Chak De! India to girl power and less recognized sports

Maitreyee Boruah

Those who’ve seen the Bollywood film Chak De! India have been touched by how the film portrays a bunch of underdogs (a team of women hockey players from different corners of the country) recreating the magic and popularity hockey used to enjoy in India. Recently, the country was taken back to those days as we cheered on India’s junior women’s hockey team, who made history by claiming a bronze medal in the World Cup. In addition, a group of tribal girls from Jharkhand who were part of the Yuwa India Under-14 all-girls football team placed third among 10 all-girls teams, when they competed for the Gasteiz Cup in Spain.

These recent wins bring back the focus, or the lack of it, on not just women in sport, but also on less recognized sports in our country.

International glory brings attention to India

According to former captain and coach of the Indian hockey team, MP Ganesh, “The bronze medal won by the junior women’s hockey team and the bronze won by the Under-14 team from Jharkhand are great achievements by the girls. Both wins help bring attention to sports across the nation.”

However, Ganesh cautions that it is high time that various sports in the country are streamlined. “We need to nurture the available talent and bring transparency into the system for the greater good of all sports in the country,” he adds.

Sportspersons should be aptly supported

Arjuna Award winner and swimmer Nisha Millet says sportspersons should be given due monetary support by the government and private sponsors to help them pursue their passion. “I’m proud of the girls, but without financial backing, it is difficult for sportspersons to continue playing. Due to poor monetary support, many budding and talented sportspersons have given up competitive sport,” laments Nisha, who represented India at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

There is a lot of sporting talent among underprivileged children

Not many would have imagined that a bunch of underprivileged girls from Jharkhand could notch an international victory. In fact, the team were so overwhelmed by their achievement that they broke into a jig to celebrate their win.

“During my long years of association with the underprivileged children, I have come across much sporting talent,” says P Lakshapathi, executive director of Association for Promoting Social Action (APSA) in Bangalore, which works with underprivileged children. “We get professionals to train children in various sports, including cricket, football and kick-boxing. The children are all very good,” adds Lakshapathi.