EVEREST: THE PINNACLE OF MEDIOCRITY

Like all others, I too know what "award" means. Nevertheless, I looked up the Thesaurus for all possible conotations. This is what I found.

When used as a Noun it can mean the following -
prize, trophy, medal, decree, verdict, endowment, grant, gift, bestowal or conferment.
When used as a verb I chose - give, grant, bestow, confer, endow or adjudge.

But whatsoever may the interpretation be, the sine qua non prerequisite for any award is "excellence". Whatever the field, the recepient must be the best at that point in time and place.

But who will evaluate, who will judge? Surely the awardees peers or any other "competent authority" should be entrusted with the task. The prerequsite qualification of this competent authority is firstly competence and secondly, and equally important, that their conduct should be free and fair and not influenced by fear or favour.

In the Sciences one can be objective. The Arts, by its very nature, is subjective. But sports, where results can be timed or measured, there can never be an iota of doubt, for the measuring tape, the stopwatch or the score sheet never lies.

But what of a sport, sans spectators, where the judgement is made post-facto, and is based less on the objective parameter of "height attained" but more on the subjective "degree of difficulty" and "style"?

Here if the "competent authority" were to pass judgement solely on the criterion of height, I am afraid, they get into very deep waters. Such a choice, if made, more often than not, will be but a compromise for mediocrity rather than an example of excellence. And if this trend were to perpetuate per annum, just to proove that earlier choices were right, it would just be an unfortunate celebration of mediocrity rather than setting a benchmark for excellance.

Generally speaking, I was generally speaking; but if the readers find any resemblances to actual individuals, events, ceremonies or awards, it is their sole responsibility, for it may not be accidental or coincidental.

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Rupak Bhattacharya

Doctor

rupakb55@gmail.com

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