Indian Water polo team virtually celebrated the momentous 1970 Asian Games Win.
India’s Water polo fraternity on Sunday, 20th Dec 2020, virtually celebrated 50 years of its hallmark performance at the Bangkok Asian Games in 1970 to seal the silver medal win home.
The celebration unfolded virtually over a zoom call where all the legends from the Indian Waterpolo and Swimming fraternity came together to relive the finest international moment to have ever been bagged by the Indian Water polo team.
The floor inaugurated with a small prayer and welcome addresses by two long-serving functionaries of the Swimming Federation of India, Mr Virendra Nanavati, the Executive Director and Mr Kamlesh Nanavati, Vice President.
Secretary-general Monal Chokshi described the win as a “historic and watershed moment.”
A need to establish an independent water polo entity was identified. The board assured to invest in a structured approach to increase the exposure, the sport rightfully deserves.
Ms Meenakshi Pahuja (First Indian women Swimmer to be awarded Nari Sakti Puruskar , Champion Open Water Swimmer who also brings out the Annual Statistical Bulletin on Indian Swimming) very correctly emphasized on establishing a gender-equal landscape that provides equal opportunity to women and boosts their participation to place women talent on the global map. She also discussed ways to increase the visibility of the sport.
The living legends of the A-team, Avinash Sarang (Arjuna Awardee & former National Champion in Swimming) & Bharat Merchant (the youngest member of the team who emerged as the top scorer for India and earned a meritorious selection in the Asian All-Star Team) were also felicitated at the grand celebration.
The event relived the crucial journey and euphoric moments that led to the historic win to seal the silver medal home.
Bharat Merchant walked everyone down the memory lane from the selection process to the rich encounter with Japan in the finals, “I was 20 then, and I am 70 now but the cheers, the national anthem ringing out, still stay with me.
He ecstatically expressed the unforgettable warmth of the Indian spectators, the overwhelming feeling of hearing the national anthem while being crowned silver, “I remember the entire Indian contingent cheering as we climbed the podium. The Indian community in Bangkok was ecstatic. Sikh supporters used to bring food from the Gurudwara for our team in Bangkok. It was like home,” said Merchant, reminiscing emotionally.
Avinash Sarang shared similar emotions. He discussed the celebratory felicitation ceremony back home, including the reception hosted by the President and Prime Minister.
Eventually, a unanimous consensus was to capitalize on the professional league platform like IPL/ISL/PKL.
It’s the need of the hour to establish the sport in the ever dynamic commercial sports ecosystem.
The event has helped streamline and instil growth prospects for a brighter future for Water polo in India.
Class of 1970
. Avinash Sarang
. Tarun Goswami
. Ashok Biswas
. Piyush Mitra (captain)
. Bharat Merchant
. Samir Kapadia
. Abdul Mutlib
. Umaid Singh
. Chand Ram Rana
. Pattabi Raman
. DN Singh . Dilip Mitra (coach)
Ms. Shriya Sinha
Sports and Lifestyle Journalist
