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 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/RLv96FZTd2
— Neeraj Chopra (@Neeraj_chopra1) August 26, 2021
They could not compete at the recent Commonwealth Games as Chopra had to drop out on account of groin strain. Instead of gloating over this news, Nadeem made a beautiful public statement. He said, “Neeraj bhai is my brother. I miss him here. May God give him the best of health and I get to compete with him soon.” Chopra reciprocated this kind gesture. When Nadeem got a gold medal, Chopra tweeted a congratulatory note for “Arshad bhai” and wished him for future competitions.
Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best 👏
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 16, 2022
Kohli and Azam are known for setting an example when it comes to respect for competitors. Their camaraderie is palpable in photographs that feature them together. Last month, when Kohli got flak for his poor score in a one-day match against England, Azam posted a photograph of theirs on Twitter, and wrote, “This too shall pass. Stay strong.” He spoke publicly about the need to support and encourage players when they are out of form. Indians fell in love with Azam, and Pakistanis were proud of him because of the way he conducted himself. Kohli responded, “Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best.”
Criticizing Sarfaraz for not speaking English is insane.His job is to play&he has done brilliantly 2 take Pak in finals #StopColonialMindset
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) June 17, 2017
In 2017, when the Pakistani cricketer Sarfaraz Ahmed was mercilessly trolled for his supposed lack of proficiency in spoken English, Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag showed up as an ally for Ahmed. He tweeted, “Criticizing Sarfaraz for not speaking English is insane. His job is to play and he has done brilliantly 2 take Pak in finals #StopColonialMindset.” As Sehwag rightly pointed out, the practice of patronising and bullying people whose first language is not English is rather common among the elites of both Pakistan and India.
At the recent Commonwealth Games, Pakistani badminton player Murad Ali spoke about his ardent desire to come and play in India. According to Ali, badminton as a sport is under-funded in Pakistan, and the players find it extremely difficult to participate in international tournaments. He hopes for a day when Pakistani badminton players will be able to participate easily in international badminton tournaments that are hosted in India.
Butt and Singh, the weightlifting champions from Pakistan and India respectively, have also contributed immensely to online bonhomie between citizens of the two countries. As sportspersons, they are role models for the youth and what they say does matter. In an interview, Singh talked about how Punjabi, their shared language, has helped cement their friendship. Their taste in music is another bonding factor. They love the music of rapper Sidhu Moose Wwala who was shot dead in May.
Butt fondly recalled his visits to Pune and Guwahati. He remarked, “The kind of love that India has given me, no other country has given me. I have more fans from India than Pakistan in the weightlifting community. When I was leaving the hotel in Guwahati, the staff and volunteers were crying. It made me emotional.”
Butt has also made public statements about his admiration for Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu who won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Butt draws inspiration from her. People who spread animosity on both sides of the border need to listen to such anecdotes so that they get to know what exists beyond the prejudices that colour their idea of the other.
ATP 500 ACAPULCO : BOPANNA/QURESHI READY TO ROLL AGAIN
The Indo-Pak express, comprising of 🇮🇳Rohan Bopanna & 🇵🇰Aisam Qureshi, will take on 2nd seeds 🇬🇧Murray/🇧🇷Soares pic.twitter.com/nAWFyBlbWn
— Indian Tennis Daily (ITD) (@IndTennisDaily) March 14, 2021
Last year, Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq, tennis players from India and Pakistan respectively, played as the “Indo-Pak Express” in Mexico. They were cheered by fans from both countries for their commitment to peace with the “Stop War, Start Tennis” campaign that was launched in 2010 and also won them the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award. They lost the match but having an Indian and a Pakistani on the same team was a victory of sorts.
All these wonderful people show us that the sports ground need not be a battlefield. India and Pakistan have been fighting for decades, and it is high time we started a new chapter in our relationship. Our conflict has stayed alive at a huge cost to human beings on both sides. Future generations in both countries deserve to live without fear, and as good neighbours. We cannot pretend that we do not have the baggage of history but we can certainly move hand in hand towards a future with good tidings where there is no place for bigotry and cruelty.
Chintan Girish Modi is a writer, journalist and educator who tweets @chintanwriting
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