Where we stand in Sports and how to be in the top league
An addendum to my previous article “Whither 2036”
The article “Whither 2036” has tried to evaluate Sports Policies of not only of major Sports Playing & Loving Countries of the world but also critically examines the Sports history including policies of post-independence Bharat.
The article also has pen down the steps to be necessitated by the Government of India and States to embark upon a fruitful journey in Sports. The said article was published / written during the month of October, 23.
Last month (June, 25) Government of India has come out with “Khelo Bharat Niti – 2025” – which has been approved by the cabinet.
My effort would be to analyze the new policy with full transparency and bring out the missing elements if any, before you.
“India, with its favourable demographic dividend and rapidly growing economy, stands at a crucial juncture on its journey towards becoming a global leader. As one of the youngest nations in the world, with a fifth of the global youth population (age group 15-29 yrs old), India possesses immense potential to leverage sports as a catalyst for national development” – underlines the latest Khelo Bharat Niti -2025.
The vision of the Khelo Bharat Niti -2025 aims to strengthen the sporting culture & ecosystem from the grassroots to the national level………….utilizing sports as a tool for social development & making sports a people movement for health & wellbeing.
To meet the above vision, 15 key objectives have been laid down by the new policy. It further stresses on achievement and recognition, harmonizing sports with NEP, sports tourism, Sports start up and entrepreneurship, working on PPP model, sustainable hard and soft sports assets, promotion of indigenous sports, fitness ranking and indexing system, personnel training, and certification program so on and so forth.
All fine on paper but execution is the key. There is no compulsion to execute. How to imbibe the spirit of execution down the line. We should do this… do that, will do this, would ask that…..whether, will this give result when the date is in sight, straight to the eyes? This is the time to act not to enact. Hit the bulls’ eyes – here we go –
Urgent Actions Required –
Time never waits nor it sojourn for a while. It is always on move, keeps on ticking. If we don’t act then case is gone. Imagine a situation – Olympic 2036 is over and Bharat is not among Top 10 medal winners’ countries. What would be your reaction knowing that the event has been organized in Bharat itself? Secondly, leave medals, you find that Bharat is nowhere near the podium in 50% of the events. Would we say, no worries, next time!!!
Hosting a big game is a matter of great prestige and when we are aiming to host 2036 Olympics and officially, we have made a bid for it recently at Laussane, Switzerland, situation like my forecast above would propel a great amount of negativity and frustration among sports loving people of Bharat.
Are we waiting to see that moment? Are we ready to hear that? Now pl let me know your view on this – Can one bring a medal overnight? Do you think, it is so easy to reach to podium in the event like Olympics? Have we done the groundwork in order to make a spree of medals in such events? Are we ready? Are we serious enough? Or just to make a name we are looking to organize such a big event which has no parallel in the world despite knowing the costs involved in doing so!! What is our objective?
Please note that my intention here is to shake up the system, give a big jolt down the line, break the so-called Mr. Perfect’s attitude and Boss is always Right sort of thinking, and stimulate the policy making institutions along with rejuvenating the great mass, before it gets too late!
What we need to do!
We need actions. No theory built up. Only practicals. If we are really looking to keep the Tri-colour flying with a great pride in those highly competitive games then we need to initiate tough calls, leverage the potentials and remove the bottlenecks. Here are those –
- Bring Sports from State List to Union List by amending the 7th Schedule of the Constitution – Though in my earlier article I had proposed to move Sports from State list to Concurrent list by amending the VII Schedule of our constitution but roughly 18 months have already been lost from the date of my article and seeing the political mood this may further take time and therefore I am proposing to move it to Union list sighting Olympic bid. This will give sufficient strength to the Government of India to act on various parameters as laid down in the Khelo Bharat Niti,2025. Government may think of reversing or bringing it to Concurrent subject post-Olympic. This single step taken will bring energy in the entire Sports Eco-system. Time asks for tough and lasting calls not a general lame duck action. Tring to keep everyone happy won’t work at the time of war!! This step will give sufficient authority to Centre to make, amend and promulgate policies and action points.
- Make Sports a way of life – we often talk about the benefits sport brings to the society. To meet the talk, we need to walk the talk by taking action. Only talking and thinking won’t serve the objective. A simple way of fragmentation among age groups will serve the purpose –
i 0 – upto 5 yrs old
ii 5 – upto14 yrs old
iii 14 to upto 24 yrs old
iv 24 to upto 36 yrs old
v 36 to upto 58 / 60 yrs old
vi above 60 yrs old
In order to develop community level programmes in sports, we need to strengthen social security cover to the last group first. This will send a very strong positive signal among all age groups. Sports facilities and infrastructure free of cost needs to be made available to the last group at community level. There can be multiple of community centers in a district. For eg. In each ward or in panchayat. This will have a lasting solution since it carries a long-term vision.
Next in lines are 2nd and 3rd group of persons. Identification of talents and promoting sports in sync with National Educational Policy as the Khelo Bharat Niti, 2025 talks about, would succeed only when society / government invests in them. There are many scholarships and incentives available for sports person who already have started sports or achieved some sort of recognitions but what we have for beginners?
A simple solution to meet this objective would be to make sports a subject like math or environmental science / science etc. Idea is to make sports a way of life. As we have a clear route of science / math / biology / commerce for choosing engineering / medical / CA /CS and other streams same way who excels in sports would have a clear path to go towards Sports.
All Sr. Secondary Schools, colleges and universities should have courses for sports ofcourse along with infrastructural facilities. Sports syllabus will have to be inculcated in that order. Once parents (for 5 – 14 yrs of age) see a clear path of moving forward in sports as they find in other streams, they would start encouraging their children to elect such subjects / courses. Talent identification will get a good breeding ground in such above scenario rather than searching talent with no ground in sight!! 14- 24 yrs old will now have a full sense of pride and courage to show their energy and storm the ground with vigour, passion and sense of achievement. This could further be polished by the already existing sports scholarship / incentives and redefined talent hunt machinery.
Therefore, right investment at right early stage with now a much-empowered participating parent will change the overall environment of the Sports in India. Please note that the happiness radiating from the above 58 -60 yrs category, will be like a live feedback to the society on our all Sports dream and when this feedback is visible in a community, parent feels a sense of pride and belongingness and that helps in taking a right decision at the right time (for 05-14 yrs old).
Making Sports a way of life is not a cake of walk at all. Patience and perseverance with right action at right time are the required doses of inputs to be propelled in the journey of way of life!! Return from right investment requires time and vision both. There are no shortcuts.
- Empowering women – This is a very crucial and a must do exercise to “Get Set Go” for medals apart from sowing the right seed at right place and on right time! This is something called “Jadu ki Jhappi” technique. Around half of the population (48%) of Bharat if contributes whole heartedly, any target you set of, are bound to be achieved. Now the crucial task is how to get their best support. Look for that in the below golden words recently shared by a known great leader of the world –
- Let them Succeed on their own terms without losing their identity
(b)We must act together. They are the partners for peace, progress and prosperity.
(c)Create a Future for them defined
- not by power but by partnership
- not by dominance but by dialogue
- not by exclusion but by Equity
(d) Build an atmosphere of dignity, freedom and equality
Possible? Of course, yes! No amount of incentives will work unless and until the basics are right. Protect them by the toughest laws of the land. Who & what does stop the Lawmakers? Tighten the noose around the law breakers neck. When MP & MLA courts can be set up for speedy trial then why not the same for Women? Enact the same and let them spread their wings in the open sky. You will not only feel the difference but would start seeing that translating into the path of so-called contours of happiness all around. When you set your own house in order, that day won’t be far away when even the mighty Himalayas will bow down to do Tilak on your forehead and tidy & ferocious oceans washing your feet. First you correct the basics as mentioned above, pl…soon. The sooner you do, you reap the benefits equally faster. Sky is the limit; Olympics are just an event!!
Make a Task force headed by an OSD just like Sherpa of G20 to coordinate, oversee and give the required thrust.
——————————————————————————————–
Comments are closed