SS Ray, cricket and me

Siddhartha Shankar Ray was directly linked in crushing a cricket tradition! It was because of him that the men’s cricket world cup came out of UK and began to be hosted around the cricketing globe.

Let’s go the incidents involved in July 1983. When India reached the final at Lord’s to meet West Indies, the BCCI president NKP Salve, a brilliant lawyer and Mrs Gandhi’s cabinet minister, requested the English and ICC cricket authorities for two tickets, complimentary or against payment.  Salve wanted those two tickets for his former colleagues, SS Ray and his wife Maya Ray.

The ICC authorities turned down the request. Just two tickets for the final between West Indies and India, they could not cater for one of the finalists! After India’s miraculous world cup victory, Salve met Mrs Gandhi at New Delhi and informed her of the humiliation. Dhirubhai Ambani took the next flight to meet Indira Gandhi and Salve. The trio discussed their strategy to shatter the ICC tradition of monopoly hosting in UK.

At the next meeting at London to decide the dates and formalities of the following world cup in England in 1987, suddenly Salve raised the issue that India was keen to be the next host! The ICC members were stunned for it was inconceivable to think of the cricket world cup away from Britain.

Visionary Salve’s next move was to raise the guarantee money to all teams! Although the white nations objected, the decision was a foregone conclusion. Salve, to rub it in, offered total hospitality to all officials of all teams! In an act of superlative diplomacy NKP Salve invited Pakistan to be the co-host. The world was stunned with this joint Indo-Pak venture.

Mrs Gandhi was assassinated in 1984 and it appeared that India would back out for lack of funds. “The blank cheque was meant for India’s honour. Please use it,” said Dhirubhai’s sons Mukesh and Anil. PM Rajiv Gandhi and his cabinet went full steam ahead. India hosted the tournament to perfection with the final at Eden Gardens in deference to its iconic status.

Denial of two tickets for Siddhartha Shankar Ray and his wife Maya started a new, healthy trend in world cricket.  Homage to the Gandhis, Ambanis and particularly to NKP Salve for their patriotism that transformed world cup cricket forever.

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Let’s look back. SS Ray was the CM from 1972 to 1977, During his tenure the Emergency was imposed around the country. As the Congress lost at the Centre, Ray too lost in the 1977 assembly elections.

 During his tenure came up the Indoor stadium within the huge Eden Gardens complex. He named it after Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The Club House at the cricket arena was also his contribution. He did not name it in his own name! Rather paid respect to former Chief Minister Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy’s memory. Yes, that was the kind of class we used to have at Calcutta.

Let us now go to Ray, the man. Ray possessed an unimpeachable character with the blood of Deshbandhu in his veins.

 Ray also happened to be a cricketer who represented Calcutta University in the 1940s and the Kalighat Club in local club matches. His love for cricket was paramount even in the midst of his rise and rise in the legal profession and the political ladder.

In 1976 Chief Minister SS Ray decided to take a cricket team – under the nomenclature of CM XI – to Darjeeling to cement his relationship with the Hill people, whom he adored. In that team along with SS Mitra, Chuni Goswami, Gopal Bose and other prominent Bengal Ranji Trophy players, I happened to be one of the last choices.

As we reached Darj, we were herded to the Governor’s House to meet the CM for lunch. Chunida led the way into the dining room where Ray and his wife were awaiting us, sitting at the head of the wide table side by side. Reticent and shy, I was the last to enter and found that the seat on the column to Ray’s right was occupied by Chunida. And the seat beside on the other column to Maya Ray’s was vacant. I smiled as she gave a gentle nod of welcome to sit.

Ray began by welcoming us. Chunida mentioned how privileged we were. But others found nothing to say!  Hardly any conversation happened as the lunch was served in style and splendor. Then Ray said, “Maya, this is Raju. A young cricketer, full of promise, who does not want to play cricket.” She gave me a warm eye-brow query. I said, “I find cricket a waste of time.” She smiled, “Why? What do you want to do?’

“Well, I really do not know.”

Ray intervened, “Which school?”  When I mentioned, he went into reverie: Xavier’s? That’s where I began. But my maternal grandfather CR Das would have none of any foreign influence on me. He brought me to Mitra Institution, closer home in Bhabanipur, early enough.

I interrupted: My dad was in Mitra Institution as well. He told me once that you were his classmate. Would you remember anyone by the name of Karun?

Ray was lost in memory: Karun, Karun. Fair complexion? Came from Coochbehar?

Very excited, I said: Yes, yes. You still remember?

Ray, the champion raconteur, gave a roaring laugh, “Oh! Lord. After Mitra Institution, he did his Intermediate Arts with us at Presidency, then the silly fella went off get married!  Lost all contact.”

Lunch over, she asked Raja and me to come again for tea the following evening, if we were free.

Raja wasn’t free! I was hopeless at ‘adda’ sessions with peers; knew not the difference between spades and hearts; hated smoking; was yet to enjoy ‘drinks’; avoided jay-walks. So had enough time to spare!

The Rays were ready at 5pm, the scheduled time. Ray asked, ‘After school where did you go?”

I was a very earnest sort of a person at the time. Not easy with casual chats. I replied, “After St Xavier’s College, I did my Masters in International Relations at Jadavpur University.”

Ray was on fire: Whaaat? Jadavpur University, of all places? What’s wrong with you? Son as silly as dad!

 Instantly Maya Ray came to my rescue. A righteous barrister she was and would not take Ray lying down: What’s wrong with you, Manu? JU is Rishi Arobindo’s university. Raju studied his favourite subject at whichever place he liked. He had every right.

 I was stunned to say the least. A lady who did not even know me was defending me in front of one of the top lawyers of the country and a CM at that. Not to forget that the dreaded Emergency was in operation! Little did I know that she herself was a qualified lawyer. I was born lucky.

CM calmed down and gave his billion-dollar smile: Raju, everything about you is Congress and Mohun Bagan. I cannot imagine you with those leftists.

Now I was full of confidence: I am no leftist. I am a staunch believer in Swamiji’s socialism.

Maya Ray, God bless her, nodded. Ray gave me a long warm look of appreciation, “Tell me about yourself. What are you doing now?”

I said: Now am concentrating on research work. The topic is Sports & International Relations, with particular emphasis on Muhammed Ali and the Vietnam War.

Maya Ray: Who is your guide at JU?

I said: Dr Jayantanuja Bandyopadhyaya.

The baritone voice boomed: What a man to have as guide. He is among India’s foremost intellectuals. Whenever Mrs Indira Gandhi sends cultural delegations abroad, her first choice is the honorable professor from JU.

Although I knew my guide was very deserving, nevertheless I was still thrilled that Dr Bandyopadhyaya had such a high international rating. I found my voice:  Sir, he never belonged to the Congress Party. He has leftist leanings.

“So what?” he calmed down, “We know who the deserving people are, whichever group they may belong to. We hold him in highest esteem. He is very highly regarded abroad in academic and cultural spheres. Can there be a better choice than he? Lucky you are to be guided by him.”

 

Years later Sourav Ganguly, the India captain, got on the wrong side of match referee Clive Lloyd because of time-wasting tactics. When late evening after the match Lloyd announced a ban on Sourav for a few vital matches, Jagmohan Dalmiya appealed against the decision. He made all arrangements and asked me to study the full game on screen that very night. To prepare a note to save Sourav. Honestly, no way could the captain could be defended cricket-wise.

I decided to bring ‘nature’ into my report. My contention was that owing to heavy dew in the evening, the Indian players were forced to dry the ball after every delivery. Consequently the delay took place. I headlined the report “Time lost; not time wasted”. Next evening a call came from Dalmiya, “Raju, we have won. Our lawyer was SS Ray. He has conveyed his thanks to you for the excellent and appropriate reasons prepared by you.”

This is typical Siddhartha Shankar Ray. The brilliant lawyer’s argument carried the day in an international podium in front of a Justice from New Zealand, yet he found the time to think of a non-entity who prepared the ‘defence’ case. Ray congratulated me; but the man who escaped the ban found no inclination!  That’s life in a nut-shell.

God has been very, very kind to me. Got much more than I deserved. Truly blessed.