|
How involved he was with the physical education can be understood when we know that it was his idea to get the very first batch of gymnastic apparatus, such as the parallel bars, vaulting box, pommelled horse and uneven bars from England. Subsequently Udar manufactured these apparatus here itself in the Harpagon workshop. - Golden Chain -
Ashram Cricket Team at the Pondicherry Military ground - early 50s |
Ashram Cricket Team at the Pondicherry Military ground - late 40s Udar played a great role as an organiser and administrator in the formative years of our Department of Physical Education in the Ashram. He founded our office, organised the regular filing system, regular record keeping and all the paper work necessary for an organisation. - Pranab - (/ Remember p. 292) |
We have known Udar as small kids - waiting to hear his order to begin the long jump, high jump and the hop, step and jump. His voice still rings and lingers in our ears even to this day. That's the power of our childhood at the Ashram and he was a part of our growing up.
- Ramraj -
|
Rassemblement in the playground (25th Dec. 1947 - Ladies) |
Rassemblement in the playground (25th Dec. 1947 - Men) |
Page - 45
|
Udar in the playground - 1950 He Measures, Announces, Calls out Title given by the mother for the Bulletin - Nov. 1950 |
Arranging for the 1st Dec. 1948 udar, Chandrakant
The Mother started the department of physical education because, She said, "The time has come for our force to enter the physical field." The Mother always said 'our' force. The Mother gave importance to sports because She felt it encourages one's own effort to progress. She gave importance to competition, but She didn't want that you should beat somebody else, but that you should beat yourself. "Try to do better today." - Udar- |
He was an engineer and so we fully utilised his talent in manufacturing our equipment and various implements. - Pranab - (/ Remember p. 292)
Shooting the Ball |
Page - 46
|
2nd Dec. 1950 - March past |
Udar was the captain of the Blue Group and led the group in the daily and special March Past. Upto 1959 he was the main person in physical education in the Ash ram... I must say that because of him physical education in the Ashram is what it is today. - Pranab - (I Remember p. 292) |
|
Blindman's Bluff |
Another aspect of Udar's work was the organisation of the Physical Education Department. When this Department was started by the Mother, Pranab was named by Her as Director and he asked Udar, with Mother's full support, to organise the new venture. So the Physical Education Department was organised entirely by Udar and managed by him and his group for several years. It was then that he set up the Sports Ground with the Swimming Pool etc. - Lata - |
The Mother watching the children's programme |
Page - 47
|
Another important work which Udar undertook and which very few now know about is the organisation of the Physical Education. He and Pranab worked together to set up a whole system which today looks so perfect. Udar's job was planning and organisation. He made the competition schedules and noted down the results, then worked out the points and positions. By the end of the day the results would be on the notice board.
- Golden Chain - |
Tug of War (Golconde ladies) |
Weight Lifting - 24th April 1952 |
|
The Mother seeing the results Udar, Pranab, Lilou, Lata
Udar planned, organised and conducted our various activities. He worked out the details and some of his methods are being continued even today. - Pranab - (I Remember p. 292) |
Prize Distribution - 1st May 1953 |
Page - 48
|
The mother giving a prizs to Pushpa |
The Mother Opening Ambu's Asanas Room - 24th April 1953 |
Children's Programme |
|
March past - 24th April 1953 |
The mother watching a programme |
Page - 49
|
March past - Group D and Group E |
Amiyo once mentioned to the Mother that they played Table Tennis in their house in Calcutta. Could they have a Table Tennis table at their place so that they could play in the evenings? Mother answered that she too used to play Table Tennis and was quite good at it. Yes, they could have a table where all could play. She talked to Udar about it. For Udar to hear the Mother was to obey Her. Working non-stop he got a very good table made and installed it in 'Nanteuil'. Every evening Mother, dressed in a beautiful, embroidered sari, went there to play table tennis. Chinmayee accompanied her but would sit outside and design Mother's veils. Minou and some other girls watched Mother's game. One day Mother asked them if they would like to play. They answered that they would like it very much but they had never played before. Mother asked Amiyo to teach them and eventually they even played with Mother. |
The Mother taking the Salute |
|
Udar announcing results |
March past - group D |
Groups at Attention - 15th Aug. 1954 |
Page - 50
|
March past with audience and - 2nd Dec. 1954 |
Soon there were more and more people, young and old, who wanted to take up the game. Udar made some more tables and placed them in 'Fenętres', in the hall downstairs, and in 'Michel House' (the house in the corner opposite Lalji-bhai's). In order to improve the standard of the players, Udar organised Inter-Table competitions. All the paper work «? was done in his office in Harpagon. The matches were played in the evenings after the Play- ground activities, or in the mornings on Sundays. - Minou - |
The Mother meeting the Russian gymnasts - April 1956 |
|
The Mother giving prizes |
The Mother watching a children's programme |
Page - 51