The 11th of August would go on to be remembered as one of the most glorious days of Indian Sport, where an Indian has gone on to defy all odds and be the Olympic champion in Shooting. Truly, Abhinav Bindra has charted a path which now, I hope will inspire millions of Indians to take up competitive sports and take India to the pinnacle of all sporting events. While catching up on the event on Television, and I must say, I was indeed lucky, if not privileged, to have watched those final moments live. The spectacle of Abhinav coming up trumps in the very final round and to have achieved that by hitting a ‘Bulls Eye’ would last long in these tear filled eyes; a fairy tale ending that started off with the usual skepticism and ended with limitless joy.
As expected the media today was filled with the news of Abhinav having won an Olympic Gold after a 28 year wait and no wonder, this was indeed a piece no channel could afford to miss. However, I couldn’t help noticing the tone, the tenor of the broadcast. Even NDTV 24 x 7, a channel I have always admired for its strong unadulterated broadcast of news events, couldn’t help taking a dig at the Government for its inept management of sports here. With the usual flurry of replies, in the form of emails, sms’es, calls; I’m sure atleast the mobile operators would be a happy lot, but it brought a wry grin to me and I looked on in despair.
We had reached a glorious moment, a moment to be rejoiced, and I’m sure we all do want to celebrate. But should it come in the form of bashing a Government that is in anyways at its wits end, with its amateurish handling of the Jammu (Amarnath) situation? Respondents to the news show couldn’t help berating and lambasting the government; that the government being the primary and only reason for the current state of Indian sports. I couldn’t help wonder, but how many of us, so-called next generation Indians have actually watched an Abhinav Bindra slug it out in an international shooting event. How many of us have cheered a Saina Nehwal fighting it out in the national badminton championship. How many of us even know an Akhil Kumar, a Samresh Jung, a Pranithi? For those uninitiated; Akhil Kumar is the Indian pugilist who has made it to round of 16; Samresh participated in the 50m air pistol event and Pranithi represented the country in archery. We all know Leander and Sania who made it to the big stage after years of struggle with no support from the Government, yes the Government and more importantly with no support from us; so called patriotic Indians. The same people who would scoff at attending a Davis Cup tie or a National Games, but wouldn’t hesitate to pay through their noses or miss college and office; to watch our cricket team play a minnow say Bangladesh, Kenya and cheer for actually having won the game. (No offense to either of the teams, both have in their own way improved and grown up the rungs and have actually even beaten us black and blue.)
Today Abhinav is the toast of a grateful and proud nation, and I sincerely hope he is remembered till time immemorial. But I cannot help, but wonder in cynicism, how long will this new found love last, till perhaps, the next cricket series perhaps. While I have nothing against cricket and certainly nothing against our overpaid, over publicized cricketers, the sportsmen who are out there in Beijing are all champions, all gladiators, who have achieved something against all odds, fighting out, not just against superior and well supported opponents but also an inept government and more so against an indifferent nation.
While I may seem pessimistic, but all hope is not lost, there seems to be a change sweeping the air which surely has been further charged by Abhinav’s success. However, let this change not just reflect in the box office earnings of a ‘Chak De’ and an ‘Iqbal’, but also show out there in the field. We, a nation of 1 Billion people, surely have it to be the best. We may not all have to be sportspersons, but we can surely show our respect, our love for our sportspersons, by as simple a gesture as going out to watch the national games, state-level championships. Because it is there, where the next set of Olympians are born. Let’s face the bare facts; a Government would not do much for a sport that is hardly watched or supported by the people. Corporates cannot be expected to sponsor events that are not watched by people. Unless and until we throng the stadium, media and subsequently sponsorships will not follow and our sportsmen will again be restricted to being also-rans. If anyone can make a difference, it is us Indians who can do it. So how about making a start by refraining from petty government bashings and actually going out and supporting our sportsmen? There couldn’t be a better start than by just watching the current Olympics - LIVE!!
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