‘PARENTS MUST SEND KIDS TO PLAY’

Travelling in bus and trains, that too without having reservation, made me more strong and practical, he says

Simplicity and a quiet style of conveying his message to everyone make former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni quite different from others. And he loves to remain like this even when he is playing against a team like Pakistan in World Cup.

His belief of getting success in life is simple and straight –‘just do the right thing’. And wants that every parent in the country should come forward and support their kids to take up sports and help India become a sporting nation in the world.

“I find most of the parents letting their kids play with phones instead of sending them to field as they believe there would be sun burn, heat stroke and injuries etc. to their kids,” said Dhoni adding, “But this way we are only harming the future of India.”

“We never cared about sun burn or anything else and I used to do everything in my life to continue my passion for sports on a routine basis. If parents don’t encourage their kids to take up sports, it will have a big impact on the next generation of this big country,” said Dhoni, who announced setting up of ‘Sports Galaxy’ in the state capital with the support of Krishna Sports Park Private Limited.

The ‘Sports Galaxy’ would be a multiple sports residential complex having world class facilities for disciplines like cricket, football, tennis, shooting, skating, swimming, athletics, wrestling, boxing, martial arts etc.

However, Dhoni accepted that the role of media had become very important in highlighting sporting successes. Today a kid gets right appreciation and even fan following even if he was performing at district, region and state level events. “There is however always a story of struggle behind every successful individual in sports, but people hardly know about this,” said Dhoni.

Terming sports as a tool to become more practical in life, Dhoni said travelling in bus and trains and that too without having reservations in his playing days made him more strong and practical.

I find most of the parents letting their kids play with phones instead of sending them to field as they believe there would be sun burn, heat stroke and injuries etc. to their kids

MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI, FORMER INDIA SKIPPER

SUBHANKAR CHAKRABORTY/HT PHOTO MS Dhoni in Lucknow