The Rio Olympics is all set to start in August 2016, with the Indian contingent gearing up for the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world. Badminton ace Saina Nehwal is one of them, working hard to repeat the success she achieved in the 2012 London edition. In a country obsessed with cricket, the Olympic Bronze medallist from the London 2012 games is regarded as one of the finest individual athletes India has ever produced.
Saina, through the medium of social media, has issued a rallying cry to the people of India to not discriminate between different sports and sportspersons and instead try and support each and every participant equally.
Many athletes from a diverse range of sports just do not achieve the popularity or receive the funds they deserve because of the ‘cricket phobia’ that India suffers from. Nehwal recognizes this and puts a strong message across in the form of a silent video posted by ‘Voice of Ram’.
In the video, Saina goes on to deliver her messages via various placards instead of giving a speech. She conveys the message that many athletes who are going to represent India at the Olympics have “sacrificed a lot to get here”, they are “people who know how to respect each other despite being different from each other” and have “learnt to accept a simple rule of life: Hard work can be kind and luck can be cruel.”
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India is infamous for letting champion athletes who have shown incredible talent and skill go down the drain and struggle with poverty. Many of them have even sold their own medals and trophies to make a living.
It is said that because of this lack of support that India has managed to win so few medals, compared to other hugely populated countries like China and United States of America. There is no dearth of talent in the nation. However, the lack of funds and support has eventually ended up killing promising careers.
Thus, Nehwal has urged the nation to appreciate these athletes as they are all part of a team that will be representing the country. India is set to send its largest ever delegation in the history of the Olympic games with 90 athletes having already qualified and raring to go.
The 26-year-old is currently in Kunshan, China preparing for the Uber Cup, the team championships for women. The team will be looking for another strong showing from the shuttler after clinching their maiden bronze in their last campaign in 2014.
Here’s wishing Saina Nehwal and the entire Indian team for the Olympics more success to make our country proud.
