Essay On Sports in India

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Essay On Sports in India

India is a country with a billion plus population but in the field of games and sports it is not able to show up even against countries which are as small as one of the country’s states.

At the recently held world cup Hockey at Kuala Lumpur India lost against South Korea and against Malaysia South Korea, a country of the pocket size. In Cricket, the Indian performance remains so uncertain – it may defeat the best and lose to the worst and then it is argued that cricket is a game of chance. Though, of course, we have the world top class among our players Sachin Tendulkar to name one in cricket or Vishwanath Anand in chess, but then names are so few to be counted. The World Olympics come and go and India hardly can take any pride in its performance in any item getting a bronze here or a silver there is the only achievement for this vast country.

There was a time when India had wizards in the field of Hockey Dhyan Chand and Roop Singh, the two brothers but that was so long a time back. Then the world had not caught up with the game and Hockey was treated as India’s national game. Gradually countries after countries have picked up the game, developed their own new techniques and are displaying a marvellous achievement. So what actually is wrong with our sports and games.

During the British rule sports and games in India were just a mere source of entertainment for the rich. The credit for promoting sports and games, then, went to the Maharajas and the Princely States. Maharaja Bhupendra Singh of Patiala adopted cricket, wrestling and athletics. He donated the Ranji Trophy which continues to be played on the national level with pride. The great wrestler was maintained and sustained by the Maharaja and became the World Champion of his times – Rustaame Zaman. Gama Maharaja of Nawanagar – Digvijay Singhji hired British coaches to coach promising cricketers. Maharaja Holkar of Indore patronised players of cricket like C.K. Naidu, Mushtaq Ali and C.S. Naidu. Maharaja of Manavdar, Bhopal patronised Hockey and so did Maharaja of Gwalior. Maharaja of Cooch Behar encouraged football and instituted the Santosh Trophy for National Championship.

With the dawn of independence and the end of the princely states, though country’s first Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru, encouraged sports, still no comprehensive sports policy could be formulated. Private sponsorers continue to patronise games like the Indian Air Lines patronising Hockey, Cricket and Table Tennis while the Telephone industries encourage football. But this does not actually help at the national level. Inspite of the Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur Coaching Scheme or the National Institute of Sports at Patiala, nothing much seems to be happening. The BCCI has huge funds and the Cricket players are getting big money but then it is not one sparrow which makes a summer. And even cricket cannot be said to be at the top of the world.

What our country utterly lacks is a national policy on games and sports. The country’s budget comes and goes and no one no M.P. no minister, none even among the public raises any voice for any substantial allotment and provision for the promotion of games and sports; while in much smaller countries the upcoming players are properly looked after by the government they are coached, trained and groomed at state expense. Such a vast country, with such a massive population is not able to groom up even a proper eleven for team game or an individual or two for individual games. One knows not how Milkha Singh or P.T. Usha or Malleshwari could succeed in their own events at the international level. Their own personal devotion, effort and dedication would have been responsible for their achievement.

What is needed is that the government should give a priority to games and sports as a means of national pride. Catch the player or sportsman young, a search should constantly be on to find talents, and once they are discovered all their responsibilities be shouldered by the government they should be mentally free from all burdens. Intensive and expert coaching, competition and international exposure be given to these players and athletes the country should consider them their prized possession and they be physically, financially, mentally be inspired and helped to win for the nation. That sense of national pride alone can inspire them to achieve the best. If South Korea, Malasiya, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Cuba, Japan, Taiwan can come up with Olympic Champions, it is a shame for India not to be able to do it. It is only the will that is lacking not the talent.

Essay On Sports in India

Essay On Sports

In the modern age, the importance of sports has been fully realised. For this purpose separate sports colleges and institutions have been opened. No educational institution can afford to ignore the fitness and development of the human body. Sports have a much higher value than mere entertainment. This higher value lies in the role that sports play in the building of one’s character. Sports teach and cultivate certain qualities such as courage, sportsmanship, respect, fair play, discipline, punctuality, obedience and a strong will to fight one’s way to victory.

They also teach team-spirit and unity of purpose and action. They inculcate manliness and the will to fight against all odds and unfavourable circumstances. They also inculcate in the sportsman the quality of accepting both defeat and success without any regret and a smile and without any ill-will or hatred against anybody, especially the rivals of the team.

Sports keep the body fit. Physical fitness and freedom from disease are the ambitions of all the human beings. Good health is a necessary condition for happiness in life. Both sophisticated games like cricket, hockey and football and rustic games like kabaddi and kho-kho provide exercise to the body and keep it fit. While playing games we forget the worries and cares of life. They help man in becoming a useful citizen of the society. Sports sharpen us mentally also, as they require skills. A sportsman, because of his love for fair play, loves honesty and justice which are moral qualities.

Victory and defeat in the field of sports make a man strong enough to face life with courage and fortitude. Time spent on sports is not a bad investment. They should not, however, be played at the cost of studies. Physical and mental education should go hand in hand.

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