The Race That Won a Thousand Hearts

The audience stood up in applause as Mita touches the finishing line along with Nisha.

The whole stadium was chanting and sometimes grunting the same tune ‘Hats-up Mita’...‘Hats-up Mita’…‘Hats-up Mita’.

My best friend Mita had just clinched the 100m race title along with Nisha from nearby St Lucia school. They touched the determinant line simultaneously.

The congratulatory wave towards Mita was obvious as she could match up to Nisha, her arch-rival in the inter-sports circuit in Kolkata. Even though Mita has not beat Nisha but matching her time is nonetheless a great achievement for Mita and her School.

Shirts and hats were flying as a few senior ‘rich-breed’ students tried to fling their hats and t-shirts in frenzy.

Most of the audience was students and faculties of ten reputed schools of Kolkata city including DPS-Kolkata, Mita’s school.

All of them shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita. I was not wondering at the fact…nobody was taking the name of Nisha who also stood first along with Mita.

The mini-stadium was bursting out with thousands of students, teachers, and others cheering the participants in the “21st Kolkata Inter-School Sports Championship-2023”.

All of them were dressed in colourful traditional Indian attire representing different states and regions of our nation. The stadium was decorated specially for the event. Large cut-outs of renowned sports stars like Major Dhyanchand, Milkha Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourabh Ganguly, Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, and many more were erected at equal intervals around the stadia.

The newly painted running tracks were coiled, cool, and captivating. The eight-track lines that encircle the whole ground were challenging the participants to measure them by their feet, as quickly as possible. All these preparation, decoration, and participation made the atmosphere at the stadium sporty, competitive, and moments of celebration.

All of them shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita. I was not wondering at the fact…nobody was taking the name of Nisha.

Manik Sir, the sports teacher of Mita could not resist showing how good he is at whistling. He was very happy about their strategy to play Mita only in the 100m race. Mita was focusing only on the 100m race since last summer. Sudipta Ma’am, the class teacher who tried to restrict her emotion was busy making victory mark with her fingers.

Her ‘V’ was as serious as her face.

Ms. Sahashrabudhhini Saha, the Principal Ma’am was clapping and nodding her head in a mark of approval.

I could see irrespective of the schools they represent, all students were shouting the name of Mita. Congratulatory remarks, shouts, and hip-hip-hurrahs for Mita continued for some time.

Out of the corner of my eyes, however, I caught a glimpse of Henrik Sir with a sombre expression on his face.

Henrik Sir, the sports teacher of Nisha was by now really upset in his mind and uprooted at his feet.

Henrick Banerjee aka “The Cheetah” from St. Lucia was in a state of undone.

It was beyond his digestive system to digest the fact that somebody from DPS could match his trained pupil. Henrick Sir, the five-time national champion in 100m and 200m during his times was shattered.

He was broken and unable to accept what happened just before his eyes. His pupils have always clinched the 100 m and 200m race titles in the last twelve years in inter-school sports championships.

The whole stadium was celebrating the Mita’s achievement except the two. One was Mr. Henrick Sir and the second one was the ‘eat-sleep-n-look good’ kind of lazy pet dog of the local political leader Mr. Sarbagila* Sen.

*Sarbagila - A person who eats everything, including public money.

It was the last event of the sports meet. After some time, the five-day championship will end. The torch that was lit up by the famous social activist Ms. Theresa Banerjee, will be put off by Mr. Sarbagila Sen. The running tracks would miss the little steps and strides of young students. The music beats will retreat. The cheerleaders will stop waving their ‘pom-poms’. The decorations would wear out after a few days same as the temporary tents set up for participants.

The crowd shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita. Still, I was not wondering…why nobody was taking the name of Nisha.

The valedictory function was about to start.

Sun was setting in the west. Birds were returning to their nests. The flood lights are lighting up panel by panel. The crowd welcomed the lighting by making strange noises. Mita’s grandpapa, who was present in the audience, bowed his head in respect of the lights. The security personnel near the stage fixed his cap and pair of his ghee-laden well-grown moustaches.

The lazy dog of Mr. Sen was busy watching dreams in instalments. In between the dreams, the doggy was making a low-noise grunt to tell his boss that it is ‘active’ and ‘watching’. If its dreams were TV serials then its grunts in-between were commercials.

The crowd shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita. Still, I was not wondering, unlike Henrick Sir.

The commentator named Mr. Sarvabola* Sharma announced that the valedictory function will start in five minutes. He requested the crowd to be patient and cool. Before concluding his short announcement Mr. Sharma also intimated to the crowd that a firecracker show will follow the valedictory function. The firecracker show will be conducted by a team hailed from Shivkashi, Tamil Nadu. Even he went a step further to disclose that the Shivkashi team would be paid a huge amount of two lac twenty thousand two hundred twenty-two only, in addition to ‘khana- pina-rehna’.

* Sarvabola: A person who speaks fluently and about everything

At last, the function started with the cutting of a red ribbon on the way up to the stage by Mr. Sen. Then Mr. Sen released twenty-one doves to the sky to symbolise “21st Kolkata Inter-School Sports Championship-2023”. Of course, it was unintentional on the part of Mr. Sen that one of the doves didn’t fly up. Rather the freed bird was busy figuring out a small insect that was creeping on

Mr. Sen’s head. Before Mr. Sen gets irritated the lazy dog released another commercial in the form of its grunt to get rid of the last dove on the ground.

The unprecedented scene was quite enjoyable for the spectators.

The chief guest along with six others adorned the dais by taking their respective seats. The speech sessions by the guests took some time out of the waiting time of spectators for prize distribution and the firework show.

After introductory speeches, the chief guest Mr. Sarbagila Sen walked up to the microphone and greeted ted the spectators with folded hands ditto political campaigns. He finished his ‘two-minutes’ in nine minutes and after ten constant reminders by Mr. Salman, the coordinator.

Before completing his speech Mr. Sen didn’t forget to mention that “the students present here are the future citizens of our corporation ward, our municipal corporation our state, and, our country.

Our municipal corporation is great, our country is great, its citizens are great, and you all are great,

I am great, Kolkata is great, and India is great.

Jay Hind…Jai Hind…Jai Hind”.

When everybody started clapping thinking that the speech is ended, Mr. Sen showing his index figure to the sky intimated that he need an additional one minute to end. He continued – “the participants were superb in their performance. They are the future Milkhas, Sanias, and Usain Bolts of our nation.

I may take this opportunity to congratulate these athletes and sports persons for their future Olympic endeavour.” Even he opined that at least ten sports persons from this event will play in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He concluded his ‘brief’ speech by shouting Jay Kolkata, Jay Bangla, Jay Hind.”

Mr. Sen ended his ‘historical’ speech by waving hands frantically at the crowd. The spectators were happy that they could witness very soon, the prize distribution and fire show.

Mr. Sarvabola, the commentator announced – “The prize distribution ceremony begins”. The Shivkashi team complimented the announcement with the bursting of firecrackers ad releasing hundreds of rockets at a time into the sky. The spectators yelled different slogans.

Some sections of the crowd shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita…

Salman, the coordinator becomes very busy with the prize distribution ceremony. His team has worked a lot to make this part of the event error-free and ‘official’. The team rehearsed for three days on how to conduct the prize distribution smoothly.

Prizes, medals, and certificates were distributed to the successful players in different categories.

The guests handed over these pieces of memory in recognition of their achievements. Achievers were very happy to receive the result of their consistent hard work. Their sweat has turned into medals that are hanging down their neck proudly.

Henrick Sir should have been a happy person as his pupils have won gold medals in 200m, 400m, and 800m races.

Even his student Nisha has also won gold in 100m.

But he is still boiling inside. He could not accept the ‘debacle’ that just happened before his ‘champion eyes’. How could someone be a joint winner in the 100 m sprint with his dear student Nisha? What will be his prediction on Nisha to be the best sprinter in Kolkata city? What will be the fate of his “Golden Eagle” as he has named Nisha?

The crowd shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita. Still, I was not wondering…why nobody was taking the name of Nisha.

Mr. Sarvabola announced the names of the gold medal winners in the 100m race event for the girls. Both Nisha and Mita received gold medals from the chief guest. Henrick Sir was coughing for some time.

Finally the “Spirit of the game award” was announced for the athletes who have shown outstanding sportsman spirit in the championship.

Mr. Sarvabola announced- “…and the award goes to Ms. Mita from DPS, Kolkata.” The crowd shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita.

Henrick Sir was closing his ears with both of his alms.

Mr. Sarvabola continued his announcement – “The Jury Members have decided that Ms. Mita be conferred upon this prestigious award for her extraordinary and exemplary sportsman spirit shown during the 100m Girls Final.

When they reached halfway, both Nisha and Mita were leading the race leaving the other six contestants far behind. Then Mita took an unbeatable lead pushing Nisha to second place. Suddenly Nisha fell on the track as one of her shoes goes-off her foot.

It was sure that Mita would be the winner and Nisha would come last.

However, what Mita did was an eye-opener for all.

Mita suddenly stopped, took one of her shoes away, and threw it...

...then took Nisha’s hand and pulled her to stand-up quickly.

Then Mita finished the victory line along with Nisha instantaneously holding the hand of Nisha.”

The crowd shouted again ….Mita…Mita…Mita.

Nisha could not resist tears from dropping down her chicks. Saha Ma’am just nodded her head.

Manik Sir, whistled while jumping into the air...

Sudipta Ma’am, the class teacher made a V with her fingers and smiled for the first time in a decade.

Sarvagila Sen was excited. He went towards Mr. Sarvabola and snatched the microphone from his hand and announced “I Sri Mr. Sarvagila Sen your municipal corporater, friend, and servant is hereby announcing a monthly scholarship of rupees five thousand to Mita for three years so that she can take proper sports training. I will bear the amount from my pocket. I will deposit the total amount for three years with the school as early as possible. Jay Kolkata, Jay Bangla, Jay Hind.”

After some official decorum, Mr. Sen put off the torch that was inflamed since the inauguration day.

Mr. Sarvabola announced the end of the event.

He thanked all concerned for their support. He also informed the audience to wait, watch and enjoy the firework show that is to follow.

Suddenly the Shivkashi team became active with varieties of colourful firecrackers. The ten thousand odd spectators witnessed an unprecedented fire-work show. The sky above the stadium was filled with a wide spectrum of glowing colours.

When the whole stadium was busy watching the firework show, Henrick Sir was seen quietly going near Mita and put his palm on her head, patted her back, and then took out his cap and placed it on her head.

Mita quietly bowed down to her, touched his feet, and then saluted the five- rings Olympic flag.

Suddenly, the dog stood up for the first time and the dove number twenty- silently flew up and up till it became a dot in the dark late evening sky.

The dot was visible for a long-time, even with a backdrop of the dark evening sky.

DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...DOT...

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