A Historic Olympic Moment for India
The competition was fierce until the final shot. India’s Abhinav Bindra, neck and neck with his closest rival, made history with a near-perfect shot in the men’s 10-meter air rifle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Bindra’s victory earned India its first-ever individual Olympic gold, a moment that sparked hope across the nation. Many believed this could be the turning point for India, a country that had long underperformed in the Olympics despite its vast population.
Unfulfilled Olympic Dreams
However, 16 years and four Summer Games later, India’s Olympic dreams remain largely unfulfilled. With just one additional gold medal since Bindra’s triumph, the aspirations of a nation have yet to materialize. India, the world’s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people, has struggled to achieve Olympic success on par with its global status. Despite recent advancements in other areas, such as its economy and space exploration, India continues to underperform on the Olympic stage.
India’s Struggle in the Olympic Arena
India’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics underscored this struggle. The nation won only six medals, falling short of its record seven-medal haul at Tokyo in 2021. In contrast, the United States, with less than a quarter of India’s population, dominated with 126 medals, followed by China with 91. India ranked 71st in the medal table, behind much smaller nations like Georgia, Kazakhstan, and North Korea, highlighting the country’s ongoing challenges in achieving Olympic success.
The Root Causes of Underperformance
Experts attribute India’s Olympic underperformance to several factors, with underinvestment in sports being a major issue. Unlike traditional Olympic powerhouses, India has not invested heavily in national training programs or the early identification and development of talent. In countries like China, children are trained in sports from a young age, but in India, many athletes face obstacles such as inadequate funding and limited access to facilities, which hinder their development and potential.
Health and Nutrition Challenges
India’s broader health challenges further impede its Olympic progress. The country’s ranking of 111th out of 125 countries in the 2023 Global Hunger Index reflects severe issues with malnutrition. With the world’s highest child wasting rate and over a third of children under age 5 stunted due to malnutrition, these health concerns impact the physical development necessary for excelling in sports. Addressing these fundamental issues is crucial for India to achieve greater success at the Olympic level.
Barriers for Women Athletes
In addition to health and funding challenges, Indian women athletes face significant societal barriers. India remains a deeply patriarchal society, where female athletes often encounter resistance and discrimination. Wrestler Sakshi Malik, who won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has spoken about the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated sport. Malik’s recent activism against sexual harassment in Indian wrestling highlights the ongoing struggles for women in Indian sports.
Growing National Support and Investment
Despite these challenges, there are signs of progress. Indian athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker have achieved notable success, inspiring millions across the country. India’s status in cricket, the nation’s most popular sport, underscores its potential for global dominance in sports. The government has also increased investment in sports through initiatives like “Khelo India” and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), aiming to revive sports culture and support elite athletes.
A Promising Future for Indian Sports
+Looking ahead, there is optimism about India’s Olympic future. While the journey to the top will not happen overnight, experts believe that India’s best Olympic days are still to come. With continued investment in sports infrastructure and a growing recognition of the importance of global sporting success, India has the potential to significantly improve its Olympic performance in the coming years. The country’s ambition to host the 2036 Summer Games further reflects its growing Olympic aspirations.(jilibet)