I consider myself to be the biggest fan of India (at any sport) and I cheer for my country at sporting events even when I know India in competing for the last three spots. But the sorry picture of Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics has dampened my spirits for the event.
When I got back home from work, I considered myself fortunate for not missing the Indian contingent at the Olympic Sports opening parade. The grandeur of the event made me glued to the TV, sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the arrival of “India”.
Meanwhile it was a treat watching other contingents in their national attires and I very proudly said to my Mom (I literally forced her to watch the event with me, as I told her anytime Indian Contingent would arrive in the parade) that the Best & the Most Exotic Dressed Contingent would be from India. As the contingents arrived from countries like Honduras, Kenya, Fiji, Japan, Spain immaculately dressed in their national attires and carrying loads of confidence on their faces my anxiety just grew. I was almost like a cheer girl from within waiting for my team to come.
As “India” was announced with a Chinese accent and the pictures of Indian Contingent flashed on the screen, it brought a sarcastic smile on my Mom’s face, as if she beat me to a game even without playing. I was crushed under my expectations looking at a small contingent represent ting a nation of 1 Billion dreams and aspirations (including mine). The men were dressed plainly in Sherwanis and the female were dressed as per their will. It was almost as if urban Indian female representing Youngistan were dressed in their ‘Hip” track suits and the traditional female athletes from small cities and rural background were wearing the traditional Saris. The contingent was clearly looking lost devoid of any confidence and the ladies looked as if they came out of a Saas Bahu soap opera, wearing different theme attires.
It must have been a big embarrassment for Sonia (Sonia not Sania…Sonia Gandhi Ji, I mean) waving at a small contingent with the female athletes heterogeneously dressed. To cover up I just told my Mom that actually Sania and Sunita are dressed in their tracks as they didn’t know how to tie an Indian Saari. But I was torn to pieces from within (the cheerleader in me was raped by the female Indian athletes) , and this is no exaggeration. India has lost the Olympics even without a ball being bowled. It is yet another case of India failing to rise at the world arena - "A Case of Lost Business Opportunity" in business parlance.
China showed it is made of stell and spent some USD 67 billion to showcase its rising status in the world arena and stamped it authority with dominance as a rising global powerhouse. Rise as a country not only means consitent growth in GDP figures, but it means much more to the people of the country including strengthening of socia-cultural infrastructure and sports is an important element of it.
I would give newspapers and TV a miss for the next fortnight fearing another nightmearish performance by Indians. Its the goof ups off field which put me off rather than loosing on the field with compretetive spirit. As I write this just heard "PMO intervened in Monika's case" and "Monika to go to Beijing", gggggrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh, what's going on India ? Politics in sports or Politics as a sport.
I stand for "Politics" to be included as a sport in next "Olympics" , for that is the only chance for India to strike Gold at this event.
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