Undoubtedly, there is some correlation between economic prosperity and sports glory. The rich haul of gold and silver medals by the US in the Olympics is ample evidence of this. There is also a similar connection between state support and sports success. The stupendous achievements of China and the erstwhile communist bloc countries, including the former Soviet Union, are testimony to this. On the other hand, India has never been part of either of these categorisations and, consequently, has been an ignominious laggard at all sports events. Until now, that is.
As India gradually transforms from a have-not into an economic superpower, its sporting success has also been registering an upswing in numerous sports?badminton, wrestling, boxing, shooting, snooker, golf and chess, to list a few. These success stories have, however, been despite lack of overt state support. Here?s where the scenario needs to change if India is to scale Olympian heights in all sports and string a success story with gold and silver medals, rather than becoming a bronze power.
The best way to achieve this goal is to promote sports education. Making sports part of the educational curriculum changes the perspective of students and parents towards the discipline from just a form of physical training to a path of career option. Currently, sports education in India is a neglected field. The sorry state of affairs has even prompted cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar?in his capacity as Rajya Sabha MP?to draw attention to the neglect of sports in the educational stream. In a letter to HRD minister Kapil Sibal, Sachin has proposed steps to interweave sports into the academic agenda. The minister has responded favourably to Tendulkar?s suggestion, inviting the batting maestro to make a formal presentation to the ministry, which Sibal promises to forward to NCERT and CBSE.
Such initiatives should be encouraged and brought to fruition in order to give a fillip to the development of sports curriculum and sports infrastructure. Lack of infrastructure has been a perpetual bane in India, making it difficult for avid sportspersons to hone their skills. While infrastructure is under development, it is important to focus on making sports part of the academic agenda.
That sports transcends physical training aspects and can be a serious career or business option is not lost on private entities. According to estimates, the sports education and management industry is pegged at more than $38 billion. A few companies are already in the fray to tap sports education and sports management.
Consider KOOH Sports. The start-up is promoted by none other than Tata Consultancy Services and HDFC. The company plans to operate by imparting sports education on behalf of schools that outsource the task to them.
An arrangement to promote sports education in schools is a win-win solution that will spare educational institutions the hassle of investing their own time and resources in the domain. This is especially important in a nation where sports infrastructure, playgrounds and stadiums are not on par with global standards.
While many schools and colleges do encourage their sportspersons in various ways, this is not always enough to sponsor them for competitive tournaments at state and national meets. Institutionalising sports education within the current academic curriculum would gradually initiate a change in mindset whereby sports becomes a viable career option. It will also give a fillip to all other sports activities and disciplines in a nation where the sports conversation currently begins and ends with cricket. It is imperative that cricket icons apart, other role models such as Dhyan Chand, Prakash Padukone, Viswanathan Anand, Geet Sethi, Pankaj Advani, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Abhinav Bindra, Mary Kom et al are enshrined in public consciousness.
The author is sports director, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions
