- Our country is dotted with more peculiarities and conflicting paradoxes while treating our women folks needs no further elaboration. Patriarchy and misogynistic viewpoints continue to hog the limelight even in this age of modernity is an inalienable fact showcasing how far we are yet to traverse to usher in those talks of gender equality, parity, respect, and fair treatment. It’s an everyday travail for the women fighting to lead a dignified existence where a simple choice of what clothes to wear might lead to unpleasant situations. There is dime a dozen examples of women’s suppression in one or the other form occurring across the country so very frequently. Hearteningly, women are proving no less determined than their counterparts on several counts.
PC: Bella Williams
- The Tokyo Olympics has brought this factor to the fore where women athletes have made the entire Indian people feel extremely proud through their exploits. The silver medalist weightlifter Mirabai Chanu will be a household name for generations to come. As will be the bronze medalist boxer Lovelina Borgohain. Of course, a set of braveheart women hockey players who despite failing to win a medal would still be winning the hearts of millions over their resilience and fighting spirit exhibited on the world’s biggest sporting arena. They put up such a stellar show and fight the other day before going down 4-3 to Rio Olympics champions Britain that the entire country rejoiced while watching them display awesome skillsets with such phenomenal attitude and approach.
- Coming close on the heels of the Indian men’s hockey team winning a bronze medal after a long wait of 41 years, an unforgettable show put up by the women’s team too should not go vain in the usual apathy surrounding our sporting culture. Especially women who have pioneered a trail for hockey players to follow across the country. The bronze might have slipped by us this time around, but the dream of a gold tomorrow is real now, except it needs the country to up its game. With such a stellar performance from both teams catching the imagination of the entire nation, the national sport should be resurrected, rejuvenated, and extended every possible heavy lifting leading to its erstwhile position in the sporting scheme of things.
PC: Kalptaru Agarwal
- Most of the hockey players emerge from Punjab, Haryana, Jharkhand, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, and Uttarakhand where many are encumbered with deep poverty as well as Naxal troubles. They are inspirational examples of the role of scouting sports talent in rural, tribal, and other deprived areas, where the hunger for an opportunity is the rawest, and hence the determination to pay even the highest physical toll to make it big. Catching such raw talents young will be critical. Sadly, news reports suggest only 9025 boys and girls are currently under training at 189 Sports Authority of India centers. Miniscule number indeed for a country of our population. Hence, considerably expanding requisite infrastructure should be the way forward.
- There has been a renewed effort to dramatically improve financial and specialist support in the last few years. However, we need much more than the present pumping in of funds. Note that the Government of India’s entire sports budget of $350m is so less than the $480m Britain has spent on the Tokyo games alone. It mirrors how far we have to contribute in terms of extending financial assistance. Starting a Women’s Hockey League should be considered forthwith alongside attractive television broadcasts to complement. Finding willing sponsors to extend all possible support to hockey would be the icing on the cake. Hopefully, something concrete on these lines will fructify sooner than later. The momentum gained deserves to be sustained. Chak de, India!
