THE Khelo India Tribal Games organised by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) at Raipur was a fantastic churning of local and untapped sporting talent. The event brought to fore serious performers who can be groomed as future medal winners for the country. It was a much-needed exposure for the vast pool of talented sportspersons from across the country who keep searching for such platforms to showcase their wares. The KITG success can be a fantastic launching pad for all such sportspersons who also need societal backing to excel in life. In this context, the assertion by champion woman boxer M C Mary Kom and talismanic footballer Bhaichung Bhutia on the role of families of such sportspersons demands serious deliberation.

 

Mary Kom has seen what it takes to be a champion at the highest level. Rising from a poor family living in a distant land, she tapped the right sporting channel to bring glory to India. What she has said about societal support being a key factor in a sportsperson’s growth must ring bells in families with sporting talent. “It is not the sole responsibility of SAI or the State Government to produce athletes. The responsibility starts with parents at home. If you give a mobile phone in the hands of a growing child, then how can one expect the child to become a talented sportsperson,” Mary Kom has asked. Bhutia, too, has rubbed in with a pointed query; “If you show kids ‘Saas Bahu’ serials at prime time how can you expect your wards to excel in sports? It is the duty of parents and family members to develop a sporting environment at their home. Then only they can expect their kids to win medals.”

 

Both the questions form a pointed barb at the current society which is choosing the easy way to keep a child engaged instead of pushing children to the rough and tumble of playing sports. It is the sign of a casual society, unwilling to make sporting excellence a goal of life. While sporting dreams have definitely soared in India with the introduction of leagues for various sports, the major concentration stays with cricket. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has created a fantastic ecosystem to accommodate as many talented players at various age groups. However, exposure and facilities are still missing in other sporting disciplines. Events like the KITG and Khelo India Games are filling this gap but it is still the reluctance of society to adopt sports other than cricket as a way to glory that is affecting progress.

 

What Mary Kom and Bhutia have said is correct, it is not the sole responsibility of the Centre or State or sporting institutions to produce champions. The process has to start from homes. Family backing is the biggest factor behind sporting successes all over the world. Though there are glorious stories of sportspersons defying all odds to carve a name for themselves, many other players including legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar are products of strong family backing. This example should be enough for families to harness latent sporting talent at home instead of turning to mobile phones.