Why Laxman deserves a Double Bagel!

Whenever I hear the name ‘Laxman’, the first thought that crosses my mind is the quaint image of a valiant warrior who devoted his life towards the betterment of his brother and served him with unflinching loyalty. It’s the image of a soldier who never in his wildest dreams could have imagined betraying someone or hurting the values for which he stands tall for. He lived in an era where allegiance was not just a word that could be written for the sake of it (Yes! They had pens and paper in the forest at that time). But now times have indeed changed and we’ve come a long way from that glorious era.

I guess it is absolutely justified to reach a conclusion that if Laxman was alive today, he would have died with shame. Not that I’m trying to draw a parallel with someone in specific. You see I’m not an avid politics enthusiast, but when a person chooses to be a part of a political party that in its manifesto says, and I quote, “we aim to build a modern, prosperous and vibrant India” I truly expect that my country politicians stand up to that reputation.

Let’s not even go to the extent about what the party has to say on the promotion of sports. Let’s focus on another area – Women! The party has this credence that women are the ‘nation builders’. It believes that women should be respected and must be treated as equals with the men of the country. Makes sense to me. But does it really matter to the party and the politicians themselves? Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, shall we? The manifesto ends with a promise that the party commits itself to the aforementioned tasks and promises to work relentlessly towards those goals, for which they seek sixty months. So, there’s still time. Till that time comes, we’re all free to demean women in any manner possible and not give a damn when it comes to reverencing a phenomenon that can end wars – Sports.

 See that’s the biggest problem that our country faces today. We do not understand, nay we underestimate, the potential that a sport carries. A sportsman is considered to be someone who probably ended up playing the game because he/she was not good at studies. Might be true, but it’s a choice not an option. And if people, especially sportspersons, are condemned because they’re people who have taken the easy way out as studies was not a viable option for them, then politicians are no better. What should matter is the contribution that one makes towards his/her country. What should not matter is whose son/daughter/son-in-law/daughter-in-law that person is.

But what do I know? I’m just another hopeless sports fanatic who was not good at studies and took the easy way out into the sporting world. What’s missing from my life is that I’m not insulting women when I want to get back at my rivals and I’m not making riotous barbs targeting people’s nationality/citizenship.

Enough of beating around the bush. Mr. K Laxman (Oops! It’s Dr. K Laxman) calling Sania Mirza Pakistan’s daughter-in-law is downright disgusting and repellent of what we stand for as Indians. It’s very easy to make these absurd remarks Dr. Laxman, but what you don’t understand is that you’ve managed to betray your country and hurt the sentiments of a ritzy tennis player, along with millions of others, after portraying yourself as a loyal servant of the same country.

It’s not tough deciphering what has actually happened during this fiasco. It’s a classic case of getting back at a rival by using any desperate mean possible. That’s actually the sad state of affairs that this country has had to go through for the last 10 years now. What’s even sadder is the fact that it has now happened at a time when the ruling party has changed and proclaimed that ‘Ache Din’ have started. I myself have supported that party for quite some time and hence am confused whether am hurt because that party backstabbed me or because sports was taken a dig at yet again or because nationalism was for the umpteenth time exposed to the dark underbelly of ignominy.

If I get a chance to meet Dr. Laxman today, then I would not slap him. And I would definitely not put him on the receiving end of my wrath. The whole nation is already doing that. And if someone is not either angry or sad about the events that have conspired, then quite frankly that person is as naïve and silly as Dr. Laxman himself. What I would do is point out a few facts to him about Sania Mirza.

·         Sania Mirza has an extensive Wikipedia page that has 10 full extensive bullet points depicting her career achievements and laurels that she has helped her country (India) win. Dr. Laxman does not even have a notebook page about him.

·         Sania Mirza is presently the World No. 5 in the WTA doubles circuit – the highest that any Indian female tennis player has ever reached.

·         Sania Mirza is the only Indian female tennis player who has won a Grand Slam – the most prestigious tournament that the sport of tennis has to offer.

·         Sania Mirza is only Indian female tennis player to have played on Centre Court of Wimbledon – the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament in history.

·         Sania Mirza is the only Indian tennis player to have won a WTA title – the first Indian till date to win a singles tennis title.

·         Sania Mirza was the first Indian tennis player to have been seeded at a Grand Slam - a feat that will probably never be repeated if the current state of affairs in relation to sports continues.

·         Sania Mirza is the only Indian tennis player to have been ranked inside the top 30 in the WTA singles circuit – a time when she beat the likes of Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva, Marion Bartoli, Martina Hingis, Dinara Safina and Victoria Azarenka.

·         Need I go on?

But of course all these things mean nothing to a person like Dr. Laxman. Why you ask? Because of the simple fact that they are all achievements made in the field of sports. Furthermore, they are all made by a woman. And to add to that fact, they were all made by a person who is married to a Pakistani national.

Whether one is a sports fan or a political pundit, one can’t shy away from the unvarying truth that Sania Mirza after all is a treasured possession that India has produced. People can hate her guts for not playing well or despise her for giving more importance to modeling over tennis; but no one should dare blemish her individuality when it comes to being an Indian.  Not Dr. Laxman, not anyone else.

She indeed has no obligation whatsoever to prove her Indian-ness just because she married someone from a different country. She proved that she is an Indian by heart when her valorous presence set foot on the international arena and made the country proud. Now that I come to think about it, Sania Mirza has dedicated her whole life towards the betterment of the country and has served India in the most loyal manner possible. In other words, no one could have ever imagined that Sania Mirza would be a better ‘Laxman’ than Dr. K Laxman himself.

Jai Hind!