Omar Sharif was an international brand ambassador for bridge. The Hollywood actor was a well-known promoter of this card game and happened to be an acknowledged exponent too. In India, however, the game had a taboo. It was seen as a form of gambling. It was also seen as an elitist game played essentially in clubs.
According to Kiran Nadar, who was part of the bronze medal winning mixed team at the Jakarta Asian Games, bridge is not about gambling. “I don’t think there is any taboo. People feel it is gambling. It is not taken like that in Maharashtra and Bengal. You need skills. Hopefully, it will grow. The Asian Games medal has created a good environment,” she noted.
The 2018 Asian Games at Jakarta has given bridge a pleasant make over. Pranab Bardhan and Shibnath De Sarkar won the men’s pair gold medal and bridge, overnight, assumed popularity, acceptance, and a spot in India’s sporting history. For the two Kolkata-based gentlemen, the media recognition is the culmination of hard work of more than two decades.
Sarkar is delighted for many reasons. “Before leaving for Jakarta, we would follow the rest of the contingent. Now people are watching us too. It’s a nice feeling. One gold has changed the face of the sport. This generation should capitalise on it. In the last five years bridge has grown. We are not gamblers. We are not without work. We are stars (laughs). In Jakarta, I realised why people cry when the National Anthem is played. I can’t describe the feeling,” he said.
Mental fitness
For Bardhan, the feat is to be celebrated. “We have shown the way for the current generation. They need to follow this path. We have shown we can achieve. At 60, I have achieved this. The youngsters can do better. Everything is possible. Bridge is a good game that tests your mental fitness and acumen. We need to popularise it. The responsibility lies with the society. It is not gambling. You should experience it. Media has a huge role,” the veteran pleaded.
For Kiran Nadar, these are emotional moments to savour, as she fêtes the team at her Museum of Art in Delhi. “We had a problem in going itself. The federation had not done its work thoroughly. Some follow ups had been omitted with the IOA (Indian Olympic Association). Bridge was missing when the list was released. I contacted the Ministry and Randhir Singh (former IOA secretary and Asian Games gold medallist in shooting). He helped us. The entries had been closed by Jakarta but we managed. We went (to Jakarta) in a bit of shambolic conditions,” Nadar said.
She dismissed the notion that bridge was not a sport. “I would say it is a sport. Anything that is competitive in nature that involves skill, whether it is physical or mental, is sport. Bridge is very stimulating for the mind, very competitive, very strategic. It’s not how the cards fall. Playing duplicate the cards even out. There are some issues in England but European Union and America acknowledges it as a sport. Olympics may happen in 2024. How can you call it elitist? Most bridge players are from a very middle class background. It’s not an elitist sport at all. Competitive bridge is not elitist because bulk of the players come from a humble background.”
Need for funds
Looking ahead, Nadar said, “We will be talking to the Ministry. We need funding to be infused. We want to take bridge to schools and colleges. We are all growing old but want bridge to grow with youngsters. We are doing all we can.”
Bronze medallist Rajeshwar Tewari says, “I know the wrong perception that people have of bridge. It’s a game where you have to build partnerships and understanding.”
As the team celebrates, the members remind each other challenging times lie ahead when India participates in the World Championship at Orlando from October 31. “It will be tough there but a great learning experience,” Nadar observed.
