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The importance of sports and games is being increasingly recognised in India, from both the educational and social points of view. More and more funds are being allocated for encouraging sports in schools, colleges and universities; in fact, sports have become an essential part of the curricula.
Time was when only a few students, who were fond of games like hockey, football, cricket or tennis, were allowed special facilities. But now regular programmes are drawn up in all educational institutions to persuade as many students as possible, regardless of special aptitudes, to participate in games, and not merely watch matches occasionally to cheer up their favourite teams or attend the prize distribution functions at the end of a sports season.
Educationists and others have come to the conclusion that it is in the interest of society as a whole that adequate facilities should be provided, depending, of course, upon the availability of funds, for games and sports for the country's youth, both boys and girls.
Sports foster friendship and amity. Nor does the belief hold well any more that those who take part in sports or games would be no good at studies, and that each year their absence from the class or shortage of lectures would be condoned because they can either attend to their studies or be on the playing field for some game or the other.
It is felt that apart from some exceptional cases of students showing extraordinary talent and skill in certain games, or students who are expected to be high on the merit list in university examinations, most other students should play one game or other, not necessarily for achieving distinctions, but for the sake of sport.
Several factors need to be taken into account in this connection. First, physical fitness is of the utmost importance for everyone, young and old. Participation in games and sports invariably ensures good health, fitness and, generally, freedom from ailments of various types.
Also, unless the human body is kept in smooth trim and in an overall fit condition, even the brain will refuse to co-operate after some time. Actually, physical fitness is essential for proficiency in studies and for winning distinctions in examinations. Ailing bodies do not make for sharp brains. Exercise in some form or another is necessary, and sports provide an easy method to ensure such fitness.
Secondly, regular participation in sports provides a healthy channel for diversion of energies. Wherever students and other youth participate in sports regularly, misdirection of youthful vigour is much less and the tendency to indulge in indiscipline and mischief is curbed.
Young people have surplus energy, and if this is fruitfully utilised, the foundations are laic for a healthy society, where people are fully aware of the need for discipline, co-operative effort, team spirit, the cult of sportsmanship, of joint devotion to the achievement of a common goal in collaboration with others. They also learn to cultivate the vital quality of learning how to work together, to become not only good winners, but also good losers.
Thirdly, the statement that "the battle of Waterloo was won on the playfields of Eton", implying that playing games and the spirit of sportsmanship help to inculcate lasting values, which make for good soldiers, good fighters and good discipline, apart from promoting 100 per cent physical fitness. In British schools and colleges, the fullest importance is given to sports, especially cricket and football.
The result has been the creation of a healthy, well-developed, disciplined and efficient society in which people know the right proportions in life, put everything in the right perspective, and seldom conduct themselves in an unsporting, ungentlemanly and unbecoming manner. Playing the game on the playground naturally instructs people to play the game of life in the right spirit, which is what matters most, not victory or defeat.
According to sociologists, "society gains in many ways when the government encourages sports and games everywhere, provides playgrounds, the necessary equipment and other facilities, and rewards outstanding sportsmen, so as to encourage others also to play games. The crime graph dips, which means that the incidence of general crimes decreases because the right spirit and the right approach to things is developed on the playground.
Sport, it has been said, is not only a manifestation of animal energy of surplus strength to develop more strength; it is, in addition, a safe and wholesome outlet for the aggressive spirit in human beings.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines play thus: "to move about in lively or unrestrained or capricious manner, frisk, and flutter." This definition, however, also conveys a wrong concept and a misleading interpretation. In genuine sports there is no question of a "capricious manner"; the aim is to play the game in a fair manner, according to the prescribed rules of which every player is supposed to be fully aware.
Those who violate the rules, play foul or exceed the permissible limits, or indulge in tactics that are unfair, are promptly pulled up by the referee or the umpire. Anyone who refuses to mend his ways or to repeatedly violate the rules is ordered to quit the field and is replaced by another player. This helps to inculcate the habit of respecting the judge and of observing the rules.
While most people concede the importance of sports in a healthy society and under a good government, there has also been much criticism, which is fully justified, too, about the craze, enthusiasm and fervour displayed by people of all ages, especially the country's youth (except the sober elders and duty-conscious officers and employees), whenever cricket matches are being played in India or abroad and wherever India is one of the partici¬pants. Work virtually comes to a stop in offices, factories, schools and col¬leges.
Everyone starts watching to cricket on TV, forget their work and duty, in effect lose themselves mentally in the process; all their attention is concentrated on the ball-by-ball commentaries. At wayside shops, in trains and buses, on ships and in aircraft, it is the same story during the cricket season—people attentively listening to radio commentaries or watching the cricket matches on TV.
Surely, this is not what we mean by sport and sportsmanship. The right description for this habit is "craze". It does not develop any of the values which sports and games inculcate—discipline and playing the game in the right spirit.
Some observers have contended that there is a close link between sports and a country's industrial development and the general progress of society. That is why it is contended, most of the gold medals at the Olympics are bagged by advanced countries such as the U.S.A., Russia and Germany, and Britain too manages to bag a few of them. Of the eastern countries, China and Japan plunder most of the gold and silver medals.
Is there a link also between performance in sport and a country's military might? Militarily, China is the most powerful country in the East, but Japan, which matches the U.S.A. in industrial, especially electronic ad¬vancement, does well in sports despite its small size. India is a large country of continental size, and given the proper incentives and the necessary facili¬ties, this country's sportsmen should do well on the sports field, but whether it is the climatic factor, the lack of adequate nutrition and of incentives, our sportsmen do not compare favourably with those of the USA, Russia, Ger¬many and Australia.
In any case, the relatively poor show of our athletes in international competitions does not weaken the case for encouraging sports which help to lay the foundations of a healthy, sound society. The cost is returned several- fold.
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Ames should form an integral part of our life for its proper development. Sound mind resides in sound body. Physical fitness is a must. For health and physical fitness games and sports are essential. All young men and women in schools, colleges, universities and training institutions should play games.
Even business executives and others engaged in serious and very responsible activities should play some game in their spare time. It is necessary for their good health, physical fitness and mental alertness.
A proper balance should be maintained between work and games. Work would become burden it there are no games and sports. A fair amount of physical exercises, games and sports should form an essential part of our daily life and routine. Study is food for mind, and gaffes are food for body; neither should we be starved or overfed. We can maintain good health by playing games regularly. They keep us active, alert, disciplined, vibrant and bold. Ames develops team spirit, sportsmanship and equanimity. A player takes success and failure in its stride. They teach us the spirit of adventure, patience, tolerance and cooperation.
It is rightly said that the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton. The hero of the battle was a student of this famous school where he learnt and imbibed all the qualities required to win a battle as a player and sportsman.
India, with half the population of the world, has not been doing well on this front on the national and international levels. It is very sad that no proper attention is being given to games and sports in schools and colleges. There are no proper facilities for these activities. Year after year, Indian teams have shown dismal performance in the international sports events. Unfortunately, in India games are held as a source of mere entertainment. They are not taken seriously, nothing has been done to promote them to the desired standards, it’s really humiliating that our teams should return empty- handed without even a few gold or silver medals. Games and sports can play a crucial role in building our image in the world.
Of late, some worthwhile measures have been taken tar promote games and sports on regional and national levels. The sports Authority of India have begun the Motional Sports Talent Contest for spotting and nurturing sports talent in the country. It is a right step in the right direction. The gifted boys and girls should be caught young for this purpose. Creation of sports awareness among young boys and girls on school level, in their formative years, will go a long way to realize the objective of a “Sound mind in a sound body “.
Riot only government agencies but also corporate bodies and business houses should come forward to promote games and sports in a big, and on permanent basis. They should adopt schools and promising boys and girls. There should be more such schools and institutions where sports are given due importance along with liberal education. There should be sufficient budget and fund allocations for the purpose. The promising students should be provided with adequate training and playing facilities. They should be given chances of international exposure and competition at the very school stage.
There are scores of games and sports to choose from according to one’s taste, aptitude and physical fitness. Football, volleyball, basketball, badminton, lawn tennis, table tennis, athletics, weight- lifting, cricket, rowing, yachting, mountaineering are some of the well-known physical disciplines. More and more people, parents, private and public agencies should be involved in the promotion of games and sports. The promising and talented students should be provided with all the modern facilities to develop their skills in various games. They – should be given scholarships, and kept in residential schools with adequate coaching and field-facilities. There are hundreds of students who can really excel in various games and sports by dedicating themselves to the cause, if there is a secure future for them in years to come. The question of security in future is a great source of worry to the players. What about security and income in old age? Such problems should be addressed and solved immediately.
Ames and sports should be above party-politics and undesirable interference. It is high time that we as a nation and democratic country re-orient our attitude and reframe our priorities about games. Proper planning and its effective execution is the need of the hour. Proper development of games and sports can solve so many of our problems related to student unrest and indiscipline. The good habits formed in the playground stand in good stead throughout the life. Ames and sports teach the players obedience, fair-play, team-spirit, co-operation, courage, and tolerance, balance of mind and judgment quickness in decision-taking, punctuality and sense of oneness as Indians.
Our teams go abroad to participate in international sports events. They are our ambassadors and help in promoting the national interests. They can enhance the national image and respect by winning laurels and medals. They can also promote better understanding, cooperation and cultural ties between India and other countries. Exchange of players, sports-persons, coaches and teams can be a good source of international peace, mutual help and development.
Let us rise to the occasion as a nation and take more serious view of games and sports so as to inspire our young men and women with confidence, team-spirit, national pride and strict sense of discipline. Health is wealth and games are a must for our national health and well being. Only healthy, happy and courageous people can provide the desired leadership to the nation. The student of today is the citizens and leaders of tomorrow. Let them be molded into a tough, hard-working, disciplined and dedicated force through proper training and practice of games and sports. Let them have sound minds in their sound bodies. Only then we can hope to rise and become a powerful nation.