Boria Majumdar
I have always endeavoured to build a proper public museum for sport in India. A multi-sport museum which inspires future generations. Artefacts tell a story and, for years, India did not have a multi-sport museum. In fact, it is only very recently that state cricket associations started investing in museums. Having worked with experts for years now, I have some idea how museums help perpetuate legacy and leave a lasting impression on a country’s sport.
To build a museum isn’t easy. Artefacts with provenance are rare and you need to be on the money to collect or get them. And each of these should tell a story. To go and get something randomly signed doesn’t really constitute an artefact. There has to be provenance, and there has to be a story the artefact is telling us all.
I had asked Gautam Gambhir for his Oval Test jersey for it was an epochal match in India’s cricket history. It tells us a story and is an artefact of significance. Signed on that day, it has a provenance like no other. Gautam, very kindly, agreed to sign and send it across, and did. It will now go into the museum collection and be a reminder to everyone who visits about what really happened in England. It tells us a story which is inspirational.
Yesterday, I had put a screenshot of the jersey on X. Honestly, I did not think much before doing so. Within minutes, I got two responses. I will not disclose names here, for it isn’t fair to do so. Both were critical and said that the jersey showed the downfall of Indian sports journalism. Senior journalists are now cheerleaders who lack objectivity. We will never be able to ask the hard questions.
The truth is, I have built a career by asking the hard questions. So, I decided to engage with these two people, both of who mention ‘journalist’ in their X profile. One of them suggested I had lost his trust with the post. The second person thereafter apologised for the post and realised that he had been indiscreet for no reason. It ended with him saying he will not be bitter going forward.
Neither of them matter. All you need to do in journalism is be true to your conscience. The second person also went on to say that he felt inspired by my body of work. The truth is, none of it is relevant.
The first of the two said how other platforms are watched et cetera. The truth again is that he doesn’t matter! All I want my journalists to do is stay true to his or her conscience. Do stories and move on. The museum will be a legacy for Indian sport going forward. It will outlive us all if done well. It will inspire many to play sport, and that’s what we are after.
Trolls are a part of our lives and should be flushed away like toilet paper. If they turn abusive, block them. But listen to your conscience and no one else. Don’t ever seek validation on social media. Never did, and never will.
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