BE A PATRIOT EVERY DAY

Cricketer Gautam Gambhir says raising good citizens is better than just abusing another nation

Talking about issues that matter and involving himself in patriotic initiatives, cricketer Gautam Gambhir has made his voice heard time and again. Adding another feather to his cap, the cricketer, on the 72nd Independence Day, will launch and turn RJ for his own primetime show — the Bharat Positive Show, on Fever 104 FM, starting 9am tomorrow. As tricolours sweep across India, Gautam tells us what “being patriotic” means to him, and how he and his wife Natasha instil the same feeling and zeal in their young daughters, Aazeen (four-anda-half) and Anaiza (one).

It’s not easy to feel patriotic every single day of one’s life. How do you make sure that these sentiments stay strong?

It all depends on the definition of being patriotic. Sometimes, being patriotic is equated with how much you can abuse Pakistan, or how many patriotic songs you listen to on August 15 or January 26, or how much one can shout at a debate on a news channel. I think merely calling any country names borders on jingoism. You can be patriotic by saving power, saving water, paying your taxes, not being a part of corruption, respecting other communities and religions, being respectful towards women... this, too, is being patriotic. Me having a tricolour on my cricket helmet is symbolic, but how I raise my children can also encapsulate being patriotic.

A social evil you want banished?

It’s tough to eradicate just one aspect. There are a lot of things that need to change. I often joke that we’re a “talking nation”, not an “acting nation”. For the past 70 years, people have been talking from Red Fort, in Parliament, in Vidhan Sabhas and now on prime-time TV and social media. Enough of talking, now let’s walk the talk. Also, I’d like to see 100% social literacy, not a superficially literate India, which claims to read and write but can’t think. If our lot gets socially evolved, we can surely curb population and select leaders judiciously.

What do you tell your daughters about patriotism, or the nation?

For starters, me and Natasha make sure we respect those who work for us at home, in my dad’s office, and at the Gautam Gambhir Foundation. Respect for fellow humans is of utmost importance. We stop at red lights, keep our area clean, don’t waste even a grain of food, and don’t waste water.

If my daughters never use the words “servant”, “driver”, “guard”, I’d say they both love their people and hence will love their country, too.

Have you and your wife together spearheaded any cause?

Planting and adopting trees is one of the causes of the our Foundation. Pollution is a huge challenge and we’re trying to counter that.

On the family front, how do you celebrate ‘being Indian’?

We just do simple things, so that we can inspire the little ones. There are no over-thetop celebrations. Ah, yes, we always stand whenever the National Anthem plays.

You represent Indian cricket. Is there a patriotic feeling onfield?

Being Indian is about doing all the right things, without harm to others. That’s my mantra.

PHOTO: MANOJ VERMA/HT Cricketer Gautam Gambhir with wife Natasha, and daughters Aazeen and Anaiza