’CHAK DE INDIA’ is the favourite slogan of people of country after the release of Shimit Amin’s movie, Chak De India. However, on Wednesday, Indian Football team created a new slogan, ‘Chak De Football’. Wednesday was a red-letter day for Indian Football as Indian football team won the finals of Nehru Cup Football Tournament for the first time, after its introduction in 1982. At the Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi, India lifted the ONGC Nehru Cup title by beating Syria 1 – 0 and ended its drought of titles. The tournament was introduced twenty-five years back in the memory of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, but India could not never won the title in its first thirteen editions.
From India, Mahesh Gawli, who was also adjudged man of the match later, scored the sole goal in the 44th minute of the game. However, Indian team was ranked 39 places behind Syria, but the Indian players outplayed their rivals in every department, be it aggression, control, speed, or tactics. India’s triumph in the match was a combined effort of the whole team. Mahesh Gawli, Gouramangi Singh and N.S. Manju nicely cordoned India’s defense. Nehru Cup win fetched India $40,000, including the same amount from the tournament sponsor ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Commission), and the entire prize money would be distributed among the players. Most importantly, the efforts of foreign coach Bob Houghton, an English resident at Cape Town, can’t be overlooked because his impact was clearly visible in the match. Captain Baichung Bhutia led the side from the front.
A few weeks back, with the release of Shahrukh Khan’s Chak De India, it seemed that India’s national game had chances of seeing a bright tomorrow. Earlier, people had some doubts whether the movie would do well because the Indian public is hysterical about cricket only. Prior to Chak De India, the Bollywood directors had made only cricket-based movies out of which only Asuthosh Gowarikar’s ‘Lagaan’ was a hit. So expecting much from this movie was not logical. But Chak De India changed the history. From the very first show onwards, the cinema halls across the country were jam-packed and cine-goers appreciated the movie as well as the fictional Indian Hockey Women’s Team. Besides, the film critics and the veteran hockey players from our country admired the movie director Shimit Amin’s vision and support for the game.
As I am also a movie buff and Shah Rukh is my favourite star, so watching Chak De India was essential for me. Movie script was very well written; from the beginning till the end I never found any single moment boring. Although the audience was seeing a fictional game but it appeared from the continuous clap that I was watching a real game. Truly speaking, I never liked the game of hockey, but when I watched the movie, my thinking about the game, especially about the women’s team, changed. In fact, Chak De India not only portrayed the miserable condition of India’s national game but also the condition of women in our country. In a male dominant society nobody expects anything good from women. Thanks to Shimit Amin and Indian Hockey Coach Team, Kabir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), for making an eye-opening movie for Indian people.
On the whole, what I was telling about Chak De India was in reel life and we have to wait for the positive result of the film in real life. But on Wednesday, Indian Football, which has the same story as Hockey, won the hearts of Indian people in real life. For the first time we saw that a large crowd was present inside the stadium to cheer the team India. Amongst the spectators, some famous personalities were also present, including the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, Delhi’s Chief Minister, Shiela Dikshit, and Indian Cricketer, Virendra Sehwag. More interestingly, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi was jumping and looking highly excited on India’s triumph. Later, Virendra Sehwag also joined the Indian football players for celebrations.
After India’s victory, politicians as well as sports-persons congratulated the team and praised the players too. Loka Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee congratulated the Indian Football team and spoke to team’s captain Baiching Bhutia to convey his congratulations. We also saw a change in the media coverage. The News Channels, which always run after cricket, telecasted special coverage on football. The change in people as well as media’s perspective is a good thing for the neglected game of Football. In addition, Nehru Cup Final has also generated interest within me and I have already added this in my favourite sports’ list.
Moreover, winning the finals of the Nehru Cup is not enough for the Indian football team. In fact, the team should take it just as a first step towards a big goal, as India is in the 151st position in the recent FIFA world rankings. If the players give their best and win the matches for India, no one can stop the Indian people from supporting their team and players. India’s tennis sensation Sania Mirza is the best example. She carved a niche for herself in the world tennis by her fine back-to-back performances. On the other hand Indian government should offer more assistance to state football teams for the welfare of game.
Last but not the least, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi also deserves some applauds, because he is the President of All India Football Federation (AIFF) and he has worked hard for the game. Chak De India and “Chak De Football” shouldn’t stop here. We expect India to rise high in World Football rankings. If they work hard it may surely happen one day.
By Md Mudassir Alam
Source: http://www.merinews.com
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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