Think of Indian sports today and states like Haryana, Manipur, Kerala and Andra-Telangana come first to mind. But what about the land of sporting legends like Milkha Singh and Dara Singh -- the land of five Rivers, Punjab. Not so long ago, the state was considered as the Mecca of Indian Sports -- leaders in hockey, athletics, kabaddi and most other sports. Today, things aren't as bright and sunny thanks to an indifferent government. However, individual efforts are still keeping sports in the state alive.
One story of incredible grit and determination reiterates the sporting DNA of Punjab. We're talking about new World Junior champion in boxing, 16-year-old Mandeep Kaur Sandhu. Mandeep, who belongs to a small village called Chakar close to Ludhiana, won the world title in the 52 kg category in Taipei on Saturday. She did it with limited means and with no help from the Punjab Government.
The daughter of a farmer, it was a long and hard road for Mandeep. She started boxing as an 8-year old, a time when her parents could not even afford to buy her boxing gloves, shoes and other equipment. That's when the Sher-E-Punjab Academy in Chakar came to her rescue. The Academy set up by NRIs not only took care of her basic training requirements. The result is now before you! The Punjab Government has announced a 1 lakh rupees cash award for Mandeep but when the world champ actually gets her due is another story.
Now just imagine, how many champions like Mandeep, the academy could have produced had the Government pitched in as well. Boxing in Haryana, Football in Goa, Badminton in Andhra & Telangana and Athletics in Kerala have been flourishing thanks to laudable efforts by the state governments from increasing tax incentive to better facilities and more exposure trips. In the last 3 editions of the National Games, Punjab has not finished in the top 3, having last won the National Games in 2001 as hosts.
Forget just producing champions, sports could play a pivotal role in saving Punjab from the menace of drugs. According to an 8-city survey by the Narcotics Control Bureau, 4 out of 10 men in Punjab are addicted to drugs and half of these numbers are young farmers. One way to control such alarming figures would be to use sports as a way of rehabilitation. Sports would not only help in community building but in channelising resources and energy in the most productive manner.