Sania, Saina global pride

The year that is about to get dusted into the pages of history provides for a mixed bag in Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh, as far as sports achievements are concerned.

This is more so because if one takes a rational approach it would be in the fitness of things to state that the exploits of the athletes are no patch on the behind-the-scene chequered ups and downs that have been brought about by the dubious machinations of self-styled administrators that undermined the image of several disciplines to obnoxious levels. The sordid dramas made for more headlines than the positives dished out by a handful of sportspersons.

On-the-field cheers came courtesy of players into individual events, more principally in badminton and tennis. It is a sad commentary and a reflection of the state-of-affairs that the two States still bank on the individual conquests of Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal and her band of talented shuttlers. Only the odd paddler or chess player has taken the two States into the spotlight. Invariably, it has been woman power that has ruled the roost.

The toast of the nation, Telangana State Brand Ambassador, Sania Mirza, was the biggest success story, who not only became the first Indian woman player to achieve the World Number one ranking in doubles but also had a phenomenal ten titles added to her ever-growing kitty with her astounding playing skills that rely on lethal baseline shots for winners.

The revolution inspired by Saina Nehwal, the woman for all seasons, reached a crescendo with many from the badminton fraternity making waves on the global firmament. Nehwal may have shifted base to Bangalore but she still remains a true-blue Hyderabadi, a la Gagan Narang. Pretty ironically, the career graph of Sania and Saina have been running almost parallel to one another since the time they hit the international jackpot.

Like Sania, even Saina’s icing on the professional cake came this year when she became the first Indian female to emerge as the World No 1 singles player. She may have fallen at the final frontier in both All England and the World Championships but she has more than proven that she remains India’s best bet at Rio. PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta, Kidambi Srikanth, Parupalli Kashyap, HS Prannoy and Ajay Jayaram add to the list of medal prospects.

However, the negatives are one too many for one to sit back and raise a toast. In cricket, the efforts of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) came to a virtual naught what with the teams coming a cropper in each outing save a win here and there.

Hyderabad also had to withstand another setback when its only player of national repute Pragyan Ojha shifted loyalties and moved over to West Bengal to ‘brighten a Test recall’ chances. The only significant point has been that MV Sridhar, MSK Prasad, R Sridhar and Gokaraju Gangaraju are calling the shots in specified national roles.

Unfortunately for sportspersons from the two States, their Olympic and future dreams hang in the balance considering that a majority of associations are in the midst of no-holds-barred pitched power struggles for gaining control, that is spilling over to the ground destroying the minutest bit of hope these athletes nurture.

Like HCA, the Olympic Associations of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State are mired in controversies. It has been to such loathsome extremes that even a year into their formation there is no legitimate head. What makes the fight (which has to be decided by the courts and the Indian Olympic Association) ridiculous is that politicians are caught in the crossfire.

By:Sridhar K Penna