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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a...

Manufactured Martyrs

The attempt by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to turn activist Sonam Wangchuk into the next Anna Hazare has exposed how manufactured symbolism cannot compensate for the absence of genuine public outrage. What began as a grievance over the NEET paper leak, one of India’s gravest examination scandals in recent times, has drifted into an exercise in political pageantry, where the cause has been eclipsed by its chosen mascots. Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike was plainly meant to recreate a familiar script where an allegedly unassuming public figure embraces personal sacrifice and a reluctant government buckles under mounting moral pressure. But history does not repeat itself on command. Anna Hazare’s fast in 2011 succeeded not because fasting possesses mystical political powers, but because it rode a tidal wave of public anger against corruption. Millions identified with the cause. That equation is conspicuously absent today. The platform that ought to have belonged to students who suffered from the NEET paper leak, or to parents whose children bore its consequences, instead became crowded with the usual constellation of professional activists, ideological campaigners and political fellow travellers. The faces dominating the stage were not those most directly affected by the scandal. A movement demanding educational accountability gradually came to look like another gathering of Delhi’s permanently aggrieved activist class. Even Wangchuk appeared to sense the contradiction. During the protest he reportedly lamented that while he was observing an indefinite fast, many around him were happily eating meals, urging at least a token one-day fast in solidarity. Successful protest movements depend upon authenticity. Once the public begins suspecting that an individual is being deployed less as a leader than as a moral accessory for someone else’s ideological project, sympathy quickly evaporates. Nor does Wangchuk arrive without controversy. Questions have been raised over the cancellation of the FCRA licence of SECMOL, the educational organisation associated with him, and over allegations regarding subsequent foreign funding arrangements. Critics have also challenged aspects of the carefully cultivated public mythology surrounding his achievements, from the origins of the ice-stupa concept to the popular belief that he inspired the protagonist of 3 Idiots. These matters deserve scrutiny on their own merits rather than hagiography or character assassination. The greater failure here surely belongs to the protest’s organisers. The CJP has mistaken optics for momentum and symbolism for public sentiment. Instead of allowing the victims of the NEET scandal to speak for themselves, they attempted to manufacture another national conscience by placing a familiar face at the centre of the stage. Political legitimacy cannot be outsourced to celebrity. Nor can mass movements be assembled from social-media influencers and habitual protesters. Anna Hazare became powerful because the public chose him. Attempts to manufacture his successor merely underline how rare such moments really are.

A Man with a Golden Arm and an Even More Golden Heart

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

A Man with a Golden Arm and an Even More Golden Heart

It is rare when an idol becomes a close friend, but Karsan Devji Ghavri, known affectionately as Kadu Bhai, feels more like an elder brother. Even decades after his retirement, Karsan Ghavri remains widely admired, so much so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice offered him a political position, which he declined both times—first while coaching West Bengal’s cricket team and later to care for his ailing 90-year-old mother, Ba.

Hailing from a joint family from Rajkot, Gujarat, Karsan Ghavri started playing cricket at the age of 11 and went on to represent India in the All Schools tournament in Australia. The story is that a Mumbai batsman who heard of this fierce young pace bowler from Gujarat suggested the Mumbai team management import him to Mumbai so that he did not have to face the wrath of his pace, and that is how Karsan Ghavri played for Mumbai and went on to become a “Pakka Mumbaikar.”

His neighbours once ambushed him at a movie theatre with drums and garlands upon hearing of his selection for the Indian cricket team under Tiger Pataudi in 1975. His biggest concern then wasn’t his performance but how to accommodate all 35 relatives eager for tickets to his debut Test match. Kadu Bhai, known for his charm both on and off the field, remained unfazed even when his dalliance with a Pakistani beauty caused a stir. Despite being labelled as “lady killer,” he humbly credits legends like Tiger Pataudi and Salim Durrani as far more charming.

Karsan Ghari holds the record of being the first Indian pace bowler to take 100 wickets, a record that remains unbroken. He represented India for 8 years, playing 39 test matches and 19 one-day internationals. Ghavri was also a skilled spin bowler, often wiping out the opposition so effectively that Captain Bishan Singh Bedi warned him against bowl spinning, even in practice. Among his memorable performances, his dismissal of Greg Chappell and his explosive 86 against Australia are still celebrated after all these years.

Whether at the school, university, Ranji Trophy, or international level, Karsan Ghavri served Indian cricket with distinction. He represented West Zone, Mumbai, and his club with pride. Legend has it that Ghavri lost his spot on the Indian cricket team due to a disagreement with his captain at the time.

Beyond his achievements on the field, Karsan Ghavri has a knack for spotting talent, having discovered Shubman Gill at age 10 and identified Cheteshwar Pujara as a teenager. Many young cricketers who have represented India have played under his guidance, and he remains respected not only for his cricketing prowess but for his gentlemanly demeanour.

Karsan Ghavri ranks Dilip Kumar as 1 to 10 among actors and Sir Gary Sobers as 1 to 10 among cricketers, with everyone else starting from 11. A style icon, Ghavri’s clothes were impeccably tailored. He reflects that, despite earning very little throughout their careers, they wore the finest clothes and dined at the best places, but had no savings.

Earning just a few hundred rupees per day to play a Test for India, Ghavri appreciates how the Board has revolutionised Indian cricket, taking good care of both current and retired players. He recalls that it was a dream to play for India under any conditions—on underprepared pitches, without protective gear, and facing the world’s fastest bowlers. “It was an honour to wear the Indian cap and play for India,” says Ghavri, a proud nationalist.

After 60 years, Karsan Ghavri is bidding farewell to Mumbai, returning to Rajkot, and fulfilling his 90-year-old mother’s dreams. While Mumbai cricket’s loss will be Indian cricket’s gain, his focus includes looking after his mother, being a mentor of the Saurashtra cricket team, and running his upcoming Karsan Ghavri cricket academy in Morbi, Gujarat. With two successful daughters and a son, he remains a devoted family man, never speaking ill of anyone in the 20 years I’ve known him. His unwavering dedication to his family and cricket continues to define him.

He promises to return to Mumbai every month for four days to meet his many friends and fans and to enjoy a round of golf, a game he excels at.

Wishing him the best at his new home, new academy, and Saurashtra cricket.

Kadu bhai, Yaaro ka Yaar

Cheers to a Champion!!

(The writer is a spokesperson for Shiv Sena. Views personal.)

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