The six-member Indian team with bronze medals in the Youth World Championship arrived at Mumbai international airport on Wednesday morning silently. Nobody was there even with a flower bouquet at the airport. 

Shibnath Dey Sarkar, the coach of this junior national team lamented while speaking to Parallel Sports, "The boys deserved some appreciation, acknowledgement. I am extremely disappointed to have noticed that even, the so-called popular media in the country and this state ignored the boys' achievement. That might be the reason neither the state government nor the state association has not yet thought of sending any congratulatory message. All of the six-member team are from Kolkata and this was the first time, the Indian bridge team finished within the top three in the Youth World Championship. So, I thought the boys will receive wishes from the state association." 

Sarkar, the gold medal-winner in the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018 pairing with Pranab Bardhan however revealed they have some consolation amidst the frustration. That was a congratulatory letter from the Union Ministry of Education for having acquired a bronze medal in the competition. 

Sarkar divulged, “SAI is doing a great help. The institution will reimburse the full expenditure we had for the trip to the Netherlands. I do not know they also might call us in the future and give a felicitation." 

Interestingly, According to this 62-year-old international bridge player, several youngsters are there in Kolkata who are showing deep interest to learn the game. 

Sarkar asserted, “I can tell you that at least 15-20 potential young boys and girls are there who want to join my coaching and master the game to become professional bridge players. But I have not yet obtained an accommodation to build up a proper coaching school." 

Sarkar said he needs a flat having 1200 to 1300 square fit area, a couple of laptops, and a couple of projectors. He trained the six bronze-winning players for more than a month at his home, preparing for the Youth World Championship.

The reason behind the youngsters’ willingness to learn bridge is there. According to Sarkar, the bridge has prospects nowadays. The junior players who represent their respective states in the junior national championships can appear for selection trials for recruitment in different central government jobs. 

Sarkar informed, "The five players of the bronze-winning six-member team are employed at Railway. The offices like Income Tax, and Central Exercise also have made job quotas for bridge players. Naturally, it not that bridge nowadays is a game to spend time.”