India’s approach to sports is flawed because the accent is on winning a medal here and there, in some discipline or the other. There has to be mass participation in sports right from the earliest stage in the life of an individual.
No doubt it is quite creditable that India was at her best at the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020 in terms of the medals won (1 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze). But the most remarkable feature has been the first ever athletics gold in 121 years of participation in the Olympics through the efforts of Neeraj Chopra in javelin throw. Incidentally, India fielded its largest ever contingent (127 sportspersons) in Tokyo.
While saluting those who have won medals, what is called for is introspection as to why a country that is poised to overtake the population of China by the time the 2024 Paris Olympics comes around, ranks in the late 40s in medals tally. At the same time, China is way ahead and almost tops the medals register. Another Asian country, Japan, is close behind China.
