THE RICHEST GAME AND THE POOREST REGION

Koraput: A grand feast with all those non-veg and veg items was going on in the market place of Dumuriput square. One could imagine that someone might have got a new job or it is the birth anniversary of someone’s children, but the truth is that the local youths were celebrating the cricket World Cup victory of Indian Cricket Team. Dumuriput is not a place in the suburban metros, but a place in one of the most underdeveloped region of India i.e. Koraput district of Orissa.

Nandapur : Rural People of Village Khilua, Nandapur Block

 are enjoying the final match of Cricket World Cup (Ind vs SL)

(Photo - Pradipta Mishra)

Big screens were coming up in all the urban areas of Koraput district. Even a Cinema Hall at the district headquarter was screening the semi-final and final match of the cricket World Cup with much enthusiasm from the local youth. The price per ticket was Rs. 50 /-. Many youths and cricket fans were found with the official jersey of Indian Cricket Team. Children had their faces and hands painted with the colours of Indian Flag. The urge of seeing the final match live on Big Screens was so high that some youths had crossed the water body of the Kolab Dam with boat to reach Sunabeda town. Most of them are illiterate and from the marginalised villages situated in between the Kolab Dam. These villages have no electricity connections. Majority of shops in the urban areas were closed during the semi-final and final matches and streets had a deserted look.

When Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the skipper of Indian Cricket Team, hit six to give India the Cricket World Cup after a 28 years long gap, there was the big celebration. Youths and Cricket lovers rushed in to the street holding the Indian flag. Some housewives and college-going girls were also participated in the celebration.

All these love for cricket and World Cup victory celebration were found in the relatively developed parts of the district. But no one could know how the poor tribal people of the remote part of the district were behaving with the richest game of India.

(Priyaranjan Swain is studying Journalism & Mass Communication at the Central University of Orissa, Koraput. Already armed with a Master’s in Applied Economics he aspires to work for a leading newspaper after the completion of his course. Interest in socio-economic issues and day to day political affairs help him understand the complexities of our ever evolving society. He can be reached at priyaranjanswain35@gmail.com.)