EDITORIAL
THE PAK INTEREST
At his press conference
after the first spate of America's retaliatory attacks on
Afghanistan, Musharraf repeated what the cynics have been
saying for ages that there are no permanent policies only
permanent interests. Ever since the 11th September he
has, indeed, been acting this unspoken axiom out. And has
been gaining and losing space, in this pursuit of pure
interest. Though he has lost heavily at home he has
gained support of the America-led alliance against
terrorism for his country and himself. Here he can be
said to have acted prudently. Had his predecessor Nawaz
Sharif been as prudent he may still have been prime
ministering his country. He may not have done those
ceremonial Chagai hill blasts and Musharraf-like taken
the economic booty Clinton had offered to put Pakistan
economy on a firm footing. He may also not have ventured
out into the rough terrain of Kargil to be roughened up
there by the Indian forces. He, then, would not have
suffered the ignominy of exile at the hands of his
favoured general. On the other hand Nawaz Sharif may not
have been as amenable to American pressure to facilitate
attack on Pak-protege Taliban as Musharraf has been.
Ironically, it could have been this very Musharraf as his
army chief who might have prompted Nawaz to say a big NO
to Americans. And then, ousted him in another ironical
twist?
Well, one can never say.
He might have; he might not have. As the events over the
past have shown there is only one thing that is certain
about Musharraf and that is his own interest. It is his
country's good luck if his interest converges with the
Pak interests. Or does it? Is a Talibanisation of
Pakistan in that country's interest? Is fundamentalism,
total and anachronistic, which Musharraf had been
promoting before he was forced by the tide of the
circumstances to veer to the other extreme, in Pakistan's
interest? In fact, one can ask whether the very idea of
Pakistan has been in the interest of the people who were
mislead into hankering for it, and habiting it? It was
then a pure and plain personal interest that saw the
crores of Muslims deluded into believing that their
interest lay in a new theocratic State, as it is a plain
personal interest that has brainwashed a whole 'nation'
into thinking that Kashmir is the sole interest to which
it should mortgage all its interests and policies, it
whole nation and being. Say, if Pakistan gets to hold
Kashmir would it be able to carry it along for any length
of time? Would the beleaguered nation not, then have to
contend with six 'separatist' nationalities in place of
the five it has at present? At best it can hope to have
one more region like the occupied parts of Kashmir, to
subjugate and to lord it over. But is that in the Pak
interest?
Yet that is how Musharraf
has tried to justify his alliance with America and world
to decimate terrorists it had put in place in Afghanistan
after a ten year effort: that the alliance would help the
Pak case in Kashmir. Apparently, the psyches have been so
well moulded there that he expected the people to line up
in his support on hearing the word Kashmir. But the
people did not listen because the same State and
establishment of which Musharraf has been the latest
pillar and promoter had told them that the Pak interest
was and still is intricately woven with the Taliban
interest and intent. And they would not be very incorrect
there. Taliban represent what Pakistan has been preaching
openly, and practicing on the sky, for the last half a
century. The sage Musharraf is only its latest preacher.
But suddenly that preaching and penchant has gone against
the personal interest of Musharraf and he has simply
switched camps. This in a way has been the Pak tragedy.
The legitimate and original interest of Pakistan has been
so warbled that it has easily been made to stand for the
personal interest of the ruler of the time, Musharraf is
its latest victim or exploiter.
Cheating Invigilators
One has heard of
invigilators at the examination centers looking the other
way and permitting the students to indulge in a bit or
more of copying but the invigilating staff, actually,
contracting not only to allow copying but also to provide
the copying material to the examinees in the examination
hall at a 'fixed' rate is a shocking slide in the whole
education scene. It is reasonable to take the instance as
a more widespread practice than an isolated event in the
education scheme. There are many cases reported, and many
more unreported; all are common knowledge among the
students and the other involved parties. Further the
teachers 'easily' allot good grades in the schools and
also try to 'help' the students in the board or other
examinations to secure good grades and earn 'credit' for
their schools. The days when the teachers were particular
to ensure that no student or examinee should cheat in the
exams, like all good things, are now past history. The
schools teachers' even the parents of this modern age,
would go to any extent to ensure that their wards make a
good show at the tests, and that includes facilitating
the unfair means before, during and after the
examination.
Perhaps it was with this
rising menace of copying in view, that the education
authorities mooted the proposal to do away with the
examinations itself. But that can hardly be said to be a
solution. Some kind of grading, some means of evaluation,
some apparatus for assessment, would always be needed and
the more 'democratic the scheme' becomes the more it
deteriorates. That was how the American system of
continuous evaluation practically failed in the country.
Some may protest saying that it is unfair to single out
the education department or a few invigilators when the
whole system including the wholesome vigilance department
is not above board. But that exactly is the point. If the
corruption, the unfair means are promoted right at the
school level what type of administrators, teachers and
invigilators this country is going to produce. And live
with?
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Osama's
spider web
By
Allabaksh Hyderabadi
(It's
only now with all the focus shifting to
Osama bin laden, the spider web he has
created around the globe is becoming
visible a wee bit despite the mystery
that surrounds what all he does. This is
a direct fall-out of Black Tuesday and in
a sense. we should remain grateful to the
suicide squads and their daredevilry,
which alone has made the world, sit up
and take note of Jihadi bomb that has
been ticking away, writes the author
Whether we
like or not, there
is a positive side to the attack
on the symbols of American pride - the
twin WTC towers in New York, the tallest
buildings an the earth till maverick
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad came up
with his own towers in the Malaysian
capital.
No, my
reference is not to the Bush rhetoric:
Wanted Osama -dead or alive. No, not to
the ability of President Musharraf to
turn a zero sum game into his advantage
and display his ability to dictate terms
to the cop who came knocking at his door
at dusk.
1 am
referring to the sudden interest the
world is taking on the spider web Osama
has created around the globe. Despite the
mystery that surrounds whatever Osama has
done and in spite of the aura he commands
and enjoys, we are able to get a
peep into a revolutionary new world that
has been in the works for over a decade.
The daredevilry of the suicide squad
assembled by Osama and his friends has
made the world to sit up and take note of
Jihadi bomb that has been ticking away in
our very midst.
Osama’s
links with the Taliban and the ISI, and
our very own ‘Mujahideen’
are by now known and are well documented
before and after the WTC attack both in
the Indian and foreign press. The expose
of the Osama web that lay outside
Afghanistan is a new development, by all
means, though surprisingly enough,
available information shows that the
"Islamic Revolutionary" son of
a businessman, who made money by working
for the Saudi Royal family, had
established close contacts Wth groups
like GIA, IIF, Hamas and AGAI by the time
he came on the Kabul scene to help the
ISI and the CIA in that order.
AGAI, the
AI-Gamaa AI-Islamiya, is the most violent
Islamic activist group in Egypt. It was
stymied by the strong-arm measures of the
Mubbarak government. Nonetheless, AGAI
has managed to penetrate the
country’s security system. Its main
strength, like in the case of Osama and
his AI Qaeda, is obvious: hidden
sympathizers and their number is huge.
AGAI's
spectacular display of its ability was
the attack on foreign tourists in Luxor
three years ago. A blind cleric, Sheikh
Omar Abdel Rehman is a mentor. Rehman
needs no special introduction to the
readers. His name is familiar to every
one as the one who was to be hanged to
death the day following the Black Tuesday
for his attempt to blow up the WTC in
1993.
According
to several schools, what brought the
Egyptian outfit and Osama together was
their revolutionary zeal, and common
tactical approach. It is not for nothing
that Refaa Taha, the AGAI supremo has
moved his base to Afghanistan to be
closer to his friend. His deployment in
Afghanistan operates through a Shura
Council based in Peshawar.
Another
bond between Refaa and Osama is a common
operations manual since both owe their
training and practices to the CIA. The
ISI has refined their programmes
subsequently. It is not clear whether
Osama participated in the Refaa's attempt
to assassinate President Hosni Mubbarak.
Given the commonality of interests, he
could have. There can be no doubt.
A North
African group, which shares the Osama
vision, is Groupe Islamique Armede (GIA).
It is, in fact, two notches above Osama
in the adherence to the Taliban doctrine
of purifying the society of infidels, of
all those who do not pray, drink alcohol,
take drugs are homosexuals and debauched
women.''
Democracy
and elections are anathema to it. It
swears by its commitment to export
Islamic Revolution worldwide. So much so,
Osama and GJA are 'natural allies'. And
Osama cosiders his Algerian ally as the
lynch-pin of his North African Islamic
Network.
GIA has
two wings, one concentrates on the home
front to remove the current leaders, whom
it considers as the 'scourge of God'',
and the other focusses on overseas
territories.
This
Internationalist faction has established
its presence in Italy. Switzerland,
Britain and France in particular. The CIA
cadres on the continent double up as
Osama agents and as Osama's talent
hunters for terrorist missions.
Interesting thing is none of them have
had any direct exposure to the Afghan
Jehad.
Palestinian
Islami Jihad (PIJ) is credited with
providing Osama and his outfit the needed
conduit for establishing contacts with
anti-Israeli groups active in 'Occupied
territories'. A breakaway faction of
Muslim Brotherhood, PIJ is very close to
radical student groups. Led by
charismatic Ramadan Abdullah Salah, a
one-time student activist, it came under
the spell of the Iranian Islamic
Revolution and the Lebanese Hizbollah.
Soon it graduated to the Osama ranks
carried away by the success stories of
Afghan jehad.
Their
common links to Yemen brought PIJ closer
to Osama.
Did Osama
and PIJ cadres launch joint operations in
Yemen? My probing around left me with no
convincing answer. One thing is clear
though. PIJ is offering the launch pad to
the Osama company to spawn in the West
bank and Gaza. The arrest in August of 23
persons with suspected links with Osama
in the area shows the bonds that have
become enduring.
Many West
Asia centric small and obscure Islamic
groups are believed to be sponsored by
the Osama enterprise. An intelligent
guess points the needle of suspicion
towards Abdul Majid Zendani led Islah
party, Islamic Army, Mohammad's Army and
Islamic Deterrence Force. All are Yemen
based, a country,Osama is obviously fond
off.
Zendani
worked with Osama in Afghanistan. The
Islamic Army carried out the attack on
American war ship USS Cole in October
last year. Mohammad's Army and Islamic
Deterrence Force. All are Yemen based, a
country, Osama is obviously fond off.
Zendani
worked with Osama in Afghanistan. The
Islamic Army carried out the attack on
American war ship USS Cole in October
last year. Mohammad's Army also claimed
credit for the attack. This outfit took
credit for the hand grenades lobbed into
British Embassy in Aden a day after the
ship was targeted.
Osama's
association with Islamist elements in
Kuwait is to be expected. His discord
with the Saudi Royal family has something
to do with Kuwait, one may recall. As the
Iraqi tanks rambled along the highway to
Kuwait, Osama planned to involve his
Afghan veterans in driving out the
invader. His plan had not takers.
Instead, the infidel! America was asked
to do the job. His frontal attack on the
King invited the Royal wrath and the
rest, as the saying goes, is history. The
short point is Islamist elements from
Kuwait are based in Afghanistan.
Central
Asian Republics (CAR) with their vast
Muslim population and world famous
Islamic centers of learning should
fascinate Osama bin Laden and his ilk;
Because, though communist rule has ended,
the ruling class is still pursuing the
old school and there are several pockets
where the writ of the master doesn't run.
From all
accounts it s clear that Osama is trying
to extend his sphere of influence of his
Islamic Front for Jehad to this belt. We
do not know how successful he is in the
enterprise CAR is not on our media radar
despite occasional references to oil
wealth of the region.
By
targetting Osama, and by banking upon
Pakistan alone to the exclusion of all
others in the region, the US and its
close allies are making two mistakes.
Firstly
they are not caring to realise that
neither Al Qaeda nor any other Jihadi
group is a conventional organization of
like-minded people, we are familiar with.
Secondly, they have not realized the
Pakistan game-- bargain for time to fool
linkered visions and to safeguard its
core interests.
Jihad is a
phenomenon, a mind-set that has no
geographical limits, where from Tunisia
to Tajikistan, Philippines to Egypt and
UAE, Canada to India and Malaysia,
anyone, banker, a bomb maker, a
financier, a student or politician can
pool their resources and talents, even
while not knowing each other for a
specific mission only to go their own
ways in the end without asking any
questions. It is a vast pool, which
contributes its might to a cause they
think would make them worthy of going to
the heaven.
You cannot
fight such a mind-set with shoulder-fired
stingers. Back to basics is the only way
out !
--Syndicate
Features
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Synergy
and security to be top priority
By
Deepak Arora
The
synergy between civil aviation and
tourism is going to be the top priority
for the new Minister, Syed Shahnawaz
Hussain. "Tourism and civil aviation
are very important for the growth of the
country. My endeavour would be to have a
synergy between the two so that the
country could ward off the economic
slowdown in the world which has been
further aggravated by the September 11
terrorist attacks in the US."
In an
exclusive interview with this
correspondent, new Civil Aviation
Minister Shahnawaz Hussain said that his
other priorities would be upgradation and
improvement of airports, bringing
national carriers — Air India and
Indian Airlines — at par with top
airlines of the world, and ensuring the
passenger safe and secure journey.
Keeping in
mind the wide variety of tourist fare
that India offers, the Minister said he
planned to have several modern
state-of-the-art airports in each State.
‘This would facilitate quick travel
within the country and boost local
economies," he said and added
"At present, lack of good airports
hinder the development and growth of
tourism and civil aviation in the
country."
He also
stressed his preference for private
sector’s participation in the
development of airports. To connect by
air all district headquarters with the
State capitals. More airports would be
developed and the national carriers would
be encouraged to purchase smaller
50-seater aircraft. He informed that the
Indian Airlines was already considering
lease of six 50-seater ATR aircraft.
In the
context of rapid changes being witnessed
in the global economy and in particular
Indian economy, he said there is an
obvious change in the attitude of the
international tourist who is definitely
looking at India as not just a country
with snake charmers and elephants but
with a rich cultural heritage coupled
with a strong intellectual talent be it
Information Technology or bio-technology.
He said he expected a larger tourist
inflow and said the future of India lay
in the tour Ts - Travel, Tourism,
Information ‘Technology and
Bio-’Technology.
Civil
aviation is increasingly being recognised
as an important engine of growth for
economy, taking into consideration its
contribution through facilitation of
tourism, foreign direct investment,
trade, imports and exports, portfolio
investments, and NRI remittances.
Recently,
ICAO projected India as one of the
fastest growing markets in the world,
both in passenger and cargo traffic. The
traffic is predicted at 7 per cent
average growth per year till 201 5, which
is higher than 5.6 per cent for Europe
and 6.8 per cent for South-East Asia. The
International Air Transportation
Association (IATA) had forecast 6.3 per
growth per annum in respect of
international passengers to and from
India between 2000 and 2004.
The
Minister also hinted at changes in the
draft civil aviation policy, which has
been hanging fire for many years. He,
however, did not reveal as to what
changes he had in mind in the draft civil
aviation policy. He, however, assured
that the new policy would see light of
the day "soon".
Indian
Airlines and Air India would be expanding
their respective fleets by leasing more
aircraft to increase their market share.
On the purchase of new aircraft, he said
that he needed more time to study the
issue. He said he would meet Finance
Minister Yashwant Sinha to get budgetary
support.
Keeping in
mind the recent terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Centre in New York and
Pentagon in Washington DC, Mr Hussain
ordered further tightening of security at
the airports. Microwave sensors, close-
circuit cameras and state-of-the-art
X-ray machines would soon be installed at
the airports. Increased security would
come with increased courtesy larger
induction of Central Industrial Security
Force (CISF) personnel at the sensitive
airports and more deployment of sky
marshals on flights are other
steps".
With a
view to promoting tourism further in the
country, regulations for the operation of
chartered tourist flights have been
liberalised considerably. These can land
at the 12 international airports in the
country, Agra, Jaipur, Varanasi and Port
Blair.
In fact,
tourist charter flights could be
permitted to land at any Indian airport
having customs and immigration
facilities. The existing limit of the
aircraft size has also been removed for
operating chartered flights out of India.
The earlier, of restriction of 30 seats
has been removed and carriage of cargo
also permitted.
As
airports are the first and last points of
contact for the international tourist
where he forms his impression, Mr Hussain
said the facilitation aspect had been
receiving his Ministrys utmost attention
so as to faster tourism in India.
With the
advent of Information Technology, some of
the passenger facilitations, which are
receiving the attention of the ministry,
are to encourage all airlines to use the
Common User Terminal Equipment (CUTE)
which enables the passenger to check-in
at any counter for tickets, baggage tags
and boarding cards. This will reduce the
dwell time at queues. Integration of this
system with those of immigration and
customs will also improve passenger
facilitation. Interactive hotel
reservations through this system to be
provided at tourist counters is also
receiving the attention of his ministry.
Young and
suave, Mr Hussain was born in 1968 in
Supual village in Bihar. He is an
electrical engineer by profession.
Before
being elevated as a Cabinet Minister in
the recent reshuffle, he held the posts
of the Minister of State for Coal, Food
Processing Industries, Youth Affairs and
Sports, and Human Resource Development.
He was elected the Lok Sabha from
Kishanganj parliamentary constituency in
Bihar. -CNF
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Raade
: A festival of arts and ritual
By Suraj Saraf
Tree worship is in
practice in India since the Harappan times. In
the present times annual ‘Van Mahotsav has
degenerated into more ritual for playing to the
gallery by official or political heavyweights.
The common man, however, does realise the great
value of trees for mankind and, therefore,
worship them in some form or other and also hold
festivals here and there.
The Raade festival
in the sprawling Dogra region of Jammu is a
unique tree plantation ceremony accompanied by
painting and music and much more, and all that by
women only as it is thought to be exclusively a
female affair. Interestingly Raade also
underscores its connection with agriculture. The
word Raade literally means sowing in local Dogri.
it signifies ancient technique to determine
suitable cropping pattern and prospects, testing
of seeds and soil. An it is observed just before
the rains start, continuing for a month, it also
forecasts rain prospects for agriculture and
various rituals underpin propitiation of the rain
god.
All combined it is
hailed as a symbol of transformation from
distressing times represented by scorching heat
as it starts on the first of the Indian month, of
‘Asad,’ to peace and prosperity as the
month long festival advances with rains pouring
and concludes on first of Sawan.
On the first of
Asad village virgins in groups broom open spaces
in different houses, apply cowdung and then a
white-wash coat. They take pitcher necks
embedding them in the cleaned ground with a small
space in between each. in the pitcher-necks
different seeds are sown and watered.
Fascinating
colourful patterns are drawn around the pitcher
necks with vegetable and stone colours. These
designs represent household objects, fruits,
animals linked with rainy season or water. In
addition, there are also geometric patterns that
reflect Tantrik influence; perhaps these are
adopted from the ritual patterns drawn by priests
in marriages etc. Anyhow, these ornamental motifs
are so deftly and artistically executed that one
wanders at the innate skill of these girls who
have had no regular art training.
inclusion of
pitcher necks in the Raade activities needs a
little elaboration. On the face of it there does
not seem to be any important factor connected
with it. But going deeper, some interesting facts
emerge regarding them. The necks being parts of
pitchers that are used to carry water. So they
symbolise water and are believed to vitalise the
prayer to the rain god.
But much more
significant fact is that these pitcher necks
represent one of the most auspicious ornament
motif of Indian rituals and at viz Kumbh or Purna
Ghat (pitcher field to the brim). As pointed out
by Vasudeva S Agrawals in "Indian Art"
Indian art reflects the deep relationship between
ideas and life. It fulfils a real need. If the
wide gamut of life is mirrored anywhere it is
truly so in case of art, he adds.
He also says that
a special feature which enriches the meaning and
purpose of art is to present a synthesis or the
mingling of cults dear to the common man with
higher religion. Here metaphysical ideas wee
freely invoked to inspire concrete forms,
stresses Agrawala. Discovery of the subtle
meaning of art forms only leads to full aesthetic
enjoyment, he says.
Regarding the
symbol of pitcher, Agrawala says, "This pot
and foliage, full vase, is the symbol of plenty
and creativity. The water in the jar is the sap
and the overflowed leaves and flowers typify life
itself with its many blessings and joys. The
human body is Purna Ghata and so is the created
cosmos."
Underscoring the
antiquity of this interesting symbol, Agrawala
says further," the idea of Puran Ghata had
been known since the times of the Rig Veda for
which continuous literary evidence is available.
More than
literature actual religious as well as art
tradition is full with this motif. It is the
universal in Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism.
There is practically no festive occasion in which
Puran Ghata is not installed either as a
religious symbol or for beautifying
purpose."
This drawing of
colour motifs and tending plants is repeated
every week, when girls also since sing and dance
and also have meals together. On the first of
Sawan final ceremony takes places them along with
a burning earthern lamp on a thali. They then
proceed to any nearly flowing water, a canal,
nallahs, river et al and float the plants and
Diva in the water.
Till about the
time of partition this interesting and
significant festival of trees used to be observed
very enthusiastically even in towns in Jammu.
After that, however, by and by it was almost
forgotten till over a decade back some cultural
activists started a campaign of reviving it in
Jammu countryside. By now Raade has started being
observed widely and hundreds of girls participate
energetically in taking to plantations, drawing
exotic motifs and singing and dancing.
PTI Feature
|
Picking
the right Coach
By J. R. Jyoti
After a pathetic
show in the recent Indo-Srilanka series, the
Indian cricket coach, John Wright blamed the
players for not coming upto expectations: Bowlers
didn’t take wickets, batsmen didn’t
score as expected and the fielders were slow.
What more could go wrong?
And Wright, who
was appointed the coach after a long drawn
process didn’t share any blame. A foreign
coach was thought to be a solution of all our
cricketing problems. Surprisingly, no one has
asked Wright about his contribution to bring up
cricket. No one has asked whether his appointment
was right.
What are the
qualifications or qualities required for picking
up, someone as a cricket coach?
Any international
who has achievements and records to his credit
would do.
Wrong. Not one,
five internationals, Bishen Singh Bedi, Ajit
Wadekar, Madan Lal, Anshuman Gaekwad and Kapil
Dev, "were a disastrous experiment" as
per Dungarpur, former BCCI president. Picking up
Kapil for comment, he said, "Kapil only told
the boys to enjoy cricket and contributed little
professionalism".
Why, Kapil himself
had said, on his appointment as coach that
internationals did not necessarily make good
coaches. "It’s not necessary that
successful players make successful coaches
too’.
Just as brilliant
students, University toppers might not make good
teachers. In fact middle grade students make
better teachers as they realise the difficulties
and needs of lower rung which the toppers may
overlook being obvious. And a coach is a teacher
in more ways than one. In fact, where as a
teacher imparts theoretical knowledge a coach
makes his wards do things in a practical way,
which they can achieve only after understanding
all aspects of the sport. A tall order indeed!
And unless a coach
or a teacher is trained to be so, they just
can’t succeed. No wonder disaster struck
Indian cricket, as none of the five internationals
were trained coaches. Why do they, in such a
situation, accept an onerous responsibility?
The reason is
simple. For an elite discipline like cricket
appointment as a coach for the Indian team is an
honour conferred and becomes a status symbol. The
chosen person is in the limelight at once. The
temptation is too great to resist.
And why at all
untrained persons are chosen? "There was no
alternative," said Dungarpur during the Big
Fight on the on Star TV. "Calling coaches
from outside would have invited wrath of
cricketers and these great men, and more than any
one else the media’.
All these years
the BCCI didn’t realise that selecting
coaches was a professional job, not to be left to
officials in any case. They thought a player who
could perform well would also make a good coach.
And they learnt through bitter experience that
truth was far from it.
The first
requirement of a coach is his aptitude for
coaching. Surely, all internationals don’t
have the aptitude, even though their love for the
sport and rich experience cannot be denied. But
what about to coach? That comes through
specialised training as a coach. And anyone
without such training suffers from a serious
handicap.
No doubt the
internationals are held in awe but they
don’t inspire. And soon the players get only
general advice and not the much needed expert
guidance. Then there are players who think they
don’t need coaches and coaching. Ajay Jadeja
had said, "At our level we don’t need
to be told what’s to be done’.
Azharuddin had voiced similar views.
With competitions
becoming keener and contests getting tougher by
the day and fitness levels going up by leaps and
bounds services of a coach are all the more vital
to succeed and survive. Mere tricky situations
have become jigsaw puzzles needing expert
guidance to come out.
Basically, a coach
has to observe, understand, analyse, express,
make the trainees understand to enable them to do
what he wants. He has to coordinate and combine
individual efforts and strengths to overall team
effort.
The coach has to
be trained to stress on all aspects of the game.
A specialist or an international, on the other
hand, might restrict his vision to his own
specially as a pin bowler or a batsman. A coach
should be able to guide a spin bowler or at least
see the flaws in his game, and so also a wicket
keeper’s. This is possible because a coach
is trained to understand the finer nuances of
every aspect of the sport.
The demands on a
coach are high and burdensome. That’s why
many a discernible one fears to tread the
grounds. For example, on his retirement,
when Australian captain Allan Border was asked if
he was ready to coach the national team, he
confessed that he was not sure if he had the
talent. In India there is added danger of the axe
failing on the coach if things don’t move
smoothly.
For a coach to
succeed systematic and proper training is a must.
Then alone he could acquire overall perspective
of the sport and shed biases acquired during his
career as a player. In fact in the fast changing
scenario, a coach has to be an expert who knows
the fundamentals of almost every aspect of the
sport, be it psychology, sports fitness, sports
medicine, leadership qualities besides his very
specific analytical approach of imparting skills.
He has to coordinate with fitness expert, the
doctor, the nutritionist and the manager. Then
alone he can produce heroes, role models and
legends, even immortals while remaining a mortal
himself. Sometimes, even vulnerable as witnessed
in Indian context.
Wright escaped the
criticism after Indo- Srilanka series. However,
if the Indian cricket team faltered once again as
it has been doing too long on foreign soil, in
the forthcoming India - South Africa series, hunt
for a coach might start once again, from square
one.
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