The last time hockey captain Manpreet Singh, 30, was on the cover of HT Brunch in August 2017, we selected a picture where his face was half-hidden by the rays of the setting sun. The coverline read: Hidden Hero! Our hockey captain is just as talented as Virat Kohli. But have you ever heard of him?
Just a year earlier, in August 2016, HT Brunch introduced the new face of Indian football… young Jeje Lalpekhula was set to take Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri’s legacy forward. But again, his cover photo was a silhouette. Turn in to find out who he is, we said.
The purpose of creating this intrigue was two-pronged: One, to get a little interactive. What good is a magazine cover that doesn’t make you turn to a page inside?
But the second, and more important idea was to underline what’s unsaid: Why do our sportspeople, other than cricketers and a handful of others, not get the adulation, respect and fame they deserve?
I remember advising boxer Vijender Singh to open his speech at a prestigious leadership event with the words, “Thank you for having me. But if the Cricket World Cup was not on, would I be here, or would there be a cricketer instead?” The audience broke into applause when Vijender uttered these words in his endearing Haryanvi-accented Hindi, but we both knew it was the genuineness of the question that struck a chord.
The five men on our cover are the top names of the Indian Hockey Team. This cover comes just a few months after our boys won India a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics—Indian hockey’s first medal in 41 years! Yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you weren’t able to name all five.
{{/usCountry}}The five men on our cover are the top names of the Indian Hockey Team. This cover comes just a few months after our boys won India a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics—Indian hockey’s first medal in 41 years! Yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of you weren’t able to name all five.
{{/usCountry}}We stalk Instagram accounts of self-made fashionistas who pay the paparazzi to post their pictures… isn’t it shameful that we cannot recognise our most talented athletes?!!
You may be idealistic and ask, “Why is fame necessary?” But we must acknowledge that popular appeal brings with it brand endorsements and better earnings, ensuring a good life.
Our cover story today aims at shining the spotlight on these talented boys who deserve every encouragement. You’ve got to meet captain Manpreet Singh, 30, to see what humility looks like up close. I’ve never heard him address anyone without using Sir or Madam. Goalkeeper PR Shreejesh, 34, midfielder Hardik Singh, 23, and defender Harmanpreet Singh, 26, are the fun boys, all of who boss around the youngest, 22-year-old midfielder Vivek Sagar Prasad, yet, they’re also fiercely protective of him.
These chaps are one big family, looking out for each other even in a sport driven by competition, where one-upmanship should reign supreme. Just for that, dear readers, do promise me that the next time you come across an athlete doing well at his game, you’ll make the extra effort to tweet his achievement or post a picture on your Instagram Stories.
The best return for their humility must be our praise.
Also in this issue: Rajeev Masand celebrates how the token Indian character in Hollywood is now open for serious business: our artists can take on roles of ethnicities from all over the world.
Vir Sanghvi takes us to Bangkok, and shows us two cities in one.
And our Sunday Debate asks the question: If Friends was to be released in the 2020s, would it be looked at as inclusive or prejudiced and bigoted?
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From HT Brunch, July 23, 2022
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