FINDINGOUR SPORTING GENE
India Today|August 26, 2024
A competitive, structured grassroots programme and a robust public-private partnership model where everyone involved is singing from the same song sheet, is our surest way to success.
Parth Jindal
FINDINGOUR SPORTING GENE

I was asked to write this piece a few days after the Paris Olympic Games got underway, and I must admit, the way I feel about everything I have expressed is even more pronounced because it is being written after watching India win medals with confidence and miss podiums by a whisker. We may not have surpassed our tally from Tokyo, but we had a big number of athletes who came very close to stepping on the podium, and if those fine margins went our way, our numbers would have doubled. There is a sense of despair at what could have been, but with it is also a feeling of confidence of what can be.

Neeraj, Manu, Swapnil, Aman and the men's hockey team were phenomenal, but so were Vinesh, Mirabai, Nishant and Lakshya.

Avinash Sable may have finished 11th overall, but he was the first male athlete from India to qualify for the final of the 3,000-metres steeplechase event. No Indian male badminton player had ever gotten past the quarterfinal stage, and Lakshya changed that. We had performances that didn't translate to medals, but they were ones that give us renewed hope.

Going to the grassroots: While we're still reeling under the magnitude of the world's biggest sporting spectacle and are in awe of all that great sporting nations have achieved, it is the other end of the spectrum that we need to look at when it comes to building a culture that will get us to where we want to be-the grassroots.

Our revolution needs to begin at the school and college levels where a highly competitive sporting structure should be introduced across government and private institutions.

This story is from the August 26, 2024 edition of India Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 26, 2024 edition of India Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM INDIA TODAYView All
High & Mighty
India Today

High & Mighty

High And Mighty.

time-read
10 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
ELECTRIC MAJESTY
India Today

ELECTRIC MAJESTY

THE EQS SUV SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR A LUXURY FAMILY VEHICLE

time-read
2 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
SMALL IS IN
India Today

SMALL IS IN

IT'S SMALL WONDER that when it comes to size, there are such distinct preferences, particularly when it comes to watches.

time-read
1 min  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
WHAT'S COOKING?
India Today

WHAT'S COOKING?

The new culinary hotspots of gourmet Michelin dining in Hong Kong

time-read
3 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
NEED OF THE HOUR
India Today

NEED OF THE HOUR

Is the tenth time the charm for Apple’s iconic wearable? Let’s clock in.

time-read
1 min  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
A Symphony Smoke of and Style
India Today

A Symphony Smoke of and Style

Pairing some of the most feted peated whiskies from India and around the world.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
THE TOP SHELF INDIAN SPIRITS
India Today

THE TOP SHELF INDIAN SPIRITS

Toasting some of the finest sips from around the country

time-read
4 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
THAI HIGH
India Today

THAI HIGH

What's it like to stay in the best hotel in the world? Spice spends a decadent weekend at Capella Bangkok, awarded the best hotel in the world by The World's 50 Best Hotels 2024.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
OUR FAVORITE F WORDS
India Today

OUR FAVORITE F WORDS

Why fashion and food are frolicking together in an epic romance.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue
Past Perfect
India Today

Past Perfect

Whether it is to create cultural touchstones, a springboard for creativity, or save the planet, many chefs are revisiting traditional cooking techniques and sustainable practices.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 11, 2024 - Special Issue