National Sports Day: A day of commemoration and sporting reflection

Every year, India commemorates the 29th of August as National Sports Day.

The day also serves as a reminder for the acknowledgement of a certain sporting hero for contributions made that left a lasting legacy for sports in the country.

Honouring an Indian legend

The day honours the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand.

Popularly known as “Hockey Ka Jaadugar” (Magician of the game of Hockey), Dhyan Chand led India to three consecutive gold medals in 1928, 1932, and in 1936 Olympics.

His exceptional skills and the glory he brought to Indian hockey inspired the nation's youth at the time and helped establish the country as an indomitable force in the world of hockey for many years to come.

Significance of National Sports Day

India as a sporting nation has evolved since the time of Major Dhyan Chand and visible changes include improvement in sporting infrastructure and medals at international events.

That said, it is important to remind the younger generation of the importance of sports and the significance of dedicating a day to celebrate sports. Here are just some of the reasons why it is essential to have a National Sports Day.

Promoting healthy lifestyle

A study published in The Lancet highlights the monumental rise in obesity rates across India. The lack of physical exercise among both the young and old have contributed to India becoming the third most obese nation in the world, behind only the US and China.

Currently, around 80 million Indians are obese including 10 million children and adolescents, a number almost equivalent to the entire population of Germany. This is a serious public health concern that needs to be addressed urgently.

Giving much needed time and care for the wellbeing of one’s own body is crucial for a long and healthy life. Engaging in sports from a very young age helps in developing personality, consciousness and helps in farming a harmonious connection between the mind and body, all of which are essential components for the well-being of an individual.

By celebrating and recognizing National Sports Day, civil society can help in spreading awareness about combating obesity by encouraging people at large to engage in physical activities.

Inspiring the youth

The younger generation is in awe of India’s sportspersons doing well on the global stage.

While cricket remains the most popular sport, there is a newfound interest in hockey and javelin, largely due to the recent success at Olympic games.

P R Sreejesh stood tall in as India secured back-to-back Olympic medals hockey. And with Neeraj Chopra medaling yet again at Paris after his gold medal at Tokyo, muti-sport events have undoubtedly captured the imagination of the nation.

A recent analysis of consumer search trends conducted by Justdial, shows a significant increase in searches for sports training facilities, with javelin throw training seeing a whopping 825 percent rise in metropolitan cities.

There is also growing interest to take up shooting too with a 612 percent increase in searches in pistol and rifle shooting training centres combined. This can only be attributed to Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale's phenomenal performances at the Paris Olympics.

Observing a National Sports Day can continue to spur interest in sports and inspire the youth to take up sport not only as a passion but also consider sports as a potential career opportunity.

Clearing the parochial view of sports

The main idea of celebrating National Sports Day is to challenge the parochial view that Indians possess towards sports.

By sharing anecdotes of famous players from a bygone era and by citing examples on how and why such persons excelled at the international stage, the day could well inspire an entire generation that they too can succeed in what was traditionally seen as an unconventional career.

Observing a National Sports Day could go a long way in dispelling the perception that sports is meant to be a pass-time with no viable career opportunities.

Fostering national unity

In the movie "Gold", Akshay Kumar’s character says “Ek din Hamara Hindustan Azad Hoyega aur phir hum gold jeetega aur hamara janda le layega” (One day we will be attaining the independence and we will win gold and our flag will fly high on the mast) and he continues stating that instead of singing “Long live the King” (the British national anthem), we will sing our own anthem.

This reflects the true struggle Indians had to endure to unfurl their own flag. The legendary Dhyan Chand won three consecutive Olympic medals, all in an pre-independence era.

National Sports Day serves as a reminder that no matter where we are in the country, we should all identify as Indians, thus creating a sense of unity and a shared purpose among diverse groups.

National Sports Day underscores the importance of coming together as Indians to support our nation’s success on the global stage, despite our regional and cultural differences.

Promoting inclusivity

The 2024 Paralympics are now upon us, standing as a testament that individuals with physical challenges can also take up sports as a viable career.

These games showcase the individuals with limitations only in their bodies but not in their minds.

As this year’s theme talks about “Sport for the Promotion and Peaceful and Inclusive Societies” the day promotes inclusivity in sports advocating for equal opportunities for those who have a raging passion and will to excel in their respective sporting careers despite their inabilities.

India has shown remarkable progress in recent Paralympics, securing 19 medals which included five gold, in the previous games in Tokyo. This time, India is looking to surpass the medal tally from Tokyo by fielding a strong contingent of 84 athletes in Paris.

This effort serves to inspire more physically challenged individuals to not get bogged down by their disabilities but be hopeful for an opportunity that awaits them.

Where does Indian sports go from here?

The Paris Olympics broke viewership records in India with 17 crore viewers, and 1,500 crore minutes of watch time along with a 2.6 fold increase in advertising revenue. These datapoints are indicate that Indian sports is thriving thanks medal-winning exploits and a growing public interest.

National Sports Day plays a pivotal role in this evolving landscape of Indian sports. By honoring the achievements of athletes and promoting the ideals of inclusivity and dedication, the day serves as a reminder that India can truly become a sporting nation if Indians can collectively take up sport and appreciate the individuals who are in constant pursuit of securing laurels for the country.

The National Sports Day encourages individuals to celebrate and support India’s sporting heroes, while advocating for further investment in infrastructure and grassroot development programs. This collective effort will propel Indian sports to even greater heights.