Icarus reborn?

One of the newspapers has run a feature today with the heading " Air India's star staff get away with no work and no play "! The article says that the national carrier had given jobs to the likes of MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, VVS Laxman and RP Singh........long before most of them became the icons that they are today. In fact, it seems that, some of them were in very humble jobs before Air India took them on board. But today, according to the carrier, barring Robin Uthappa (who has also joined Air India) none of the others are ever available for any match or any event or any endorsement of the national carrier. As per the requirement of their employment, these players are supposed to attend office for half a day and play for the company in the other half, whenever they are free of their cricket assignments.

These players are compensated with handsome salaries and full perks of the organisation which, needless to say, they enjoy to the fullest as their entitlement. However, when it comes to turning up for Air India in any tournament,apparantly it becomes difficult for them to do so because of various reasons like sub-standard grounds, risk of injuries, pre-occupation with physiotherapy,low status of the events for stars like them,etc. It seems, some of them refused to appear for some endorsement event of Air India although they had plenty of time to promote a fashion week in Kolkata around the same time!

The other grouse of Air India is that hardly ever do the "stars" receive or respond to telephone calls. Harbhajan Singh countered this by mentioning to the newspaper that, in view of his association with Air India for 8 to 9 years,he feels that if the organisation has any problems with him it should contact him. Very true. Only thing is, as the management of Air India points out, how does one contact him when he does not receive or respond to calls in the first place! Moot point! Catch 22!

I am a sports crazy person and far from apologetic about being an out and out cricket devotee. I have even played the game a bit at the college and club level. For me, the players form the nodal point in this modern day industry that is cricket and they will always continue to be so. They are the ones to sweat it out, risk life and limbs to play a game they love. However, as is usual, the very officious officials that "control" the sport invariably screw up.They are the ones who bask in reflected glory and play god by raking in the golden eggs and trying to run the lives of the geese that laid them, often with undesired resiults!

I said usually, did I not? Well in this instance of Air India, I cannot but depart from the usual and recall to mind a couple of things which show up the playing icons in a different light..

Firstly, the recent failure of Ms Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh to accept the invitation of the President of India to come and receive National Honours from her, has completely baffled me. I cannot find any mitigating curcumstance that would have prompted them to ignore the call of the leader of the nation that they serve.

Secondly, I recall with pleasure the days in Bata India Ltd when Kapil Dev Nikhanj and Rani Mukherjee were signed up by the company as Brand Ambassadors. Kapil Dev was, in fact, a contracted employee, I believe. Both of them gave their utmost to the cause of the brands in terms of time and availability. I was personally involved reasonably closely every time Kapil Dev was requested to inaugurate one of our new or renovated retail outlets in the north of India. I also remember, for a fact, that Kapil Dev would visit our offices in Kolkata (India HQ), and Delhi for discussions and also check out the product in our factories on every occasion that he had some time in hand and was away from his cricket commitments, international or domestic.

As for Rani Mukherjee, well she became the talk of the company, not only because of her looks, but also because of her simplicity, dedication to the brand promotion and her charm in associating with the members of the management, whether they be expatriates or Indian, young or not so young!

To say the least, on both counts, the sale of the products that these two stars endorsed and promoted, sky-rocketed in no time.

Now,here is my point. If anybody tells me that Kapil Dev or Rani Mukherjee were not stars of the highest firmament, I would seriously think that he or she is pulling my leg. Or that he or she needs to have the head examined! It may not be an exaggeration to say that the players that Air India is having problems with today, though huge achievers and exceedingly talented, are still a little shy of the immensely exalted status of Mr. Nikhanj and Ms Mukherjee.

So, are our stars of today in danger of following the fatal path of the ancient Icarus? Are they Icarus reborn? Will their high flying cause their wings to melt in the heat of the sun for having soared prilously close to it? Will they plunge into the sea or plummet down to earth with a mighty thud?