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Indifference of sports czars won’t do

AMAR CHANDEL’s article, “Olympic success: No dearth of talent in the country” (Aug 23) is timely. It reflects the concern of sports lovers in India about the sick state of affairs. The winners have succeeded in spite of the system, not because of it.Indisputably, sports in India have become a victim of political and bureaucratic dominance. Mr Kartar Singh, team manager and renowned wrestler, himself gave a message to Sushil Kumar. Could KPS Gill do it?

Mr Chandel has rightly observed that budding sportsmen need tender care and financial help. Countless careers are nipped in the bud through indifference and arrogance of the sports czars. If a Kapil Dev can be snubbed for asking for more (like Oliver Twist of Dickens), what can be the fate of struggling sportsmen?

The writer has rightly said: “Sports talent is aplenty. What is sadly lacking is sports culture”. It is regrettable that the land of Bhim and Arjun has produced only a few Olympic winners in a century. One hopes that they will not meet the miserable fate of those winners whose names have been laboriously ferreted out by the writer. Indian sports can flourish only if it is taken “out of the clutches of the government, politicians and bureaucrats”.

Prof BASANT SINGH BRAR, Bathinda

II

After winning three medals for the first time in Olympics, India is rightly proud and full of joy. But this should only be a precursor to greater glory. Let’s not sit on our laurels or be euphoric beyond a point. Let the winners not look only at the money aspect of winning and lose their focus by getting sucked in by the endorsements, media glare, etc.

The Army must also take stock of its projects which it had started some years back to win laurels for the nation in sports. R.S. Rathore got us a well deserved Silver in the last Olympics. We expected better overall results from the Armed Forces in the Beijing Olympics. I am sure, it will draw its lessons and give the sports programme greater vigour and focus.

A medal at the Olympics requires single-minded devotion by the sportsmen, the government which can ensure the best of infrastructure and management, and the country that encourages all sports, rather than only watch cricket. Can we build that ethos? If yes, then sky is the limit for India.

Col R.D. SINGH, Corps Officers’ Mess, Leh (J&K)

III

Sushil Kumar from a Delhi suburb has made India rich. He won the bronze in wrestling for India after a gap of 56 years. Full credit goes to him for his success. The country is proud of his achievement.

He has realised the dream of a billion people. His historical success will inspire the sport lovers, specially the poor young ones, to win medals at the highest level. The Centre should also not lag behind in extending all help to budding sportsmen and women to excel.

WAZIR CHAND GOYAL, Panchkula

IV

President Pratibha Patil aptly said that Abhinav Bindra has realised the dream of a billion people by getting the gold medal for shooting at the Beijing Olympics. But then, accolades are not sufficient.

Keeping in view the good performance of our sportsmen at Beijing this time, the Centre and the states should increase the budgetary grant for sports.

We need to develop a new sports culture as China and the US have developed over the years.

T.D. BHARDWAJ, Hadiabad (Phagwara)

V

I agree that we must mull over the reasons why we perform badly in the Olympics compared with China and some small countries. It is intriguing why a country of a billion can’t bring up more Bindras while there is no dearth of talent in India.

There is need for serious introspection at the highest level to remove the shortcomings quickly so that India can fetch more and more Olympic medals.

TARSEM S. BUMRAH, Batala

Bus for Shimla

Barsar is an important, upcoming civil sub-division of Himachal Pradesh. Many commuters travel to Shimla from here. The HRTC has recently introduced a direct bus, but its timings and routes are such that for a mere 140-km run, it takes nearly an entire working day for one way journey.

Moreover, the Barsar-Shimla bus skips its run frequently and without notice, especially during seasonal fair days.

The commuters request another direct day bus to Shimla via Shahtalia-Sunahni-Baghade route. It should leave Barsar at 5 a.m. and return at 9 p.m. to help commuter(s) complete their work at Shimla between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Further, there are about a dozen night buses for Shimla form Dharamshala, Pathankot, Chintpurni etc. They all run via Hamirpur-Bhota- Ladrour-Ghumarwin. Some of these night buses should cover Nadaun- Barsar-Shahtalai- Sunahni route as well.

K. L. NOATAY, Shimla