*TO BE A SOLDIER OR A CRICKETER?*
Col P S Sangha, VrC (retd)
I have a course mate from the Army days who gave me some surprising news.
In his younger days he had played cricket for the Services at the Ranji
Trophy level. His younger brother, a civilian, was also a cricketer and
played one Test match for India. The news was that both these guys were on
the pension payroll of the BCCI. My friend, who had played more than 25
Ranji Trophy matches, was getting Rs 15,000 per month as pension and his
brother with his single Test match was getting Rs 3,75,000 per month. In
addition the BCCI has given a lump sum going up to Rs 1 crore to ex-Test
cricketers to help them in their sunset years. Well, I thought that this
was indeed a grand gesture of the BCCI to recognise their effort.
It got me thinking on the value system that prevails in our country. I
was a soldier in the Army for close to 29 years before I called it quits.
During this period I fought in the 1971 Indo- Pak war and was awarded the
Vir Chakra for gallantry. This is the third highest gallantry award after
the Param Vir Chakra( PVC) and the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). The government
gives a decoration pay while in service and later as part of the service
pension. It started at a low amount which increased with each pay
commission. At present I get Rs 3,500 per month as the decoration pay. For
a MVC it is Rs 5,000 and a PVC it is Rs 10,000.
What set me thinking is the value put on a soldier's life. Most of the
gallantry awards are given posthumously. So the awardee is already in the
happy hunting grounds and his heirs are left to handle the situation. The
dead soldier's family gets a lump sum amount of a few lakhs from the group
insurance fund and the pay/pension. All this is a pittance compared to the
BCCI dole to ex-cricketers. I remember getting Rs 25,000 in lieu of 5 acres
of land from the Punjab Government for my gallantry award. Compare that
with the lakhs and crores you can make for getting medals in Olympics,
Asian Games and Commonwealth Games. The conclusion is that a soldier’s life
is cheap.
Which brings me to a comparison between a soldier in the battlefield and
a cricketer on the pitch. Both face projectiles of differing variety. For
the cricketer it is a red/white ball which could be coming at you at a
speed close to 150 km. For the soldier it can be a bullet, a bomb or a
missile travelling at speeds beyond the speed of sound. The cricketer can
hit that ball for a six or just duck under it, or at worst, get hit on the
well-protected body. The soldier can just pray that the bullet, splinter or
missile misses him. Both the soldier and the cricketer are doing something
for the nation. The cricketer on losing a match just says "It is only a
game". The soldier just cannot think or afford to lose in the battlefield.
Also consider that as a cricketer you can get a ‘Bharat Ratna’ for your
outstanding achievement. But Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw has not been
given that honour despite leading the Army to its greatest military victory
which resulted in the formation of Bangladesh. I sometimes wonder what
would be a greater catastrophe to the Indian psyche: losing a cricket match
or losing a war to Pakistan? It makes you think: to be a soldier or a
cricketer?
--
With best wishes
SC Batra
64, A-5/B SFS
Shanti Kunj, Paschim Vihar
New Delhi 110063
email. batr...@gmail.com
batr...@hotmail.com
Tele +91-9868287443(Mob)
+91-11-25266739 (Res)
*JUST A FRIENDLY NOTE**:*
*Please remember to delete my email, tele numbers and address before
forwarding.*
--
With best wishes
S Chander
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