NEW DELHI: Every mother is special, but some will feel a bit more special on this Mother’s Day. Their star kids, who are often away representing the country in sports, won’t be pampering them on video calls — showing what they bought for their mom. There’s a bigger and better gift for these mothers this time around. They will have their children right beside them, in some cases maybe after as long as a decade.
A pandemic-forced lockdown may not be the ideal way to get families together, but it’s not something that’s under human control. What’s in your control is to stay safe at home, hug your mom and say ‘Happy Mother’s Day’. And those athletes in lockdown at the SAI centres across the country shouldn’t feel disheartened. That they stay safe and healthy is also the best gift they can give their mothers.
It’s difficult to sum up memorable moments spent with your mother in a few hundred words. It can, in fact, take a lifetime to put together the sacrifices of mothers, which they make only to ensure their children are always successful and in good health. But still, Timesofindia.com tried to put together some of those ‘My Mom’ moments of star athletes, which have always remained close to their heart.
SURESH RAINA (Cricket)
2011 World Cup Winner
Mother’s Name: Parvesh Raina
“In 1998, when I went to the Sports College Lucknow, I took a sleeper class train ticket as we didn’t have much money then. But my mother was very worried about my journey, and there were no cellphones during those days. ‘Puttar, jadd tu ponch jayenga te mainu phone kari. Koi kuchh train vich khavaye te khana nahi, kise naal larna nahi. Mai tainu tiffin bana ke de rahi aa (give me a call when you reach and don’t eat anything offered by anyone in train, don’t fight with anyone, I have packed a tiffin for you)’. ”
“From there, I used to write letters to my parents. The post used to come daily and I would stand outside my class to ask, ‘Sir, chitthi aayi? (has the letter come)’. I would get a reply, ‘Aa jayegi Suresh, pareshaan mat ho, sau baar poochh chuka hai (it will come, don’t worry, you have already asked a hundred times)’.”
“Agar maa hai to sab kuchh hai! (if you have mother, you have everything)”
“I also took her to Holland once and made her fly first class. I ensured one of my friends travelled with her and requested the airline to take care of her. The cabin crew cut a cake with her, saying ‘aapka beta India ko represent karta hai (your son plays for India)’. She started crying, it was a special moment for her. She came and told me “puttar tera bara naam hai (you have made a name for yourself)”. I told her i