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•Did you write to the ministry why hockey was degraded?

I didn’t write because when I couldn’t even talk to him then what was the point writing.

•What about the new minister? He says interesting things.

Let’s see what he does. I know him from 1957.

•What are your views on him? Do you expect the mood to change on hockey?

He has upgraded hockey again, which is a good thing. Then the other thing is that he has changed the observers, which is another good thing.

•Do you feel pressure from IOA, now that they are going to take a view on IHF and they might suspend you and supersede you for bringing the game into disrepute?

IHF has not brought game into disrepute. Whatever they want, they can take the action against IHF, which constitutes of 30-40 units that are independent.

•So you don’t feel pressured by IOA?

No way. But India is a strange country. I was going to be suspended after Black Thunder because people had told lies to the then prime minister, senior officers were told lies. And when the actual inquiry committee went, they found that what they had been told was completely different from what was on the ground. Then an apology came. And the same thing is happening in hockey. The same tactics.

•Except at that time you had to go to Rajiv Gandhi’s darbar and now you have to go to Suresh Kalmadi’s darbar?

No, I didn’t go to anyone’s door. I said, ‘OK you manage Amritsar, I will do the rest of the state.’

•So you are telling Suresh Kalmadi to manage hockey?

I will tell him to manage the senior team if he can, because we have the largest stream of players coming in (according to a new system put in place).

•The FIH (Federation of International Hockey) pushed it?

The FIH pushed it and there are complaints galore.

•Do you have complaints from FIH?

No, not that big.

•Because this talk comes of them taking away the World Cup. You know all of Delhi is excited about the fact that Commonwealth Games and the hockey World Cup is to come in the same year.

No, hockey World Cup has not even been allotted to us.

•So you are not certainly going away? Are there moments you say, ‘Chhodo isey! This is worse that Punjab under terrorism or Assam under the 1983 massacres’?

No, no, here the thing is altogether a different exercise. Different exercises to make little money go a long way, to make that money produce champions. We are among the top junior team in the world.

•And you will vouch for the age certificates for your junior team?

All, not just the junior team. For three years, we have started medical examination for age.

•So what do we see with Indian hockey? Don’t you think the best thing that could have happened to Indian hockey was the inability to qualify?

I think that’s the best thing. I request government for just one thing: give me five astroturfs in Chandigarh . . .

•You are not afraid of the wrath that will fall upon you. From the minister to IOA to media to public opinion?

I have to be grateful to you that you gave me this opportunity to express my view to the public. I don’t speak against individuals, I can speak against the government. I don’t speak against the ministers. I don’t speak against the journalists and I don’t speak against the establishment. I say, give me this if you are really interested. If you’re not, then go to hell and do whatever you want.

(The transcript was prepared by Sujesh Rajan.)

editor@expressindia.com