A foreign citizen among the Indian diaspora has mocked at the poor performance of Indian athletes, compared to its population, in successive Olympics.
Even though you are not more Indian citizens, Indian blood courses through your veins. Your angst is, therefore, understandable. I, however appeal to you to not look only under the heterogenic, compound stone with multiple fissures, that is India.
Pl remember, good, bad, and indifferent, this is the Country of 145.4 crores Indians and most of us are proud of her.
“Breathes there a man with soul so dead, who never to himself hath ever said,
‘this is my own, my native land …’.
Yes, we won only seven medals at Tokyo.
It was, however, the most number of medals for the Country in a single world tournament, including the first individual athletic gold, (Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra).
Though it is an immaterial detail and a small comfort, our population in 2020 was 139 Crores and Notb148 crores as shown in the picture banner.
Let us not forget that before the British systematically looted our Country for over 200 yrs, India was one of the richest countries in the world. No wonder they called it their “Crown Jewel”.
Despite all efforts, as of today, out of a population of 145.4 Crores, (Not 148 crores), approx 40% are extremely poor, 35% are middle class, 21% are upper middle class, 3% are rich and 1% are super rich., (The last category holding 40.1% of the Country’s wealth).
Approx 55% of the population is still receiving 5 kg of dry ration per month, i.e., 60 Kg/yr; at an average cost of say, Rs 100/kg, total annual amount of social security provided by the State is a paltry 6,000/-, (72 US$ and 99 Canadian $, per annum).
In so far as the nouveau rich in India are concerned, they strive hard only in one field : how to become richer. The only sport in which the rich/nouveau rich have taken part in the past are …..
> Shooting, (Maharaja Karni Singh of Bikaner);
> Golf, (Jeev Milkha Singh; Anirban Lahiri s/o Dr Tushar, a senior officer in Army Medical Corps);
> Squash, (Till 1963, it was all “Services”; the first civilian squash Champion was Anil Nayar, from an affluent business family)
Deprived of job and other means of earning for the educated, the poor are the only class who struggle to be socially recognised, by excelling in sports, through the sacrifices of their parents.
The poorest of the poor population that aspires for recognition through sports is approx half the poor, i.e., 27 crores.
Now let us take the figures for some of the super rich countries.
USA :
Population : 33 crores
% of poor : 11
(All poor in receipt of social security)
Population density : 37/km², (As against 481 in India)
Per capita income : 78,000 PPP $
(Against India’s 8230 PPP $)
CANADA (Geographically 2nd largest in the world)
Population : 4.15 Crs
% of poor : 10
% receiving GIS. : 3 (Approx 13 L)
Population density: 4
Perc apita income : 57,760 PPP $
The disparity between the realities in India and developed countries like US, CANADA is too apparent to need any further elaboration.
Everything, however, is not bleak. Post COVID, India has been the fastest growing economy in the world. I am not talking about the population dependant GDP. Hopefully we will stabilise the population, and yet have growth in GDP, but we must keep raising the per capita income.
And then, our sports people will, hopefully, start rubbing shoulders with the best in the World.
It may take a couple of decades more, but it shall happen, for sure.
Jai Hind; Jai Bharat.
Samuel Dhar is a veteran of the Indian Army. He is an out and out secular Nationalist. He goes all out to defend and uphold the CONSTITUTION of India, (That is also called Bharat), as per the oath he was administered at the time of his commission as an officer in 1962. Apart from a large number of published Articles, Samuel also has a Blog site https://samuelsworld1937.blogspot.in. He can be contacted on [email protected]
