By default or design, the celebrations for National Sports Day, which happens to be the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, began in Paris in the wee hours of Thursday at the Parade of Nations. As the much-awaited Paralympics was officially inaugurated, to watch India’s Para athletes on view along iconic spots in the French Capital was indeed defining. Yes, the date for the Paralympics inauguration was not decided by India. But the fact that it coincided with National Sports Day is destiny.
For all those who complain from the comforts of couches and sofas that India is ‘not a sporting nation’, it was compelling to watch the extravaganza in Paris, a city steeped in history, which dared to shift a Paralympics opening ceremony outdoors. It called for planning and care. That the organisers pulled it off in the most emphatic way worked so well for the 84 Indian Para athletes who will aim for gold and glory over the next fortnight.
The historic National Stadium in New Delhi, now renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, overlooks the majestic India Gate in the heart of the nation’s capital. It was this stadium which hosted the inaugural Asian Games in 1951. Much has changed since then in the sporting landscape, but in front of the stadium entrance, Dhyan Chand stands tall. It is for this reason that when the Indian hockey team returned from Paris after winning the bronze medal, they went to the site and paid their respects. This was not optics alone. It was a very sincere attempt to remember a man who put Indian hockey on the global map in an era when sport was so different.
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Yes, Indian sport is not just about hockey. But then, anyone who has read even a bit of history will agree that it was hockey which brought us Olympic medals with one legend in particular indulging in mesmerising creativity and scoring goals against the best teams at the Olympics. Hockey is rightly called India’s national sport, and to win back-to-back Olympic medals again in Tokyo and Paris signals that it is in the ascendant.
Back to the Indian Paralympians, and the two stars who led the way at the opening ceremony. Sumit Antil and Bhagyashri Jadhav must have felt the adrenaline rush as the clock ticked into Thursday morning, India time. The 84 Indian athletes who will fight for medals need to be celebrated and would already have got plenty of inspiration from the opening gala. Paris has rolled out the red carpet, and what a sight it was to watch big contingents like Brazil and China.
As for National Sports Day, from Paris to New Delhi and other cities, each sporting institution will have some activity to mark this important day. However cynical one is about the Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India, they do ensure there is some activity which celebrates Dhyan Chand and make it a point to encourage youth to take to sports. It does not matter if an athlete fails to become a national champion or goes beyond. What is important is to compete fair and square.
For those not happy with India’s six-medal haul at the Paris Olympics, the Paralympics will definitely bring in more medals. This should ring in a revolution of sorts. Playing any sport, even as recreation, is important. At a time when India is dealing with lifestyle diseases like hypertension and diabetes, some physical activity and playing sport helps, physically and mentally.
National Sports Day, August 29, was also marked as the date on which the President of India would distribute the Arjuna awards and the Khel Ratna, plus the Dhyan Chand lifetime award and the Dronacharya award. Four years back, the Sports Ministry decided that in a year where an Asian Games or Olympics is held, the awards would be postponed. The reason was simple, to look at all the performances and then decide who best merited awards. It is for this reason that the Sports Ministry will wait for the Paralympics to end and then form an awards committee.
If we Indians still need a spur to get into any physical activity and sport, just hit the TV remote and shift from Netflix to Paralympics, where there will be no shortage of inspiration.
Also Read: Record Paralympics gold-medal haul not out of reach on National Sports Day