…

One reason why thegreat Imran Khan said, "… he was a genius of great proportions."

While the cricket worldpays farewell to Pataudi, we wait for our next coach, Former Sri Lankan Cricketer Pubudu Dassanayake, who's due to arrive comingweek. He has already said that he would want to take Nepal to higherrank and possibly into the World Cup. We would love to see that. He has alreadyproved his mettle, taking Canadian team into the World Cup.

One thingDassanayake would do well to remember is that his compatriot, Roy Dias has alreadydone the groundwork. He would rather not reinvent the wheel and try to add onto the achievements we've already had. Much will also depend on how 'localized'he gets and tries to earn the respect of the players, who sometimes get complacentand carried away.

(PS: The write-upappeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The KathmanduPost, on 24th September, 2011)

The Art of Losing

2011-09-17T06:58:00.000+05:30

Nepali youth team didnot do well at the AFU U-16 Championship group D Qualifiers at home, despiteour best wishes and sizeable crowd support. First two matches, the boys wereblanked. Never a good sign if you are pinning your hopes on young talents, whensome of the youths in the national team are showing signs of fading early.

Before the startof the series, Coach Sunil Shrestha told us, 'There's not much difference amongthe sides at the age-group level'. That meant we had a good chance, and we grewhopeful. Of the four countries participating, we were the lowest ranked side.Oman, Saudi Arabia and Syria are ranked ahead of us by FIFA, well 30 places ormore. But these were age-group matches. Our boys did not appear too weak, infront of them. And at this level, skill is considered ahead of physique.

But we wereblanked.

Losing matches ispart and parcel of the game, and would always remain so. It should always betaken that way. Win some, lose some – is a mantra many sports stars reiterate.To top it, we had some important players who were injured. Those who wouldrally the midfield, Bibek Basnet and Umesh Thapa were out of the team beforethe tourney began. Some others also picked niggles while in the play.

But the manner ofloss should be studied, scrutinized. And maybe a little bit of history too.

The boys, right onthe first match against Syria looked out of sorts. There seemed to be no plan.The hold on the ball was not seen. And things hardly improved in the next matches.

But this is onetourney, so that is not important. A few bad days on the field do not makeplayers any lesser.

What the footballadministrators should actually look into is the fact that our youth team hasnot won a match against any other nation in last 4 years. After 2007, when theboys defeated mighty Jordan 3-1, we have lost 7 matches and were blanked in 6 ofthem. The last people to score a goal for Nepali U-16 team were Nirajan Mallaand Sujal Shrestha, against Kuwait the same year. Both are in the national teamnow.

That basicallymeans that the present U-16 players haven't heard of Nepali U-16 team winning,while they've been at the Academy. That doesn't do good to their morale.Losing, like winning, is a habit. You practice for it, everyday. And if youhaven't heard of winning ways, the loss creeps into your system, and you startaccepting any result as 'it was to be'. The drills become rituals, and players– especially the young ones – do not see a point in them. They just followorders. The losses start hurting less and less.

Success has manyfathers, but failure is an orphan.

And the greatestdisservice ANFA could do to football would be ignoring this. This should be thetime they do not let this failure look like an orphan. For players would needsupport from their administrators, especially after morale shattering losses.Otherwise, they would start becoming machines produced to serve substandardproducts. There is every chance that mediocrity could become their way of life,if left unattended.

There are fearsthat these young minds may start thinking that winning or losing is notpersonal. It actually is, despite what Don Corleone said in movie The Godfather.Thinking otherwise may derail them. Unless the loss hurts, one can do nothingabout changing the result. They should be told, the sport is played more inmind than on the field these days.

Theadministrators, Coach included, could do well to tell them the importance offitness. How to avoid injury at such an age would go a long way in preservinggood talents for the future. And we could have our best boys taking the fieldagainst any opposition.

Or else, our boyswill perfect what we could say: The Art of Losing.

(PS: The write-upappeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The KathmanduPost, on 17th September, 2011)

Disclaimer: Thepicture shown in the post is courtesy: www.goalnepal.com

Of Awards, Missions and 'My People'

2011-09-10T06:25:00.000+05:30

Jess Owens oncesaid, "Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust."

And Owens wasarguably one of the most influential athletes of all time, winning 4 gold inBerlin Olympics in 1936, when Hitler staged the game to showcase the Aryansupremacy.

Despite what Owenssaid, awards do, and would continue to, mean a lot to the athletes. These arethe reasons why they play for, when the game they play is not enough to buythem sustenance. Probably that's why Pulsar Sports Awards gets a lot ofpublicity. So much that players go ahead players or their fans go ahead gettingpamphlets printed and paste it around the walls. So much, fan groups rallyaround requesting for SMS votes. The national football team went to the easternregion, to play friendly matches against Sunsari, Morgan and Jhapa – with thepermission from ANFA – to gather support for its captain, who happens to be oneof the nominees for Popular Player of the Year.

At the risk ofirritating a lot of sports journos, yours truly would also like to argue thatthe awards have become popular also because it is organized by Nepal SportsJournalist Forum. Most sports journos are affiliated with the forum, and thenews gets month long (or more coverage in popular newsprint), making it widelyread, and thus popular. One question could be asked here: Would it get as muchcoverage, if some other organization covered it?

If the answer isyes, there is nothing wrong with it. But if the answer is no, rethinking isneeded. Are we overdoing it?

Despite thiscriticism, it has to be reaffirmed that the award has done more good than badto the morale of the players, and should be lauded along with the players whoreceive the trophies.

-----

As far as Nepalisports sector is concerned Yuvaraj Lama is the man to watch (and it is beingsaid after a lot of deliberation). The Member Secretary of the National SportsCouncil, since his appointment, has rarely missed the headlines for more than aweek.

And now he's backto it again, announcing Mission SAG 2012. Commendable, if you notice this is2011 and never did we announce preparation for South Asian Games, this early.Probably this is the first time, NSC has a plan, with a four-phase trainingprogramme, with each phase having quarter of a year implementation schedule. Probablythis is the first time, science has taken precedence over guess work. Probablythis is the first time, determination, psychology and suitability to thesport, is to be recorded. These were the words alien to sports practice.

Histrionics is Lama'sforte, and many who have watched him in filmdom will vouch for it. He loves abig stage, and makes the best use of it. This is evident from his goal of 40gold medals for Nepal, in next year's SAG. Quite a climb, you would think, ifyou remember we bagged 8 in the last edition in Dhaka, last year.

Daydream? Notexactly… But, maybe ambitious, if not unattainable… The Member Secretary willhave to get his entire team – which includes of groups and subgroups withdifferent interests, occupying spots the NSC – on one point agenda, if we wereto reach close to his goal.

We have notforgotten the promises he made when appointed to the post. Of transparency,good governance and keeping slate clean as far as political appointments areconcerned. He has failed once already, by appointing 'his men' at NSC, givingin to political temptation of doling out jobs to party cadres. This isinteresting, if we take into account some of the employees at the organizationwere removed, as too many people were considered 'unnecessary'. No competition…No openness… No transparency…

Shakespeare,in Julius Caesar wrote, “The evil that men do lives after them”… We believe, sodoes one's good deeds… The Member Secretary may well decide what lives after hesays goodbye to his position.

(PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 10th September, 2011)

Disclaimer: The picture shown in the post is courtesy: www.ekantipur.com

Rupak Memorial Awards: A shot misfired?

2011-08-27T06:21:00.000+05:30

All Nepal Football Association(ANFA) awarded 12 of its prized possessions this week. Since it started, RupakMemorial Awards have held its position in Nepali football. And it would havesaddened former national captain and FIFA referee Rupak Sharma - who passedaway in an unfortunate accident - to see that the award was discontinued forsome years.

For restarting the awards, ANFAdeserves a pat on its back. Restarting a discontinued event to an organizationis akin to a player trying to force his way back into the game after injury.It's a mental fight, which gets tougher by every passing day. And ANFA shouldbe lauded. After all, these prizes are what makes the players struggle harder,compete better.

However, much as the restartneeds to be congratulated, it should be critically viewed. There are somechinks in the whole episode that should not be ignored and if not corrected intime, would neither improve ANFA's image nor its working style. Some questionswould demand answer.

The first of them being, how canwe have two best players for every year? The awards are constituted tofelicitate excellence and unless the real best is awarded, the whole purpose islost. It is easy to select two each year as it gives selectors easier option ofnot leaving the second best; but it compromises the dignity of awards. Themerit of awards comes under scrutiny. Mind you, it has not come as exception butgeneral rule. Second bests are second bests, no matter how good they are.Silver medalists are never termed champions.

It would be sad to know thatANFA, or the selection team headed by former national coach Bhim Thapa selectedtwo players for each year, just to please everyone. But awards are not meantfor keeping everyone happy. It is to honor and inspire excellence. Short cuts shouldnot be preferred.

The other question that couldpop up to an inquisitive mind, would be: How were Bikash Malla and Ritesh Thapanamed the best players of the year gone by. Now the point of argument shouldnot be mistaken here. It is not to diminish the service they have provided toNepali football. They have, to the best of their capability, done a good jobunder the bars.

But the point here is, boththese players are not the first choice goalkeeper for the national team. It is KiranChemjong, who has pushed his way as the number one keeper in Nepal. And hisname was missing from the list. How can the top one be left out and two secondbests are honored? We should note that Bikash Malla – who showed a lot ofpromise during his earlier days – plays for the Army Club now, which has noteven been among the top 3 sides in the National League. If the reason to choosethese players over the top keeper is to appease someone, the award loses itsvalue.

One more question would come forawarding Nirajan Rayamajhi for the year 2064. Nirajan has been a great servantof Nepali football, he shares the record scoring most international goals forTeam Nepal along with Hari Khadka. But for the year in question, national leaguewas not held and Rayamajhi was playing for NRT, which hardly gets to play manytournaments. How many matches did he play to get the award?

Rayamajhi deserves accolades andalso awards, for what he has been. But giving it to him for unjustified reasonswould only lower the nobility of the player and the award.

Some of players who have playedwith distinction over these years, like Tashi Tsering, Kumar Thapa, SurendraTamang and national captain Sagar Thapa, are missing from the list. Their contributionneeds to be recognized.

One fact that should make ANFAmanagement happy is that 4 out of 8 awarded players are the product of firstbatch of ANFA academy. This should be an indicator ANFA takes seriously, andpump in more effort in grooming the players.

And as far as awards areconcerned, players should be happy that they're happening, at least…

(PS: The write-up appeared inYours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 27thAugust, 2011)

Disclaimer: The picture shown inthe post is courtesy: www.myrepublica.com

National Games: Opportunity, despite Challenges

2011-08-13T06:48:00.003+05:30

CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli is seen playing Dandi Biyo while inaugurating a Sports Tourism Festival. Circa: April 2011

The news of National SportsCouncil (NSC) proposing to organize National Games in the first quarter ofcoming year must have brought back butterflies in the abdomen of the numerous athletes.This normally happens, even to the top players; just before they are take on anopponent in a match. Not necessarily a sign of nervousness, but the stress ofapproaching duel. Stress, by itself, is not bad.

Seven months away it is, yet someof the players must already be licking their lips at a chance of another roundof competitions. For if they're not, they're not worthy of being the athleteswe would be proud of. An athlete, like a warrior, should welcome anyopportunity of a round of duel.

But for most players in thecountry, the duels – keeping in mind that our players mostly do well inindividual events – are too few and far in between. This is why the NationalGames holds a lot of importance, especially for the players who are not alreadyrepresenting the nation at international competitions. Almost all the players,barring a few who take sport as a hobby, dream of playing for their country atthe top level. And the National Games provide them the stage where they canupstage a present champion; the podium where they announce their coming; theplatform where they humiliate the also-rans.

Moreover, the multi-sportjamboree brings in a lot of fanfare, makes the youngsters dream. Dreams ofpodium finish; Dreams of clinching the honours; Dreams of rising to theoccasion; Dreams of pushing themselves harder...

One should also mention here that the Gamesare to be held in Far Western region. It should only help develop and nurturesports culture.

And for these reasons, theannouncement or proposal – whatever it might be called as of now – has to belauded.

Having said all these, thechallenges are still many. The proposed Games, which are to be held in the farwestern region, are still not a certainty; it still needs the nod ofministerial cabinet. And in given circumstances, the members of the cabinet arecounting hours of being in power, rather than weeks or months.

The players and sportadministrators must be keeping their fingers crossed. They must be fighting, intheir mind, the possibility of news that the Games are postponed. After all, ithas already been done earlier this year.

And even the government givesits nod, some major challenges remain. That of infrastructure. With just overhalf a year to go, how many grounds – forget stadia or arena – can be built?Even if they are built in a jiffy, what would be the standard ofinfrastructure? National Games is also to prepare players for international competitions.Would it be possible to guarantee that? Rallying 5 regional sport developmentbodies and 72 district bodies to focus on the Games is a tough ask by itself,since it is time consuming. And to top all that is a small matter of: Funds. 30million Rupees has been allocated for infrastructure and you don't need to be aChartered Accountant to say, "It's not enough."

In an interview to yours truly,right after being nominated for the post of Member Secretary of NSW, YubrajLama had spelt out priorities for his tenure. Establishing Sports Collegetopped his agenda, while regularizing multi-sport competitions (like NationalGames) and resolving conflict between sport bodies (like Nepal OlympicCommittee and other associations) also were on his list, as he said.

In the latest announcement ofNSC, initiatives have been taken for these areas, by forming committees andtaskforces, which might even work.

But those, who are not Lamafans, would term these decisions as populist. They could say that thegovernment will change and his days on the hot seat are numbered. He may notget opportunity to implement them, relieving him of the burden.

So the NSC Member Secretary,Yubraj Lama, must have stressful days ahead. To get permission to organizeevent, and that too successfully…

But then, as we earliermentioned – Stress, by itself, is not bad. Let's see how he lives it.

(PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column -OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 13th August, 2011)

Disclaimer: The picture shown in the post is courtesy http://xnepali.net/ihost/dandi-biyo-is-it-the-nepali-national-game.

Promise's there: Time to Act!

2011-08-06T06:31:00.000+05:30

Many cricket fans, those who favour game's global expansion,would be delighted to see Zimbabwe's re-entry into the Test arena after almosthalf a decade. The cricket world, especially the non-Test playing countries,must be looking at it with the same interest as they did 19 years ago, whenDave Houghton's amateurs took to the field against India.

This is exactly the moment when Zimbabwe batsman, TatendaTaibu – who had been in self imposed exile after controversially resigning fromthe captaincy in 2005 – took the opportunity to tell the world that all is stillnot well with Zimbabwe Cricket. He said, he spoke out 'as a senior member inthe side'.

Tatenda Taibu is one name Nepali cricketers and fans alike,would never forget. He was the one who had stopped our boys' dream run at U-19Cricket World Cup in 2002, beating Nepal in the final of Plate Championship.

As Nepal U-19 team, led by Prithu Baskota, plays the U-19World Cup 2012 qualifiers, the memories of Taibu's conquest over our team and ourboys' performance in 2002 in New Zealand comes back flashing.

It's because that tournament was a special one for Nepalicricketers and fans. A little less than a decade ago, in that tournament, NepaliColts, led by Binod Das, announced themselves to the world – as former SriLankan Test batsman Roy Dias took the team to New Zealand. Nepali boys had aclose loss against English boys then, and were able to beat Pakistan, rankedbetter than Nepal on any day. This had made Nepali boys a rage in New Zealand,who only knew this country because their favorite son Edmund Hillary was one ofthe firsts to have climbed Mt Everest.

"How do you play in the mountains," they wouldask. "What are you doing in Nepal," then Coach Roy Dias used to beask.

The questions had helped Nepal being recognized as a cricketcountry. Perhaps no other non-British colony showed as much promise in cricket.Beating a Test country like Pakistan cannot be a fluke.

Taibu was player of the tournament then, as currentAustralia batsman Cameron White was the leading runscorer.

Fast forward a decade later, Taibu is a 'senior' batsman forZimbabwe, and Cameron White is an essential in Australian limited over plans.And our boys, who played alongside them are waiting, for yet anotheropportunity. 9 years ago, nobody was questioning the talent Binod Das & Co.had. They looked destined to rise and shine. But, despite being on thelaunchpad, we lost the plot. Maybe we took it too easy, we ignored theessentials, we forgot we had a road to take. Somewhere, we needed cricketadministration to be 'smarter' than they showed.

Similar promise has been shown by the team led by PrithuBaskota in the U-19 World Cup Qualifiers this time. How else do you describe afigure of 10 overs, 6 maidens, 9 runs for two wickets, by Bhuvan Karki, followedby overhauling the target with 30 overs to spare, as our boys beat Kenya. It'snot only the win, but the way team is playing should give us hope. Despitelosses – which have been against the team that have better cricketinfrastructure – the wins have been emphatic. The fight has been spot on.

But then, we should not sit on the laurels we get whilebeing termed as promising. For every dream that you see, you have to wake up torealize it. Promises would remain only that, if cricket administration does notremain alert. Boys are doing their bit on the field, authority needs to dotheirs. Engaging them in cricket round the year would be important.

In 2006, we won the Plate championship at the U-19 WorldCup, our best performance in terms of title so far. Then, Ireland was captainedby Eoin Morgan and Sri Lanka was led by Angelo Mathews. Now, Morgan is a vitalpart of English team and Matthews has shown his worth for Sri Lanka. Ourcaptain in that episode was Kanishka Chaugain. He now lives in US...

(PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's weekly sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 6th August, 2011)

Disclaimer: The picture shown in the post is courtesy www.ekantipur.com. It was published in the The Kathmandu Post.

Following the Royal Takeover

2011-08-01T23:49:00.004+05:30

The army began cordoning our office premises at around 9:30 (0445GMT) in the morning, some half an hour ahead of the Royal Proclamation… the state-owned radio and television had already announced that King Gyanendra was going to address the nation. Nothing more than that had been said, except that the King had summoned the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and chiefs of security agencies for a Royal audience.

As the group of armymen covered the periphery of the premises, an army major, in his military outfit and a gun, asked for an entry into the television station's newsroom. He politely said that he was here to provide security to the office in case an incident like September 1 occurs (On Sept 1, following the killing of 12 Nepalis in Iraq, there were riots in the city...the rioters had vandalized the office, burning several vehicles and pelting stones on the office building).

All of us, almost the entire news team, watched the Royal Proclamation live on the state owned television. Following the proclamation, the army major asked whether he could visit the control room. By then, the telephone lines were already cut and the cellular phones were cut during the address to the nation itself.

He was promptly shown the studio and news control room of the television station. A lot of confusion had already been created with the announcement of emergency, following the sacking of the then government. A lot of fundamental rights were suspended with the announcement.

The following rights have been suspended:

Freedom of opinion and expression
Freedom to assemble peacefully and without arms
Freedom to form unions and associations
Press and Publication Rights
Rights against preventive detention
Right to information
Right to property
Right to privacy
Right to constitutional remedy through writ jurisdiction (Writs like mandamus, certiorari, prohibition and quo warranto), except habeas corpus

As a matter of fact, not many of us knew what line to follow as far as the news was concerned. So one of the bulletin spot was used to re-telecast the proclamation. In the following bulletin, all the scripts were screened by the Army major. An armed army man was present within the news control room throughout the bulletin. The screening continued throughout the day, including all the bulletins. The same was the case with all of our daily publications and the FM radio news. The armymen
cordoned the premises throughout the night.

The following day, King announced a cabinet of ministers. So we prepared a report on all the cabinet members, which included their positions. Incidentally, the report also talked about the ministers holding some important positions during the Panchayat regime (the non-party political system, which was overthrown by the popular movement in 1990). That news, aired at 1200 local time, was said to be bold under the prevailing circumstances. The army major told us that the news should not go in the format written and those parts had to be deleted from it. So those parts
were removed in our subsequent bulletins.

The same day, we had aired an international news, which had it that the Marxist guerrillas had killed 14 Colombian marines, in Colombia. We ran the news in three of our bulletins, starting in the morning. The army major, very polite in his conversations, requested to remove that news as well. The reason: that could be detrimental to our security forces' morale. The word communist had its effect.

The armymen stayed within the premises for three days and the screening went on a regular basis. One of our bulletins had to be aired two minutes late, because the Major had not finished reading the news then. On the third evening, the army left. But before leaving, they cautioned us to follow the guidelines issued by the government while disseminating news. And we have been following that ever since.

An interesting pattern of news had emerged in the whole media. While some papers had editorials on archery, weather and significance of socks, our regular section of vox-pop in the prime time news, called Janamat, had people being asked the importance of fruits in one's diet. While that was being aired, the control room crew had a hearty laugh. That also prompted the news-anchor to smile. Eventually, the chief of news was asked from a certain person close to the Royal Palace (although he did not reveal the identity and name of the person) on why did the news-anchor had that mocking smile on his face, while reading that particular section. Well, perceptions...

[Editor's note: This report was written several days ago and recounts the moment immediately preceding the coup when the military took control of Nepali broadcast facilities prior to the announcement of the coup by King Gyanendra.]

This article, written by yours truly, was published on Radio Free Nepal, an online blog, where articles were published anonymously, following takeover of Executive powers by then King Gyanendra. This article appeared under the headline: An Account from Kantipur TV News Staff on Censoring, on February 19, 2005.
The reason it has been re-posted here is to remind us, what we have braved in past, so that we do not lose the achievements of Jana Andolan II.
Picture courtesy: Radio Free Nepal

A sign of Good Times to come?

2011-07-30T06:16:00.005+05:30

Hearda conversation in a public vehicle: God must be Nepali. For he made sure we dowell in two sports in a single day.

Needless to say, the person inquestion was talking about Nepali football team's performance against Jordan (2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers) and U-19 cricket team's start in ICC U-19 WorldCup qualifiers.

Yes,Nepali Colts beat Afghanistan convincingly. Most were expecting the result, maybe not with such a margin though.

Butin another case, Jordan advanced to the group stage of the qualifiers, beatingNepal by a huge margin. The scores, in aggregate, stood at 10-1 in favor ofJordan, while Nepal managed merely a draw at home. So what's the fuss about? Adraw?

However,if you look carefully, there is a reason for joy, for elation, for exuberanceand for deciding which nationality God has. For, the draw followed a drubbing.And for the fans, a draw was as good as a win. It was almost a rise from theashes à la Phoenix. For the die-hard fans, there are many lives lost andgained in those 90 minutes that their stars sweat it out.

Forgetfans, how many 'realistic' pundits would have given Nepal a 1-1 draw, atDashrath Stadium, after a 9-goal storm hit them in Amman.

The realists always ask you: What do you do when youhave your back pushed to the wall? …when you hit the rock bottom?

For theorists, the answer may be simple: Bounceback. But then, only those who face the situation know that it's always easiersaid than done. They say, nothing succeeds like success. The corollary is alsotrue. Failure also breeds its own kind. When your back is to the wall, youstart taking support of that wall. It becomes your companion, and you startfinding some comfort in it. You start going though the motion… run-of-the-millstuff. So much that you start enjoying it, making it difficult for you to comeback.

At such moments, it is necessary to break thethought process. Once that chain is broken, parity can be restored. In thiscase, Nepal's climb in FIFA ranking must have helped. After all, we became thenumber one football side in South Asia. Some pride restored off the field.

Apparently, following the 9-0 humiliation, Nepal'sBritish coach had told the boys, "You don't become a bad player after onegame." Inspiring? Maybe, but the coaches don't go and play. It's for theboys to face the heat.

Evenin pre-match press conference, Roberts was quoted as saying that they (theteam, including himself) wanted to put pride back into Nepal and want to pleaseeveryone. The captain, however, sounded more circumspect, not promising much.Somehow, the fans were worried. "Are the players in right frame of mind toplay this game," they wondered.

Butonce the match started, worry was put to rest. The boys were in the zone andfelt at home. The fans could do their job – cheering. In sport, as in life,some questions are answered only through actions.

Goingto Amman, to play the first leg, Nepali team was underprepared, under-practicedand showed lethargy on the field. The football administrators should take someblame for that, for they know in advance when the national team plays. And theyare supposed to prepare them for big matches. Nothing big about that, it'stheir job.

Amazingly,not much changed in 5 days – after match in Amman, but the result did. Onething that changed was that the players realized or made to realize why theywere playing – for their shirts. And the performance was there for all to see.Some would like to call it moral victory.

SouravGanguly, the person credited to make Indian cricket team a fighting unit, saidonce, "I do not understand the meaning ofmoral victories." But then, that was Indian captain talking. For fans,that's what it is all about.

And for the players, maybe they can take a leaf outof their coach's quote and remember - You don't become a great player after onegame, either. Could it be just the start we needed?

(PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 30th July, 2011)

Disclaimer: The picture shown in the post is courtesy www.ekantipur.com. It was published in the The Kathmandu Post epaper.

Full stop for Fed Express? Maybe not

2011-07-02T10:19:00.000+05:30

And the Fed Express crashed, after going 2 sets up, for the first time in 179 Grand Slam matches he’s played. The Muhammad Ali look-alike – although a much softer and more erratic version - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did the unthinkable, stopping clocks and hearts at 4:24 PM on Centre Court on Wimbledon.

Tim Henman, who carried the British torch (read the lone hope) at the Wimbledon towards the turn of the century, had tipped Roger Federer to win the title this time around. The logic was, Federer has become more carefree with age. And that would help him take more risk and kill the opponents. Alas! Henman’s prediction missed just as his volleys did at the Wimbledon’s 4 semi-finals.

Henman may not have forgotten the year 2001, when he beat the newcomer Federer in 4 sets at a quarter-final on the same stage. And he might have recognized, even then, that this 20-year old had, what he himself did not have. But, he may well be as shell shocked as we are after this quarter-final.

Shocked we are. For, Federer had collected as many fans, if not more, as any player in the history of Tennis. For, he restarted the debate “who’s the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)?” For, he stamped his authority in the world of Tennis and finally settled the debate, appearing in an unprecedented 23 career Grand Slam finals, including 10 consecutive appearances.

But Federer did not become Fed Express just because he was number one for 237 weeks at a stretch. Not just because he appeared in 18 of 19 finals between 2005 Wimbledon and 2010 Australian Open. The Fed Express he became because he made anyone else feel like also-ran for extended period. The Fed Express he became because he added flair of Boris Becker to consistency of Ivan Lendl. To us, he made Pete Sampras look like a robot. The Fed Express he became because he made cricket look boring, as Australia was invincible, West Indies were buried while Sachin Tendulkar was showing signs that he was mortal after all. All with a racket in hand and imagination in the head.

Tennis hasn’t seen many baseliners as comfortable coming to the nets, exhibiting rare backhand smash. He was the one. Anyone else hasn’t had their motion termed as a great liquid whip. Anyone else hasn’t prompted Jimmy Connors to say, "In an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist...or you're Roger Federer."

Ivan Lendl once said, “Grass is for cow”, frustrated as he failed to win any title on the surface. Federer proved that silken elegance and offense both have a place on grass. He treaded on it, he owned it.

We sat in awe, as he, along with Rafael Nadal revived the legacy of great Tennis rivalry. We were reminded of Borg-McEnroe and Edberg-Becker rivalry that made Tennis exhilarating again. That too in 21^st century, when we thought Tennis is all about rising hemlines and designer shows. We loved Nadal; We loved Federer a wee bit more, for the grace he showed after losing to a younger and brasher player on clay and later, even on grass.

He would lose to Nadal – as Nadal lifted his game to the level of insanity, playing against Federer – time after time, in finals. We would think, “Greatness too, has a shelf life”. But when commentators termed him old, we’d scoff. “He’s still in 20s”, we’d say, “Next time!”

A year and a half without title? Not palatable for a champion. But then we were convinced, this Wimbledon would be his. And then came Tsonga. Two sets down, but he hung on, like the Great Ali he resembles. ‘Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee’. He stung, with a serve at 133 miles per hour. Fed Express stopped. For us, Wimbledon was over.

Post match, Federer said, "Except the score, many things went right". Next year when he returns – as we, the fans want – we would want that the score goes right, too. For he, more than anyone else, deserves the title for the 7^th time.

PS: The write-up appeared in Yours Truly's sports column - OFFSIDE - in The Kathmandu Post, on 2nd July, 2011)

Olympic spirit: Did we not lose it?

2011-06-25T09:47:00.001+05:30

More than 200 countries – 205 in theory – marked the Olympic day on June 23rd. The day has significance in history as it was the same day in the year 1894, when International Olympic Committee was formally established.

As every National Olympic Committees marked the day, their focus was the slogan – Sports for Everyone. Only we, perhaps, marked it without getting the message. For us, it was not for everyone. That has to be exactly the reason why there were two Olympic Committees organizing their own program in two different places. While one chose birthplace of Buddha, the other one chose the capital (as if Buddha was against unity).

If you find it astonishing, you’re in for more shock. Two of our best known sportspersons, and the only players we have produced so far to get ‘qualified’ for an Olympic event, were not the part of celebrations. Yes, Deepak Bista and Sangina Baidya were not present in either of the programs. And why would they? After all, they would not like to be linked with yet another controversy. And which celebration would they choose to attend? They’re affiliated to National Sports Council and would not like to go against what their bosses say.

Now this does not make Bista and Baidya baddies. For they must be as confused as anyone else. For they would have enjoyed being a part of Olympic Day Run as anyone else. For they have contributed to Nepali sport as anyone else, maybe with more glory. Talk to Bista on the topic and he finds it difficult to talk about it (could not talk to Sangina on the issue). For he would not know what exactly to say about not attending the program.

It was the moment the whole Olympic movement was shamed, by the officials who have none of it.

In moments like these, you feel perhaps it is good that Pierre de Coubertin, the person known as father of Modern Olympics is no more. For he started the Olympic movement thinking it would bring world peace. He saw value in the ancient practice of a sacred truce during the ancient Olympic Games, thinking it might have modern implications, and the modern Olympics would have a role in promoting peace. Was he wrong in doing that? Anyone can answer that.

But here we are, trying to prove him wrong. World Peace may be buried deep under the sea, for we cannot even make peace to organize one program together. A common sports fan would like to question: What does it take to let ego go, for common good? Logic behind legitimacy may be secondary; development of the sports should be the primary agenda. And that does not look like happening here.

American President Barack Obama, during his pitch to bid for Olympics in Chicago had said: “[We] reach for a dream - a dream that no matter who we are, where we
come from; no matter what we look like or what hand life has dealt us; with hard work, and discipline and dedication, we can make it if we try. That’s not just the American dream. That is the Olympic Spirit. It’s the essence of the Olympic Spirit.”

Chicago may not have won the bid to host 2016 Olympics, but words expressed cannot be taken lightly. The Olympic spirit is the basis of motto of Olympic movement - Citius, Altius, Fortius (Swifter, Higher, Stronger). And we fail to get there, as we continue fighting among ourselves.

The Olympic spirit is neither the property of one race nor of one age. But it brings, and has to – for everybody’s good – people from all races ethnicities together. Without that, there is no point in claiming to have that spirit.

(PS: This write up appeared in a weekly column of yours truly in The Kathmandu Post, OFF-SIDE, on 25th June, 2011)

(The picture displayed above was taken from http://osocio.org and writer does not claim any rights over the picture)

Change in Guards at NSC: Will it be change of attitude?

2011-06-18T10:11:00.005+05:30

The National Sports Council has a new head. Former Karateka Yuvraj Lama has made a comeback into the field of sports, after a gap of almost two decades, as the most powerful (potentially) person in Nepali sports – The Member Secretary of National Sports Council (NSC). Following his appointment, many a person were found asking, why is he back? Or what can he give back to sports?

Being able to talk to him the day he took office, I, too, was bound to ask him – Why? But Lama, as anybody who takes up such a post should be, appeared prepared. He tells you he’s presented a working plan to the party leadership. Party leadership? The question may amuse many. But that’s the way cookie crumbles here. Member Secretary of NSC, like in many other institutions that ought to be autonomous, is a political appointment.

As any sports buff would see it, the challenges are many for Lama. There’s a small matter of preparation for South Asian and Olympic Games that are to be held in 2012, along with administrative challenges of running the organization that’s ill-funded, overstaffed (lack of right person at right job) and often acts as a headless chicken in its own ways. Add to that Nepal’s preparations for hosting the South Asian Games in 2014. Now managing that would be a tough nut to crack even for a martial artist. To top that, he has another arduous and unenviable task of pleasing the party that has sent him to the job, especially as some of its cadres voiced their reservations on his appointment.

Now we can’t forget that Lama was the person who had said his good bye to the field of sports. If you believe insiders of the game, he left it because there was no ‘future’ in the field. He took up the filmdom, as a filmmaker and actor during the gap. Some go on criticizing that his films did not do well and hence he landed in sports again. One may choose to agree or disagree with the statement, depending upon their loyalty. But what the former Karate coach can do is use his knowledge from the field of glamour to improve the image of sporting institutions. The villain on the silverscreen could become a hero off it.

In most countries that are taken as successful in sports, glamour is an integral reason for its popularity among masses. What it does is bring in people to the sports arena, consolidate the fan base as well as sport aspirants, thereby enriching the sector. More the competition, better are the results in international stage. And here, we could do with some glamour in the field. After all, how many sport stars do we see as brand ambassadors of products or social causes? Can be counted in fingers, without needing both hands... Compare it to the Bollywood stars hogging limelight during sport events like IPL. Who takes away the limelight is not a question. What it does to the masses is more important for us.

The other thought that is perhaps disturbing Lama, sports enthusiasts and the sports journos is: How long is he going to be in the hot seat? In all likelihood, the government should change sooner than later. That would mean change in guards again at the NSC (tradition, after all!). Will Lama be able to even table his work plan and start the sports academy or sports college (as he calls it)? Or even if it’s tabled, will his successors (which is bound to happen given the nature of the post), implement it? Will he be able to change the attitude of sports sector or the political leadership that governs it? These perhaps are the questions that need answers. As long as they are not, Yuvraj Lamas would come and go, we’d still be complaining.

One thing that he can definitely do, is make some visible changes to the website of NSC – www.nsc.gov.np. It still shows Jeevan Ram Shrestha as the Member Secretary of NSC. With due respect to Shrestha, he gave up the post almost two years ago.
(This write-up appeared in weekly column of Yours Truly 'OFF-SIDE' in The Kathmandu Post on 18th June 2011)

Opportunities waiting, will we cash?

2011-06-11T22:44:00.002+05:30

Just a few days before we enjoyed the high-voltage drama for extension of Constituent Assembly tenure on most national TV channels, we ignored a small matter of one A division Football Club's plight of not finding sponsors. Needless to say, the club was not from the valley that is hub to everything that matters in the country, be it political frictions, sporting actions or financial transactions.
The plight of the club went mostly unheeded, except for a few sympathetic journos, who got a few more bylines in print. Interestingly, this is not the only club that is facing financial crunch. With the football season at full swing, most clubs are facing the heat, as expenses are rising and incomes fall short. We knew its possibility, but failed take action on time. An opportunity missed.
But what would you expect, as the National Sports Council – the apex Sports body in the country – itself is incomplete. The Joint Secretary from Ministry of Sports (and not Member-Secretary) heads it on ad-hoc basis. The Board at NSC has not been formed as it awaits political appointments. The present government is 4 months old and will be, in most likelihood, replaced by another one, anytime soon. And as a norm, first few weeks of the government never has sport in its To-do list. It's not difficult to know what will happen of NSC, whose patron – The Prime Minister – himself is counting days in power. Another opportunity missed.
Flashback to 2008: Just before the elections for the Constituent Assembly, the sport aficionados were excited that most major parties had included sports in their election manifestos. The fanatics started dreaming. Two plus years later, the National Games was deferred, since Dhangadhi was not readied on time to host the event. That was supposed to be early this year. Despite deferral, no new date was announced. We had more important things to do. Yet another opportunity missed.
As we stand in the middle of 2011, another year – another set of opportunity - is waiting. The year 2012. The year of Olympics. The year of 12th South Asian Games. These would require preparation. Even if the preparation doesn't start now, the planning will have to be started now. In the 11th South Asian Games, in Dhaka, Nepal just nudged ahead of Afghanistan by 2 gold medals. It should be noted that Bhutan and the Maldives did not get any medal. Slackness in planning could mean that we'd be the last one among gold medal winners. Will the opportunity be missed?
Another issue that many have yet to talk about, given our habit of last minute preparations, is the 13th South Asian Games. It is Nepal's turn to host the event in 2014. And the question would be: Are we ready for it?
If the engineers from NSC are to be believed (and who else are to be believed here), our sport infrastructure are accidents waiting to happen. Apart from few cosmetic changes in 1999 South Asian Games, we've not had any renovation of the infrastructure. Even if we do not build new stadia for the next SAG, major overhaul of infrastructure would be necessary. This is the second decade of 21st century and even technology has progressed by leaps and bounds in the sector. Improvement of the facilities is but mandatory. We've had enough fun complaining while watching Indian media reports on 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Could it be our turn to be laughed at?
Here, we could do well to remember recent corruption scandal in FIFA. They were centered around which country is the World Cup awarded to. Explains, why countries attach so much of pride with multi-nation sporting events. Needless to say what it does to the economic growth of the nation. That's the stuff economists and planners to look at. The politicos, who talk of national pride at the bat of an eyelid, perhaps should know the value of it.
And unless the planners believe in Mayan prophecy that the world would end by December, 2012, they better not procrastinate. After all, how many opportunities can we miss?
(The write-up was published in the weekly column of Yours Truly in The Kathmandu Post on 11th June, 2011)

The Royal story: A decade and counting…

2011-06-01T21:59:00.004+05:30

The story begins in 2001…

The information:

Yours truly got a call just a couple of hours after midnight from a friend. You never feel good getting a call before dawn, unless you're in your prime teenage. The phone ring is always eerie (mobile phones were not in the range of entry-level job holders then), if you've just hit the best part of the sleep. And it was a male friend. Nothing friendly about the call, no greetings exchanged. A shock: "Did you hear about what happened at the palace?" Now you don’t expect a Royal palace to be a topic of ice breaker, that too, at such a time.

That's enough to dispel thoughts about your friend being lunatic, because he's a fellow journalist. Journalism is a serious business. A year into journalism – that too in the country's best read English daily – makes you feel that you have to be an expert on whatever happens in the known universe (although I was primarily supposed to be know-all in Sports). The news was sketchy and we did not really figure out at the moment that we were talking of a massacre. The sleep, that had started only a few hours ago was nowhere in sight. After all, it was an issue about the Royals. And then you think, you were near the place of incident (Thamel), only a few hours ago. "How did I miss something then?", a question makes rounds in your head. No answers.

More phone calls in the coming hours and complete silence on state-run TV and radio, tells you a story. A story you never imagined. The whole family – the chair, the heir and those who were probably not in the power scheme – is gone, brutally massacred. Not even hopes left. "How can that happen?", you ask yourself. Family members ask you, sitting in front of TV, before dawn – because they too think journalists should know all – "What exactly happened?" No answers again.

In such situation, the numbness grows, and it did. A walk to nearest street after sunrise and you see people confused, some shocked. They are speaking to each other. The tone is still hush-hush. Most newspapers haven't reported it. The ones who have, have only hinted at some violence at the palace. And you think, if I was the editor of the paper, maybe I would've been told everything by the sources high-up. Maybe, or maybe not! Wishes are not horses, not for real.

The realization:

The rumor (till then no official confirmation) had it that the Crown Prince gunned down nine family members, including King Birendra, in a fit of rage. Rage? How bad? No answers yet.

Difficult to understand why it happened. Even more difficult to have a meal. "Wasn't the Crown Prince supposed to watch the Grand rehearsal of preparation for the National Games in the evening today?", you ask yourself. The Games are to start tomorrow, after a grand opening. I've already been given two more fellow reporters by my boss, to cover the whole Games. After all, the Crown Prince is (or was, already) the patron of National Sports Council.

The best place at such times, you think, should be a newsroom. That's where the information should be. You take off for the office. It's a Saturday. Traffic is less but people on the streets are more in number. On the way, you also see some teary eyed women, who probably never saw the glorified Royals, except in pictures or on TV. The calmness of all this is disturbing. Very disturbing. Everybody knows what has happened, but they fear what will happen next.

The work unlike usual:

Stupidity has its own measures. Even when it's immeasurable. After a round of tea (or perhaps, more) with fellow workers at the office, I tell the News Editor (the second-in-command after the Editor), "Looks like National Games won't happen!"

Bravo!

What an announcement! Very intelligent stuff…

Before I even realize the magnitude of my stupidity, he shakes his head and tells me, "Can you help us doing other stuff then?" Humbled with his magnanimity, yours truly agrees. And since he does not 'understand' power or politics – being in Sports – mutually both agree that he does stories on those who were not in the power scheme. Prince Nirajan and Princess Shruti – The unfulfilled dreams, or rather, those who'd been slain unnecessarily, shamelessly.

And yes, lest we forget, the National Games have been shelved for now (only to be held some 8 years later).

The work begins, so does the prohibitory orders from the democratically elected government (called curfew). The King is changed over the days. And the official line is: Prince Dipendra, under the influence of drink and drugs killed everyone in his sight at a family dinner at the palace with an automatic weapon. Dressed in military fatigues, Dipendra killed his father, King Birendra (who had ushered in an era of democracy), his mother, brother and sister and five other relatives before gunning down himself.

The times are such; there aren't many takers for the official version.

However, yours truly gets busy with the work, trying to make telephone calls to people associated with the innocent two. With the curfew in place, it's difficult to meet them, and they would not believe you on phone. Why should they? They say they feared their own lives. They perhaps did.

One of the mornings when one of the stories appeared on the paper, a friend calls. Somehow she sounds gloomy and satisfied at the same time (only women can do that): "Did you read a piece on Prince Nirajan in The Kathmandu Post? I feel bad about the man, who had nothing to do with politics, and was killed. I feel worse than the day I heard of the killing."

"Oh really? Who wrote it?", yours truly asked, trying to sound inquisitive. You cannot argue with women, much less their instinct.

"Oh Sh*t. It's you."

No matter how much journalists boast or remain under an illusion that people know their names by heart, yours truly learnt a lesson that day. It's the news that people are interested in, and not who wrote it (despite the names being in bold fonts). A journalist is just a finger pointing towards the moon so that people can see it. Once they see it, you've done your job and lost your importance.

The Follow-up:

The official version has come. The people hardly believe it, despite dramatic performance on state-run TV by the speaker of the parliament. The new King is on the throne. Journalists from International media still hire private cars and cabs to run around the city. A few have left already. The ones that are here try to find romanticism in Maoist insurgency. They teach the by-passers how to give a juicy soundbite (the way it suits their stories), while some local journalists make money tagging along with the international ones (and also gain exposure).

Meanwhile, the people who were confused on the first day, are still confused. They are grieving. Men, en masse go and tonsure their head. The barbers for a while have stopped charging for their service. Among many rallies taken out in grief, yours truly also finds a place (peer pressure) and subsequently gives in to tonsuring. A friend tells him the reason for his own tonsure, "Dandruff problem." It's June heat. No love lost!

The people, the same people, just a decade ago were asking for the head of the same King. At least they wanted this King, and his family, to leave the place. Now everybody is grieving for him and his family, shaving off their head. Those tears are not fake; those are real.

Fast forward – a few days. The tea-stall chatters are not even centered on the slain family. Everybody is talking of the people who are associated with the rituals following cremation. They talk about how much these professional ritual-doers make. What amount? How much gold? How much of Land? The questions are many.

Tells you, like in politics, in life – nothing is permanent. Even grief. Even the loss. Even the crisis. Even the shock. Had heard earlier - The King is dead: Long live the King. Fitting? Still unable to understand.

The Aftermath:

The term 'Mystery' is amazing. Sounding so similar to history, we might as well realize that most incidents in history remain mystery. And true to its nature, mystery still surrounds the massacre that many may argue started the slide of monarchy. A decade from the day, it's not present. Very few of us talk about it in a whole day.

Most of us still think that the report brought out, which was basically a summary of interviews (and not a result of investigation), has not done justice to the scale of the incident. It was the worst massacre after Lenin inspired shooting of the Romanovs in Russia 9 decades ago.

The other stakeholders in the state remained busy with themselves. The Maoists, who had just upped the ante a year ago in their bloody battle, were not going to sit down idly. They saw Indian 'hand' in the episode. Lack of proper investigation meant conspiracy theories still are rife. Although they sound interesting, none of them are convincing enough. After all, conspiracy theories are meant to be interesting. At the same time, democratically elected government and the lawmakers remained mute. Did they fear their own security? They did not tell us.

But the whole episode definitely removed the aura that the monarchy lived with. Something that was granted to them for past couple of centuries. Neither the King non the Crown Prince post-2001, could live up to the billing of a deity. Suddenly, they were not lord Bishnu's avatar. Amazing so much can happen in one night. That fateful night, along with a family, a myth was killed. The myth that the lord is taking care of the nation and its citizens. The myth was busted, and we are yet to come to terms with it. That we have to take care of the nation ourselves. It has taken a decade, and we're still work-in-progress when it comes to that.

A decade on, the ring that rattled yours truly's sleep that night still haunts him, for we are yet to become our own lords. And he is waiting for another ring, timing notwithstanding, which tells him that everything is well with his nation.

Sadly, the story does not end...

(PS: The above photo was featured in the 'From Our Own Correspondent' section of online edition of BBC following the Royal Massacre in 2001)

Cricket's call for change

2011-04-12T10:42:00.001+05:30

Hardly had Nepali cricket fans recovered from jolt due to ICC confirmation that the next two World Cups will be 10-team events, they were given another shock. The news of a few former national cricketers moving the Supreme Court against the activities of Cricket Association of Nepal has surprised many, at the same time raised quite a few eyebrows too.

Much has already been said by the players and officials from Ireland, the most successful of the associate nations in past two World Cups, along with Scotland, Kenya, Canada and other nations about the associates being shown the exit doors. Whether it moves the money minded ICC or not; Whether it has excluded the 'world' from the World Cup or not; Whether that decision will mar the reputation of cricket across the globe or not, the single decision has killed the aspirations of cricketers from the emerging nations. And that includes Nepali players too.

However, the major disappointment, and one which could have long term bearing on the sport, comes from the players' moving court. The disappointment is not merely that the cricket governing organisation has been challenged. The disappointment is due to the fact that some people deemed it necessary that judiciary be involved in sport.

The petitioners have claimed that CAN has never conducted election of its executive committee and the association lacks financial transparency. They also claim that CAN has been exploiting players. We know that these are modern times and transparency is a must. And exploitation? That's a word we don't even want to hear in the sector.

However, one must admit that not everything is fine in our cricket. Less than five years of the present executive committee taking over, a sense of disenchantment has grown in. Talk to those who've been in the association for several years – the ones who have cricketing background - they'd tell you that the political appointees disturb the work. Talk to the so called political appointees… well, they're never available for cricket talk. They can give you enough on why the government formation is difficult and constitution may never be drafted. Cricket is definitely not on their agenda.

If you talk to the players in the national cricket team, and if they have confidence in you, you do hear some murmurs. Dissatisfaction is there. Complains are there, but they never go on record, to save their career. Maybe CAN authorities have not noticed but that affects their motivation during matches too.

And now CAN has a court case to settle.

Time to worry? Maybe not.

Maybe this is an opportunity for those who really want to clean up cricket to come clean themselves. If everything is fine, this could be an opportunity to say so. If not, this could be an opportunity to correct it. Transparency has not, and never will hurt development.

On the other hand, a few questions perhaps need to be asked to the plaintiffs. Court should be consulted after every other system fails. Was there no alternative left? Or were they in a hurry to get popular? Or how does it help when some from the plaintiffs openly talk only against the CAN President? Is it only him who runs the show? How do you ensure that this is not being vindictive?

This also raises a question. Could those, who moved court, not have stayed within a system and tried to improve it, rather than challenging the system itself? It is a good idea to get into the system and try to cleanse it. Maybe that helps everyone.

Now these are former cricketers and we should give them due respect. But they also need to prove their motive here. If some of these are included in CAN in near future, will they abandon this 'crusade' as they might like to call it?

The questions are many but the answer is simple. Cricket needs to come clean after all the hullabaloo.

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 9th April, 2011, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Minnows' World Cup? Not quite yet

2011-03-05T08:16:00.002+05:30

For once, the cricket fans in Nepal, and perhaps in some other associate members of International Cricket Council, are not very happy with Shahid Afridi, the Pakistani captain and all-rounder. For once, we do not want to cherish his five-for. For once, we do not want to be a part of his match turning performance. For, he blew up the possible juggernaut of associate members, a fairytale, we could have witnessed at this World Cup.

If it was not for his superb bowling efforts, Canada could have defeated Pakistan to create second miracle at this edition of the Cup. They could have pushed the cause started by Ireland, for ICC to reconsider its plans of hosting mere 10 nations at the WC 2015. Now we can't blame Afridi for that. He's paid in cash by his board and in respect by hundreds of thousands to do that job, thrashing the minnows and remain competitive with the top teams.

The Irish team defeating the Englishmen has been dubbed as one of the biggest upsets in the cricketing history, akin to Greece taking the Euro Cup football in 2004 or Boris Becker winning the Wimbledon in 1985, when he was just 17. True, it was one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. This can also be assumed by the fact that, the bookmakers were ready to offer mere 400-1 odds for the relative minnows, trying their fate with the English team that had tied a match only a few days ago, against the mighty Indian team, at 338 runs.

The Ireland team chasing down the biggest target in Cricket World Cup history, at 328, is also a thumping challenge to the ICC executive board, which approved that 2015 CWC will consist of only 10 permanent members and associate members cannot participate in the tournament. Then, the decision had drawn flak from associate members and we'd started questioning if the acronym ICC actually stood for International Commerce Council and if the term 'development' did not actually feature in ICC dictionary.

But then, we associates hardly have a loud voice. At the time the world bodies of sport are lost in the cacophony of ringing at the cash counter collections, we, the associate members are regarded as the recipients, getting donations from them – the cost centers and not profit centers.

But now, the Irish cricket team, led by one of the best ODI innings ever from Kevin O'Brien, has given a thunder in our voice. The defeat of English team at the hands of Ireland is similar to Mike Tyson being defeated by little known James Buster Douglas in 1990. Never had a boxing ring heard such a loud thud, when Douglas knocked out the then undisputed world champion, Tyson in Tokyo. The thud, to many, is still deafening. It was a thud of minnows arriving. It was a thud of a new world order coming. The Irish team has created a similar thud. And the noise should be heard by those who sit in the executive board meeting of ICC. For, we, the associate members of ICC popularize the sport, make it reach millions more than it already has. We make it an international sport and not a game played just by former British Colonies.

We wish just that a few more minnows should replicate what Irish team has done. We need more O'Briens, more Douglas and there would be a day when we would see Paras Khadkas, Gyanendra Mallas and Binod Dases playing at the world stage.

The famous songster, Bob Dylan, in his song had asked once: How many ears must one man have, before he can hear people cry...

We hope ICC has ears and can hear.

Because, another song from the great man says: Please get out of the new one, if you can't lend your hand... For the times they are a-changin'.

Four years after

2011-02-19T05:38:00.001+05:30

And the World Cup has begun. It is four years after the almighty Aussies conquered the Caribbean, making it three cups in a row – exerting the dominance never ever seen in cricket ever. It is four years after, we searched for a team Australia would meet in the final. And four years after, we see that the Cup is wide open, up for grabs for at least four top teams, if they can manage consistency throughout the month and half long celebrations.

But there are deeper questions that surround the ICC's 49-match, 43-day, 13-venue event, this time around. Yes, it is being organized in the biggest money collecting bowl for cricket in the world – the subcontinent we are a part of. Yes, it is perhaps the last time we'd see the two of the best batsmen of our times – Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting, playing in multi-nation tourney. But this is also a time where ODI format is being questioned, for its worth, especially in the wake of the T20 onslaught.

Unlike in the past, the Cup's 10th edition - even before it began - was labelled as the decider for what course the 50-over game will take in future. And in all the likelihood, everything that happens in this edition will have consequences impacting cricket's future, almost immediately. The ICC now calls this World Cup, "The Cup that Counts", which gives enough indication how important it could be. More so for non-Test playing countries like Nepal, since they've been preparing for past decade to be able to play in the World Cup under this format. Imperative that our administrators watch every action that takes place during the World Cup, both on and off the field.

Since the 1980s, ODI World Cup has kept cricket expanding and has been the best advertisement for cricket in non cricket playing nations. Netherlands, Canada and Kenya playing at the biggest stage in this format have kept our boys putting in that extra yard of pace, that extra bit of power in their shots, in their backyards. If that were to fall, we would have to rethink our strategies, and the same stands true for the countries like Afghanistan.

Test cricket still remains purists' choice and delight. It's not old, it's mellow, like wine – they say. It's there to stay – they say. But questions have been raised on the relevance of the shorter format – the one dayers. With more explosive and animated form of the game, added with oomph (read cheerleaders) and shorter duration – the T20s – there are questions over why is there a need for format that lasts entire day. It has become the new tequila shot for the non-purists. Why need anything when we already have wine and tequila – they say.

There were many who said bringing in Bryan Adams at the opening extravaganza of the World Cup fitted well. After all, Bryan Adams had his peak in 90s, the same time as the peak of ODIs. Both are losing their charm – is what they complain.

But then, how many of us do dislike '18 till I die' or 'Everything I do'? It's that spirit of openness and romance that remains in us, no matter how old. That's akin to ODI format, which gave wings to cricket, just when Test matches began to become dull affair. The spirit of romance that ODI brought in cannot be compared with the oomph and money we see in the T20s. That ways Bryan Adams fitted well with the World Cup.

It's also fitting Sachin Tendulkar now will make his presence in the World Cup as a brand ambassador. ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said once: "We are very lucky to have such an extraordinary player as Sachin supporting our flagship event."

So if not for anything else, for him, we should rejoice this event. The event that began in Bangabandhu stadium in Dhaka, a place where history and the memories live in, a place where the fans have special bonds, should be toasted.

After all, despite the presence of wine and tequila shots, rare scotch whiskey has its own value. Its value lies in being mellow and having the sting at the same time.

So let's celebrate the ICC World Cup 2011. For we can't be sure – what it will be, four years after.

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 19th February, 2011, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Where are the youngsters?

2011-01-22T22:09:00.001+05:30

Less than a fortnight ago, Pashupati Paneru reclaimed the men's singles title at the Krishna Mohan Memorial Badminton Championship. The title got him richer by half a hundred thousand rupees, which is not bad for a singles event in Nepal.

But that's not the point. The point is, that Pashupati Paneru was a lost face in Nepali sports for a while. The point is, that Pashupati Paneru had gone to USA, looking for greener pastures. The point is, that Pashupati Paneru is back. The point is, that Pashupati Paneru is back with a bang.

Even greater point is that the shuttler in question here remained out of competitive badminton for 3 years and came back to win a national level championship without much competition. (He won the final in straight sets)

Now that does not speak well for our sports sector.

Paneru is not the first national level sportsman that took a trip to a foreign land, in search of better life. Nor will he be the last one. For, sportsmen, like us, are human beings. Apart from professional success, like us, they want a better life. A life where they don't have to stay awake overnight for water supply… A life where they don't have to wait for electricity for hours on end, just to be able to watch TV…

Paneru might have his personal reasons for opting out – along with him we'd lost two other badminton players. But when he came back, he was not younger than before. For any player in mid-30s, it's not easy to make a comeback (Remember, Nepali sportsmen hide their age by at least a couple of years). Of course, there are some super human players who shine well past the age others hang up their boots. But we can't forget that for every Sachin Tendulkar that amazes analysts, there are Suresh Rainas and Keiron Pollards, who nudge the podium for others to step aside. Yes, there are stalwarts in every game. But there are budding stars too. And Pashupati Paneru is no superman, although he's a fine talent, even maybe among the best that we've had.

The sad thing is, the apparent dearth of talent can be seen in other sports too. Tashi Tsering, the Manang Marshyangdi star, was named the best player in recently concluded British Gorkha Cup football. Tashi is hardly a newcomer. He's on the other side of mid-30s (he doesn't even lie about it), and possibly holds less prospect of playing for Nepal than a rookie who's just entered his club and is in 20s.

Both the cases create a noise that some of us might choose to ignore. Paneru's win and Tashi's achievement demand celebration, but they also serve us a notice. A notice that we're not witnessing the budding heroes. A notice that those who will push the game forward, the youngsters, are not visible. And they should also serve as a warning: Is our talent pool is drying up?

Hats off, to both the stalwarts for proving their mettle. Their love for their games show that hard work pays. And also brings success. But it also raises a question: Where is the competition?

This is one question our sports authorities should ignore at their own peril. What will they do, if the talent pool dries up? What will they manage?

Over the years, a lot has been said on building sports academies and sustaining sports. But sadly, this has not been happening. The sparse crowd at most major competitions, barring a few, shows that we don't have much youngsters taking up to sports. The dwindling fan base should be a cause of worry, for the fan base ensures the competitors take up to the arena, with a dream to light it up.

While lauding the success of Pashupati Paneru and Tashi Tsering, we should also try to think, who would we applaud, 5 years from now?

A fan's wishlist for 2011

2011-01-08T05:58:00.001+05:30

Abraham Lincoln once said, “And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” As a year comes to an end, and another starts, it's time to take stock of the year gone by, and a time to figure out what we want in another that has just started.

For sports fans, it's always about how many trophies their teams win, rather than how many matches they play. One bronze medal in Asian Games, added to a fifth place finish in South Asian Games is not what Nepali fans dream of. They want more, especially when Afghanistan, the latest entrant to SAG is breathing down our neck.

So what would a sports fan wish for, in the coming year? Brighter medal tallies, more efficient sport management and teams that would scare the opposition? 11 items from the wishlist of a sport fan for 2011:

- We would like to see more Deepak Maharjans, for they represent the kind of professionals we need. Quiet, tongue-tied, but efficient in the punches they deliver at a boxing ring. We'd rather not have the boisterous players, promising more than they could deliver. Additionally, we would not mind having more Dipak Bistas, although that's a rare commodity winning us four gold medals at SAG, as long as they don't let their tongues work ahead of their brain.

- We would like to see a Sports Minister, who would like to work with the sport officials, and not against them, using whims as a policy. We would rather like to see them making policies, which help the players and the game than leading contingent at multi-national events.

- We would like to see an end to the rivalry between National Sports Council and Nepal Olympic Committee. Both are expected to help the sports sector flourish and despite knowing their rivalry is helping other countries bag more medals, they've gone about their way. It would be nice to see members from both the sides thinking for sports, together.

- We would like the Finance Minister to release budget on time, for the players suffer when they don't get proper facilities. Lack of budget does hamper a player's mentality, just the way it does affect our households.

- We would want our sport officials to be respected, as people who think for the players and development of the game. For now, the players - even while talking to journalists - use the unmentionables, when they have to refer to any sport official.

- We would like the Supreme Court verdict which said, sports associations do not need registration under National Sports Council, to be honoured and implemented. It has the potential to open the doors for modernization of Nepali sports. The sport associations do not need control regime.

- We would like to hear the news that sport officials were awarded for their honesty and integrity. We would like to see them working for the upliftment of the game, if that's not too much to ask for.

- We would like to see more spectators in the stadium during the football league. Somehow the stadium being filled is either limited to folklores now, or the international matches, which is rare already.

- We would like to see the ANFA president Ganesh Thapa, to delegate some authority, especially now that he might become Vice-President of Asian Football Council. We would like him at the helm for his developmental work, and not the goals he used to score in late 80s and very early 90s.

- We would like to have a cricket coach that can better the records of Roy Dias, who brought Nepali cricket to international notice. We need someone who gets players' respect, carries on where Dias left and not reinvent the wheel again.

- And finally, at least some from us would like to see Sachin Tendulkar scoring his 60^th Test match century this year, for the simple reason that he's born to do that.

Impossible dreams? But then, that's the liberty fans have, of demanding too much… And what a day it would be, if we get to see all of them fulfilled.

Joy Forever

2010-12-27T05:03:00.001+05:30

Sachin Tendulkar scored his 50th century in Test matches this week. The news made headlines. Of course, the feat deserved it. At one point of time, say only a decade or two ago, it was way beyond anybody’s comprehension that a tally of 50 could ever be reached, especially that modern day cricket was getting more and more competitive. Those who wrote on cricket then would talk of 30s as a benchmark; none could even think that half a century of centuries could actually be accomplished.

So the feat was definitely special, worth printing in gold. But for fans it was something even more. It was an end to their wait, for they were waiting for the genius to reach there. As if some divine being had told them, this is a part of their pre-planned journey – watching Sachin making history.

Right after he scored his milestone ton, one colleague of this scribe asked him, “Don’t you think he’ll play for another five years?” Now take that for a question. And in certain ways, the question itself was an answer. A manifestation of their belief in the man, that stood just 5-foot 5-inches above the ground, yet towering above most of his contemporaries.

For one thing, Sachin Tendulkar would stand above all, that is for gathering the most number of fans across the globe, just the way we see him gathering runs in his pomp.

This scribe, among many of his generation, is one such self-declared a fan of his. The generation that took to adulthood in 1990s – which also included some Nepali cricketers who played in recent times – watched him take his first steps in international scene. The whole generation read as many pieces written on him as possible. For some, it was statistics; for some food for thought; for some a way of learning cricket; while for some, one more topic to talk at the tea stalls. And that would either precede or proceed with the highlights of his innings on TV, which for many of us, were always a ‘masterpiece’. The magazines like ‘The Sportstar’ were the new bible, but any issue that did not carry a story on him was ‘a piece of trash’ and not worth buying.

Growing up in 1990s was not easy. Nepal was an infant democracy, trying to learn how to walk the democratic path. The panchayat era influence on Nepali sports was there, although weakening; the newer controllers were trying to learn how to rein it in; the free market economic policy was the buzzword, although the younger lot were still to grab the concept; the insurgency was just flaring up in some remote part of the country; prices were going up and pocket money was not able to match with those; the curriculum wasn’t getting easier and the career path appeared limited; the IT revolution had started in our neighbourhood and we were not part of it – all enough to keep teenagers frustrated.

But then there was Sachin Tendulkar. In some of the most ferocious strokeplay we’d ever watched, we found peace. With a young boy looks (then he was young as well), and a heavy willow in his hands, he was trying to prove that there was hope, amidst frustration. The mortals suddenly appeared elevated, for there was some heavenly charm in those innings. The 90s had become bearable, despite frustrations it held for so many of us.

Come 2000s, we felt – journalists can be cruel people, especially with their questions. They talked about his decline. They asked him – When would you retire? And as most players, who spend a lot of time with PR coaches these days, he’d skirt away without an answer.

The fans looked sideways to find an actual answer. When there’s a lull in any player’s career, how do we know that he or she will not overcome the slump? Although journalists are quick to write a player off, fans are not.

And celebration of Tendulkar’s innings is vindication of fan’s faith in him. For they knew, it would come. It had to, even if it meant 7 centuries within a year.

And that’s a toast to Sachin Tendulkar, probably the greatest modern day cricketer, who could hold on to his fans, even when he could not do so, at times, with runs.

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 25th December, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Next is What!

2010-12-27T05:00:00.001+05:30

A few days ago, a fellow journalist, in a reaction to a facebook posting of mine, asked me a question, “What will happen to Nepali cricket after Roy Dias is gone? Would it collapse along with his farewell?”

A few of my other friends scoffed at it. A few were angry, while a few thought the comment was insane.

What impact can a single man make to the whole sector? A reasonable assessment… Perhaps pragmatic approach… For this approach makes you continue, even after a minor debacle…

A similar story had appeared in an international media few months ago, mocking New Zealand cricket. It said the entire New Zealand cricket would retire, when Daniel Vettori, its captain, decides to call it a day. No doubt, Daniel Vettori has been one of the few things Kiwi cricketers can take pride in, over the last decade or so. But he alone is not New Zealand cricket. But the above lines only highlight the contribution one single human being can make to the entire fraternity.

Likewise, a deeper look at the question from the fellow journalist makes you try and understand why it came. It came from a person that loves Nepali cricket. And is worried for it… Worries and planning do not make good bedfellows. They have to be kept aside, separately in water tight compartments, for worries may hamper plans. But you worry, if the road ahead looks foggy, sights gets blurred by the confusion that crossroads bring in your mind. And we can’t forget that Nepali cricket stands at the crossroads.

Crossroads it is, because a coach that has been there for 9 years (actually just a few months short of a decade), is leaving. Crossroads it is, because we haven’t yet groomed a person, who can take over half of the responsibilities that man was given. Crossroads it is, because we have a cricket board that is clearly divided, evident by the President and General Secretary hardly present together in planning meetings. Crossroads it is, because after a hard fight over the years we have achieved the status of number one ranking among Non-Test playing nations in Asia.

This is a fight that started nine years ago, when we got an old school coach from Sri Lanka that believed in teaching discipline first and then improving techniques. A coach who had played cricket at the highest level, the Test matches, and already coached a Test side… Those were the days we were only beginning to learn how to grip the willow.

Having been one of the first journalists to have met him in Kathmandu, I remember a fellow colleague asking Roy, “Sir, can you tell me about what kind of player you were?” This is perhaps the best example of what we, as journalists and nation, knew about cricket. Next to nothing…

Times change, the same way cricket pitch does over five days of Test cricket. And now we have a side that may not be world beaters, but are at least the top side in Asia (how many Non-Test playing cricket nations do we hear of outside Asia?). And that perhaps shows what Roy Dias has given us. His belief in his methods, his ways, of taking control, of mentoring the players, have been vindicated. The rankings will remain in place till the end of 2012, and Cricket Association of Nepal will be richer by 50 to 60K in USD, for infrastructure development. And for now on, we’d be dependent on a new coach, to take our team, hopefully, to newer heights. A new chapter has to begin. And this could be good grounds to begin it.

Under the mentorship of Roy Dias, we’ve won more matches than lost. And that should make a cricketing nation proud. Apart from wins, our cricketers have been our goodwill ambassadors to the places they’ve visited. In a recent meeting Dias told me, “It’s not only about winning or losing. It’s also about how you play. We can’t forget that Cricket is a gentleman’s game.”

That would be his contribution too, trying to bring in gentlemanliness back in cricket. And at the risk of sounding emotional, I would say, “Roy, for that at least, you’d be missed!”

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 18th December, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Are we paying heed?

2010-12-12T07:21:00.001+05:30

"Stunning beaches on The Great Ocean Rd.. Gorgeous drive!!"

The above lines appeared on the micro blogging site twitter, on England cricketer Kevin Pietersen's page, couple of hours before he was fined for speeding in Australia. Pietersen was driving a Lamborghini sports car.

Naturally, the incident made headlines. For Pietersen is a star player for his team and commands huge respect among cricket followers in the world, as his twitter posts are followed by more than hundred thousand fans. To top it all, not many would have forgotten the innings of 227 he played to down Australia, making his team earn a lead in the Ashes series.

For media, it was news worthy of a headline.

Cut to another incident.

25-member Nepali women football team left for Dhaka to participate in the SAFF Women´s Football Championship. Some notable TV channels ignored to cover the story, forget making it a headline. The news appeared in print and on online portals, sans fanfare.

It should be interesting here to mention that the team has a sizeable number, 9 players from the team that managed to secure the runners up position in the last edition of South Asian Games. Yet the hoopla was missing.

Was it because the participants were women? Feminists would love to believe that, for that could be one reason for them to picket some office, or maybe the constituent assembly.

For one thing, men's participation in similar tournament draws a lot of attention. It begins with the announcement of the probables, followed by media analysis of the players, their past performance and fitness, and even goes to the extent of featuring them in celebrity events. We may not have reached the level of having a set of interviews and photo sessions for their hairdos a la' David Beckham, but in past we've tried to emulate that, where the footballers have been the subject and participants at the ramp.

Nothing wrong with that, as long as football, or any other sport comes into limelight. When players become stars, more people follow the game, and with popularity comes in money, which further enriches the sport and those involved in it. Market mantra tells us that.

I've often been a part of talks, on the sidelines of sports event, where majority of our sport reporters say, "We need to make our players appear better than they are and create stars out of them."

So what went wrong this time around? Hardly more than a couple of bylines were seen, covering the story.

Now, Nepali women's football team has been grouped with Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Maldives at the SAFF championship. Having seen the past record, Nepali women should be able to make it to the next round, which is the semi-final. Anything under that could be considered an underachievement, for majority of the players are from departmental teams, which spend quite a lot of energy and resources – by Nepali standards – to keep the players fit.

That basically means that we have a real prospect in our hand. If Nepali eaves could keep their cool and focus on their skills, we could be a tough nut to crack for the regional power, India – whom we might meet for the title, that is, if everything went smooth on both the sides.

Was it also because the event was happening just after a bigger event – the Asiad – and everybody was taking a nap? Hardly looks so.

A few sport officials also revealed recently that the team would be sent to Bangladesh in a bus, because the venue was not too far from Jhapa, where the girls were camping. And here, we are talking about a national team, not a school team taking part in regional tournament in a neighbouring country. National team almost sneaking into the host country to participate in a South Asian championship... How do you beat that?

Pietersen gets a fine for a speeding car and makes headlines. The women's football team, that was runners-up in championship of similar stature - is carrying national pride and gets inadequate attention.

The question is: Who's watching the Big brother, the media?
(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 11th December, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Lessons to be Learnt?

2010-12-04T09:55:00.001+05:30

Deepak Maharjan was mere 7-year old when Chitra Bahadur Gurung won Nepal a bronze in the 1990 Asian Games, incidentally in Chinese city of Beijing. So it's highly unlikely that he might have been inspired by that event. And after that, we could never see the podium finish at the Asian level, as far as the pugilists are concerned.

Incidentally, it had to be China again, where the medal drought finally ended for the sport. And incidentally, it had to be another humble player who finished at the podium. In sports, it is said, you don't win silver, forget bronze. You only win gold.

But then, we are celebrating a third place finish. And why not, if it was not for Deepak Maharjan, our bag would remain empty. The media could have blamed it on the officials; after all they were the ones who had almost put the entire contingent's trip in jeopardy. After all, they were the ones who went to Guangzhou with the players, and were spotted in cities like Hong Kong and Macau, during the Games itself, while the players would hardly find a couple of hands clapping for them.

So what if it was only a bronze that he won. So what if he could only score one point against the 6-footer Indian boxer. Deepak Maharjan did not create magic, or set the ring on fire, and perhaps it was not even expected of him. For he was not the one who would give juicy soundbites to camera or make promises even before setting his foot in the ring. Before heading to China, he did not tell you he was going to break any record or a neck. What he did tell us was that he's going to try his best. What we conveniently forgot was he had won a gold in South Asian Games, last time around.

And now, he is a celebrated name. He even has a page on the Wikipedia now. And perhaps, he is not even aware of it. For he is a simpleton, a man who's likely to remain unnoticed unless you want to interview him. And there are chances you might regret interviewing him, because his lines are terse and hardly likely to incite anyone. But if you listen to him carefully, you might be feel differently.

When everyone who knows a bit of sports in the country, including media, was busy criticizing the sport officials for spoiling the environment even before the Asian Games, he would not even speak about it.

Upon his return he said, "Our job is to prepare well, and not concentrate on anything that happens outside." But it must be tough, not reacting to what is happening around you. He tells you, "That hampers preparation."

Terse, but to the point... Ask him how he feels after grabbing bronze at the Asian Games, and he would grope for words, often mumbling and trying to thank the entire family, friends, fans and god knows who not. But you would rate him for what he does in the ring, and not the speech he would deliver after receiving the medal. Doing both well would be great, we'd have a showman. But here, we are in dire need of flag bearers rather than stars.

Post Asiad, I could not help but notice 3 things.

Deepak came back for a hero's welcome, with his villagers thronging the airport just before midnight.

So did the other officials, one of whom was manhandled, by those who call themselves players.

A senior official from Sports Council - who shall here remain nameless and for his lack of understanding should remain jobless - told me, "Forget my talks on TV. We cannot even pay proper salaries, forget big plans for future."

Makes you wonder: Are we learning our lessons?

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 4th December, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

The Inconvenient Truth

2010-11-06T06:20:00.001+05:30

It's official now. The honourable Sports Minister is going to lead our contingent at the Asian Games. He will be the chef de mission as we're being represented by our players at the biggest stage in Asia. That, effectively, has killed the speculation and a lot of claims and counter claims over who's to head our contingent as top athletes from all over Asia parade in the Chinese city of Guangzhou.

You would breathe a sigh of relief at such a piece news, or maybe throw your hands in despair, depending upon how you view the participation. But, if you were an athlete, you'd just nod, and say, "Well, what difference does it make?" Given the nonchalance of our sport officials towards the players in previous visits, the lines speak volumes.

There are two sides to the minister's participation – one, of ending the controversy, and the other, of raising more questions. Indeed, Minister as Chef de Mission has ended the present claims and counter-claims from both National Sports Council member secretary and Nepal Olympic Committee officials. Anything that puts an end to controversy in sport is a welcome move.

But another view, and the one which could have far reaching consequence is – should a minister head such a mission? Maybe yes, but maybe not… The chef de mission is a liaison role and it includes coordinating between the Games Organizing Committee as well as other multi-sport organizations. The chef de mission is expected to know the technical part of sport, the rules and the updates in the rules.

With due respect to all the politicians – which is the group ministers belong to – it can be safely said that they, mostly, are unaware of rules of sports. In such a condition how well can our minister perform the role, is a question that does not even need to be answered. All over the world, perhaps without exception, ministers are not given that responsibility. Even if they do join in as chef de mission, it is because they hold some other post in sporting bodies.

More importantly, the ministers, in sports festivals of this stature, are invited by the Games Organizing Committee or the IOC, depending upon the clout of the ministers in the larger body. They're invited as special guests and given VVIP treatment.

Has our minister done wrong not to deserve that treatment? Or alternatively, why doesn't he want to see himself there? The questions have no easy answers.

Meanwhile, the honorable Supreme Court has put an end to the question over which one is the legitimate of the two NOCs. The only flip side is that the one not recognized by the Supreme Court enjoys IOC recognition.

Honoring and acting on the Supreme Court verdict will take time and hopefully, IOC will also honor it. But one important part of the apex court verdict in the past week went unnoticed. It said, sports associations did not need registration under National Sports Council.

While it may have made not have made the NSC authorities very happy, it has perhaps, opened the doors for modernization of Nepali sports fraternity. The verdict said that the sport associations needed affiliation from NSC and not registration. This effectively ends NSC control over sporting bodies in the country.

Sport, in most countries, has flourished because the sport's governing body stopped 'controlling' them. Rather, the governing bodies are expected or should 'manage' the sports association. Gone are the days when some elites would, as an act of benevolence, set up an organization to 'let' sport flourish. These days, the governing bodies facilitate and coordinate with other bodies, rather than administer them.

There's no reason why the same system cannot be used in Nepal. Rather, the question would be: Why should we not adopt for a system that is modern and has more chances of success?

And thankfully, the Supreme Court has given us a start.
(The article appeared in a weekly column of yours truly, in The Kathmandu Post, Nov 6, 2010)

Good Bye, Roy!

2010-10-02T09:44:00.003+05:30

If you've followed this week's sports pages and talk shows on TV closely, it would appear as if Nepali cricket is about to change. The scenes are changing and changing fast.

We are about to see the departmental teams (Police Club and Armed Police Force) in cricket. There are now 8 cricketing regions, up from existing 6. Not much needs to be said about the departmental teams and their contribution to Nepali sport. And to everybody's excitement, APF have announced their intentions for the domestic league by signing the top names in Nepali cricket already.

With the national team captain already in their ranks, APF is sure to draw a lot of attention, should competitive cricket be held on schedule. The arrival of two teams is sure to heat up the market for the cricketers, as some regions – which are more in number now – will also see the cricket fertile lands drying up for themselves. However, this is an age for competition and Darwin's theory - survival of the fittest – is sure to decide future of a number of cricketers.

However, all that could be termed secondary in light of a huge decision taken by the Cricket Association of Nepal. It has decided not to extend, or rather demand extension, of its long serving coach, Roy Luke Dias.

Roy entered Nepali cricket just before the Youth Asia Cup in 2001, as his wards won him the title, right on his birthday. He had told this scribe then, "This is the best gift the boys could have given me."

This was what the Nepali cricket had to offer him. Regards, a lot of it, and sometimes too much of it… Even to the extent of inspiring awe, from many, including players and cricket officials. And why not, during his playing days, he was regarded as the most complete Test batsman of Sri Lanka. Only recently, Sunil Gavaskar, who himself was a purists' delight as batsmen, was heard during commentary, "Roy Dias is the best Sri Lankan batsman that I have seen. Better than even modern day run machine Mahela Jayawardane."

A long stint at any post, cannot remain without controversies. And we would do well to remember that Dias was no God. He had been a taskmaster, forcing habits into his wards, for which he was not going to be given the title of Mr. Popular within the fraternity. And he knew it. That's because he was groomed that way. Sri Lanka was trying to make mark in world cricket during his younger days. 'Discipline is the most important virtue you can have,' he'd heard it many a times during his younger days. And naturally he tried to inculcate that into the people he was given charge of.

When he took the Nepali team to the U-19 World Cup in 2001, Martin Snedden, former New Zealand cricketer and tournament director asked him, "Roy, what are you doing in Nepal. You should be coaching Sri Lankan team." But he stayed with team Nepal.

At the risk of being controversial, I would say that Roy Dias was the best thing to happen to Nepali cricket, after Nepali boys learnt to take to the field with a willow and leather ball. Not only because he helped us learn to win, but also because we learnt our own inadequacies through him.

We never groomed proper coaches, despite him being there. We did not take help, despite knowing we should. We knew he was not going to be forever, despite him saying Nepal was his second home. Every player has a shelf life, more so a coach. Many a player don't last for half a decade, he's been a coach of our team for almost a decade. Our failings are in not being able to read the writing on the wall.

Dias going could mark an end of an era, and a new beginning. For he would go with his head held high, having earned a second home. For many, he would still hold the charm cricket had in non-commercial days.

But the question is: Have we thought properly about an alternative and transform Nepali cricket?

(The article appeared in a weekly column of yours truly, in The Kathmandu Post, Oct 2, 2010)

Thank you Mr. President!

2010-09-20T06:38:00.003+05:30

Sportspeople must be a happy lot this week. For once, they were an agenda at the President's table. Even if it was for one day, they were made the VIPs at the Presidential Palace.

Awards are what the sportsmen live for, more so, in a country like ours. When the livelihood through sports is not forthcoming, the awards, medals and the cups help them to get over the difficult days.

And when President Ram Baran Yadav met them and patted their backs for receiving the Pulsar Sports Award 2066, their heart must have taken one more leap. The first ever President of the country told them that he was 'touched' by the players´ feat of waving the national flag at the international level.

For that, Thank you Mr. President. For you have 'touched' many hearts, of the thousands who want to fill up every arena, just with the thoughts that their heroes are taking to the field. The recognition of their heroes means a lot to them.

The scribe of this column remembers the remarks of Nepal's cricket coach, after he was conferred the 'Gorkha Dakshin Bahu' by the then King Gyanendra. Apparently, the then King told him, "Thanks, Roy. Thanks for doing this for our team."

"That was one of the best moments of my life," Roy Dias told this scribe years ago (Amazingly, he was one of the nominees for Coach of the Year in the awards this time too). For him, it was a defining moment, which made him say, "Nepal is my second home."

It is these moments, which make one run that extra yard a little faster, take a leap that is a little higher, fill that kick with a little more power, hit that ball with more force, and to achieve what looked difficult only a moment earlier.

The acceptance of the award by the head of the state means a lot. It just lifts the status of the award, and in some ways, gives hopes to the sportspersons that recognition is always round the corner, given you are ready to work hard.

The Pulsar Sports award may not have become the "Ballon d'Or" (referred to as the European Footballer of the Year ) as yet. But it is interesting to note how "Ballon d'Or" became what it is now.

The "Ballon d'Or", "The Golden Ball", was conceived by France Football's chief writer Gabriel Hanot, who asked his colleagues to vote for the player of the year in Europe in 1956. It is notable that sports journalists had started it. And now it is one of the most recognized awards in football.

For the players like Paras Khadka and Ganga Adhikari, who are young and hold potential, the award must have pleased them. However, the recognition of the award by the President must have pleased the organizers of the awards, the Nepalese Sports Journalist Forum, more. For it has given them some kind of recognition. The Right honorable also mentioned that the award should be taken as a 'national award'.

For that again, Thank you Mr. President. You've given us hope that such an idea is possible – the idea of national recognition of the sportspeople.

However, one thing that might concern some is how the players for the award were chosen. A small committee of some journalists chose the nominees, and eventually also those who were awarded. That must have made some eyebrows raised. An award should make more people happy than there are eyebrows raised. This is a nation learning democratic values and transparency is the best way to learn it. Transparency in the basis of choosing the nominees and transparency in choosing the awardees.

If these things are maintained, it's only going to help the sports sector. And we may be able to say, Thank you organisers.

Now, the number of journalists allowed to vote "Ballon d'Or" has also increased. Just a couple of years ago, 96 journalists from around the world chose their top five players, compared to Hanot's colleagues in 1956.

But the question is: Are we going to learn to be more democratic and reasonable?
(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 18th September, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

The Politics of Sport

2010-09-11T06:47:00.001+05:30

Not long ago, our Finance Minister dropped a bombshell on sports fraternity. Of course, like any other politician, he wasn't thinking sports while talking. Rather, like any other politician, his reasons were political.

The Finance Minister said that Nepal may not be participating in the 16^th Asiad, in Guangzhou, China, this November. He said, if the government cannot bring in budget before the festivals, it will not have any money to spend for the participation. His logic, albeit founded on political premises, sounds very simple. His explanation was, 'what is the point of nation's pride when there are dangers nation may not remain so'.

Bravo, Mister Minister! Bull's eye!

Why would we want to participate, if we don't remain the nation that we are? But then, the question is – are we really headed to that direction? And in case, even if we have a slightest chance to remain as a nation – contrary to what you may fear – why not participate?

For the minister, the agenda could be opportunity to present yet another budget. But for anyone, who's played a sport at any level, the speech was unacceptable. Just by saying, participation may not be possible, he's hurt the morale of all those who dreamt of making a mark at the highest level in Asia. Many have already said it on telly, how hurt their spirits are. The enthusiasm went a notch lower. And those working with athletes will tell you, it's the spirit that gets you glory on the field, not mere ability.

These athletes have helped in hoisting the Nepali flag on foreign soils 14 times – 13 for bronze medals and once for a silver - since Asiad began in 1951. How many political contingents have achieved that so far? Ask Sabita Rajbhandari, silver medalist at 1998 Asiad, about her proudest moment in life. She'll tell you it was the moment her country's flag was being hoisted; the moment few more decided to take up the sport, thinking they too, could bring glory to the country.

The Finance Minister has hurt that spirit, by bringing doubts in the sportspersons' minds. But one thing that goes in his favor is that he was trying to aware the powers that be, of the worst case scenario. For that, Thank You Mister Minister, even if you've treaded a wrong path.

But one has to remember, even when there were proper budgets were the norm, sport always got it at last. The National Games held in 2009 got its complete budget mere 3 days before the event. 3 days! Imagine that for the biggest sporting festival in the country. And it could not be a coincidence that the players were at the receiving end, getting inferior products to use (We're not even talking about the over invoicing of the goods supplied). For Nepali participation in South Asian Games too, the complete budget was not released till the eleventh hour.

This is where the government provision for demanding bids to supply sport goods comes in. According to provisions, the government agencies have to demand for bids with a margin of 35 days. The same process cannot be completed if the margin is just a week or less than a month. If budget does not come on time, there's no bidding and the number of suppliers automatically goes down, thereby decreasing the possibility of competitive quotations. Then the sports authorities have to contact those who have goods ready to be supplied in a day or two. This is exactly where the grey marketers come into play. Those at the helm of sport governing bodies have long been accused of nexus with these kinds of suppliers.

It would be difficult to say if the budget is never cleared on time with the very intention of foul play. But it can be safely said that the situation can be improved by breaking the cycle.

Our athletes may get a chance to compete at Asian Games. They may also try to improve upon the haul of 3 bronze from the last edition.

But the question for the Finance Minister is – Sir, do you see where the problems are? Both in your speech and the system.
(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 11th September, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

This ain't cricket!

2010-09-04T06:23:00.005+05:30

The so called 'Gentlemen's Game' is under yet another attack. The dark side of cricket, which inspires some to make truckloads of money at the blink of an eye, has resurfaced to show its repulsive face yet again. The incident at the Mecca of cricket has added to the cricketing jargon. Now we have to deal with the term 'spot fixing'. As if we'd already grown comfortable with the term called 'match fixing'.
This is not the first time allegations have come to Pakistani cricketers or Pakistani cricket. However, it must be one of the worst blows ever. After terror attacks and security concerns that snatched many international matches - and the much needed money - away from Pakistan, this must be the new low for our flood stricken neighbors.
Money seems to be dwindling for Pakistan cricketers, compared to their much richer counterparts on the other side of border. And for that Pakistan Cricket Board has to take some blame. The PCB looks like writing a book called 'How to ruin the best talents in the World', and from the looks of it, the book probably would be the biggest one written on sports ever. We cannot forget the numerous Pakistani cricketers who stormed the world in their teens and faded into oblivion a few years later, more often than not due to mismanagement, both personal and personnel. That could be one reason, which makes those presently donning the whites or playing under the floodlights, think - "Make hay while the sun shines".
Cricketers, or players, are human beings. And they need to continue living, even after they stop going to the field day in and day out. And survival needs funds. And the callous attitude of the administrators, who still enjoy the top posts in sports governing bodies due to favour from up above, make sure the funds do not reach where it is aimed at.
It would be quite a while before the last word is said on spot-fixing. Before that happens, it should also be noted that corruption in cricket or in sports, is only a reflection of what is prevalent in the society.
Pakistan, despite producing finest of young cricketers, has had to remain in the list of countries affected by public sector corruption for ages. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), published by Transparency International, keeps Pakistan in the 139th position, out of 180 countries and territories around the world.
Interestingly, we are Pakistan's neighbors here too, at 143rd spot. The listing doesn't make us proud, but explains where we stand. More interesting is the fact that the country heading the list is New Zealand - the country which is home to just over 4 million people and some 40 million sheep. New Zealand may not be the world beaters in cricket, or any other sports for that matter. But, be it cricket or rugby, their team is there or thereabout. Most countries in the top 10 have excelled in one sport or the other.
Excellence is a culture, and coming back to the country ranked 143rd, we need to understand that. When two of the sporting bodies, Nepal Olympic Committee and Sports Ministry, formed two separate committees for feasibility study to host 13th South Asian Games, we faltered right at the starting block.
The two bodies that are expected to manage, facilitate and coordinate entire sporting gamut in Nepal failed to do exactly that, even between themselves. It raises question if these two teams have been formed for the same purpose - to serve sports in Nepal. It may appear unpleasant, but these two have hardly considered welfare of sports - take it with a pinch of salt. How many eyebrows from these two teams were raised when there were murmurs of 'match fixing' in the football League?
In world cricket, many would be ready to disband Pakistan. While it may look like an action, it would be a mere knee-jerk reaction. We need smarter action than that, here too.
In an age where players let their tongues get ahead of their brain, administrators - in Pakistan or Nepal - should not do so.
And then you may ask: When will it happen?

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 4th September, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Learning from the Tiger

2010-08-30T10:53:00.001+05:30

And Tiger Woods got divorced, officially. The man, who has dominated the sport - till date this century - cuts a lonely figure now on the greens, where once he prowled sans fear.

From the day he turned pro, he towered over all other sportsmen of the generation. A beacon for those who wanted to take up sport professionally. He was perfect, and made us feel that he could do no wrong. And we asked, "Is he human?"

Interestingly, almost on the eve of 'International Year of Tiger', he showed us signs that he was like one of us, giving in to the temptations. The frailty of human mind, and body, and the heart – just like us – could be seen in the Tiger. Woods was no longer the Tiger we knew, for his smile just before the putt, and the wave of hand just after, disappeared. The smiling assassin on the greens had lost his killer instinct. And soon, those who vowed to always stay with him disappeared too. A champion had become a challenger, a competitor, a mortal.

Woods was the biggest earning sportsperson in the world, and still retains most of it. But none of the millions he made teeing off can help his fall from grace. Many would talk of morality lessons, but the Tiger story tells the youngsters not to take their position for granted. The 'magic' that he created with his clubs has not left him, for they did not follow the sponsors – it was the sponsors who followed that 'magic'. But the problems that surround Woods would make it doubly hard for him to recreate the same aura that once made other competitors categorized as 'also ran'.

This is a case study, perhaps for sports psychologists. But also a case study every aspiring sportsperson should read. It tells you that nothing is permanent, neither success nor mental toughness or mental focus. In sports, everything is always on the verge of disintegration. You just need to blink your eyes a little longer.

The case is relevant in the Nepali context, as most players – even if they're national champs – are still, the 'aspirants'. In our participation at the World Cricket League Division 4, we were 'aspiring' to enter the World Cup.

Despite a couple of 'misses' at crucial matches, our cricketers have not fallen from grace, at least for now (Those who thought the World Cup berth was ours already, were daydreaming). But as we aspire to enter the World Cup, our players need to start thinking like the players at that level should. So far, this has not been seen. Right at the airport, after return, Nepali captain told the media, cricket has to be restructured in Nepal. Bravo Paras Khadka! Yes, cricket in Nepal has to be restructured, but airport is not the place to discuss it. And nor it is a smart idea to discuss it with the Press.

Paras is a smart cricketer, who believes in giving his best all the time. But he won't go very far, if he's not careful about what to speak and when, and of course – to whom. Any soundbite given to camera, any quote given to newspaper, goes in public sphere and does not remain your own. Cricket Association of Nepal may not be the best cricketing authority in the world – and needs restructuring for sure – but the dirty linen should not be washed in public. The national team captain definitely should be worried for facilities for cricketers and improvement of cricket in the country, but he also needs to be careful about every word he utters in public.

The batting debacle seen in recent championship has to be scrutinized, and tactics followed in Italy should be discussed, but with relevant people. Press will always question, but it is you who decides what to answer.

For now, Tiger Woods has chosen to remain silent, despite tabloids filling pages and selling extra copies talking about him. And who knows, one day – sooner than later – he may also bounce back, given he keeps his focus on the game.

Our cricketers too, will get another shot at the World Cup entrance.

But the question is, for Paras Khadka, how do we keep that focus?

(The article originally appeared in The Kathmandu Post, 27th August, 2010, in a weekly column of Yours Truly)

Recent Coloumn on TKP

2010-08-27T16:11:00.002+05:30

Of Diminishing returns and Hopes

- Somesh Verma

The past week was notable one for Nepali sports, where the two most popular team games in the country kept its viewers glued to news.
Our national cricket team, for all we might have written, showed us how inadequate we are, assessing our opponents. At the risk of vilifying our cricketers, we must say, we proved to be inadequate in our batting and the boys' temperament at foreign venues.
It must be said that the problems lie more in the boys' temperament than the skills because USA, Italy, Cayman Islands, Argentina or Tanzania – who are playing in the World Cricket League Division 4 – are not a better team than ours, but are equals. The chinks in the batting line-up and their mental make-up have been exposed, and probably needs a careful dissection now, before it is too late. Already, the bunch of cricketers who participated at the Youth World Cup in 2002 in New Zealand and won quite a lot of accolades there, are ageing, and do not look a certainty in the line-up two years from now. Some of them are on the way out, due to diminishing returns they've shown lately, despite a bright start to their cricketing career.
The other and potentially promising was the story of football. The governing body of football in Nepal, ANFA, has announced its calendar for two years. But, as most our football stories go, it is potentially promising. And like every potentially promising movie, it also has chances of becoming a dud at the box-office.
The most promising part of the story was organizing a National League next year. For many football fans it may have come as a relief, as it was announced earlier, but due to 'various reasons', as ANFA statement read, the national league looked like never coming. For that at least, ANFA deserves to be praised – Better late than never.
The National League is to be played by top 10 teams within the country. And the most interesting concept in it is the introduction of 'Home and Away' games. The idea would sound great to the football romantics, as it also shows some intent on the part of ANFA that football in years to come, would be decentralized. This is one good way to expand the fan base of football, which already faces challenge from cricket fans, to the rural parts too. The bigger the fan base, the more number of youngsters would be trying to learn the game. The bigger the young player base, the better the competition. The better the competition, better would be the players representing the country. In long term, the idea would definitely bring in results, given everything goes the way fans dream of.
The announcement is definitely a move ahead from the status quo. This is one plan that aims to include clubs from outside the valley, make football more democratic. But there are several questions that spring up to the mind, even before championship is yet to be held.
The problem is, hardly much goes the way fans dream of, especially in Nepali football. In this plan too, there is every likelihood that it may not. Although a step in the right direction, 'Home and Away' is a tough management issue. It means more responsibility, more delegation of authority within the football governing body, and a challenge to bring in spectators to the stadium. The quality and the conditions of stadia out of the valley are not hidden from anyone. While many are used as grazing spot for uncared domestic animals, others are used for political purposed round the year. We cannot forget how many matches were played at the Dashrath stadium in Shahid Smarak League last time, and what became of the standard of game once the grass started to refuse to resurface, fearing pounding from boots round the clock, for weeks on end. The other question is - How many teams have their own grounds to make it 'Home and Away'? Perhaps you don't even need to answer that.
Apart from the issue of the grounds, to manage National league, on the format that ANFA has promised, ANFA needs to restructure. The opaque working style and highly centralized character of the game's governing body is an impediment to make the game decentralized, and expanding its base. More and more people need to be involved in the decision making process, if we want to see 'smarter' decisions.
ANFA has kept the budget at 37.5 million, which looks like a little less money, given what it wants to achieve. The football fanatics fear that ANFA may say tomorrow that money wasn't enough to meet all the objectives stated.
But then, are we going to forgive it?

Who cares... Of course!!!

2010-02-22T21:25:00.001+05:30

A lot of murky water has passed under the bridges near Pashupatinath, since the South Asian Games got over, where Nepali athletes did a creditable job of bagging the most number of gold medals in the Games played outside the country.
Nepal finished fifth, while aiming to finish fourth among the 8 nations that participated in what is normally labeled as India's medal bagging sports jamboree. Yet, one man – all of 6 feet minus a couple of inches – from Nepal, towered over all of them, for a small matter of collecting his 4th gold medal, in as many editions of the Games.
Honestly, before the games began, yours truly felt, it was beyond this man's capability to collect this coveted gold. He thought, this man, who goes by the name of Deepak Bista, was past his prime, and what more, he was too involved in players' politics to have real prospects. One had to consider that this 33-year old bachelor had too many niggles in his body to contest, let alone beat the others to claim the top spot.
However, yours truly was happy, and also had a sense of pride, to eat his own words, when Bista collected the gold, and made SAG his own domain.
But then, one fact that always worried his fans before the Games actually began, of him carrying an injury, has escaped many as the medal was brought home. The fact, that he requires an immediate medical attention.
Deepak needs a surgery on his knees and that would require some money, more than this bloke with humble beginnings from Raikwar Bichawa VDC in Far Western Nepal, can boast of. Despite having a collection of medals in his room, Deepak would need some support to bear the expenses. However, authorities, who boast of controlling sports in the country – while they should actually be managing it – are yet to come up with any plan to help for Nepal's most decorated sportsman.
And, while a number of political outfits have tried to gain cheap publicity by throwing felicitations on the players, the head of the government or the head of the state have yet to manage time to meet the medal winners at the South Asian Games.
PS : Yours truly was inspired to write this bit, on sports, after a long long gap, after having a chat with KTV Sports reporter Bishnuhari Ghimire, who is otherwise famous as Harry, The Reporter...

Times they are a' changin...

2010-02-15T21:45:00.002+05:30

The government today announced that the office of President of Nepal will be outsourced to India as of March 29th‚ 2010 (coinciding intentionally with birthday of yours truly).

The statement said that the move is being made in order to save the president's salary‚ and also a result of billions of rupees in deficit expenditures, mostly managed coolly by the ever-donating-to-the-party-cadres Prime Minister, and other non-related overhead that the PMO and ministerial cabinet has incurred during meetings held over past 6 months, on how to save the government in case Mr. Koirala restarts adoring his daughter.

"We believe this is a wise financial move. The cost savings are huge‚" stated the Finance Minister, who's also considering getting an Indian voter's card with new-learnt tricks of govern-minting. "We cannot remain competitive on the world stage with the current level of cash outlay‚" Mr. Minister.

President Yadav, who went to India today itself, to meet a horde of other Yadavs, in a non-family reunion, was informed by email this morning of his termination. According to a higly-placed source, who shall here remain nameless and would have remained jobless – if he did not have right political contacts, preparations for the job move have been underway for some time.

Surinder Singh‚ who's a tele-operator for some non-descript call center in Mumbai, or maybe some other city, in India‚ will assume the office of President. Mr. Singh was born in Nepal, while his Indian parents were vacationing at Davies' Falls‚ in Pokhara‚ and fell to the temptation of increasing the family size there itself. According to the yet-to-be formulated citizenship law, his birth roots, and not dental, makes him eligible for the position. Mr. Singh shall be working from his call center itself, in Mumbai or wherever he is, and would not be occupying the Presidential Palace near a hospital.

However, he will receive a salary of NRs. 1500 a month‚ but of course perk involving covering the entire Nepali capital in a never ending traffic jam and security personnel running around to make him feel good at all times, even when he's teleconferencing with the Indian political leaders. Government has said that it would also help on reducing the ever increasing phone bills of the Nepal government, which are imperative since ministers can't function without the orders from the other side of the border.

Mr. Singh issued a statement, moments ahead of his nomination saying he always wanted to be a president, ever since he lost an election of his mohalla ('tole' in Nepali) teen club in his earlier days. His statement, symbolically written, read : "WTF!!!"

In a telephone conversation with yours truly, he said that the time difference in both the countries, that of 15 minutes, will help him work for both the institutions, that of Nepal government, and his call center. However, yours truly suspected he was talking about the difference of 57 years in Nepali Calender and the Global Calender.

Another highly placed source, similar to that of the previous one, told yours truly that Mr. Singh may not be fully aware of all the issues involved in heading the federal state of Nepal, that should not be a problem as none of the other heads of state we had had ever been familiar with the issues either.

Meanwhile, the move has unilaterally been welcomed by the opposition party, namely the Maoists, headed by Mr. Fierce One, or Mr. Awesome, whichever scares you. Their single line welcome statement read: "We always supported the notion of President heading the government as well as state, the full executive President. Since he's from India, we won't have doubts or any problems negotiating with him."

In a separate development, sources close to the President-in-transition-or-in-translation informed that Mr. Yadav has been reported to be seeking consultancy from some company sending people to Qatar for work in some under paying company or a water-free ride to desert to take care of camels, whichever finds them first.

Disclaimer: The writer of this news story, does not claim any responsibility of its factual correctness, and all blame should go to the reader of the post, whether they want to trust it or not...

The Year that Was!

2009-12-31T16:31:00.001+05:30

And finally, this year (2009) comes to an end. At one point, yours truly thought this might never come to an end at all, rather the year 2009 would continue till eternity, maybe even surpassing the 'doomsday' announced sometime in 2012. But then every good thing comes to an end – and rather surprisingly, bad ones last too, albeit longer – and this one had to bid goodbye too.

However, this year has been a notable one, for yours truly, and he is sure, as he always is (whether it's about his buffoonery or somebody else's), it would have been similar, if not the same, for you too. For this has been the year when entire Nepal was more interested in the exact site, setting and semantics of mole on Namrata Shrestha's parts-in privy (as it should have been) than it was on how to walk to office (or back) in case some nincompoop party announced a bandh at its whim.

Yours truly enjoyed this year to the fullest, just as he's been doing it for last 3 decades. For this was the year when Tiger Woods proved that he was human, and not God, which all of mortals thought he was. It was amazing why he chose to tell the world that he was human by philandering – or getting in the news a lá Paris Hilton, and not getting out-foccused by some passers-by while putting those ice-cool putts he's been doing over the years. But the great news is, the Tiger is human after all, with the fallibility that makes some of us look like four-footed.

Amazingly, this was the year when Sachin Tendulkar proved his God-like status yet again. This is another year where he made us question: Is he human after all? People like us (the ones who can't see others happy) would keenly be waiting for the day, when he too takes the Woods road, and tell us why we love those high ups falling down. But then… yours truly also fears that day.

This was the year when our own government took the issue of climate change to heights, literally. Just as we were thinking of minimizing our carbon footprints on earth by trying out eco-friendly ways, like closing down lights when we need them most – by increasing load shedding hours, our government took half the country to Everest Base Camp. Imagine the fuel consumption… And just when we imagined nobody can beat that, Nepal went ahead and outdid itself. With 650 people at Copenhagen, yours truly is sure, Danish government got scared thinking the bandh virus had spread to the Nordic countries too. You can bet, that was the reason China, more or less, got scared and started talking about complying with global emission cuts. (China, with some 50 times our population, amazingly, sent less than 50 people to the summit)

But then, for yours truly, the best part of the year was – when Comrade (pronounced – come raid) the Fierce One, decided to quit the all powerful seat he was holding, and called the government-in-his-absence the 'puppet'. The Fierce One, or Mr. Awesome – as called by many – along with his partner-in-crime Comrade Red Flag (Laldhwaj, in Nepali) outdid themselves – just as we tried to forget which side of the border they were in while those 'famous' treaties were signed – by saying they're ready to talk only to the forces south side of the border. Well, that said all, but we pretend we're yet to know – and that, is the best part yours truly saw in the year that's going by…

And lest I should forget, let's raise a toast saying…

Here's to the bright New Year

And a fond farewell to the Old;

Here's to the things that are yet to come

And the memories that we hold… Amen!!!

PS: Yours truly, will, hopefully, come up with better ones next year...

Proper use of Cellphone

2009-12-01T18:41:00.003+05:30

Yours truly had a camera (cellular device), going into this movie theater, and these policemen were on duty... That was long ago, but the policemen seem to be consistent in their behaviour... So just daring to post it...

Confessions!!!

2009-11-27T19:11:00.000+05:30

It's an interesting world we are in, even the one yours truly thinks he's in. For, he has the audacity not to write for months on end, and then another round of audacity… to write again. For this, is an interesting world. A world where we commit (often sins), cry foul, then recommit and yet find the time to challenge our own wits and then we confess – mostly to ourselves – for not doing what we ought to, or overdoing the same.

And yours truly wants to confess, right here, right now. Now you must understand that yours truly has hardly ever confessed – except for once when he confessed to her under the influence of that holy fluid, which abruptly brought out her confession, with a brilliant move of her left and deft hand which collided with yours truly's cheeks, that she'd rather take a jump out of Dharahara, sans parachute, than ever see him again. Having a background that includes such adventures, yours truly also fears other rounds of such, hence a safer way of cyber confessing.

The confession is for not writing. For a period that almost challenges the gestation period of fellow humans, yours truly was out of scene. And yet he confesses that he was not doing so, for gestation purposes, for that mechanism has not been built into him. Nor had he lack of time, which seem the enemy of people with ideas. Neither was he carrying out a work that he'd be completely lost into, for he tends to get lost just like that, in the territory that is unfamiliar to him, including thoughts.

Yours truly was simply ideologically challenged. For he did not even dare try to type on the keyboards of this very machine, which helps one put ideas into words. He had just lost the capacity, if he had any, to carry out such an arduous and intellectual task. Yours truly kept on remaining amazed, as so many things kept happening around him, and he just appeared to watch, mutely, all the actors on the stage as they mimicked doing something worthwhile. For, yours truly was in love with the motion with which everything was going around, for so long, and yet fruitlessly the world revolved around the sun. Amazed, dazed and perplexed.

But now he realizes that communication is his field, no matter how bad he is in it. For, he is also supposed to be a journalist, a person supposed to having a sense of what is going on and a sense of communicating it to others. And he also would like to confess that he'd continue doing so, with pauses and breaks in between, of communicating.

For he's learnt a lesson now…

When we die and reach heaven (he'd miss some of you, though), there will be no need for a doctor, for we'd enjoy perfect health there. Nor would we need the advice of lawyers, for, in heaven, there would be no disputes to settle. There will be no business in heaven, so they won't be needed there too. But the journalist would be an important man (and sometimes, also women). For, in heaven, as on earth, we will all want to know what the other fellow is doing. We'd still love the gossips, the masala in others' life and our own take on that.

Yours truly, now, feels a blessed man… And he shall continue to do so…

Masters of War

2009-04-29T11:57:00.003+05:30

As yours truly writes this, he fears if the dust has already been settled on the issue revolving around the Army Chief (of course the official army of Nepal). But fearless that he pretends to be, yours truly is almost sure the last word is yet to be said on the issue – which he assumes would be a big Amen – as the powers that be pledge another round of commitment on national TVs with a look on their face, which say Man-You-Still-Believe-Me-Don’t-You? The whole TRP grabbing episode is likely to be followed by a more private-and-only-comrade –journos-invited-for drinks served by the yet unofficial but more influential combatant outfit (Did you ever witness former RNA men chanting slogans other than Yes Sir or Hajur Saap, whichever has easier spelling?).
As the major players (not to be mistaken by Major General kind of post) of the issue go round and round, probably trying to catch the other’s tail and stamp on it, with spiked football boots, hardly realizing it’s their own tail, until of course they holler with pain, we - yours truly along with thousands of mouthless people (nimukha janata) - are left wondering, is this the biggest shithole we are in, after we conveniently flayed the British troops and ended getting Malaria prone region as a reward? While the already-in-grave British Army question the abovementioned statement, we ignore it – saying this is as trivial an issue as writing a constitution, working for development, Bhutan acquiring nuclear arsenal from North Korea or President Obama signing stimulus package in an office where President Clinton got his package stimulated.
Move over trivial issues, for we are busy changing priests at a temple, crying foul over former King meeting the Indian leaders (and not the naxalites), bringing the country to a halt through strike, killing people and ‘absconding’ from the cantonment and removing the army chief, who’s hardly capable of spelling coup d’état, let alone actually staging it. We don’t mind talking of civilian supremacy when the second-in-command of the ministerial cabinet happens to have lost an election, and we ‘elect’ chairman of the constitutional council was thumped in the battle of ballots, in two places (following the age-old adage, ‘dono hathon me laddoo’).
We have never cared for such trivial issues and never will. Come 22nd century and we’d still be the same. By then the pigs would rule the world (which means we have a real chance of leading the world). After all, rhetoric is more important than the deeds. After all, nothing has really changed, apart from the actors. After all, we, the people, are still the same – the pawns.

Often yours truly is reminded of words written by that brilliant lyricist:

You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud...

Come you masters of war!!!

Shoo-in or Shoe-eing???

2009-04-09T07:02:00.004+05:30

Yours truly is pretty excited these days, for these are probably the best times for being a journalist (even if you’re just faking it). Committee to Protect Journalists (or the Committee of Protected Journalists?), CPJ, may go to hell, or any of the venues for Nepal’s National Games, whichever is nearer, for saying “Journalists are in Danger.”

A proud journalist that yours truly is (for no apparent reason), he has no qualms rubbishing the CPJ (Centre for Pseudo-protectionist Jamboree) report ‘Getting Away with Murder’. These actually are the best times we’ve had. In past 4 and half months we’ve thrown shoes at 3 world leaders, from the most powerful of the nations – US, China and India.

George Bush, Wen Jiabao and P Chidambaram (more so for wearing glasses and looking like a scholar) can tell you exactly the trajectory of the projectiles hurled at them and the size and brand of shoes that are in fashion among the reporters these days. No mean feat that (Nike and Adidas would spend millions to get that knowledge). So what if the person throwing his weight… err footwear at the Chinese premier was not a journalist. Federation of Nepali Journalists, FNJ – sometimes admiringly referred to as Faculty of Nincompoop Jokers – has the audacity needed to actually confer the title of ‘honorary journalist’ upon the poor soul, who disappeared sooner than his shoes did. (After all we have tradition of non-journalistic journalists making to every frame of TV and flashing cameras)

Huh! So much for 6 of the South Asian nations falling in top 15 list of shame from the CPJ. What CPJ seemingly did not see that the freedom with which the journos can throw shoes, and in case of Nepal throw stone-like projectiles at unsuspecting policemen, calling it freedom of speech (in any other country referred to as freedom to sleaze). According to CPJ, Iraq is the worst for journalists’ freedom, where Muntadar al-Zaidi found size 10 shoe before hurling them at his favorite target, a certain Mr. Bush Jr. Probably Iraq is number one in the list because the US led invasion has robbed the country of shoes, and the journalists face a real danger of not finding the right size for the target practice. Not to mention the poor reporters’ lack of practice, as all three have so far missed targets, robbing the Television cameras of the ‘perfect shot’.

Since we, in Nepal, live in eternal worry of not being able to match the world, and in constant effort to gladly follow the global trend, be it black market theories or suicidal politics, we are in urgent need to follow suit. And hereby, yours truly would like to propose 10 names, which would serve as target practice.

1. The Grand Old Man aka GPK – For being the youngest octogenarian in the country, yet old enough so that he is not able to duck when the projectiles come flying. And more for favoring his home town reporters to the capital based ones, when it comes to juicy bites and quotes. However, given that he’s only turned out at the Constituent Assembly once or twice, he may not turn up at the occasion.

2. The Fierce One aka PKD – For being the chief of everything. Especially for continuing to see the Royal hand when any media house term his goons as goon-das. You may not want to throw in the missile while he’s making a speech. Chances are his head shakes will make you miss the mark, and you might hit his come-raid-in-arms, aka the Finance Monster, oops… Minister.

3. The Red Flag aka BRB – For being the most vocal, giving soundbites to the television wallas. The only trouble is his quotes at the football match sound exactly similar to the one made at FNCCI, with no punctuation altered. Also, for looking really angry when he’s actually trying to crack a joke (ask Minister wife He-She-la Yummy). Close your eyes if he’s your target, you might drop dead with fear, if you are in front of him while he is speaking.

4. The MY (most famous Yadav this side of the border) – For being what he is, downright funny a la Laloo Yadav (the animal friendly Railway Minister from southern friendly nation), no matter what he says or speaks. The only problem is, he takes himself seriously. If you actually manage to throw something at him, at least make sure you agree to listen to him swearing at you in Maithili (for swearing-in and swearing out sound so similar).

5. The still young leader of Nepali Congress aka SBD – He might be the favorite target for Television and Radio journalists and the obvious reason: his soundbites. Television reporters have had their jobs at stake when producers demand Nepali subtitle of his speech, when he actually speaks in Nepali. Tough job!

6. The latest Grand Old Man in almost youth aka MKN – For being the editor himself (mildly also referred as changing statements). Reporters have had days, when they sat down to write a story with his speech as a peg, and by the time they wrote a few lines, dear MKN had already changed statements.

7. The so many times former PM aka SBT – For being louder than his visible size and for making the interviewing reporter feel as if he was about to announce a war on the other side of Great Wall of China, when he was just asking the nearby spot boy for a glass of water. And of course, for also believing that reporters actually want to interview him, even now.

8. The Supplying Minister aka RM – For saying so many times that he’d quit the government, sometimes due to a reason and sometimes without, and sometimes just because he’s free time when no one is trying to capture the grand old lady of his former party. Also for standing too close to some reporters (some have started complaining of facial itch due to his beard)

9. The Scientific Minister aka GS – For having the same initials as the former King. Moreover, for having almost all the journalist in his facebook friends. More, for running a blog, and believing an update once a semester would be sufficient. More, for being present in almost all the seminars and workshops that the capital could ever host. All along, forgetting the small matter of making the IT park functional, which he had promised in jest. If you’re trying to throw the missile, you should know that he’s an engineer and he may be able to calculate the velocity of the shoe, its curve in the space, just before it hits him, wasting your and of course, his own energy and time.

10. The present Home Minister aka BDG – For snatching away the favorite hang-out spots of fellow journalists of yours truly, the dance bars of the valley. Here the bar maidens would also like to join the journos with brand Nike and Bentley, Adidas and Bata. By the time these lines were being written, the journos were seen rushing to the nearest shoe stores. Mr. Home Minister, stay home safe, please…

So, who is the most powerful, after all?

2009-03-08T16:24:00.001+05:30

Just like you, yours truly (because he is yours truly), has also heard about foreign interference on our nation. Just the other day the PM, or was it one of the many ex-PMs that we have, was speaking about some country interfering in Nepal.

The best thing is about this is that we often forget who says it. Forget the vested interest of the person saying it, we often take it for granted that we are being interfered. The worst part is, we’re becoming used to interference and also being told that we’re being interfered.

So the perpetual question arises. Who is the most powerful in Nepal? (Did you ever think that Come-raid Fierce One or Come-raid Red Undies or the Grand Old young Turk would feature in the list?) Is it India? Or US? Or is it EU, or UK, who had the best mimicking Ambassador in the history of this former Himalayan Kingdom? (Did you forget His Excellency something, who used to mimic the former King, in many interaction cocktails with the bigwig journos of dear Nepal?)

Well, yours truly’s estimates (often termed under or over estimates) and research (often termed time pass), says it is Sri Lanka. Or more precisely, the Sri Lankan President…

In case anybody thinks this is surprising, they just had to look at the lane dividers on the capital valley’s nasty lanes being removed, just because Mr. Prez wanted them to stay on the sides. Nothing till then, not even the strike organizers, passing cabs who hit those concrete materials pretty regularly – changing their shapes – could change the décor of city lanes. But Mr. Prez from a friendly nation could change that. Powerful, eh! (That reminds yours truly of a famous line from Mao – Power flows from the barrel of the gun!)

They say, truth is stranger than fiction. And sometimes true it seems. Just imagine, the same powerful person had to quit the Nepal tour midway through due to some shameless actions on the Lankan cricketers in some other friendly land. Now the question is: Who is more powerful? The Mr. Prez, who could move the concrete blocks from the middle of the road (where they probably deserved to be) or the terrorists who moved him back to his nation, in a rush of emergency?

And as that famous songster sang once… The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind…

Geeks shall inherit earth; and Goons shall inherit Nepal !!!

2009-02-13T05:57:00.002+05:30

They said: Geeks shall inherit the earth. Yours truly agreed to it, of course since it was said by the geeks themselves. But being a quintessential Nepali, he has now decided to add a condition, post agreement and sans shame (of course).

If geeks shall inherit earth; Goons shall inherit Nepal.

Before explaining, or rather defending his stance, yours truly would like to go in a flashback mode. Eventually, he made a trip to the cricket match again (quite a trip through the capital alleys… oops, roads, especially during the ‘rush hour’, where the only part missing is rush). On a bright sunny day, Nepal played Malaysia, for what eventually would be its first title in the Under-17 category.

Now, yours truly is a blessed person. Eternally so… For he gets to sit in the press box. Now, the press box is a suggestive term, meaning what it should be (that is all the media people packed in a shoebox), and not what it actually is. Apart from various kinds of people, from almost all genres of life (except work), the press people (commonly known as journalists) also sit in this open box. The press people, for most part, account for half the noise in the stadium, which seats some 10,000 people (give or take a couple of thousand).

As Nepali bowlers were trying to restrict the Malaysian batsmen, the pressmen’s talks could not be restricted. Here, yours truly would also like to apologize for using politically incorrect (but sometimes morally correct) term. The sports journalists, apart from men of all shapes, sizes and moods (mostly queer), also includes the female life forms these days. While some refer to them as beautiful play things, yours truly, in the best politically correct manner possible to him, would say that quite a number of exquisite young beings (invisibly blonde) are also a part of the genre called sports journalism.

Now, we’re in an age where freedom of expression reigns supreme. So the sports journalists here are not restricted to the game, in fact they hardly seem interested in it – or maybe they’re faking it to the passers-by, so as not to let them know how intelligent they actually are. In fact, in his two recent days in press box, yours truly hardly had a moment where these intellectual beings would talk about cricket, apart from his personal favorite – who he likes to term as pseudojournalist, just because pseudo is his favorite word and also because this person acted more like half coach, half player, half journalist, half out-of-asylum nut and half human being, apparently with many halves not present at the same time. Now this person was genius. He exactly knew where the fielders should be kept, which ball was to be bowled, which shot to be played, what kind of dive a fielder had to take – only that everything would come in after the ball had completed its movement. I hope the players never hear him talk in press box, for they might pull him out of press box and install him as a coach (with horses pulling the coach, of course).

Now, yours truly is stumped as to why the number of sports journalists is increasing. Perhaps the cricket lunch is a bigger reason than the interest in cricket. Alas, it’s also probably the same with the audience, otherwise how do we explain what we saw at the end of the match. Almost everyone, with exception of a few sane heads, entered the ground. Poor young players could hardly blink before they were covered. The unruly crowd made yours truly think:

If geeks shall inherit earth; Goons shall inherit Nepal.

For if the gentleman’s game is robbed of its serenity by the crowd behavior – which steals the winning bat of Nepali batsman and throws missiles, almost injuring the players he supposedly supports – well Goons shall definitely inherit Nepal. If they don’t inherit, they’ll make sure they grab it.

The enlightenment came to yours truly much after, as a nation, we developed a sense what goon-ism is, and all the benefits associated with it. Traffic, industries, workplaces, government offices, and of course on lonely alleys; you name it, these super species have already inherited it. The latest update on this is, that the threatening someone and punching them, and being nice enough to show anyone gun, and ask for extended co-operation, especially in kind (can’t call it extortion anymore) – jewellery, cash, any valuables will do – has become the most preferred way of social interaction on the day.

As far as the cricket match is concerned, Nepal won with ease. And yours truly feels, the man of the match, and the tournament, should have gone to Cricket Association officials, who have had years of experience seeing this, but did not want to miss the cheap thrill as thousands of people swarmed the players as locusts. Well, is there anyone still alive who wants to know how much the pitch suffered, and along with it, the spirit of cricket?