We are the people

When will see the Olympics in India?a

‘Why does a nation of over 1.2 billion people end up with so few pieces of gold and silver in the most celebrated event in sport?’ You must have heard of this, I bet. In fact, this has become the mother of all sporting cliches( concerning India).

The Olympics is long gone, and the spoils duly shared. A great many pieces of glorious sporting literature have raised this question and a great many have answered them. The dust has completely settled and it would be naive of me to scrape off the dust and bring it out in broad daylight. So why am I even raising such an antiquated issue? An issue which has been summarily discussed by the intellectuals. Trust me, this question has haunted me ever since the Olympics ended, and the relevant articles became a regular feature in sporting literature. I guess I might have something to add, and in doing so I have to stay off the beaten path to spare you the monotony.

A certain Paan Singh Tomar was killed in an encounter; K.D. Jadhav, an Olympic bronze medalist, died penniless; Sarwan Singh, an Asian games gold medalist, forced to sell his gold medal to eke out a living. Outrageous! To hell with the Indian government! Just hold on, apparently a certain Mark Wells of U.S. had to sell his medal to pay for his medical treatment. The much celebrated Bjorn Borg was on the brink of selling his trophies, in order to achieve what he called ‘Financial Security’. We seem to have some sort of company. And,yes, the government( I forgot!). I believe it is we who have given the government to ourselves, for we are the people.

How many names did we know before the Olympics?

The government is to blame for the Indian sporting conundrum. Fair and square? Trust me, these are lame excuses, and there is no getting away from this for a socially relevant Indian. How many of us cared to know about a certain Yogeshwar Dutt or say a Devendro before the Olympics? Now that Yogeshwar Dutt has won a bronze medal, we can see him endorse a few brands. Just in: Mary Kom will be walking the ramp for Shabana Azmi, rubbing shoulders with celebrities( Guess who? Obviously the people from Bollywood and cricket). How many of us knew of her daily struggles in her god-forsaken place? Anyways, how long will their honeymoon period last? A few days, maybe. And then again they will be subjected to the same oblivion for the next three years and a few months.

India is a tropical country, and the conditions prevailing are not conducive for development of sport. The Americas and Europe certainly have an edge over us, for their people are physically superior and more suited for sport. A point well made by some people. But, let me tell you that the African countries viz. Ethiopia, Kenya and the like also fall in the tropics, and we are physically as good as them, if not better. I believe that the governance in those countries as poor as ours(if not worse) and their infrastructure certainly not greater than ours. But, the fact remains that they fare way better than us on the medals tally.

Traditionally, we are a people with an intellectual and spiritual bent of mind, and the physical pursuits like sport don’t exactly strike a chord with us. Another point well made by some people. But, I believe sport involves intellect and that too in copious amounts. The game of chess is a case in point, where the grey cells of the brain are all the weaponry that you have. An acme of intellectual sport! Who is the World Chess Champion? Our very own Vishwanathan Anand, a legend in 64 squares, whom we have miserably failed by not giving him his due. He is literally worshiped in a few countries, but back home we are cold and distant. Tell me, how will people feel like taking up such a sport?

We have certainly got it wrong in a few aspects. A certain diagnosis of the problem will entail the exploration of the typical Indian ideology. Ever since I was a child, my well wishers who were grey with wisdom, graciously gave me a talisman which promised to hold me in good stead in the future :”Padhoge likhoge banoge nawaab, kheloge koodoge banoge kharab.“( I won’t attempt to translate, for the talisman will lose it’s sheen). Essentially, this is what defines the Indian psychology, a treasure which our forefathers have bequeathed on the posterity. And by the time I could think for myself, I was busy thinking about career prospects.

Cricket: The only game in India where a career can be made?

I was thinking of making a career. Can I not make a career in sport? I suppose you very well know the answer to this question. Presently, only the upper Indians with high disposable incomes are taking chances(note: taking chances!) with their wards, enrolling them into sport(predominantly cricket) academies. The middle and the lower Indians are skeptic, and the determined few are going for cricket( fearing the abysmal remuneration). I’m afraid people have taken to the fancy of blaming cricket for the entire debacle. Trust me, it is we who have given cricket the stature that it enjoys, and we are the people who fill the coffers of the BCCI.

We are a nation of 1.2 billion people, and I have reasons to believe that God has been totally fair in His creation, free of favoritism and partiality. Therefore, by the virtue of the large numbers we enjoy an unprecedented share of the most potent human resource. We have unimaginable potential in our ranks. We have created a monster(magnitude wise) and we can definitely do better. Most importantly, we have to build an India where the would-be sportspersons are not prematurely nipped in the bud, but groomed to perfection.

‘Why does a nation of over 1.2 billion people end up with so few pieces of gold and silver in the most celebrated event in sport?’ ( No answers, please!). For all I know, we are (not being) the people.