Packing A Punch

Sports entrepreneurship in the Northeast can help the country achieve its ambitious 50-medal-goal in 2024 Olympics.

- Bhairavi Jani

When you think of India’s North East Region (NER), aside from salubrious climes and unending Himalayan forests, some things that immediately come to mind are the feats of 6-time World Amateur Boxing Champion, Mary Kom and Indian football icon, Bhaichung Bhutia. Sportspersons from NER seem to have made it a habit to bring back accolades from national and international sports event participations. In addition to Kom and Bhutia, states in the NER are home to boxer L. Sarita Devi, silver medallist at 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games; Jayanta Talukdar, gold medallist and Arjuna Award winner; weightlifter K. Sanjita Chanu, gold medallist at 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games; and Mirabai Chanu, who broke the national record to win the World Weightlifting Championships. But even though Indian athletes participate at global sporting events in the hundreds (Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, etc.), the tally is often a disappointing fraction. The Niti Aayog devised a plan last year that put in place a strategy to pocket an ambitious 50 medals in the 2024 Olympics. The plan goes by the name of First Play. India won two medals at the 2016 Olympics, and over the course of its independent 72-year history, the total hasn’t crossed 23 medals. Given the stakes, the plan could do with more involvement from the private sector. Perhaps NER’s budding economic activity especially sports entrepreneurship, are an effective answer.

A Culture of Sports

Sports lovers exist across the country, but the respect for sports and sportspersons is extraordinary in NE. Wherever you go, you will witness almost reverential behaviour towards sportspeople. In fact, a couple of years ago, the Assam Chief Minister and former Union Sports Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal went so far as to acknowledge that it was the passion of the people of the Northeast that makes it a sports hub.