“You play tennis, but what do you do for a living?” – That is the question that Vijay Amritraj used to be asked
not so long ago. Securing a remunerative job used to be as important, if not more, than competing on the athletic field. And that just about sums up the dilemma facing Indian sports and sportsmen even today.
Sports in India used to mean the Indian cricket team, the Davis Cup (tennis), field hockey, billiards and badminton. In terms of public viewership, if not in terms of participation.
Indian sport still has a long distance to cover before it can match the performance of the Indian private sector companies in the world market. It is these companies that provide the sponsorship deals for our professional athletes. So that they can devote themselves full time to their sporting careers, and compete against the very best the world has to offer. Today, there is no dearth of opportunity, or of sponsors; and sports have become an acceptable profession.
There was a time when the “Made in India” brand used to be a poor quality brand – but things have changed, and the Indian sportsman will have to put in a lot of hard work to keep pace with the changing times. There was a time when Indian sportsmen had to look overseas for their heroes and their role models, but no more. Vijay Amritraj himself (the author of this piece) was a brand ambassador for his nation, and aspiring sportsmen need look no further…
The bad news is that sports has become very competitive over the years; and as Indian standards have risen, so have world standards – and we are still below the benchmarks required to be truly world class.
The author says that what we need is focused training. There is no dearth either of talent or of money; but this talent needs to be nurtured and given the best possible training, no matter where it is to be found – in India or overseas. Sportsmen need to realize that they are representing India, and playing for their country. And that the hopes of their fellow citizens are tied to their fortunes on the playing fields.