Are other sports neglected for cricket?

A cricket lover knows well that BCCI is the world’s richest cricket board. The board is spending crores of rupees on cricketers every year for playing various domestic and international cricket. But does anyone know of the 20-year old swimming champion from Bengal - Rashmi Sharma, who is in real need of a sponsor for making her dream of being the first Indian to swim English Channel both ways, come true!

How many of us ever think of any sports apart from cricket. Thanks to our Indian government, sponsors and media for bringing in cricket in our bed rooms, close to our heart and soul. Cricket is not our national sports, and to be frank, not many countries around the world play this game. So what? Indian cricket team is successfully making its mark in the world sports’ arena and it will continue to do so in the near future.

I am not against this sport, but what I mean to say is why we are neglecting other sports such as football, hockey, lawn tennis, table tennis or swimming when they are bringing in so much glory to our motherland. Take for example, Leander Paes who won Bronze medal in the Olympics (Atlanta, 1996) or weightlifter Karnam Malleswari who also won bronze in Sydney, 2000.

How can we ever forget the only Indian gold medal that Abhinava Bindra has won in archery in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games? There are so many of these real-life instances when various players from India have brought home triumph and honour. It’s really sad to see parents trying to make their son admit in a cricket coaching center to become the next Sachin Tendulkar or Kapil Dev rather than imbibe in him interest for hockey or football.

However of late, Indians have started paying attention and enjoying sports other than cricket. But, I am a bit confused as to whether it’s a genuine love for the game or for some other reason, may be get to see beautiful Sania Mirza or Saina Nehwal for that purpose!

Another very sad aspect is the indifference of the national sports authority towards players at various state-levels. Many of the aspiring young boys and girls, coming from humble backgrounds are finding it quite difficult to make their ends meet. They are literally begging for sponsors so that they can compete at the international meets held all-round the year.

An interview with Rashmi Sharma was published in a city’s daily newspaper, where she was upset in not getting a sponsor to make her fulfill the dream of swimming English Channel both ways. She has already made a hattrick in swimming in the stormy icy-cold strait from Calais to Dover.

Most recently is the news of the national hockey team in not willing to play unless their fees are cleared. What a sad instance for a country so rich in culture, heritage and with world famous players like Leander Peas, Vishwanathan Anand, Prakash Padukone and Sachin Tendulkar.