‘the’ factor

 

 

A RECENT book on emergence of Indian badminton as a global force discusses what it describes as the 'Gopichand factor’. The core idea of the book is to showcase the contribution of badminton great Pullela Gopichand not as an individual but as a factor with a capability of impacting a sport positively in country.

 

This thought also can lead us to think of the factor that Pullela Gopichand represents in Indian sport in general -- the factor of inspired contribution, the factor of institutionalised contribution, the factor of intelligent marshalling of resources to a desired goal ...! Of course, in recent years, Indian sports have been fortunate to have stumbled upon some of such factors in part as happenstance and in part as heightened and planned efforts to boost different sporting disciplines. One of the most critical of these factors is the interest Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has often taken in Indian sports and their signature personages. But other than the PM factor, what Indian sports need is ‘the’ Gopichand factor that stands for a panoply of purposeful inputs that have the capacity to change the complexion of a sport in a country as vast, as diverse, and as complex as India. True, Pullela Gopichand is a unique gift the Divine gave India. But the dimensions through which it expresses itself also give us an impression that an institutionalised effort can also be made to create ‘the’ Gopichand factor in all sports. As we expand this idea, we insist upon the concept of ‘institutionalisation’.

 

The country has had institutions such as National Institute of Sports or Sports Authority of India. But their focus was mostly on creating coaches or good standard to be sent to different parts of the country for training sportspersons in different disciplines. The idea was good, but was loaded down with limitations, in the sense just a coach may not be able to make the difference a Pullela Gopichand can make. And the reasons are not far to seek. The inspirational element in Pullela Gopichand has made all the difference. That is what the country needs to take the stature of general Indian sports to a higher level. Can India ‘create’ or ‘produce’ such men and women? Possibly yes.

 

Possibly not. But if the country is able to locate even a few persons with half the capabilities of Pullela Gopichand, then it can make much difference to its sports in general. Even as Indian sports are registering their prowess on world map increasingly, the need is to seek out ‘the’ Gopichand factor and add it up to the overall sporting effort. Outwardly, Pullela Gopichand may just be an ordinary-looking man with exceptionally alert eyes. But inwardly, he is many great things rolled into one whole. Treating that as a model, an institutionalised effort may be made to create men and women of even half the merit -- to give a further booster dose to already rapidly progressing Indian sports.