Hockey Legend's Home To Be Destroyed In Varanasi 'Beautification' Drive
Mohammad Shahid's ancestral home in Varanasi is being demolished for road-widening. Shahid, an Olympic gold medalist, was born there in 1960. His family wants a memorial.
Hockey legend and Olympics winner Mohammad Shahid's century-old ancestral home is being demolished in Varanasi under a road-widening and beautification drive. According to The Times of India, the drive is part of a 9.3 km-long four-lane project, which has already claimed around 600 structures.
The house was built in 1920. Shahid was born there on April 14, 1960, and was brought up to be one of India's best Hockey players. He was a key member of the team that won Gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the last time that the country won the prize in its national sport.
He was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1980–81 and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, in 1986. Shahid died in July 2016 at the age of 56 after battling liver disease. The family has come to terms with the demolition and has been compensated for it, too, but his widow, Parveen, and son, Kaif, said they want the government to build a memorial in Shahid's honor.
'This house has been home to four generations. Even after we shifted in 2015, Shahid would visit daily. It inspired many young hockey players who dreamt of becoming Olympians," Parveen said in the report. 'We support the development work, but after this historic house is gone, a memorial or a square should be established in his name."
Kaif said, 'Our ancestral house will be demolished in a couple of days. All we want is for the government should create a memorial in his name."
KK Singh, the executive engineer, of the Public Works Department in the holy city said the suggestion is being considered. 'This is a great suggestion. People should know about Kashi and the country's pride. I will discuss this with the district magistrate and the family," he said.
Shahid was also part of the teams that won the silver medal in the 1982 Delhi Asian Games and the bronze in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games.
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