No one can deny that India's victory in the World cup final was one of its greatest sporting achievements. Although I am a big fan of cricket, I feel the rewards announced for the cricketers are unreasonable by any standard. Firstly, it widens the gap between the rich and the poor. Our cricketers are already rich and the huge rewards will only add to their hefty bank balance. What does the World cup triumph mean to the millions who live below the poverty line? Can it lessen their misery? Secondly, who would want to pursue a career in other sports, when the dominance of cricket is here to stay? Non-cricketing heroes go unnoticed and unrewarded.
N. Venkata Sai Praveen,
Kozhikode
With due respect to our cricketers who did the country proud, the magnanimity extended to them by some of our State governments is exaggerated. While gestures of generosity are not surprising in a country where cricket is only next to the air we breathe, they pose a bigger question about our priorities as a nation. The jawans who laid down their lives battling the terrorists in Mumbai not so long ago are greater heroes than the men in blue. How many of our Chief Ministers opened up their hearts in recognition of their heroism?
Somesh Kumar,
Bangalore
No doubt, Team India deserves accolades. But it would have been ideal had the State governments and other agencies that have showered bounties on them shown a similar enthusiasm in bettering the lives of the common man. My hope that at least the players would be magnanimous enough to donate a part of their rewards also turned out to be a complete miss.
Dilip Sivasankar,
Chennai
The men in blue have done India proud and they deserve all the praise showered on them. But money and other rewards cannot be justified on any ground. We, the people, expect our elected representatives to handle the tax paid by us in a manner that benefits the whole nation. It is a national shame that a whopping amount of money is lost in corruption, freebies and such rewards.
Abdulla K.P. Ahammed,
Malappuram
While the Indian win in the World Cup final is laudable, the various State governments doling out crores of rupees to the crorepati cricketers is highly insensitive. Especially when viewed from the necessity to allocate the scarce resources for the benefit of the deprived masses. The rewards, taken together with the proposed tax concessions to the ICC, are highly questionable.
Kasim Sait,
Chennai
It is indeed a matter of pride that our players played well and won the World Cup final. But why are the governments, the Railways and the corporates showering such fabulous rewards on them? Are they poor? Are they war heroes? Even the families of the Kargil martyrs were not given so much money.
The Indian team did not win the World Cup after 1983. Were they fined even a single rupee for their losses in the previous World Cup tournaments? Why is the hard-earned money of the taxpayers being wasted thus?
S.C. Gupta,
Alwar
While I congratulate Team India on winning the World Cup, I feel that it is not as big an achievement as it is made out to be. The BCCI, with its huge funds, has imparted the best training, coach, and support staff to the players. Such luxuries are not available to any other sports in India.
The financial security enjoyed by cricket players cannot be matched by any other sports player. And yet it took them 28 years to win the World Cup. There are many players from other sports who have achieved a lot at the international level despite the lack of support from governments. But no one gave them a cash prize of Rs.1 crore or free I Class A/C railway passes.
Neeta Venu,
Thiruvananthapuram
Now that the Indian Cricket team has won the World Cup, all our problems will be solved. We have become the most prosperous and powerful nation in the world. We should keep boasting about the victory for the next 28 years, when India may win the World Cup once again!
Israel K. Mani,
Kochi
What the BCCI has offered to each cricketer is what an engineer, doctor or even a high-ranking army officer will ever make in a lifetime. Yet post-World Cup, Chief Ministers of some States are competing with one another to offer crores of taxpayers' money to those already raking in millions. Most of these States are mosquito-infested, garbage-ridden that cry for help but are neglected for lack of funds.
V.A. Abdul Rahman,
Thrissur
The World Cup win should not be an occasion to dole out crores of public money as rewards to the players. The BCCI has announced a cash reward to the players in addition to the huge match fee they are paid. Added to this, the corporate bodies are in line to hire the players to endorse their products, the cost of which is ultimately passed on to the gullible consumers.
Further, there are many other sports in the country which need to be encouraged. Many players in other sports lack even the basic amenities to compete at the global level. Our dismal performance at the Olympics is ample proof of this.
V.V.V. Satyanarayana,
Tanuku
I congratulate the cricket players who secured the World Cup for India. They deserve all the honour, glory and the money showered on them by the governments, the BCCI and others. What is unfortunate is that the players of other games such as football and hockey do not get any such appreciation or rewards. We have many outstanding personalities who have excelled in other walks of life. Eminent physicians have saved the lives of thousands. Many scientists have invented things that are useful for generations. They deserve more honour, since they render greater service to society.
Raju O.F.,
Chennai
This has reference to many letters opposing cash rewards and gifts showered on our cricketers (Letters, April 5). Even if you add up everything that has been offered to them, it may not touch Rs100 crore. This is a pittance compared to what the taxpayers have been losing in various scams over the years. Team India has brought glory to the nation.
V. Mahalingam,
Chennai
