cricket=indian sports - rest of the sports

sports has been one activity that has been pursued fervently as old as human civilization.though they have taken up different forms ,they have evoked anguish and elation amongst one and all.this post however relates to the anguish facet of the sport realm. and i am not refering to the anguish caused by defeat .no .that is a part and parcel of the game.

inarguably the most favourite sport of india has to be cricket,to the extent that one of my peers with astounding surety said that cricket was the national sport of india.i would not be surprised if the lot of people would name this as the national sport,whereas the actual national sport,which by the way happens to be hockey ,is in a dilapidated condition.

if you were to represent india in terms of sport ,it would fall short in any of the athletics or sport but shine in cricket.and those who have the talent and will to pursue other sports have to face deaf ears ,barren stadiums.

anju bobby george,for the lot of you she happens to be a very accomplished long jumper who has brougth many laurels to the country ,complains of the lack of facilities,sponorship.they have asked SAI(Sports Authority of India) but in vain.So she has to fund herself .Due to the lack of facilities and funds a brilliant talent is going to waste,whereas cricket on the other hand has been given undue weightage.

only recently has the awareness for other sports risen and yet India lacks facilities for sports.i was watching a show on MTV(which actually has inspired me to pen this) which had a panel of prominent indian sportsmen but strangers for india.they severely criticized for the lack of facilities.

anju bobby george,harshvardhan rathod(the person who won us the olympic bronze), and the suit demanded facilities their peers from other nations had and their demands fell to deaf ears.

lack of sponsors is the main reason that is causing the sportsmen to plumb to a new depth.

if you look at china,it bags a sizeable amount of medals in the olympics and rules in the domain of table tennis badminton. one from the audience of the show in MTV commented that the scenario here is more towards studies.he said and i quote,"In England the parents would ask you to go the football academy if you have a talent ,why study,you can study later,for now practice,play".The scenario here is in pure contrast.another quoted that the Mumbai Municipality(correct me if i am wrong for the name) has even introduced a quota system here that there should be atleast 50% maharashtrians!!! quite absurd dont you think?

india has done very little for atheltics for any sport other than CRICKET.the last time we had won a gold in olympics was in hockey 50-60 years ago.we were revered then.now we are just pedestrians.the government agencies assure that the funds are on their way but they eventual fall in a pothole. talent then isnt respected at all,it is ignored. then a time will come when there will not be any talent at all.

india though is opening up for these talented sport atheletes but has to come a long way(for startes it hosted the afro asian games in hyderabad in 2003).it is certainly not a task that can be accomplished over night,but has to be deliberated and then put into action so that the atheletes can gain most of it .

my intentions are not of criticizing cricket for the undue attention,but for the lack of attention to other sports.

instead of squatting over the prescence of the national flag on the shirts of the cricketers,the authorities should indulge themselves in becoming aware of the needs of the atheletes and sate them.

A billion people , still one bronze medal at the Athens Olympics!!!

sigh. a sorry sight indeed!!