There is still no representation of Dalits on the Indian national team - Journalists Literature Festival

The day progressed with a session on cricket and society titled "The objectivity challenge: Cricket, society, and journalism," where seasoned cricket writers Pradeep Magazine, Sharda Ugra, and Rohit Mahajan spoke on a variety of issues such as match fixing, the Indian Premier League, and cricketers and English and reservation among a variety of other issues.

All three writers said that it was a privilege to have a job where you are paid to cover a sport, speak to cricketing superstars and travel across the world on company dime.

Ugra, who started her career the same year as Tendulkar, humorously remarked, “He has retired, but I am still writing.”

Asked about her experience as a woman sports journalist, she said, “It was quite easy to interact with officials and cricketers, who were curious about a woman journalist.” 

Comparing cricket reporting then and now, she said, “Earlier, journalists were considered to be a part of the cricket ecosystem but professionalisation has changed the nature of sports. Now, there are agents and managers.” 

Here, Mahajan chimed in saying the voice of the cricketer is being controlled. “I remember when I interviewed Sachin Tendulkar, and asked him a personal question. It was such a feeling. These days journalists do not have access to cricketers. Earlier, we would get answers about the selection decisions.” 

Remarking that our athletes rarely take up a sport for the love of it, but for (employment) rozgar, Urga advised those aspiring to be sports reporters to write mindfully, lest they land in a legal quagmire as these days journalists are seen as adversaries.  

Asked by an audience member, whether IPL promotes match-fixing, she said, “Such is its format,” to which Magazine added, “Newspapers are not interested in covering this story.” 

Magazine, who is remembered for exposing the match-fixing scandal, recalled how he was shunned by players, authorities and even the journalist fraternity after he broke the story. “However, after a year, the truth was there for everyone to see.” 

He also lamented that there is no representation of Dalits in Indian national teams.