Blog

Lets begin with a basic fact that winning or losing is subjective and momentary. This cannot be the basis of one’s existence and it definitely cannot be the grounds to brand someone. I’ll come back to sports in a bit but in the larger scheme of things, in life, one will win some and lose some. It’s not pragmatic to expect a win all the time. Every victory helps you grow in confidence while defeat teaches you humility and the importance of having the right spirit! Failure inspires and motivates you to do better the next time, to succeed.

I was raised in a family of academicians and scientists. Our days started with reading the newspaper and cursing the government for something new, almost everyday. We were almost always talking about what the next meal would be. Everyone wanted my brother and me to study well and become a professor in a renowned college or join the ISRO or do something on those lines! We loved our sweets and the only time we were allowed to take a break from studies was when we went to visit our grandparents or when we took up some kind of art as a hobby. And we were probably the only family in our huge circle, which did not watch football, at least not for a major part of my childhood. I’m sure that by now you must have guessed that I’m Bengali and believe it or not, I turned out fine (yes, cos I did not watch football).

You’ve definitely either played cricket at some point in your life so far or you’re aware of a few people who’ve played cricket, not necessarily at a professional level. In your younger days it was almost a given that, if you’re a boy, then you just tried your hand at cricket. This is almost true for a lot of people. Cricket was just the easiest sport to pick and there was some form of access to a pool of players either in your neighbourhood or at school or somewhere else!

Now, when I look back, I realise even more that cricket never really helped with keeping me fit but the whole idea of regularly playing the sport, either on weekends or on certain weekday evenings, was still attributing to some kind of sport fulfilment and was an activity which helped in overall development.

I was a gifted batsman and my childhood days were a lot of fun due to the importance my friends gave me when it came to cricket. This taught me a few things…

In a day and age where technology is making things easy and making us lazy, one has no choice but to eat right to stay fit. Apart of being active diet is of paramount importance. We thought we’d share some of our food ideas with you. These recommendations are purely from personal experience and curious reading.

High performance depends on good eating habits. High protein, vitamins and fibre enhance performance.

Eat right > Ply a sport or two > Stay fit > Live a long healthy life!

I’ll have to start by laying stress on the fact that Cricket is the one sport in India which is undeniably the most played, most watched and debatably most loved. That being said, one has to wonder as to why other sports haven’t picked up and reached the same level of popularity as cricket. One would immediately say Sponsorships! Well, sadly, money does play a crucial part in the growth and sustenance of a sport. But what does this mean? Simply put, no money implies poor facilities which in turn means the inability to give world class training.

If you look at the last 20-30 years India has become known as a force to reckon with in the arena of cricket with their brilliant performances and commitment to the sport. With global recognition followed sponsorships and great opportunities. In recent years India has played host for the Cricket World Cup, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the Hockey World Cup to name a few major events. While we seem to be moving in a favourable direction, when it comes to development across sports, we are still dealing with sub standard infrastructure in a majority of sports played in the country. At a certain level we have managed to provide decent infrastructure for cricket, tennis, badminton, golf and football but that’s nowhere close to being justified for a country with a land mass as huge as ours and that too being so populated.

It’s no secret that being involved in sports has a direct correlation to psychological development and growth. Sports also contribute in the social and moral growth of a child. Not only do sports help children be physically fit and active but they also instil key values such as teamwork, adherence to rules, honesty, leadership, planning and sportsman spirit to name a few. Sports prepare children to face the big bad competitive world and also teach them how to cope with victory and defeat. Sports make you fight for a common goal alongside individuals you may or may not have known for a while; this is one of the many learnings which can mould you and prepare you to fight for the greater good in life and ignore the petty differences which are nothing more than water under the bridge.

When you look outside your window, do you see a lot of kids playing anymore?

While some kids may show signs of a young athlete, others may just be testing the waters trying to assess if they love outdoor sports. For parents who intend to encourage an already innate passion, or wish to spark some interest in sports, here are a few ways to motivate them to include sports into their lives–
1. Making Sports Fun
2. Give Importance to the Effort not the Outcome
3. Explore Different Sports

Typically, hosting mega events such as the FIFA World Cup has been a privilege assigned only to developed nations. However, since 2008, a number of developing nations around the world have been able to obtain the rights to host global competitions. After China hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, India was host to the Common Wealth Games in 2010. This year, Russia is hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which is perceived to be a positive step for developing nations. However, some speculations highlight concerns towards the real benefits and expenses associated with these events.

It is conventionally believed that sports camps are only for school going children who are expected to meet their daily requirement of moderate to vigorous daily physical activity. Fortunately for adults who are sporting enthusiasts, also looking for a set-up that...

If you sit back and analyze different cultures, it won’t take you long to recognize a pattern many of them follow when it comes to sporting choices they make. Some religious beliefs or cultural backgrounds influence the physical activity they choose to pursue. For...