June, the Sixth Month of the Gregorian Calendar - It's Significance

25th June, 1983 is of significance to India. 37 years ago, in Lords, India won the third World Cup in cricket beating the formidable West Indies by 43 runs. The team under Kapil Dev made history. No one expected India to win the final with only 140 runs to be scored by West Indies. The match proved many things. It proved that it is the spirit that is important in a team game. Potential wise India was no match to the formidable West Indian side. With the win world cricket saw a sea of change. West Indies have not been able to win the cup since their last win in 1979. Sri Lanka emerged as a cricketing nation winning the World Cup in 1996. The players of the winning side had other plans. K. Srikkanth and Madan Lal members of the winning side had bought their tickets for their honeymoon and had to defer their schedule as they made it to the final. The result of 1983 World Cup is an eye opener not only for cricket but for many other fields. It brought courage to the forefront. Anything could be done with courage. Kapil Dev became a sensation overnight. His leadership is always hailed by Indians for the feat under his leadership. It must be remembered that it was the score of 175 by Kapil Dev against Zimbabwe after India was 5 wickets down for 17 runs that made the World Cup win possible. The win also proved that in life anything could happen. 25th June is remembered each year as an event of glory for the country. Courageous Kapil Dev mentions about the kindness of the legendary actor Pran who offered to pay for the treatment of Kapil Dev's knee operation in England when he had only played two seasons. Though the expense was met from other sources, one must know of the kind attitude of the dreaded screen villain Pran whose gesture only speaks of his attitude towards life. It is learnt that Pran was in close contact with the legendary West Indian Captain, Sir Frank Worrell . So long cricket is played in the country, the win in the World Cup of 1983 will be remembered so will the captain of the team, Kapil Dev.

West Indians and Indian are connected emotionally as many Indians were sent as labourers in the plantations. 16th June is very much connected to West Indies. The brithday of Hemanta Mukherjee ( known as Hemant Kumar in Bollywood) falls on this date. This year , 16th June,2020 was his birth centenary. Hemant Kumar was a popular singer, music director and producer in Bollywood upto mid seventies. He was the first to visit the West Indies for stage show. When he alighted from the aircraft Hemantji was clad in a suit. He was sent back to the aircraft as the people who had come to see him wanted him to be clad in his dhuti and shirt curta in which he appeared everywhere. When he came down for the second time, the people greeted him with not only flowers but with tears also. The crowd said that by touching him they felt that they touched their country, India. The tour of West Indies remained in his memory till his life time. Hemantji's voic mesmerised lacs of fans. His voice was God gifted which he always said . His music direction in Nagin the Hindi Film is the biggest musical hit of Indian Cinema till date. He won the Filmfare award for it. He made the instrument, Bin, played by Kalayanji of the Kalayanji Anandji duo popular. The tune in the film has become the official tune for snake charmers in the country. The song ` Vande Mataram' sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the film `Anandamath' written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, is still considered the best even though there have been many more sung subsequently. The song, `O Nadi re ' first in the Bengali film, `Nil Akasher Niche' produced by him and directed by Mrinal Sen agin used in 1972 in the English film Siddhartha, continues to be hailed world over. Asha Bhosle who was supposed to attend the centenary celebration in Kolkata but could not leave Mumbai due to the lockdown. Hemant Kumar was by his original name, Hemanta Mukherjee in Bengal. He continued to sing Rabindrasangeet and Bengali modern songs which continue to be played.

A day before, Hemant Kumar's birth centenary, 15th June,2020, India was suddenly attacked by China India , The Chinese Army entered Indian territory at Ladakh and killed 20 Indian soldiers. It took Indians by surprise. Indians retaliated and also killed soldiers of the Chinese Army. China failed to declare the number of soldiers killed in the encounter. But the encounter was not a cake walk for the Chinese. They understood that India was not the same India of 26th October, 1962 when China attacked India at the N E F A front. The country mourns the death of the 20 martyrs who lost their lives for the sake of their country.

India is a democracy. In 1962, Pandit Jawharlal Nehru was compelled to explain India's stand the dealing of Chinese aggression in Parliament after the 38 year old Atal Bihari Vajpayee raised his voice in the Rajya Sabha on 9th November, 1962. The opposition even though a divided lot even at that time was successful in making the Prime Minister reply to queries in the Parliament. The attack of China is of extreme consequences but the Opposition failed to make the Government reply to their queries being raised. The people would have been in the dark unless there was coverage in the TV and the newspapers. Of course the country continues to be in the doldrums due to Covid -19. India is a democracy with no Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha. The recent incident only proves that it is equally important to have a strong opposition with an official leader.

We are no more in the month of June. It is now July of 2020.