4 Sleepless Nights in Puducherry

21/04/2009

If you ask me, what all I went through in the past 3 days, I may go on talking for good measure of time.

The occasion was 2 days residential Hockey Summer Camp for 11-14 year old children in Puducherry, integral part of our project so captivatingly entitled �ONE THOUSAND HOCKE Y LEGS�.

This, for me, was the first time I was in a public forum, sole official representative of our organization. I was nervous; I don�t want to hide it from you.

Although quite a bit of ground work had gone behind, a lot remained to be done. Long time back, I read in a book on India. It said, �Here (in India), many things materialize at the last minute.� At times, I wondered if it�s true.

Years back, Vishal (?) told me, �Shashank, you have to understand that last minute changes always happen. We need to adjust to it.�

I didn�t accept it - as simple as that.

When Arumugam ji called from Delhi and cautioned me � �Your whole programme might change there�. It sent shivers down my spine. I knew what he meant. I also knew what I am not good at.

One side view of Presentation ceremony

With this backdrop, eyeing the camp on Sat-Sun, 18-19th Apr, I stepped in Puducherry on Friday morning.

I met government officials to get the final approvals for hostels, once obtained, got it got it cleaned up, rolled in bedding etc; met the coaches, caterers and discussed on-field and off-field plans. I met a few extremely supportive Government officials, who said one liner such as this, �Tell us, we shall do that for you.� Music words to me.

As the day progressed, my positive energy and focus was put to test when I saw some unknown people briefing media on my behalf. 5 minutes later I told to myself, �Don�t worry, they are after all talking about Hockey.�

I also spotted some unknowns, may I call them gate crashers, trotting around as organizers.

I met some people who told me on my face: �Nothing will work!�
You may tend to agree, �Yes, all these are truth.�

I feel, the bigger truth is, �To create that small change, I have to be in their system.�

The other side view

Pondicherry has a near zero visibility of Hockey. In two days, 129 children (including 16 girl children) in the age group of 11-14 years trained Hockey for 11 hours. They played a Hockey Quiz for the first time in their career. We showed them videos for Hockey matches � believe me, it doesn�t happen at many places. We showed them Chak De India, a movie not many had even heard of. Children read about Hockey and had some interactive sessions.

Before the camp, someone asked me, �What�s the purpose of this camp?�

Here�s my answer, �Next time, when any of those children see a small article on Hockey in any publications, I am fairly sure they will read it.�

For various reasons, I hadn�t slept properly for 3 nights. On all days, in those few free moments, I would dream of 4th night on the bus, back to Bangalore.

But on the 4th night, I had another sleepless night. I kept thinking of what I did, what I observed, how enriching those 3 days had been, what has to be ignored, what has to be retained for the future and the amazing response I got from all quarters of Hockey and non-Hockey people.

It didn�t take me long to understand that not often does one get such nights.
Damn tired and exhausted, I kept thinking of a day when each child will say, �Yes, I know about Hockey.� -- They will if they are from Puducherry.

-Shashank Gupta on 20th April '09