I rarely write about news making and larger than life subjects in this blog, and try to keep it more like a personal space. That is why this space does not see a mention on India's loss in the world cup or on the issue of reservations. Of course I would have my opinions on these things too, but I keep them to myself.
But Subhash Chandra's idea of floating a cricket academy really caught my attention, and I had to write a little about how things would change if he succeeds. It is not just about cricket. If Chandra's academy works as his plans, the idea may soon expand to other games like Tennis and Hockey, on which people have substantial interest, but there are few teams and players in India to whom we can look up to perform. A success in cricket might soon see Chandra trying to expand to these games. If not Chandra, other smart investors with truck loads of money(especially media companies) might definitely see an opportunity. That would mean widespread corporatisation of many sports, like it now is in the US and Europe. That would lead to encouraging sports beyond cricket and popularization of these games across the country, allowaing more and more aspirants to take up sports as a career.
The fact that most of the sports have to survive on government dole has made today's aspirants to take sports as a second priority after academics. That is probably the primary reason why Indian athletes and sportspersons do not shine in the international arena. Every four years when the Olympics begin, or when the football world cup happens, we keep hearing noises that a country of billion people is missing completely from the scene. Obviously, when ensuring your daily bread is the higher priority, academics are far less risky than thinking of a career in sports. But corporatisation of sports and infusion of money from investors like Subhash Chandra would be able to change all that.
