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| We want her to make us proud but what have we done to enable her profession? (photo credit) |
As someone who has no interest in sports, I have a very objective view of things. I feel that expecting India to win medals once in 4 years is so unfair when we give zero encouragement to sports as a profession the rest of the time. We do have sports in schools and some parents also send their children to hobby classes. But that is more from a fitness or an extra curricular activity point of view. No one really tells their kids that they can be a Sachin or a Dipti when they grow up. Sports is fine as long as it remains a hobby. But serious careers are the ones that come from studies and degrees. And that is the attitude we have for sports in general.
But the irony is that while this is what we do to do our country proud, we expect our athletes to bring us that sense of pride through medals! We need to introspect and ask ourselves what we have done to make our country proud. What have been our efforts in encouraging even people who wish to have the best sporting facilities in the country to enable to bring back medals and make us proud?
What do you think about this?
This post has been written for #CreativeCurves under #BlogOEmotion week and this is the final day prompt, pride.
Don't agree completely with what you have said here... Not everyone who goes to Olympics is expected to win a medal... There are some medal prospects (based on past performance at the world stage) and it is disappointing when they don't win... There are others who are not expected to go beyond a particular level and they are appreciated when they go beyond and break away... It is an emotion... It is pride for me when I see the tricolour flying high when they are on the podium... It breaks my heart to equal measure when I see them lose... Each of these athletes who are at the Olympics have worked hard to get there despite all challenges... Everyone who is back home supporting them and shouting their lungs out... Sharing their joy... Breaking down at their failures... It is the feeling of being part of the journey...
ReplyDeleteAgree that a lot of Indians don't look at sports as a career.. But that is because of the culture.. The culture of making sure that we earn well.. No sport except Cricket in India really pays well.. That is changing.. We now have leagues for Football, Hockey, Badminton and Kabaddi.. This will definitely change people's attitude towards sports.. This won't happen overnight.. It will take time but will definitely change for the better.. A Dipa or a Saina or a Sania or a Sindhu or a Bindra or a Jitu Rai or a Srikanth will inspire many more people to take up sports and that will happen soon..
We are not an Olympic nation and very far away from being one... That said, it is not unfair to expect a few medals at the world event.. We are not competing against the likes of USA or the Brits or the Chinese but against ourselves.. I hope to live to see the day when we get better against our own goals.. Get better over time.. After all, what is life without hope.. ;)
Thank you, Kapil, for your heartfelt comments. I appreciate your point of view too. :)
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