With the summer Olympic Games, slated to begin on August 8, barely a week away, the nation is wondering whether our contingent will be able to rewrite its dismal record at the quadrennial event.
Be that as it may, like always, there has been a glimmer of hope thanks to the spirited performance of a few athletes in the past couple of years.
Undoubtedly, the absence of the hockey team at the showpiece event will be a big disappointment.
Much is expected of the champion sports personalities — Anju Bobby George (Long Jump), Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi (Tennis), Dola Banerjee (Archery), Rajvardhan Singh Rathore and Manavjit Singh Sandhu (Shooting) — in the fray.
A lot is riding on Kolkata’s Dola Banerjee. A product of the Tata Archery Academy at Jameshedpur, the introvert archer has done us proud at the World Cup in Dubai last year, by winning the coveted gold medal. Archery may not have been a popular sport in India but her stellar performance may change the perception.
Encore is expected of army man Rajvardhan Singh Rathore, who won silver in double trap shooting at the Athens Olympics. But the temperamental shooter has since undergone an emotional roller-coaster, accentuated by a self-confessed lack of motivation, and a lot will depend on his frame of mind on the D Day. Shooting remains one of India’s best bets, with the rest of the pack —Anjali Ved Pathak, Manavjit Singh Sandhu and Abhinav Bindra —.all capable of springing a surprise or two.
It’s a last fling at immortality for the Indian Express — tennis duo Paes and Bhupathi — as well. Lee and Hesh, notwithstanding their seemingly “irreconcilable personal differences”, have decided to bury their troubled past to give the best shot at the medal. While, Sania Mirza — provided she remains fighting fit and hungry for the title in the coming weeks — completes the medal prospect as far tennis is concerned.
Long jumper Anju Bobby George, one hope, won’t flatter to deceive, this time around. Though she had had her moments on the podium — Anju bagged silver at the Asian Indoor Championship in Doha — consistency, like most Indian Olympians, has never been her middle name.
Will the proven ones or a rookie do India proud at Beijing remains the big question? But, one thing is for sure, sporting glory will definitely translate to cult following for the winner back home.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Improve the condition of ex-sportsmen
In an era where cricket is worshipped like a religion in our country, sports in India are lagging far behind. Gone are the days when people liked Dhyanchand, Milkha Singh et al. We remember them only during the time of Olympics. In the next four years masses are only interested in cricket.
Unlike cricketers the financial conditions of other sportsmen are not secured. There are several hockey players who brought laurels for the country but after their retirement they are living in pitiable conditions. An ex-hockey player Sylvanus Dung Dung who was a part of the gold medal winning team in Moscow Olympics was living in under acute poverty before he got financial contributions from several quarters. However several ex players in the country are not as lucky as him.
Everyday we come across stories of these ex players seeking jobs but without much success. They go door to door in government offices with the hope of getting some favour in return of the hard work they had put in for years for the nation in their respective sports yet the government turns blind eye on them.
Several players had even committed or tried to commit suicide in the recent past. The latest example is of Former Indian football captain V.P. Sathyan who committed suicide by jumping from a moving train. He left two notes in his pocket saying he was ending his life due to financial problems and for failing to do well as a player. Such is the scenario of sportsmen in our country.
Who can forget Wilson Jones who inspired many to take up Billiards as a career option? He won the National Championship 12 times and also won World Championship twice (1958 and 1964). He was also a recipient of Arjuna Award in 1962, Padma Shri in 1965, and Dronacharya Award in 1996. During his last years he was being treated in a Mumbai hospital without financial resources for his treatment. Several of his students like Subhash Aggarwal and Ashok Shandilya went on to become professional world champions.
As another Olympics is near and our players are preparing for the big event its time the sports lovers in India should encourage them. It will not only boost their confidence but also encourage our sports authorities to take some appropriate steps for the betterment of our sports.
It’s time our government should start taking care of our former players so that they don’t have to live in such pathetic conditions and provide them with adequate pensions. This will also encourage our youngersters to take up other sports a career options rather than cricket.
Unlike cricketers the financial conditions of other sportsmen are not secured. There are several hockey players who brought laurels for the country but after their retirement they are living in pitiable conditions. An ex-hockey player Sylvanus Dung Dung who was a part of the gold medal winning team in Moscow Olympics was living in under acute poverty before he got financial contributions from several quarters. However several ex players in the country are not as lucky as him.
Everyday we come across stories of these ex players seeking jobs but without much success. They go door to door in government offices with the hope of getting some favour in return of the hard work they had put in for years for the nation in their respective sports yet the government turns blind eye on them.
Several players had even committed or tried to commit suicide in the recent past. The latest example is of Former Indian football captain V.P. Sathyan who committed suicide by jumping from a moving train. He left two notes in his pocket saying he was ending his life due to financial problems and for failing to do well as a player. Such is the scenario of sportsmen in our country.
Who can forget Wilson Jones who inspired many to take up Billiards as a career option? He won the National Championship 12 times and also won World Championship twice (1958 and 1964). He was also a recipient of Arjuna Award in 1962, Padma Shri in 1965, and Dronacharya Award in 1996. During his last years he was being treated in a Mumbai hospital without financial resources for his treatment. Several of his students like Subhash Aggarwal and Ashok Shandilya went on to become professional world champions.
As another Olympics is near and our players are preparing for the big event its time the sports lovers in India should encourage them. It will not only boost their confidence but also encourage our sports authorities to take some appropriate steps for the betterment of our sports.
It’s time our government should start taking care of our former players so that they don’t have to live in such pathetic conditions and provide them with adequate pensions. This will also encourage our youngersters to take up other sports a career options rather than cricket.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Still a long way ahead for BJP
The recent election results in Karnataka is not only a morale boosting victory for the state BJP but their national unit as well. This is the first time that the party has come to the power with such a big margin. The latest defeat is an eye opener for the Congress also.
With BJP falling short of reaching the magical figure of 113 seats by just three seats, it now remains to be seen, what plan of action does the Congress and other parties have in their minds. The Congress had already made it clear that it would sit in the opposition if the saffron brigade gets 112 seats. Even after the loss the Congress still has outside chance forming the next government in the state if it is able to bring in several secular parties and independent candidates under one roof. For this they need to take the help of JD(S) which got 28 seats in the elections.
The past might have come to haunt HD Kumaraswami once again. It is generally perceived that it was Kumaraswamy’s decision of not handing over power to the BJP last October the state had to face the mid-term poll after a seven-month of President’s rule. This time around BJP does not need his support to form the next Government in Karnataka.
The latest victory by BJP may well open the gate for it to make stronger base in South India. The party doesn’t have any strong hold in south or in eastern part of the country. This victory might change their fortune and help them to form the next next government in the centre next year. But that seems like a distance dream right now..
Last few years had seen the decline of BJP. Among the young generation in the party none of the politicians have any mass base. They have never come in contact with people. What’s more, unfortunately for the party, it had to declare LK Advani as it’s candidate for the post of Prime Minister even when it has leaders like Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jetlie et al.
If BJP wants to emerge as a single largest part in the next parliamentary elections it need to regroup all it’s NDA allies and also those who had left them. The party needs to re think about it’s flaws and rectify their past errors.
Even after their debacle in Karnataka, Congress and it’s UPA allies have more chances of winning the next Lok Sabha elections. They have a strong mass base and it’s leader Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul have a great knack of interacting with the masses. During 2003 general elections when the entire media had written it off, the Congress and it’s allies came back from nowhere to form the next Government at the Centre.
In a latest poll conducted by Indian Express-Dawn News-CNN-IBN, nearly 77 per cent of the urban people has suggested that Manmohan Singh has done well as a Prime Minister. 73 per cent of people with the performance of the UPA Government.
The results in Karnataka may have show the mood of the country. So every political parties should plan accordingly.
With BJP falling short of reaching the magical figure of 113 seats by just three seats, it now remains to be seen, what plan of action does the Congress and other parties have in their minds. The Congress had already made it clear that it would sit in the opposition if the saffron brigade gets 112 seats. Even after the loss the Congress still has outside chance forming the next government in the state if it is able to bring in several secular parties and independent candidates under one roof. For this they need to take the help of JD(S) which got 28 seats in the elections.
The past might have come to haunt HD Kumaraswami once again. It is generally perceived that it was Kumaraswamy’s decision of not handing over power to the BJP last October the state had to face the mid-term poll after a seven-month of President’s rule. This time around BJP does not need his support to form the next Government in Karnataka.
The latest victory by BJP may well open the gate for it to make stronger base in South India. The party doesn’t have any strong hold in south or in eastern part of the country. This victory might change their fortune and help them to form the next next government in the centre next year. But that seems like a distance dream right now..
Last few years had seen the decline of BJP. Among the young generation in the party none of the politicians have any mass base. They have never come in contact with people. What’s more, unfortunately for the party, it had to declare LK Advani as it’s candidate for the post of Prime Minister even when it has leaders like Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jetlie et al.
If BJP wants to emerge as a single largest part in the next parliamentary elections it need to regroup all it’s NDA allies and also those who had left them. The party needs to re think about it’s flaws and rectify their past errors.
Even after their debacle in Karnataka, Congress and it’s UPA allies have more chances of winning the next Lok Sabha elections. They have a strong mass base and it’s leader Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul have a great knack of interacting with the masses. During 2003 general elections when the entire media had written it off, the Congress and it’s allies came back from nowhere to form the next Government at the Centre.
In a latest poll conducted by Indian Express-Dawn News-CNN-IBN, nearly 77 per cent of the urban people has suggested that Manmohan Singh has done well as a Prime Minister. 73 per cent of people with the performance of the UPA Government.
The results in Karnataka may have show the mood of the country. So every political parties should plan accordingly.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Is twenty 20 curse on cricket ?
There was a time when cricket used to be called as a gentleman's game for which rich zamindaar's and kings had passion for. It used to be their good past time. But the game has changed over the years. From the era of test cricket we have now usherd into the era of Twenty 20 cricket.
Even though Test cricket and fifty overs game are still being played in almost all cricket nations, they are not drawing much attentions for the masses. Now people are even bored of fifty over matches. They are enjoying this latest version of the game as all the matches can finish off in two ours and they can watch couple of matches on a single day. Whats more, this form of the game is generating more money organisers and players, especially the ex cricketers who are getting more opportunities to earn some bucks even after their retirements from internation cricket.
But isn't the Twenty 20 cricket harming the game as a whole? Last decade has seen a lot of match fixing scandals coming out in the open. This new form of the game is giving more opportunities to bookies to do more gambles on matches and earn money through illegal means. At the time when our cricket administrators should try to bring back the lost glory of the game they are encouraging the games to get sold off without taking any authentic steps.
No doubt the latest form of the game is quite interesting and attracting lot of masses and its the future of cricket and will get losts of attentions in India as out team had won first Twenty 2o World Cup recently. At the same time cricket administrations should be more carefull not to allow this game to get polluted.
Even though Test cricket and fifty overs game are still being played in almost all cricket nations, they are not drawing much attentions for the masses. Now people are even bored of fifty over matches. They are enjoying this latest version of the game as all the matches can finish off in two ours and they can watch couple of matches on a single day. Whats more, this form of the game is generating more money organisers and players, especially the ex cricketers who are getting more opportunities to earn some bucks even after their retirements from internation cricket.
But isn't the Twenty 20 cricket harming the game as a whole? Last decade has seen a lot of match fixing scandals coming out in the open. This new form of the game is giving more opportunities to bookies to do more gambles on matches and earn money through illegal means. At the time when our cricket administrators should try to bring back the lost glory of the game they are encouraging the games to get sold off without taking any authentic steps.
No doubt the latest form of the game is quite interesting and attracting lot of masses and its the future of cricket and will get losts of attentions in India as out team had won first Twenty 2o World Cup recently. At the same time cricket administrations should be more carefull not to allow this game to get polluted.
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