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Abhinav Mukund slams people's obsession with skin colour, tweets fair isn't the only handsome

India cricketer Abhinav Mukund slammed the evil of racism prevalent in the society which is only growing in the era of social media.

Abhinav Mukund slams people's obsession with skin colour, tweets fair isn't the only handsome

New Delhi, Aug 10: India cricketer Abhinav Mukund slammed the evil of racism prevalent in the society which is only growing in the era of social media.

Mukund, who is a member of India's Test squad currently playing in Sri Lanka, has raised the issue which is deeply rooted in the psyche of most the Indians that fair complexioned people are better than dark coloured men.

The left-handed opener has revealed that he himself has faced several instances when people judged him or took slurs at him because of the colour of his skin.

The Tamil Nadu cricketer wrote on his Twitter handle, "This is an issue I have wanted to address for a while now. Finally got the chance to put it down. I hope this can result in a change in our mindsets ! #Fairisnttheonlyhandsome."

In a series of tweets he clarified that his tweets have nothing to do with his teammates.

"Guys please don't turn this into something else, it has absolutely no connection to anyone in the team. It is mainly targeted at people who have been posting abuses about colour and saying absolutely derogatory things about the tone of my skin. That's all ! Please don't turn this into something political, I just wanted to make a positive statement hoping to make a change. That's all."

This is what Mukund's message read about people's obsession about his skin from a young age:

"I have been playing cricket since the age of 10 and I have gradually climbed up the ladder to where I am right now. It is an honour to get the chance to represent the country at the highest level. I am writing today not to garner sympathy or attention but...with the hope to change the mindset of people on an issue I feel strongly about."

"I have been travelling a lot within and outside our country since I was 15. Ever since I was young, people's obsession with my skin colour has always been a mystery to me. Anyone who follows cricket would understand the obvious.

"I have played and trained day in and day out in the sun and not once have I regretted the fact that I have tanned or lost a couple of shades. It is simply because I love what I do and I have been able to achieve certain things only because I have spent hours outdoor. I come from Chennai, probably one of the hottest places in our country and I have gladly spent most of my adult life in the cricket ground."

The 27-year-old also revealed that he was taunted and subjected to name calling on several occasions in his life but he always shrugged them off with a smile.

"I have laughed and shrugged it off because I had bigger goals! Affected young, I toughened up because this was never something that would pull me down. There were many times when I chose not to dignify these insults with responses."

"With the rise of social media, it has gone to a magnitude that I see people hurling abuses left, right and centre at something I have absolutely no control over. Fair isn't the only lovely or handsome guys."

"Stay true, stay focussed, be comfortable in your own skin", he concluded.

myKhel.com News

Story first published: Thursday, August 10, 2017, 10:46 [IST]
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