Fifteen years ago I came across a file addressed to the Ministry of Sports, Delhi. It was about the formation of the International Carrom Federation. All the necessary details were mentioned, including the Articles and the Memorandum of Association. The signature at the bottom of the letter-cum-report was that of Bangaru Babu who was then secretary of the All India Carrom Federation.
It was indeed a turning point in the history of the game. Carrom may be one of the three most popular indoor sports in India along with badminton and chess, but it was invariably associated with the street. Gully game, it used to be called. Indoors, the carrom board used to be heated by a lamp hung a few inches over the surface.
It is still done, even in tournaments, and this is standard. But outdoors, if fitting a lamp became a problem, the game used to be played under street-lights. That was the spirit of the players. It caused minor traffic problems on account of the keen passersby who would gather round the players.
The change today is remarkable. Any open tournament attracts over 500 entries. The recent one at the Vanmali Hall, Dadar had over 800 participants. And sponsors have been coming forward with the hope that television coverage will provide some mileage. Prominent manufacturers have been lending quality boards to ease the burden on the organizers. The game today is spectator-oriented in the sense that proceedings can be viewed not only via closed circuit TV but on the national slot as well.
The game has come a long way. Its biggest achievement has been that it has gone international. The intrepid crusader in this regard is Bangaru Babu, a first-grade player in his time and later an organizer in Tamil Nadu where he lives after having crossed over from Andhra Pradesh. An indication of his involvement with the game is the fact that his house in Madras now Chennai is called Carrom Villa.
Having played top-flight carrom in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and other parts of India, Bangaru Babu used his experience to get together the various state associations to support his effort towards an international federation. He went as far as Bengal, which had its own way of playing the game and which had refused to be part of the national competitive scene, and successfully persuaded it to join the fold for a common cause.
Once things were organized at the national level, Bangaru Babu left the Indian shores twice to convince other Asian countries and also the Europeans of the scope the game offered. Around 1980, the International Carrom Federation was formed, and on a trial basis the Inaugural International Carrom Championship was held in Germany won by Maharashtra's Arun Kedar.
On the strength of this success, the International Carrom Federation was duly registered and it conducted its first World Cup in Delhi, 1991, with Tamil Nadu's Maria Irudayam taking the honours, adding to his national title which he has now won six times, one more than Maharashtra's Suhas Kambli's haul.
The ICF is growing from strength to strength. It has organized several major tournaments in Switzerland, Germany, UK, UAE and Maldives. Bangaru Babu with the support of Martin Meier of Germany who is the president of the ICF, is doing his best to popularise the game in other countries, including Europe and the Middle East in such a way that they should be in a position to come forward with plans for championships.
The second World Carrom Championship is in the air. It will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bangaru Babu was in Bombay recently to discuss certain details with the Maharashtra officials. By and large, India's best players have come from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, and it was in the fitness of things that Bangaru Babu approached the Maharashtra organizers and accomplished senior players for their help. Several officials will be in Sri Lanka by September. Suhas Kambli was appointed as one of the coaches of the Indian team.
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| Here's Mr. Bangaru Babu aka Father of Carrom aka Carrom Crusader with the special award he received during the 25th Silver Jubilee of the formation of ICF. He wasn't around to receive it as while he was on his way to this event on a train, he had a stroke. We wish him a speedy recovery. God bless! |
The World Carrom Championship will be held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium from October 12 to 15. According to Bangaru Babu, the event will be organized by the Carrom Federation of Sri Lanka; entries close on August 15. Bangaru Babu was all praise for CFSL as also the government of Sri Lanka for shouldering the responsibilities of hosting a tournament on the ultimate scale.
"Carrom has a long way to go", said the modest Bangaru Babu, "and I hope other countries get the nod for such ventures by the governments". Bangaru Babu never talks about his achievements. But the other officials who have known him and been motivated by him do. T. Nihal Peiris, the president of the CFSL, said recently:"He is the most dedicated carrom man. No organizer in his individual capacity has done so much for a game anywhere".
People used to refer to Bangaru Babu as the father of carrom in India. But today, the indefatigable crusader is instantly recognized as the father of carrom throughout the world. Even the greatest players know that is is not just them who can push the game on the popularity chart by sheer performance. Sport needs organizers to take it to the people.
Now that the second world championship is slated for October 12, what is happening in that direction? Already, 11 countries have confirmed their participation. They are India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom and USA. "In addition, there is every possibility that "slicers" from Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Bhutan and Nepal will also participate", said Bangaru Babu.
Carrom was first included as a demonstration sport along with kabaddi and kho-kho. What is the position now? "That depends on how much we do for the game", said Bangaru Babu. "But let us hope that in the next few years carrom will make it to the list of disciplines in the Asian Games", Bangaru Babu said.
The mood is buoyant in Sri Lanka, galvanised into action by the prospects of a world event despite the ethnic strife in that country which continues to kill and destroy. "Sri Lanka finished runners-up last time" said Peiris, "but this time we will go all out to win the title". On the financial aspects, he thanked the Ministry of Sports for the generous contribution of Rs5 lakh towards the championship.
According to Shelton Premaratne, CFSL secretary, the number of events in the 1995 tournament has increased. In India in 1991, only four events were included - men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles and team championships. But there will be two more events this time - women's doubles and women's team championships", Bangaru Babu said, however, "a country can field only for men and as many women".
H.D. Hemachandra, a past president of CFSL and how vice-president and chairman of the world championship's organizing committee, said it is a great moment not only for Sri Lanka but for carrom as well. Hemachandra, who is also the vice-president of the International Carrom Federation, revealed that Lispo Limited Managing Director S. L. Anand has consented to provide free carrom equipment for the championship. Lispo is a sports manufacturing firm in the FTZ managed by the BOI.
"The Sports Ministry, which has helped CFSL with finances to conduct the world tournament, will give further assistance to see that the tournament is well conducted", said Sunil Gunawardena, Coordinating Secretary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Rural Development.
So until October 15, when the championship gets over with a world carrom congress between the concerned countries, Bangaru Babu and his band of followers will be the busiest men in both India and Sri Lanka. It should be a memorable event, and Bangaru Babu is in the process of bringing out a souvenir to remember it by.
