SPORTING CHAMPIONS
From Balbir Singh (Sr), who took over the hockey mantle from Dhyan Chand, to Abhinav Bindra, who is desperately looking to stay in a club of which he is the only member, HT looks back at the country’s sporting heroes since Independence.
As India enters its eighth decade as a nation, HT looks back with wonder and respect at the country’s sporting heroes and heroines since Independence. Any compilation such as this is certain to spark conversation, even consternation. Debate will inevitably focus more on those omitted than the chosen 70. The challenge for us was not compiling a list of sporting icons because there are many, but keeping it to 70 because that is what the occasion demanded.
Excluded, therefore, are those who shone for India when it was still a colony or DHIMAN SARKAR
who had their best years as sporting legends before the country became independent. SPORTS EDITOR,
KOLKATA Some others didn’t make the cut because what they excelled in did not match our definition of sport; no offence meant, really. And there were cricketers, shooters and archers who were world-beaters on their day but lost out because we felt they weren’t consistent enough.
Each one of us will have a list of favourites. But if this compilation has 80% or more in each of those lists, the effort would have been worth it. So here goes: from Balbir Singh (Senior), who took over the mantle from Dhyan Chand, through Sachin Tendulkar, whose batting records could be to cricket what a sub-nine 100m dash would be to mankind, Abhinav Bindra, who is desperately seeking company in a club where he remains the only member, MC Mary Kom and more.