On Indian Sport

Over the Age

2008-02-27T00:48:00.002+05:30

While the quest of practically every Western teenager is to have false ID proving that he/she is 21 (and, therefore, over the legal drinking age) Indian sport is faced with quite the opposite scenario.

Rarely discussed openly, changing one's date of birth (to make oneself appear younger) is one of the rampant scourges of Indian sport at the junior level. As money increases for juniors, the under-22 quota in the new Indian Premier League being a case in point, the incentives can only get even more skewed to fudge youngsters' ages. It all begins in school when overzealous parents, coaches and selectors request a "change of age" -- to be reflected in the admission register and in forged birth certificates (available for a song, or maybe even just a verse) -- so that their ward can be made to play one extra year in the under-14's/16's.

What this shortsightedness leads to is Indian sportspersons being pitted against much younger opposition at the junior level. These "juniors" rarely transition to success as seniors, and for quite obvious reasons.

Ever wonder how India has so many international junior champions and our under-15 and under-19 cricket teams regularly win tournaments while we have little success at the senior levels? Well, the answer might lie more in the birth certificates than in the scorebooks. 3 or 4 year age differences are huge at junior levels.

Sport builds integrity. It commands integrity, too. For the good of Indian sport, it is time to look to the future and stamp out these indiscriminate age-related practices with an iron fist.

Indian Sport v. 2.0 – Time for Brawn Drain?

2007-10-24T20:44:00.000+05:30

Born in the late ’70s in small-town Bangalore, I grew up around super-achiever, engineering-graduate uncles and cousins who moved to the U.S. where most of them still live and work. Indian engineering graduates of the late 20th century India were trained and groomed in an economy that did not have ready opportunities to challenge and utilise their exceptional talents.

I find a striking resemblance between ’80s Indian engineering and today’s Indian sport. Currently, local sporting talent lacks the supportive environment needed to convert the unmistakable potential into international quality performances.

Over many a pre-dinner conversation, one could lament the state of Indian sport, the lack of Olympic medals from a billion-plus population, the decrepit facilities, the red tape, the financial burdens on athletes and so much more. On the other hand, one could work towards transformation by taking a leaf out of the book of lessons of our country’s tremendous IT success.

In retrospect, brain drain was one of the best things that happened to today’s Brand India. While the economy worked its meandering way towards a supportive business environment, many highly qualified IT professionals left the system, insulating themselves from the obvious frustrations inherent in transition economies. As an unintended consequence of this process, we now have a re-imported workforce able to contribute international experience and implement the highest standards. Local entrepreneurship, innovation and value creation are no longer pipe dreams and nor should remain Olympic medals and national honour through exceptional sporting success.

Just as an engineering talent requires a challenging job profile, access to training resources, good management, job security and growth prospects, so does a high-quality athlete. Let’s face it, we are at least a couple of decades behind international standards when it comes to identifying, training and managing our best athletes. While we work on a multi-year plan to introduce and improve state-of-the-art sporting infrastructure and professional institutions, we can’t let existing talent stagnate and wither away. Today, we are ready for a mass export of our best sporting talent to foreign systems that are capable of nurturing and encouraging them.

A simplistic representation of the 30-year IT talent cycle would read something like this: best local talent is identified and exported; government intervention is diminished; local institutions and opportunities improve; best local talent is retained; local institutions and opportunities mature; previously exported talent is attracted and re-imported; entrepreneurial opportunities are created; global talent is attracted; international competitiveness and standing results. In IT, this virtuous cycle may have been unplanned and the good consequences unintended, but it does serve as a model that has worked for Indian talent. Clearly, we are currently in a fast-paced economy and there’s no reason why a well-conceived cyclical plan for sport should take as many as 30 years to implement.

So, what’s the need of the hour? An IIT-JEE style recruitment and selection process, an IIT-type subsidised/funded grooming system and an effective export of the best Indian athletes. The most precious teenage sporting talent needs to be identified and filtered at the mass scale in both rural and urban India and made ready for export. This grooming process must be done with sensitivity as culture shock, self-confidence and detachment from family are not easy issues to deal with for young Indian athletes. Then, be it through government or private financial intervention, the talent must be packed off to U.S., U.K., Australian and other international universities and sporting systems for training, conditioning and competition. This approach will not work without mass funding but, at the same time, presents an enormous opportunity for the private sector to lead.

Sporting icons and heroes generate huge economies around them as do the Narayana Murthys and the Premjis of the IT world. Our country needs many more non-cricket sporting icons such as Prakash Padukone, Leander Paes and Vishwanathan Anand to inspire and encourage its youngsters. To be the best, athletes need evolved platforms and stages on which to grow, compete and perform. With this in mind, we must develop capabilities locally by investing in and building training facilities and resources, tournaments and leagues and professional management institutions that will increase the size of the talent funnel and provide opportunities to showcase talent. Once in place, this will help retain our sporting talent, will re-attract much of our exported talent and eventually attract global athletes to our shores. As in IT, we can be at the absolute top of the sporting ladder.

Sport evokes feelings that little else can. It has the ability to hold us in thrall, to uplift and to unite. Sporting achievement is a matter of national pride, of a Brand India where the physical is spiritual and where pushing one’s limits is the norm. A mature economy supports varied talents and lends structure to careers of all sorts. While we do the fundamental work on Sports Brand India, in the near term we need a systematic “brawn drain”. And, someday soon, “India Everywhere” will be both at Davos and at the Olympics.

National Sports Policy - comments

2007-08-24T17:56:00.000+05:30

In what was likely a first, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports provided the public an opportunity to comment on its Draft Comprehensive National Sports Policy 2007. This is a great first step in fostering accountability and transparency in our sports set-up.

Here is our go at comments provided to the Ministry. Hope many more members of the public have given the Ministry their inputs because I don't think they can expect too much to emerge from the IOA or any of the sports federations.

Any feedback or discussions on this would be most welcome because it's about time these issues are the subject matter of public debate.

BCCI v. ICL

2007-08-22T16:33:00.000+05:30

A few thoughts in this article on the significance of the BCCI v. ICL battle.

It will be interesting to see how things pan out over the next few years.

India's Draft Sports Policy

2007-07-30T16:52:00.000+05:30

Here is a copy of India's Draft Comprehensive Sports Policy 2007.

In a first, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has put this on the internet and has solicited public comment (due by August 25, 2007).

This policy document will shape how our country approaches sport in the coming years and the transparency of this new approach from the Ministry must be appreciated.

Comments to:
Shri I. Srinivas, Joint Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Room No. 504-B, B Wing, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi-110001, e-mail – isrinivas@nic.in, Fax No. 23384152.

Virdhawal Khade receives boost

2007-07-04T15:10:00.000+05:30

A big day for swimming in India with 15-year-old prodigy Virdhawal Khade signing a contract with the Mittal Champions Trust ("MCT"). Here is an article covering the event and below is the official press release.

A lot of work has gone into Virdhawal's training and the combination of his talent and single-mindedness, the efforts of his coach Nihar Ameen and his manager Hakim at GoSports, the support of his family and the funding from MCT will give him the best shot at achieving internationally.

Hope this will be the first of many good things to come for Indian swimming.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:

Hakimuddin Habibulla

GoSports India Pvt. Ltd.

hakim@gosports.in

www.gosports.in

Mittal Champions Trust to Fund Swimmer Virdhawal Khade

Bangalore, Karnataka, July 3, 2007 -- In a big boost for Indian swimming, the Mittal Champions Trust has committed to financially support 15-year-old national swimming champion, Virdhawal Khade.

Virdhawal will be the youngest swimmer to represent India at an Olympics when he takes the plunge at the 2008 Beijing Olympics next year. He is currently one of the fastest swimmers in the world for his age in the 100m and 200m Freestyle events.

MCT will cover the bulk of Virdhawal's expenses essential for him to be at the peak of his discipline. It will aid his preparation for the 2008 Olympics and continue to support Virdhawal in his quest for a 2012 Olympic medal.

Virdhawal, who hails from Kolhapur, currently trains in Bangalore at the KCR Swim Centre under coach Nihar Ameen. Nihar Ameen, who was the Indian coach at the 2004 Athens Olympics, identified Virdhawal’s talent and asked him to move to Bangalore, which is the hub of Indian swimming. Nihar Ameen says of Virdhawal, "He is an unbelievable talent and the MCT funding will help him establish himself on the world map".

Manisha Malhotra, the administrator of MCT was excited about having Virdhawal on board. “The Mittal Champions Trust believes in that Virdhawal has the talent and potential, and we are happy to be able to give him the push he needs to get to the pinnacle of his sport”.

His career manager from GoSports, Hakimuddin Habibulla, who represented India in swimming at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has the following to say about the young champion, "Virdhawal has the will and the build to be a World champion. He is currently the fastest in the world for his age and deserves to get the best to remain at the top. The support from MCT means that Virdhawal will now have access to the best training and resources".

When contacted, Virendra Nanavati, the Secretary General of the Swimming Federation of India, was delighted to know that MCT has come forward to support Virdhawal and believed that this was a positive step for all of Indian swimming.

Virdhawal was obviously very pleased with the support extended by MCT. "I’m training very hard and enjoying my swimming. I have a strong team backing me and now with MCT's funding I feel confident of doing my best.”

About GoSports

GoSports is a sports management and consulting company based in Bangalore. GoSports works with the country's most talented sportspersons on translating their potential into performance.

About MCT

The Mittal Champions Trust is a non-profit organization set up by Mr. Lakshmi Mittal to promote sporting excellence in India.

###

Lawyers and Indian sport

2007-05-08T16:35:00.000+05:30

Some thoughts here on the increasingly important role that lawyers will have to play as the Indian sporting industry matures.

A Plug For "Other" Sports

2007-04-18T14:47:00.000+05:30

It's time we all put more thought and energy into developing sporting talent in India. Clearly, cricket is only one of the many sports India has the capacity to excel at.

Read more here.

Cricket Thicket

2007-03-13T14:15:00.000+05:30

I have nothing against cricket or cricketers. In fact, cricket has been and likely will remain my primary sport. But its rather overbearing primacy in Indian sport/life is quite alarming.

If you walk around Bangalore on a lazy Sunday, there are tons of kids playing on football fields, basketball courts, hockey fields and practically any patch of open land. The one thing they share is that they are all playing cricket! I know cricket has been played on ice (by some crazy North Americans) but the day when swimming pool cricket becomes a reality the Indian Olympic Association might as well merge with and into the BCCI.

On the one hand, cricket has meant that other sports are largely ignored and are encouraged in name only. On the other hand, it has provided proof of concept - that professional sport in India can be made a success with good structure, lack of government influence (or was it apathy?) and smart marketing and broadcast packaging. Cricket provides livelihoods to thousands and there's no reason why other sports can't follow suit with good structures and solid management.

So let's not bash cricket and cricketers and instead look for and replicate the qualities that make it as successful as it is.

Stadia Arcadia

2007-03-01T23:00:00.000+05:30

The Indian Union Budget is just out and there are huge allocations for the development of Indian sport in time for the Commonwealth Games, for talent scouting, building sports infrastructure et al.

It remains to be seen how these funds will be allocated and whether Indian (non-cricketer) athletes will remain incidental to all the money that's being pumped in to Indian sport.

More stadia... So we can have more furniture exhibitions, interior design shows and other consumer fairs held in them?

It is time to reclaim our existing stadia from the farce that has befallen them. You can scout all you want, scouring all 1.2 billion Indians for sporting talent, but you can't expect results with your best athletes having to practice steeplechase over the latest mahogany king-size beds or pole vault over the fancy veneer cabinets that constantly adorn their training spaces.

Vir Khade

2007-02-17T14:00:00.000+05:30

Introducing Virdhawal Khade, 15, from Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

Expect to hear more about him.

You will.

Scoreless Half

2006-11-06T13:18:00.000+05:30

Mixed with the excitement of being in a packed stand at Brabourne stadium yesterday was extreme frustration at a non-functional scoreboard. A huge electronic screen, installed at the Pavilion End specially for the Champions Trophy final, was meant to double up as a scoreboard and a replay screen. It worked for all of 5 minutes, leading to the loudest cheer of the evening when it was switched on. There was no back-up manual scoreboard.

In a rather dull encounter, half the stadium was left in suspense as to the score (thank god for small mercies!). A friend had to resort to getting sms updates on his cellphone. Absurd in itself to have to do this from inside the stadium. Imagine if this happened in a country known for its software development!

Ignorance is not bliss

2006-10-29T20:17:00.000+05:30

Today, more than ever before, there is an urgent need to increase the awareness of ‘sport’ amongst the general population*. As pointed out in an earlier post, 'sport' needs to be treated differently from just 'play'.

Primary definitions:
Sport - an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as athletics, aquatics, tennis, badminton, gymnastics, wrestling, boxing, etc.
Play - exercise or activity for amusement or recreation

With more awareness of sport, there would be a better understanding of:
- the sports played at different levels (ranging from school to the Olympics)
- places where various sports can be learned and practiced (for leisure as well as competition)
- the sportspersons and coaches involved, their achievements and the respect they deserve
- the effort (physical, mental, financial and time spent) that goes into training and competing, and last but not least,
- its importance in creating a better life - personally, socially and professionally.

Sir Francis Bacon said “Knowledge is Power”. By building a more sports aware and knowledgeable population, we would build a powerful foundation for our sportspersons to stand on and perform.

* Here is a personal experience: I met a teacher, from engineering college, a month before the Olympics, and excitedly informed her that I was going to represent India at the Olympics. She reflected my excitement and congratulated me. Then came the stinker, she asked me if I was going to compete with swimmers from Karnataka or India. BOOM! The bubble burst. I was not sure if I had heard it right, and asked her to repeat, she gladly did so and removed all doubts. I then politely explained to her that I would compete with the best in the World. Then came the next, she asked me if the Olympics was going to be hosted in Bangalore. Again I politely told her that the Olympics were going to be held in Sydney, Australia. On hearing that it was going to be held abroad, she got more excited. And, just before I could run to the closest tree and bang my head, she excitedly blurted out the next question, she wanted to know if the Olympics were going to be held sometime next year. I informed her that the Olympics were in the following month, and excused myself. This encounter was definitely not encouraging.

How Symbolic!

2006-10-26T09:59:00.000+05:30

A friend and I had the pleasure of meeting one of Bangalore's top sports coaches over the Diwali weekend. In the course of a fascinating conversation, we got talking about linguistic symbolism and stereotyping relating to sport in India.

The coach said something very interesting - most Indian language words, such as "khel" and "aata," more accurately translate to "play" or "game" rather than "sport". This clearly flows through to ingrained social attitudes, the perception of physical activity as non-serious, non-commercial "time-pass" for youngsters. It's something to indulge in once the homework, exams and assignments are all done. This attitude has an increasing impact as things like technology mean that physical prowess is less and less an essential component of everyday pursuits.

If any more evidence is required, our central and state bodies overseeing sport usually go by names such as "Department of Youth Affairs, Sports and Culture" with ministerial portfolios in these departments seen as "punishment postings". Imagine the same department dealing with issues such as the appropriateness of miniskirts on campuses, teenage pregnancies, moralistic education/brainwashing and... who gets to represent India at the Olympics!

For Love or Money

2006-10-18T19:32:00.000+05:30

Here are excerpts from a brilliant piece by Simon Barnes on fixius, drugius, corruptius and the perils of "winning at all costs":

"...people who like sport don’t want to watch doped athletes. We want athletes who have about them something of ourselves. We want to admire them, identify with them, revel in their stories, glory in their successes and their failures. If they become great athletes by means of drugs, they cease to be like us. The illusion that they are like us is lost. And without that illusion, sport — spectator sport — becomes unsustainable. "
"Perhaps professionalism was the greatest disaster ever to hit sport. The idea of amateurism is love: that you play your sport for the simple or complex love of it; that you do your damnedest and you walk away, winner or loser, with a smile and a handshake, richer only in experience, wealthier only in love. But of course, this beautiful idea was as corrupt as anything in professional sport. Amateurism, in plain fact, was about social class, not about disinterested love, for it was only the middle and upper classes who could afford the time to play for nothing. But ideals are never bad things. The notion of doing it for love still matters to us. We warm to the performers who love the game beyond all else, who would play their guts out for nothing and then come back for more."

There’s a Hole in this WADA*

2006-10-18T11:36:00.000+05:30

Surprisingly, there is not a single WADA-accredited lab in India capable of testing for prohibited substances (the nearest one is in Malaysia). This is like having public companies without SEBI or banks without the RBI. As an aside, I am told by one neigh-sayer that we have a world-class lab in Chennai that’s mane (and only) job is to test samples from horses.

I’d be interested to hear from someone with knowledge on the matter on what it would take to set up such a lab. What’s holding people back from expanding their existing diagnostic centres that seem to be flourishing? Is it financial viability or something else?

Along the same lines, the average Indian sportsperson is uninformed and often unguided on what common medicines contain prohibited substances. There must be an international blacklist database out there for commonly available medicines. This must be translated to the Indian context given that a majority of our pharmaceuticals go under generic brandnames. Doctors must be educated on dealing with sportspersons’ everyday ailments. It must become a procedural requirement that athletes tell a doctor upfront that they are sporting professionals and cannot afford to have performance enhancing drugs or masking agents in their bloodstreams. They must also have tighter control over their diets and other intake and should not ingenst anything unless they are aware of its contents. Unintentional doping by an athlete is as much of an offence as deliberate doping, with the bigger crime in the former case being the indifference of the system.

* A wada/vada is an Indian savoury donut.

Sport A'Live

2006-10-16T09:50:00.000+05:30

I've enjoyed re-engaging with live sport in India at Mumbai's ATP tennis and the Champions Trophy cricket.

Indian crowds are knowledgeable, fun and passionate. Being among them was a reminder of what sport means to the average Indian. Top class sport is no longer something that only happens abroad.

We are a society that thrives on the vicarious enjoyment of others' achievements and heroic deeds. Sport provides the additional layer of participation, of feeling like your one extra wolf-whistle, cheer or flag-wave was the all important inspiration for your sporting hero's sensational free-kick, catch or passing-shot.

The opportunity to attend a healthy dose of live sport must supplement TV broadcasts. They will feed each other's success. Unfortunately, with ticket prices headed north (the cheapest ticket at the cricket was Rs. 700, which is a middle class family's average MONTHLY expenditure on personal healthcare products) the common man may be confined to vicariously enjoying the vicarious pleasures of live sport.

The Essence

2006-10-13T10:27:00.000+05:30

O Sport, pleasure of the Gods, essence of life.
You appeared suddenly in the midst of the grey clearing
which writhes with the drudgery of modern existence,
like the radiant messenger of a past age,
when mankind still smiled.

O Sport, You are Peace!
You forge happy bonds between the peoples
by drawing them together in reverence for strength
which is controlled, organised and self disciplined.
Through you the young of the entire world
learn to respect one another,
and thus the diversity of national traits becomes a source
of generous and peaceful emulation!

-- excerpts from Pierre de Coubertin's Olympic medal winning "Ode to Sport."

First Class Coach

2006-10-11T18:37:00.000+05:30

There are many aspects in which Indian sport may lack…and among those might be the absence of a “sporting culture”. However, I would hypothesise that there is no dearth of sporting talent in India, no shortage of people ready to work hard, willing to nurture talent and to make that big push towards achievement. If nothing else, we are an achievement oriented culture. We like objective criteria to judge our achievements by. Sport gives us that. It also gives us opportunities for glory, and who doesn't like glory?

Speaking of nurturing talent, the relationship between coach and ward is a special one. Growing up in Bangalore, one was exposed to sports coaches within and outside the school setting. These people remain respected and, I’m sure many others would agree, played a huge role during the foundational years.

To name just a few of Bangalore's iconic coaches (at the risk of missing out many), there was Nihar Ameen at KC Reddy for swimming, Sunil and Reeth Abraham of SURE for athletics and Keki Tarapore of the Bangalore United Cricket Club for cricket. These people, like many others, have dedicated hundreds of hours towards helping their wards achieve their potential. They have lived simple lives, foregoing rich reward and motivated themselves to improve their own skills as coaches and others’ skills as athletes. When you worked with them there was no quarter given or taken.

Great coaches attract talent and help focus energies and investment. As with school teachers, many coaches will do what they do "for the love of the game". At the same time, as sports formalise and professionalise, it is going to be important for talented coaches to see clearer career paths and growth opportunities, too.

Spendorsements

2006-10-10T13:37:00.000+05:30

Is there a difference between a sponsor and an endorser?

Simply put, a sponsor is a person who takes financial or other responsibility for a person/thing; an endorser is someone who lends his/her name to and vouches for a person/thing. For example, if a shoe company pays for the upkeep, maintenance and training of a sportsperson, the shoe company is the sponsor. If an athlete lends his name to the shoe company for advertising and promoting its brand, the athlete is the endorser.

In the Indian sports/celebrity context, the lines between these seem to have blurred. Given the importance of this source of income, endorser sportspersons often seem to treat endorsements made as receipts of sponsorship. Many a star has turned up to a corporate event with little awareness of the product or service they are "endorsing" let alone its advantages and disadvantages and possible ill-effects.

Presumably, it makes sense to use celebrities in advertising campaigns and as "brand ambassadors" as it suggests to members of the public that someone they respect and admire has tried the product/service and believes it is good for other people to use (so much so that he/she is willing to put his/her name behind it).

Celebrities certainly have responsibilities to their endorsees: to act in good faith and to maintain a good public imagine, but also don't they have a duty to have an awareness of just what it is they are endorsing? Further, when deciding whether or not to endorse something, don't they have responsibilities to the public as well? How many will follow the Gopichand lead, do their due diligence and stand up for what they believe in (despite economic consequences)?

Perhaps it is purely a matter of demand and supply. Whether a sportsperson is young and fresh or established and famous they might believe they are best off taking whatever they get. However, in the absence of thoughtful celebrity endorsement, at some point there will be an erosion of public faith, the very premise on which endorsements rest.

Poll Position

2006-10-09T13:30:00.001+05:30

Yesterday, I watched a programme on one of the "better" TV channels that aimed to critically analyse the state of Indian cricket. This "critical analysis" was primarily based on opinion polls of former cricketers, the public and the studio audience. Some of the questions were inane, others were two or three questions bundled into one and most had illusory options. Does X need a haircut? Is Rapidex still India’s foremost English-speaking course?

Honestly, does it matter in the least whether the Indian public believes that India has a team capable of winning the World Cup?

Do you believe in opinion polls?
	Yes
	No
	That's a pollitically incorrect question

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Despite consistently inconsistent performances by the national team, there is huge over-exposure of international cricket in the Indian media (and it's only getting worse). Successful performances don't seem to be a pre-requisite for popularity. And anything cricket related seems to find its way on to TV.

I find it hard to believe that other sports are not already ripe for media packaging. In other countries, niche TV audiences are targeted by sports such as BMX bicycling, skating and poker. If nothing else, our enormous population ensures that we have a very Long Tail of diverse interests and tastes.

Media outlets are so desperate to distinguish themselves; yet, they reproduce the same cricket tripe again and again. I'll go out on a limb to say that televising a professional wood-chopping competition would more likely deliver them their coveted "breaking story".

Game Theory

2006-10-08T14:53:00.000+05:30

Until I went off to law school, I was fortunate to be at educational institutions that took their sport seriously. Nothing was sweeter than victory at the annual sporting tournaments and nothing more bitter than defeat. I wouldn't have liked it any other way.

At my law school admission interview, I was asked, "Is it going to be sport (cricket) or law for you?" As I gave the "correct" answer, I knew that my life was about to change.

Participation in sport is an education in itself. It teaches dedication, leadership, confidence, humility, time management and a whole lot more. In the same token, an emphasis on sporting pursuits has historically been an essential part of a wholesome Indian education (at least that's what my Amar Chitra Katha's suggested).

Our schools and colleges can, and often do, play enormously important roles in promoting sport. They usually provide a child's first opportunity to participate in organised sport. With well tailored programmes, they can keep students interested and participating in sport regardless of academic commitments. Professional institutions such as engineering colleges, business schools, medical institutions and law schools can also do their bit to build and influence the sporting ecosystem.

Sport also has much to offer educational institutions. Sporting achievement helps build identities and reputations. As the US experience has shown, it can also be the catalyst for alumni donations and participation. Finally, it can do no harm to have a happy and healthy student population.

The time has come to rethink school and collegiate sport in India. We need a broadbased approach emphasising participation coupled with a professional focus promoting high-level achievement.

Some people I spoke with recently suggested the need to set up quality residential schools that recruit the most talented sportspersons while remaining uncompromising on academic standards. Whether or not that will act as the tipping point, it would be fantastic to no longer lose talented sportspersons because they "chose to pursue their education".

Standing at another crossroads, today I have a different answer to that law school interview question. Take an educated guess...

Where the Streets Have No Game

2006-10-05T09:54:00.000+05:30

Among the highlights of my growing up years were my numerous matchwinning performances in the Wimbledon finals, the Ryder Cup, the FIFA World Cup, the World Championship of Cricket, the All England Badminton Championships and the Olympics...all on the streets outside my home (let it also be said that my fervent requests to recreate an F-1 circuit fell on unsympathetic ears). It was the beginning of my love affair with sport. And she will always remain a favoured mistress.

Today, our streets are more crowded, polluted and unsafe than ever before. Public playfields are being encroached upon. One sees fewer and fewer kids involved in pick-up sport. Other inactive occupations (such as TV, video games, the Internet...and tuitions) compete for time. Attention spans and activity levels are at risk. Childhood obesity is growing. This is sad.

Many champions are born on the streets. Everyone has heard of the Gavaskars and the Ronaldos. The streets and public playfields also introduce children to the pleasure of sport with little performance pressure and present them with an opportunity to socialise with others of their own age. Sport has many positive externalities.

The three primary objectives of a policy to encourage participation in sport are to get people to Start, Stay in and Succeed at sport at all levels. The easiest time to introduce anyone to sport and the resultant healthy lifestyle is when they are young and full of energy.

It may be a challenge to reclaim our streets. Regardless, we must recreate the wonder of street sport in safe and encouraging environments. It is time to get Cupid back to work (notwithstanding some very upset future spouses).

Use the Facilities

2006-10-03T22:04:00.000+05:30

Anyone who's played competitive sport has got his/her fair share of earfuls from opponents (and teammates) for various on-field and off-field performances. One of my favourites was the 'encouragment' from my cricket teammates when I'd just bowled a full-toss: "C'mon man, use the facilities" (suggesting that it might just be a good idea to get the ball to bounce on the pitch).

A common refrain among critics of the sports scene in India is that we don't have the physical infrastructure for the growth and encouragement of sports. While that is patently true, the issue is not that simplistic. This is both a demand side and a supply side problem. Is there enough demand to justify the building of new stadia or facilities? Are there capable managers of these facilities and event organisers who will help justify massive upfront investments? Moreover, if anything, it appears that the lives of both children and adults are getting progressively more sedentary.

With increasing private investment in infrastructure, a good business/revenue case will have to be made out for any big investment (for example, with roads one can forecast traffic and resulting toll). Are we managing, playing sport in and organising events using our existing facilities with enough regularity and professionalism to justify more? It is sad to see existing sports fields unused, stadiums unkempt and infrastructure underutilised. Each an opportunity wasted. C'mon man, use the facilities.

What do you want to become when you grow up?

2006-10-02T23:34:00.000+05:30

A few weeks ago, I was asked this question by my 11 year old cousin. Sometimes, I wish I knew and I wish I would.

Then yesterday on a visit to Pune, I had the chance to reunite with a friend I hadn't met in over a decade and we got talking about our careers, and whether they matched out aptitudes and personalities (Myers-Briggs analyses included). This triggered the memory of a personality test I did while at graduate school in the US (studying law and getting all set to be an intellectual property lawyer). It was a multiple choice questionnaire where one had to answer about a hundred factual questions regarding preferences, approaches and opinions. In the past, this test had been completed by hundreds of others who considered themselves happy and successful in their respective professions (professions of all types). And the analysis was to see the statistical match between one's own unique set of responses and the aggregated responses of those in these various professions. The analyst I spoke with after told me that I wasn't cut out for a legal career and that my responses matched closest to those of Sports Facilities Managers. I went back to my dorm, laughed a lot and prepared for my next lawfirm interview.