Cricket remained the face of sports in India for decades overshadowing every other sport including our national sport i.e. Hockey. But due to heavy attention and rapidly changing government policies, sports other than cricket have started creeping in and making their way into the minds of general public in the country.Besides this, the immense difficulties faced by the youth today, to secure a job even after doing so much study has helped in shifting the interest of parents to re-think on their ideologies and see sports as a career option.
Not only Men’s Cricket, but Women’s Cricket, badminton, tennis, chess, archery, squash, wrestling, boxing and even games like football, weightlifting, judoka and golf have started drawing everyone’s attention.The introduction of National Youth Games every year by the government is a huge step in the history of Indian sports as it has helped the nation to draw out the best talents of the country and assistedtalented players from remote areas to participate and get recognized by the selectors and the think-tank on a national platform.
Financial aspect of sports as career
To take up anything as one’s career option, it is important for it to be financially offering. Earlier, parents resisted their children into sports becauseonly a hand full of players rose to the level of stardom while maximum sportspersons could not even meet their basic financial needs from earnings through their game. This scenario is changing now. For instance, the cricket board of India has recently notified to bring pay parity for its centrally contracted players, i.e. both, men and women cricketers will get equal pay from now here. This landmark decision will deeply influence the parents of young female players to pursue their passion as permanent career option.
Role of Indian government
Various government initiatives have provided wings to the sportspersons. The personal attention of the Prime Minister of the country, special and fast assistance for top-ranked players bysports ministry, monetary incentives and rewards on winnings, special reservations in government jobs etc. are among the top motivators for new generation players to seriously follow their passion into a bright career.
Conclusion
To develop the passion of sports into a permissible career option, a child needs to be provided the right guidance from a very tender age and this culture of putting the child into some formal training of one or more games right from early school days is growing fast. Thus, the next generation of India is set to change the face of sports in the country on the positive side.
