By P.T. Bopanna
Cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar is indulging in cheap politics by faulting Coorg’s grand-daughter Kavya Maran, owner of SunRisers Leeds for signing Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed at Hundred 2026 auction.
Kavy is the daughter of Kaveri Maran, who hails from Kodagu (Coorg) in Karnataka. Kaveri is the daughter of the late Jammada A. Belliappa, and Neena, hailing from Kaikery near Gonikoppal in Coorg. The Marans own the Sun TV Network.
Gavaskar, in a newspaper column alleged that the signing of Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed by an Indian-owned Hundred franchise in England “indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers.”
Toeing a Hindutva line to please his political masters, the cricketer put forth a convoluted argument: “The fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government, which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians.”
Coorg is famous for its sportspersons and sports culture where politics has no place. Over 50 players from Coorg have played for India in international hockey matches.
The legendary tennis player Rohan Bopanna hails from Coorg. Overcoming trust deficit between warring neighbours India and Pakistan, he teamed up with Aisam-Ul-Haq Quereshi of Pakistasn in the US Open men’s doubles. In recognition of his contribution towards peace, Rohan Bopanna was conferred ‘Coorg Person of the Year, 2010.’
Perhaps for the first time in the troubled history of the two South Asian neighbours, Rohan and his Pakistani doubles partner showed to the world that there was hope for peace if only the two nations began trusting each other and buried their turbulent past.
India should co-exist peacefully with its neighbours and overcome the challenges of social and economic backwardness, instead of harbouring hatred towards one another.
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