Skip to main content

Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians - Boria Majumdar


Boria Majumdar is one of  India’s famous sports writers and a authority on the subject. In this book, he brings about a fascinating exploration of cricket—packed with lively narratives and never-before-seen photographs.  The hard cover edition is perhaps the most comprehensive and authoritative account of modern Indian cricket history.

Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians takes you on a historical tour of India’s utmost popular sport—going from early tours in 1886 to the more modern IPL, offering a complete understanding of the evolution of the game both on and off the field. Containing material that has never-been in the public domain before, this book showcases in-depth research on cases like Monkeygate, the suspension of Lalit Modi, match-fixing scandals, and more controversies and incidents which have made Indian cricket to what it is.




Intertwining together personal interviews, rare photographs, and letters, Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians asks some significant questions that need answering, among them: Has internal struggle and egoism impacted the on- field performance of the Indian cricket team? Did some icons fail the nation and the sport by trying to hide key facts during the spot-fixing inquiry? And does it matter to the ordinary fan who heads the BCCI if there is transparency and culpability in the system?

Recounting the past of cricket throughout colonial and post-independence Indian lifespan, Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians gives captivating insight into those who support, endorse, play, and watch the sport, as well as the entire country now considered the global hub of the world of cricket.

I however found it hard to believe that the author chose to ignore the contribution of Subhash Chandra and Kapil Dev led ICL. It was Indian Cricket League which led to the creation of IPL and credit should have been due there. While the author has been generous enough to devote a chapter to Women cricket, more history would have been great. The book is about the Gods anyways so maybe the skip is okay.

Pages 450
Publisher - Simon & Schuster


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Also read

Its Time Folks!!

-> Muthalik's cry against Valentine's Day or his horrific beating of defenseless girls in Mangalore. (disgraceful but i'm sure he was jealous coz he is still a bachelor at that ripe old age) -> Bombings planned by Hindu Religious Leaders and the emergence of "Indian Mujahideen". (stupid fools can think of only violence and even a sadhvi was a part of this. I'm sure each everyone is corrupt. I won't be surprised if they were working for some islamic terrorist group) -> The atrocities against Christianity in Mangalore and Orissa. (Shows that our country's intellectual level is growing in reverse!!) -> Curtailing of pub culture in the Pub City of India. (Again socialistic losers who think they are correct and people should live in only way!! U asses democracy means freeedom of individuals and an individual never lives in the same way as others do!!) -> Rajasthan CM announcing that he will do away with mall culture. (I think he is working fo...
18 comments
Read more

Epitome of equality

First of all This is not to demean any religion.. I am a Hindu by birth, but yes I respect all religions .I offer my daily prayers , fast on holy days , but there was something that was disturbing me . God as per me was a Friend, someone who was by my side always , someone who was a dear friend , but this is not what everyone else thought , for others he was the Judge who gives his verdict always and punishes anyone and everyone . Walk into any temple and you would see , if you have money , you will be treated in a way as if you are the ONLY disciple of the God . I have had too many experiences where I was treated as a second class citizen in the temple . Why? Well I could not afford giving thousands as donation. This is not how it should be , God looks at each one of us with the same divinity .As I mentioned God for me is a friend, so tell me, do we chose friends based on their bank balances? Do we give our verdict on them ? then how can God do it? I know many of us would ...
32 comments
Read more

Does India need communal parties?

I think, it was Tan's post on this blog itself, Republic Day Event, where this question was raised. My answer. YES. we need communal parties even in Independent, Secular India. Now let me take you, back to events before 1947. When India was a colony of the British Empire. The congress party, in its attempt to gain momentum for the independence movement, heavily used Hinduism, an example of which is the famous Ganesh Utsav held in Mumbai every year. Who complains? No one. But at that time, due to various policies of the congress, Muslims started feeling alienated. Jinnah, in these times, got stubborn over the need of Pakistan and he did find a lot of supporters. Congress, up till late 1940's never got bothered by it. And why should we? Who complains? No one. But there were repercussions. The way people were butchered and slaughtered during that brief time when India got partitioned, was even worse than a civil war scenario. All in the name of religion. And there indeed was cr...
40 comments
Read more