Salutations Rupesh Shah

:: by Ishmit Singh Malik ::

Even as the Indian Hockey team , a bunch of resurgent players of the stick were cornering glory for themselves in Chennai by lifting the Asian Cup in Men’s field hockey, another Indian boy was making the country proud in Singapore. He was the 34 year old "gujju chhora", Rupesh Shah.

Despite the presence of the reigning champion, Pankaj Advani and another world beater, Geet Sethi, both of India as also Peter Gilchrist of Singapore and Praput C. of Thailand, all champions of the past, this achiever, annexed the World billiards title (Points format) in the just concluded competition.

Having won the National billiards title way back in 1993 as a young strapping boy of 20 he had shown great promise only to recede in the background due to the immense pressures of big time billiards in the country, a country which has produced 21 world titles in cue sports.

One cannot understand why the Indian media, both the written on and the visual one is inimical to properly covering the glorious feats of our "Gentleman sportsmen of the green baize".

When our cricketers bring good cheer which is not often enough (as they very seldom do so) this country which worships this crazy game like the only true religion and the cricketers like their main deities, the Indians go mad in their frenzy.

Recently, a slight change is perceptible as the feats of Vishwanathan Anand, Sania Mirza, the Great Khali and now the Men’s Hockey team are also being acknowledged. But where are the fair minded people sleeping. How are they ignoring the splendid and consistent achievements of our cueists. One may argue that Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani have been conferred the "Khel Ratna Awards", Michael Ferreira, the Padma Bhushan, Geet, the Padmashree and others of the cue sports Arjuna Awards as well. But the Government is not being blamed. The lament is for the so called  "Gentleman of the fourth estate".

The moot point is why is the media blind and slow in taking recognition of the cue sports especially the hindi newspapers who feign ignorance about billiards & snooker even when they have been constantly fed by necessary inputs. Maybe, this biased, deliberate and un understandable attitude will now change and we will take cognizance of our poor cousins of cue sports as also other meritorious sportsmen in the same way as our much pampered and hyped cricketers.

Coming back to Rupesh, his feat has to be appreciated warmly for not only he has shown great strength of character but also a high degree of consistency, a necessary requisite to touch and retain heights in any sphere of competition in our modern world. The promise shown in this years nationals in Bangalore has brought fruitition in Singapore.

Salutation to him for keeping up the continuity of excellence of our great cueists.

Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh :: 10th September 2007