We need change: Inderjeet Singh's race to the Olympics in the face of adversity

Many across India share a common dream much like the one stated by Milkha Singh, the dream of seeing an Indian win an Olympic gold medal in the near future. Every now and then we are acquainted with athletes who exhibit brilliant performances, but we are often faced with the harsh truth that such athletes are not able to sustain themselves and achieve the illustrious goals they aspire to, such as Olympic gold. The reasons provided for this dismaying result are many, but solutions are often less sought out than the excuses which stream out incessantly.

Inderjeet Singh qualifies for the 2016 Olympics in Rio

?A list of names constituting the Indian team selected for the Asian Athletics Championships, 2015 to be held at Wuhan (China) from June 3-7 put up on the Athletics Federation of India website, includes Inderjeet Singh. The athlete, who won silver at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia and bronze at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, is seldom talked about.

He is among the few who have qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics. His throw of 20.65 m, just a few centimetres shy of the national record of 20.69 m by fellow competitor Om Prakash, was enough to surpass the Olympic qualifying mark of 20.50 m.

In an interview conducted after his victory at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia in 2013, the truth about the deplorable conditions of such top national athletes resurfaced. Inderjeet, the 6’ 5” ace thrower, mentioned the various difficulties he faced in pursing his dream. Following his father’s death in 2007, the responsibility of the financial sustenance of the entire family now rests entirely on Inderjeet’s shoulders.

With no employment opportunities or support systems, the future of such athletes is in great jeopardy.

Singh’s determination to make a mark in the arena of sports and carry out the responsibility of supporting his family is exemplified by his qualification for the Rio Olympics next year. He ousted longtime rival Om Prakash and getting closer to the national record set in 2012.

The only support Inderjeet receives is from his family. In his hometown of Bhiwani, Haryana, Singh claims to practice in the evening with the headlights of vehicles turned on due to the absence of proper lighting in the ground. Apart from this, the Union government lent him poor support despite his winning silver at the World University Games.

He calls for a change, like many have done in the past. Inderjeet is not the only one; he represents an entire batch of athletes who share the same plight. “We need recovery experts, scientific support, dieticians, good diet and people who understand sports and back sportsmen when they are not doing great,” he said in an interview with the Hindu in the month of October,2014.

As the years progress, more and more initiatives by private orgazations to help India secure its first gold medal in athletic continue to grow, but all efforts would prove futile without the unwavering support of the government. Although we are made to believe that the current system caters holistically to top athletes in India, the truth is far stranger, for it is evident through the accounts of such athletes that change, both swift and effective is required to help such athletes garner recognition and support in the years to come.