There is news every day about some talented sportsperson making waves on the local, national or international scene. Interestingly, many of these come from humble backgrounds and have successfully taken advantage of even the sparse facilities available for their respective sports. Behind their success is also the support and sacrifice of their parents. This is not a pattern by design, but a natural consequence of the way society is evolving in all parts of India.
At one stage it helps if government provides facilities and launches schemes to promote specific sports, but real success comes when there is motivated effort by budding sportspersons because they realise their inherent talent and have belief in themselves. Essentially, they enjoy the sport at whatever level they are.
India celebrated National Sports Day on 29 August with a renewed sense of accomplishment. While it may not have made it to the highest levels in a number of sporting disciplines, its players and athletes are making a mark at other levels. This is true even for sports that have not had a traditional support base. This became evident, for instance, in the quality of competition and excellence witnessed at the Asian Short Track Speed Ice-Skating Tournament held in Dehradun, recently. Many youngsters from India won medals, coming in second overall. And this despite that facilities for ice-skating are sparse, to say the least, even as it is an expensive sport to pursue.
State governments have, over the years, invested in promoting sports, often motivated by little more than optimistic idealism. It is now paying off as the system is now tapping into the vast ‘demographic dividend’. There is, of course, a long way to go and many disciplines to cover, but an intelligent and informed approach will ensure that India becomes a dominant overall sporting power, as it is presently in Cricket.
There is also no doubt that extensive coverage of sports on TV and other electronic media has acquainted the population in India’s remotest corners with sports played around the world. It is not unusual, therefore, to see youngsters developing their own versions of these games in their villages. Witnessing extraordinary potential among some of them is a natural consequence. It is only a matter of time before the schemes and incentives floated by governments will reach them and provide all that is necessary to build on their talent. Also, focus has to be on building the economic structures that will make sports financially viable for all – as is presently the case with Cricket. Overall, it will all lead to a better quality of life.
