It happens only in India: No connection with sports, yet hold top posts
Published by: Vishal Srivastav
Published on: Sat, 11 Aug 2012 at 16:09 IST
New Delhi: Indians are feeling out of the world though they have just four medals in the kitty at the London Olympics 2012 by now. So ecstatic they are, as if they have conquered the globe. They are flying into the deep blue skies of amazement that two women and two men have shown glimpses of Gods in them after winning Silver and Bronze respectively. Now, imagine a state of India where we win 20-30 Gold medals in a single Olympic, some would definitely screw their minds out on this unbelievable achievement. Talk about big countries like United States, China, Japan and then talk about small countries like Kazakhstan, Hungary, which have won more than 50 per cent of the total numbers of Gold medals than there have been in total, 300 Gold medals to be précised.
The Shameful Performance Yet Again by India:
Out of 300 Gold medals that are to be clinched in the cut throat competitions of the London Olympics 2012, where margin of error is really less, India has not been able to bag any of them as of yet and hopes are grim too.
Isn't it shameful and strange that a country consisting of scores of people can't pick 100 world class players and train them to the extent that they can also perform, they can also beat? Leaving a-few, just a-few, the rest have disappointed and bowed the Indian heads in shame.
India, the Cricket Maniac's Country:
Whenever or wherever India lags behind at the international circuit, it puts Cricket ahead as a protective shield to boast about the sheer brilliance that this country has shown over the past. What could be the reason? When we can produce such good cricketers why can't we produce the players that can lead the country in the other games. For instance, Sachin Tendulkar for Cricket.
Reason for extensive expectations this time
If we go by stats, India should have performed well at the international level. Especially, in the ongoing Olympics 2012.
The Reason: India recently hosted the Commonwealth Games, where the world saw and applauded India’s courage and determination to organize such a carnival. This should have been the motivational factor in the country for the budding talent that it possesses but dumping the spirits aside, the games are, otherwise, hiked for Corruption and money-minter that the CWG proved out to be.
There is no doubt about the fact that India has done well than the previous years, but is it enough? Especially when, India is emerging as the global power. What impact do we have on the world that we can't even train 10 players who can stand in the middle of the dais rather than lying on the left or the right one, less prestige, less pride?
Reasons and excuses behind the failures are innumerable. Each player and official have their own say about the downfall. Some blame the government others, the circumstances. But the question remains the same, standing tall and firm, where are those Olympic Greats hiding?
Government lends money. Where does it go?
It is not so that the Government is not lending money to lift up the sports in the country, rather it is just that that money isn’t reaching to the players. It is either eaten between the course of its journey from Central to State and bit of its share that remains, is eaten by the officials responsible at the lower level.
Decaying Indian Political System - A Menace for sports :
Without even a hint of doubt, we can say that the first and foremost reason why India doesn’t do well at the international front is the kind of Political system we have where ‘none are found corrupt but the truth is, all are corrupt’.
What do we lack in order to perform well at steep competitions?
We, in India, surely lack pace of development in the sports. We lack respect for the other games and sports apart from Cricket. And most importantly if someone adopts a different game, say for Hockey, then he is treated like a waste by the so-called civilized society.
Now, if we look at Australia, we would find that it has come-up with loads of goods for the sports and that shows on the medals tally. There is a rule by the Aussie government that each resident of the country will have to adopt any of the sports of his choice. The governments in China, USA, Australia, Hungary, Great Britain and Germany provide international quality lifestyle to their players.
Whereas, in India the situation is so grim sometimes that the Indian Women Hockey team players have to travel on Auto rickshaws for the tournament. They don’t even have shoes to play with. They have to arrange these on their own. And then we expect medals from them, which definitely is a shameful demand.
Pardaphash throws light on the main accused (politicians) who are responsible for the downfall of Indian sports at the global arena:
Vijay Kumar Malhotra (Working President, Indian Olympic Association and President Archery Association)
Vijay Kumar Malhotra has a number of achievements to his credit. Currently, he is the in-charge of the Indian Olympic committee as working president of Olympic association. Indian Olympic contingent has been sent to London under his leadership which hasn’t done well at all. Out of 83 players that landed in London after spending billions and innumerable hours, they have just been able to fetch 4 medals till date.
Kumar was Janata Party president in 1977 and later-on became Delhi Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) president.
His name was also projected for the post of Chief Minister in 2008 Delhi assembly polls. He is currently leading BJP’s parliamentary group and is involved in active politics for the party.
After the Olympics conclude he would surely be on-target of the media persons.
Vijay's attachment with sports: NIL
Vidya Stokes (President, Hockey India), Congress leader and Director State Bank of India
Vidya Stokes was more in news for her age than for her involvement with the Indian Hockey. The 83-years-old Stokes took charge of Hockey India President amidst number of controversies related to her age. Defying the set government age criteria that is 70, Stokes became the president of Hockey India at the age of 83 by defeating former Indian Hockey team captain Pargat Singh, who should have been elected for the top post.
She later resigned from her post barely after 3 months giving a foolproof reason. She said that she is so busy in her political career that she hardly gets time to devote to Hockey. Later, she was re-elected as the president of Hockey India.
This is the subsequent reason why Indian Hockey is in a state of dilemma. Involvement of a non-sportsperson authority at the top post doesn't do good to the game and that we witnessed at the London Olympics 2012.
The condition of Hockey in the country doesn’t get any better and if ever it needed to, we would fall short of such words that can describe 'apathy' at it best. The Indian Hockey team hardly manages to win any tournament in mega events. Bringing gold, silver or bronze in Olympics is like a reverie if not more.
Stokes's attachment with Hockey: NIL
Praful Manoharbhai Patel (President, Indian Football Association), Former Central Minister, MP, Minister of Civil aviation
Long lists of scams to start the introduction of this politician who does not even know the 'F' of Football. Hailing from a political family, Patel is also active in national politics. Four time MP and two times Rajya Sabha member Patel is considered to be a close aide of ICC President Sharad Pawar. He had to vacate his post of minister of civil aviation for alleged irregularities in the purchase of multiple aircrafts. Active in national politics since 1991 Praful Patel is the President of Football Association of India. His political clout is so immense that he managed to grab the post of Vice President of the Asian Football Federation.
List of scams Praful involved in:
There have been irregularities in the purchases of multiple aircraft during his tenure as the Minister of Civil Aviation. Air India was making a profit of around Rs.105 crore, till the 2003-2004 fiscal. As of 2011, Air India has a debt of more than Rs.40,000 crore and an estimated loss of Rs.7000 crore.
He has earned notoriety because between April 2009 and April 2011 his personal assets grew by 53%—from Rs. 79 crore to Rs. 122 crore—at the rate of Rs. 5 lakh per day. The same period saw a remarkable rise in the debt incurred by India's national carrier, Air India.
There are also allegations of misuse of Air India by Patel's family members. His daughter, Poorna Patel, who was a hospitality manager with the Indian Premier League(IPL), used her influence to charter an AI aircraft to ferry IPL players from Chandigarh to Chennai, resulting in the cancellation of a scheduled Coimbatore bound passenger flight IC 7603.
In another incident, a response by Air India to a petition filed under the Right to Information Act, 2005 revealed that Praful Patel made the debt-ridden airline switch aircraft type from an Airbus A319 to a larger Airbus A320 on the Bangalore - Male route in 2010 to ensure business class travel for his family.
In February 2012, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police accused Praful Patel, during his tenure as aviation minister, of accepting a $250,000 bribe from an Ottawa-based Indian businessman to influence the tender for a $100 million contract to supply machine readable boarding cards and facial recognition software. Soon after, Patel also faces CBI in-house probe over bribe link
Football or Foot-Brawl?
Cameroon, one of the World's smallest countries has a star studded football team which did wonders in the recent world cup. And when compared, India doesn’t even qualify for the Asian Football tournaments sometimes, leaving the World Cup dream far-far behind. It is not such a case that there are less followers in India of one of the most popular sport of all times, but it is the administrative officials who do not provide facilities to the willing players.
Patel's attachment with Football: NIL
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (President, Indian Wrestling Association), Member of Parliament
Listening to the Bhojpuri music is the favorite pastime of this politician. He enthroned the Wrestling Federation of India seat in 2008 and since then he hasn’t done much to the game’s name.
Despite wrestling being an Indian game, Indian wrestlers don’t perform well at the global arena due to lack of facilities by the government.
India’s star wrestler Sushil Kumar who made India proud by winning Gold at the CWG, and Bronze at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 recites the apathy in his own Haryanvi accent.
After winning Bronze he told that he had to share his bed with two of his fellow mates and that in a small suffocative room. He also said that despite writing for good quality practice equipments, the minister turned down his appeal.
Bhushan’s attachment with Wrestling: NIL
Abhay Singh Chautala (President, Amateur Boxing Association), MLA, Haryana
Former Deputy Prime Minister, Chaudhary Devi Lal’s grandson and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s son Abhay Chautala do not require any introduction. The active politician used his intact sources to become the president of amateur boxing association.
He also is a President of District Panchayat and is also an MLA. His indulgence into the core politics and his political background narrates the story, that how much time he could devote for the Game. The condition of Boxing is shadowed as one turns his head towards the medals' tally.
Abhay Singh's attachment with Boxing: NIL
Ajay Singh Chautala (President, Table Tennis Association) MLA, Haryana
Ajay Singh Chautala, younger brother of Abhay Chautala, is also an active politician. He started taking part in political affairs in 1970. Chautala also used his political approach to grab the crown of President of the Table Tennis Association.
Ajay had been MP and MLA also and was involved in active politics in Rajasthan. The core of this players is deep enough that it’s become even harder to get a glimpse what these people have done to the sport.
Ajay Singh's attachment with Table Tennis: NIL
Jagdish Tytler (President, Indian Judo Association) leader, Congress
Famous as Jagdish Kapoor, he has been three times MP and Central Minister as well. Nowadays, he is busy making career in Table Tennis. The fate of the people who want to make carrier in the game can be gauged from the fact that India hasn’t ever done well at any of the international stage.
Jagdish Tytler's attachment with Judo: NIL
Parminder Singh Dhindsa (President, Cycling Association, India) MP
Cycling is not taken as sports in our country, nor does the government have any sound program for this wonderful sport. World renowned cyclist Neil Armstrong might have been a source of inspiration for people across the world but here in India, people might not hear his name and have not taken any inspiration from him.
Although, the sport is pretty old and is being played across the world but in India, it still starves for recognition.
Parminder Singh Dhindsa's attachment with Cycling: NIL
Durga Das Boro, (President, Fencing Association) Leader, Assam Gana Parishada:
Durga Daas Boro is Assam Gana Parishada leader and is Indian fencing association president.
How many people in India, which has population of over 1 billion people, will be aware of this game, can be easily understood. Players across the world prepare themselves for this game to earn laurels for their country. The game which is famous here in India has a lot of political impact. In Olympic competition players prepare themselves for the medals to be won in team round and individual round but here in India here is no one is able to even enquire about it.
Durga Das Boro's attachment with Fencing: NIL
JS Gahlot, (President, Amateur Kabaddi Federation) MLA, Rajasthan
Kabaddi is a game that is played in every village across the country. However, the game association is being controlled by a non-playing personality who happens to be a businessman apart from just being the politician. Indian Kabaddi has a good reputation in Kabaddi all over the world. India has won Gold medals in this game regularly.
JS Gehlot's attachment with Kabbaddi: NIL
Digambar Kamat (President, Swimming Association, India) Congress leader, former Chief Minister, Goa.
The man who is heading Indian swimming association is a person who never believed in party’s loyalty. He was once in congress and later jumped to BJP. He, then, returned to Congress and became chief minister of Goa. What is the future of swimming in India, the truth is not hidden?
These politicians have made these games and sports associations their money minting business hubs.
This is reason that today politicians have control over such association.
Digambar Kamat's attachment with Swimming: NIL
Sharad Pawar (Central Minister) President (ICC)
Sharad Pawar, who stepped into politics in 1967, is a master in managing the political affairs. Pawar undoubtedly has raised the graph of Indian cricket after he took charge as a President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2005. Later, in the year 2010, he was given the charge of President of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
However, Pawar began his actual political journey from Maharashtra after he became the Chief Minister. He handled posts of defence minister and agricultural minister but does not possess a transparent image in his political career as he was surrounded with a number of scam charges.
Thing here to be noticed is, after having a political career which should be termed as remarkable, what forced Pawar to take the charge of country's cricket association?
India won the world cup in 2011 and it was a definite achievement for Indians but we should never forget the match fixing allegations and the controversies that surround the Indian cricket from time to time. The fixing allegations on the Indian cricket stars defame the sport across the globe which is religiously followed in India.
Sharad Pawar's attachment with Cricket: NIL
Akhilesh Das Gupta (Rajya Sabha member, General Secretary, BSP) President (All India Badminton Association)
Akhilesh Das Gupta, the national president of all India Badminton Association, needs no introduction while defining his political career. The very renowned face of past Uttar Pradesh BSP government has remained active in politics since 1993 and hails from a political family. His father Babu Banarasi Das was the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, Akhilesh's political journey started as Lucknow Mayor. He was later nominated to Rajya Sabha while being in Congress. Between 2002-08 he worked as Minister of Steel (State) in Manmohan Singh government. He left congress in 2008 and joined Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The actual politics started from this period. BSP made him their General Secretary and was nominated to Rajya Sabha.
Going the BSP's corrupt way, Gupta is also alleged of scam charges. Sidelining his illicit doings, he was elected as the National President of All Indian Badminton Association. An untainted person can only raise the spirit of any sports and the players associated to it.
Akhilesh Das Gupta's attachment with Badminton: Represented State in the National Badminton Championships
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