Sportspersons in politics: India
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Sportspersons in politics
1947-2014/ The winners and losers
Avijit Ghosh, April 2, 2019: The Times of India
Often sports and politics make uneasy bedfellows. In India that doesn’t hold true. Sportspersons across disciplines have taken gleefully to politics. Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir (BJP), ex-Mohun Bagan and East Bengal goalie Kalyan Choubey (BJP) and Olympian, discus thrower Krishna Poonia (Congress) being the latest. As in sports, sometimes they have triumphed, on other occasions been beaten.
THE WINNERS
1. Karni Singh | Shooting | Won silver in 1974 Tehran Asian Games in trap event | Constituency: Bikaner | Party/Terms: Independent 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1971
2. Fatehsinghrao Gaekwad | Cricket | Scored 99 in a Ranji game in 1947-48 | Constituency: Baroda (now Vadodara) | Party/Terms: Congress 1952, 1962, 1971, 1977
3. Aslam Sher Khan | Hockey | Member of the 1975 World Cup winning team | Constituency: Betul | Party/Terms: Congress 1984, 1991
Poll Trivia
In 1971, just-sacked India’s cricket captain MAK Pataudi contested for the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat. His party: VHP. Not Vishwa Hindu Parishad but Vishal Haryana Party. Pataudi fared miserably. Twenty years later, the retired cricketer contested again. This time from Bhopal on a Congress ticket. He lost again.
1. Chetan Chauhan | Cricket | Gavaskar’s reliable opening Test partner | Constituency: Amroha | Party/Terms: BJP 1991, 1998
2. Ranjib Biswal | Cricket | Led India in U-19 World Cup | Constituency: Jagatsinghpur | Party/Terms: Congress 1996, 1998
3. Mohd Azharuddin | Cricket | Led India in 3 ODI World Cups | Constituency: Moradabad | Party/Term: Congress 2009
4. Kirti Azad | Cricket | Part of Kapil Dev’s 1983 World Cup winning Devils| Constituency: Darbhanga | Party/Terms: BJP 1999, 2009 & 2014. Currently in Congress
5. Navjot Singh Sidhu | Cricket | Excelled in 1987 ODI World Cup | Constituency: Amritsar | Party/ Terms: BJP 2004, 2009. Currently in Congress
6. Prasun Banerjee | Football | The reliable defender was included in All Asia All-Star XI | Constituency: Howrah | Party/Terms: Trinamool by-poll 2013, 2014
7. Jyotirmoyee Sikdar | Athletics | 800m and 1500m gold medals in 1998 Bangkok Asian Games | Constituency: Krishnanagar | Party/Term: CPM 2004
Poll Trivia
Pre-independence India witnessed an intriguing poll battle. Palwankar Baloo, the classy spinner who was a Dalit by caste, fought against BR Ambedkar in 1937 Bombay Municipal elections. Ambedkar represented Scheduled Caste Federation. Baloo was a Congress candidate. To the astonishment of all, it turned out to be a needle contest. Final score: Ambedkar: 13,245. Baloo: 11,225
1. Rajyavardhan Rathore | Shooting | Olympic silver 2004 Athens (Double trap) | Constituency: Jaipur (rural) | Party/Term: BJP 2014
2. Ranee Narah | Cricket | Assam women's team captain | Constituency: Lakhimpur | Party/Terms: Congress 1998, 1999 & 2009
THE LOSERS
Several other sportsmen such as MAK Pataudi, Manoj Prabhakar, Chetan Sharma, Mohd Kaif, Nafisa Ali, Dilip Tirkey, Bhaichung Bhutia have contested Lok Sabha polls without success.
1952-2014
From: March 31, 2019: The Times of India
See graphic:
Indian sportspersons in politics: 1952-2014
See also
Film artistes in politics: India
Sportspersons in politics: India
