Tall and lean Tridip had always been a fast runner. Apu though shorter and stocky had a good running speed even though not as much as Tridip. It was the same with Bijoykrishna – slightly shorter but a fast runner. Their chemistry also matched and very naturally they readily formed a group for the relay race. But they needed a fourth member to complete the group. Though Ghanashyam was their natural companion Tridip’s choice for the fourth member was Gunajit because the lanky fellow had faster speed than Ghanashyam. But alas! Gunajit had already formed the other relay race group of class VIII with Prakash, Nabajyoti and Sonsingh and submitted it to the PT sir. So, no way out – Ghanashyam became the fourth runner of their group.
It was about a month since reopening of school after winter vacation ; like previous years, the annual sports of the school was going on and the February weather in the hilly town was cosy with a mix of remnant of winter chill and soft sunshine. Boys from class VII to X, as always, were competing in the same group. Some boys of the outgoing batch of the school, who had been preparing for the school final after clearing test exam were also competing in the group. It was not at all easy for thirteen year olds to compete with the ones crossing over to the other side of sixteen. There was murmur of complaint and Head Sir in his address to all after prayer put across his point,-“Why is this complaint ? In the last inter-school cricket tournament didn’t we include Mukut in our team for his batting prowess ? And to questions raised by the organizers our point was that he had only cleared the test exam and metric exam was not held till then and so long as a student not pass out metric he remains a student of the school. Now in our internal sports week when few boys of the metric aspirant group are being allowed to participate complaint is raised apprehending personal disadvantages. Let the younger boys compete with them ; in life ahead so many tough competitions are there to be faced.” After that not only the students but even the sirs could find a point to raise a word.
Besides group prizes in march-past, drill and lazim the only prizes won by class VII and class VIII till then were 3rd positions in 100m and 200m sprint by Tridip and Gunajit respectively and 3rd spot by Sonsingh in long jump. Relay race was the last event to win a fourth prize. That’s why, arriving school early for the past few days, both the teams of class VIII were practicing hard in the tracks prepared with line markings of lime powder in the school-field. Both the teams qualified in the first round but in the second round the other team was disqualified as during change over Nabajyoti dropped the baton. So, among the teams of VII and VIII only the team of Tridip,Apu, Bijoy ands Ghanashyam moved to the final round scheduled for the last day.
In the first two rounds their plan, okayed by the class teacher Uday Goswami sir, worked fine. As per the plan Ghanashyam ran the first leg; running the second leg Apu aimed to catch up with the runner just ahead and establish an advantage of 2-3 steps ; In the third leg Bijoykrishna’s effort was to keep sticking to the 3rd place and reduce the gap with the second place and exactly running to the plan Tridip moved ahead to the 2nd place in both the rounds. That’s how they reached the final round. Besides them the other four finalists were--the team of metric aspirants lead by Krishnada, two teams of class X – one lead by Tridip’s elder brother Pradipda and the other comprising of Montuda, Indrada etc and a team of class IX. But the tussle would be mainly between the teams of Krishnada and Pradipda. Realistically Apu’s team aimed for the 3rd place and perchance the 2nd place could be snatched there would be nothing better.
As the day of final arrived anxiety gripped them from the morning. And with the countdown their hearts thumped faster. In a short break in between the field events Uday Goswami Sir guided them through a practice round and then to a corner of the field and asked them to sit coolly. With about an hour or half left for the final Uday Goswami Sir and PT Sir came to them and advised,-“You would better do a little change; seems Apu is running little faster than Bijoykrishna, so you two interchange – Bijoy, you do the 2nd leg and Apu , you run the 3rd. That way it would be a bit easier for you to get the 3rd place. Yaa, one more thing – you are doing excellent baton changes, keep that up.” Sirs left the place and they decided to go by the advice.
The whistle blew and the race started; despite his best effort Ghanashyam ended the 1st leg at 5th although just trifle behind the 4th; baton change was quite quick and using the gain Bijoy caught up with the 4th and by the end of the leg seemed to move little ahead. Bijoy passed the the baton fast and smooth and Apu accelerated quickly to his fastest possible. At the first curve he tried to run close to the inner line of his track to move to the third place. Approaching the end of the curve he momentarily felt going off-balance and as he cast a glance down for trifle second doubt lurked in; but he shook it off and accelerating along the straight section of the track handed over the baton to Tridip at the same moment as Montuda running a step or two ahead of him. Tridip ran a great final leg and anchored the team to 3rd position in the tough field. Their joy knew no bound.
PT Sir took his time to announce the result so as to get the reports of the Sirs and senior students engaged as observers at spots along the track. Nannu of class X, standing as the observer at the fist curve, came running and reported,-“Sir disqualify the class VIII team.” And then pointing to Apu said,-“In the 3rd leg he overstepped the line.” Apu protested loudly,-“No. I didn’t cross any line.” PT Sir turned to Apu,-“While running you might not have seen it yourself; but Nannu was placed there exactly to observe that.” Controlling the tears Apu protested again,-“What does Nannuda know Sir, he doesn’t even run a race.” PT Sir sternly ordered.-“You just keep your mouth shut.” Hem Goswami Sir, who was also standing as observer at the curve, gave Apu a stern look. Tears started rolling down his cheeks.
Not a word of what Tridip, Bijoykrishna and Ghanashyam pleaded with PT Sir went to his ears; he even lost the feeling of the ground he was standing on. –‘That fellow Nannu disqualifies me? That fellow Nannu who never runs a race, never throws, never jumps! That fellow Nannu who only assists Sirs in making the track and measuring jumps and throws! That perennial linesman! That fellow Nannu who only arranges hall, sets benches, tables and flower vases in school programmes like debating, extempore speech, recitation et al ! That chukli, in school programmes only keeps eye on and makes list of who is whispering to whom, who is drowsing, who is throwing pieces of chalk or paper balls to whom, who is making rockets tearing pages of exercise books, who is pricking whose back with pencil point and submits the list to Head Sir at the prayer time the next morning and enjoys the listed boys getting punished ! That fellow Nannu disqualifies me?’ But then the doubt again lurked into his mind.
Uday Goswami Sir guided the four of them – all on the verge of crying- to the middle of the field; all the other boys of their class also gathered around them. Goswami Sir invited Jonab Sir with a wave of hand to join them. Syed Abdul Baseed Jonab Sir, the science teacher, sporting a neat beard and always immaculately dressed in spotless white pyjama, long black chapkon, black fur cap and sparkling black pump-shoe was Maulavi Sir to all the students. The extremely kindhearted Maulavi Sir was so very loved and respected by the students that his every word was like gospel truth for the boys.
Standing in the middle the tall Maulavi Sir addressed the boys,-“Listen carefully boys, you all should know that in any competition the decision of the judge is final and binding and that should be accepted without complain.”
Someone from among the boys said,-“But sir on number of instances Nannuda had falsely implicated boys and got them punished by Head Sir. It may be that dada falsely declared foul by our team to favour his own class ten team.”
Maulavi Sir replied,-“Boys, at such tender age as yours, you should not let that kind of thought in your mind. You know that in every race, besides senior students, teachers were also there at locations along the track as observers. Though Nannu was the primarily responsible person at his location near the first turn, Hem Goswami Sir was also standing there observing the race. Could you think of such partiality on part of Goswami Sir?” That silenced everyone.
Putting his hands on Apu’s shoulders Maulavi Sir asked,-“Are you cent percent sure that you didn’t step on the line?” The lurking doubt desisted Apu from any word.
--“Why are you keeping mum?”
--“ Si – Sir – I cannot – cannot say for su-r-e.” -Apu responded with a choked voice.
-“This means you yourself have some doubt in your mind; while running you might have had the doubt that you overstepped but could not see it properly in the momentum. But Nannu’s sole responsibility was to observe any foul at that location. So you cannot claim the third spot without putting at stake your truthfulness. In any sport judge’s decision should always be respected and your losing and your competitor’s win be accepted gracefully – that’s what is gamesmanship. Without imbibing that spirit no one can be a real player. Learning the tricks of a sport, acquiring and sharpening the skills through regular practice, thoroughly learning the rules and regulations, discipline, punctuality and developing the spirit of gamesmanship are so very essential to make a complete player. This is not only true in the field of sport but in every walk of life. You boys are now fast growing out of your childhood and so, must understand all these by heart. Today, even after carrying a doubt, if you get the prize by demanding, you will never be at peace with yourself because little later you would yourself question your truthfulness and integrity. And later on, everytime you look at the prize lined up with your other justly won prizes, you will feel a pinch. So, today you refrain from demanding the prize – instead give priority to upholding your integrity and show up your gamesman spirit. Promise yourself to always keep your integrity intact – peace will dwell your heart. ---- Ah ! boys one more point – many of you carry the notion that only the participants matter in a sport and the services of boys like Nannu and Dhruba are of no consequence. But think of it deeply – can any sport be completed without their services? Can any other function in the school be conducted smoothly without the works rendered by them? Always give due regards, always give respect to the works performed by others. Never think of any job as petty and insignificant.”
Tridip’s and Bijoy’s faces gradually brightened up. Apu stood sullen with a guilty feeling, -‘Ah it’s because of me the prize slipped out.’ Ghanashyam wrapped his arm around Apu,-“So what if the mistake happened, it only happened. Leave it. And you know that nothing escapes Goswami Sir’s notice.”
Meanwhile PT Sir declared the result. Krishnada and Pradida came down with their teams and praised Apu’s team for putting up a truly spirited run.
Uday Goswami Sir, in full throat, gave the call,-“Three cheers for class eight.”
And all the boys shouted out in full spirit,-“Hip Hip H-U-R-R-A-H -----
In a matter of few days the grief of losing out the prize evaporated from Apu’s mind but the words of Maulavi sir about integrity and gamesmanship went deeper and deeper and remained engraved forever.
(With respect to all my teachers in Shillong Vidyalaya whom I could never meet after leaving Shillong nearly half a century ago.)