Sports make a positive impact

This letter is about the Gulf News opinion article “Face off with a Giant” by Shashi Tharoor (“The Olympic-size difference between India and China”, Gulf News, Sept. 06). It is indeed challenging to compete with China in sports, especially in the Asian Games and Olympics. They thoughtfully start training children right from the age of five or six. However, in India, very few parents seem keen on allowing their children to take up any sports as a career option. If India needs to get more medals and recognitions in sports, the authorities should focus more on the infrastructure. Also, educational institutions should come up with ideas to promote sports on a larger scale. Under the leadership of Narendra Modi, the government encouraged sports persons, which has borne fruits during the past five years. Incidentally, it is heartening to know that the state government of Tamil Nadu has plans to send at least 50 athletes for the next Olympics in Paris in 2024. So, it’s a collective responsibility to highlight the importance of participating in sports activities in schools. Sports have a huge role to play when it comes to nation-building. It helps in elevating qualities like discipline, determination and teamwork.

■ N V KRISHNAN

India