Ray, cricket and me       (Part 2)

In India the first indoor cricket facility was at Eden Gardens. Chief Minister SS Ray extended all help to Cricket Association of Bengal.

The highly qualified, sophisticated CM did not express any wish to name the indoor facility after himself, as is the modern trend. In honour of India’s most successful sports manager ever – Pankaj Gupta – the indoor facility was christened.

The Pankaj Gupta Indoor Stadium saw the light of day in 1978 after Ray’s exit from the Chief Minister’s chair. SS Ray was the prime architect of the first indoor facility exclusively for cricket in India.

 On the inauguration day, as the Bengal cricket captain, I took the opportunity to praise the efforts of our most magnanimous former CM from the podium. Credit is due to the Left Front government’s representative on the dais, Jatin Chakrabarti – a dynamic minister of impeccable integrity – who was then also looking after the sports affairs of the WB government. He extended all help to CAB to complete the structure. 

 Jatin Chakrabarti repeated the contribution of the ex-CM, who happened to be his political rival. Yes, that’s the quality of politicians Bengal was blessed with in the 1970s and 1980s.

***

During Ray’s tenure as CM we had the huge multi-purpose sport stadium Netaji Indoor Stadium with a adjacent structure for practice facilities named Khudiram Anushilan Kendra. The CAB club house – Dr BC Roy Club House – too was also while Ray was at the political helm. Never did he crave for publicity by naming these sporting structures after himself, as is shamelessly done today.

 

Nobody seems to know or care that the internationally-acclaimed Calcutta Book Fair began in 1976 during SS Ray’s tenure. Without ever taking any credit for its resounding success over the years, Ray was the prime architect who gave shape to the concept.

When the Publishers’ & Booksellers’ Guild approached the CM Siddhartha Shankar Ray with the idea, he visualized the ‘bigger’ picture and immediately gave the green signal with all assistance from the State government. The Calcutta Book Fair would be celebrating its 50^th anniversary in January 2027.

Thanks to Ray’s visionary enterprise, it has become the pride of West Bengal.  Never for once did Siddhartha Shankar Ray take an iota of credit for all the help he extended to the organizers. That’s the kind of class and sophistication this highly successful yet modest gentleman had.

***

 While returning from Darjeeling in the summer of 1976 after the CM XI tour (covered in Part 1), I received Ray’s ‘firm’ order to meet him early next week.

Following week at Calcutta, I went to meet the Rays at their Beltola residence (palace is the more appropriate term) at 8 am sharp. Both in embroidered silk dressing gowns were at the chamber well before the scheduled time, as I was. Next morning I was to visit a corporate house and meet a prominent executive for an interview. The affectionate warmth of SS Ray was more than evident, “Please don’t start about Jadavpur University. Stick to St Xavier’s.”

Ever to the rescue, by now she was my Mayadi: No, Raju, just be as you are. You stick to your first name Satya Brata. Never follow the advice of politicians!

Ray gave her an angry actor’s stare. I was on my way…

Corporate corridor, sharp at 10 am. In walks a gentleman. After all the routine formalities, the gentleman asked, “Can you join next month?”

I said, “No. I have a short cricket tour of one week.”

He was truly aghast: You mean you will be playing cricket while you are with us?

I nodded: Yes, CM feels that Bengal needs me and I should concentrate on cricket first.

“But then we cannot have you. We do not encourage cricket.”

Now my Jadavpur University spirit was in full flow,” Of course, you do. You organize a domestic cricket championship in India involving all State teams. Are you not aware?”

“That’s only for commercial purposes. We sponsor with advertising in mind.”

The influence of SXC and JU’s combined, “Ah! I see. Smoking welcomed; not cricket!”

He began to mumble, fumble and finally coughed, “I think we will get back to you later.”

“Don’t stress yourself, please.” I signed off.

***

Ray was really upset. Immediately he telephoned Sanat Lahiri, the most prominent name in PR circles and told me to meet him. Thankfully Sanat Lahiri was known to me as my friend Ranajit’s father. Gentlemanliness to the core, Mr Lahiri took me to meet Mr Russy Mody at Tata Centre.

A case of instant rapport, it was. Russy Mody did not bother about any formalities. We discussed cricket and Indian sport in general with Sanat Lahiri adding some very relevant information, particularly about corporate sports facilities for budding sportspeople. The seeds of the Tata Sports Academy at Jamshedpur were perhaps planted there and then.

Finally, Russy Mody said, “Rajew (that’s how he pronounced my name), go to Jamshedpur as soon as you can. You join our PR department. Keep writing. I desperately want you to play for Bihar.’

Hesitatingly I muttered, “Sir, I cannot leave my ageing parents behind. Moreover I may be leading Bengal this season.”

Mr Mody was magnanimous enough to say,” Very fair. The offer remains open. You take the decision. At Jamshedpur you would get a bungalow, get married, raise children and also take your parents with you. You will get enough time to play cricket. They might even ask you to teach at XLRI. Don’t rush. Take your time. I do not want you to regret later.”

Was I right or wrong? Honestly, I still do not know. Perhaps, I regret the decision to stay back. Perhaps, I was correct to remain with Calcutta, Xavier’s, JadU, cricket, my cricket-students and the media. With every passing day, I am in perpetual dilemma…even now!

***

Let’s go back to Ray and sports. WB Governor Ms Padmaja Naidu – of Telegu-Bengali parentage – began a tradition in the 1950s of presenting the Calcutta University sportspersons with their ‘University Blue’ certificates at the Raj Bhavan. In the 1970s, SS Ray as CM continued with the hallowed tradition.

Once at the Raj Bhavan in the early 1970s the Chief Minister SS Ray while presenting ‘Blues’ to the Calcutta University sportsmen in a moving speech mentioned the exemplary contribution of Reverend  Cecil Leeming (our sports-in-charge at St Xavier’s) to school-college-university sport in Calcutta. A standing applause greeted the announcement.

Fr Leeming – who was never short of witty repartees – for a change, looked stumped. The Irish complexion turned beet-root red. He was actually blushing! It took a man of SS Ray’s eminent stature to give the deserving sportsman-priest his due. Ray signed off, “Reverend Father Leeming, wish you were in-charge when I represented Calcutta University at cricket in the 1940s. We would have learnt a lot from you.”

Can one imagine this ethos today?

***

Recently my young, enterprising publisher-friend Sachin Bajaj of Mumbai had a delightful incident to relate to reveal the real man in SS Ray. Sachin had come to Eden Gardens for a Test match in the mid-1980s when Ray was the President of CAB.

During the luncheon interval for guests at the Club House dining hall, Sachin asked the catering manager of Bijoli Grill, what the fish was in the Fish Orly served. A booming voice from just behind volunteered, “That’s the original Calcutta bhetki. No substitute will you ever find. You cannot stop at one. Go ahead. Do justice to the fish and the cooking.”

Sachin Bajaj was awestruck at the easy spirit of comradeship, the humane attitude and the generosity of guidance. That’s Siddhartha Shankar Ray at his best. Even the chef was not forgotten by the CM. Thanks, Sachin, for sharing the revealing incident.

Ray held no rancor against anyone; had no idea of revenge. Had no time or inclination towards self-publicity. Have seen him enjoy the company of Jyoti Basu, his successor as CM, at the Calcutta Club. Educated, liberal men in the most appropriate sense of the word.

For Ray every moment was a moment of joy, a moment to savour. He was a statesman of utmost pragmatism; a politician of easy accessibility; a man far, far beyond greed and jealousy; man full of affection and understanding.

I can merely whisper that the softest of persona loved youngsters as his own grandchildren. Sport, particularly cricket, was his life-long passion.