KOCHI:When the Kolkata duo Shibnath De Sarkar and Pranab Bardhan won the Gold in Bridge, the demanding card game, in 18th Asian Games at Jakarta, a few people in the city were overjoyed. For, it has been part of their life for so long. Coming from all walks of life, the members of Kerala Bridge Association (KBA) are on a mission to take the game to the masses.With an aim to bring youngsters into the sport, the Kerala Bridge Association will be organising the ninth edition of Kerala Onam Bridge Festival in collaboration with Ernakulam District Bridge Association on September 22 and 23 at Lotus Club, Kochi.
“There is a general perception towards card game as an illegal means to gain money. Many equal bridge as an ‘elite time pass’ that has the character of gambling. With its introduction in the Asian Games, we believe the game is going to shed its gambling image,” said Robins Jacob, president, KBA.“Though we conduct the fest annually, this time the atmosphere is special. We want to encash the newly-found vigour around the sports and bring it to the younger generation,” he added.
Interestingly, the evolvement of the game here is interlinked with the history of Kochi.When his wife, Lady Gertrude denied an entry for the game in the Cochin Club, owned by Britishers by pointing out her Anglo-Indian origin, Sir Robert Bristow decided to form the Lotus Club in 1932. Ever since then, bridge has become a part of the member’s life and the annual competition have been held for the ever-rolling trophy in January.
“As per our data, around 100 players regularly play the game in Kerala. But only a few youngsters are taking up the game. Being a pure mind game with zero chance of luck, playing bridge will help them in studies as well. Recently, Association of Indian Universities (AIU) decided to include in the sports curriculum, we are trying to garner the participation of youngsters in the game,” said Mohan Nair, secretary, KBA.The two-day event will witness 100 players from different states locking horns in pair events.