Sports icons from India and Pakistan become cheerleaders for peace

New Delhi: Every August brings with it a fresh reminder of the brutal Partition that tore apart families and communities in 1947 as people moved across borders to find safety in India and Pakistan. It is astounding to see how deeply these intergenerational wounds continue to fester, and the volume of Partition literature that is unfailingly produced every year stands testimony to this. I try to protect myself from being overwhelmed but it is difficult, so I direct my attention to stories of love, friendship and connection. They offer a means to craft a new, hopeful future.

While formal diplomatic channels seem to be making little headway in improving ties, sportspersons from both India and Pakistan have taken it upon themselves to speak of harmony in order to counter hate. Among these are hockey player Benish Hayat, javelin throwers Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem, cricketers Virat Kohli and Babar Azam, badminton player Murad Ali, and weightlifters Gurdeep Singh and Nooh Dastgir Butt.

Hayat, the former international field hockey player from Pakistan who officiated as an umpire in the recent Commonwealth Games, became an instant ambassador for cross-border amity when she celebrated India’s victory against New Zealand. In an interview, Hayat revealed that she was praying for the Indian team to win. She said, “Forget the politicians. We are all one. We should support each other. They (the Indian women’s hockey team) are our sisters. They did the whole of Asia proud.” It takes a generous heart to rejoice in the professional achievements of a team that is also one’s rival.

Chopra’s friendship with Nadeem is legendary. After Chopra bagged a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, he stood by Nadeem and asked Indian fans to refrain from spreading any hateful propaganda about his Pakistani colleague. Chopra tweeted, “Sports teaches us to be together and united.” He also posted a video, saying, “Hum aapas mein pyaar se rehte hain, achhe se baat karte hain, koi bhi aisi baat na karein jisse humein thes pohonche.” (“We have great affection for each other, please do not do anything that would hurt us.”)

मेरी आप सभी से विनती है की मेरे comments को अपने गंदे एजेंडा को आगे बढ़ाने का माध्यम न बनाए। Sports हम सबको एकजूट होकर साथ रहना सिखाता हैं और कमेंट करने से पहले खेल के रूल्स जानना जरूरी होता है