Diplomatic Musings: Megha Rajdootam

The following magazine, Megha Rajdootam - मेघ राजदूतम् - The Cloud Envoy, Vol. 1 No. 2, was published for the High Commission of India in New Zealand in December 2002.

Cover Page of Megha Rajdootam, December 2002

Download Megha Rajdootam - मेघ राजदूतम् - The Cloud Envoy, December 2002 (PDF File)

Message from the High Commissioner

Opening Lines ... 'Runs' of Memories

If someone is asked, 'What is the connection between cricket and a High Commissioner?', the answer would be, 'Ambassadors are called High Commissioners in the countries where cricket is a popular sport.' A similarly intriguing question for an Indian cricket fan would be, 'Who was the English cricketer to be the High Commissioner of India to Australia and New Zealand in 1950-53?' Well, the gentleman was Prince K.S. Dilipsinhji, the nephew of legendary cricketer Ranjitsinhji of Nawanagar, who had played for England against Australia.

Looking back to my early years at school, I vividly recall how the climbing of the Everest by Sherpa Tenzing and Edmund Hillary on 29^th May, 1953 had been one of the most impressionable event for me. Again, it was the visit of the New Zealand cricket team to India in 1955 which opened vistas of the great game for me. I can exactly recall the tall scores made by the legendary New Zealand opener Bert Sutcliffe and the brilliant all-rounder John Reid. The headlines in the sports columns of English and Hindi dailies flash before my eyes. I do remember how the young and old in my town used to be glued to the radio sets - the running commentary was almost inaudible due to the continuously disturbing sound similar to the thunders of the monsoon clouds! The interest in the game continued to multiply, thanks to the brilliant coverage of international cricket in the Indian press.

Cricket has been sought to be explained as a sport which is played much more intensely in the minds of the spectators and also its remarkable resemblance to human life. The five-day tests were indeed perceived to represent the whole range of agonies and ecstasies of a lifetime. There could always be a chance of a positive turn; one had to grab all the possible chances; the batsman had to treat every ball on its merit; the bowler had to be brave hearted and tactful enough to tempt the batsman to mistime a shot. Above all, it was always the team effort which brought victory. In the typical context in India, cricket proved a great social equalizer.

The one-day version of the game has imparted a new vigour, dynamism and an explosive character to cricket. The slogan, 'Hit out or get out!', by the fatigued and bored spectators of the five-day rituals has been finally accepted. Cricket has blossomed in the deserts of Dubai and more nations across the continents seem to be falling a prey to a game earlier described as, 'the British disease'.

It is indeed significant that India, with its formidable batting strength, arrives in New Zealand in time for the much needed practice before the World Cup championship in South Africa. The Indian 'tigers' have been notorious roaring more on the home turf - hope they maintain their recent form of displaying a highly competitive game. The two teams are expected to ensure the triumph of the game.

I and my family have decided to herald the New Year, 2003, watching the 3^rd ODI in Christchurch. Let us hope, pray and dream that this match would be the pre-play of the World Cup final!

I may confess that it was the interest in Cricket ignited by the visit of the first ever Kiwi team to India that put a shy lad from a tiny town of India on a path that has taken him to the position of the High Commissioner of India to New Zealand.

The list of those to be thanked for their generous support for this publication is a tall score - NZ Cricket Inc. and NZ Museum for providing rare photographs; contributors of special messages; Prof. R. Guha and the prestigious Indian weeklies - India Today and Outlook - for authorising utilisation of the invaluable material/photos published earlier. M/s Thames have indeed experienced the pressure of an ODI in timely bringing out this issue of Megha Rajdootam.

Bal Anand
High Commissioner of India to New Zealand
Concurrently accredited to Samoa, Nauru and Kiribati

Contents
Opening Lines... 'Runs' of Memory		2
My Cricket 'Affairs' with India	John R. Reid, O.B.E.	3
Cricket Encounters of the Indian Kind	R. Guha	4-5
Maharajas of Cricket	R. Guha	6
J.L. Nehru - A 'Complete' Cricketer		7
The Spirit of Cricket	Martin Snedden	8
The Square Rectangle	Timeri N. Murari	9
Dev... Devil... Divinity	Syed Kirmani	10-11
India - New Zealand Cricket - An Overview		12-13
John Wright - A 'Kiwi Dronacharya'...	Don Neely, M.B.E.	14-15
Tales and Travails of a Cricketer's Wife	Sukhi Turner	16
An 'Indian-Kiwi' Remembers	Dipak Patel	17
A Famous Kiwi Victory	Amit Paliwal	18
India's Best of the Century		19
India in New Zealand, 2002-03		20