Now, there is a progress. One of the worst kept secrets is out. The war has commenced. And we have the first information.

JB Roy pitches in at the ring. The younger brother of Subrato Roy, Mohul of Sahara empire, is the man enrolls his name for the fight. He enters the race for hockey’s hotseat, the IHF chair. He did not say it in so many words, but his action speaks clearly for what is being transpired in the corridors of power,

In an exclusive chat with stick2hockey.com, Roy informed that he is organizing a seminar that will be held at Amby Valley, near Pune, in the early second week of next month. Amby Valley is the brand that the cricketers sported in one of their World Cup campaigns.

“We want those who have a heart for the welfare of hockey come forward and take part in the seminar. I have an emotional connect with hockey, as it is our national sport with a heritage, and want suggestions and roadmap for hockey from them”, Roy said.

It is gathered that invitations have already been dispatched to most of the State Hockey Associations. Indications are that it has so far elicited expected enthusiasm.

“We have not only invited State Hockey Associations but also other sections like former players”, Roy elaborated.

On a query, some of them confirmed receipt of the invitation and are willing to travel Amby Valley.

JB Roy’s interest on a move of this scale – bringing so many people to Amby Valley for a get together – is a clear indication that he is entering the boxing arena. Sahara has been the hockey’s national team sponsors since five years, and Roy is expected to be in the know of how the Federations and its units’ function.

However, it must be stated here that Roy’s move seems a calculated one and methodically done. The fact that he is presently heads a State Hockey Association – Bengal – and is part of the electoral college, cannot be overlooked.

In effect, the invitation is from an insider and it should send shivers down the spines of his rivals who are unknown at present. By virtue of holding the power to dispense day today hockey affairs, the Ad-hockey on hockey constituted by the Indian Olympic Association -- of which the national body’s president Suresh Kalmadi himself is the chairman – rank rival number one. Though it is a fact that disgraced Gill would also like to enroll his name there. He is anyway a minor player, but with lot of nuisance value.

We have seen so many battles for hockey’s control. Most of the times, the new names crop up at the nick of time. Like Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel’s candidature in 2006.

In Roy’s move, we see an insider is pitching in, and he is a business man. It is a good augury that a member of business community is in the fray unlike in the past when only bureaucrats and police folk considered hockey their property to own and command. They never gave anything to hockey, but only gained from it.

To that extent, Roy’s entry is a welcome news. But it is politics and who knows what is in the store? Unless the rival party is not known, it is difficult to say final words on the matter.

It is however true Roy bells the cat. He certainly has the ‘First Man’ advantage whenever the war will heat up.

We have the interview of Roy which will be posted tomorrow in the interview section.