New Delhi, October 9: In his capacity as Rajya Sabha member, Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has prepared a roadmap for Indian sports, which he submitted to Union human resource development minister Kapil Sibal and sports minister Ajay Maken last month.
According to sources, the batting maestro has given a two-page summary and attached a 25-slide presentation to show the road ahead for Indian sports.
In the presentation, Tendulkar essentially made four main points - how to tap into the grassroots level and nurture young talent, how to promote sports at university and college levels and make it more competitive, how to revamp infrastructure and improve the structure of excellence and how physical activities should be compulsory for every Indian.
Sources said that Tendulkar has taken inspiration from India's strong showing in the 2012 London Olympics - and explained how the country's best medal tally could be used as a great opportunity to further develop India as a sporting nation.
Four-Point Agenda:
1. Tap into grassroots and nurture young talent
2. Promote sports at university and college levels
3. Revamp sporting infrastructure
4. Make physical activity part of school curriculum
'Sibal inclined towards Sachin's proposal'
To realize the dream of 'sports for all', Sachin Tendulkar has suggested that sports should be made part of the school curriculum.
"He has suggested that instead of sports being treated as an extra-curricular activity, it should be made compulsory," a source told TOI.
HRD ministry sources said the minister is favourably inclined to Sachin's proposal but the modalities will have to be worked out by NCERT.
The sources added that Kapil Sibal had written to Tendulkar immediately after receiving the document sent by him and invited him to make a presentation. The ministry is awaiting Tendulkar's response.
"This a positive move by Tendulkar, who is playing the perfect role of a Parliamentarian and a sportsman," the source said.
Times View:
Sachin Tendulkar's proposal that sports should be made compulsory in school deserves to be taken seriously and not just because of who it comes from.
There should be no doubt that the inculcation of a sporting culture in our children early in life will serve both them and the country well.
Not only would it help arrest the decline in physical activity in today's children, it will provide good means of teaching them the values of team effort and strategising, both of which are of immense value in anywalk of life.
At a more tangible level, a nation of over a billion people can only gain from the sheer volume of talent that is likely to be thrown up if sports gets truly broad-based as such a move would do.
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