In a unique idea, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants the trophy for the Freedom Trophy Cricket series to be played between India and South Africa to be made with metal rods of jails where both Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela were imprisoned.
To make it possible, BCCI chief Shashank Manohar has written a letter asking Yerawada Central Prison authorities to provide two metal pieces from the cell where Gandhiji was imprisoned during the freedom struggle. Similarly, metal pieces have been sought from the Robben Island prison in South Africa where Mr Mandela was imprisoned.
The Freedom Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Test series between India and South Africa to commence November 5. The trophy is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela who helped their countries get independence.
According to sources, Shashank Manohar himself wrote a letter to U.T. Pawar, jail superintendent of Yerawada Central Prison on October 7 requesting metal pieces from the cell where Gandhiji was imprisoned.
“The idea is to commemorate the historic efforts of Gandhiji and Mr Mandela,” Mr Manahar wrote in the letter to the jail authorities. “We also wanted to create a one-of-a-kind trophy that would be made with the inclusion of two metal pieces — one from Yerawada jail, where Gandhiji was imprisoned and another from Robben Island prison, where Mr Mandela was imprisoned,” the letter said.
Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay, IG, prisons confirmed that they have received such a letter from BCCI recently. “We have received a letter asking for metal rods from the cell in which Gandhiji was imprisoned. I have sought a report from the Yerawada jail authorities to take a decision,” Mr Upadhyay told this newspaper.
Under the British rule, especially between 1930-42, Yerwada jail has housed many freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi and others. And since then, the prison authorities have been preserving the cell where Gandhiji was lodged. Each and every item used by Gandhiji, when he was in jail, has been preserved.
Mr Upadhyay also added that it would be difficult for them to remove rods from the cell since it is being preserved for very long. “The cell is of international importance and removing two rods will also not look good. Thus, it will be a difficult decision to take,” IG prisons said.
