He retains his passion for sports

``EITHER CRICKET is chasing me or I am chasing cricket,'' he remarks with an infectious smile. Despite his busy schedule as the leader of a leading software firm, Mr. V. Chandrasekaran, Chairman & CEO, Pentamedia Graphics Limited, has retained a passion for the game, that on occasions, appears all consuming.

It was indeed a proud moment for him when Pentasoft clinched the sponsorship right for the Australia-South Africa three-match one- day series to be played in Melbourne from August 16 to 20, the first occasion when international games will be staged in a covered stadium. The series, called Pentasoft Super Challenge 2000, could change the way we look at the game.

Sponsoring a major competition, during a period when cricket has been rocked by scandals might have discouraged some, not Chandrasekaran. ``People ask me why now when cricket is passing through a crisis. I say `Democracy never fails, only politicians fail. Love never fails, only lovers fail. Cricket has not failed, some cricketers may have failed.''

He admits to being shocked after the match-fixing scandal broke out, but soon looked at the brighter side of the picture. ``When everything is up, doing something is not great. When everything was down, I wanted to set an example. The cricket boards were worried whether the corporate bodies would come forward to support the game.'' The series will be unique with an Indian company involved in a contest where India is not taking part.

Pentasoft has acquired some companies in Australia and Chandrasekaran also saw the series as a rare opportunity.``We are becoming big in Australia. With this one tournament, I will be able to reach millions in Australia and the other countries.''

Mr. Chandrasekaran acknowledges the role of Bharath Reddy and Brijesh Patel in helping him secure the rights. ``Since we have offices in Australia we did not waste time. The ACB is a very professional organisation. Their response was swift.'' '

It is not international cricket alone that Mr. Chandrasekaran is training his attention on. In fact, he sponsors Kohinoor, a first division side led by Test opener Sadagopan Ramesh in Chennai, and also Bunts CC in the lower division. And what's Mr. Chandrasekaran's advice to his players.``Don't complain and make excuses. If you think the umpire is going to rule you out leg- before, try not to get hit on the pads. Some of you are already Test players, and some of you could become soon. But you should always exceed the expectations.''

He is keen on giving the youngsters a break and wants to provide promising cricketers job opportunities, enabling to pursue a career in the game. ``In this company the average age is 24,'' he reveals proudly.

Mr. Chandrasekaran has not missed a single Test match in Madras from 1957, and the only occasion he takes a break is during the matches. He remembers standing in the queue the whole night outside the Stadium before the Tests with his Guindy Engineering College classmates. He cherishes those moments and says, ``there were no cell phones then to constantly distract you.''

Among the Indians, M.L. Jaisimha and Gundappa Visvanath were his favourites. Visvanath's strokeplay and Jaisimha's style fascinated him.

And when young, he wrote letters to the Hyderabad batsman at his Maredapalli address. ``Strangely, when we opened an office about two months back in Hyderabad, a big building, it is just on the entrance of Maredapalli. But Jaisimha is not there now,'' he says with a tinge of regret.

Yes, he does get emotional about cricket and cricketers. `` Seven years back, India was playing Pakistan in Sharjah. I was watching alone in the house, my wife had gone out, and only the cook was there. And when the game reached an exciting stage, I started shouting, clenching my fists. Then my wife came home and said this anxiously to the cook. `Something has happened to him. I have never seen him like this. He is even talking to himself.' That is the kind of influence cricket can have on me.''

Yet, cricket is only one side of the coin for Mr. Chandrasekaran. Chess is his other love, and as he recalls, he would start playing with his brother Visvanathan on Saturday mornings and would finish only by Sunday nights during his student days.

And when in fifth class, he beat a B.L. Student to emerge triumphant in a local tournament in Madras and received the prize from tennis great Ramanathan Krishnan. It remains one of the highlights of his life. ``I was the youngest in the family so everybody pampered me also.''

Under the circumstances it is not surprising that Pentamedia Graphics in sponsoring a Grandmaster Chess tournament in Chennai, a major event with top stars in the fray, from August 13.

``Vision, planning, strategy and execution. That's chess. Here though you act very fast, the reaction can take a lot of time. One has to wait and understand the other's mind. My employees tell me, my son too, `you seem to know exactly what I have in mind,'' Mr. Chandrasekaran can hardly hide his admiration for the game.

It has taught him a lot about life and business too. ``You have to ensure that your opponent does not win. If you chart out only your plan and not think about what the others are doing you will not be a leader. A leader has to look, both, at himself, and his opponent.''

Even these days, whenever he finds time, he duels it out with the computer. ``As people think as you are going higher and higher, you become lonelier person. And today, you can play chess with your computer, even when you become lonely.''

Through his firm and sports, he wants to contribute to the society. ``We should all chip in, in some way or the other. I studied my engineering paying Rs 300 per year. Now a lot of youngsters do not get the same opportunity. The important thing is to bring them up. Instead of comparing themselves with others, they should ask `Am I doing my best.' That is what which makes a person big.''

When requested to pick the single biggest factor in his astonishing success, Chandrasekaran observes, ``One's intention has to be right. If the intention is right, and the actions are bad, it can be set right. If the intention is wrong, then things are doomed. Our intentions have always been right.''

One of his dreams is to sponsor the cricket World Cup. And knowing how the man has made his wishes come true, he does stand more than a fair chance.

S. DINAKAR

Chennai

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