Letter to Sonali Chander

Indeed, weird it is -- that we have exchanged mails earlier, and yet, here I am blogging about you in a letter. But that is how it will be -- me believing you will have heard. Hi Sonali. I returned from college today (as a teacher, not a student), and was glad to steal a nap of half an hour at 5pm. When I woke up it was 7 30pm. Like some weird time-traveller, I was transported to about ten years back when NDTV 24*7 came into being and like Sarabhai vs Sarabhai on Star One, my sports appetite was solely fed by you.

The one thing I have always desired is a decent height. We played volleyball when in school and I was feared in my paara for my left hand held cricketing shots (at IPL's rate I would be as unpredictable as Gayle), but I always wished to play basketball from which I was cancelled at the sight of my height. With that insult in my heart, and a crush for Jonty Rhodes, and the opportunity to be with N, I started playing -- a lot of cricket, and badminton. And because I hated studying and loved watching TV, I took this opportunity to catch up on new ads in the context of watching ODIs. That is how we grew. With the rise of Dravid and Ganguly, the gradual demise of the monstrous Sri Lankan team, THE racey-pacey Pakistan team, and the loyalty for South Africa. And Boom Boom Becker.

I came to Calcutta and things changed. ODIs gave away to a more encompassing knowledge of sports. And a lot of tennis watching. What prompted it, however, was your reporting. You were crisp, smart and did not elongate in an opinionated manner. You just presented. Internet was still catching up, rather slowly, hence swallowing your stats as biblical words were the only resource. Today, I hardly miss a Grand Slam (or an ATP featuring Federer upwards of a fourth round), test matches featuring South Africa, and a lot of random Badminton and Olympics diving. In fact I watch a lot of random Real Madrid football matches online, whatever catches fancy. Somewhere the responsibility of filtering has thus streamed from you to myself. It is convenient but not exactly desired. Today made me realize how much I miss the slot of 7 30pm. You even made golf sound happening.

Sports is a great leveller. Last night we inaugurated our season two of paara baddy. That one and half hour of outdoor activity was anxiety-free, physically exhausting yet rejuvenating, and very very intense. I sweated, went out of breath and lived. In my next life I will be an athlete, a professional athlete, for sure. By 30, I will have played to earn, and then play-acted in endorsements to earn further. It would be such an honour to be covered by you, then. As you are no where around in the scene today (at least of the little that I watch of news now), I understand of the many little things that made me a me, you were one. One never knows how!

Wishing for you to return to the scene (especially to see you report on the downfall of Indian cricket),

Kents.