Acche Din For Sport In India? _ Change India's Mindset First

Sports Cannot Remain A Fiefdom of Feudal Politicians

 

Conversations on social media and in reality - about India's sporting prowess and performance - typically wane within a week after a major sporting event - languishing in media oblivion till the next event in four years. 

In the interim, the plight of the sporting fraternity - with the exception of cricket - remains unchanged and has done so decade after decade.

Quite simply, we (the urban Indian) are a nation of shopkeepers and individuals - knowing little or nothing about teamwork- with a gluttonous stomach for start ups and commerce but little or no stomach for war and sport.

For our warriors, on the battlefield and sports arena we rely on the boys and girls from villages and small towns from Manipur to Mainpuri to defend the nation's honour and serve as cannon fodder for the enemy bullet and Shobha De tweet.

Meanwhile the fat cat administrators exploit the commitment and love for the idea of India of these young boys and girls, from within the comforts of Lutyens' Delhi, while we fiddle..and tweet.

If we show little respect and appreciation for the courage and commitment of our defence services what respect could we expect to show our warriors on the sports field. We take pride in depriving both of equipment, confront them with adversity beyond belief on a daily basis, yet expect them to perform at peak.

What a nation of ingrates!

The character of a nation is reflected in the sport arena not in shopping malls.This nation of a million start ups really needs to start up thinking anew by extending respect and support to the young boys and girls from rural and small town India who see sport as their sole avenue towards upward mobility based on ability, breaking through the shackles of caste, creed and religion.

For our own sakes let us in positions of influence, in the corridors of power,in the corporate world,in the media,in the sports fraternity extend our support to our sportsmen and women to organize this sector and once and for all sanitize sport of parasitic administrators and politicians. Let us convince advertisers and brand gurus on the merits of sponsoring Dutee Chands and Dipa Karmakars rather than the Dhonis and Kohlis alone.

Most importantly, we have to cultivate within ourselves and our children the culture, mindset of and respect for sport as a viable career.

When we learn to do that, we will learn to respect and laud the efforts of the Dutees and Dipas and Das' to do their nation proud and use them as role models for our children to emulate.