KEEPING HER PROMISE

Maheswari fulfills pledge to late Daphne, publishes book on her

BEFORE Daphne Boudeville passed away on Jan 28, former teammate K. Maheswari made a promise to publish a book about the legendary triple international (hockey, athletics and football).

Although Daphne was not around to witness the emotional event, Maheswari kept her promise when ‘Daphne Boudeville The Icon’ was launched yesterday at the Olympic Council of Malaysia.

In the presence of the iconic 1982 Asian Games (New Delhi) bronze medal winning squad, Maheswari couldn't contain her tears, as she spoke about her former mentor and more importantly, her friend, who succumbed to breast cancer.

“I started following Daphne's career when I was a 13-year-old and even at that time she was already a prolific hockey player. She started playing in 1960 which was when I was born,” said Maheswari, who replaced Daphne as a centre-half in 1983 when the latter retired.

“From then on I joined the state team (Ngeri Sembilan) and it was always a huge deal for us because we were all in awe whenever Daphne was on the pitch. She was playing for Selangor then.

“After that I got a call-up to join the national team, and I still remember how Daphne would take us youngsters under her wing. She would guide us and advise us on how best to play.

“She was so passionate about the game that she was still playing at the age of 40. I played alongside Daphne at the 1981 Asia Cup (Kyoto, Japan) and then again at the Asian Games (New Delhi) in 1982.

“It was like a dream come true, because she was a centre-half and I took over from her when she retired.

“Daphne was a very reserved person in the later stage of her life. In fact, she never wanted us to know where she lived or what she was up to.

“I first saw her scrapbook when we met at a gathering in 2017. Daphne brought it along. After that, I saw it again beside her bed when she was in hospital.

“When I asked her about it (scrapbook), she asked me to cremate it with her. That was when I made her a promise, to compile it into a book. Unfortunately, she left us all before it was completed,” said Maheswari, who was also a double international herself (hockey and athletics).

Maheswari added that the reason the book — which is filled with pictures and newspaper cuttings from Daphne's playing days — was launched on Mar 1, was to commemorate one-month of her passing.

A total of 150 copies of the book were printed and will be distributed to sports schools and also given to members of the 1982 national women's hockey squad.

Other notable figures present at the event were Toh Puan Zainon Datuk Hussain, the former president of the Malaysia Women’s Hockey Association, OCM secretary-general Datuk Nazifuddin Najib and national Under22 football head coach, Ong Kim Swee.