Going Republic

It was perhaps the best thing that happened to independent India and perhaps the second best that could have happened.

Anyway, as we look into the future, let the sacrifice of great persons like Mr.Tukaram Ombale, today's Ashok Chakra recipient (posthumous), should be the beacon that gives hope and provides the guiding light for Indians to show courage and perform sacrifice for our motherland. It is the need of the hour to save it from internal and external enemies.

Sheer genius

One of my favorite couplets from Thirukkural.

"Finish your job and enemy completely, for if you leave them unfinished, they will comeback, like an undoused fire, to consume you"
- Thiruvalluvar, 31 BC

Sports in India

Will you watch a state level sports match ahead of a movie? Even if you start to watch, you will be bored by the quality of play and change the channel in 10 minutes. The media follows the TRP. If it ain’t good, they don’t care.

There are enough State/national level competions going on. We don’t need them more. They don’t seem to be helping us in winning Olympic medals.

In my opinion, what we need are,

• world class facilities. By facilities I mean, infrastructure, resources, people (we need coaches, nutritionists, psychologists, masseuses and all kind of support staff). All A-level. World class. I read that Sushil Kumar was massaged by a wrestling federation executive because they didn’t have any support staff at the Olympics. How sad is that? The next Abhinav Bindra should be able to train in India instead of going to Germany.

After that,

• exposure to international quality. Arrange for more international meets, tours. Overseas players can come only if you have world class facilities. Our players need to see and be able to work on facilities in other countries, understand other players' work ethic, diet regimen and stuff. It comes only through exposure.

Also,

• Identity and groom the special talents.

Once you get the quality up, then more people will watch domestic competitions. Media coverage will follow. Money will pump in. It will all become a self-feeding positive cycle.

After all this happens, we will have top class athletes and there will be some chance of getting a few gold medals regularly starting from 2016. I don’t see them happening anytime soon.