Indians world over are regarded as a hard working workforce in any business entity. Most nations also consider Indians as the gurus of yoga. For example, it is synonymous in most Americans' understanding that every Indian is a yoga expert and physically fit. But on the contrary, as a nation considered for such extraordinary characteristics we have very weak bodies.
We are not able to perform well in sports. There are approximately 1.22 billion Indians. Yet, the number of sportspersons that India produces is very low. Most of the sportspersons who participate under the Indian flag are either from a defense background or have had the blessing and exposure to good health facilities.
The common explanations or reasons that come out when this topic is discussed always revolve around the following topics, that we have poor sports infrastructures and the corruption that undoubtedly afflicts sports administration in India. But actually, it is more a matter of culture.
Culture! But how, you may ponder on this. Let’s have a quick look on this. In general India is weak in sports that require high levels of physical fitness. This largely reflects caste and class attitudes towards physical effort. This is a society in which even middle-class people will have a servant bring them a glass of water from just a few feet away.
It is very recent that you see people going to the parks and jogging or walking or getting together for endurance training of some sort. Of course there is yoga, but it seldom translates into sporting prowess. There is also a strong tradition of wrestling in some parts of the country, but it has only rarely produced international quality athletes.
This may be because it is rarely practiced by the ruling classes, and as you can see from India's cricket team - largely composed of people from English-speaking backgrounds - those who come from the lower orders have too little access to elite sporting training, facilities and selection. It also does not help that perhaps half the population suffers from malnutrition, with all that entails for physical size and muscle growth.
The solution:
No matter what our status is we should not stop our children from actively taking sports as a profession. We should not make their mentality ONLY money centric. Let the educational institutions give sports scholarships. When we start taking steps towards REAL independence, India will shine with a much brighter light, and not just as a satellite.
More such Storie on Litmus News
We are not able to perform well in sports. There are approximately 1.22 billion Indians. Yet, the number of sportspersons that India produces is very low. Most of the sportspersons who participate under the Indian flag are either from a defense background or have had the blessing and exposure to good health facilities.
The common explanations or reasons that come out when this topic is discussed always revolve around the following topics, that we have poor sports infrastructures and the corruption that undoubtedly afflicts sports administration in India. But actually, it is more a matter of culture.
Culture! But how, you may ponder on this. Let’s have a quick look on this. In general India is weak in sports that require high levels of physical fitness. This largely reflects caste and class attitudes towards physical effort. This is a society in which even middle-class people will have a servant bring them a glass of water from just a few feet away.
It is very recent that you see people going to the parks and jogging or walking or getting together for endurance training of some sort. Of course there is yoga, but it seldom translates into sporting prowess. There is also a strong tradition of wrestling in some parts of the country, but it has only rarely produced international quality athletes.
This may be because it is rarely practiced by the ruling classes, and as you can see from India's cricket team - largely composed of people from English-speaking backgrounds - those who come from the lower orders have too little access to elite sporting training, facilities and selection. It also does not help that perhaps half the population suffers from malnutrition, with all that entails for physical size and muscle growth.
The solution:
No matter what our status is we should not stop our children from actively taking sports as a profession. We should not make their mentality ONLY money centric. Let the educational institutions give sports scholarships. When we start taking steps towards REAL independence, India will shine with a much brighter light, and not just as a satellite.
More such Storie on Litmus News