In the run-up to the closing ceremony of Gully Cricket, season 4, Chandigarh has been completely bowled over by cricket passion. Young players are smiling from ear to ear while shouting the slogan, “Balla Ghuman, Nasha Bhagao.”

This is not just cricket, it’s a movement fuelled by passion. It is the fruit of the vision and passion of Sanjay Tandon to channelise the raw energy of young boys and girls towards cricket to keep them away from drugs and narcotics. The drug menace in our country is real. There are drug vendors at strategic locations in Chandigarh, in the states of Punjab, Haryana, and many more.

A sneak peek into the horrendous state of drug peddling in Punjab was showcased in the blockbuster Dhurandhar 2.

The pain of losing young children to the drug monster is being experienced by many parents. To keep the children of Chandigarh and its suburban colonies away from the tentacles of this menace, Sanjay Tandon launched season 1 of Gully Cricket in 2023, while he was President of the UT Cricket Association. Now, while he has completed his Presidential term, he continues to fuel the Gully cricket phenomenon with his zeal and enthusiasm as the Chairman of the tournament.

Idle minds are surely the devil’s workshop. Keeping the young minds occupied and busy while practising and perfecting their playing skills is the key to keeping them away from drugs and all nefarious activities. In season 4, there were 288 teams, of which 256 were boys teams and 32 were girls teams. A humongous 3400 players participated in the tournament, which was played in the grounds of Chandigarh.

Chandigarh police played an extremely supportive role in registering the teams in each gully, mohalla, and sector of the city. Each match was played under the surveillance of the UTCA staff and the police officer deputed, so that everything was fair and was played as per the rules of the game. For the semi-finals and finals, the Chandigarh police took up the responsibility of transporting the young children to the stadiums and back.

Each registered player was given a cricket uniform. Each registered team has been given a cricket set. The players in the teams that reached the semi-finals were given shoes. The event was sponsored by Allengers, NMDC, Tynor, Scott Edil, Liberty Shoes, Chandigarh Administration, etc.

The joint resources of many came together to fund this one-of-a-kind tournament. The Governor of Punjab (and Administrator of Chandigarh), Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, honoured the entire team behind the Gully Cricket movement and the players by inviting them to the Lok Bhavan (Raj Bhavan) and hosting the grand closing ceremony of the event. The enthusiasm and energy of the players gathered in the auditorium was heartwarming to see. Their beaming faces as the Governor announced a Lakh of Rupees to the winning team and Rupees 50,000 to the runners-up team was a treat to see. A cash prize of Rupees 3 Lakhs was sent by the Indian Street Premier League from Mumbai.

What distinguishes this from many other events, like this, is that this movement is the result of the hard work, grit and determination of Sanjay Tandon. He has built a team that executes to perfection. His goodwill attracts prominent business houses to come forward and sponsor or contribute in cash or kind.

4 years back, he sowed a small seed. The plant is flowering now. It was during the grand closing ceremony at Lok Bhavan after Tandon had finished giving his address on the podium that he got the news that Nandini Sharma, one of our Gully cricket girls, who recently did us proud by her stupendous performance at the WPL, has been selected for the World Cup by BCCI!!! He took to the mic instantly and announced this to the audience. The applause was deafening! This is the power of passion! This is the value of getting the right grooming at the right age. These children who play in the gullies and parks or even on the streets are getting the opportunity to showcase their talent. They have a great chance to get noticed by the selectors and then get into mainstream cricket. If they give their best, and they get the best support!

Chandigarh’s Kashvi Gautam and Nandini Sharma have been launched. The sky is the limit for them. Let’s see who is next … meanwhile, one man who is no less than an institution in himself is smiling because he has given so many youngsters wings to fly. Some are already soaring. Others are waiting to take off. And he is the wind beneath their wings.

The accolades were pouring in from the Governor, the Vice President of the BJP, Sh Saudan Singh, the officers of the Chandigarh Police and the Sports department, but most precious of all were the happy and smiling faces of the children who had been given this precious opportunity.

You can’t do everything for everyone. But if you can do something for someone, it could mean everything to them … Yes! I saw it unfold. / DAILYWORLD /