It’s strange how some people make such a significant impact on your life in a short space of time. Sidhanta Patnaik was one of those people for me. He was a friend, a mentor and an inspiration— someone I turned to for advice on all things writing and many things cricket.
I first met Sidhanta in August 2015 when I joined Wisden India. In his own words, “We may not have gotten off on the best foot, but the more we talked I think it is fair to say that we realised we were more alike than we first thought.”
His passion for domestic cricket and the women’s game was something I greatly admired. He pored over scorecards and dug through the archives to find a scrap of information that someone may have missed. That anyone could be so incredibly thorough and meticulous when it came to his work, I thought, was incredible. What was most impressive though, was his willingness to ask questions. He didn’t presume to know everything.
When I first started out as a journalist, I was lucky to have been surrounded by so many incredible writers at Wisden India. To be honest, I was intimidated. Sidhanta may have picked up on this, because soon after we began talking and developed a solid rapport, he made sure to guide me every step of the way. He had come in as a rookie and built his portfolio brick by brick before he became one of the most respected journalists around, so he understood what I was feeling.
He encouraged me to come with him when he interviewed people— Purnima Rau, Harmanpreet Kaur, Nuwan Zoysa and Rumana Ahmed. I took notes on the kind of questions he asked, and how he picked out the smallest details and highlighted them in his stories. In fact, having interviewed Harman, Sidhanta asked me to write the profile. ‘You saw her even before she became the superstar she is today. There are details you can bring out that no one else will,’ he told me. It was a piece that gave me a lot of confidence because he had signed off on it, and it meant so much when he sent me a special congratulatory note the following day.
Another thing that Sidhanta taught me is that it is okay to be critical of people. Being critical is not the same as being vindictive. As journalists, it is our job to point out the flaws, otherwise we are more like cheerleaders or public relations officers. If the game is to improve, it is up to us to help change the way people see/ write about it, he often said.
We connected as followers of women’s cricket— we bonded over the game, the players and the possibility of development. Quite aptly he became the face of women’s (print) coverage in India— a constant in the changing landscape of the game. He brought to the notice of the country (and the world) the heroes— past and present— of the women’s (and men’s domestic) game.
It was the little things about Sidhanta that stood out for me. He had the knack of building a deep connect with most people he met. Most players I know hold him in high regard— he was more than just a journalist trying to find a story; he became a friend.
He was always ready with advice, and always knew just what to say. Most recently, only a few days before his passing he had texted me about my future plans. When I told him I wasn’t sure about whether I should continue to play he simply said, ‘Keep plugging away. The light is always there.’ It was something that gave me a lot of heart. They are words that I will carry with me always.
He scaled many peaks as a journalist— covered ICC World Cups, U-19, men’s and women’s; wrote for numerous publications, and co-authored a book. That he filed one of his best pieces from the ICU makes me smile— typical Sidhanta, fighting the odds to get a job done because he was consumed by an idea.
As a colleague, he was one of the best; as a friend, he was my guide, and as a person, Sidhanta will always be my inspiration. He never let the pain show, always asked how everyone else was doing, deflected attention and was one of the finest people I met. He leaves behind a rich legacy.
As he wrote late last year, “Age is actually a number, and to measure longevity through the number of years we spend on earth is not an ideal way to substantiate quality. It’s about knowing what you want to do and dedicating yourself to that completely.”
He was so full of life and always incredibly positive. I was lucky to have known and spent time with him.
I am forever indebted to you, Sid. You gave me opportunities when I thought there were none, and you were my guiding light every step of the way. I will be thinking of you every day.
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