Challenges :-
- Lack of infrastructure.
- Lack of encouragement.
- Lack of Sports schools, especially in rural areas.
- Lack of sporting culture.
- Politics in National Sports Federations.
- Insufficient funds.
- Lack of incentives to sports persons.
- Low salaries of Sport Coaches and staff in sports field.
- Malnutrition in nearly 20 crore children in India. This is one of the big challenges, because for sports, physical as well as mental strength is must.
- Becoming a sports person is expensive for poor and lower middle class because it requires costly sports equipment and years of dedicated hard work.
- India doesn’t have a proper system to spot and develop sports talent in children as well as in young people.
- If a sports person fails in his sport, she/he has struggle to make living in India. In most of the other countries, this will not happen.
- In India, employment opportunities in the sports field is very much less, when compared globally.
- As it’s difficult to succeed in making sports as career in India, most of the parents are not encouraging children in the sports field.
- Until recently India concentrated only on cricket. Now, a few more sports got attention. But still there are more sports, which need media coverage and publicity.
- Indian education system only concentrates on studies, but not on sports.
What India is doing :-
- ‘Sports Authority of India’ is supporting local talent. But is is not upto the mark.
- Sports quota in Government jobs to encourage sports persons.
- Indian Government gives cash prizes and awards to the winners of national and international sport events.
What still needs to be done :-
- Sports persons should be supported from the training stage.
- Sports schools should be setup.
- Sports should be a part of our education system.
- Sports scholarships needs to be given to the students that have sports talent.
- Underdeveloped Indian sports should be commercialized.
- India should also focus on the games played worldwide.
- More and more international sports events should be hosted in India to encourage and inspire Indian youth towards sports.
Background :-
- ‘Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports’ takes care of Sports affairs in India.
- ‘National Sport Federations’ for different sports, together manages Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
- ‘Sports Authority of India’ was setup in 1984 to broadcast and to bring excellence in sports. It supports and nurtures sports talent in youth.
- ‘Ministry of youth affairs & sports’ gives annual sports awards like ‘Arjuna award’, ‘Rajiv Khel Ratna award’ for the excellence in sports.
- India hosted and co-hosted several international sports events.
- Till recently only cricket was emphasized in India. But now several other sports got attention and support by Prokabaddi League, Indian Badminton League, Indian Super League etc.
- Globally, sports is one of the largest industries. In India, it is in the path to become one.
- Generally, Countries with high GDP (Gross Domestic Product) tend to spend more time on sports and games, because of high quality of life and more free time.
- Sports is a major contributor to GDPs to most of the developed and developing countries.
- As India has more no of young people, there is more potential to utilize sports talent in youth and to become one of the sports superpowers.
- The rise of social media affected sports positively. These days, several sports got well-deserved attention.
- Sports filed is increasingly attracting corporate investments through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).
Situation in other countries :-
- China has systematic sports schools both in urban and rural areas. China invests heavily in the sports sector.
- In USA, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) supports sports talent in students.
Conclusion :-
The present situation of sports is definitely better than before with the introduction of leagues for neglected sports. We are on a good path. But still, there is much to be done to produce more world class athletes and to inspire future generations to take sports as a career. Thereby the fast growing sports industry will create more job opportunities too.
Afterwords :- Did we miss any point? Please let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
