Vikram Singh Rajvi, a football coach in Rajasthan, says we idolize only cricket stars and then shamelessly expect other athletes to win Olympic Medals. His views:
I must begin with the historic victory of Rajasthan girls at the Junior Girls Football National Championship recently. This win is a testament to the grit and determination of young athletes from rural India, as 12 of the team members come from a small village named Dheengsari in Bikaner.
However, while we celebrate this victory, the irony of our country’s larger sporting scenario strikes me. We are a nation of 1.4 billion people, yet we couldn’t secure a single gold medal at the Paris Olympics. How is it that a country with such a massive population, rich in diversity and talent, is not a global sporting powerhouse? Why are we still not a sporting nation in the truest sense?
The answer, perhaps, lies in our collective obsession with cricket. Cricket is a game played by just a dozen countries, yet it dominates our media, our investments, and our national psyche. Meanwhile, sports like football and hockey, which are played by over a hundred countries and have deep roots in our history, struggle for attention. It’s disheartening to see the disparity in the support these sports receive. Cricket stars are household names while our hockey and football players toil away in relative obscurity.
My father, who captained the Indian football team and saw firsthand the potential our country has in this sport, started the academy from his savings. He provided everything for the children, from shoes to bandages. He faced resistance and ridicule, but his determination never wavered. Today, that same grit is reflected in these girls who come from extremely humble backgrounds. Many of them are daughters of farmers, laborers, and shepherds. Despite the societal and economic challenges, they face, they have pushed forward with relentless determination.
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The problem isn’t a lack of passion or talent. Rajasthan’s rural areas are brimming with potential, but there are several hurdles these kids have to overcome before they can shine. The biggest issue, even today, is financial. While these girls work hard on the field, their nutrition suffers. A sportsperson requires a specific diet to perform at their best, but many of these girls don’t have access to the right nutrition. The economic challenges their families face are severe, and without support, it’s difficult for them to meet the dietary needs of a growing athlete.
This is where the government and private sponsors need to step in. We desperately need more support to provide these athletes with the resources they need. Equipment, training facilities, and most importantly, proper nutrition—these are essential. If we can’t provide our young athletes with the basics, how can we expect them to compete on an international stage?
There is no shortage of talent or passion in this country, but until we invest in sports beyond cricket and build an infrastructure that supports all athletes, we will continue to struggle. We need to celebrate and invest in sports like football and hockey, played by so many worldwide. Only then can we hope to become a true sporting nation.
The narrator is the son of former Indian Football Team captain and Arjuna awardee Magan Singh Rajvi. He is also the designated coach of Rajasthan junior Girls Football Team.
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As told to Deepti Sharma