GUEST COLUMN

Air Marshal (Retd) TS Randhawa, VM. He is the former Commandant, National Defence Academy

Football: An inspiration for Infrastructure Development

The spring term of 1969 at the National Defence Academy (NDA) was an interesting term. We three course mates and classmates, albeit from different squadrons, all sergeants, would march in the seniority of the squadron which was doing the best in the inter squadron games being held. Most of our course mates knew of this and didn’t have to calculate the positions of at least three squadrons in the current game being played. Not that it mattered to the Academy, but it reflected the competitiveness and high squadron spirit amongst us. This peculiar procedure, I believe, was also a motivator to our junior cadets, as some of them saw us as role models.

As things transpired that term, my squadron was to play the Inter squadron football semi-final match against my course mate’s squadron. The result of the match would decide our marching order and was thus even more important for both of us. The build up was intense. Both squadrons practised hard in order to win. There were regular talks by the respective squadron football captains to the teams and the squadron cadets. When the time came both teams were pumped up and a tremendous match was played. Both teams had a number of players who were members of the Academy football team. The match was finally decided by a solitary goal late in the second half.

The other memory of that match was the large number of injuries that both teams sustained. Since it was a match in which no quarters were given, this was bound to happen. A major contributor was the very ground we played on. It was a hard mud ground with some grass. Remember the red clay soil of Maharashtra. That very one was responsible for most of our injuries. That is how games were played in the NDA then. The details of the match have intentionally not been given as this

guest column

article pertains to sports infrastructure and not to the football match as such. Times changed and after the Asian games of 1984 coloured television arrived in the country. After the opening up of our economy, we were able to see more ‘sports channels’ besides many other entertainment channels. The next generation of cadets were being bought up on Star sports, ESPN and Neo sport besides others. One was able to watch the football world cup matches, as also the EPL, and FA cup. There was some improvement in the sports infrastructure in the country, even so, that it was restricted to the major cities.

I went back to the NDA as the Commandant in December 2007. While many things had changed in the NDA over the years and for the good, many still reminded me of my own days at the Academy which I left in 1970. The Academy play fields were one such relic. They seemed to have been left in a time warp. When I witnessed the first football match in the academy and saw the cadets fight tooth and nail to win, it took me back to my own days of playing football at the Academy. At the end of the match, as I was going back to the car I stopped midway and looked back. Like yester years the cadets were limping their way back to the squadron. Some even being assisted by squadron mates detailed by the CSM. The next day I asked the CO of the MH to come and brief me on the extent of injuries suffered by the cadets. It was revealed that a large number of cadets had to miss training, gleefully, because of their injuries. It was then we at the Academy decided to do something about the playfields of the NDA.

Some leg work was then put in to come up with sources that were capable of providing the requirement of improving the Academy’s play fields. The paper work was completed post haste. We were glad that the higher echelons of Command and the financial advisors agreed and cleared the project. We started small with three football fields. These field were relayed with Bermuda grass on a largely sand based surface. A sprinkler system was put in place with a captive sump for irrigating the fields. The task was done by professionals and by the next football season we had the fields ready. To inaugurate the football fields, it was decided to hold a match between the 6th term cadets of No. 1 and 2 battalions and the cadets of No. 3 and 4 battalions. It was a hard fought match even though there was no inter squadron rivalry. The cadets were trying to emulate footballers they had seen on TV. The same sliding tackles, throwing themselves without fear to stop a rival from scoring were not new but the quality suddenly seemed to improve. Their antics were praise worthy even if these were of a lesser degree of finesse and capability compared to what one saw on TV. After the match we interacted with the cadets and for a change there were no injuries. Their shorts were a dirty green with their new found sliding skills but no serious injuries to help the cadets skip training and cross country.

With this success behind us, the NDA team ventured out with other sports infrastructure. Basketball courts got a synthetic cover, new synthetic tennis courts were developed. The hockey fields were levelled to reduce the possibility of injury. The riding and show jumping arena was redone to international standards and an international event held much to the delight of the participants. The golf course was also turned green. The crowning glory was when we laid an astro turf for the NDA hockey field along the NDA Raj path. The Indian hockey team also played on this ground and praised it when the team revolted against the establishment for non payment of dues and the choice of captain before the last Asian games. Plans were laid for upgrading all the football and hockey fields. I am sure all the plans would be progressing on schedule.

Much more needs to be done, but the NDA support team of 2007 – 2009 laid the foundation for the up gradation of the sports infrastructure at the NDA. Successive generations will only enhance the quality of infrastructure at this elite training Academy.