CHENNAI: A colossal figure with a mace in hand flashed across the pixelated colour TV screen striding with anger as a soft but commanding voice stops him and says "bhrata Bheem shant..." (Brother Bheem peace). Those words may sound rudimentary in the canvas of life but the emotions and nostalgia it evokes are as intense and gripping as the epic TV series — Mahabharata. All its characters were special too. Bheem, perhaps for his stature and the role he played, stood out.
Replace Bheem's mace with a discus and he would change to Praveen Kumar Sobti — whose real life was overshadowed by his reel life and was known more for his role in the epic TV series than his exploits on the field. Not too many knew before acting he was an athlete, an athlete who has featured in the Olympics. He was a thrower with medals to show in the Asian Games and even one of the toughest stages, the Commonwealth Games. No wonder his peers and teammates still remember him as one of those colossal figures who defined Indian sports when it was struggling for identity.
On Tuesday, when he breathed his last, former chief national coach and Asian Games gold medallist Bahadur Singh was among his peers who remembers him as a genial person. He may look intimidating but according to Singh, he was a very jovial person who would keep everyone happy. "We studied together in Khalsa College, Amritsar," said Singh, who was his senior and later during international duties would go on to share rooms. Praveen Kumar was from a small village called Sarhali Kalan, 50km off Amritsar. "I spoke to him for almost an hour last week. We were in touch and among other things talked about athletics."
Singh recollected one anecdote that epitomised the athlete. "I remember during one national camp the federation had asked us to go abroad for some international meets in Europe. So a federation official comes and tell us to go but we did not know who would accommodate us, receive us. So I was asking the official about this. Praveen was there listening. Then he told us don't worry and said 'They have asked us so let's go and we will see once we reach.' We went to London. He knew so many people that once we reached there everything from transportation to accommodation everything was taken care of. Those days even coaches were not accompanying a team." According to Singh, if he recollected well this was in 1977.
The best part was that Praveen Kumar was very motivated as an athlete. He won the Asian Games gold in 1966 and 1970 and silver in 1974. All in discus. He was among the first field athletes to win a silver at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
According to Singh, he was a great human being and was always ready to lend a helping hand. "He will keep you in good humour no matter what the situation is," he said.
Athletics Federation of India too condoled his death. Interestingly in an interview published on AFI website, he had said that just after finishing his school exams he went to Kingston to participate at the Commonwealth Games 1966. That was when someone's remark 'enjoy the Games and don't bother about winning a medal' had motivated him to return with a medal.
Lack of coaches was a big problem athletes faced then. There was no one to correct their techniques and postures. Towards the later half of his career, Praveen Kumar was struggling with a back problem — an affliction that lived with him until his last days.